“No! No, you can’t leave me! Not like this, not now…”

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. But I have to go.”

Rae is done putting her friends in danger. She can’t keep doing this. So she’s leaving.

“I don’t understand…” Mira says to Rae, “you know we’re perfectly comfortable being in danger. Why do you feel the need to leave?”

Rae looks away, “I’m not getting someone else I love killed because of my mistakes.”

Mira’s face softens, “Rae… Andrew’s death wasn’t your fault. Any one of us could have seen the signs. But we didn’t. You couldn’t have possibly know how bad the wound was. No one did.”

“But I should have! I should have made sure he was okay! I’m supposed to be a leader! What kind of leader lets their group hide things like that from them?”

“Rae, it wasn’t you fault. You’re not a bad leader, and no one else is going to hide something like that. Not after that. You don’t need to leave. Please don’t leave. We can’t do this without you.” Mira takes a small step forward and places a hand on Rae’s shoulder. Rae turns to look at her.

“I’m sorry. But I have to do this.” She turns back around and walks away, back toward camp. She walks into the clearing where the others are setting up camp for the night. She goes over and silently starts to help Wynn, Mira’s younger sister, set up a tent. Edward and Felix set up the other tent.

They get a small fire going and cook some food, and manage to have a somewhat normal dinner. After they eat, they sit around the fire for a while, but no one says much. Eventually the sun starts to go down and Wynn and the boys decide to retire to their tents. Rae stares into the fire, aware of Mira’s eyes on her. They stay like that for a few mintutes before Rae speaks.

“You know I have to do this.”

“I just don’t understand. None of us blame you for what happened, and it’s not going to happen again. I don’t get why you have to leave.”

“I just do. You’ll understand eventually.”

Mira studied her for a moment, “I hope I will.”

Rae meets her eyes for a second, before looking away. “take them back to the village. Make sure they don’t come looking for me.”

“What if I come looking for you?”

Rae smiles at her sadly, “Ws both know that’s not going to happen, and it’s for the better that way.”

Mira looks down at the fire, “Yeah. I guess.”

Rae stands up and grabs her backpack. She starts to fill it up with some food and other supplies. Mira doesn’t move.

Rae finishes packing and goes over to Mira.

Mira looks at her.

“So you’re really leaving me?”

Rae closes her eyes for a second. “I’m sorry.”

Mira studies her for a moment before nodding. She takes a deep breath and stands up.

Rae looks up at her. “Keep them safe.”

“I will.”

Rae nods. “Thank you.”

Mira places a hand on Rae’s cheek and another on her waist. Rae leans into the touch and closes her eyes for a moment. She opens them again and looks up at Mira. She stands on her tiptoes and places a gentle kiss on the other girl’s lips.

“I love you. And I’m so sorry.”

She pulls away from Mira and walks out of the clearing.

Mira stands there. Watching her best friend and the love of her life leave.