Lucky had seen him leave.
Lucky had watched him walk away.
He had read his thoughts that night and had been aware that Rufus already knew about his lack of having a Phoenix. Lucky wanted to talk to him, he wanted to explain what had happened and why Rufus was lacking his Phoenix but he couldn't. He had known that Rufus would soon know about it, (it was about him anyway) but he didn't know what to say nor explain. He couldn't tell him and it hurt him as much as it hurt Rufus.
Lucky couldn't sooth him... he couldn't comfort his pack mate and it hurt. Lucky wasn't sure if this had also affected his father in any way. They had lost a part of their pack and as their alpha, he was sure that Plutonic was affected in one way or another.
They were best friends anyways. They were family... pack... and he also felt the pain Rufus felt.
Lucky had watched him leave and yet he couldn't stop him. What was he going to say?. "Everything will be alright, don't worry we both, are humans in a pack of supernaturals?". Didn't seem right. Or.. "You're not the only human in a pack of supernaturals?". Didn't sound right either. But wasn't it right?.
Rufus was a human, for the records, they both were human in a pack of supernaturals. It wasn't wrong but he couldn't take in the truth at the moment, it would surely hurt even though most packs were known to having a few number of human beings in their packs and clans.
"He's leaving and you're saying nothing?". Ambrose asked as they stood on the slabbed roof of the FireWing mansion.
Lucky said nothing.
"Well, at least stop him!". She exclaimed giving out a sigh but Lucky just sighed too as they watched Rufus trail down on the gravel path leading towards the tarmaced main road that was miles away from the mansion.
It was the opposite path from the one they took when they went to town for grocery shopping and other stuffs.
"The path he's taking?... He won't even make it. He's heading towards the large insects territory. Does he even know that it exists?". Ambrose asked, her hand gesturing towards the direction that Rufus was heading to.
Lucky sighed again.
"Say something you're making me feel bad". Ambrose mumbled.
"You love him, you can stop him as well. Moreover, if you happened to be in his shoes, you could have done the same". Lucky answered in a low tone.
Ambrose couldn't read his expressions.
"It's an understandable situation. I won't question nor judge him but shouldn't we tell your Father and his parents?". Ambrose asked now turning her head to face him. Rufus had now disappeared away in the corner from the path he had been walking on. If he was still a Phoenix, he could have smelled them off and even heard them speak.
"They'll notice his absence. They'll obviously know he left". Lucky replied as he rocked on his heels a little, his hands in the pockets of his hoodie.
"And they'll be worried". Ambrose said in a duh tone like it was the most obvious thing.... it was indeed obvious anyways, Rufus' parents and Plutonic would worry about him.
"There's nothing that we can do. What has happened cannot be undone". Lucky said.
"Seriously?". Ambrose asked. "He's your childhood friend for crying out loud!".
"And yes!. I haven't denied that fact. We can't stop him from leaving but there's one thing we can do". Lucky answered.
"Which is?".
"Protect him". Lucky paused. "He'll obviously go to the Mountain Waters channel to see Dzarma his other close friend. You should go there. I'll protect him from here making sure he reaches the MW safely".
Ambrose's lips curved up in a smile, "Haa thank you Lucky".
"I'm not doing this for you. You better get going". Lucky piped in as he jumped off the roof, air flying towards the direction that Rufus took.
*
He felt it's presence before it made itself known.
He felt the large frog hopping towards his friend, obviously having sniffed Rufus from a far. He had to do something before it hurt him but acting now would make it look suspicious moreover, scare Rufus away or make his presence known.
He wanted to talk to Rufus and tell him... talk to him about what happened.. he didn't want him to leave but if the other boy needed to get away so as to be okay, then he'd do it.. he'd let him get away.
He watched as Rufus stood still. He had heard the frog come too. Lucky knew that Rufus was hungry and exhausted, how he felt the urge to knock the other boy down and take him back home or somewhere else where he'd personally take care of him but would that make Rufus feel better?.
But now, he had to save Rufus from the frog.
Rufus started to run in the forest away from the path he had been taking. He had felt the danger weaving it's way towards him and there was nothing else he could do now that he was no Phoenix apart from running. Running was the only option to save his life.
Lucky whistled and his cloud came which he quickly sat on and flew above the trees so as to protect Rufus. He saw the frog hoping in the forest, following Rufus and crushing down trees in the process.
Lucky remembered what he read from his mother's old books. A spell that caused mirage. He could easily manipulate the frog to stop chasing Rufus by creating a mirage... another prey for the frog..
Rufus hid behind a tree, his chest heaving up and down, he was also breathing hard due to the running. The frog stopped, this was the perfect time to create the mirage.
Lucky quickly plucked a leaf from one of the tallest trees that was close to where he sat on his cloud and whispered to himself a spell while holding the leaf. He let it go, floating in the air in front of the tree that Rufus hid. It turned to a moth and the frog saw it instead of Rufus who was hiding behind the tree. It hopped in front, more interested in the moth now than his previous prey.
It stuck out it's tongue, spitting out it's mucus like saliva in the process as it hit the moth with it's sticky tongue retracting it deep in his mouth, it's eyes rolling back while swallowing it in the process.
Rufus was on the forest floor; frightened, shocked and relieved at the same time. The frog hopped away in a different direction.
It was heading towards the Mountain Waters Channel.
Rufus stood up from the forest floor, dusting the dirt off of his clothes and bag. He was going to follow the frog. He was so determined that it would lead him to his other friend Dzarma who would help him out.
Lucky whispered a protection spell on his friend. He would be fine from here and nothing would harm him.
Rufus took off, following the frog in a safe distance not wanting to risk the chances of being prey again.
Lucky sighed in relief. His part of the mission was done. Now it was Ambrose's turn to know where Dzarma would take Rufus... He wasn't sure how she intended to get that form of information but he trusted her, she would get to know it and together they'd protect him.
Lucky dismissed his cloud, slowly floating between the trees and stood on top of one of the stump of trees that the frog had crushed down.
He was feeling weird.
Lucky felt as if he was being watched.
He slowly looked around but saw nothing and yet that feeling of being watched didn't go away.
Were the NightWings watching them now?. Were the NightWings following him around?. Did they seriously think that they were behind Chief Shane Wang's death?.
Lucky took a deep breathe and stepped off the tree, taking a step to go back to their territory, he heard a twig snap from a short distance. He looked down at his feet. he wasn't the one who had stepped on a twig, surely, there was someone following him. There was someone behind the trees watching him.
He slowly turned around to look for the person but didn't see anyone. Was this some sort of horror movie or what? Because he felt as if he was in one.
A small wind blowed past him, blowing a few strands of his hair that weren't caught in his pony tail. The wind wasn't a natural one... the magic in him confirmed it because he was high on alert now... behind those trees was another magical being... most certainly, a witch!.
He wasn't sure on what he was supposed to do. He didn't want to fight, he was in another supernatural's territory and fighting here would be inappropriate, it was best if he left. Perhaps the one watching him was not a NightWing but the druid supposed to be in charge of the territory he was now in.
He had to leave. He had enough troubles and all he wanted was to go home talk to his father and Rufus' parents.