A Star Among Planets (Star Wars Rebels Fanfiction)

Chapter 86: Remembering The Day

    Halftail leaned forward with his paw shaking wild. He thrust the tip of his syringe into his vein and he nearly cried out. The fire plunged through him, and once he was finished, he threw it sideways. He slumped against Birchfoot's nest and panted so madly that he was sure that he was going to stop breathing.

    "Halftail, are you in here?"

    Halftail wanted to say something but his jaw set and he fell forward. He began to twitch and his eyes flickered. "Halftail," wailed Birchfoot as he surged forward and rested a paw against Halftail's neck to check his pulse. It was very rapid. Birchfoot sighed heavily. He managed to calm Halftail down a bit as he closed his eyes. "Halftail, can you hear me?"

    Halftail shook his head a bit as he came to. He lifted his head and tried to sit up, but Birchfoot pushed him back down. "Halftail, don't try to move!"

    "I'm fine," hissed Halftail as he stared into Birchfoot's eyes slightly.

    Birchfoot rested a paw against his forehead, but Halftail drew back at the touch. "Halftail, have you been taking your medicine," he inquired with a frown.

    Halftail nodded, although he had forgotten his double doses sometimes. He hadn't mean to. There was a lot to do and not enough time in the day to do it. "Most of the time I do. Only sometimes do I forget," he rasped as his muscles throbbed and burned from his fit.

    Birchfoot let out an exasperated sigh through his nose. "Halftail, what did I say? You can't just do this to yourself. I think that you need an accountability partner; one to make sure that you don't forget your medication or do anything fish-brained," he hissed with his nose wrinkled.

    Halftail ducked backwards with his head drown back into his shoulders. He didn't need an accountability partner! He needed everyone to just leave him alone. He knew what he needed to do. He just forgot sometimes. "I don't need a partner or whatever," he spat on the ground, a few paces from his syringe that he had thrown aside before his latest fit.

    "I think that you do," argued Birchfoot as he touched his nose to Halftail's ear. "I'll let you pick one if you'd like. If you don't, I'll do it for you."

    Tears burned in Halftail's eyes as he thrust out a paw and shattered the syringe. Glass flew and a few pieces stuck into his foreleg. "I don't want anyone that you can get me," he huffed as his lips peeled back to reveal yellow and sharp teeth.

    Birchfoot had no idea why Halftail was acting this way. Sometimes he was delirious when he came out of his fits. but this was way different entirely. He drew closer to Halftail with Halftail snarling him away. "Stay away from me!"

    Birchfoot took a step backwards and lifted his tail intently. He dipped his head to him and sighed heavily. "Okay, alright," breathed Birchfoot as he searched Halftail's gaze. "Can you tell me why I can't come near you?" Halftail didn't say anything so Birchfoot decided that he would keep speaking. "Okay, what can I do to help you?"

    Halftail whirled his head finally to face Birchfoot. Birchfoot shrunk under Halftail's gaze and he couldn't help but feel a shiver rush up his hind leg. "You can bring Bine back."

    Birchfoot mentally kicked himself inside. How had he not realized? This was the anniversary of Bine's death. Today was the hardest day for Halftail since it was Swifttail's birthday as well. Birchfoot had no idea how Halftail was coping, but by the look of him, he really wasn't. "Halftail, you know that I can't do that," he sympathized gently.

    Halftail seemed to almost roar as he hissed with his teeth clenching. He wasn't sure if it was in pain or grief. "I can't do this without her! I will not have a partner unless it is Bine," he reported harshly as he turned away with his claws extending. He brushed them against his muzzle until blood seemed to drip from it.