"Farewell" - A short story I wrote recently

Farewell
There they stood, in an overgrown clearing, surrounded by the forest; a dancer and a soldier, eye to eye. The heat of the burning sun made bearable only by the blowing winds. The rush of the stream, forever hammering against the unyielding rocks. Crows singing among the branches.

"Why?" the dancer pleaded.

"Why not?" the soldier answered mechanically.

"You had a life here!" she argued.

"No, I didn't. I could've, but the time for that has passed," he said, reminiscing of days long gone.

A look of confusion swept across the dancer's face as clouds moved to block the sun, giving a brief respite from the heat. The solemn song of the crows, sitting amongst the endless trees, silenced by a sudden gust of wind. The beat of their wings forcing her to accept the austerity of reality.

The man moved and sat under a tree, sighing as he slowly lowered himself; his expression slightly softening. After a moment's hesitation, the dancer joined him. He picked a flower and offered it to her. "I have to go soon. No other choice."

"That wasn't your war. It wasn't your place to fight for their country." She pleaded, as she took the white lily from him.

"How could I sleep at night knowing that I could have helped all those people and still turned my back to them?" The soldier said quietly, more to himself than to her.

"You've always been a bad liar," The crows began their song anew. "Tell me why you wouldn't stay." The dancer said with an air of authority.

"Why would I? What's here for me?" The soldier replied in a low voice. "I have nothing.... No one..."

They sat silently for what seemed like an eternity, listening to the symphony of nature. The songs of the crows dying as they rose with the setting sun, replaced by silence. A single butterfly flew past the dancer.

"If only I'd told him sooner," the dancer whispered to herself.

Her tears glistened in the faint moonlight as a freezing wind blew past.

"I hope you're waiting" she wept.

A single gunshot echoed through the forest, signaling the crows to begin their song once more.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, any opinions and tips are appreciated!