Into the Night [Phantom]

[Nimue]

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[attr="class","pltxt"]It had rained recently, saturating the frigid earth with water, and somehow making the chill in the air even cooler until at last the dark charcoal clouds had passed, taking the weather with them. While it might have otherwise been an inconvenience, it was a blessing for Aveline; it had filled the crater with fresh, clear water, providing the wolves of Ananke with something to drink. The hunters had done a wondrous job as of late providing the pack with food, and now water was in abundance too, something that the Chieftain was thankful for.

The large female carefully picked her way down the side of the crater, strategically placing her paws upon firm ground so that she would not slip as she moved deeper into the crater. She could see the water pooled far below, and it spurned her forward, her tail swaying gently at her haunches as she moved. Eventually Nimue reached flat land, and she padded towards the water, hefting her weight as she lowered her head, craning her neck so that she could comfortably lap at the frigid liquid that had begun to ice over at the edges. When at last her thirst was saturated, the Chieftain sat back on her haunches, taking a brief moment to clean herself before simply gazing at the reflection of the moon upon the water.

A myriad of stars stretched above her, showing in the reflection as well. While the majority of the pack was asleep, Nimue had always found that she adored the night, despite the cooler temperatures and the pressing shadows. She was large enough that this did not overly bother her, and so she reveled in it, her pale blue eyes alight as if blazing in the darkness. Ananke had welcomed so many new members as of late, and it was wonderful; Nimue had never anticipated that her pack, her home, would become so very successful – even with Morrigan gone. Her sister’s absence still ached, but it had lessened as days had passed. Still, she had not forgotten how she’d started; a daughter of Kairos, a daughter of Messoria. Strong. Capable. From the ashes of her youth a wolf had risen, benevolent and so very unlike Goliath, who Nimue looked so much like.

It still amazed her to this day.

TAG: Phantom
WORDS: 383
NOTES: FINALLY <3 Sorry this sucked!

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[Phantom]

A silver spectre passed through the inky darkness of the night, guided only by the light of the moon and his heightened sense. Phantom’s ears twitched delicately atop his skull, straining to catch the midnight noises. There were few, and the grasslands were eerily quiet save for the occasional call of a nocturnal bird and the rustle of the grass in the wind. It was peaceful, pleasant, and the glow of the moonlight bathed the landscape in a layer of mystery. There was no reason for Phantom to be wandering, he had simply grown tired of fitful sleep. Nightmares were rarer for him now that he’d settled into pack life, for which he was immensely relieved, but they had not abated entirely. He suspected in time they would diminish along with his memories, or at least he hoped.

Regardless, Phantom enjoyed his home at night. It was a different experience to his home in the day, one he found he much preferred. It was easier to think at night, easier to hunt, easier to pass through territories undetected. Of course that didn’t matter any longer, but the sentiment still lingered. Phantom felt, in some way, that he was made for the night. His black and white pelt blended in well between the darkness and moonlight, and company tended to be more scarce. It suited him perfectly

As he passed by the large crater that marred the earth, a familiar scent reached his nose. If it had been anyone else, he would have continued on his way, but the scent belonged to his Chieftan, Nimue, whom he had not spoken to since their brief meeting on the beach. He’d been intending to speak with her for some time, but he was hyperaware that she had recently become the sole alpha following her sister’s disappearance, and Phantom did not want to take up any of her time. It was likely that she was still grieving the departure of her sibling, as well as having her duties effectively doubled. But tonight, it seemed fate had delivered him straight to her. Or, it would have, if he believed in that sort of thing.

Moving slowly and carefully to the edge of the crater, Phantom peered into its depth and saw his own face reflected back at him from the water that had pooled from the rainfall. Beside the pool was Nimue, deep in thought, her colourful pelt visible even in the darkness. “Hello, Nimue,” Phantom intoned, offering her a warm smile, his teeth illuminated by the celestial light above. “I hope I’m not disturbing you,” he added cautiously. Though she seemed far too polite to turn him away, he wanted to give her the option. The last thing he wanted to do was intrude on her personal time, given how little she likely had.

---

Word count: 470
Notes: <3
Tags: Nimue

[Nimue]

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[attr="class","pltxt"]For some time Nimue remained beside the pool, staring down into the depths, lost in her thoughts – until at last a voice sounded from somewhere above, distracting her from the endless loop of possibilities she often got tangled in. Craning her head back, she glanced towards the top of the crater, pale gaze searching until at last it fell upon a familiar half-face. It was difficult to see the darker portion of Phantom’s visage from her vantage point; it appeared as if half of him was cloaked in shadows, the other a brilliant ivory that was caught and illuminated in the beams of moonlight, his silver eyes gleaming. She smiled at his greeting, tilting her head but not yet answering, knowing that more words would follow.

When they did her smile grew, and she shook her head. ”Of course you’re not disturbing me,” she called up to him, finding that she was genuinely glad to see him. It seemed like ages ago that she’d encountered him on the sandy shores far from here, offering him a place within the not-yet-formed ranks of their growing pack. And now here they were, settled, supported, the foundation of Ananke strong. He’d been there from the beginning, watching as their family grew. Nimue was thankful for his presence.

With a sweep of her muzzle she gestured to the ground beside her, both her movement and her following words an invitation. ”Join me, if you would like.” She had seen so little of him lately, and she was aware of it; with so much responsibilities stacked upon her shoulders, she’d found herself busy with seemingly endless acceptances and meetings. But now the cover of night had given her time, and she realized that she wished to speak with Phantom, to get to know the wolf beneath the mask. ”I fear I’ve been busier than I anticipated I would be, with Morrigan leaving…I apologize for that.” She had not spoken of her sister’s disappearance to anyone else, and yet Phantom had known Morrigan; he’d met her on the same day he’d met Nimue, when her sister had stumbled upon the pair as they were conversing. And of course he had to have heard of her disappearance; Nimue knew there was no use in her avoiding the matter.

TAG: Phantom
WORDS: 381
NOTES: Sorry for the wait ;^;

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[Phantom]

Phantom hadn’t expected Nimue to turn him away, she appeared to him to be the kind of selfless leader who puts others before herself in a time like this. Phantom was not overtly selfish, but spending all his energy looking after and being depended on by others was not something that appealed to him. Besides, he wasn’t personable enough to be an alpha. Nimue had the gift of amicability that Phantom had never been able to grasp, and it made him respect her all the more.

When she extended him an invitation to join her, Phantom only nodded in response, and began to pick his way carefully down the slope. Phantom had always been a nimble beast, and managed to traverse the decline as though he were floating down it, ghostlike in the moonlight. When he reached the bottom, he realised once more how tiny he was in comparison to his leader. He seated himself just far enough away from her that he didn’t have to crane his neck to look her in the eye, but close enough to not appear rude.

Nimue’s explanation of her diminished presence amongst the pack was hardly required, and he let her know. “There’s no need to apologise to me, Nimue. Things have changed, and you’ve had to adapt. I have no doubt you’re as strong alone as you and Morrigan were combined.” Phantom had seen even less of Morrigan than he had of Nimue, but he remembered being impressed with how confident and independent they were for their age. Phantom had stayed with his pack until he was almost three, until... Well.

He cleared his throat, as though the thought could be dislodged, and then let his eyes fall on the calm, sparkling surface of the water. “I know we are not close, Nimue, but I want to offer you my ears should you ever need to talk to anyone. It’s easy to distance yourself from those around you when something like this happens, to keep yourself busy so that you don’t have to confront the problem.” He turned his eerie gaze back to her then, hoping he was not overstepping. “I’m not suggesting that’s what you’re doing, but, speaking from experience, you should try to avoid that.” Then, he smiled at her. It was a rare, genuine smile, but there was something so calming about Nimue that he almost felt he could trust her. “I know it’s difficult. To lose your family, I mean.” The smile on his face faltered, but he persevered. “And if there’s anything I can do to help, I will do everything in my power to see that it’s done.”

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Word count: 442
Notes: when did he get so nice UGH. gross
Tags: Nimue

[Nimue]

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[attr="class","pltxt"]Nimue watched silently as Phantom drew near to her, glad that he had not declined her offer. She was unsure if he truly desired her company or if he was just being nice – but then again, he had seen her seated below and decided to call out to her when he could have continued on his way. It was a small solace, and she was silent as he settled, allowing him to break the silence first in response to her previous words. It was good to hear that he did not hold a grudge against her for how little she’d interacted with him, and his kind words drew a smile to her muzzle. What she had not been expecting, however, was the offer of comfort that he murmured afterwards. Her head swiveled, blue eyes coming to rest upon the brute beside her, though his own gaze was upon the water.

”Thank you, Phantom,” she said quietly after he’d finished, the sincerity clear in her tone. ”I will admit that it has been difficult without Morrigan here. We were so close as we grew – I was close to all of my family, but Morrigan in particular, and my youngest sister, Fawn.” She paused, brow furrowing slightly. ”It was difficult to leave them. Especially Fawn. But Morrigan was so insistent that we could become something great, and I told myself that as long as I had her beside me, all would be well. I suppose I should have known that there was a possibility she would disappear; she was always searching for greater things.” Here she paused, shrugging her shoulders as she glanced up at the moon. ”I wasn’t sure what to do, when I was certain she was gone. But I haven’t regretted leading Ananke alone. Not when I have so many wonderful wolves who stand beside me.”

Her gaze returned to his then, her smile radiant. ”And you should know that you may always come to me with anything as well. I’m grateful to have you here, Phantom.” And she was. Though she had not been able to speak with him as much as she would have liked, she valued Phantom, trusted him. And so it was that she decided upon what she’d been mulling over for the last few moons, since Silver’s promotion to Lead Huntress. ”I have been thinking, for some time now, that we need more wolves in leadership positions. And I will understand if you’d prefer to keep your current rank,” she began, watching his expression as she spoke. ”But, it would be an honor if you would like to take the position of Legion Commander. I can’t imagine anyone who would be better suited for the task.”

TAG: Phantom
WORDS: 452
NOTES: wow I suck

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[Phantom]

With his steely, unreadable gaze fixed on the rippling reflection of the moon before him, Phantom was silent and unmoving as his superior spoke. Phantom was not disposed to pitying others – it was a weak, condescending attempt at empathy that paled in comparison to the real thing; a watered down emotion that blindly ignored the significance of the more substantial one. It lacked compassion, and Phantom had only ever seen pity in the eyes of wolves who looked down on their equals, rather than sideways. When Phantom looked sideways at his Chieftan, he felt only empathy, and overwhelming loyalty to the yearling who had left her home behind to form a new one from scratch, only to be abandoned by the one wolf she needed by her side the most.

The fondness in her voice was almost palpable; he could almost taste the sweetness of her words on his tongue, devoid of bitterness even when speaking of her wayward sister. Talk of her past caught his interest, and though he knew it was not his place to pry, he felt drawn to question her about it. Perhaps she would even enjoy speaking more about her family. “If you don’t mind my asking… Your sister, Fawn – what is she like? Why did she not venture into the world with her sisters?” The expressive indicators on his face remained neutral; but a slight tilt of his head conveyed his inquisitiveness. It took all his willpower not to allow his thoughts to wander to his own younger siblings, to his twin, and mother, and their whereabouts. He grounded himself in the present, the solid earth below him anchoring him to that moment. “Nor should you,” he said, in response to her confidence, twinkling amusement tugging at his expression. “Ananke is thriving under your leadership; I hope you are proud of how much you’ve accomplished in such a short time. It’s no small feat to form a home for those who have none, to take in the waifs and strays and give them a purpose once more.” Nimue was still gazing up at the moon, though he examined her expression carefully. “As you did for me.”

When her attention fixed once more on him, his gaze had already drifted away. It was hard to meet her eye at times, and it was made all the harder by her next words. Always come to you with anything, he thought. If only he were not such a liar. “You are kind,” -er than I deserve, “Thank you, Nimue,” he said, though his words rang hollow in his mismatched ears. He stared solemnly at the dark, enchanting water, seemingly transfixed by its beauty. Despite the war that raged inside him, Phantom was a one-way mirror, and though he could look out and observe, his heart and mind were obscured to the world; a dark, flat window into nothing.

Then, the doting alpha struck her final, loving blow. A promotion. The implicit faith, and perhaps even trust that she placed in him was heart-wrenching to such a self-loathing creature. Never would Phantom deserve such a pure-hearted strangers trust, nor the responsibility that came with his newly appointed position. Legion Commander. “You couldn’t find anyone more intimidating?” he joked, turning finally to look at her again, a smile tugging at his lips. His leaner stature was useful in his current line of work, though he was not so sure he could use his skills to lead an army. Still, he owed it to Nimue to try, and despite her reassurance, it was not an offer he could refuse after vowing to help in any way he could. “Of course I will, Nimue. The honour is all mine.” That, at least, was sincere. Although it felt wrong, would it not be worse to walk away and leave her with less support than he had promised her? It was a tangled mess of his own weaving, but he would try his hardest to be the Commander that the pack deserved, regardless of his own shortcomings.

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Word count: 682
Notes: MY CONFLICTED BB. Sorry this took forever D:
Tags: Nimue