Hushed Willows i won't let you fall tonight

if you have time/want to, mana? but anyone is welcome! :-)

 

Phiipa was gone. The one he'd believed to be a golden angel had twisted her own image into that of a demon to the wraith who had misconstrued her innocence and kindness into being trustworthy. His standing with the Creek remained unclear to the assassin and without Phiipa he was thrown back to the desolate and empty feeling: the same thing he'd felt when he'd killed The Officer. Except this was worse. Lost was something that the wraith was used to feel these days, though the promise of a purpose had slipped from betwixt his jaws as quickly as it had found it's way there. Naive in the way of the world outside of his missions as he was, it was no wonder how easy it had been for him to be fooled, to not realize that if it felt too good to be true: it probably was. Beyond going back to where he'd started he was angry.

The Ghost wandered, because that was all he knew how to do. It was back to the basics: surviving for the sake of surviving and internally Ghost hated it. His lapse of conscious with The Officer had been a poor one. He should have let the old monger live, even if it meant robbing that girl of the life she'd deserved, of the life he'd never had. Yet, despite that Ghost had long since accepted that he would never be normal, too deprived of social interaction, too much of a weapon to be much more (or thus he believed) he did not miss what he'd never had, and for that girl it would have been much the same. Despite this some defiant beast within Ghost had arisen and ended the life that was safe for him, ended the life that he'd known.

His legs had carried him North, through the murky marsh towards the willows where he had carried the crane for the green-eyed beauty of the Keep. Banner. He wasn't particularly sure why he sought her — aside from the brief consideration that she might just understand. He didn't know for sure, but if nothing else she was company and for some odd reason that Ghost did not peer to closely into, it was something that the assassin found himself craving. He tipped his head back and let lose a call for @Banner waiting a more than respectful distance from their borders, knowing better than to risk getting too close. Ghost didn't know if she would show or not but nevertheless suspected that someone would come to greet him whether it was Banner or a different wolf entirely.

yay!  i love ghost :D

Banner had returned from her solo trip down South just a day or so ago.  Nothing of note had occured in her absence, which caused her to feel a massive amount of relief, probably far more than should be considered healthy.  Her time away had been brief and frustratingly unfruitful, but she'd decided not to take it to heart.  Well, her mind decided that she shouldn't take it to heart, but her heart was full of anger over the whole ordeal.  If only they'd started searching sooner!  Poor Pippin..

Her frustrated huff died before it had a chance to pass her lips.  Instead, her head turned sharply in the direction of a call from a familiar voice.  Without a second thought, her paws carried her in the direction of the marsh.  It wasn't every day that a light summer breeze carried a call meant specifically for her.  How strange.  The long note didn't give any indication of the nature of his visit, but that didn't surprise her.  He was quieter than she and much more controlled.  Did he ever have a bad day?  She frowned as she darted through the willow trees.  He likely would have found the lost young Marauder within days.  She'd seen him hunt - maybe he was just as good at tracking?  Ah, but he wasn't a wolf of the willows.  Their troubles had nothing to do with him.  Oh well.

Her bright green gaze settled on his tall, mahogany form just outside Marauder's Keep.  He'd kept out a bit farther from the willow trees than she'd expected, but the dark brown female did apprecaite that.  The Keep may be all jumbled up at the moment, but at least other wolves still respected their borders.  She took a tiny bit of solace in that.  A small smile played on her lips as she slowed and eventually came to a stop in front of him.  They'd only spent time together once, but Banner found herself happy to see him nonetheless.  She wasn't sure how to vocalize that, but that was no real surprise.  "Ghost," she said warmly, dipping her head politely in greeting.  That was a start.

<3

 

Socialization wasn't anything that Ghost had ever been particularly good at, and it occurred to him that he had no idea what to say to her, providing that she did make an appearance. Yet, Banner had told him if he needed her for anything that he could stop by. Ghost wasn't sure he needed her — but he needed something in the wake of losing not just one master but two. At least there had been closure with The Officer but Phiipa had just vanished without word or warning and Ghost was left to make up assumptions born of the sting of what he thought to be betrayal, and the burn of his ire like fire through his veins.

To Ghost's pleasant surprise Banner emerged from the tangle and cascades of the willows, her form small and familiar as his mercurial gaze took her in, though the first thing to draw his gaze were her eyes. Still as green as the dancing aurora borealis. His docked tail gave a few wags though much of the effect was lost and likely went unseen. Despite his burning ire towards the golden demon thought angel he was pleased to see the Marauder and this surprised him. If there had been a underlining rule to have been learned (in fact it was The Officer's number one rule) never grow attached.

“Banner,” He returned her simple greeting in his deep baritone. For a moment that was strange to the assassin he wished that he knew what to say next. “You look good.” The observation came out honestly, without too much deeper contemplation. It hadn't been long since they'd last seen one another, granted, but it felt like the right thing to say. Never mind that he had nothing to truly back the “feeling” up with or compare to.

"Oh!" she blurted out just after his greeting, clearly surprised at his comment.  No one had ever told her that before.  She stared at him wide-eyed for a fleeting moment as her brain struggled to come up with a response of some kind.  Banner cleared her throat and blinked twice before ducking her head.  The silver-eyed Ghost had caught her off guard in a way she never expected.  "Um.. thank you," she finally said, her voice quiet but the pitch a tad higher than usual.

She stared at her paws, brow furrowed.  Banner was used to feeling awkward - it was a large part of who she was - but this didn't exactly feel awkward.  Surprising, yes, of course.  Her face relaxed and she looked back up to meet Ghost's silvery gaze.  He was always so cool and collected.  Of course, "always" only referred to the one other time they'd met.  But the lady Marauder felt emotionally pulled in several different directions even on a normal day and she marveled at how he kept everything under wraps.  But then, they didn't know each other very well.  The only other wolf she could say she knew better than herself was her brother Stark and their relationship was very different than anything she'd experience with anyone else.

Her head tilted to the side as her nose twitched.  "You smell different," she said, a question in her voice though one was not explicitly asked.  Banner recalled that he was a lone wolf, at least the last time they met.  Had he found a home?

She seemed surprised by his observation and in extension: compliment. He studied her reaction as if she were a newly discovered scripture: intently, and slightly awestruck. He was used to studying others: being hyper-vigilant came with the job description but this was ...different. Banner wasn't a target and he was genuinely interested in her reactions, in what made her tick. Even if he could hear the part of his mind that The Officer might always occupy warning him that it was a bad idea, and scolding him that he didn't learn, that he would never learn. Ghost did not dare compare Banner to Phiipa though: they were entirely different women, in looks and in personalities. Banner spoke her gratitude, her voice taking on a curious, higher pitch than it had held previously and though this earned a curious cant to the wraith's head he did not capitalize upon it.

Banner pointed out that he smelled different, and the assassin was quick to pick up on the question that she left unspoken in the statement. It was Ghost's turn to divert his gaze for a moment, feeling the ire burn hot beneath his skin. With his standing with Silver Creek initially unclear to him and Phiipa's departure he did not think there was reason for him to pursue it further. Silver Creek did not run on the simple acceptance like all the other packs that Ghost had “joined” and he doubted they would miss him much (or at all) if he vanished like the golden woman. A prospect was not the same thing as a ranked member, after all.

“I was a prospect for a pack, but only because I'd sworn my loyalty to one who would give me purpose. Neither matter anymore,” Slowly, Ghost's face had begun to twist into a scowl, wondering what had been so off putting about him to chase her away. Sure, he was a soldier: he needed to be commanded, he needed purpose but he was an assassin and there had only ever been The Officer and the mission; the world beyond had almost become mythical as The Officer molded him to forget that there was more than just the next mission, than the next target. Perhaps it was the responsibility was too much to bear even with the unwavering loyalty and vow of protection. “I was betrayed by her and I do not believe the pack will care enough to look for me. I bore no rank of theirs.” Thus he was wholly expendable. “The scents have likely yet to completely fade.” This was spoken matter-of-factly and with an errant little rise and fall of his shoulders.

He hadn't commented on her strange behavior and she was immensely glad.  Banner had no way of telling if he'd done it out of politeness or simply didn't care enough to make it into a thing, but she chose to take it as some form of social grace.  His response to her own question began a bit curiously as his silvery gaze averted.  Her ears cupped forward as she listened to his brief synopsis of what he'd been up to since they'd met those weeks ago in the marsh.  "A prospect"?  What the hell was that supposed to mean?  The packs around here were all different, sure, but how could they have a prospect and not bother to question if he stuck around or not?

But then, they had their issue with Pippin.  The circumstances were different but the outcome almost the same.  The pup set off and the vast majority of Marauder's Keep didn't even notice.  She frowned.  "That's cold of them."  Her statement was a bit too firm to be polite and applied to both situations.  Ghost mentioned being betrayed by "her" and the Gamma would be lying to herself if she said she wasn't intrigued.  A scowl to match the one he bore not a moment before worked its way onto her dark features.  "Some wolves have problems with loyalty," she growled out, her bright green eyes darting to the side as she thought of those Marauders who'd held some kind of bizarre grudge against Octavia - ah, but that was back when she'd been more than an Alpha in name only.

Now was not the time to go off on a rant, not when she had a visitor.  Rght.  Switching gears, Banner looked back to her tall, dark companion and cleared her throat.  "I'm not sure how far you've come, but would.. would you like to rest for a bit?" she asked in a voice much softer than before.  "I've got a spot a little farther in," she explained before offering Ghost a smile and gesturing back behind her where the willow trees grew closer together.

While Banner found it to be cold, this was nothing short of a kindness in Ghost's world. The assassin had made many enemies and all for grudges that were not his own. Having a pack forget about him, forego him as if he hadn't existed at all brought to him something akin to relief. The mission — whatever it had been — might have failed but the fault was not the Ghost's own. Without Phiipa there hadn't been enough to keep him to the Creek and no feeling of obligation to pursue it further, thus he felt no guilt in cutting whatever feeble ties had been made. “For once I think being forgotten about is a mercy,” And it was a bonus just as much as it was world rocking to know that The Officer was not waiting with punishment to dole out for complete and utter failure. Perhaps The Officer had only kept him not out of loyalty but because he needed him. The elder did not have Ghost's youth. Phiipa had not needed Ghost the same way that Ghost had needed her, nor how he had needed The Officer and vice versa.

“Yes,” Ghost reiterated in a quiet murmur of agreement when Banner growled out by the lack of loyalty in some. Her offer surprised him and for a moment his jaws parted and closed, his brow furrowing as he contemplated it. His mercurial gaze rose from his paws to her face, identifying that her voice had taken a much softer tone than one she'd used when speaking of the betrayal of loyalty moments before. There was a soft catch in his throat as he studied her, taking time with his response, because he wanted to be mistrustful, to not be fooled a second time by a pretty face, and yet he did not want to pin the misdeeds of the golden demon thought angel upon Banner. That wasn't fair.

“Your pack won't mind, will they?” Because while Ghost's interactions with packs might have been limited and filled with much acting he understood that they were territorial and when provoked, hostile towards wolves that were not their own. He took a small step towards her, mercurial gaze scanning the willows that stood like sentinels at her back for any sign of hostile Marauder's, and when none made an appearance he took another, more assured step towards her. “Thank you,” Ghost spoke, for the first time that he could recall actually meaning the words. For a moment he was going to elaborate before he bit lightly upon his tongue, figuring it best to allow her to accept his gratitude for whatever she wished to.

“Did you save any of the crane's feathers?” The assassin asked her as he continued to slowly close the distance between them, partially out of his curiosity and partially because this reminded him of their first meeting; and he'd remembered how she'd nosed them: with an adoration, as if they were a prize to be treasured to her.

"For once I think being forgotten about is a mercy."

Her heart lurched while she fought a very hard internal battle not to react.  She knew that feeling, being.. being forgotten about.  When she'd been separated from the now-gone Captain and spent a number of weeks alone in the depths of a hunger-induced raged that lasted hours or days or eons.. it was a mercy that no one came to find her.  Stark still harbored guilt about it, but they didn't speak of her time in between their birth pack and Marauder's Keep.  Banner had little to no memory of that time, but she knew it had been bad.  Mercy.  Yes, it was a mercy to be forgotten and a mercy that she hadn't done any real damange.

Her thoughts had passed by in a second and thankfully her features were kept smooth.  Somehow.  She blinked at Ghost when he asked if her pack would mind.  She grinned suddenly and chuckled.  The reality of the Keep wasn't at all funny, but she thought of who would be there to stop her had anyone voice an objection to a sanctioned visitor.  The pack's numbers were so low that puppies were practically more numerous than the adults.  And if one discounted the wolves currently away or missing?  She shook her head.  "I'll handle it," she said, her voice light.  "And you're welcome."  Banner strongly doubted that anyone would be out and about today, though the pint-sized terror that was Tambouine could be lurking around any corner!
 
She turned as he closed the distance between them and moved back toward the willow trees slowly at first to allow him to catch up to her.  Banner knew she'd have to double her pace to make up for her stocky little legs, but she'd felt a side-by-side entrance into the Keep was best.  If any wandering eyes happened to observe the pair they couldn't possibly think anything untoward was going on, right?  Once the dark male was at her side, she picked up her pace a bit and lifted her head to meet his eyes.  "How did you know?" she asked curiously.  Banner didn't remember telling her about her affinity for feather collecting.  And oh, she'd forgotten just how tall he was.  Her breath caught and she quickly turned her bright green gaze forward, her head held high though a small smirk played on her lips.

Banner assured him that she would handle any trouble that his presence within the Marauder's home might cause, her tone light as she spoke it. He hadn't once truly considered her rank but she did not seem concerned that it would be an issue and this caused the brief wonder as to if she was higher up in the tiers. The ranks that Ghost had been given on false pretenses on his missions meant nothing to him. He was nothing more than an omega and The Officer had been his Alpha. That was how it'd always been: a puppet for the puppeteer that held his chains for it took more than strings to bind the assassin. He was a loose cannon and it took a strong will to command him, despite how badly he needed a Commander. Yet he did not inquire her rank for he didn't think that it was truly any of his business. 

It did not take the wraith long to catch up to her, and he made an effort to slow his pace so they remained side by side since it appeared how she wished them to be. This was strange for the Ghost, who had only ever followed. Essentially, Banner was taking the lead for she knew the way but he'd never been allowed to keep pace with The Officer. Ghost had been property and property was never allowed to walk with their superiors as if they were equals. He took her inquiry as a confirmation that she had kept them, or at least a few, and there was a foreign sort of heat in his chest, a sort of flattery that she'd kept the feathers of something that he'd caught and given her though he did not attempt to understand it. It was unlikely that he would be able to dissect the feeling properly, anyhow.

Still, it remained and it warmed as they walked into her home side by side. He realized that despite that only a few seconds had passed that he had yet to respond to her question. He supposed there was no way around admitting that he'd watched her. Banner intrigued him, it was true, because he considered that they might be similar but also that they were starkly different at the same time. “It was the way you touched them,” Ghost admitted. “as if they were treasure, as if they were precious to you.” Easily, Ghost could have brushed it off with the explanation that observation was a key player in his skill set but did not. Instead, he simply glimpsed down at her, gauging for her reaction. 

The ease she felt was comforting, sort of like stretching out and basking in the sun on lazy afternoon.  Some of that could be attributed to her return to the peaceful willow trees, but Banner knew she should give Ghost his due credit.  His pace didn't escape her notice and she offered him an appreciative chuff, complete with a brief moment of eye contact.  Making up for her shorter legs had become second nature to her now and she was sure to keep pace with any wolf like an old pro, but his consideration was.. touching?  Lovely?  She didn't know what word it was or how to process any of these feelings.  Oh boy.

The silence that passed between them didn't matter to her - companionable silence was something she held in high regard.  In the wrong company it could get awkward.  Ghost was not the wrong company.  When he answered, she multitasked by listening to his words and scanning the willow trees around them with a keen eye.  Despite her confidence, there was no accounting for the reaction of other wolves.  Stark would have her back in any event, naturally, but she'd rather not upset the pack while it existed in such a fragile state.  "I'm not used to anyone paying attention to me like that," she said quietly, that same small smile still on her maw.

Before she could say anything else, her very favorite tree came into view.  Banner's face brightened up a bit and she picked up her pace.  She'd never been more thankful of this tree's location - close enough to the Crook in the event of any.. well, events, and far enough to provide her a place of her own.  She slowed as they neared it and parted the veil of willow boughs with her nose.  Her short frame slipped below the tree's canopy a second later and she instantly setted on her hauches with her back facing the trunk.  Her movements seemed a bit rushed in retrospect, but she was happy to be safe in the embrace of her willow tree.  "Well, here we are," she announced with a lame shrug of her shoulders and a little laugh.

The stalwart, mahogany coated wraith's mercurial gaze touched and lingered upon her, attentive and with mild intrigue as Banner informed him that she'd never had anyone pay attention to her like that. By extension Ghost assumed she meant like him as well. “Not all wolves share my specific skill set,” It was not a boast as he spoke it, and his words did not insinuate that she was in danger of being harmed by him because she was not. Perhaps Ghost was a glutton for punishment but he trusted Banner and while she remained in his presence he would give her the same protectiveness he had shown The Officer (and for a very short while, Phiipa). Ghost was not only a skilled tracker and killer but he also played a good “bodyguard” role. “but it would be a lie to say that you do not interest me.” There was a slight moment where Ghost contemplated if that might have came off as creepy, especially since he had just admitted to watching her seconds before; but his intentions were not impure. His lack of proper socialization as a child and further as an adult under The Officer's command made him painfully unaware of how to smooth talk, especially women. Thus, Ghost naturally leaned towards honesty (no matter how cringe-worthy it might have been).

He was no threat to her and it was better that she know that and think him creepy then make her own assumptions.

His steps ceased and he watched her vanish into the cascading and elegant branches of the willow, her body appearing to have been swallowed by the tree's lush greenery. He watched, shifting his weight as she parted the tree's thin limbs with her nose and sat down before him, her back to the tree. She gave a small, modest introduction of it, enunciated by her shrug and small laugh. His gaze lifted from her to study her little humble abode in his typical silent fashion. “I like it,” He assured her. He'd never had a “place” of his own, but then again he'd never had a pack so it wasn't very surprising. “It's very-” He considered for a moment, what word he wished to place upon it. “-cozy.” Or rather what he might consider when he heard the word, at the very least.

Her skin tingled in a way that was both familiar and completely foreign.. if such a thing were even possible.  When anger overtook her, Banner knew the first sign was her skin heating up and starting to itch.  What she felt now was not anger, but the flush to her cheeks was a sign that something was happening to her.  The words Ghost spoke about his skill set and that she interested him were met with internal confusion at first.  That should have come off as creepy, right?  Her green eyes met the ground once again, though only briefly.  No, it didn't feel creepy.  The dark male's words were actually kind of flattering if she were being completely honest with herself.  And it was all genuine, not that over-the-top fake bullshit she'd heard before from the likes of Trick.

Ah, but what to say?  Her mind blanked as she watched him observe the space below her favorite tree.  It wasn't much - actually, it was practically identical to all the other trees in Marauder's Keep - but it was hers and she enjoyed it all the same.  Banner awarded him a bright smile when he described it as cozy.  "It's a good place to get away from young eyes and.. tension," she said with a bit of a cringe.  Every wolf in the Keep likely knew that she spent a great deal of time here, but they were polite enough to leave her be when she most needed time to herself.  Even Stark let her have her time, though he was the top candidate to barge on in and harass her at a moment's notice.

A sharp breath later, Banner remembered that she kept her pathetically small collection of feathers here.  The short female turned her upper body to the side and examined the roots there that grew up out of the ground and back in again.  Those small spaces the roots' growth pattern made were perfect to hide things.  She reached down and carefully grabbed one of the two crane feathers she'd kept, drawing it just outside of safe keeping, and left it half poking out of the roots.  "You were right," she said softly, turning back to Ghost with a chuckle.  She gestured for him to come on in with a tilt of her head, unsure of how to properly invite a guest inside her humble abode.

i sleepily wrote this post so i'm sorry if it makes no sense. lol

 

Either Banner hadn't mistaken his words to be creepy (which was not how he'd meant them) or she was a very good actress; though Ghost was left to assume that if she had thought him creepy she would have likely chased him off and since she hadn't it was only rational to assume that she hadn't mistaken his words. “I've never had a 'place'-” Ghost admitted to her, swiping his salmon pink tongue against his jowls once. There was never escape from The Officer — not even in his death. Ghost was haunted by the sadistic whip master. “-it seems like a good idea.” He surmised thoughtfully. He had picked up on her use of the words “young eyes” and “tension” but he did not draw attention to them, not wanting to pry. Besides, he was not a Marauder and was sure that it truly wasn't any of his business.

At her invitation he drew nearer, his gaze moving from her to the white feather stuck from the roots where Ghost assumed she had them concealed. His skills would not get rusty from disuse for he was always using them: primarily when he hunted for himself but also when he was interacting with others — the latter more of a force of habit than it was anything else; still it was good to know that he hadn't lost his touch, regardless of how impossible it was. He stopped a few feet from her, unsure of how close was too close for her, after all this was her home and he was just a guest in it. He took in the willow again, his face etched with soft contemplation as he wondered how many knew of this and how many had been here at her invitation. “I'm glad you kept them,” Ghost admitted. He couldn't say why, precisely, it made him glad only that it did.

“I could bring you more feathers, if you want.” He offered simply, just because he wanted to. He liked hunting and was good at it but there was something in her soft chuckle, in his remembrance of how she'd touched the crane's feathers that encouraged him to speak it. A small shiver of a thrill slithered down his spine though whether it was from being within a pack's territory (regardless that he was invited) or something else entirely he couldn't be sure.

<3 he's so cute in his ghost-y way

Sensing that he was still unsure, Banner wordlessly slid down on her stomach from her previous sitting position.  This only served to make her much smaller in the company of the tall Ghost, but she didn't feel uncomfortable.  She was in her home, in her space within her home, and had invited him here to keep her company.  She felt at ease and in conrol of herself.  Not entirely, of course, for the anger-prone female couldn't possibly picture herself with perfect control.  It was a start, though.

Again, she chose not to respond to his comment.  She wanted to - desperately! - but the right words weren't coming to mind and she didn't dare attempt to roll anyting off her tongue without pre-approval from her thoughts.  Banner again offered him another kind smile instead.  Was it just her, or was she smiling a lot?  "Rest?" she asked, her voice coming out smaller than she'd expected.  It was almost timid, which she didn't entirely understand becuase timid wasn't what she felt.  Clearing her throat, Banner watched him with an unreadable expression on her dark brown features.  Whatever was left of her mind dictated that manners were still important and even though she wanted to laugh and tell Ghost to lay down, but she couldn't let it out that way.  He wasn't a child and didn't need to be commanded by the likes of her.

"You'd do that..?" she asked about the feathers.  ".. for me?"  Again, words unsaid becuase how could she possibly say them?  Implications could get in the way and that might make life complicated.  Ugh, she was so terrible at this.  Her plush tail thumped against the ground once to break up her silence.  Banner was clearly pleased that he'd bring feathers.  For her.

<3

 

Ghost watched as Banner lowered herself further, into a pose that he associated with relaxation and ease. Her voice was small but her smile was large as she asked him to rest. Of course, Ghost understood that had been the whole purpose of this escapade into the Keep's territory, to her place, but he had always needed The Officer's permission and he did not feel right taken liberties despite how freely they were offered to him. Banner had not commanded it of him but it was clear enough that she intended him to take a leaf out of her book and relax. Ghost settled first upon his haunches before he stretched down, into a sphinx-like position.

“Yes,” There had never been a chance when Ghost could decide something for himself, when he was allowed to do something for the simple sake of wanting to. He had been a peon of The Officer, and he had always carried out the elder's orders (not including the only time he didn't, of course). Doing something for someone else because he wanted to felt different and not in a way that he didn't like. Then again, it likely could have just been because it was Banner and for her. Perhaps that was what made the difference. There was something he found that he enjoyed about knowing that he could make her happy even if it was just with feathers. Ghost could not readily place the desire for wanting to collect more for her, to gift to her. He considered that it was likely his forged subservient nature but he didn't think so. This felt like an entirely different, when he compared to how he had wanted The Officer's approval, and Ghost did not understand it, and yet he didn't feel the pressing urge to understand it, simply to let it be what it was and what it might or might not be.

It would keep the assassin's days busy, at least, while he contemplated where he was going to go from being reset back to square one. Because the overwhelming feeling of being lost was a heavy weight to bear, but it was easy to forget about it in Banner's presence. In fact, he desired to forget at least until they had to part and thus he turned his mercurial gaze back upon her. “Do you have a favorite feather?” It was a place to start, given that he wasn't sure how extensive she desired her collection to be. Seeing as how he had endless time to devote to the task he didn't think an extensive collection was unattainable, if that was what she wanted.

And then his lips tugged upwards into a genuine, albeit a bit bashful smile when he realized that he'd been staring at her and slowly averted his eyes.

A content sigh slipped out of her as she watched Ghost settle down and Banner didn't even attempt to muffle it.  His presence filled up her personal space with a warmth she hadn't experienced before.  Usually Stark was the only one who stuck his nose under the weeping boughs of this particular willow tree and he never lingered long.  He respected her space.  Or didn't want to face her wrath.  Either way, the alone time worked out for her.  Having Ghost here, though.. it felt right.

Her tail thumped the ground twice more when he replied that he'd bring feathers for her.  Cheeks growing hot again, she looked away and found that her eyes landed on his shoulder.  The one with those scars she'd noticed when they met back in the marsh.  Her features maintained a pleasant calmness while she lingered and wondered about how he got them.  Well, she knew why they were there.  Ghost had said they marked his kill count and she recalled not being overly bothered by that.  It had been but a blip in their conversation and barely even registered on her radar.  There were so many other things to consider about that day.. and now about this day.  The marks must have been excruciating however he'd recieved them.

Kill count, though?  He didn't seem threatening to her.  Okay, well he was a powerful presence and clearly had the tools to get the job done, but Ghost wasn't.. he didn't.. he was almost gentle with her.  In his own way, she mused quietly, not realizing that she'd been openly appreciating how easy he was on the eyes.

"I don't know," she answered honestly.  "I only have the crane feathers and a couple of blue ones I happened upon."  Her collection sounded lackluster the way she'd presented it.  Her green eyes flicked back up just in time to catch his smile and Banner felt the warmth on her cheeks redouble so intensely she could swear she were actually glowing.  "Not very impressive, now that I think of it," she joked quietly.

Despite that comfortable was not something that Ghost often allowed himself he acknowledged that he felt it here and now. He allowed himself to feel it in her presence. The last time he had felt so relaxed was with Phiipa but for vastly different reasons. Phiipa had taken on the burden of commanding him and it had been relaxation borne of sheer relief with the false belief that he would have purpose, that he would serve and that he was useful to her will and demands. He did not seek Banner for the same purpose as he had sought the false golden angel, his former Vladelets. Banner was different than Phiipa. She was not something that he understood. All he knew was that it had nothing to do with him wanting to fill The Officer's vacant place. He wanted to be near Banner because he wanted it — not because the lost, broken dog that had been The Officer's creation needed it.

Her admittance was an honest one, Ghost realized, his quicksilver gaze flitting back to her when she spoke, missing that she'd been studying him. While Banner had studied him he'd been scanning the treeline around them subtly, hyper-vigilant despite how at ease he felt. By all rights he shouldn't have felt at ease here, in claimed lands of a pack he did not belong to. Yet, he believed Banner when she had assured him she would take care of it. In reality, he hadn't trespassed, he'd been invited in and beyond that there was an unseen power in her small stature. Ghost could not quite pinpoint what made him think that but it was there nevertheless and he had long since learned to not question his instincts.

She was beautiful but everyone knew that beauty could be deadly. Besides, he was not incapable of taking care of himself. He did not fear for his life — but he never had. Failure had never been an option with The Officer because failure meant death. Failure was the end of the line. “There are plenty of owls prowling the night, or ravens,” Ghost spoke, canting his head ever so slightly to the side. “and colorful songbirds.” So in reality, her choice was unlimited. Songbirds would not leave anything for her to place within a cache but one of the larger birds might. “If you can't choose I could just surprise you.” Though he did not wish to get her feathers she would not like but that was the chance he would (maybe) have to take. “I think it's impressive.” Ghost admitted in a soft murmur, glimpsing past her to the crane feather she had procured to show him that she had, indeed, kept it before slowly his gaze moved back to her where it settled.

"Ravens are creepy," she blurted out, nose scrunching up in distaste at the mere mention of the little things.  Their beady eyes, the way their heads darted back and forth in jerky movements - she held back a shudder.  Ravens weren't much different from other birds, really, but it could have to do with the lot of them that hung around over the watch.  And why shouldn't they?  It was called Raven's Watch for a reason.  "But, I'd love to be surprised," she added softly.  As far as she was concerned, whatever Ghost brought her would be exactly what she needed.

His silvery gaze focused just beyond her to the crane feather she'd left peeking out of her tree's roots.  "You're sweet."  It came out as barely a whisper, a small affirmation she wasn't sure was intended to be spoken aloud.  Banner ducked her chin toward her chest and took in a sharp breath.  She'd actually just said that.  To Ghost, a man who by the looks of it had never been called such a thing in his life.  The scars he bore were a testament to that fact.  But.. but to her, he'd been nothing but kind.  Genuine.  Her eyes looked up before her maw followed suit and she met his gaze shyly.

"I.."  Her words began in a more normal voice, but she faltered at the thought of what to say.  Would her mahogany company spend time with her here and then flit off into the night?  The stutter of her heart was all in her head, it had to be.  ".. you aren't going back to that pack, are you?" she managed, the look on her face equal parts concerned and serious.

Banner blurted that she thought ravens were creepy so suddenly that Ghost gave a start — he did not visibly recoil but his parted jaws closed with a sharp click as he tucked away that piece of information. Banner didn't like ravens — which was useful knowledge considering he was going to aid her in the expansion of her feather collection. A chuckle — a soft sound though it was — left the assassin's lips to show that he hadn't been affronted by her outburst. “No raven feathers, got it.” He drew with a small quirk of his lips — a smile he was trying to hide. “I assume that probably also includes crows?” Truth be told though, Ghost was no Ornithologist, he struggled to tell the difference between the two despite that he knew there were differences between a raven and a crow. It was probably better to stay away from big, inky feathered birds as a general rule of thumb.

As he stared at the crane feather his mind had begun to work, mapping out the trek to the southern territory he saw some of the colorful songbirds in, and how to go about hunting them without entirely mutilating their small and fragile bodies as to preserve the feathers for her. So caught up in the theoretical ways he could carry out the process that he almost didn't hear her. If it not for the fact that he had never heard another living being call him sweet before he may not have picked up on it, but as it was it drew him up short with a sharp, curious glance that turned into a full blown assessment. While the Ghost might have wondered if she actually realized she had spoken those words aloud to him her sharp intake of breath told him that she was, in fact, aware. He drew a blank. Was he supposed to compliment her back? What did she mean by sweet?

Ghost had been called many things in his life but never sweet. Her gaze seemed to be bashful when it rose to touch his. A small smile was offered to her, with the hopes of soothing away any of her embarrassment. Banner's question was, admittedly, a strange one for the Ghost to puzzle out. It hadn't exactly came across to the assassin as a simple question — almost like she didn't want him to (not that he was the best at guessing such things, haha); yet it was her concern and seriousness that caused some sort of emotion to lump in his throat. The Ghost's brow furrowed but of course, he already knew the answer to her inquiry. It had been something he'd been thinking about since Phiipa's disappearance. He held no rank to make him feel obligated to stay, in fact he wasn't even sure he was really part of the pack at all.

“No, there is nothing for me there.” He'd only joined because of Phiipa and since her departure was nothing short of a betrayal in the Ghost's mind he had no reason to return to the Creek.

Crows?  Probably.  The were both black and all birds had those beady eyes that looked to her like endless pits straight to the very depths of a fiery hell.  That was overly dramatic and something she'd never voice aloud, of course.  Banner shrugged and lfted her brows at the same time as if to say, "sure?" but decided not to actually voice her thoughts.  If Ghost decided to bring her crow feathers she'd likely treasure them just as she did the current prizes in her tiny collection.  Moreso, even.  In her mind, the soft crane feathers were elevated above the blue ones she'd found (by pure dumb luck!) and that had everything to do with the male who had gifted them to her, however unknowingly at the time.

The smile he gave was equal parts soothing and handsome.  Wait, handsome?   The dark female blinked owlishly as red flags fluttered wildly in her mind.  There was a notable absence of imagined siren blares - that was a plus.  When was the last time she thought anyone was handsome?  Aside from a sarcastic jab at her brother, Banner had never used the word before.  Not that she could recall, anyway.  It was a damn good thing she didn't blurt out her thoughts too often.  Only when it came to ravens, apparently.  She swallowed again and closed her eyes to ground herself.  Easy, girl.  Too many emotions at once could spell disaster for her.

"Where will you.." she began, eyes opening once more after she'd regained control of her own mind.  Go?  Stay?  Oh, how she wanted him to stay.  That seemed awfully forward coming from a woman who spent most of her time keeping everyone else at arm's length.  "You could stay here," she offered in her best attempt at nonchalance, which was apparently a low and rather quiet affair.

this thread is so cute, omg!

 

The Ghost, with a lift of Banner's shoulders taken as confirmation, deduced that crows were off the table and was contented with that. No doubt there was plenty of fowl to bring her so she could select prime feathers ...or however she deduced that … before taking the free meal that came with them or tucking it away into one of the pack's caches. From his time spent in the packs as The Officer's targets, despite how much of it was acted and forged, the Ghost was well aware that a pack's food caches were extremely important. They ensured that the elderly, young, recovering and pregnant wolves had food if fresh kill couldn't be brought back to them. They were useful reserves in the circumstance of natural disasters, or also provided small meals between patrols. Nevertheless, the fact remained: stocked food caches were crucial.

He watched with unbidden, albeit his usual silent curiosity as blinked at him, swallowed and then closed her eyes. Yet, she did not keep them closed for long, for when they opened the beginning of a question had spilled from betwixt her lips though she cut herself off and never finished it, instead suggested softly, quietly that he could stay here. His gaze widened slightly, as it sunk in as he struggled to process it. To understand the suggestion (despite that it was simple) and furthermore why he wanted to accept it. Again, it was not something he could understand. It simply was. But he was subservient, the life of a slave was all that he knew. He did not know how to function in a pack without The Officer's commands. But he could learn. The Officer was dead, by his own tooth and claw and he wasn't a slave anymore. He bore the brand of his time as The Officer's peon but he realized when he'd tried to replace The Officer with Phiipa, and now staring at Banner with a softness in his gaze that he didn't have to be that anymore. He wasn't sure if he could ever be anything more than a subordinate but no doubt that was all that Banner's leaders would ever ask of him: be a subordinate, accept their word as law, carry out their commands.

That much the Ghost could do, happily even. “We can see if your leaders will accept me,” He wasn't sure how well “assassin” would look on his resume but it translated well enough to hunter and tracker. Essentially, it was the same thing simply with different prey. “Maybe-,” He paused for a second, licking his chops as he thought. “maybe I should give myself a name. Ghost was like “Boy” something impersonal for The Officer to call me,” For the longest time the Ghost had thought that “Boy” had been his actual name. He'd learned that it wasn't and that he hadn't needed a name but “Ghost” was adequate enough to use to address him. Or “You”. “You” had been The Officer's personal favorite. “I don't remember the name I was given when I was born,” His docked tail twitched with a phantom pain, a small shiver. He didn't think about it too much for fear of having a flashback as he had when Phiipa had inquired about his docked tail. “The Officer called me Buchanan once. He'd been high with fever but he kept calling it out, to me,” Perhaps it had been the Ghost's given name or perhaps The Officer's son or lover — regardless someone that the Ghost had reminded him of. The Ghost had never asked knowing that it would only bring punishment upon him. “I don't know,” It was the Ghost's turn to duck his head, suddenly bashful. “I kind of like it.” He admitted with a lofty shrug unable to help but think that by all means he should have hated it. Yet, he didn't, for there was some part of the Ghost that liked to think the name “Buchanan” was associated with a different version of The Officer. A man that the Ghost had only glimpsed at that night, taken with fever as his master had been.

Ghost didn't come right out and say it but he invited her opinion on the name, glimpsing up at her to guage her reaction to the suggestion, thinking that he could always remain the Ghost if she didn't like it. That, at least, was familiar.

:D

Joy reflected easily on her soft features, but she waited to reply.  Ghost had a contemplative look on his face and it seemed appropriate to give him proper time to flesh out his thoughts.  An offer of shelter was not something Banner had ever given before and really, it wasn't a subject she should even be broaching.  The Marauders were an incredibly private bunch and she did not hold a leadership position.  But @Stark would surely consider what she had to say on the matter.  More than that!  Her darker sibling had never denied her anything and she treated him in kind.

"Very distinguished," she said with a small smile.  The name Ghost hadn't struck her as strange at all because the wovles in these parts had names that were all over the map, her own included.  Never before had she considered re-naming to be a thing that anyone would choose, but it was clearly important to him and, as she'd said before, Buchanan did have a certain ring to it.  "Buchanan."  Banner felt it roll off her tongue with ease.  "I like it, too," she confirmed with yet another thump of her tail.  Hell, he could have asked her to call him Puddles and she'd be okay with it.

Banner sucked in a breath and was up on her paws in a flash.  To respond to his initial statement: "My leader will accept you."  A brilliant smile filled the brief silence.  "Trust me."  Her words were factual with a touch of pride for her dear brother.  She knew she didn't have carte blanche to do or say anything she wanted, so there was no boastfulness about her.  That wasn't really her thing.  Stark would accept him into the fold.  He might not be entirely happy about it, but she'd worry about that later.  Banner moved forward to stick her head out from under the weeping boughs of the tree and let out a single, long note to call her brother's attention.  Her tone didn't convey any kind of emergency and once she'd finished, the chocolate woman backed up a bit and allowed her green gaze to settle on her companion again.

Stark didn't expect to hear Banner calling for him. Normally his sister was fairly self sufficient and while it certainly wasn't a bad thing to hear from his sister this didn't sound like a simple social call. Stark pulled himself from the Crook and shook his coat out, making a beeline for the tree that had become Banner's trove. He knew of the frequent treasures that her dark sister tucked away, and be wondered what exactly it was that she had in mind for him.

When the dark male approached he was surprised to find Banner with another wolf near her. It wasn't that he thought he was her entire world - sure, he selfishly hoped - but he understood otherwise. Stark was immediately critical of the male, he looked powerful - if not a touch cold - like he'd definitely seen some shit in his day. Stark didn't fail to notice his shoulder or the docked tail and still  his questions came to him. 

What was this about? And why was he so close to Banner? And why was he so close to Banner's little special place, where she didn't just bring anyone. He was suspicious - but any brother would be, right? It wasn't jealousy. "What's up?" Stark asked, looking first at his green eyed sister. Alpha or not, Stark was who he was. 

The Ghost ...no. Buchanan felt a small smile tug at the corner of his lips when Banner complimented the name, accepting it graciously with a wag of his docked tail despite that he did not assume to take credit for it. He'd merely taken something that he associated with a moment of kindness from The Officer in a way of forgiving the elder for the cruelty that had been all Buchanan had known, as his second defiant act, and a way of accepting this new, strange and unknown path where ever it might lead him. A new beginning in many ways. A soft shiver of slithered it's way down the assassin's spine when Banner repeated it, testing it, and then affirmed that she also liked it.

Banner was confident that her leader would accept him and so Buchanan trusted her and focused his gaze on scanning the territory around them as she sent up her howl. For a moment, Buchanan wondered if they should have left the Keep before she sent up the call but to his surprise when the dark male made his grand appearance on the scene and he was not meant with instant aggression and hostility, though he suspected that such heavily had to do with Banner's presence and the fact that she'd sent up the howl. Buchanan was not unsupervised and whether it meant much or not he had Banner's permission to be here.

Still, Buchanan rose from his sphinx-like position and adjusted his posture to a submissive one. This was easy for him. This felt natural. It was a relief even, despite his silent vow to start anew. The wraith wasn't entirely sure that The Officer's teachings and conditioning would ever be erased from him. He kept his gaze low as the leader addressed Banner. As he did previously with Phiipa and the leader of the Creek that had greeted him he held comfortably to his silence and would continue to do so until he was addressed.

"Stark," she greeted happily, her bright green eyes shining.  The suspicious look on his face was more endearing than anything else and Banner attempted to fight the smile spreading across her maw.  She moved forward, ears pinned back in deference, and pressed her nose to his dark shoulder - a usual greeting for the pair.  Banner huffed quietly into his fur before pulling away to look up into his blue eyes.

"I have a prospective new recruit," she said in her low voice, though there was a definite lilt in her tone.  The short female stepped to the side and ensure that both males had an unincumbered view of each other.  "This is Buchanan," she announced smoothly.  Her bright gaze then attempted to meet that of her new friend.  She wanted to convey some kind of reassurance to him.  Marauder's Keep was in a precarious position when it came to numbers.  Hell, Banner was currently the only female residing among the willow trees.  They could really use a boost to their numbers.  "This is my brother, Stark," she explained softly.

The Gamma turned her attention back to her brother.  "He's a great hunter - he even added to my collection," she added with a smile, hoping that tidbit of information would work in Buchanan's favor.  Once done speaking, she turned so that her back was to the silver-eyed newcomer and fixed her brother with a stare, her bright eyes wide with an unvoiced question: "please?"