Mayfal was ready to rage while hearing Comet speak. That was, until their ears picked up on Comet's whisper. It was very quiet, so Mayfal couldn't hear everything, but they picked up the words 'wished' and 'died' and assumed the rest.

"YOU WHAT?! You wished I had died? I knew it! I knew that I had been naive all that time!! I was weary of you at first, but I trusted you! You told me you were moving to Eridanus and then I wake up and you've broken your word!!! How am I supposed to take that? You said you felt betrayed, but I was betrayed first! I can't believe I ever-"

Mayfal was about to say something along the lines of 'I loved you', which was true. And they still loved Comet like their own sister. But Mayfal had said enough already.

"I'm going to get a drink." They said definitively. They had to calm down, they knew that much at least. They turned toward the rushing of the water.

@James

James sighed and stood up, following Mayfal, "Stay there, Comet."

He sat down and was quiet, remaining next to Mayfal while they had their drink.

"So... from what I can tell, you assumed because you were in your chrysalis for so long, you thought Comet moved on," he said, and shook his head, "She waited for you. But things outside of her control have been happening. Our move to Pegasus, her sibling being created. I think you need to learn to understand, and you need to stop assuming."

James stretched out a wing and draped it over Mayfal, sighing, "She didn't wish you dead. If you were listening properly, you would have heard that she wanted the opposite. She wished that it had been her in your place. I think this is all one big misunderstanding."

@Comet

Darn! They were supposed to hear that. Why had she even said anything? Mayfal's words hurt harder than ever, and Comet tried, she really tried to stay right where she was when James went over to talk to the fox. The burning feeling inside of her increased until she felt like she couldn't breathe. This was wrong all wrong! But she couldn't bear it any longer, so she waited until he wasn't looking her direction before running off into the woods.

There was a place nearby that she knew could hide her for the time until Mayfal went away. A small pool of water, one that she liked to submerge herself in. Comet jumped right in, and felt the cool water envelop her body. This was what Mayfal liked to do, she knew, and it felt very comfortable.

Suddenly, before she knew what was happening, she felt the magic in her ear start working. What!? She wasn't trying to cast a spell! Stop! But it was too late to stop it now, and she felt the water freeze around her, and form a sort of icy shield around her. It was like being in her chrysalis again, except now it was made of ice.

Comet knew why. She had asked for protection, something to shield her from seeing Mayfal, and this is what she had gotten. Now no one could get to her unless she wanted them to. Good. One could say that this was an icy shield, or an icy cage.

@Mayfal

James' words made sense. This made Mayfal even more upset.

If James' was right, if Mayfal had really misunderstood everything, then the hurt that had been caused would be for nothing. And his accusatory tone didn't make that reality any more appealing.

Just then, they heard Comet's paws brushing through the grass away from them. This was a convenient counter to James' argument.

"Sure she waited." Mayfal tried to sound as sarcastic as possible. "That's why she's running away even now, right?"

Maybe this would delay the inevitable for a little while. Or hopefully shift the blame entirely.

@James

"Maybe she can't bear to be next to you in fear of perhaps disappointing you again," he said, frowning, "Be more sympathetic. She's not out to get you. That's not my daughter."

He stood and nudged Mayfal towards where Comet had gone, "You will both apologize to each other."

James pinned his ears. He wasn't taking no for an answer.

"You both have things to talk about, but you'll do it once you no longer despise or are afraid of each other," he said.

He lead the way to the forest, brows furrowed in worry.

"Comet?", he called out.

@Comet

James was calling her, but Comet didn't want to come out. She would have to stay in this icy shield until Mayfal went away. The fox probably didn't even care about her anymore anyway. It seemed every time she talked to them, they always had an insult in response.

It hurt her deeply that even though she had already tried explaining her side of the story Mayfal refused to listen. Well, she wouldn't have to listen to their side either. So Comet stayed inside the comfort of the ice and waited for James to come... alone.

@Mayfal

Mayfal reluctantly continued in the direction of James' shove. They wanted to snap back at his comments, but he probably wouldn't listen anyway. They highly doubted that they and Comet would every talk at all again, though.

Mayfal sniffed for Comet. The path was clear until the scent went...cold. Yes, it air was slightly colder here.

"Something's wrong." And they knew that James knew it as well, as they could hear the worry in his voice.

"It's too cold here. Why is it so cold?" Mayfal was afraid of what the answer would be.

@James

James inhaled and sighed. He set his eyes upon a short log and peered into the pool and through the ice. There she was.

"Hiding from your problems doesn't fix anything, Comet," he said softly, "I want you two to apologize and talk."

Comet appeared with a pop, the log taking her place in the ice. He turned towards her and blocked Mayfal from view, slowly walking forward. He swept her up before she could run and held her tightly in his wings, pressing his muzzle to her fur to whisper.

"Just talk. Please. I'll be right here to mediate, you're safe," he mumbled trying to soothe her as well as he could.

"I'm here."

@Comet

"Not coming-- ah!" Taking her place in the ice was the log, and Comet had been brought out of her safe ice, and out into the open. "I'm not hiding from my problems." Yes she was. She started to run away, but James was faster and swept her up in his wings. Slowly her nervous tension disappeared and she nodded her head. "Okay."

She walked up to Mayfal. "Sorry for uh, um..." Ack! Why was this so hard to say? Just get it out! "Running away." It was a good thing that the fox was blind, they wouldn't be able to see how much she was shaking.

@Mayfal

Something about Mayfal seemed to turn to stone. More than just their eyes. Something like crystal seemed to grow around their heart when Comet was trying to apologize.

Mayfal heard Comet's heartbeat. They could hear the tremble while she was speaking. And yet, none of it softened them. They simply scoffed.

"Hm. Is that all you have to be sorry for?"

Mayfal didn't like this feeling or these words. They just felt like they had to keep living their lie because the truth was far more bitter.

@James @Comet