Jayfeather & Half Moon/Briarlight

7

  Bramblestar was calling the cats that had been chosen to go to the Gathering. Jayfeather had refused to leave, saying that he needed to take care of Briarlight and Squirrelflight - and to take care of his own thoughts, too. He couldn't bear to think of going to a place so filled with cats that looked down upon him with judging eyes.

Briarlight's breathing was still uneven, but her wounds were starting to patch up again. Jayfeather sniffed the wound suspiciously. "Are you sure it doesn't hurt anymore?"

"Yes, Jayfeather." Briarlight rolled her eyes. "You've been asking a lot of questions regarding my wound today. Is something wrong?"

"No, no..." Jayfeather turned away, padding to Squirrelflight's side to check on her. He was fully aware that he was being more nosier than usual, but he had to take his mind off Half Moon. He... he had to do something else...

Did I make the right decision?

Half Moon stared down at the pool, her clear green eyes misting up. She splashed the water with her paw a little angrily. Her heart still ached with the raw feeling of rejection and sadness. Had this all been a lie? Have I really been tricking myself?

But she knew she hadn't. She knew... she knew whatever she had shared with Jay's Wing last time wasn't fake. It was real. It had been real. So... why now?

"What troubles you, Half Moon?"

Half Moon gasped, spinning around.

Feathertail sat there, tail curled around her paws in a polite manner. Her eyes betrayed the sympathy she felt. Half Moon looked down at her paws. "I think I made a wrong decision with Jay's Wing."

Feathertail cocked her head. "Do you regret?"

"No, I don't regret anything. Jay's Wing will always be my love..."

"Then?"

"He said he doesn't deserve me. He said... he said that it would be better to stay apart." Half Moon spoke the words softly. Her mind whirled with all the memories she had lived with Jay's Wing, and she felt the years catching up on her, like a pounding beat. Her heart.

For a moment she couldn't't see her paws. The pounding beat grew stronger. Half Moon's green eyes widened in surprise and dismay. "Feathertail-"

Feathertail stepped forward.

Half Moon blinked, forcing herself to stay calm. The pounding beat drained and she could see her faint white paws again. Half Moon swallowed. "What happened?"

Feathertail's eyes closed in dismay. "Cats forget who you are. More and more cats have forgotten. You... you almost disappeared."

Half Moon swallowed, shaking her head. "I need to return back to the Tribe of Endless Hunting. I shouldn't have come here at all."

Feathertail's ears twitched in disappointment. "I will always remember you, Half Moon."

"Others may not." Half Moon whispered hoarsely, voice rough with sadness. "Jay's Wing may wish to not remember me at all."