Reunited

From the day he had decided to follow the loyalists, he was even more up and about.

He shook his head when a sun beam tickled him in the nose, but it didn't help. He had to sneeze.

CT-Raising his head, Jason honed in on the sound. It was most definitely a sneeze, and the creator of the sound was close. Moving a couple paces to the east he spotted a chestnut stag slowly making his way through the forest. He couldn't shake the fact that the stag looked rather familiar, he reminded him somewhat of someone he used to know as a young fawn. Curiously he moved towards him "Excuse me. I hope I don't sound rude but, do I know you?"

FT- Quintus yanked his head up, when he heard another fawn talking to him. Every muscle in his body was ready for anything: Fight or escape. But then he noticed the familiar facial features. He was sure he knew them. Not this way. Younger, with bigger eyes and ears and - Suddenly he remembered. His eyes got wide. "J-Jason...?", he whispered.

CT- "QUINTUS!" Jason jumped towards the stag giving him a friendly nudge "My god, it's been years! Where have you been?!" He exclaimed, hardly able to believe this.

FT- "I can't believe it, it's you! I missed you, my friend", Quintus said. He gave a nudge back and grinned. "How was it possible to lose sight of you? Where have you been? Did you have good years? And... did you decide for the loyalists or the allied herds? Sorry to catch you out with all my questions. I guess I haven't changed much since we saw last time" He giggled.

CT- "You have not changed one bit" Jason smiled "I joined the loyalist, who did you choose?" He frowned, flickering his ears.

FT- "Loyalists too", said Quintus, not hiding the pride in his voice. "Good choice, Jason. So we will meet much more often!"

CT- Jason breathed a sigh of relief "Yes, I hope so too! I am glad we are not on opposing sides" He smiled "Not much has happened, my friend. Trying to keep living is what I have been doing" His smile widened

FT- "Oh, I see you did a great job on this". Quintus had to laugh. "And now has our fate reunited our ways" He smiled. "A long time ago I had never thought that we could part company one day..."

CT- Jason frowned "Nor did I....I guess we went our separate ways. Once we were as thick as thieves, then suddenly we lost each other" he paused deep in thought "I guess we had to follow our individual paths. Luckily for us, they seemed to have crossed" he brightened up, smiling at his long lost friend.

Ft- Quintus nodded, but deep inside he knew that it had been himself who had made the decision to leave his friend. And he still couldn't understand it, as Jason had always been a part of his life, always at his side, a good friend, someone to count on. He felt the gap in his heart - long time ignored - now even stronger...

He banished the thoughts, how he was used to it, and concentrated on the present again.

"You look stronger", Quintus said with a big smile. "Are you a soldier? Or is that just to impress the does?", he tried to taunt his friend.

CT-Jason noticed the look of conflict and guilt on his friends face. He didn't ask. He knew his friend would tell him when he was ready.

The day they had parted was still lodged like a thorn in his heart. It wasn't much of a goodbye. It was more of a disappearance act. Through the years he had learned to ignore the pain. Composing his features he returned his attention to the Stag walking beside him.

At his friend's comment he couldn't help but throw his head back and laugh heartily "Of course it is!" He joked, trying to ease his laughter to a smile "I had trained as a soldier, though after that war..I guess I wasn't ready to be a soldier again. How about you?"

FT- "I'm a Scout!" he said and smiled proudly. "You know, I still love my independence and freedom. And...well, it's hard to fight with these antlers. I don't know what's wrong with me" He sighed.

CT- “The war took it’s toll on all of us. I doubt anyone is the same as they were before” Jason frowned thinking back to that godforsaken war. Noticing the sad look in his friend's eyes he brightened up again “but freedom and independence are rather important and I know you don’t well with being restrained. Your poor parents couldn’t keep you still” Jason laughed “Remember that day you told me we were going to explore and we ended up lost in the forest for hours but you denied us ever losing our way? If it hadn’t been for that passing scout by we would have been walking in circles for days!”

FT- Quintus had to laugh heartily when he remembered that day. He gasped for air, trying to calm down. "See, that's why I have become a Scout. I can always say 'No, we're not lost' and they believe me", he joked. "But you have to admit, that was a very exciting day!" He grinned.

CT- Jason grinned back “Yes, it was an exciting day! We did get into a lot of trouble as young fawns. I guess you still do” he laughed again. It was at this moment he realised just how much he had missed his friend. The world had been rather quiet and lonely without Quintus around. The two had always been stuck together like glue, you could have confused them for brothers. His smile softened “I have missed you my friend, it is good to have you back”

FT- "Exactly what I was thinking, my dear", Quintus responded. "I have not forgot one single day on which I involved us in trouble" He laughed, but couldn't hide a touch of melancholy in his eyes.

He noticed that it had become late. The sun had sunken deeper and a few golden sunbeams bathed the forest in light, slowly turning more reddish and fiery.

CT- Jason was hurtled back to his childhood. The two of them tumbling through the forest as if it were a vast jungle and they were the explorers, not stopping till the sun waved it’s farewell.

“Where did you?” He finally asked “Why did you leave?”

FT- Quintus averted the eyes and shook his head.

"Still remember that Gunnar, my father, got lost? He was like fallen off the face of the earth. And nobody knew whether he was still alive or not. Had he died? We still don't know it as he had never returned" His voice nearly failed at him.

"Neraida didn't want to give up all her hope. One year she prayed for him coming back, but it never happened. But she never believed that it was true. 'Gunnar isn't dead!', she said. 'It's simply not possible!'. She wanted to search for him. I tried to make clear to her, that it was irresponsible to do that, she had a little daughter, she had me! But she didn't want to listen. And so I decided to go with her. We planned our department carefully, but promised to tell nobody...", and then the day arrived, I still remember how many concerns I had when I played with you for the last time. I can't understand how I managed to lie to you. How I could handle the guilty feeling"

His voice wasn't more than a whisper. He hanged his head. "I'm so sorry... I would have been returned, but we got into serious trouble and everything got worse. Meanwhile, it had become winter. We were struggling to find nourishment for all of us. Neraida died. And she left Eos and me behind, hungry, freezing, tired" His voice broke.

CT- Jason’s heart broke as he saw the guilt and pain washed over Quintus’ face and pour from his lips.
“I understand.” He said simply. After walking in silence for a little while, the last rays of the sun warming their fur, he spoke up again. “I had a feeling you may have gone to search for your father. I just didn’t want to believe you couldn’t tell me where you went.” He spoke softly “I spent days waiting and seeing if you would suddenly return. I never understood the pitiful looks my parents gave me as I sat, ears alert listening and waiting. When I gave up….I gave up completely.” He looked away, his own guilt rising “I locked all memories of you away. Forgot. Passed the rest of the years never acknowledging you ever existed. It made it easier to live apart.” He sighed heavily, his shoulders feeling lighter as the pain lifted.

FT- "I know...", Quintus whispered. "It was the same with me..." he felt so ashamed. How could he had ever dared leaving his closest friend behind without telling him where he had gone? "And I knew I wasn't able to return. I wasn't able to look into your eyes again. And then... it was a cold night and Eos...you still remember my sister? It was so dark... she gave up and laid down in the snow" his eyes drifted, fixed a point in the past, far away from this warm and sunny place. "Stand up!, I said. She couldn't. Her little feet weren't strong enough to carry her away from this cruel place. I laid down next to her, tried to warm her, begged her to get up again. She just closed her eyes and her body turned cold. So cold. She felt like the darkness around me..." his voice broke. "I don't know how I survived... and why me, not her?" He asked his friend with tears in his eyes. He shook his head. "I thought i would have to bring it to an end... all this pain? Should it had been for nothing?"

CT- Jason’s eyes widened in shock as he heard of Eos’ passing, he could still see the little fawn prancing around attempting to follow her big brother and his friend. “Bless her soul” he whispered before raising his voice again “Destiny must have something planned for you” he told Quintus as he raised his head to the sky “I do not believe Eos died for nothing. Nothing happens without a reason.” The sun had set by now. Small fireflies were appearing like living stars around them, they were closing in on the herd and could hear the muffled sound of fawnlings grazing under the light of the moon.

FT- I guess you're right, Jason. Nothing happens without a reason. And I bet that's why we met again. I missed you so much", he whispered. "And I'm so sorry for everything I've done to you"

Quintus looked up to the moon. It was a calm atmosphere, quiet, but not the silence that had always left this lonely feeling in his heart. He knew he wasn't alone. Not anymore. Those long passed days were over. He had such a precious friend at his side and he knew that he would never leave him back again.

They reached the herd together.

"Good night, Jason", he said when they parted.

After some steps he turned his head to look back. With tears in his eyes he said "Destiny seems to give me a second chance... thank you, Jason..."