The sun was low in the sky, casting long shadows over the forest that sprawled around the Haven's territory. It was a quiet evening, the only sounds were the rustling of leaves and the occasional bird call. Bane sat by himself, his dark gray fur blending into the fading light, his amber eyes distant and unblinking. The Haven was peaceful, as it always had been, but today, a pang of loneliness settled in his chest. His thoughts wandered, as they often did when the world around him grew still.

Bane wasn't like the others in the Haven. He was a loner, a cat who had grown up on the outskirts of Haven life, and though the Haven offered camaraderie, there were always moments when he felt the weight of his solitude. He had his memories, but they were bittersweet, the kind that could warm you on a cold night but left a hollow feeling when the warmth faded.

His ears twitched as a new scent wafted through the air—a fragrance both familiar and foreign. It was delicate, sweet, but with an undertone of something deeper, something softer. The scent of roses.

He stood up slowly, his paws brushing against the leaves beneath him as he scanned the area. The rose scent was unmistakable, and it brought with it a flood of memories. May.

Her name echoed in his mind like a whisper on the wind. May had been his closest friend when they were kits—no, more than that. She had been his heart, his confidant, his partner in every adventure. They had explored the world together, chasing butterflies and playing by the river, their lives full of promise and innocence. But that had been seasons ago, long before the tragedy that had torn them apart.

May had been taken from him, just as they were beginning to blossom into something more. She had been killed, her life snuffed out before it could truly begin. Bane had been there, helpless, his heart shattered as he watched the light fade from her eyes. He had never fully recovered, and to this day, he still felt her absence like a weight on his chest.

But now, the scent of roses, so familiar and so perfect, lingered in the air. Was it real? Or was his mind playing tricks on him? He had to know.

With a determined flick of his tail, Bane padded forward, following the scent through the dense underbrush. His paws moved silently across the ground, his sharp eyes scanning the forest for any sign of the elusive flower. The sun continued to dip lower, painting the sky with soft hues of purple and orange, but Bane paid it no mind. His heart was set on one thing: finding the rose.

He moved with purpose, his mind lost in the haze of memories. The forest seemed to stretch on forever, but he did not tire. The scent was growing stronger, almost intoxicating, and the further he traveled, the more vivid the memories of May became. He could almost hear her voice in the rustling of the leaves, see her golden eyes sparkling in the dappled sunlight.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of searching, he came upon a small clearing. In the center of it stood a single rose bush, its vibrant red blossoms glowing in the twilight. Bane's breath caught in his throat as he stepped closer, his eyes widening. The air was thick with the sweet scent of roses, and for a moment, he thought he saw something move in the shadows.

"Bane?" The voice was soft, like the breeze through the trees, but it was unmistakable. It was May.

His heart leapt into his throat, and he froze, his body stiff with shock. He blinked rapidly, trying to make sense of what he was hearing. There was no way—she couldn't be—

"I thought I'd never see you again."

Bane's head whipped around, and there, standing at the edge of the clearing, was a ghostly figure—a pale, translucent cat with golden eyes. Her fur was silky and twinkling gently like starlight around the edges, and her face was just as he remembered it. May. The same May who had been taken from him so many moons ago.

His voice caught in his throat. "May? How… how is this possible?"

She smiled softly, her expression gentle, yet tinged with sadness. "It's not possible, Bane. Not in the way you think. I'm not really here. I'm just a memory. An echo."

"A memory?" Bane's voice trembled. "But you're right in front of me."

She nodded slowly, her eyes filled with both longing and sorrow. "I know. I've been waiting for you. For the right moment."

Bane's heart raced. His mind was in turmoil, caught between disbelief and the desperate hope that somehow, against all odds, May had returned to him. "Why now? After all this time?"

May stepped closer, her form flickering like a candle in the wind. "I've been watching you, Bane. I've seen how much you've suffered. How you've closed yourself off from the world, refusing to move on because you couldn't bear the thought of letting me go."

Bane's ears flattened against his skull. "I never wanted to let you go. I couldn't."

"I know," May said softly. "But that's what I'm here to tell you, Bane. You need to let go. For both of us."

Bane took a step back, the weight of her words settling over him like a thick fog. "I can't. You were everything to me. How can I just forget you?" His voice was soft, raspy even, but it was tense. Low. Like it was guarding something.

May's form flickered again, and for a moment, Bane feared she would vanish entirely. But then she was there again, closer now, her golden eyes locked onto his. "I don't want you to forget me, Bane. I could never ask you to do that. But I want you to live. To find happiness again. I want you to move forward. There's a life waiting for you out there, one that's still full of possibilities."

Bane's chest tightened as he struggled to speak, the words trapped in his throat. "How can I move on without you? You were my world."

"No, Bane. Your world is among the living," May replied, her voice a whisper now. "You can't keep holding onto a shadow of what we once were. I'm not gone because I don't care. I'm gone because it was my time. And it's time for you to move on, too."

Bane felt the tears prick his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. "I can't," he whispered, his voice husky. The lock that guarded his emotions was slowly beginning to open, and a tidal wave was ready to break free.

"You can," May said, stepping forward until she was mere inches from him. "You are strong, Bane. Stronger than you think. And I will always be with you, in your heart, in your memories. But I need you to live for yourself now, not for me."

The rose bush behind her seemed to glow brighter, and Bane felt a warmth spreading through him. It was a strange, comforting sensation, as if a burden he had carried for so long was being lifted. Slowly, he nodded, his amber eyes meeting hers one last time.

"I'll try," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "I'll try to move on."

May smiled one last time, and as she did, the wind picked up, carrying the sweet scent of roses through the clearing. Her figure began to fade, becoming less and less tangible with each passing moment.

"Goodbye, Bane," she murmured, her voice a fading echo in the wind. "Live."

And with that, she was gone.

For a long while, Bane stood alone in the clearing, the scent of roses still lingering in the air. His heart was heavy, but the weight of it felt different now. Lighter, as if a part of him that had been lost had finally found peace.

The sun had fully set, and the stars were beginning to twinkle above. Bane turned and began to walk back through the forest, each step feeling a little more sure than the last. He wasn't sure what the future held, but for the first time in a long time, he felt as if he might be ready to find out.

And somewhere deep in his heart, he knew May would always be with him.