Distraction [Journey]

[Phantom]

Phantom awoke at dusk from a peaceful slumber; a brief rest before he set out on a hunt. Silver eyes opened abruptly to observe, taking in every detail of his surroundings in a matter of moments. More than half the sun had descended below the mountainous silhouettes of the horizon, and it sat comfortably, enormous and golden, betwixt a purpling sky. The pink clouds were outlined in gold, highlighted by the last of the sun’s rays, and they spread across the vast sky like streaks of paint. In the foreground, the tall grass swayed in the evening breeze; the same breeze that coursed through his thick winter fur and made him shudder. The temperature was beginning to drop already. It never took long once the sun departed, though thankfully the plains’ temperature never dropped too low.

Phantom was not a poetic soul by any means, but the sight lifted his spirits. Winter was a notoriously difficult season for him, and in truth he could not wait for spring to arrive, but there were moments like these when his past life seemed like nothing but a bad dream. He could not help but compare his life to how it was twelve moons ago, when he was forced to leave his past in the midst of autumn, and by winter he was alone in the hellish cold of the north with a heart that had hardened to stone and a body that had not quite caught up. Those had been the worst months of his life. Struggling to understand what had happened and unable to recall what had led to his father’s death, he plunged into mental and physical turmoil. At his lowest, Phantom had considered giving up. Without his family, he was nothing and no-one, but still he persevered.

And in the end, he had become stronger for it.

Phantom’s jaws stretched open, the end of such a peaceful slumber dragging a brief yawn from within him. More awake now, he rose and stretched his lupine form out languidly, making sure to stretch any achy joints or muscles that he’d acquired from the sleep, until he heard a satisfying crack. Abandoning his makeshift den amongst the underbrush, he set off deeper into the plains, breaking into a trot just as soon as his limbs were warmed up again.

His plan was to capture something big enough to feed most, if not all, of the pack. Given the pack’s relatively small size, it made sense to Phantom for them all to share duties. Although important, he did not imagine that his Slayer abilities would be in high demand yet. Ananke was still finding its feet, and to his knowledge they had not yet made any enemies that needed disposing of. Truth be told, he felt useless without something practical to do in the meantime, and presenting the pack with a decent sized meal might give him the opportunity he needed to begin to get to know them.

He’d been tracking a small group of kudus, all females and adolescent calves, for the better part of the day, and it shouldn’t be too hard to pick up their scent again. Initially he’d been observing them, to attain their strengths and weaknesses, their sleep patterns, and if there were any injured calves. There was one particular young male, smaller than the rest of the herd, who tended to lag behind, but Phantom was not stupid enough to believe he could take on the herd just yet. It was the beginning of the mating season; the females would likely be aggressive and there may be males nearby that he wasn’t aware of.

As expected, their trail was not hard to pick up, and soon Phantom could once again see their large shapes in the distance. The futility of his endeavour once again crossed his mind. This was at least a two-wolf job: one to distract the herd while another made the kill. Regardless of his confidence in his skills, it would be madness to attempt it alone.

Phantom was distracted momentarily from his contemplation when the wind changed and an oddly familiar smell pass under his nose. It belonged to female wolf, clearly of Ananke, but he couldn’t put a name or a face to the scent. He turned, confused, in the direction it came from, his silver eyes gleaming as they searched out the source. Across the plains he spotted a white wolf, but still no memories sparked. Phantom had never met this wolf before, that much he was sure of, and now his curiosity had been captured. With one last glance in the direction of the herd, Phantom set off toward to mystery wolf, barking once as he approached by way of greeting, and to alert her of his presence. 

---

Word count: 797
Muse: Good :>
Notes: hope this works for you! Let me know if you want me to change anything
Tags: Journey  

[Journey]

The evening brought with it the cold, but Journey did not mind; the white wolf was trotting along the plains without a destination or purpose in mind, which was highly unusual for her. Her long lost lover had been returned to her, and for the past several days, she and Sunny had been spending every waking moment together, and every sleeping one, too, curled together as tightly as two wolves could, battling the cold. It had been bliss, truly, and Journey was more grateful for it than she was to have a home. But she had been alone for a long time, and going from solitude straight back to companionship had done little to help her often-fiery temperament. So the two had parted ways, only for a day or two; Sunny was not a member of Ananke, after all, and Jo had her duty to the pack, so the marked wolf had left her masked lover with the promise to return.

Part of Journey thought that she had dreamt the reunion, and that no wolf would be coming back; but the female reeked of the familiar scent of her mate, and her imagination was not quite that clever. She could have imagined, perhaps, sighting the female--in fact, she had assumed at first glance that Sunny could not have been real--but the truth was that her she-wolf was with her once again, and the two would not leave each other for long. They had spoken at length of leaving versus staying, but Sunny was a hard one to convince, and if she chose to leave Aveline, well... Journey would leave with her.

But that was not important today. Today, as the sun set, there was nothing in particular on Journey's mind, and it was beautiful. She had taken the day to be free of responsibility and interaction, and was eternally thankful for the peaceful nature of her new home. Without enemies, there was little need for Crusaders to be on edge, and that foolish pup Eve would likely be floating around anyway, doing whatever it was she did in her free time. The dark female had left a sour taste in Journey's mouth, and she did not relish the fact that she would need to know her.

All thoughts of her young packmate vanished when Journey's green eyes spied an approaching form, dark and light clashing down his middle. As soon as she spotted him, a vocalization left his lips, and as it was not aggressive, she placed him as another belonging to Ananke. Sighing softly, the female turned her body and matched his approaching pace easily, causing them to meet much more quickly than if she had simply stood her ground. Curiosity replaced her weariness for only a second as she took a good whiff of him, catching a scent that clung to her much more strongly but could not be mistaken.

Muscles tensed as the two wolves came together, and Journey stopped where she was, her narrowed eyes staring into those of the stranger. He smelled of Sunny--faintly, but the scent was there, and it ignited something of a fuming rage inside the she-wolf without her even realizing it. Instantly her thoughts sprang to attack, and it was only her thinly-veiled surprise that kept her from acting. Both feelings combined to form an intense confusion, and it ended with the female standing rigidly with a scowl upon her face.

"Who are you?" She asked abruptly, voice gruff but not as unfriendly as she had assumed it would be. Any wolf, especially a male, who had been spending time with Sunny was likely not to be trusted; it was highly probably that Sunny had tricked him into or out of something, and the fact that Journey smelled so strongly of the female might incite some need for revenge in the wronged wolf. Since it was nearly impossible that the two were friends and had not simply travelled together, Journey was not necessarily jealous, but the mere fact that he had been close enough for her scent to rub off on him was infuriating.
 
Words || 697
Tags || Phantom
Notes || I DUNNO WHAT SHE'S GONNA BE LIKE WITH HIM SORRRYYYYY

[Phantom]

As he made his way toward the ivory stranger, he was relieved to notice she reacted with a curiosity that matched his own. Phantom was far from a sociable pack mate, and truthfully if it weren’t for her scent he might have ignored her and carried on his way, but equally she could have done the same. Once he was close enough, it became clear that another’s scent clung to her fur, with whom Phantom was certainly familiar. This was the wolf with whom Sunny was sharing most of her time; so much so that it was hard to distinguish two separate scents, they clung so tightly to one another.

The thought of spending so much of his time with another wolf was completely foreign to Phantom. Even before he parted ways with his birth pack he’d never formed close bonds with anyone but his family, never taken a mate or had a family of his own. With the arrival of breeding season, the reality of his own seclusion was made all the clearer. At four years old, Phantom’s chances of finding a mate were low, particularly in a pack brimming with youngsters, but even lower were his chances of finding anyone who could break his icy shell. He could not allow himself to put someone he loved in danger, and Phantom was all too aware what danger could await someone who got too close to him.

It was mere inquisitiveness that drew Phantom to this wolf, but soon enough Phantom began to read signs of tension in her body language. He stopped a polite distance away, regarding her coolly. The stranger’s coat was not pure white as it had appeared, but dappled with brown throughout. A scowl had settled above her bright green eyes, which only made Phantom more curious. Had Sunny spoken of him? He found that unlikely. Sunny and he were on good terms, but he was not sure that their relationship constituted a friendship just yet. Not that he’d had many friendships to compare it to.

When she spoke, the tone of her words struck him as… accusatory. “Phantom,” he replied, expression impassive, though in truth he was slightly irked. He could not imagine what he’d done to earn such a greeting. Phantom was well-acquainted with rudeness, but there seemed to be something more. If this wolf was Sunny’s mate, perhaps she felt… Jealous. Or protective of Sunny. After travelling with her for weeks, there were probably still traces of her scent clinging to him.

“I suspect you’d like to know who I am to Sunny, though.” She was, after all, the only thing these two wolves seemed to have in common thus far, besides their gruffness. Phantom was not predisposed to giving away details about himself before he even knew the name of other wolf, but he decided to make an exception for the sake of not provoking her irritation further. “We travelled together for a few weeks, and parted ways shortly before I joined Ananke. It was mutually beneficial, as I enjoyed her company, she enjoyed my hunting, and we were both briefly safer than we would have been alone.” Phantom supposed it was good to practice some openness with his fellow pack mates, however wrong it felt.

“And you?” he inquired; words neither warm nor cold. “Who are you?” To Sunny, he implied.

---

Word count: 557
Muse: eh
Notes: I'm not sure how he's going to react either haha
Tags: Journey  

[Journey]

Standing silently, Journey kept her face in its slightly-threatening expression as Phantom spoke, immediately revealing his name. If she had not been intent on her little form of intimidation (which, she knew, was not very effective), she might had relaxed right in that moment. But it was not time yet, and she was not ready to let the tension in her muscles go quite yet. A name that meant nothing was no reason for her to calm herself, though it appeared that he was not quite finished speaking yet.

The stranger's words were concise and only slightly cutting, though that might have been perceived; Jo was highly protective of her mate, and if this male had done anything, anything to her that she had not wanted, well, the white wolf would teach him whatever lesson that Sunny had not. Both females were perfectly capable of taking care of themselves, but that did not mean that they wouldn't also take care of each other. Phantom revealed his 'friendship' with Sunny--describing it as mutually beneficial, which it most certainly was. Her mate had a lot to offer, and she would have offered it in a way that, above all, benefited herself.

Journey did not respond to the revelation with her voice, only with her body. It was not instantaneous, but the moment she began to calm herself would be obvious to this male. The fur along her muscles seemed to fall as everything relaxed slowly, including the harshness of her face. It was by no means intended to relax Phantom as well, but a lack of tension might do as much for him as it did for her. Size and stature were not typically something that Journey was afraid of, and this male was nothing compared to the giant Eve, whom she had laid teeth on only a few days ago. No, Phantom was non-aggressive and comparable in size to her; if she needed to, Jo could easily defend herself.

What worried her, even still, was the fact that Sunny had clearly spent more time with this male than she typically did; as a rule, the mottled female would use them immediately for whatever it was she needed and go. But this Phantom... He seemed to be under the impression that he had any right at all to question Journey's relationship with Sunny--perhaps simply because he revealed his own, or because he was just as curious about the answer as she had been.

"I am Journey," she began carefully, deciding it would be beneficial for her to sit. Slowly she gathered her feet together and set his rump on the ground, keeping her eyes trained on Phantom, several feet away. He was not being rude, nor disrespectful, and had even given her more courtesy than she had him, but that did not necessarily mean she was ready to reciprocate. It was his problem if he wanted to be kind. However, it would be too difficult to always play the angry, cautious wolf--this was a pack, and should run like a family. "Thank you for being honest. Sunny and I... Belong to each other," she added in a softer tone, deliberately choosing to use the phrasing as it implied a stronger bond than simply saying 'mate.'

There were several seconds in which the white female stared almost blankly at the black-and-white male, before she spoke again. "I imagine you have become a part of Ananke as recently as I have," she continued, twitching an ear to catch the sound of a bird, frantic to catch up with the rest who had flown south. "What is it that you offer our alphas?"
 
Words || 628
Tags || @phantom
Notes || o:

[Phantom]

Keeping his expression carefully neutral, Phantom observed Journey’s body begin to drain of tension. For a moment, Phantom had thought she might become aggressive, but it was clear now that she intended to be civil. In response, Phantom relaxed his own tensed muscles, no longer preparing to defend himself from a sudden attack, and lowered his rear to the ground. He was wary still, as he always was, but pack life was very slowly starting to build his trust in other wolves, and in himself. Once, he would have ignored Journey and carried on; growled at her if she tried to initiate conversation. He still wasn’t sure if this was progress, or regression, or if it didn’t really matter either way.

Phantom listened to her brief introduction, nodding thoughtfully once she had finished. Until now, he had not come across a female mated with another female, but he took into account that his experience was rather limited. It certainly explained a great many things though, and it gave him a clearer picture of who Sunny really was. Looking back, he understood why she had been so difficult for him to read. She had no interest in him, nor any male – he assumed – but nonetheless used her charms to get what she wanted. The thought almost made him smile. Perhaps that was why Sunny seemed to trust him; because he hadn’t fallen for her charms or acted brutishly toward her.

It was difficult to miss the fondness in Journey’s tone when she spoke of her mate, and any uncertainty Phantom had about the logistics of two females belonging to each other quickly dissipated. Love was love, even though Phantom had yet to experience romantic love himself.

“I appreciate your honesty, as well,” he said, fumbling for the correct response. It must be difficult to admit something so personal to someone she’d never met, not knowing how he would react. The thought that any male would react with anything but respect sparked something deep and aggressive in his chest, a hot flame of anger that he rapidly quelled.

“I’ll admit I’m not usually inclined to be open with a stranger. Transparency feels an awful lot like vulnerability.” His ghostly gaze drifted away from Journey’s briefly, in the direction of the herd in the distance. They were nearly out of sight now, and he tried not to be disappointed. He could pick up their trail again, perhaps next time with company. “But in a pack environment I suppose changes must be made.” Phantom continued to stare distractedly at the horizon, collecting his thoughts and considering Journey’s next words.

"What is it that you offer our alphas?"

It was funny, really. Phantom had offered very little so far besides his loyalty. He’s joined a pack with the intention of feeling useful once again, but he still felt as aimless as he had on his own. This time there was more expectation, and he felt obliged to be doing something, even if there was nothing to be done.

“Nimue permitted me to the join the legion’s ranks as a Slayer; a somewhat unsavoury job that I have no qualms being assigned to.” As he spoke, his eyes returned to Journey. This time his gaze was more open, softer somehow. “It’s dull, though. Very little slaying is required of me currently. I intend to speak with Nimue about taking on some other duties in the meantime; I can’t stand being idle.” Before returning the question, Phantom assessed her with a look, taking care to look neither predatory or judgemental. He was simply observing. Journey was well built, heavier and taller than he. “I’ll be disappointed if you’re not also among the warrior ranks; a wolf of your stature would be wasted as a Hunter or Watcher.”

It was true that Phantom would feel a lot safer with Journey guarding the pack. She was certainly no giant in the same way that Morrigan and Nimue were, but as far as he was concerned their alphas were rare and unique wolves. When they met they had told him of homeland, an island inhabited by wolves that rivalled them in size, but Phantom still had a difficult time imagining so many of them. So far, Sunny was the only wolf in Ananke that he’d met who resembled his height; he already felt like he was living amongst a pack of giants.

“If you don’t mind my prying, Journey, did you belong to any packs before Ananke?”

---

Word count: 747
Muse: Resuscitated 
Notes: I'm posting this at 5:30am because I totally got carried away with this post
Tags: Journey  

[Journey]

When Phantom opened up to her, Journey felt the rest of her body relax at last. Her tense muscles became flaccid once more, soothing her even as she did it consciously. Though he looked decidedly fierce, he had shown only kindness, and she was finally ready to return the favor. If the two were going to belong to the same fighting class of Ananke--as she assumed, before he spoke of it--they would absolutely need to be able to stand each others' presence. It was something that she vaguely remembered had not gone well with Eve; sooner or later, the white female would need to mend that fence.

"One can be transparent without revealing anything detrimental," Jo offered in response to his uncomfortable statement, offering a very small but genuine smile. "If you've traveled exclusively for a while, it can be hard to determine what is necessary to say and what is not. You will adjust." It was a stark change from the way she had greeted him, but Jo was not very well-versed in the ways of conversation. She had always been a by-stander, more muscle than talk, and so she often had trouble finding an in-between that fit her personality well. Once she comfortable with a wolf, her true nature finally shone through and she felt she could be herself. If this conversation went well, perhaps Phantom would see the true female beneath her awkward exterior.

Talk of his 'unsavory' rank was reached, and Jo wondered briefly if he thought she would call it a job she did not want to do, while he was perfectly happy to slay wolves for the pack. While she had not necessarily killed anyone outright, the she-wolf was no stranger to fights for her life, and for Sunny's, and she was certain that she must have killed someone by now; perhaps part of the pack that had taken them hostage not long ago, where she had left her lover to fend for herself. The memory still brought pain to her gaze, but less so, now that she had been reunited with her darling.

Suddenly she was receiving a compliment, albeit a strangely-worded one; Phantom clearly also had no qualms with females holding high ranks or doing dirty work, and her smile widened so that her teeth now shone, sharp and clean. Journey would not mind being a hunter, though she would also fight for anyone who happened to need protecting regardless of her actual rank. It was in her blood, had been her nature since birth, and reminded her of the family she no longer had. "No need to be disappointed, Phantom. Nimue graced me with the title Crusader, and bid me to defend the pack above all else. I intend to do so without question," she replied proudly, thumping her tail twice on the ground for emphasis, and to show that she was absolutely satisfied with the position.

Though the past was not something Journey spoke of--or even thought of--often, she did not mind doing so. It was simply that she lived in the moment, and did not feel the need to dwell on whatever had brought her here. "Not since my natal pack," she replied, no fondness nor hurt in her tone. It had been years ago that she had lived with her parents and siblings, and then just her brother Everest; he had been forgotten easily enough when Sunny came into the picture. "Sunny and I ran on our own for a while. Then I found this place."

Words || 609
Tags || Phantom
Notes || Bwerp. If you need me to have her ask a question I can, just didn't feel like it right this second. LOL I am the worst

[Phantom]

Briefly, Phantom regretted his sincerity, but his words seemed to calm Journey rather than rile her up. They could easily have been taken as an affront or an attack on her trustworthiness; not all wolves took his misgivings well. Perhaps she was of a similar mind-set. Although the tension had ebbed, it seemed as though she could have just as easily snapped and become aggressive if he’d said the wrong thing. Those were not the actions of a pack wolf comfortable with others, and was a stark contrast to how Nimue and Morrigan had greeted him, the only other pack wolves he’d met recently.

"One can be transparent without revealing anything detrimental."

When she spoke, Phantom felt the same relief she seemed to have felt at his own words. He nodded once, returning her smile briefly. “You are right, of course,” he agreed, but was not convinced. It was difficult to reveal anything without feeling like a liar whose deceits were slowly being peeled away. There was so much he wanted to keep hidden that even the smallest honesty could be the crack in his dam that sent his secrets flooding forth.

Her next words were oddly comforting. You will adjust, she’d said, and Phantom wanted to believe that. Was she speaking from experience? “I shall have to,” he admitted. Whether or not I want to. In truth, he didn’t know what he wanted. Reason and emotion warred within him, guilt clawing at his insides. The choice he’d made was selfish and driven by emotion, by feelings of loneliness and uncertainty that accompany a life adrift. But he’d made a decision all the same, and he intended to see it through. Somewhere in his subconscious, the prospect of redemption drifted hesitantly around its edges. A foolish concept that he would never admit to coveting.

A smile spread across Journey’s maw at his words. Though he had not intended it as a compliment, merely a statement of fact, he was happy for her to take it as one.

“I’m relieved to hear it, Journey. I feel safer already.” The pride in her demeanour caused Phantom to smile in turn, a small, lop-sided show of gladness. He cast a glance to their surroundings, to the mountains in the east, to where the desert lay just south of them, and considered how well they’d be able to defend themselves should an attack occur. “Though I don’t yet know how soon your defence will be needed. Do you know if Ananke has many enemies? Sadly, I know precious little about our Chieftans except what information I gleaned during my initial acceptance into the pack.” He did not bother telling her what he did know – a reflex more than a necessity, though he hoped she would fill in the gaps without prompting.

Journey seemed like a trustworthy wolf, if only because she herself seemed so distrusting. If his judgement was correct, then he and Journey were cut from similar cloth. Whether this would hinder or help their interactions, Phantom did not yet know.

Talk turned to Journey’s past, of which she gave very little away. Not that Phantom could blame her. If Journey had pried into his own past he would have given a similar response – vague, but truthful. At least in part. “I see. How do you find Ananke in comparison?” he probed, trying his utmost to make conversation without being invasive. Although she hadn’t asked about his own past, he felt inclined to share a little with her, so that his own questioning didn’t feel like an interrogation. “My own natal pack was nomadic, but still far more rigid than Ananke. My father was–.” Crack. A moment of pure terror and anger stopped Phantom in his tracks; a relic from his childhood and the events that unfolded over a year ago. The sound of his father’s snarls. The sight of his bared teeth. The fear in his sibling’s eyes. A snap somewhere deep inside him and then… Nothing.

Grappling with his emotions, Phantom cleared his throat and quickly. regained his composure, his breakdown little more than a falter of words and a brief flash in his eyes, but he suspected Journey may pick up on it anyway. The flashback left him feeling slightly disoriented, but he blinked the dizziness away expertly. He’d had more practice than he cared to admit to himself. “My father was a strict wolf. He had it in his head how I was to be, but I never managed – nor wanted – to meet his expectations.” Phantom swallowed a lump in his throat – the muscles so tight it felt like swallowing sand. “Nimue and Morrigan have no such expectations.”

---

Word count: 779
Muse: Good
Notes: Some slightly unhinged Phantom just to spice things up x)
Tags: Journey

[Journey]

Phantom was an odd wolf, very much closed off, but then again, so was Journey; the two were having more conversation than she would have thought, considering that fact, but the femme found that she did not mind. Her last several days had been spent alone with Sunny, and while she loved her mate, there was only so much that could be said about the company of only one. It was better than none, and better than many, but few was usually best. Perhaps the three of them could speak together, when Sunny returned.

As he joked and smiled briefly back at her, Jo began to realize that her initial impression of him had been completely wrong. Sure, he could still do or say something to confirm that he was not to be trusted or liked, but so far he was turning out to be just fine. The possibility of multiple friendships instead of multiple packmates kept the spotted female's morale up, which happened more and more lately. "I don't believe there are any enemies here, but of course there are always dangers," she replied to his question, wondering if it was something she should ask their leaders. After all, they wouldn't know of any enemies unless they showed themselves, or word came by. "I imagine there must be a rogue pack or two around here, but I saw no evidence on my way to Aveline and all has been peaceful. Gives me time to work on my skills, I suppose."

As she was taking a moment to decide what was similar and different between her original pack and Ananke, Journey was not surprised when Phantom decided to speak of his own home before now. It was common courtesy, after all, and he seemed to be trying to be as open as his personality allowed. Jo was familiar with the difficulties of speaking without revealing a life-story, and she would respect him if he chose to keep certain facts hidden.

All at once, several things happened to her companion; shortly after he began to speak, his whole body tensed and his words ceased, his eyes showing... what? Fear? Memory? She could not tell, and the moment was gone in a split second. Phantom stuttered for only a brief letter or two and continued on, though he seemed different somehow, as though remembering his past had brought back much more emotion than it normally would. Her own muscles tightened somewhat even when he began speaking again, but she relaxed them as he finished.

"I would gather from your desire to be different that it was a good thing you did not follow his orders," Journey said quietly, feeling only the slightest bit of pity well up within her for a wolf who clearly had a troubled past. "You should be proud of instead following your own convictions, as I'm sure it has been a much healthier experience for you overall." Sure, she was speculating, but one did not have such an intense and sudden reaction without cause; hopefully Phantom would not be bothered by her words, and ideally he would be comforted. Either way, she was ready to press on--either with her training, or with the conversation.

"When I stumbled upon you, you seemed to have been searching for something. Food, perhaps?" she asked, tilting her head to the side and wondering how he would respond to the change in subject. "If you're hungry, I would be happy to lend a hand."

Words || 600
Tags || Phantom
Notes || Welp that was awful. /:

[Phantom]

Journey’s reply to his question was diplomatic and logical. The more they conversed, the clearer it became that Journey was an intelligent wolf. A little unpredictable, perhaps, but certainly fiercely intelligent. As she spoke of dangers, he considered how well suited she was for her position as a warrior. Aside from physical strength, she appeared fierce and resilient. Despite her guardedness, Journey seemed reasonable and level-headed once her wariness abated. It was only natural to be protective of her mate, but he preferred her calm nature.

“There are always dangers,” she said, and Phantom hummed a semi-committed agreement.

“There are,” he confessed, “but it helps to be prepared. To be honest, I was thinking more specifically than rogue packs. I know they left their previous pack because they disagreed with their values, but I never got the chance to ask whether or not they’re on good terms. From what I’ve heard, Kairos would be an almighty enemy to have.” Phantom had heard very little about Kairos. His time as a recluse meant he hadn’t kept up to date with all of Anikira’s packs. He’d been trying his best to avoid packs, and had done a decent job of it – for a while.

If Journey noticed the brief change in his demeanour, she certainly didn’t show it – a small gesture which Phantom was immensely grateful for. Although he was not a particularly proud wolf, he was certainly private, and the thought of someone trying to get him to open up made his stomach turn and his hackles rise. It was an instinctive reaction, a self-defence mechanism that had been hammered into him since his childhood. He didn’t want to be closed off forever, but fighting against his nature would be a long and bloody battle.

Her next words shocked Phantom, but perhaps he had judged her too harshly and too soon. As she speculated about his past and present, Phantom tried to push aside his discomfort and focus on the sincerity she was offering him. “You should be proud of instead following your own convictions.” Phantom repressed a derisive thought, not at Journey herself but at the sentiment. She didn’t know who he was, what he’d done. There was nothing for him to be proud of. In his almost five years of being alive, the world was no better off for having him in it. His father was dead, and his family were rid of his abuse, but the shame and torment that followed him certainly did not make him proud. It repulsed him.

“I…” Phantom noticed he’d been staring at Journey, an uncertain frown burrowed into his expression. “Thank you,” he managed, and he meant it. The topic was a sensitive one, but he appreciated the effort she’d gone to. For a moment, his jaw slackened as if he were about to continue, but he thought better of it. There was no need to elaborate, and he was certain Journey had no interest in following that conversation, so he put an end to it with a nod and a smile that just about reached his eyes.

“When I stumbled upon you, you seemed to have been searching for something. Food, perhaps?”

Having almost forgotten about his previous activity, and eager to change the subject, Phantom’s spectral eyes lit up with interest. “Indeed. I was tracking a small herd of kudus – just mothers and their calves – in the hopes of returning with a larger party once I’d learnt more about them.” His gaze once again returned to the horizon. The sun had almost set, but the herd was still visible in the distance. “They’re twice the size of you and I, but together I think we stand a chance of picking off a calf, don’t you?” He turned back to look curiously at Journey after he posed the question. Phantom valued her opinion already, and perhaps she would disagree.

---

Word count: 648
Notes: I'M SO SORRY
Tags: Journey

[Journey]

Journey nodded along as Phantom spoke, listening but perhaps not catching exactly what he was saying. She seemed to be in another world, distanced from him despite their being within a few feet; green eyes were slightly glazed, staring off into the space above Phantom's black and white fur instead of into his piercing eyes. She would brought back, however, when he stuttered his thank-you, apparently shocked at what she had said.

Jo smiled back at his frown, despite still feeling as though she were missing something, or had forgotten it. Very rudely she turned and glanced behind her, ignoring her male companion as she debated what she would do next. It wasn't as though he were uninteresting, or that she did not want to spend time getting to know her pack mates. It was more of a strange longing, something tugging at her that she simply could not ignore. Perhaps Sunny was in danger somewhere, and she needed help? Maybe it was something else? Regardless, the young female could not deny that she was, somehow, in the wrong place.

"I'm sorry, Phantom, but I..." she paused and turned back to the male, lifting herself from the ground as she did so. "I have to go. There's something... I can't explain it. But I need to be somewhere else. It was nice to speak to you; we should do it again." Shaking her head, the wolf offered no more as she turned and began to walk quickly away from him, picking up the pace to an easy run as soon as she was out of sight of him. Frowning, Jo tried to determine which way it was she needed to go, and why, following instinct as she moved to wherever it was she was needed.

Words || 305
Tags || Phantom
Notes || Welp that was AWKWARD bye oh god