Chiri was the name given to an orange-furred handsy creature by Jedi Padawan Imri Cantaros. This handsy resided on Wevo, a [jungle](/article/jungle] moon situated in the Outer Rim, during the High Republic Era. Back in 232 BBY, Cantaros found himself stranded on Wevo with a group, and the handsy unexpectedly jumped onto him. It began to ride on Cantaros' shoulders as he was in the process of searching for fruit. As a result of this interaction, the Padawan felt a connection with the handsy, leading him to name it Chiri.
On the subsequent day, Cantaros and Jedi Knight Vernestra Rwoh set out to investigate a disturbance in the Force. Chiri went along, nestled inside the Padawan's tunic. Upon discovering the disturbance's origin, Chiri dashed into a Nihil cargo hauler only to be killed by the pirate Klinith Da. The handsy's demise intensified Cantaros' already present anger, as he was still mourning the loss of his Jedi Master, Douglas Sunvale. Driven by grief, he sought vengeance for both deaths and nearly succumbed to the dark side of the Force, but Rwoh intervened and brought him back.
During the High Republic Era, the handsy who would later be known as Chiri lived on Wevo. Wevo is a [jungle](/article/jungle] moon located in the Outer Rim. In 232 BBY, Jedi Padawan Imri Cantaros found himself stranded on Wevo. He wasn't alone, as Jedi Knight Vernestra Rwoh, the scientist Avon Starros with her nanny droid J-6, and the Dalnan boy Honesty Weft were also there. While the group was searching the jungle for fruit, the handsy suddenly leaped from a tree and landed on Cantaros' head. Despite the Padawan's attempts to remove it, he was unsuccessful, which amused his companions. The handsy, apparently preferring Cantaros to its tree, spent the rest of the day riding on the Padawan's shoulders. At one point, it even used Cantaros as a springboard to reach fruit on the highest branches.
Later, as the handsy began nibbling on Cantoros' Padawan braid, Weft inquired if he planned to name the creature. Cantaros responded that he would call it Chiri. Starros then wondered if the name was chosen because it rhymed with the Padawan's own name, jokingly calling them a "wild" fruit-picking team. When the group returned to the cave where they were staying, Chiri went with them, curling up inside Cantaros' tunic while the other handsies retreated to their hiding places. Rwoh noticed that Chiri occasionally made soft chirping sounds while sleeping.
On the following day, Cantaros and Rwoh both sensed a disturbance in the Force and agreed to investigate it. The Padawan assembled his lightsaber and placed it in his holster. Chiri squeaked in annoyance but remained inside the tunic. The Jedi Knight commented that the handsy seemed to think the disturbance was worth putting up with for such a good napping spot. Cantaros and Rwoh then departed to investigate the disturbance, with Chiri still nestled inside the Padawan's tunic.
The two Jedi eventually located the source of the disturbance: a Nihil cargo hauler occupied by two pirates, Klinith Da and Gwishi. They overheard the Nihil discussing their plans. After Rwoh found a hiding place, she signaled for Cantaros to follow, but suddenly Chiri leaped out of the Padawan's tunic and headed toward the ship. Cantaros tried to stop him, but was unable to prevent the handsy from entering the hauler. Before the two Jedi could follow Chiri, they heard Da yell that the handsy would not eat her food and then fire a blaster. Chiri chirped in pain, and his body was thrown out of the hauler.
Cantaros rushed to the handsy, whispering Chiri's name and noting that he was no longer moving. Rwoh sensed that the living Force had departed from the handsy's body and pulled the Padawan away to prevent them from being shot. Cantaros wanted to pursue the Nihil, but the Knight, sensing his anger, insisted they return to their cave to plan their next course of action.
Upon the Jedi's return to the cave, Weft asked about Chiri's whereabouts. Cantaros simply replied that he was gone. Starros, noticing the Padawan's sadness, understood that he meant the handsy had died, not just returned to the jungle. After discussing their discovery of the disturbance's source, the Dalnan inquired if the two Nihil had harmed Chiri. In a flat, emotionless tone, Cantaros confirmed that they had, making Starros want to offer him a hug.
The Padawan later reflected on Chiri, feeling it was unfair that he had died after they had connected. Still grieving the loss of his Jedi Master, Douglas Sunvale, who had been killed in an attack by the same Nihil, Cantaros sought revenge, almost succumbing to the dark side of the Force. However, Rwoh intervened, preventing him from falling, and the two Nihil were taken prisoner.
In 230 BBY, while befriending the tooka cat Gemmy at the Jedi temple on the Outer Rim planet [Dalna](/article/dalna], Cantaros thought of Chiri and his tragic demise. He pushed the memory aside and tried to focus on the present moment.
Chiri made his debut in the 2021 junior novel The High Republic: A Test of Courage, authored by Justina Ireland. It was released as part of Phase I of the Star Wars: The High Republic multimedia project.