[SRP] Seeing the Obvious (Solomon x Tethys)

[Epine de Rose]

"You know my father used to talk about phantoms all the time," Solomon gave his mane a rub with both his paws and rolled back to lean against the rocks. He'd settled them both on outcroppings that lay just above high tide. It was a comfortable region, and one that would give his brother plenty to look at as the various marine life came in to roost in the pools.

"Coincidentally they are virtually as you described them," he lifted his brow and regarded his brother for a few moments. "Just eyes, nothing else. You can't see them, you can't hear them, but they're there..." he paused briefly. Every now and then his father would have had an episode. It would be a haunted, fleeting moment in which everything and everything would simply close in on the male and he would flee. There would have been nothing his mother or his siblings could have done to prevent it.

...No, as it currently stood there was no true way to anchor Spectre.

"He could see them," he said finally as he returned to the presence and gave a stretch. "Based on your descriptions I can see why he fled, particularly given the identity of his offspring," he closed his eyes and rested his head back. A quiet murmur of appreciation escaped from his lips.

"In a way it's nice to know that he wasn't being paranoid, he had a genuine reason to fear for his life..."

Words: 245

 

[Epine de Rose]

"Did he ever say where he came from?" Tethys asked as he watched his brother muse. It was clear that Spectre had not been around to raise them, and for the most part, Arimathras had raised the cubs herself; that might have explained why they had become so scattered. They were her first by the sounds of it and she had been abandoned when she may very well have needed help.

...However, taking in to consideration what the phantoms liked, perhaps Spectre really had done something worthy of respect. Rather than place his family in harms way, he had led the phantoms in the opposite direction. Tethys could only assume that Spectre was no longer with them, the phantoms seemed to be rather good at locating their charges and eventually, one could only run do far before they exhausted themselves.

"I'm going to assume that he is no longer around," he added gently and cleared his throat. He was beginning to realise that Solomon was capable of being a realist, and could face some rather hard truths head on. Still, he wouldn't have wished the lack of a parent on anyone and couldn't really imagine a life without both Arimathras and Destati.

"At least I don't know anyone who has managed to out run them, they found me," he pointed out.

His brother cast him an amused stare, one that he didn't understand.

"What...?"

Words: 234

 

[Epine de Rose]

"They managed to find you because you didn't know you had to run," Solomon stated as his brother queried his expression. It seemed that like many vikings, Tethys had a certain level of arrogance that made him blind to some of the more obvious truths. "On both occasions, I might add," he continued and rested his paws on his stomach.

Turning his head to gaze back out to the islands in the distance, he hazarded a wry smile. "When you don't know you have to flee you are obviously going to be an easy target, the difference between you, their victims, and my father...is that he knows when they're coming," he added. Pursing his lips, the lion's gaze hardened and he released a sigh. It would be foolish for him to assume that his father couldn't possibly be dead, there was certainly a chance of that, but if he had lived for this long then there was more to him than met the eye.

"He never said where he was from, he was usually too far gone in his musings about those phantoms that you could scarcely get more than riddles from him," he cleared his throat. "But just like you and I, regardless of how strong yours might be, he possessed a certain ability," he tilted his head to the side and frowned. "He received premonitions... It wasn't just paranoia, when I say that he could tell when they were coming that is exactly what I mean."

He paused.

"Consequently, it would be wise to assume he is both alive and dead until such times as he is found."

Another pause.

"Out of interest, do you always assume that you are the superior? You might find that useful in your pride but it has made you rather blind..."

Words: 299

 

[Epine de Rose]

Solomon's approach to his father's fate was an unusual one; most individuals preferred to deal in absolutes and yet he was in the presence of a male who was inclined to simply accept that both possibilities existed. It was oddly logical, until someone found his father, regardless of what state he might be in, no one could accurately declare what had happened to him. For all intents and purposes, Spectre had become an enigma and by the sounds of it, he remained an enigma...

But if he could truly outrun these phantoms, then how was he doing it?

Were his premonitions truly so powerful that he could place significant distance between himself and the phantoms; so much so that they didn't stand a chance of closing the gap? Tethys had never had strong visions, though he might possess the blood of his mother, it had really only ever been Dione who had received 'dreams', and even they hadn't provided much insight. If they had ever needed food then she could certainly find it, but he knew better than to assume that it would sense his quarry.

However, Solomon's final query did cause him to freeze, this was not the first time he had been addressed as 'blind', and he couldn't help but regard his brother with something akin to an offended expression.

"I am superior," he stated. "My bloodline is exceptional, if there is anything that can outrun a threat or at least repel it, it's me," he pointed out. After all, he had survived more than one assault from these things!

Words: 262

 

[Epine de Rose]

"So superior that you hadn't even considered paying attention those adorable little monkeys in the trees -" Solomon examined his nails and tilted his head at just the right angle to dodge the rock that had been thrown towards them. While the monkeys had missed him, their additional attempts didn't fail and Tethys soon found himself on the receiving end of a stone to the head.

"Who are always, and I mean always, looking for a way to entertain themselves," the older lion continued and raised a brow. "Now if you had been paying more attention to your surroundings and had taken even five minutes to pull your head out of your a**, you might have seen them," he threw the stone on his stomach towards his brother and smirked. "They've been here since we arrived and they've been chittering to themselves for just as long."

"...Apparently your superiority complex thought they were beneath you and wouldn't dare disrespect you, eh?"

He raised a paw as Tethys made to argue back, and continued to interrupt until his younger brother puffed out his cheeks.

"The hell, why didn't you at least warn me?" he enquired. "Why didn't your guards warn me that these godforsaken things existed?" he added; though as he did he had a sudden sense of deja vu, even his brother's expression seemed oddly familiar.

"s**t," he murmured softly. "Why would you when they've been visible this whole time, right?" he uttered.

"Bingo," Solomon replied and clucked his tongue. "Bloodlines are irrelevant, if you make yourself and easy target you will be taken. I'd love to know how many creatures have slipped under your radar simply because you expected things to be handed to you."

"...Too many," Tethys acknowledged softly.

Well he'd be damned, it appeared that this trip had been rather insightful...

Words (Solomon): 225
Total Words (Solomon): 769
Words (Tethys): 78
Total Words (Tethys): 574