First time writing in quite a while.. Little late to the party, sorry OP.
I can't remember when I first saw them. They were always there I guess. Though I do remember the day I realized what they meant. The day it went from being something I lived with to something I lived by.
"Bloody hell you're bad at this!" Said the ethereal creature that was ever present since the beginning of my awareness. His name is Ian, my Ward. He has a unique visage that reminds me of those Chinese dragon statues you see in hobby shops and the like, and fancies himself a ladies-serpent? To this day that part doesn't make sense to me, not that spectral animals that follow people through their day to day makes much sense on its own.
There he is though, ever present, loosely woven around me though never quite touching. I would be labeled a loon if anyone else could actually see him. Not like people were very understanding before I found out I was the only one who could see them.
"Sorry, it's been lovely but I have to go." I awkwardly break conversation with the person I was chatting with, turning and walking away from the small kiosk before I could even gauge her reaction. As I got out of earshot I heard a small voice, sweet and smooth as honey come from the girls direction,"I don't think you were doing that bad!" The sound was ephemeral, it lasted long enough to bring a grin to my face, then was gone before I had even completed the expression. That's how it was when someone else's Ward spoke to me. "See Ian? I would have a much easier time if you didn't care to critique me every 10 seconds while I was attempting conversation."
His deep voice reverberated in my head, "Bah, you know how those hare types are, just as timid as the fox is sly. Couldn't stand it if they thought bad feelings were brought due to them or their charge."
"Yeah you've told me," I respond "you know there is a word for people who think like that?" While I had no prior knowledge to what was going on around me, Ian seemed to have an innate understanding of other Wards. There were numerous kinds, but all fell under certain types. Just like the animals they took the shape of and without fail resembled in demeanor. Ian was different though, he seemed to contradict me on all fronts while other Wards held on to their charges primary personality trait. He had no clue why this was or why there were none other like him.
"Perceptive?" Ian said with a smugness to make a cat modest. His wit as sharp as the tongue that darted out of his mouth occasionally.
"Presumptuous." I shot back flatly. Almost feeling him start to brood, he made no sound save for a low grumble. We often had this internal banter which admittedly have grown on me over the years. After the first few I quit questioning why or how things were what they were. I accepted it, and USUALLY enjoyed the constant companion.
As I walked down the center of the crowded mall hallway I saw a tall, ragged looking man with his head hung low at the other end trudging in our direction. At first I paid him little mind, but the nearer I got, the more uneasy I became. Suddenly Ian seemed to go rigid and that's when I saw it. A Ward that looked just like him, except this one was decrepit and worn. It seemed to be clinging on to it's last breath while slowly trailing the man. It was a dull glow compared to the radiance of the Wards I was used to seeing, it's pupils almost glazed over, claws gnarled, and the teeth I could see chipped. Patches of it's being were simply missing, like it had gotten into a fight with a giant hole punch. Normally I might have chuckled at the thought though the state of the once majestic Ward kept me somber.
It saw us first, a new light seemed to shine in it's eye whilst nudged the man. He looked up first at me, then at Ian. His eyes went wide as he walked with new purpose towards Ian and I. While he approached I searched for words though I found none. Even my mouthy cohort seemed entranced as he looked upon the mans Ward. Grasping me by my shoulders, and looking me in the eye I heard man and Ward speak as one... "Finally we found you."