The thuds of boots against the metal floor of the cruiser could be heard echoing through the halls as a figure in a black cloak ran their hand along the walls of the ship. 

"Shadow, what are you doing?", Dooku's voice made the figure now known as shadow turn in surprise. 

"I was exploring, nothing more", Shadow says keeping his head down and speaking blankly. 

"I have an assignment for you, follow me", Dooku turns around walking and Shadow follows closely head still down. 

"We've captured Jabba the Hutt's son, and we expect the Senate to send Kenobi and Skywalker to retrieve him", Dooku explains his pace quickening. 

"Sir, I still don't see how you need me", Shadow says quickening his pace to keep up. Dooku stops in his tracks and turns his head to the younger boy behind him. 

"Do you dare question me?", Dooku asked the tone making Shadow flinch. 

"No, Of course not sir", Shadow says.

"Good, I need to you tail Skywalker or Kenobi whichever they sent to retrieve Jaba's son", Dooku orders. "Don't reveal yourself".

"Understood, Sir", Shadow says simply before bowing to Dooku and leaving for the hanger. 

Shadow made his way to the hangar before taking a flight to Christophsis. When Shadow arrived he had his ship hide on one of Christophsis's moons to stay out of sight as he used to shadows of the city to stay out of sight. 

The city was in a shambled state. Buildings were destroyed, no citizens, and battles were still underway as the droids were being overrun by the Jedi. Shadow raised his hand from his position of hiding contemplating whether or not to interfere. Choosing to stay and not compromise his position he decided to let the battle run its course.

The droids were forced to retreat as the Republic had more ships coming. Shadow's technique was to always be on the move. Never expect the place you are in to be safe and never lower your guard. Looking at a wall encased in shadows he raised his arm before a whirling black abyss opened. Shadow ran into the abyss closing behind him. Jumping into another shadow he was now in an alleyway looking around he saw a clone trooper injured but unconscious or was he?

Shadow knelt by the trooper's side as he checked his heartbeat to confirm his death. To his surprise, he was still alive. Shadow stood up and a black sleek sword materialized in his hand. 

"I have to kill him", was the only thought going through Shadow's head after all he worked for the separatist he was evil. Shadow brought the blade down to the trooper's chest but right before the sword pierced his armor the blade stood hovering. Shadow's shoulders tensed up and he struggled to bring down the blade. 

Shadow pushed down on the blade, but it never budged. Shadow let out a reluctant sigh before the blade in his hand disappeared fading back into shadow whisps. Shadow's tense shoulders relaxed before choosing to grab the clone and go through the shadow realm again. Shadow carrying the clone over his shoulder landed near a supply crate. 

Shadow made sure the clone was in plain sight and was about to leave when,

"ugh", a groan could be heard coming from the clone. 

"Shit!", was all Shadow could think before leaping into the alley, but not before the clone regained consciousness and spotted the stranger running away. 

"Wait!", he called out the figure turned back only for a moment, but that wasn't enough to see their face under the hood he called out once more as the figure ran into a wall. and disappeared. 

Shadow had warped to a vantage point now leaning against the wall breathing erratically eyes wide and fear and chest heaving. Shadow's thoughts spiraled into 'What ifs' and only after a while did he start to get his breathing down. Looking out from the balcony he could see the red force field that was guarding the droids, defending them from republic cannons. Shadow's communicator beeped and he answered Dooku's call. 

"Shadow, perhaps this is your moment to give this fight a nudge in the right direction", Dooku ordered. 

"Understood, sir", was all Shadow said shutting off the communicator. Moving to the edge of the balcony Shadow's hands ignite in a purple flame slowly raising them above his head the wind whipping around causing his hood to flutter off. Shadow's onyx hair was tied in a low ponytail with a light blue ribbon tying it, but n the front of his face had strands of hair that framed his face and bangs that favored the right side of his face. His hair was whipping around floating along the wind currents as his eyes were changing from their standard sapphire crystal blue to white and his sclera changing from white to abyssal black. 

Dooku had been informing General Loathsom of his backup when the shadows of the droids began to stretch out. Yellow eyes forming in the shadows gleamed and soon the shadows were breaking away from the ground. At first, the shadows were still blobs but only after a few seconds, they had the forms of canines that were as tall as the droids. The beasts had harnesses and saddles and the droids had begun to hook them up to platforms with ammunition or mounted them to ride to battle. 

"I see my apprentice has sent reinforcements", Dooku says witnessing the manifestation of the beast. 

"They will be most helpful indeed", General Loathsom says before ordering the army to charge. 

Meanwhile, Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano had hidden under a box and were waiting for the force field and the army to pass by. When they took a peek to see whether or not the army had passed they were in shock. 

"What are those?!", Ahsoka whispers in a screaming tone. 

"I don't know Snips, but I got a bad feeling about this", Anakin said about the lower of the box when the beast let out a horrifying howl that sounded similar to a growl at the same time before running off to the front lines. 

The army passed by them as Ahsoka became too impatient to remove the box resulting in the two beings being caught by a droid. They defeat the droid not noticing the wolf trailing behind jumping into their shadow nor the yellow eyes closing. 

The two reach the shield the beast jumps out from the shadow shocking the two. 

"That thing was in our shadow!", Ahsoka yells igniting the lightsaber

"What is this thing!", Skywalker says with the grit of anger and annoyance. 

Charging at the beast Skywalker slices the beast in two smirking in victory only to be surprised when Ahsoka yells for him to look out. 

"Look out! Behind you!", Ahsoka shouts from her position kneeling on the platform of the shield generator. 

Looking behind, he was surprised by the two beasts charging at him using the blade as a shield he was even more surprised that the beast was able to bite the blade of the lightsaber the muzzle smoking as the beast snarled.  Skywalker was being backed into a corner by the beasts as Ashoka lower the broken platform behind him onto the beast returning them to the shadow realm. 

With the battle, the troops were being overrun by the clones and beasts that ran rampant. The beast drags the clones through shadows into the shadow realm and back out with the clone's corpse lifeless and lacking the color they use to have. 

The shield dissipates as the droids riding the beast try to get the beast to retreat only to have the beast raise their heads and collectively howl before returning to shadows where they belong. 

The battle ends with Master Yoda landing on the planet with their reinforcements informing them of their new assignments. Before they all depart they remember.

 "Master Yoda do you know anything of shadow monsters?", Skywalker asks. 

"Monsters? I know not", Yoda responds confused at the question. 

"Those monsters were indestructible, they were unresponsive to blasters and my saber only made them multiply", Kenobi chimes in.

"But, then what made them retreat?", Ahsoka asks. 

"That's what I wanna know", Skywalker adds. 

"Hold on, I believe General Loathsom may have some answers", Kenobi says as the four make way to their prisoner.  

"Where did you get the monsters?", Skywalker demands threatening the prisoner with the lightsaber. 

"I don't know! Count Dooku was the one to acquire the beast, not me!", Loathsom hastily answers. 

"Dooku?", Yoda inquires 

"Yes! He mentioned something about an apprentice! Please spare me!", Loathsom pleads. 

"Troubling this is", Yoda says processing the information given.