It seemed that even her traveling companions had been sucked into whatever this battle was between the Sound and some other pack. With each passing day, Callantha grew more and more restless. She was beginning to wonder what contentment had been like, it had been so long since she hadn't felt the soft boil of anxiety in her belly. She would have loved to escape the pack lands if only for one day, but Minthe would not have it. She was to remain within the confines of the Sound, and the dutiful ward obeyed, despite how distressed it made her feel.
That didn't mean she couldn't dream, though, which is exactly what Callantha was doing as she lurked near the borders in the Megalith Forest. As she moved, she imagined herself as a great explorer from one of the tales a kindly elder in her birth pack had told her as a child. There was something comforting about the ancient trees. They were so strong and sturdy having survived there for so long. Cal crept around the great trunk of one of the old giants, her nose trailing along its weathered roots.
The pale ghost wandered around the mighty monoliths, eyes exploring the huge branches. Birds flickered through them, spring's new sun peeking hesitantly through the net of wood.
Paw steps interrupted her peaceful walk, but she did not mind. As the puppy season of the sea approached, she had more desire for company. Perhaps it was because when she was alone in her thoughts, at times she sunk into a deep sadness.
This one didn't seem to fit in with the ones she had arrived with, Phantom mused as she approached the figure. She had not seen much of her, and never with other wolves. She offered the other a polite nod and sat some distance away, waiting for the other to introduce herself.
Cal was so busy in her daydreams that she barely noticed as her packmate approached. She crouched behind a thick root as though about to pounce upon something on the other side. There was nothing there truly, but in her mind she saw an evil queen that would only fall by her skill in battle.
Before she could begin the fight, she finally noticed Phantom's approach. She spun to face her, ears pricked and eyes widened in surprise. She was quick to settle, though she still remained tense. This one was one of Caiaphas's who may or may not have inspired that particular fantasy. There was every chance that she was loyal to the sea witch, and thus Cal would not be comfortable with her.
"Hey," she said before she caught herself, dipping her muzzle and awkwardly adjusting her greeting, "Hi, I mean.. Hi."
Phantom offered a small smile, and sat opposite of the white girl. She opened and closed her muzzle, shaking her head as she did so. She even pawed at it a couple times. Things would be so much easier if Caiaphas had just told everyone she could not speak. That way, they would not think her snobby or rude when she did not speak as the others did.
Brow furrowed in concentration, Phantom shrugged in a questioning way, head tilted. She pointed a paw at the other. She repeated this another time before sitting and gazing at the girl.
Cal watched the strange wolf as she gestured soundlessly at her. She had never come across someone who was incapable of speech before, and thus she was thoroughly bewildered by the female's actions. She turned her head to the side slightly, her brows furrowed in confusion as she tried to muddle her way through understanding the situation. Unfortunately for Phantom, Callantha had never been a particularly bright girl. And thus, she found herself feeling frustrated and uncomfortable.
"Is something wrong?" Callantha asked, biting her lip. The fact that Phantom was trying to explain was lost on her - all she saw was some awkward movement that to her suggested something was wrong more than what the female was actually trying to communicate.
Bit of PP of Phantom!
She had been watching the two white figures from a distance from the forest, first recognising the familiar form of Callantha before a second similar-looking wolf approached her. She was quite far away from the two so, by the time Nesaea found her way towards them, the other was already turning to leave. The silver girl quietly slunk up behind her mother's ward, coming to a halt beside her as a silent presence that peered at the mute siren. She was the one from the little party that had greeted them.
With a courteous nod, the stranger took her leave after her failed attempt at trying to communicate with Callantha. It was unknown to Nesaea that she was a mute; she took her silence as a sign of respect to the sisters from Themiscrya.
Turning back to the rambunctious girl after the other siren was out of earshot, Nesaea narrowed her eyes slightly at her fur that seemed to never want to fall flat. She wanted to groom and settle it, but was repelled by the thought of the dirt that was surely intertwined within her fur. Gaze flicking back to her eyes, she regarded her with a graceful tilt of her head.
"You didn't offend her?" she inquired, hoping Callantha wasn't already ruining their reputation.
The female continued to be perfectly silent, though slowly growing more agitated. Cal was completely lost, so when she eventually turned and left, the young Nereides wasn't overly broken up about it. She was about to turn and continue her game when in doing so, she nearly ran right into Nesaea whom she hadn't noticed slip up beside her.
Cal shrunk away an inch or two in surprise, but also because doing so was just second nature to her. She was a submissive creature, especially in the presence of the pair of sisters she'd traveled with to the Sound. Her ears fell back at the subtle accusation, but Cal shook her head determinedly. "No, I don't think so," she insisted, though faltered partway through. Maybe she had... It wouldn't be the first time she had screwed up accidentally, "I just tried to talk to her, she didn't say anything." Callantha relaxed and turned to eye the grey wolf, curious as to what she was doing out here.