ooc - although private, others are allowed to ask permission to join ~

A certain smell permeated the tunnel hed been lurking in for many days. He met an owl and a dragon, whatever those were. An owl seemed small while a dragon was so big, but he wasnt sure. The smell that lingered in the tunnel however was barely familiar. He obly recognized it because he met the beast a few days prior, but the scent was mixed with the smell of blood and smoke. His nose curled up at the though, and he shook his head in disgust. He was worried about thos dragon though - he had been so nice.

So Ghost followed his nose, knowing not where it would take him. Little did he know it would be to where he was actually trying to avoid. He didnt want to face Makyna or Leon again, so he hoped they werent around. his worry for the dragon carried him on however, ignoring his own thoughts and distress about the two older gembounds.

He entered pisces then and paused, using his naturally heightened hearing and smelling to search for danger and his dragon friend. Sensing none, he began to walk towards the muffled scent of dragon, following his nose right up to the point he ran into the beasts thigh. He froze, waiting for some response but got nothing. His brows furrowed and he assumed the dragon was asleep, so he sniffed at the ground around the beasts foot. The smell of blood was stronger now and reminded him of a fresh kill. Was he dead?

A whine escaped from Ghost, though he did not know where it came from. He pressed his forehead into the dragons thigh then, hoping to wake him from a nap, but the dragon didnt budge. He whined again and took a few steps to sniff at the dragons side - more blood. By now, a frown had creased his face. Leaning into the dragon slightly, he followed the shape of his body until he found the dragons neck. Nosing around there for a moment, ghost found a safe spot near the dragons jaw on the side he was missing his eye on. Ghost curled up next to the face of the dragon, fearing little, and nosed around his face until he found more blood near the missing eye. What happened to him? Ghost wasnt sure the dragon was even alive still and it worried him, but he began to clean the beasts face anyway, not knowing what else to do...

Why did he feel this way? Sure, he felt guilty abandoning makyna and leon, but hed never felt genuine compassion for something before, especially something so large.

@makyna

MAKYNA
"let's sing a song for the heart"

What a long week it had been. Everyone going to fight the dragon had been hurt in some way and those that couldn't heal on their own had been put into care in Pisces. Makyna had been trying her best to check up on those that needed it and tend to wounds but today there was only the dragon she needed to check now and that wouldn't take long. She'd just redress his eyepatch and check to see how his other wounds were going. It was tough work but she was willing to do it to save a life.

In her mouth was a vine and a large wad of moss that she would use to replace the no-doubt bloodsoaked wad that was already tied on his face. It had been a few days but he was still bleeding and still wasn't awake. It was worrisome but she still held out hope. After all, his sides were still rising and falling with life and he was a large tough critter so he would prevail.

It was while she was walking that she noticed a new yet familiar smell. It didn't surprise her though, a lot of creatures came to Pisces nowadays especially with the injured and the wedding on the horizon. Makyna welcomed them all and was happy with the turn of events.

Her clear blue eyes did a quick once over of the cave once she arrived and she was pleased to see that everything looked in order. Minus the snow but it was a new thing ever since that dragon was put into its place... or whatever had happened after the lion fairy left. Her paw steps were muted as she approached the dragon, hmm, it appeared that Delphine wasn't around. Odd but perhaps she'd gone to graze or get a drink which would do her good. Now there just seemed to be a wolf snuffling at the white dragon, he blended in quite well with the snowy landscape. Must have been a friend of Baratheon's, not that she knew him.... or... did she?

The scent... It struck a cord with her. Something... something far gone in the past. The lioness stared for a moment, studying him and it wasn't until she caught a glimpse of his face that she dropped the vine and moss and stood open-mouthed with awe. A tear slid down her cheek as she realized all at once who it was. "G-g-ghost?" Her voice was astonished and filled with a mixture of joy, relief, and guilt. Ghost... She thought he was dead. Thought he had run away or been killed... Perhaps she had gone crazy and was just seeing a ghost.

Her mind stretched out subconsciously towards her beloved, to call him so he could see what was going on. However, with her shock at seeing the pup-- no... wolf, alive it was a weak cast. Barely a whisper of his name. The lioness took a step forward and chuffed, nose twitching as she inhaled the canine's scent. Wwas it really him?

______________________________________

"This is how I talk!"
"This is how I sing!"
This is how I think!

508
@Ghost @Leon
---
6/10

Ghost was content in cleaning the blood from the dragons face, avoiding the bandage that was covering the eye. He hadnt made much of a change, but he was starting to work a spot clean. His ear twitched when he heard a sound then, the familiarity of it making his heart race. The voice was older now, a more mature version of the childish lioness he remembered from when he hatched. The voice was wavering, a question. He couldnt read her emotion through her voice, but he didnt think it was good. She sounded surprised but other things were present in her quiet tone that he couldnt pin.

He turned to 'look' at the lioness then, his ears swiveling to listen if she had anything else to say but quickly flattened against his skull. He didnt want to see her, but it was too late. A frown creased his face again, his brows also furrowing to match. Sniffinf at the air, he didnt pick up on Leon, so he assumed she was alone. Was Leon even still around? Hed been assuming they were still together, but anything couldve happened while he isolated himself.

Ashamed for abandoning them, ghost turned his head and looked down. He didnt know what to say.

@makyna

Makyna had been running herself ragged trying to catch up with everything that happened. Leon would watch her from afar, even if he was supposed to be preoccupied with his own duties. His own truths - Amaria, and then his later visit to Cancer. His mind was heavy, and he usually found respite in Makyna - but even watching her he could tell that the stress of the recent battle was beginning to take its hold. Several Gembounds were still resting in Pisces while they recovered from the battle, including Baratheon, who Makyna had been spending time with trying to help. The dragon seemed to be unconscious, and he could tell that she was worried. As soon as they cleared up this mess, they could start planning their wedding (finally), but until then...

Leon decided to take a break from his routes to help her. She had been running around trying to find all the tools she needed for Baratheon, so while she did that, Leon hung around a nearby lagoon to fish. He kept a close proximity to the dragon in case he woke, but most of his attention was on trying to catch something for her to eat. And who knew, maybe the smell of fish would rouse the dragon? The bear managed to catch a couple and decided it would be enough, for now - he'd go out and hunt more later. Scooping them up, he spied the lioness making her way back to Baratheon - then he noticed a white wolf that had slunk in when he wasn't looking.

The bear narrowed his eyes slightly, hastening. That was when Makyna spoke and he heard the surprise in her voice, the joy and confusion - but mostly, he saw the tear slowly slide down her cheek, and it didn't matter who this Gembound was. A low rumble swelled up from his chest as he jogged towards the lioness, having not yet identified the young wolf.

MAKYNA
"let's sing a song for the heart"

There was no doubt in her mind now. When he turned his head towards her she knew that this was the long-lost pup, now all grown up. The lioness felt a smile form on her lips. It was a strange feeling, happiness mixed with a guilt... Still, she wouldn't spoil this moment with terrible words or emotions. All that mattered was that the little wolf was back! He looked so handsome standing in the snow with his white coat.

The lioness stepped forward, one paw lifting to touch Ghost's cheek if he would allow it. "Ghost, it is you... I thought you were dead. I thought--" She heard him before she even saw him. The approaching sound of the bear, angered at the wolf for her crying. He didn't know that they were tears of joy upon seeing a ghost.

Those clear blue eyes lifted to the brown bear and she called out clearly, "Leon, no! It's Ghost!"

______________________________________

"This is how I talk!"
"This is how I sing!"
This is how I think!

154
@Ghost @Leon
---
5/10

bah short sorry

He hadnt noticed the bear in the room until he heard the massive thing lumbering towards him with a low rumble. He shrunk back, his forelegs pushing his body back into the dragon in some fear. He didnt know that Leon hadnt recognized him yet, he just thought the bear was mad. He refused to look towards the two again, hiding his face almost completely in the dragons neck.

Makyna didnt scare him like Leon did - he was afraid the bear was livid. He didnt know better, though. So his body shivered with fear, but also a mix of other things. Fear, anxiety, nervousness... And something else he didnt understand.

@makyna @leon

The bear charged on over to the pair, his gaze flickering between the lioness and the wolf - he saw the wolf cower, and almost instantly Makyna cried out to stop Leon from assaulting the canine. He would have too, had it not been for her. She spoke that it was Ghost, and for a moment the bear didn't recognize who that was. The name seemed unfamiliar to him, and he came up to her side and looked at the wolf again. Then he rememered the white fur, how he thought it was Rohan. Then he remembered who it really was. Ghost.

Leon's eyes widened, then he blinked a few times and bashfully ducked his head. "I'm sorry." The bear rumbled, stepping back. "Sorry." He repeated, surging with guilt over his accusation. He hadn't even thought when he saw Makyna. His gaze washed over the wolf, the sight of him turning and hiding his face inciting a great shame in the bear. He huffed, sending an apologetic look to Makyna before stepping back one more time. His shoulder pressed into her flank before he slid onto his stomach.

@Makyna

MAKYNA
"let's sing a song for the heart"

The lioness turned to the bear, a gentle light in her gaze. Her tail flicked over his shoulder before she dipped her head and touched it to his ear. "S'all right. You didn't know..." He probably thought Ghost was hassling her or hurting her with the tears in her eyes so she didn't blame him at all. It was in Leon's nature to be protective.

Now her gaze turned back to Ghost and she slowly stepped toward him, eyes softening and her voice changing to be comforting. "Ghost... It's okay, Leon didn't know it was you. We both thought... the worst." Her paw lifted again, this time towards his shoulder as she tried to soothe him and put his mind at ease. "We're glad to see that you're alright... Will you talk to us? Tell us what happened?" She remembered him being shy before, trust hard to come by. Did he still trust the now? After they'd let the poor pup out of their sight...

______________________________________

"This is how I talk!"
"This is how I sing!"
This is how I think!

boop
@Ghost @Leon
---
5/10

Leon was making him really nervous even though the bear had calmed and laid down at makynas side. He shivered at the side of the dragon even as makyna came near with soothing words, and even flinched at her touch. Hed back up more if he could, but he was already pressing into baratheon, he didnt have room to move backwards. Although the question was innocent enough, he had a hard time answering. Qhat was he to tell them? That he ran away? That would implay their inadequate care even though that had nothing to do with it at all. They were even still young at the time. He didnt have any other ideas though, so although he hesitated, it wasnt for long. i um... Ran away, he stammered, his voice soft with a twinge of fear still present. everythings just so... Scary. he laid down then like a sphinx, his head tilted downwards enough so that he pressed his pink nose into his pink hued paws, his empty eyes set towards the ground. speech table code © rasta 2015

@leon @makyna

Laying on the ground next to Makyna, the bear felt he no longer had any place to speak. He had nearly attacked Ghost for wrenching a reaction from the lioness, one he thought had been forged out of malice, or fear, or sadness. He would have slaughtered the beast had he done anything to harm his sweet flower, and as he lingered in the listening silence, he began to abhor himself for the truth of it. Would anybody have been able to stop him? Maybe, he could have stopped in time once he realized who it was, but by then it would have been too late. He would have brought harm to the poor wolf. He would have been despicable. He would have been no better than when he had assaulted Cancer for what he'd done to Makyna. He furrowed his brow and tried to squeeze the thoughts out of his mind.

Makyna's voice lifted into the air, raising his spirits with it. His heavy head rested on the ground and he turned his muzzle slightly towards her, pressing his nose into her leg in search of comfort. She wanted to know why Ghost had vanished, as did Leon. His gaze flickered back to the blind wolf, searching for answer as the quiet stretched between them. Then it came - simple as that. There was no evident hostility or misgivings towards them, as though they had done nothing at all to wrong him. The world was scary. It was frightening and terrible and cruel and unfair, this he knew. And he could empathize for the young wolf. Had he been vindictive, he would have claimed this was no reason to abandon them, but he understood. Leon had done the same, once.

"Yes." The bear answered quietly, watching the wolf recline onto his stomach. "Though... if you find somebody to tough it out with... you know, it's not all that scary." Leon added, glancing to the side and lifting his lips in a small, uncertain smile towards the lioness.

@Makyna