Phantom Hollow Colours of Freedom

@Sage

It was a silent and lonely evening. Issun lay right over the water's edge, staring at the ripples with admiration. The sound of water traveling over rocks was calming. The setting sun had the waters dancing with color. The clouds added more to the light show. Many colors danced on the surface; oranges, yellows, pinks, whites. One of the reasons to enjoy nature was the beauty it made.

The scene had reminded him greatly of Moonlit's Beta. So beautiful and mysterious. It was clear now that the lovesick teen favored her more than anyone else he had met. A sigh escaped his maw. Who was to say she thought the same of him? On the surface they were just friends, but he secretly hoped that she thought more of him anyways.

The yearling lifted his head, calling for her presence. He wanted to see that face again.

It was strange to hear her summoned by another other than Malice, never been called for by another before. When following the call it wasn't until she caught the scent of the singer did she realize it was Issun's. Picking up her pace when being enlightened with the owner she soon reached him by the water, seeming to be taking in the multi-colored sky and its beauty. "You called?" She asked, lowering to her haunches beside him. 

If the two were to be looking at the sky for most of this, she wouldn't object. The dark girl absolutely loved the sky, and looked forward to the stars to filter their way through the falling sun. Being the naturalist she was raised to be, this brought her heart to a warm place, and being next to Issun helped that warmth grow.

Issun turned his head as the sound of a familiar voice rang behind him. The sight of the girl made the yearling smile warmly, obviously happy to be in her presence. He nodded, nudging her neck with his nose. It was a move he only reserved for her.

"We've known each other for a while, yet we barely know much about each other," he started softly, "Would you tell me more about you, Sage?"

The topic was unexpected, but that's what friends did, didn't they? Learn more about each other? The concept was new, but his touch wasn't. A heat overtook when he nudged her slightly. Was there even much to say about herself? Shifting a bit uncomfortably she looked down from the sky and now to Isuun. "Well..." she was slightly afraid to speak of herself, it wasn't like she had much to hide, but incase she seemed self centered to speak to much, or uninteresting if she spoke too little. "I was born in Alaska, and left alone before my memory even begins. Luckily a wolf had found me and nurtured me for about a day or two until I was passed onto wolf by wolf, at some point I was left alone again—seven weeks I think—and managed to hurt my leg pretty bad. Madam Julie found my limping and nursed me back to health for about a month, ever since I've just been lucky enough to stumble across wolves willing to take care of me." 

She feared she had spoken for too long and adverted her gaze from him, sheepishly.

Her backstory had sounded way more rough than his ever could. For his whole puppy stage of life, he had been cared for by older wolves. He would never be able to accomplish surviving if he was in Sage's shoes. "Well, I'm glad you came across us," he sighed. Came to know him. Issun didn't know how his life would be without her.

When she turned her head away, the male leaned forward to give her a reassuring lick. "You were a more bad ass kid than I was for sure," he chuckled.

She chuckled slightly, giving a small smile at the male. Badass. His comment boosted her self confidence, which was unusually low lately. She returned his lick with another, before gazing back upon the sky and flicking her tail a bit with interest.  "What about you, Issun?" 

He was correct when he stated them barely knowing each other, yet they seemed so close. Strange, but the two seemed to be overcoming that now.

His smile grew at her returned gesture. "I was born around many other wolves," he started, "I was the only pup of my mother's litter, but also the first to be born. Then came all the rest of my "brothers and sisters". I was the biggest out of all of them, so I had to be the self-centered, big bad wolf of the bunch." Issun had regretted having that ugly personality. His childhood would have gone much smoother if he had worked rather than sit down and let the pack care for him. He was glad to have made up his mistakes now.

"I was a bad little squirt. Always getting in trouble, pushing around others. I knew how to hunt, knew how to defend, just chose not to. Once I was older, my packmates got tired of me and chased me out. I can't blame them though, I would've done the same thing." Would have done it in a heartbeat. Issun was actually glad of their actions now. He had changed so much.

Issun turned his gaze over to the water's surface. "I looked back and hate my selfish actions. I wanted to prove to myself that I was better than that. That's why I love to work now. To show I care for this pack."

His words were unexpected, Issun? Selfish? The thought was practically absurd, but entirely possible when she thought about it. "You've been doing well for Moonlit, I would say you've redeemed yourself well." Their pasts were quite the opposite, him given everything he asked, her barely surviving, but it seemed the two were quite compatible even with their different pasts.

He smiled at the compliment. "Thank you," he replied, "You're not too bad yourself. Being Beta must be stressful." Responsibility for the whole pack. It was a lot of work and seemed time consuming.

Issun looked out into the water again, staying silent for a moment. "Do you... like someone?" He could barely notice it slip from his mouth. He looked at her again, waiting anxiously for her answer.

The question was unexpected, and she was unsure how to reply. Sage hadn't really thought about this, having so many other things on her mind. Did she like someone? "Why do you ask?" The main reason she answered the question with another question was because, truthfully, she had no idea.

Issun heated up when his question was answered with a question. "I dunno," he answered in a very unusual sheepish tone, "I was just wondering."

Half of him silently begged for her not to ask "why", while the other half pushed him to tell her how he felt. Still, he didn't want to come off as weird or awkward. Besides, what if there was somebody else she showed interest in? Issun stayed quiet, his tail twitching anxiously.

The ebony girl chose not to believe he had just been wondering of her love interests without a reason fueling it, so she pried on. "Something must have sparked your interest." The young Beta spoke, glancing over at the equally dark male. It had yet to cross her mind that the burly wolf could possibly like her, as that had yet to ever happen to the yearling.

A somewhat shaky sigh escaped his maw. He didn't feel like holding in any longer because it just drove him insane sometimes. Issun turned to look at Sage.

"It's because-", he paused to take a deep breath. "Over this time, I grew to like your company. Like you. It's just like-I have special feelings for you." The yearling turned his head.

This was completely new to her, and she had to suppress from laughing. Someone taking a particular liking to her? How? It was absurd to think anyone could possible find her appealing, other than a good leader. "I don't understand..." She admitted. "What could make you like me?" It still boggled her mind that she had the capability for anything past a friendship.

His gaze stayed glued onto the horizon, too nervous to face Sage now. "You're just... different, in a good way," he started. He didn't know how to describe it in words that would make sense. It just felt nicer to be around her out of everyone else.

"You're beautiful; inside and out. I feel more content and safer around you. I always want to see you more. It feels good when I can." He paused, again breathing in once more. "It's really difficult to explain. I never felt this way for anyone. These feelings are so new and I don't know what to do."

She nudged him a bit, hoping to get him to look at her, noticing his rather distant gaze. The young girl couldn't imagine the pressure he must be going through at the moment, and tried her best to comfort him, so she closed the space between them. The fur on their side now touching, she continued to look his way. The words he spoke hit her like a bat, did he truly think that way of her? The ebony girl was well aware she had a strange feeling towards the boy, could that be the same feeling he holds for her?

"I'll admit I feel a bit...different towards you than others." Sage couldn't explain how she felt as Issun had, but it was something close. If not the same thing.

He looked over as he felt a warmer feeling at his side. The touch was foreign, but in this weird, likable way. It wasn't like the touch was new, it just felt more special.

His ears perked with surprise at her words. "You do?", he asked. There was new found happiness at those words. "What can we do now?" he asked.

She wasn't very certain on what they were to do now, a mateship would be a bit too far for the time being. The two should get to know each other somewhat more before such a bond. Sage wouldn't object to the idea in the future though, but welcome it with open arms. 

"What do you wish to do?" Sage asked, giving a simple smile towards him.

What did he want to do? It was a difficult question to answer. The yearling had no knowledge of these kinds of relationships because he never felt this kind of love towards anyone before. How did others do this? What if he messed this up like most things? He was jumping in unfamiliar territory now, but he had to take risks.

"I want to try to make this work," he answered after a long moment of silence. "This is all so new to me but, I can't just brush these feelings off." There was no way he could do so. He had learned to let his feelings flow through and to stop this warm feeling would be painful to do. "What about you? Do you want to try?"

She took a moment to think, why wouldn't she want to try? Issun was great! He'd been so kind to her, and protective in cases she noticed. She would love to try. The two both had no idea how to handle the situation, never being in it before, trying never hurt anybody...right? She hoped this wouldn't result in either one hurting each other. 

Moving her gaze back to Issun she showed a wide smile, and nodded. "I would love to try." 

A wash of relief and happiness washed over him at her agreement. His fear of rejection had vanished and instead replaced with a warm, fuzzy feeling. It was strange, but a good kind. One feeling he never wanted to let go of.

He rested his head on her neck, kissing her ear gently. "That's wonderful," he replied with a smile. The yearling didn't feel the need to leave her side, so he stayed next to her, sharing his warmth.

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