[right][color=00aeef][right]Week 7, Day 1, Late Evening[/right][/color][/right]


"No disrespect Master, but I disagree." Lo's face turned to face her master. A familiar hardness etched into her muzzle and eyes. She let her frustration yield to her determination as she leaned her back against the table. In her hands, the mortar and grind already had been turning the herbs into a paste. 

"I might not be able to heal it, but I can give you a painkiller. I do this for a few good reasons." Her voice remained firm and resisting her master's protest. She shifted the grind into the bowl as she lifted her fingers and counted the reasons. 

"First," her first finger lifted. 

"If anyone sees you in that condition, it will affect the Twi'lek's faith in you. Especially since it's a persisting injury that they knew nothing about until now. While Sar and a few others understand, others will not." 

She lifted her second finger. 

"I need to be able to focus. Through our link, I get faint sensations and those are distracting. This is to give us time to teach me how to block it out." 

Lo inhaled, revealing her last and final reason. 

"Finally, before you deny the painkiller with the excuse that others need it... I'm only using local herbs. Ones we can easily replenish and have plenty in stock. I also need the practice to familiarize myself with how they work and strength. You're going to help with that." 

Once more, the padawan inhaled. 

"Now, stop being unreasonable. Else, I will show you exactly how H'Ratth healers tend to stubborn patients." Lo appeared to prepare herself to deal with additional issues as she looked at her master. 

Dominik listened to his Padawan’s words as she spoke, giving him no time to interject with an argument as she countered every single one he was preparing to throw at her. By the end of it, Dominik was obviously peeved at his Padawan’s ability to argue with him at that moment, but he also admired her determination and stubbornness. 

He pulled back a glare that had formed; she knew how to argue and how to do it well. The older Jedi huffed in frustration before his eyes closed as he accepted his defeat. He shifted his legs slightly as he felt the sharp pain threatening to dig deeper into his hip. 

“You’ve learned well.” He muttered in defeat, wincing at the pain he felt but attempting to distract his mind by talking to his Padawn. 
“Well, I have spent about two months with you. If I haven’t learned anything during that time, I consider myself a terrible padawan.” Lo stated bluntly as she finished grinding the herbs then shaking the paste into a cup. She passed it to him. 

“It needs to be digested. Beware, the herbs are bitter. I suggest taking some water with them to ease the taste.” After she passed it off, Lo looked to her master. 

“We need to get you off the floor before the chill makes it worse.”

Dominik reached out slowly, accepting the cup from his Padawan. He brought it to his nose, smelling its bitter scent before pulling it to his lips. Closing his eyes, he sat up slightly, using his other arm to hold him up before he threw his head back, swallowing the paste in one go. He could help the face he made moments later before he coughed a couple times, swallowing in an attempt to get the taste to disappear faster. He held the cup back out towards Lo, allowing her to take it before that arm returned to help prop his body to fully. 

Without waiting for Lo's help, he slowly turned his body so that he was in a sort of kneeling position, gathering his strength before he slowly started to help himself stand.

Lo stood there, watching her master swallow the herbs. She reached for the bowl then quickly turned away. Not seeing the pain or struggle helped her to squash down the urge to help him. His pride and stubbornness would fight her on that.

"So how do you feel? Are the herbs dealing with the pain at least? Don't lie because I'll know." Her voice retained a firm, but softer tone this time.

Dominik slowly found his footing as he stood, keeping most of the weight off of his sore hip, though he could tell the herb paste was already working. He winced as he felt a dull pain surge from his hip and down his leg, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as it had been before. He looked to a nearby crude wooden table, one hand reaching out towards it. On it, his lightsaber and wooden walking stick started to tremble. He pulled both of them quickly towards him, both landing in either hand. Dominik mounted the lightsaber on his waistbelt while the other hand took the walking stick firmly and held it down next to his right leg. The walking stick came up to his waist, a finely made cane of carved wood and leather. Dominik adjusted his clothing on his form, noting how they were starting to wear, before looking over towards his Padawan. 

“Come Lo…” He said, pausing and showing his Padawan a weak but confident smile, “we should try to find out what happened, and see if Sar needs any help.” 

“Lead the way.” She snatched her own lightsaber and quickly followed him out of the hut.