Chapter 6

                                    

                                          
The twin suns are long down by the time we all settle into the Tusken camp. I huddle a little closer to the fire, Din sitting above me on one of the benches while Grogu plops down happily between his feet on the sand. I don't particularly like sitting in the sand, but it gets me closer to the warm fire and gives Grogu someone to sit with. Cobb Vanth sits on Din's other side, watching the four Tuskens across from us with narrowed eyes. 
I can feel the achy burning on my skin from riding in the sun all day. My cheeks feel hotter than normal despite my body feeling cold, so I already know I'm going to wake up with red sunburn tomorrow morning. It makes me feel more tired than I usually do. 
Din starts signing and grunting to the Tuskens, deep in conversation with them, and I let the side of my head droop down and slump against his thigh. My cheek squishes into the small space between his armor, allowing me to rest against the fabric of his pants instead of hard beskar. He's mid-grunt when I rest my head on him. I hear his voice falter for a second before he quickly regains his thought. 
I catch one of the Massifs eyeing up Grogu like a meal, and I narrow my eyes at it. Grogu coos, reaching one hand toward the beast sitting across the fire from him, and I gently push his hand down. 
Suddenly, one of the Tuskens cracks open what looks like a black gourd with his thumbs. Charcoal-colored steam blooms from the gourd and fills the air around us with a bitter, strong aroma. I wrinkle my nose, watching as they hand the gourd to Cobb Vanth before cracking open another one and handing it to Din, who hands it down to me. 
"What is this?" I ask, sniffing the gourd as I pull my head off Din's leg. He nudges the side of my shoulder.
"Drink it," he says quietly. Cobb Vanth scoffs loudly from his seat as I swirl the gourd and hear the liquid sloshing around inside. I look up at Din, silently pleading with him to make an excuse to the Tuskens for me, but he only nods toward the gourd. I sigh, trying not to smell the liquid as I tip it back. 
It hits my throat with a bitter taste, but it's surprisingly cold and refreshing against the effects my sunburn is having on my body temperature. I swallow two large gulps before the Tuskens look satisfied. I nod my thanks to them, coughing slightly, and they dip their heads at me.
"This stuff stinks," Cobb mutters. I look over and realize he still hasn't drank from his gourd. 
"Come on, Vanth, it's not that bad," I say, clearing my throat against the bitter aftertaste. He shakes his head like a child refusing to eat their vegetables. 
"Do you want their help?" Din asks, tilting his helmet at the Marshal. 
"Not if I have to drink this," he says, grimacing at it. I can tell the Tuskens are starting to get antsy when he still doesn't drink it. One of them starts shouting at the Marshal, and Din quickly translates. 
"He says your people steal their water and now you insult them by not drinking it. They know about Mos Pelgo," he continues, his own voice rising with anger with every word. "They know how many Sand People you killed."
"They raided our village!" Cobb pushes a finger onto his own chest. "I defended the town!"
"Lower your voice," I say, keeping my voice as calm as I can as the four Tuskens start to get angrier and angrier. 
Cobb waves me off, shoving to his feet and tossing his gourd into the fire. I lean back as a few sparks shoot into the air and narrowly miss Grogu's ears. "I knew this was a bad idea!"
"You're agitating them," Din warns sharply, his hands balling into fists at his side. Two of the Tuskens shoot up from their seats and start screeching furiously at the Marshal.