Line break

One hour later they were off again, though Phantom was clearly still exhausted.

Both teens continued to look nervously at their surroundings.

The woods were pitch black, the only light coming from Phantoms glowing skin.

Valerie occasionally shuddered as she caught sight of glowing things moving through the night.

Bats continuously soared through the trees while insects and snakes slithered away from there feet.

Valerie hung tighter to Phantom in fear "you okay" he asked.

She sighed nervously "I'm just nervous, and what if that wolf tries to attack again? There was something strange about it" she said.

Phantom frowned in puzzlement "that was truly the oddest animal I have seen, and I've seen mutated two, three headed animals before" he joked.

Then he looked towards the treetops that swayed gently in the wind "but that wolf, it was…different, like me" he said quietly.

Valerie smiled lightly "glad to know I'm not the only one who knows your different" she said.

Phantom looked at her in puzzlement" what do you mean" he asked.

Valerie looked ahead "earlier I found out your part human, how? And what would it make you?" she asked curiously.

Phantom sighed as they walked through the dense forest "the ghosts all call me a halfa, half ghost half human" he said quietly.

He slowed down a bit "yet an evil psychiatrist once said I could either be a ghost who isn't dead or just a freaky little boy with freaky powers" he said.

Valerie winced at all the hurt in his voice "well I don't think your freaky" she said quietly.

Phantom gave a genuinely thankful smile "thanks Val" he said gratefully.

Valerie smiled "should we stop and check how much farther we have to go" she asked.

Phantom nodded and put Valerie on a fallen log.

Quietly she accessed her watch "wow, there are only about two miles left, we're more than halfway" she said happily.

Phantom gave a tired smile "I think I can fly us for part of that way" he said quietly.

Valerie shook her head "but I like the walking, it's really nice to be here, alone with you" she whined.

Phantom raised both eyebrows in surprise "that was an unexpected reaction" he said.

Valerie blushed lightly as they got up carefully to continue walking.

Line break

After about a half an hour they came across a hill and looked down as they finally exited the trees.

The city lights shone brightly beneath them.

Valerie gasped "it's so beautiful!" she said.

Phantom chuckled "don't you ever just fly around and admire the view" he teased.

Valerie lowered her head "no, never" she said. Phantom studied her closely.

Suddenly they whirled around as a wolfs howl ran through the night.

Phantom's eyes shown brightly as he scanned the trees.

Suddenly he pushed Valerie to the side, causing her to yell in pain because of her injury.

Angrily she looked up at Phantom.

Unfortunately Phantom was laying on the ground where the wolf had got him.

He had three long gashes in his side and the wolf carefully circled him.

Suddenly Valerie caught the hypnotic gaze of it's golden eyes "what are you" she whispered.

The wind carried out of the forest while Phantom breathed harshly I am the guardian of the forest Valerie heard in her mind.

She blinked and looked at the wolf "so you're a ghost?" she asked.

The wolf stopped and stared at Phantom no, a guardian who is cursed to forever protect my forest it 'said' in her mind.

She carefully looked at Phantom "why won't you let us leave!?" she asked desperately.

The wolf switched it's haunting gaze towards her you have not proved your worthiness, and although he has you both cannot leave until you do it thought.

Valerie closed her eyes "how do I prove my worth" she asked quietly.

The wolf switched it's gaze to Danny and moved closer to him you have a choice, only one of you is allowed to leave and you get to choose it said.

Valerie raised an eyebrow in surprise.

She looked around from where she was sitting "well I have a family to go to and he did ruin my life…" she started.

Then she looked down at her leg and sighed "but then again he helped me, I wouldn't have made it this far without him and therefore owe him my life" she said.

She looked sadly into the wolfs gaze "I will stay, Phantom deserves the secret life he has more than me, and besides, who am I to take that away from him" she said quietly.

The wolf nodded before vanishing.

Suddenly Valerie and Phantom's wounds inflicted by the wolf glowed golden before vanishing.

Phantom shot up and touched his side "what happened" he asked.

Valerie stood up and helped him to his feet "lets just say a friend happened" she said.

Slowly they started down the hill and to the town as the sun began to rise.

At the edge of town Valerie turned to look at the hill.

On top was a majestic white wolf that let out a knowing howl before vanishing into the night…