*Navigation, Firefly lake

I don't wanna be the first one folding, I don't wanna be the joker heart They had only just arrived, and already he was displeased. Eniko looked around with narrowed yellow eyes, water dripping from his fawn coloured coat. It was very very dry here, he felt like he was choking on the air. The heat pounded down across his wet fur, and he flopped to his rump as he gazed about. This would not be good for his asthma. He turned to look at his canine companion, wondering if his guard was thinking the same thing. He tried to hide his condition as best he could, but with the air quality here he knew that he would struggle for awhile. The little prince would have to take it slow if he wanted to get anything done without falling over to have a fit. He sighed, standing back to his paws and shaking out his fur. Hopefully he would be able to get used to the climate here, this may have to be their new home. Eniko was tired of the constant wandering, although he knew that it was out of necessity. His bloodthirsty brother was out to get him to claim the throne, and now that they had been gone so long he had no doubt that their father had past. Kaahi was most likely ruling the kingdom now, and what a scary place that would be. Without saying anything to Phantom, he started to walk further inland. It seemed like a rather quiet place for the moment, but with the noonday sun at full blast they might be in hiding. Licking his dry lips, he longed for fresh water. Tipping his head upwards, he sniffed at the dry air. Eniko nearly choked on it, a soft wheeze squeezing out of his damaged lungs. Hoping that the dog didn't hear him, he took off at a nice trot. There had to be water around here somewhere... He walked until he could feel the familiar tightness in his chest, slowing down as he crested a small hill. Forcing himself to pause, he acted like he was surveying the land from his small vantage point. At last, he spotted a rather large lake. Excitement bubbled up in his belly as he once again licked his chops, but the spotted man forced himself to walk down to the lakes edge. By the time he felt the cool water on his toes, his breath was pushing its way out of his contracting lungs. Trying to force air into his lung failed, and he struggled to do so. A muffled gasp left his maw, and his ears tipped against his skull. This would no doubt bring worry out of the German shepherd towards him, and he knew that he would most likely have a lecture coming. Trying to play it all off, he dipped his head down and lapped up a sip of the cool and refreshing water. It almost burnt going down his sore throat, and he suddenly craved the sweet honey that helped ease the pain. Swallowing hard against the sharp pain, he finally gave up on hiding it. Eniko was pushing himself already. A loud wheeze sounded from his maw, his head hanging and almost brushing against the earth. His legs shook as he fought to bring enough air in. Ugh, curse these weak lungs of his! Cause I'm paper-thin and you, you make me whole again "SPEAK"

As the canine rolled in to shore, is limbs continued to carry him and the feeling of the waves echoed in his muscles long after he walked out of their reach. Even he struggled to catch his breath, which made his mind instantly gravitate toward the prince in concern. This would not do, the air quality was dangerous for Eniko but as he watched him.. he seemed alright for now. "Be careful, Eniko. Please." He said his request calmly on smooth, baritone vocals that were so prone to be much louder. For Eniko, though, he was always softer spoken.

He followed behind the prince reluctantly, he usually preferred to lead and scout what was ahead to make sure it was safe for Eniko to follow but he knew that the man was stressed with all of the events that had happened over the past month. The adjustment would take some time to get used to, so for now he did not argue as he kept to Eniko's flank.

His dense fur had a hard time letting go the salt water of the ocean, so when the lake was finally found he was more than happy to see it. His ear twitched toward the sound of Eniko's wheeze and he narrowed his gaze, watching him closely as he carried himself down to the lake. Then, the louder wheeze left Eniko and Phantom's ears perked, his eyes wide in a sense of panic.

"Damn it, Eniko. No more, we are resting here." He would stand at the princes side, his neck craned outward a bit as he kept it close to the prince's, studying his breath and making sure it didn't stop entirely. They were out of the kingdom and had nothing to help soothe the prince's symptoms, it was beyond worrisome for the guardian.

He sighed and looked around the edge of the lake for anything else that might have heard Eniko's wheezing. Once it seemed safe enough, he continued to watch the prince. "There are cat tails all around this lake, we can't see much that is going on on the other side of them, but.. that also means we are hidden for the most part unless something approaches. We should be fine here for the night."

He wanted to search for honey for the prince, but at the moment he was afraid to leave him alone so he didn't dare suggest it.. he knew Eniko would insist that he was fine. He would wait until Eniko's breathing was under control.

I don't wanna be the first one folding, I don't wanna be the joker heart He did not heed his guards order, apparently. There was hardly a time that his stubborn disposition melted away, he refused to show that he was weak in anyone's eyes. Even Phantom, the boy that he had known since he was just a whelp. He still hated for his closest friend to view him as weak and fragile, being worried over was something that he despised. He had been bred and molded to be a wolf of royal standing, and appearing to be powerless over something as simple as breathing would not do. He had devoted a lot of time to trying to hide it, and had a few tactics that assisted him. But the dog was too smart, his dear friend was too used to listening to his breathing. Phantom's request was simple enough, softly spoken and unlike his rough baritone that he used with others. Regardless he ignored it, leading the way which he had a feeling would upset Phantom. He took his job rather seriously, solidifying his fathers choice in hand picking him for his broken son. While the reason for their forced confinement was not the most tasteful, Eniko was grateful for him. They were able to become close because of it, and he wouldn't trade his friendship for the world; not even for healthy lungs. A muffled growl left his mouth when his guard stood in front of him, stopping him from going into the water. He wanted a drink, to quench his thirst. He opened his jaws to argue, but he didn't have enough air to force it out. He shook his head back and forth, sitting down on his rump as Phantom leaned in close to study his breath habits. His breath was raspy as it left his damaged lungs, and he just looked at the German shepherd with narrowed eyes. For the time being, he had no energy to instigate that he was alright. Clearly he was not, the dryness of the air around him was not helping his current state. The prince wished that they had stopped somewhere with more humidity in the atmosphere. But he knew that they needed as much distance as possible, he would just have to train his body to get used to this land. It looked like he needed to be even more careful, even pushing himself that little bit had nearly knocked him off his paws. Eniko's ears flicked up and towards Phantom as he spoke again, saying that they were cut off enough from the world around them. He glanced over at the cattails, seeing ducks that had created nests there. "Do you mean to bed me down... in a nest like... some sort of water fowl?" he asked, having to pause frequently as the breathy words passed his lips. Peeking back at the canine, there was a smallest hint of a smirk on his lips. Eniko didn't show his emotions often, but Phantom was a special cast. He had not only saved his life, but he had been there from the very beginning. With a few more staggering gasps, his lungs finally allowed him to fill them with the hot air. Eniko nearly choked on the heat of it, coughing a few times before his body gave out. He made his fall more graceful by stretching out his front legs before his elbows buckled, laying his head on top of them. Blinking up at his constant companion, he saw the worry that always came with his attacks. "I'm fine, Phantom. You won't get rid of me that easily," he said, his stoic voice taking on a teasing note. The prince fell silent then, his eyes slipping closed as his paws sank into the lake as he just focused on breathing. He would be unable to do anything for the next little bit, but he longed to explore these new lands. Cause I'm paper-thin and you, you make me whole again "SPEAK"

As Eniko started to speak, his ears perked as he noticed the strain his lungs had to do in order to release those words. Then, when he finished and gave that charming smirk, Phantom couldn't resist the tug his cheeks were pulling on his lips, his own smile slowly cracking his mask. "Perhaps," he grinned, though in an effort to keep the prince from continuing to strain himself with witty retort, he continued on smooth vocals. "But it will have to wait, the reeds won't help your condition at all, I'm sure."

As Eniko lowered himself, collapsing almost, his own chest expanded with an inward sigh that he hoped would alleviate some of his worry. It didn't work, of course.. but Eniko's reassuring words caused him to give him a nod of agreement, trusting that he would be okay. "Are you sure? I don't want to leave you alone, but if it is really bad Eniko, I will go search for honey and figs immediately."

He waited for the princes order, watching him with an intense stare from those glacial irises. He wasn't a healer, but when it came to Eniko's asthma, he'd learned a much as he could to help relieve the prince's symptoms.

I don't wanna be the first one folding, I don't wanna be the joker heart His yellow eyes didn't miss the smile that started to grow on Phantom's face. Ha, he had won this battle then, had he not? His guard was a tough adversary though, so he was quite pleased that he was able to bring that grin on his face. He could hardly suck a well needed breath into his lungs, but could still bring joy to his dearest friend. The tip of his lips twitched upwards, further extending the grin on his maw. It wasn't often that he showed emotion, but Phantom was the exception for everything. His comment on the cattails brought his frown back though, his brows creasing. He hadn't even thought about that, wrapped up in the tight knit water plants wouldn't help him get air into his starved lungs. Nodding his head, he stayed where he was currently sprawled across the ground. Soon, once his body decided to comply with his wishes. Time and time again he wished that his body was whole, and that his asthma didn't hold him back from doing the things that he loved to do. Running was hard, he could hardly hunt for himself either. Really, he was quite useless without Phantom. As he finally got oxygen into his weary body, he glanced up at the dog beside him with an even bigger smile. "If you worry too much, dear Phantom, you are going to get wrinkles on your forehead. Perhaps your skin will stay forever folded that way," he said with a flick of his half-sized tail, pushing himself up into a seated position. He spoke of searching for figs and honey, and the prince shook his head back and forth. The worst of it was over now, while the honey would soothe the ache in his throat he wouldn't ask for it. Right now he just wanted to perhaps go for a swim and cool off. Eying the canine companion, he stood and took a few steps into the lake. His legs were a tad bit shaky, which is why he kept his gaze trained on Phantom. Would he object to a little swim after an attack like that? "Care for a midday swim with your prince?" he asked in hushed tones, raising a brow in almost a daring manner. Would he decline his invitation and make the spotted wolf swim all by himself? Cause I'm paper-thin and you, you make me whole again "SPEAK"

The Shepherd's face never did move away, the softer features gifted to him by the grace of his heritage hardly hiding a bit of the concern spinning in the mind behind them, though his smile did offer a bit of reprieve, he was still counting Eniko's breaths and paying close attention. When his words came, he smirked- he never did have a poker face, "I am surprise I have not acquired any wrinkles already. No one told me about the thick heads beneath the crowns of princes when I'd agreed to the job." Though his words were a bit harsh, there was a gentle smile on his face and a watery sheen across his normally cold stare that twinkled with the fondness undoubtedly rooted in his heart for his friend. It really wasn't a job anymore, it was a bond that he wouldn't trade for anything else in the world.

When he was done teasing, he watched as Eniko stepped into he lake. He had already picked up on the prince's healthier breathing, but the thought of him swimming so soon really made him anxious. He lifted his head, his smile disappearing for a moment as he looked to Eniko with eyes that said, 'really?' The more he thought it over, though.. and the more that tempting offer rang in his ears, the more his hardened features began to return to the gentle appearance only a dog could hold. Eniko deserved to have a bit of fun, and the Shepherd was confident that he would be right there to carry Eniko back to shore if he had another attack. He smiled slightly and gave the prince a nod before coming to his flank, his heavier paws leaving echoing ripples in the water around them while he entered. He was eager to rinse the salt from his fur, and to finally get a fresh drink. His neck craned, the longer fur of his chest flirting with the water's surface as the very ends of it's strands broke it. His wide tongue unleashed from the droopy cheeks of his maw, pink and quite dry from dehydration though he hid his symptoms well. Once his drinking had started, though.. his eyes closed as he savored the feeling of fresh water running down his thirsty throat. He never thought he'd be so thankful for something as simple as a lake. Life outside of the Kingdom would certainly take some getting used to, but something about it all.. something about being away from the troubles that came with royalty and being able to actually enjoy life for what it was.. excited him. It was them against the world; nothing would be the same, but the sentry was okay with that. <3

I don't wanna be the first one folding, I don't wanna be the joker heart A small smile still graced his black lips as the shepherd spoke about wrinkles, and him being thick headed. Playfully he reached over and aimed to nip at his friends soft ear, a low growl vibrating in his throat. "I should not be the one being referred to having a thick head, for I think you have thickest of them all," His words held a note of fondness in them, Phantom was not only his oldest friends, but one of his only. He wouldn’t trade his companion for the world, or even for a chance to return back to their home. Snickering in his low, calm way, he stood and walked towards the lake. Eniko just rose his brows when Phantom gave him a look that he knew all too well. He knew that he was worried, but he longed to get cooled off from this hot new world. Taking a few more steps, he kept his yellow gaze on him. He knew that he would crack, the poor dog was probably just as warm as he was. It didn’t take too much longer for him to follow him into the water, and Eniko took of at a jog. The water sloshed up his legs on to his chest until his paws no longer touched the rocky ground of the lake. Holding his head above water, he paddled around for a moment until he felt the all familiar pull at his lungs. Not wanting to push himself into having another episode, he casually made his way back to the rocks. The spotted wolf didn’t show any signs of his struggles. Standing up, he slurped a bit of the cool water. There was no doubt that the prince felt better, but he was not in a position to push his already struggling lungs. Looking over to the pale dog, he noticed just how much water he was taking in. Eniko’s brows furrowed, his lips tugging downwards in a deep frown. "Phantom, why did you not tell me that you were so parched?" He asked, no emotion in his steely voice. He would have assured his guard that he was alright sooner so he could get some water. Cause I'm paper-thin and you, you make me whole again "SPEAK"

The comment about his own thick head earned a smirk from the shepherd as he watched Eniko, though it disappeared when he'd started to drink. It seemed Eniko's swim didn't last long, and for that he was thankful. His icy stare kept on the fawn-marked prince while he came back into the shallower waters. He lifted his head finally and pulled the water from his cheeks with his tongue as Eniko questioned him.

He gave a lazy shrug of his shoulders before gently moving his limbs to make the splashing as minimal as possible while he carried himself back outside of the lake. "I suppose I wasn't thinking about it." He was far too busy thinking about the prince, but he wouldn't mention that at all. His eyes searched the area around them, especially up near the branches of the trees- he'd only been meaning to glance, but he did a double take at what he saw.

Sitting above them, in the closest tree there was to the lake, was a beehive nestled near the core of the tree on it's lowest hanging branch. He would cast a grin back to Eniko, clearly thrilled that he'd be able to find his friend some relief.. but.. now.. how did he get it down?

I don't wanna be the first one folding, I don't wanna be the joker heart His sunny eyes stayed locked on the shepherd as he made his way out of the water, sighing as the words left his mouth. Phantom was always so concerned for him that he often seemed to forget about his own needs. His back grew rigid at the thought, and he turned and left the water. Standing on the shore, droplets ran from his spotted body and hit the earth below him like rain. Taking his time to chew over his words, he looked up and around the lake, again feeling the need to explore this new land around them. With a swish of his half length tail that scattered water behind him, he poked his nose into the reeds where he saw the ducks nesting. They didn’t even seem to notice him, too occupied in keeping their eggs warm. Well, at least hunting would be rather easy. Feathered prey wasn’t his favorite though, chewing around all the feathers felt like he was choking. It bothered his weak lungs, so with a snort he moved on. He had Phantom to hunt for him, but he knew that he should work on being more self-sufficient here. He never really liked being babied either, just because he was born with lungs that didn’t work right didn’t mean that he couldn’t do anything. Eniko turned back to the dog to finally say something, but he was met with a grinning face instead. Confused, he followed where he was looking and quickly saw the bees nest. Oh… honey. HIs tongue flicked over his still damp maw, taking a deep a breath as he could. It would be nice, his throat was always sore after attacks like that. His chest seized up at the memory, and he found himself taking a few steps up to the tree. Soon the sound of bees filled his sensitive ears, which flickered on the top of his head. He knew just how bad a sting from them hurt, and he didn’t really feel like either of them getting stuck without the salve that they had at the kingdom. Turning back to Phantom, he sharply shook his head. He was fine, it would be too much of a risk right now. The deer-coloured wolf had had worse attacks, honestly he could survive without it. Plus, with the sun up they would be rather active. "How about we look around the area first, learn as much as we can before the sun goes down?" he suggested, half turning to face his companion. "We can revisit the honey idea when night falls, if I’m still sore," It was a promise, he was never really good at hiding things from Phantom’s pale eyes. He could see right through any ruse he put up. A fond smile crossed his lips, and he tipped his head towards a thin corpse of a fallen log. It was rotting with the bark peeling away, and he had no doubt that it was crawling with little critters. Did he want to go inspect that, or… His gaze locked onto a thicker patch of grass. Maybe there was a hare or two hiding in there? Peeking back at Phantom, he rose a single brow in an unspoken question. It was up to him where they went from here. With the hot sun beating down on his back, his fur was nearly dry already. They probably couldn’t do much, but… it was better than risking a bad sting. Cause I'm paper-thin and you, you make me whole again "SPEAK"