There was something beautiful about the Throat land at night, something more alive, at least, in Ghost’s eyes. The once blazing orange it sported during the day was replaced with something more mystical as the canyons became silhouettes carved in the forefront of a dazzling starry background. It was the kind of view that made the heartbeat and the mind wander. The temperature was cooler, also, which was always welcome to the spy who loathed the heat that came with living so far south, but it wasn’t enough to deter the mare from lingering and calling it home. She stood and gazed for quite sometime, enjoying the peaceful humming of nature as Fantôme lay by her feet with his head resting between his paws. The thought of duty and the list of things she must do briefly drifted from her mind; for quite some time she idled there. Good things never lasted forever, however, but it wasn’t until the muffling of a voice drifted into her ears that finally Ghost shifted and became more alert.

It sounded like her name, but she frowned and shook her head; her mind was probably still half-asleep.

On the other hand, Fantôme knew better.  

”Someone is here” he whispered into her mind like he was trying to frighten her on purpose. She scowled at him for intruding her peaceful thoughts but followed his gaze anyway until her eyes rested on the oasis up ahead and the shape of a figure. The spy looked interested for a moment, but looked away soon after with a shrug and was intent on going back to her dozing, yet, the wolf continued. ”He said your name…” her bonded informed lazily and Ghost turned back to him with a frown ”maybe he saw one, a dead spirit” she retorted and the wolf shrugged, he already knew he had her interest.

It took all of two minutes for Ghost to eventually sigh and abandon her quest for a tranquil night, her wings ruffling against her sides as she turned to walk towards the stranger. Fantôme watched her for a moment before getting up himself and walking placidly behind her, his eyes still glazed with sleep.

As Ghost approached she noticed his body was pale and he had a leonine tail that usually belonged to a unicorn, though she hadn’t noticed the horn yet. Her approach was attempted from behind, her delicate voice disturbing the quiet of the night “you seen one?” she asked with amusement.

“A ghost that is?”

Even in the darkness her eyes didn’t falter to linger on him, though it wasn’t all that difficult, the white coat he carried painted a rather dazzling picture against the black backdrop. He was tall and, well, taller than the sojourning banshee, but only by a few inches surely. On top of this he looked a little gaunt, but Ghost couldn’t tell if he was genuinely malnourished or whether it was a trick of the night. Then he turned, only a slight movement, a flick of his head to regard the creature behind him, yet for now, he says nothing. Ghost frowned, a thin line weaving onto her black lips as she regarded him through her dark eyes, ruffling her wings as she did so to illustrate a little of her discontent. Perhaps it was her own fault for sneaking up behind him that she had earned herself nothing but what looked like a disinterested flick of his head. A few seconds later she fell completely still and watched his small movements with a calculating glance, her lips still set in the same grim line as Fantôme wondered under her belly to stand between her forelegs, a long pink tongue lazily fell out one side of his mouth and, he too, regarded the stranger in front.

It was then, after her playful question, that he turned properly and Ghost almost had to look twice to note the horn upon his brow. It appeared to have given up mid-formation and now sat upon his brow looking more like a bent dagger than a long sword; it was cute, in a way.

Even though they were now stood in front of one another the silence still fell as the stranger looked up to the stars, leaving Ghost to shuffle her feet rather awkwardly as she tried to search for what he might be looking for in the vast night sky. Maybe he wasn't looking for anything at all, maybe it was a hint that he didn’t quite want to be disturbed and the banshee was intruding on what felt like a private moment. “Maybe he is the ghost” Fantôme’s voice suddenly appearing in her mind made her jump and she flashed a disapproving glance at him before sighing and regarding the stallion again.

Maybe.

Yet, the heavy silence is finally broken as her eyes move to the sound of his voice, seeking his masked expression. Ghost’s own face changes to one of surprise and then thoughtfulness. She mimics the way he shifts his head and her dark gaze questions his answer “oh… Do you know me?” she asks, the faintest of smiles gracing her lips. As far as the spy knew, she was the only ghost to be alive, a rather contradiction of terms, it was the nature of ghosts to be dead after all.

“I do not think I know you” she mulled, flicking through her memory of faces she had met in the past.

She watched him with uncertainty, very little had passed between them and he shielded whatever lay behind the mask he presented before her. However, as the seconds ticked by there were some changes to that pale face, the sharp nod of his head and a seemingly new brightness to his eyes. Perhaps her answer had struck a cord and her intrigue grew even more as she wondered if he really had been searching for her. No one ever searched for her; it was a sad fact of her life. So it was that a little ball of light buzzed in her chest at the thought of someone actually searching for her and she didn’t really care what exactly he wanted for a moment until he chimes an answer and her lips purse at his sudden change in tone. What an unusual fellow. He was now actually standing there like a beaming child that almost made Ghost want to smile with him for no real reason. Who on earth was he?

He speaks a little more, giving Ghost a few more pieces to his puzzle and finally she does smile lightly at the mention of Essetia. The girl was making an impact already and the banshee couldn’t help but feel her heart well with pride. “Ah, I see! Welcome then to the Dragons Throat… Do you have a name?” she proffers her head in greeting to the newly joined member before asking her question with faint amusement. The Cadaverous paused to consider him, there weren’t really any physical attributes to a spy and it wasn’t like sizing up the amount of muscle on a warrior. The ability of a sneak relied mainly on the mind, they should be heard but not seen, yet, a little fighting ability didn’t go amiss should something go awry. He didn’t quite look a warrior from what she could procure through the darkness, but he didn’t appear to be dim either and Ghost was quite struggling to weigh him up. It was probably a good sign. “I would be grateful for any extra spies” she nodded in approval.

“Did Essetia tell you anything of our rank?” Ghost enquired, perhaps the equine girl might have already enlightened him in some areas.

She watches his gaze drift to the wolf and Ghost follows it, watching Fantôme regard the stranger with a wolfish grin.

How can he help?

The sorry fact was, the more there was peace the less there was for spies to do, but Ghost was determined to keep the rank going, even if she had to be careful whom they stole from. “I am” she replied simply to start with before continuing “though should you feel I am doing an inept job, you are quite free to challenge my authority” she informed, there was no malice, Ghost was simply quite keen for those under her not to idle and the best way she thought to achieve that was to dangle an opportunity in front of them. “The Dragons Throat is at peace currently, so there is nothing immediately pressing, but we can always do with more equipment for our herd. If you see anything worth stealing then by all means, but be careful of angering the other herds.” Ghost paused once again to gather her thoughts before continuing “there’s also the issue of the keys into the Throat, sometimes we have members who simply leave without giving them back and we need those keys” she said with emphasis, hoping he would catch her drift.

“What makes you want to be a spy?” she asked finally with curiosity.