Forever reunited.
A sequel to She Calls to Me. In this, Jayfeather finally gets what he deserves. A sweet reunion.
Years have passed. Jayfeather only has Alderheart as company.
Alderheart was panicking. Again.
Jayfeather was missing. Again.
This wasn't the first time. Jayfeather was known to be absent for days at a time. But this was different. Alderheart could feel it. He hadn't been home in two days. Since he was a major medicine cat, and Alderheart could be classified as a professional now, no one worried to much. But now he was worried.
Again.
He raced into the leaders den. He frowned "He's gone again."
The leader came face to face with Alderheart "Again? Did you check the nursery?"
"I just checked," Alderheart said, out of breath "Do you know where he could be?"
"No," the leader said, obviously worried for their adoptive son "Check the Moonpool. He was there last time."
Alderheart groaned "Why hadn't I thought of that?! Thank you Squirrelstar."
His mother nodded "Anytime."
Alderheart raced out, heading for the Moonpool. Ever since his father died, Squirrelstar had done everything to live up for his legacy. Bramblestar no doubt was proud.
He raced up the hill leading to the Moonpool. He hadn't been there alone ever since last time. When he cracked like a quail's egg. He couldn't deny that the night was one of his most favored memories. When he finally knew more about his mentor. Well he wasn't his anymore.
No, Alderheart had changed since then. And that was Seasons ago when he was still young and foolish. When he panicked over everything. Nothing was good enough. When he was forced to grow up to early. Sandstorm...Purdy...Briarlight...Bramblestar.
Yes he had lost many. Like his mentor.
He remembered that night fondly, how his mentor had spilled his guilt for not saving his friends. Warriors Alderheart didn't know. Warriors Alderheart wanted to know. He had asked around the clan for these cats. Brackenfur had been extremely helpful. In all honesty, It's a wonder how that Elderly furball hadn't passed on yet. Foxleap apparently was a spirit lifter, Hazeltail was stern but loving, Icecloud had her problems and faults but overcame them, and no Thunderclan cat could tell him about Flametail.
And he didn't need to know who Firestar was. Not a cat alive, had not heard about that legendary cat. One apprentice had told Alderheart that he suspected he wasn't real. Like the dark forest. It was a shame, but everyone is forgotten eventually.
He had reached the Moonpool, paws caked with dirt and mud. He looked up on the cliffside, hoping to see his mentor.
And he was.
Jayfeather smiled softly, knowing fully well who had found him "Alderheart."
"How long have you been there?!" Alderheart scowled.
Jayfeather tilted his head "Uh...three sunrises?"
"Aren't you hungry?" Alderheart asked, caring for his old friend. Jayfeather smiled "No. Matter of fact, I feel better then I ever have."
Alderheart took the time to climb up, and face him, caring for his well being. Three days of no prey were bound to cause problems. He climbed up and stood beside him. He towered over the old cat.
Jayfeather wasn't exactly still in the best shape. He had always been scrawny and small, but Alderheart had always been that young cat smaller then him. Now, Alderheart had grown taller then most medicine cats now, but Jayfeather still was taller. And his clanmates made sure he didn't forget it. Jayfeather's whiskers had gone from a black color to a gray color, revealing that he was very old now. He had the appearance of frail and weak, but he still could fix a broken bone or mend a wound.
He shuddered as he looked at the horizon. The full moon was out. Like last time. He had grown his sense of Deja Vu again. From this spot they could see practically everything. From the their territory to the thunderpath at the end of the lake, right behind Riverclan's camp, and could see even farther. The full moons light left nothing untouched, giving everything a bluish-white glow.
Alderheart smiled "No matter how many times I see it, it still leaves me breathless."
"Agreed," Jayfeather smiled "It's...it's..."
"Alluring?" Alderheart looked at him, smirking,
Jayfeather purred "Yes! That's the word I used, wasn't it?"
Alderheart sent himself back to that night. He smiled remembering their exact words "Yeah. Then I was left breathless, while you boasted on how you've seen it before."
"Yes," Jayfeather nodded "That is true. I suppose you want an explanation from my absence."
"No," Alderheart answered "I don't mind. You deserve your privacy. You'd do the same for me."
Jayfeather tilted his head "No I wouldn't."
"Am aware," Alderheart smirked. Here they stood, he gazed upon the view, and looked over to the mountains.
"Are the mountains snowing?" Jayfeather asked out of the blue.
"Yes," Alderheart answered "Why aren't you home?"
"Couldn't sleep, and needed to clear my head," Jayfeather responded.
Alderheart doubted that "Couldnt sleep, for three days?"
He wasn't stupid. He knew Jayfeather was avoiding sleep "Have you been dreaming about her?"
Jayfeather blinked "No."
"Then why are you here?" Alderheart asked, demanding to know.
Jayfeather looked confused for a moment before finding the right words "Just...felt it...is all."
Alderheart took that as his answer, gazing back at the horizon. He could not deny, he missed this. He smiled "Do you still see it?"
"How could I ever forget this?" Jayfeather snapped , still in possession of his sharptounge. He smiled "I remember when Lionblaze and I spent a night up here. After Cinderheart...you know the rest..."
Alderheart nodded "She was always nice to me. And to let it be known, we all knew you two were there."
"We stayed silent that whole night, until he just broke down in tears, made me cry actually," Jayfeather smiled at the memory "The next day he was back to normal, doing patrol. I asked him how he moved on so quickly and he told me he hadn't. He just wasn't gonna weep because that wouldn't bring her back."
"It made me think, he was able to move on from his kithood sweetheart while I'm moaning and groaning about a cat that's been dead for countless seasons."
Alderheart was confused "What are you saying?"
Jayfeather smiled, feeling...complete "I don't miss her now."
The younger Medicine cat looked back at him in wonder "Why?"
"Because...I..." Jayfeather faltered. How could he tell him this?! "I feel like...what's the point? I'm gonna see her soon."
Alderheart shook his head "Don't say that. I know you miss her, but you need to keep yourself in the here and now. You told me that!"
Jayfeather took a huge breath "Alderheart...I'm leaving. Forever."
"WHAT?!" Alderheart asked in horror "NO! We need you!"
"Alderheart look at me," Jayfeather turned to him. Alderheart got lost in his cold blue...lifeless eyes "Everything they need, I taught you to handle. They don't need me anymore. I'm nothing but a relic of a forgotten time."
"That's not true! You still have some friends left!" Alderheart said in desperation "Brackenfur, Willowshine, me!"
Jayfeather rested his head on Alderhearts shoulder "It's my time to go. I've been dying for Starclan knows how long."
Alderheart cried into his chest "Please...I can't lose you...you raised me! You taught me how to heal, patch, mend! You taught me how to defend myself and stand up for myself. Please..."
Jayfeather smiled solemnly "I said those words when Leafpool died. You'll move on."
"I DON'T WANT TO MOVE ON!" Alderheart screamed.
Jayfeather lifted his head "Look at me."
Alderheart lifted his head, his Amber eyes bloodshot.
Jayfeather sighed "I've been begging for this for so long, ever since I left the mountains."
"You should have told me!" Alderheart whimpered.
Jayfeather shook his head "Different type of dying. It's happened before. I won't be the last. Alderheart I need you to promise me something."
"Look after Thunderclan. Find an apprentice. Teach them everything I taught you, and it'll be okay. Promise me you will be strong."
"I will," Alderheart quivered.
"Promise me," Jayfeather said sternly.
Alderheart nodded "I promise."
"That you'll what?"
Alderheart nodded again "Be strong."
Jayfeather smiled, genuinely. Alderheart sighed "Is there anyway to convince you-"
"No," Jayfeather said, sternly.
Alderheart held back his tears "I don't want to be alone."
The elder medicine cat looked back at the view. "You'll never be alone. Even in the stars, I'll be watching over you every time you mend a bone, heal an infection. I'll be there."
Those words comforted Alderheart to some extent.
"I'll...miss you," Jayfeather said, not knowing how to continue.
"So will I," Alderheart nodded, excepting it "I'll make you proud."
"You mean, more than I already am?"
Jayfeather suddenly widened his eyes. He turned to look at Alderheart "You're...still shorter then me."
"Yeah I know, you tease me relentlessly," Alderheart gruffed.
"Well, yeah but I din't know you were that short," Jayfeather shot back. Alderheart turned to see his pale eyes more clear.
He could see again.
And honestly, Alderheart didn't care. He'd seen other miracles before.
"Hollyleaf. Dovewing. Ivypool. Lionblaze. Foxleap. Hazeltail. Icecloud. Flametail. Honeyfern and Poppyfrost. Berrynose. Briarlight," Jayfeather said with a sad look "Firestar. Sandstorm. Purdy. Bramblestar," the mention of his father stung Alderheart "These are all the cats I've lost. The cats I'm going to see."
"Don't forget the most important one," Alderheart smirked.
Jayfeather nodded, tears flowing "Stars, I've begged for this moment for so long. Now that it's here, I feel scared. What if she-?
"Jayfeather," Alderheart said sternly "She said she would wait forever. So she did. Now is not the time to doubt."
Jayfeather huffed, eyes closed "I feel like I've waited longer then her...I feel overcome...I feel happy." He leaned against his former apprentice.
Alderheart nearly caved in with the weight of his mentor against him, but he stood strong.
"Goodbye Alderheart."
Alderheart closed his eyes, tears held back in vain "Goodbye Jayfeather."
His weight left him.
Alderheart opened his eyes.
He was alone.
Jayfeather was gone.
His support left him.
Jayfeather opened his eyes.
Alderheart was gone.
He turned to see his surroundings had changed. He was standing in a field, a Massive oak tree way in the background, glistening as if it's fruits were stars.
But what made Jayfeather smile was the cats surrounding him.
There they stood, his siblings, Dovewing, Ivypool, Lionblaze, Foxleap, Hazeltail, Icecloud, Flametail, Honeyfern and Poppyfrost, Berrynose, Briarlight, Firestar, Sandstorm, Purdy, and his adoptive father. They stood there.
Foxleap stepped forward "Took you long enough! I was getting bored without your sarcasm!"
"Yes it did take quite long enough," Jayfeather smiled.
Lionblaze padded forward, brushing against him "Welcome home, brother."
"We're so proud of all you've done," Hollyleaf copied Lionblaze, standing next to her brother.
Firestar and Brambletsar smiled, overjoyed on what they were witnessing.
"Like what we did with your sight?" Ivypool asked "Took quite some convincing from Yellowfang."
"She only agreed because me and Foxleap wouldn't stop bugging her!" Berrynose said proudly.
Jayfeather widened his eyes "You've got a tail again!"
"Dead remember?" Briarlight smirked "I can walk again!"
"It Was better then parading around with a stump!" Berrynose exclaimed.
"Would've improved your looks," Honeyfern muttered, gaining a snicker from Poppyfrost.
Jayfeather laughed, first time in seasons. "I've missed you all. So much..."
"Not as much as we missed you," Flametail smirked "You've saved our lives, so many times. Although you could've done it one more time had you kept swimming."
Jayfeather scoffed "Wanna blame someone? Blame Rock."
"Oh I do," Flametail smirked.
Foxleap laughed "Yeah well, we were kit's play compared to someone else."
Jayfeather looked back out into the field, seeing the one he missed the most of all ""Is she-"
"Go catch up with her Jay," Lionblaze left his brothers side "Then we can all talk."
The cats surrounding Jayfeather headed towards the tree. Jayfeather turned and raced for her, every landing of his pas to the fresh earth fastening his heart.
He only stopped when she turned around.
Her green eyes looked right through him.
Jayfeather smiled "Half Moon."
Half Moon smiled as well, tears forming "I knew you'd come back."
Jayfeather touched noses with her "Can't believe you waited."
"I told you I would."
Happy Valentine's Day.
Adios.