Tott Doneeta was a Jedi Knight, apprenticed to Jedi Master Arca Jeth before the outbreak of the Sith War. As a youth, Tott exhibited characteristics not commonly found among his species. Rather than run away and hide when danger revealed itself, Tott would put himself at the forefront, ready to confront whatever scared the others of his species. Unfortunately, this quality in Tott caused him much harm when slavers kidnapped him and his family. On the journey to the slave market, Tott confronted the slavers while his family hid behind him, and he was subsequently beaten, often to unconsciousness.

Before the slave ship could reach its destination, Tott and the other captives were rescued by a group of Jedi Knights led by Master Arca. In awe of Arca and the Jedi Knights, Tott humbly asked him to train him as a Jedi. Tott's family was more than willing to give him up along with his troublesome ways, and Arca agreed to take Tott as his apprentice. Journeying to Arca's training compound on the planet of Arkania, Tott met Jedi students and brothers, also Arca's apprentices, Ulic and Cay Qel-Droma. Tott excelled well in his studies, and Arca was pleased with Tott's diligent mind and disciplined demeanor, his eagerness for learning but his freedom from ambitions that might turn his studies in a quest for ill will.

During his training, Arca and Tott both found that Tott possessed the rare Jedi ability of understanding and being able to speak in beast languages. To develop this ability, Master Arca often sent Tott out into the wilderness of Arkania to harness this skill through the wild animals of the forests. Life on the compound was, for the most part, peaceful, with Tott, Ulic, and Cay learning all they could about becoming Jedi, but soon it came time for Tott, Ulic, and Cay to take on their first real test.