We finally found Pinky.
He was back with his family while waiting for us.
They all squealed when they noticed me, and I felt a wave of emotion.
I remembered when I used to be terrified of them, but now, that fear feels like a distant memory.
Ghost looked amused by our reunion. He asked me for the story behind it and I told him everything... how terrified I was and how I had been so overwhelmed that I nearly lost my sanity.
He listened attentively, his expression sympathetic. He quietly told me it was a good thing I had stopped exploring so much on my own.
He explained that the unknown is dangerous and even he steers clear of it. He admitted that despite being half-unknown himself, he doesn't actually know much about them.
I shuddered instinctively.
It really had been a close encounter.
When he asked where I stayed when I first arrived and I told him I had gone outside the gate to stay in a small cave, he looked amazed.
He exclaimed that it was a miracle I survived, as that is where predators usually hunt the small prey living nearby.
I really was lucky.
He urged me to continue my story as we sat on the ground near the gate.
The earth felt soft, like velvet and wasn't dusty like the ground back on Earth.
As I reached the part where I met Lion, I choked up. I can still see him in my mind... the way he looked at me while I was scared out of my wits.
I remembered how intensely attracted I felt the moment I saw him. Even after spending time in this world and seeing many beautiful, pleasing creatures, none have drawn me in the way Lion did.
I want to understand this emotion. I want to know how I truly feel about him. It feels too early to have such strong emotions for someone I hardly know.
Ghost noticed I seemed conflicted, so he put his arm around me and sighed.
He told me he had already noticed a spark between Lion and me.
Then, he shared his own story.
...
In this world, or more precisely, this territory, there is a Developmental Center.
It's a place where abandoned creatures, those "abnormally created" like him and beings found without the ability to communicate are left.
It functions much like an orphanage.
They stay there until they are deemed capable of supporting themselves or are no longer considered a high risk to others.
While the relationship between predator and prey is expected, there are "out-of-control" creatures that have an abnormal love of killing for sport rather than consumption, which upsets the balance of their society.
To prevent this, the hunting of prey is strictly controlled.
There is a maximum number of kills allowed for each species and the prey are encouraged to reproduce constantly to avoid extinction.
Lion was one of the creatures whose origins remained a mystery. He simply appeared out of the blue... tiny, wild and followed by chaos wherever he went.
In the Developmental Center, they tamed him and shaped his personality to prevent him from causing uncontrolled harm to the rest of society.
They then trained the residents to survive outside the center and helped them find ways to contribute to the territory.
Ghost proudly told me that because he was an "abnormality", the result of two different classes, he received a lot of attention, which made it easier for him to adjust to the center.
Meanwhile, Lion was usually left alone, as there were many creatures similar to him.
One day, Ghost was given a task to assist a caregiver in looking after Lion.
From that day forward, they were inseparable though Lion might disagree with that.
They eventually left the center together once they were deemed capable of surviving on their own.
Ghost found his current work quickly, while Lion felt lost and tried to live in the forest outside the gate.
He was found by a prey couple. At first, he tried to kill them because he was starving, apparently Ghost was elsewhere at the time, but surprisingly, the couple fought back using powerful magic.
He was defeated and badly hurt, but the couple took him in and raised him as their own. He lived with them for several years, learning magic, until the couple passed away from illness.
Because of them, he became something of an omnivore, which is highly unusual for a predator like him.
He eventually improved his magic and secured his current job. He stays there despite being underpaid, even though his magic is at a much higher level than that of his coworkers.
Ghost had an easier time at his job. Being part-Unknown, he is safer to deploy into high-risk areas. Being part-Deserter also means he can survive without constant rest or sleep.
Somehow, he gained unique abilities that allow him to explore areas much faster than others.
I sighed and looked up.
The sky was turning golden... the exact color of Lion's hair and the stars were beginning to emerge alongside the moons.
It was getting late, but I didn't want to go back yet.
...
Ghost noticed and suggested we stay outside the gate, though he warned me he would have to transform into his other form to keep predators away.
I agreed and he transformed. I nearly jumped out of my skin at first, but I relaxed after a while.
We went through the gate, which ignored me, and waved goodbye to Pinky's family.
The three of us headed into the forest to find a place to settle for the night.
After several minutes of searching, we found a good spot, a small clearing near a cliff with enough moonlight to see by.
Lion wasn't there to provide a floating flame, but luckily I had brought a blanket. I snuggled into Pinky for warmth, since Ghost was now in his phantom-like state.
I wasn't sleepy yet, so I tried to talk to Ghost, but his words were unintelligible in that form.
I eventually gave up and just held Pinky close, lost in thought.