A Star Among Planets (Star Wars Rebels Fanfiction)

Chapter 104: Fade Away

    Halftail dozed off with a paw draped over his eyes in the cockpit of the Ghost. It was the only place that he could find where no one else would disturb him for at least a bit. He had almost fallen into a deep sleep when he heard footsteps approaching.

    "Halftail, it's time for the meeting. You can sleep after," Kanan told him gruffly.

    Halftail rolled onto his paws, swiping his tongue over his lips. He lifted from the chair and strode after Kanan sluggishly. He yawned with his jaws stretched wide, exhaustion pulling at every hair on his pelt. He just wished that they weren't always going so that he could take a cat nap every now and again.

    They made their way into the large hanger with a scene of planets floating around it. Halftail clambered around Kanan with Swiftail on his other side.

    "We have numerous areas for a base but I think that we should start here," explained Hera as she pointed to a cluster of planets. "But, we're going to have to refuel halfway through. There's an Empire base that will work right here."

    "It should work," murmured Bluefeather as she flicked out her wing tips. "Well, let's get going before we have issues. Come on!"

    They bounded forward, prepping the systems for a long flight with some complications along the way. Their flights never went smoothly.

    "Halftail, can we help," begged Snowfall as she skidded forward, nearly falling forward in her haste.

    Halftail smiled as he flicked his tail tip. "Alright, go and see if Bluefeather and Hera need any help. I'm sure that they would enjoy some extra paws yearning for experience."

    Snowfall took off and left her other three littermates looking at Halftail expectantly. Halftail set his jaw before he turned and saw Keen walking forward, not looking like he had anything else better to do than look after a few kits.

    "Keen, do you think that you could do me a favor," asked Halftail hopefully.

    Keen brightened as he skipped forward. "Sure! What do you need me to do," he asked as he wiggled his wings that spread from his back.

    "Could you show these kits what it means to learn how to fight," asked Halftail with his tail skirting against the ground.

    Keen nodded eagerly as he saw the kits almost bombard him, leaping and swiping at his shoulders. "Sure, no problem. I'm not that good myself, but I promise that I can try," he told them as he nudged them each forward as they threaded around his paws, tripping him as he walked. "Come on." He had to turn back for Blizzardstorm once, but even the blind kit was able to figure out where he needed to go.

    Hafltail watched them go before he went over to Birchfoot's room since he hadn't been at the meeting. He knocked on the door and heard a gruff, "Come in."

    He obeyed as he came forward, closing the door softly behind him. Halftail sat down in his usual spot, feeling like he was supposed to be in therapy or something with all of the sitting and talking he did with Birchfoot.

    Birchfoot flicked his tail tip impatiently. "What can I do for you, Halftail?"

    "I was wondering if you had a higher dose of my injection," Halftail grumbled into his chest fur. Shame clung to him like a second pelt for the fact that he was actually asking Birchfoot this question and admitting defeat.

    Birchfoot turned and twitched his ears in surprise. "Injection? Higher dose? Those are two words that I never thought that I would hear from the great Halftail."

    Halftail gritted his teeth in frustration. He hated when Birchfoot spoke like that. "Yes, I would like a slightly higher dose of it. But, you can't say anything. I can't have someone think that I'm even weaker than before!"