Ahsoka could feel the force bubbling around her; something was going to happen. She wasn't sure it was going to be good, she could also guarantee it wasn't going to be good.

-----

One could call getting ambushed by three Akul bad and then having to face three waves of clankers bad - Ahsoka could suppose, but that didn't seem to be what the force was talking to her about.

What she didn't realise was that this 'threat' would come from her people.

-----

Rex could feel the stares on his back, the whole time that they fought there were multiple sets of eyes on him. The amount just seemed to multiply when he entered the village, but this time, he knew who was staring at him.

He had a trail behind him of what seemed like half the younger population of the village. They even seemed to start arguing between each other when he openly looked over at him. It was unnerving for definite.

He could not help the glances he kept sending to the Commander and General, hoping to see whether this was something that would typically happen. He approached the two commanding officers, removing his helmet just as he was about to reach their side.

"Ke'leh," one of the older of the trailing females whispered, startling him with how close they got.

Before he could even process what they had said as they reached to grab him, he saw the female get decked to the floor, the Commander hissing as she paced in front of him.

He knew he must look a state, eyes full in confusion, body startled in shock.

Ahsoka stared down the female, hissing and bearing her teeth at her. She kept hissing at the other females in the background. "Not sa, not tunga. Not sa ke'leh, not du ke'leh. But du territory, du tribe."

The rest of the 501st were opening staring with their mouths hanging open at the display happening in front of them. They could see that Rex seemed to be the one that this was all rotating around, but they could not understand why.

"Rex get back to the ship," Anakin ordered, his face pale.

Just as Rex went to move, Ahsoka turned back towards them, snapping quickly, "do not move and do not turn your back on them. Otherwise, you'll trigger the next stage of the mating ritual."

That was when Rex's jaw dropped; he'd triggered a mating ritual?

"You've already shown yourself to be a warrior, then, when the boys listened to you, they singled you out for your power," Ahsoka explained, "they then told you they wanted to mate. If you walk towards them, then they have power over you, if you walk away, they'll give chase."

"Is there any way to say no?" Rex asked the situation sounds like there was no way for him to back out.

"Nothing you can do on your end, you've left it too long, and you don't know the words either," Ahsoka sighed before hissing and striking out as some females came forwards again.

"So there's nothing that can be done," Rex asked almost miserably.

The 501st was sickly white as they took in the situation now the Commander had translated what has happened. They were at risk of losing their Captain.

"There is one thing that can be done, now worst has come to worst, only another of age female togruta can fight for 'mateship' of the chosen male," Ahsoka sighed, "by killing Akul on my own to wear this headband, I am of age, which is why they acted before you reached me. I'm a threat, and I'll have to prove to them that I should be the one to be with you. Otherwise, you will not be able to leave this planet, ever."

Rex went stiff the moment the words hit his ears; his commanding officer was currently fighting to make sure that he doesn't get mated and bound to this planet, hence fighting her right to mate with him.

This was not in his training.

He's going to make a mental note to make sure he warns others of what could happen on this planet.

He was broke out of his musing when an all-out brawl opened in front of him as all the females decided to attack each other and the Commander.

Suddenly, the fighting ended as the village elder walked towards the group, trilling at them.

Ahsoka couldn't help snort back her laughter as she heard what the elder suggested. It wasn't often that this would be recommended, but it meant that the chosen mate had caught a lot of well-meant attention - including the eyes of elders. This would be taken as a high honour to the chosen mate typically.

"I dread to think what that reaction was for," Anakin mumbled.

"The elder suggested that seems as the chosen mate is a warrior, can protect and 'control' a group, then he is capable of taking multiple mates," Ahsoka stated, almost giggling in amusement.

Rex started shaking his head like he was going to explode, saying no is as many languages he could think off while the clones behind him burst into laughter.

As the group started trilling again together, Ahsoka gave a rough translation. "They'll go to try and impress you, keeping in mind that they might get you to choose more than one mate."

"Dare I say it, how are they going to try and impress me, sir?" Rex asked with a gulp.

"You'll need to stay stationary as they circle you, none will touch you as you have not permitted them, but they will try a range of different motions to show themselves off," Ahsoka stated, remembering from when a Master had previously told her, "if any do touch you, you will have the permission to attack them back - to draw blood, so they learn their lesson. You will have to choose one or more of them. Otherwise, they will try again, but might try a little more forceful towards you."

"What has my life got to," Rex sighed.

"You're allowed to place back on your mask; they will take it as a sign of you being a warrior, not scared or running," Ahsoka reassured Rex.

Rex didn't waste a second in placing his helmet on, finding relief in the familiarity the screens provided.

Slowly the females started to approach and circle him one by one. A small message popped up on his screen from the Commander; 'you'll have to choose one, even if you don't want one.'

Then another message popped up on his screen, making his cheeks flush slightly, the text was from the General this time; 'your best bet would be to choose the Commander, Rex. Otherwise, you'll be stuck here.'

Yet again, having your Jedi commanding officer tell you to choose the other commanding officer - a padawan at that - as your mate was not part of his training.

The circling continued until one of the younger ones reached out to touch his arm. Before their fingers had touched him, Rex flung out his legs, taking out the legs of the female as he used his hand to push the female to the floor.

Ahsoka felt her mouth drop open along with the rest of their group as a loud grumble like growl emitted from Rex as he held the female to the floor until she diverted her eyes. It's not every day that a different species can get them to submit without a single word.

Rex glared down at the female before releasing his hold on her and backing away, allowing her to get up and scramble away. He watched as the rest started their circles again, they seemed cautious about his previous outburst, yet more intrigued.

Rex focused on his surroundings as the next one started to circle him. In the topmost screen, it showed that this female was also testing her luck by reaching for him back - a place that would typically be out of view of him.

The female had no warning as she felt her legs be taken out from underneath her, forcefully knocking her to her back. She felt pressure on her legs as she saw the chosen male kneel slightly on her, and a weight across her neck and chest by the arm pinning her in place. The chosen mate was almost snarling down at her, his mask giving no information towards his feelings.

Now Anakin was sure that everyone would have to dig their jaws out of the floor before they leave. Rex was behaving like a completely different person.

Rex stared down at the female he'd pinned; he was fuming that the female had tried to touch him without permission in an area that he would not have been able to see them reach him. He could barely process his reactions as all he focused on was making sure this female knew what she did was wrong, and what her place was.

There was a tense silence as the clone and female togruta stared at each other. The only sound the broke the silence was the rumbling coming from the Clone Captain's chest.

The female stared up at the chosen male, confused as to why he wasn't finding interest in her rank in the village. She was the heir of the chief, and her mate would be next to control the town, and it was shown by the jewellery she wore.

Rex felt his lips twitch slightly as the female saged beneath his grip, her eyes diverting off to the side. He released his grip on her as Rex stood up again back to where he previously was. He kept a careful eye on all the others as they began to approach him again.

Taking the fact that they seemed wary of him when he did that same rumble, each time they got too close, he slowly did it, showing them his displeasure of the lack of distance.

The 501st watched their Captain be circled slowly by the females, still trying to process the fact that he growled and rumbled at them. They could not explain why Rex had acted like that, and the way that the Commander had reacted showed it wasn't something that she had informed him to do.

Finally, the group had made their circles around him; it was Ahsoka's turn to circle Rex. In the background, the females had formed themselves into different groups. Thrown to the ground, growled at and no reaction.

The air was tense as the Commander slowly made her circles around the Captain. Logically, they knew the Captain was going to choose the Commander, but a small part of their brains whispered lies to them that the Captain could refuse and select some other female, even multiple females.

Rex spent the time that Ahsoka circled him to work out how he was meant to agree. Disagreeing was as simple as growling at them, maybe throwing them to the ground if they didn't listen, he understood that now. But to agree, how was he meant to do that?

Anakin shuffled slightly on his feet, unsure as to how to take the situation. Everything within his body was screaming that Ahsoka was too young, that Rex was too young, that the pair were being forced into this. And how the kriff does he explain this to Obi-Wan?

Before Rex could think a final solution to agreeing, it seems the females took things into their own hands. First, it was subtle looks that then ended with trills and calls that left the Commander looking as close to angry and hurt as she got.

He might not have known the words that they were saying, but he could understand the gist of it.

Ahsoka felt each word like a knife through her heart.

"Who'd want her?"

"She wouldn't be able to look after children."

"She has no firs, no rank for the village."

"Without her freaky powers she would not have come of age, probably would have died."

The females felt all their words die as the chosen mate swept the outsider behind him, his other hand resting on his weapon. His growls were loud and clear. Do not go after her. Do not go after his mate.

Rex continued to growl as all words stopped from the females and the surroundings grew quiet. He knew his actions made it clear who he'd 'chosen' as his mate.

The village was at a standoff until the two that Rex had previously thrown to the ground lowered their heads, keeping their vision tightly to the floor. Soon the rest of the females followed the village's heirs lead and diverted their eyes to the floor.

That did the trick as Rex's body relaxed, his hand losing its grip over the pistol but not moving away from the weapon. The growling lowered until it faded completely.

"Well, the rest of the villages will know of our supposed mating by nightfall," Ahsoka sighed as she watched the village start to rise back to life.

"Are we able to go now?" Anakin asked.

"Yes, it's over. The village knows they lost," Ahsoka nodded, "Rex at the moment will have slight control over the village as the second female that he threw to the floor was the heir. Also, I'll have to continue to stand near Rex now thanks to our new 'status'."

"How the kriff am I meant to explain this to Obi-Wan?" Anakin asked.

"Don't ask me; I'm only a padawan," Ahsoka stated.

When Anakin turned to face him, Rex stated, "I'm only a clone. Not even a field commander."

"Tup, you laughed the least, send me the recording of all this, so I have proof that I am not lying," Anakin sighed as he faced the battalion.

"Sir, yes, sir!"

-----

"I hope you have proof of the supposed mating ritual between half the village females, your padawan and your Captain," Obi-Wan stated, distance figures in the background showed he was standing in the Jedi Council room, not a briefing room.

"I got Tup to send me his helmet recording; it should clear up what I missed," Anakin nodded, "I'm sending it over now."

Anakin stood in silence as he waited for Obi-Wan and the rest of their audience to finish watching the video, resisting the urge to tap foot impatiently. In the background, he could hear laughter - why a Jedi Council member was laughing was beyond him. It was followed by a shushing noise and yet more laughter.

Finally, Obi-Wan appeared again, his face cracked in a smile that Anakin hadn't seen since Qui-Gon was last alive. It made his master seem younger, almost worry-free. "Thank you for bringing this up, a note has been made and a message sent to the clone factories to see as to why Captain Rex had such a reaction. That will be all."

Before the holocall had faded entirely, Anakin watched as his master burst out into laugher and in the last second, the rest of the Jedi's joining him.

-----

Ahsoka was just walking in the 501st barrack when her comm buzzed to life, Obi-Wan appearing almost instantly. All attention of the room was on the Jedi Master and Padawan.

"I trust the mission was a success?" Obi-Wan asked. Something seemed off with the Jedi Master; it was like he was trying to hold back a smirk.

"The mission went smoothly beyond the normal hiccups expected on a mission," Ahsoka nodded.

"Very good, the Jedi Council are waiting on your report," Obi-Wan seemed to pause for a moment before his face got covered in a grin that could only be explained as the cat that got the canary, "I hope you at least told Rex I said hello," before the holocall faded.

Ahsoka couldn't tell who's laughter was louder, the clones or the Jedi on the end of the fading holocall. Her striped blushed a bright blue as her mouth dropped open to stare at her now bare arm.

It was at that moment that Rex chose to check on his men.

Turning around to look at Rex, Ahsoka blurted out the first thing that came to mind, "Obi-Wan said hello." She could not help her blush as it grew brighter from the laughter of the clones behind him.

"I take it he did his, 'I hope you at least told such and such I said hello', speech?" Rex asked as he crossed his arms over his chest, thankful that his helmet was still on his head.

"How'd you know what he said?" Ahsoka asked as all the clones listened in for the reasons.

"He did the same to General Skywalker," Rex stated, feeling his lips twitch as he turned and swept back out the room again.

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