(ELITE) The SNOWPOINT Team

She recognized the anger in Dante, he looked ready to tear her into peices. Well not much to do with that, he hated her she disliked him. The world went around the sun and the moon wasn't made of cheese. It was a fact of life now.

"Now? You bring help now after trying to kill us all this time? Why help us now?"

"Catherine is my name, not 'you'" She said in an overly polite tone, but the dislike for him and paticularly him was there. Her tone became softer as she continued to speak.
"I help you now because before I was... someone else. And now Disaster has backed for awhile, not forever though. We have many arguments, and she usually wins." She chuckled darkly "I probably sound insane don't I? But I'm dead what does my mental state matter?" she took a deep breath, which was pointless in retrospect. "I help Hera now because it is in my power, and she doesn't deserve to die." She placed the medicine box down and looked at the two.
"If you don't take it I'll be forced to go to her myself." she warned and disaster cackled inside of her.
'She'd make an easy meal'

The newcomer surprised Alice. It was an electric type, she could tell. She instantly felt a connection between them. He was the first electric type she'd seen in a long time. It was comforting to know another was near. And yet... Hera was obviously shaken up by his arrival. She had shrieked when she saw him, and began crying. He was yelling a name-Sahahara, Sarah?- but Alice wasn't paying attention. Strix yelled for Alice to keep her down, and she did. She lay the flat side of her tail against Hera's pelt, and applied a small Spark. Not enough to cause damage, but enough to contract the muscles, forcing her down.

Standing up, Alice looked at Strix and the stranger. "Don't kill him, Strix!" She said, more panicked than she should be. Why was she so panicked? She dropped to her legs again, pressing her pelt against Hera's. She didn't say anything, but kept her Flames going. She moved her head in an attempt to block the other two from her view. No need to upset her further.

((Ooc; Prepare for super long posts for a while guys lol ))


I was frozen to where I stood, unable to move as I took in the heart breaking scene before me. It was my Saharah alright, no mistaking those beautiful ears and amber eyes... But there was only one left of each. Terribly scars wracked her body. When had she gotten those horrible battle wounds? It must have been some time ago for they were healed over and shimmered in the light where no fur grew. My heart twisted and began to throb painfully- I should have been there for her. I should have been able to protect my Saharah... Now she cried out and scrammbled to flee from just the sight of me. I wanted to whisper her name but it would just make things worse; she said not to call her that... Had she changed her own name...?

But then I heard the loud, thumping footsteps of an approaching giant. My tail shot straight up and I whipped around, jumping into action only to see a furious beast of a Nidoking smashing for me. I didn't even have time to sqeak before I was suddenly in the air, suspended only by a thick monsterous hand around my throat as a defening roar took all sense of hearing from me. I was near passing out simply from lack of oxygen and shock as I stared directly into the enraged eyes of the duel type. It showed a row of terrifying fangs and inscizors before it closed the mighty jaws. I felt my body relax and go limp from sheer terror. But then the Nidoking glanced behind me."Hera! Are you okay?!" A deep voice snarled from within the beast. "Get her back down!" Hera? Alice? Was one of these names what my beloved called herself now? But I didn't have much time to think about that as my vision was becoming blurry. My tail and hind legs began to spasm and thrash in vein against his grip as I fought to gasp air down my throat to my dying lungs. "What did you do!? If you hurt her..." The Nidoking spat the threat right into my face, his grip becoming even tighter around my windpipe and my mouth gaped open and closed like a fish gasping for the water.

"D-didn't... do... a-any... thing..." I barely managed to choke out as I tried in vein to convince him that I was sinsere. My black eyes shown in fear at the the thought of dying just withing moments of finally finding my love.


He was here. Here. A ghost of the life that I had abandoned, haunting me as one would haunt the place of one's death. I would never be free of my regret, my past. I managed to get to my feet, my eye wide and glazed with too many thoughts and emotions as I darted glances left and right to take in my surrowndings and where I could flee. I could no longer stay with these pokemon, my new group of family. No... They would never trust anyone like me, not when Yon-co tells them of my old life. Of Saharah, who is gone and dead now. But then a voice broke through the phaze. "Hera! Are you okay?!" Strix. Oh, Arceus bless him. He was the greatest person I had met since my trainer. Even if the meaning of his words were lost in the madness my mind was at that moment I still felt instantly comfoted by them. "Get her back down!" 

I kept on my legs, swaying unsteadily from side to side. My paws were numb, as was my tail. I must have stood up too fast or been too tired. Or lost too much blood. I was lightheaded and I suddenly had to duck my head to avoid dropping back to the ground. I panted suddenly as the exhaustion was worse than ever; things were not looking good, oh, Arceus, I didn't want to die.

Suddenly there was a pressure on my back that had not been there before and I would have jumped had I not been so concentrated on not blacking out. I was suddenly awear of Alice standing over me when an electrical jolt ran through my body. I gasped loudly, my ears flicking forward in supprise as my legs suddenly buckled beneath me, not listening to my command to stay up. As I tumbled back to the ground, I found my mind clearing, the clouds of confusion disappating. What had I been thinking a second ago...!? I glanced up at Alice, my amber gaze radiating releif. "Th-thank you Alice."

"What did you do!? If you hurt her..." I jumped at the ferocity withing Strix's voice. I cranes my neck and gasped in horror as I saw him speaking uncivily to my best friend. Old best friend. Whatever. Fear shot through me and my tail flicked upwards. "Don't kill him, Strix!" I glanced at the Luxray in horror at her statement. The Nidokind wouldn't kill him, would he? I didn't want to chance it. I stared at them from over my shoulder, not daring to try and stand again. "Strix, stop it!" I begged. "Don't hurt him! Yon-co didn't do anything except s-startle me." Liar, I silently spat at myself but the stutter gave me away. The Raichu had rocked me utterly to the core. I strained to watch the two anxiously but Alice's great head suddenly moved in my line of sight. With my ears returning to their usual flattened appearance, I diverted my gaze away from them. Strix wouldn't hurt him. I knew he wouldn't. I layed my head onto my forepaws, shutting my eyes as much as I could. I just wanted this nightmere to end.

((Ooc; I love how hard core Dante is and yet crying chicks make him feel uncomfortible xD )) 

"Uh...I guess... you snapped out of it... You don't need to... cry..." Ciara sniffled a little and looked up at Dante, fresh tears still shimmering in her eyes, threatening to fall. "Please stop crying..." She put her head between her paws and cried again. She was so pathetic he didn't even want to see her tears. How could she ever think she was one of them? No one wanted her, she was weak. Useless. A now, a crybaby.

"Dante, Ciara," Ciara couldn't help but jump at the creepy voice drifting into her ears. She flinched, but her tears stopped and she looked up from under one paw. It was the white demon everyone had run from before, but, what did it want? Apparently, it wanted to offer Hera medicine. Okay...right...And it seemed Ciara wasn't the only skeptic. "Now? You bring help now after trying to kill us all this time? Why help us now?" The Mightyena couldn't agree more with that statement.

"I help Hera now because it is in my power, and she doesn't deserve to die." The demon put a box down in front of them and Ciara eyed it suspiciously, because she honestly had no clue what was in it. "If you don't take it I'll be forced to go to her myself." That sounded vaguely like a threat, and Ciara snarled at the demon. She may not be part of the pack, but she didn't take kindly to cowards who preyed on the weak. Like her former master.

Never mind the fact she had just been crying only a moment before, Ciara was pissed now. And the angry red glow of her eyes from all of her tears only added to the threatening effect. She bared her fangs and growled deeply at the decaying Absol, wanting to do more than just the warning she was about to give. "Go near her and I finish the job of whatever started gutting you!"

Catherine is my name, not 'you'" the absol -oh, sorry, Catherine- responded bitterly. Dante couldn't help but feel the same. "I help you now because before I was... someone else. And now Disaster has backed for awhile, not forever though. We have many arguments, and she usually wins." She chuckled darkly, but Dante could only assume this "Disaster" was the bitch trying to kill them this entire time. Funny how she never raised a finger to help the others that died, or didn't seem to mind trying to kill them all those times. "I probably sound insane don't I?" 'Yes.' "But I'm dead; what does my mental state matter?" She paused for a moment, taking in a deep breath. Dante thought that pretty outstanding, since her lungs were surely part of the broken entrails hanging out of her. "I help Hera now because it is in my power, and she doesn't deserve to die." She placed the medicine box down and looked at the two. "If you don't take it, I'll be forced to go to her myself."

Before he got a chance to tell her what she could do with the medicine and where she could put it, Ciara jumped up behind him, fire in her eyes. "Go near her and I finish the job of whatever started gutting you!"

Dante couldn't help but give a faint chuckle at the mightyena, her sudden fiery attitude such a switch from before, but as soon as he turned back to face the absol, she was gone, the box simply where she had left it. He took a few steps toward it, looking, sniffing, but found nothing. It was as if a ghost of the monster had given them the box, but... that was impossible. The box sat there, innocent, before him. 'No time for pride,' he told himself. That medicine needed to go to Hera.

With a deep breath, he picked up the box and signaled Ciara to follow. Jumping and dashing back the way they had come, he met back with the others in little time. However, now there was a raichu there, and Hera seemed... more than unconscious, trying desperately to get away. He dropped the box in the snow, his tail out behind him. "The Hell is going on!?" he demanded, wanting to know why Hera was flipping her shit and who the hell this raichu was.

"D-didn't... do... a-any... thing..." the Raichu managed to gasp as Strix tightened his grip. The Nidoking snorted loudly as his eyes bored into the bulging eyes of the other.
"LIAR!" He snapped, "Then why is she so afraid of you!?" He demanded, pointing one of his claws at Hera.
"Don't kill him, Strix!" He heard Alice cry. He turned his gaze to the two females, both their eyes wide with horror.
"Strix, stop it!" the wounded Espeon begged. "Don't hurt him! Yon-co didn't do anything except s-startle me."
Strix stopped the constriction on the rats' neck, loosening his grip just enough so he could breathe again. The Nidokings' gaze softened as he listened to Hera, but her fear was not lost on him.
Yon-co...He did something...something bad enough to make her want to run away from him...but...Hera doesn't want to see him hurt...and if she doesn't....I won't.
A deep rumbling growl reverberated in his throat as he turned back to the small creature in his grasp, his eyes narrowing as he tried to push back some of his rage.
"You better thank the lady. She just saved your life...and judging from her reaction, it doesn't look much like you deserve it." He growled, suddenly releasing the Raichu in disgust, just as Dante and Ciara came trotting up.
"The Hell is going on!?" Dante barked loudly.
"Ask the runt. He just barged in." Strix growled, crossing his broad arms over his chest as he placed himself firmly next to Heras' side protectively.

Alice felt her blood go cold as she watched Srix strangle the newcomer. It just felt... wrong. The others that had died... They had been killed quickly. Alice didn't even think they knew what happened before it was done. This, however... Watching her friend squeeze the life out of a living creature, watching it feebly gasp for breath... She let out a long breath she didn't realize she was holding when Strix released his captive. Poor... Yon-co? That's what Hera called him. Alice gave a jump as the other two returned, seeming as confused as she was. "Dante!" The name left her mouth before she could stop it, a simple exclamation of her own shock.

Dante had carried in a box. She didn't have to guess to figure out what was in the box. Dante had found medical supplies! "Perhaps you were right, Hera." She said, lowering her voice for the other female's ears alone. Now, if they could just find wood, they could get a fire going. Alice looked to Strix, who stood protectively above her and Hera. Silently, she stood up and slipped back. She wouldn't be needed for the moment. She'd go find some wood for them to use.

I tried desperately to take in a gulp of air -anything, anything! - but it was all in vein. My vision was getting dark, the dark fuzzies at the edges of my vision closing in around me just as the Nidoking's craws were closing in around my throat. I was awear of yelling and female voices, but it was impossible to male them out as my mind began to shut down. As if by a miracle, I coild take in air again. My limp body quickly spasmed as I gulped down the life bringing oxygen I needed. 

The Nidoking growled menasingly, deep with his chest as his peircing gaze burned dangerously into mine. "You better thank the lady. She just saved your life...and judging from her reaction, it doesn't look much like you deserve it." Th-the lady? I was slow to realize that he meant my Savanah. Suddenly his fingers completely released me and I fell to the floor ungracefully, falling onto my side ungracefully. I did not try to get up for several seconds, just laying there taking deep ragged breaths as I slowly found my head clearing. Blinking my dark eyes several times, I managed to get to my feet just as a Mightyena and a Houndoom showed up. The larger of the two had a medical box in his mouth but dropped it onto the ground to bark out loudly."The Hell is going on!?" 

I could not awnser, in fact I found myself still fighting to stay awake in the minutes that followed. There were voices above me but I just rested on the cold stone ground. I was aroused as I saw the Luxray from earlier padding around, almost seeming to be looking for something. I shot one look over my shoulder at the group and Savanah. I wanted nothing else than to be by her side- more now than ever- but that Nidoking... Last thing I wanted was to provocte the brute again. Instead I ended up walking on shaky legs in the direction of the lioness. "M-mind if I help?" I asked in a cheery voice, but it was still weak and I croaked slightly during my speech. "I don't bite, promise." I added with a grin.


I watched with silent horror as Strix still heald poor Yon-co in his feirce grip. His face was so feirce- his eyes full of such intensity as he bared his fangs. I had never seen him like this and it frienghtened me. I did not know him capable of such barbarian feats. Strix dropped Yon-co to the ground, his hand opening to just let my old friend hit the ground with a grunt. I flinched as he tried to get to his feet but merely gave up and layed there. I dared a glance at the Nidoking's face. His expression was so alein- so cold...- I was unsure of how to react to him. Dante and Ciara finally returned and I turned to regaurd them with wide eyes. The Houndoom had his tail up high as he demanded what was going on. I swallowed in fear. Surely I would be blamed. If not by Strix then by the Raichu. It was my fault that Strix had overracted.

But the duel type beat me to the response. He lumbered over to where Alice and I still lay. My eye widened, showing the fear that made my heart beat like a bird against my ribcage. He moved closer and closer until he was right by me and I involentarily flinched when he sat next to me."Ask the runt. He just barged in." His voice was a deep growl and that was when I finally glanced up at him in a new light as he crossed his arms over my chest. He had frientened me, that was for sure, and yet... I could not help but think of why he chose those actions. Is... Was he protecting me? I shook the thoughts from my head. There were more thigs to worry about at that moment. Like if the Raichu was alive.

At that moment I glanced over to him and sighed with releif as his chest rose steadily up and down.  Only then did I have the courage to awnser Dante. Turning to face the hound, I flattened my ears more than usual in shame. "It was m-my fault, Dante. I know the Raichu from... a while back. He frightened me. And S-Strix, well..." I didn't know how to talk about that and glanced up at him. I was not sure how the Houndoom would react to hearing his second in comand acting so rashfully. So instead I changed the subject as my gaze landed onto the box he had brought in. My amber eye brightened. "Oh! Is that what I think it is?" I was sp thrilled that I broke into a purr just as Alice whispered into my ear. I turned and met her eyes with my shining gaze. I would live. I had been right after all.

Ciara watched the demon turn and leave, but Dante's small chuckle made her flinch. Was he...was he laughing at her? Had she done something wrong? She turned her head slowly around to take a peek at him, but he wasn't angry. So why did he laugh? She didn't really get an answer because the dark hound seemed focused on the small box that the white demon had brought to them. What was it? It looked familiar but she wasn't sure what it was for. But Dante picked it up anyway, without a word, and headed off. Ciara had to follow since she didn't know what else to do.

By the time they got back to the others the scene was chaos. Hera was freaking out, Alice was yelling at Strix, and said dino was currently choking the life out of a yellow rat. What- "The Hell is going on!?" Dante beat her train of thought right to it. Hera and Alice pleaded for Strix to drop the rat, which he did, but he didn't seem happy about it. "It was m-my fault, Dante. I know the Raichu from... a while back. He frightened me. And S-Strix, well..." Raichu? Oh, the yellow rat thing. So that's what it was.

Hera seemed to perk up when she saw the box Dante brought in. Ciara still wasn't sure what it even was so she just backed up a bit, giving everyone some space from her. She had no idea what to do around them, especially since they seemed really on edge because of the Raichu-thing. Anything she might say or do could tick them off to the point of chasing her away. Like everyone else. So it was better to just keep quiet.

Everything was so white, as well as cold. Inochi had never seen snow before, she lived in a place where there wasn't snow, of course it got cold, but never enough that snow would fall, so this was new to her. The snow was deep, and the Houndour has a hard time walking through it, her Focus Sash clenched tightly in her mouth so that it wouldn't get blown away by the wind, or stuck in the snow where she could easily lose it.

Inochi didn't know how she got here, or how long it had been since she left Spirit and the others back at Mountain. She wasn't really keeping track of the days, she just wanted to know where her instincts where taking her. Why would she come to a place as barren as this, it didn't seem right to her.

Inochi finally came to a clearing, a dock maybe? This was her third time seeing one, but it was hard to tell under all the snow. There where boats, but they where all broken and unusable. The sea looked so calm, the only piece of water she has seen since getting here that wasn't frozen, of not for it being salty, she would have liked to take a drink.

Commotion happening over near the warehouses made Inochi practically jump out of her fur, making it stand on end. She felt so embarrassed, she must have looked like a feline there for a moment. Inochi didn't want to go over there, she didn't want to find an undead, not after what happened last time, and this time Spirit wasn't here to save her, no one was, it was just her.

Slowly, but surly, she started to walk over to where the commotion was happening. She wanted to just turn tail and run, but her legs felt as if they had a mind of there own, they just kept taking her to where the commotion was happening. Inochi stood outside the warehouse where it was, peeking inside from a small hole that was on the side. There was a group of pokemon inside, she wasn't very good at remembering pokemon, but she could make out a Raichu, Nidoking, Espeon, some blue cat, a black dog, and, a Houndoom!

From the size of its horns, it was male, and it looked menacing, much like what Inochi should be. Seeing him made her frown. She was an insult to dark canines. The Houndour flattened her ears in sadness, and was about to turn around and leave when she kicked some sort of can that made her yap in surprise. Her fur once again standing on end like some cat as she quickly looked for a place to hide.

Hera's wide, frightened gaze and Srtrix's angry muttering made Dante more than a little uneasy about the entire situation. At least it had stopped, but he didn't know what it was about or if it was going to happen again... but knowing his luck... "It was m-my fault, Dante," Hera began quietly. "I know the Raichu from... a while back. He frightened me. And S-Strix, well..." The houndoom couldn't help but make a face at the statement. What...? But Her'as attention was easily turned to the box he had dropped upon seeing the situation. "Oh! Is that what I think it is?"

Dante picked the box back up and put it near Strix and vicariously Hera. "The absol gave it to me," he said in a low voice, still unsure about what the hell had actually happened. "She spoke... said you didn't deserve to die like this," he spat. "I don't trust her, but there's not much else we can do other than exactly that." He looked around and sighed, watching the raichu. He paused a moment before padding to the rodent and Alice.

"You can start by helping me get some firewood." His voice stayed low, his ice blue gaze firmly on the other. "Then we'll talk about letting you stay or throwing you back out in the storm." He didn't like that Strix, the one out of the group he'd known the longest beside Alice had gotten so worked up. His second-in-command was not to be threatened, no matter how many people knew this rodent. This was his pack, and he wasn't going to let stragglers feed off of their hard work and unravel their efforts. "Got it?"

A sound of aluminum hitting something rang out over the still, white land around them, and Dante's fur raised a little in alarm. The hell? He took his attention from the raichu to spot a small black thing quickly darting around, looking for a place to hide. His gaze narrowed, and he glanced to Ciana and Alice, muttering to watch the newcomer as he dashed out toward the entrance.

He paused at the tall, empty doorway, watching for signs of enemies before running to what he now recognized as a houndour. He padded to a halt, tail out behind him, studying her. She paced and walked more like a cat, the way she skittered. She looked small and pathetic, but the epidemic had taught him many lessons on appearances. "The hell are you and what do you want?" he barked out, holding his ground against the rising wind. "Keep your answer simple and to the point or I rip your throat out." He already had enough wounded, he didn't need more.

Strix' eyes grew wide as Dante handed them a medical kit, grumbling that it was from the Absol.
"What?..." The Nidoking gasped quietly. She....she's still alive?! Strix' gaze fell as his thoughts returned to the voice he heard from the infected. These infected...these ones that fell...they have a form of consciousness...they aren't just monsters then...He sighed, a deep pain arising in his chest. ...Which means we're killing things that aren't just mindless...that...can't be any less than...hellish...to survive like that...

Shaking his head slowly, he clenched his jaws together and kneeled in front of Hera, pulling the box next to him. His gaze dark, he glanced at her as he pulled out a small syringe with a red plunger.
What he saw in her eyes pained him deeply.
She...she's afraid of me...he realized, as he looked into her brilliant wide eye, her heartbeat frantic in her chest. His ears fell as his attention turned back to the syringe in his claws. Despite his normal emotional reserve, he couldn't hide his pain. He took off the lid and carefully pulled the plunger back, not letting his strength crush the delicate glass tube.
Taking a deep breath, he slowly drew closer to the Espeon.
"This...will help the pain..." he murmured softly, not wanting to frighten her further. He gently pushed the needle in, focusing hard on keeping his claws from crushing it. As the liquid flowed out of the small container, he pulled out the needle and dropped the small thing next to them and gathered some gauze in his claws, carefully watching the Espeon.
I don't...want her to hurt herself out of fear...
"...Please relax..." he murmured.
...Sweetheart...the Nidoking finished in his mind, his eyes slowly catching Heras' gaze.

The Luxray did not respond to my attempt at a joke- either not hearing or simply ignoring me- and my ears fell. All I wanted was to see my Savanah and now... I gave another wistful glance in her direction, my eyes wide and full of sarrow. Not only was she with the Nidoking that just went freaking beserk on me, but the Espeon acted as if I did not exist, as if she did not know me. My heart beat painfully loud in my chest as I forced myself to turn away. At peast I could still breath in her lovely scent, even if it were masked by so many others. When a Houndoom and Mightyena burst in, I whipped around to regaurd them with wide eyes. If they attempted to hurt my Savanah... Ectricity sparked from my cheeks at the thought. However, the larger of the two had a box heald in his jaws. Savanah clearly recognized what it was at the same time as me. I landed on all fours and prepared to run over to her side to apply what needed to be done, but my heart sank. The Houndoom merely carried it over to the Nidoking. I wanted to just start sobbing. What twisted world had I been placed into?

The dog then trotted over in our direction. My eyes widened, with fear this time. I scrambled to my paws, staring up at the hound with wide eyes as he spoke. His words were cold as the shade of ice his eyes were and I felt every word slice at me."You can start by helping me get some firewood. Then we'll talk about letting you stay or throwing you back out in the storm." I flinched at his words. I figured it would be a bad time to point out that I had been in the building for days before these guys showed up. "Got it?" My ears dropped against my head as my gaze hit the floor. I knew it would be wisest not to argue with the Houndoom. "Y-yes," I sighed, defeated. They were all just bent on keeping my Savanah from me...


I was thankful that Dante at least did not question me further about Yon-co. I just could not deal with it quite yet. I was too weak, physically and emotionally. The Houndoom brought the box closer to Strix and I, setting it down before turning his hard gaze to us and speaking in a low voice. "The absol gave it to me," Dante explained, clearly not too thrilled by that. "She spoke... said you didn't deserve to die like this." I blinked in shock, my gaze widening. The Absol... saved me?! The last time I saw her ran through my head, those words she spoke running through my head. "I don't trust her, but there's not much else we can do other than exactly that." I decided against saying anything about the Absol, instead staying silent as Dante turned. He walked away with a sigh.
He spoke with Yon-co and guilt wrapped around my heart as I saw how disheartened he was. I needed to make it up to him. Maybe even talk to Dante about letting him stay. A sigh escaped me as I began to turn to Strix, watching as he opened th box. But a loud, metalic screech rang through the air and my pelt shot up. I would have stood and whipped around had I not had the wound, but I still whipped my head around to see Dante approaching a..a Houndour?! 

Fear spiked through me, tensing my muscles as I watched, fear widening my amber eye. The dark type had a cloth in it's mouth and it looked positively frightened. But I could not really pay attention to that, the fear was making it hard to breathe. I trusted Dante with no question now, Ciara had proven to be irritating but a loyal addition to the group, but I had utterly terrified by both dark canines upon first meeting. Maybe the Houndour would not be all bad, but I still tasted coppery fear in my mouth. "The hell are you and what do you want?" I watched as Dante barked at it. He looked positively feirce, standing high and proud against the howling winds and snow."Keep your answer simple and to the point or I rip your throat out." Overkill much, Dante? I could not help but think with affection, a smile preying at my lips. He may have sounded feirce, but I had been with the hound long enough to know him pretty well. I figured as long as the Houndour played it smart, it would be fine.

But my thoughts were jerked away from the scene playing out as Strix opened the box that heald the medical supplies. And, oh Arceus, I recognized what he pulled out. I had never been one for needles, not even in my days with my trainer when I was fearless. No. I hated them. To make it worse the picture of Strix holding Yon-co, one of my closest friends, by his throat, that savage look on his face, made me invonentarily start to panic. I could not control the horror that creeped into my gaze as I stared up at him and I almost instantly regretted it. His dark gaze met my own for only a heart beat and I saw his ears fall visibly. The fear in me turned to saddness as I comprehended the sudden pain I had seen. He was only trying to help and I was making it worse. Dear Arceus, I was a terrible, ugly soul. Allowing rationality to retake my mind, I flicked my tail out to settle on one of Strix's great arms. "Do it," I encouraged him in a soft voice, forcing a smile on my face despite the closeness of the needle.

The Nidoking dook in a deep breath of air before moving closer to me. My heart still fluttered in my chest, but I  forced myself to be calm and relax. He murrmured about it helping the pain and I drew strength from those words. I turned my head and snapped my eyes shut as I knew the needle was coming closer. I had survived a mauling- I could damn well survive a needle. But that does not mean that I was prepared. My eye flew open as I gasped loudly, feeling the pinch of it going into my skin. My claws dug into the ground but I forced my body to keep still. And just as fast, it was over, leaving a throbbing where it had penetrated my pelt. Strix was already reaching for proper bandages, but I was panting out of the pain and fear. I hated needles. Hated. "...Please relax..." The duel type spoke softly, his voice trailing off and I turned my head to look at him, supprised. Our gazes met, my stressed one eyed gaze and his calm and steady. A shiver ran through me, down my spine, and I suddenly remembered where I had put my tail. I jerked it from his arm and wrapped it to my side protectively as I broke our shared glance, the electricity still making my heart beat faster. I did not allow myself to think too much about it, though, and instead murmurred, "Th-thank you.. Strix. I r-really hate needles." A soft purr rumbled from my throat as I attempted to lighten the mood.

Dante threatening the Raichu was somewhat expected, since he did feel it had threatened a member of his pack. That didn't surprise Ciara at all. What did shock her, however, was Dante going ape-shit over the sound of metal knocking over. She barely caught the sound of his order to watch the electric rat as he raced over to the sound. There was something by the door...

"The hell are you and what do you want? Keep your answer simple and to the point or I rip your throat out."

Ciara jumped back at the violent tone in Dante's voice. Even when facing the white demon, he didn't seem this upset. He must really care about Hera to still be reacting this strongly to a simple strange pup. The Mightyena slinked closer, aware that she was defying an order, to get a better look. It was a Houndour, and Ciara's heart fell. The pup was clearly living, and it was one of Dante's own kind. Surely he would prefer it join his pack than her, she was just in the way around here.

She looked to Strix and Hera, who seemed so content to be near each other. A glance at Alice said the new Luxray was already an intregal part of the team. Even the new Raichu would fit better, having some part in Hera's past gave him a tie to the group that she didn't. Ciara looked down to the ground, at a small patch of ice giving her a blurred reflection, and saw what she always did. A worthless pup that had no place among strong Pokemon. She was supposed to be alone, she knew that. So why did she keep trying?

She didn't bother waiting for the pup to answer Dante, or even to say goodbye. She tore out the door, rushing past the Hounds and into the icy chill once more. A few tears were all she left behind, hitting the cold floor of the warehouse were she had once stood. She had no idea where she was going, only that she had to get away.

((OOC: She's not really going anywhere, she's just kind of having an emotional breakdown. lol. If anyone wants to go after her they can, but I am going to have something really bad happen to her for her 25th post achievement. She can't be near the group when it happens, though.))

Inochi didn't have time to hide when the Houndoom she saw earlier came out. He was even scarier up close. The Houndours blue eyes where wide with fear as she cowered there, her sash clutched tightly in her jaw as she shivered, not from the cold, but from fear.

"The hell are you and what do you want? Keep your answer simple and to the point or I rip your throat out." The Houndoom demanded, and Inochi's eyes just widened even more. The Houndour just felt like passing out right there she was so terrified. She must have looked really pathetic right there.

"I-I'm Inochi." She said, forcing herself to speak even though she was so scared. It was like the time with the Haxorus, though no one was here to save her now. "I-I..." She hesitated, wondering really what it was she was doing here. She was just following her instincts, and they brought her here, to these pokemon, was there a reason for it? Maybe this Houndoom could show here how to face her fears? She gulped before continuing. "I, I'm just looking for a pack to join..." She said, finally braking eye contact with the Houndoom, looking down at her paws.

Dante wanted to smash his head into something sturdy, just so he could be away from the pitiful pokemon around him as well as his own stupidity. His mouth had gotten away from him, and once he had barked out his threat, he saw that the houndour was some scared little pup, clutching some sort of sash, probably for warmth. She shivered in his presence; whether it was from the cold or from fear, he couldn't tell, but the fact remained that he had once again, without fail, made himself look like an ass. Dammit.

His conscience and reason battled for a moment. They didn't have the supplies they needed for the current numbers of the pack; another mouth to feed would cause more problems than it would help. Still, watching the little girl shiver, her blue eyes wide with fear, he couldn't bring himself to tell her to piss off, or to kill her there on the spot and eat her. She looked just like him, with the same color eyes, as he was when he was that young... His lip curled in irritation at his own indecisiveness. DAMMIT.

He did not get much time more to deliberate, as a dark blur he recognized as Ciara tore past them, leaving them in the snow. What the hell had spooked her now? Growling to himself that the pack was so easily falling apart, he looked down at "Inichi" or whatever her name was, and got close to her face so she could hear him over the holwing blizzard winds.

"There's a warehouse up ahead; go in there if you want shelter. Food, you'll have to find someplace else. You cause any trouble, the nidoking in there will eat you for dinner. Tell him Dante let you in. I gotta get after that stupid mightyena," he growled as he rose and bound through the snow after her, already somewhat lost in the whipping winds. Damn this blizzard! He longed for the days when he didn't even know what snow looked like.

Strix smiled softly as Hera anxiously whipped her tail off his arm as she started to purr.
"Th-thank you.. Strix. I r-really hate needles." She muttered.

"Get some rest sweetie." He murmured, softly running his claw behind her ear before the Mightyena took off in a flurry of tears.
What the...what's her problem...?
He stood up, about to follow Hera when he heard Dante barking angrily.
What the hell is all of this...he thought, his tail whipping behind him. Strix looked down at the wounded Espeon, forcing a smile as he kneeled back down. I can't leave her...especially with that...rat...
He forced down a growl, pulling some of the clothing over to cover her.

Things appeared to have gotten very tense around here. The Lixray still hadn't said a thing to me but I was quickly learning that this group was not as friendly as I had originally hoped. Even so, my large ears flicked in supprise as the Mightyena that had been nearby simply bolted. The soft scent of tears were in the air and concern tightened my chest as she ran outside. Something must have really frightened the poor dear. With another glance over my shoulder at Savanah, I trotted in the same direction as the canine.

I called out to her, "I'm gonna go after her, Savanah!" I heard her response just as I left the safety of the building. Hera... Why did she go by that now..? I didn't have time to think about it. I saw the two duel type hounds before me and blinked. I had just come within earshot to hear the oviously frightened Houndour reply, "I-I'm Inochi." I slowed my pace and continued to cautiously approach the two, the Mightyena now forgotten. "I-I... I, I'm just looking for a pack to join..." Inochi's gaze dropped to the snow. My heart went out to her- she sounded positively frightened.

I watched as the larger and more intimidating dog leaned sown, murrmuring something to the Houndour before turning and speeding away. I realized that he must be going after the Mightyena, but I no longer had the heart to leave Inochi alone. I trotted right up to her, my ears and tail waving in the howling winds and snow. "Hey!" I called with a grin. "Need some help sweet heart?"


Strix smiled down at me and my heart fluttered within my chest. "Get some rest sweetie," the Nidoking told me gently. He brought a great paw closer to me and I smiled as his claw gently rubbed against my soft ear. He made me feel so at ease... It was just a wonderful feelin and I never wanted to lose it. However I jumped as Yon-co suddenly called over. My eye widened as I saw Ciara flee, but I replied to the Raichu, "Call me Hera now!" I didn't know if he heard me or not for he vanished into the sea of white.


Now it was just Alice, Strix, and I in the building. A smile prayed at my lips. It was not ling ago that it was just the three of us outside of the cabin, back when Alice was a hurt Luxio, and Strix had first spoken to me. He had been so kind then, too. A content sigh escaped me, curling my tail around my paws as I pulled my forepaws up against my body. My mind was beginning to get hazy, making me want to sleep, and a yawn involentarily escaped me. I pulled my jaws back, showing sharp teeth, before it closed again. "So tired all of a sudden..." I barely whispered. "Must be the drugs..." 

I fought to stay awake but sleep was pulling at me. In all honesty, I was beyond exhausted. I had not slept back in the cabin and then I had been ingered. My ears dropped as I slowly lowered my head, resting it on the closest thing. I purred for only a second before dozing off on Strix's side.

Ciara ran, faster and faster, until she almost dropped from exhaustion. She didn't know where she was going, nor did she care. All she knew was that she wasn't wanted anywhere so she might as well not be anywhere. Dante had his pack, and Ciara had just been a hanger-on, not really part of them but proving useful enough to keep around. But, with the little Houndour, there would be no room for her. Too many mouths and not enough to go around always saw the weakest cast out, and in this case, that was her.

She wound up collapsing outside a rundown old building near the edge of town, and crawled up to the side of it to rest. The blizzard was blinding, and the winds bit through even her thick fur to chill her bones. She hated the cold, and longed for the days when the sun lit up the sky and kept the world warm. Maybe if she moved south again, she could find another warm place to hide. It was an idea. But for now, she would rest here. At least, so she thought.

There was a loud rumbling coming from the other side of the building and her ears pricked up to get a better listen. Whatever it was, it sounded massive, and it was heading right for her. Ciara pressed herself against the wall, hoping her dark coat would help her blend in with the building damaged and crumbling wall. When the creature finally turned the corner she nearly fainted from fear. It was a massive, undead Camerupt. His volcanoes where domed, capped off and dormant, and she wondered if the virus made them do that. His body was bloated and decayed, bits of skin shlepping off into the snow and sizzling. It seemed that without his volcanoes to release the internal heat, the magma inside him was causing his body to cook and rot from the inside out.

Ciara had never been a lucky pup, and today was no different. The Camerupt saw her and made to charge, a Flamethrower heading right for her. She managed to get out of the way of the main blast, but it singed her back right leg, causing her to stumble and land right before the beast. when she looked up, a whole new revelation struck her. A scar below his eye in the form of three claw marks, and a 'V' carved into his back thigh. She...she knew this monster. Flashes of her days with the Magma Grunt passed before her, and a gruff Numel kept popping up. He was the one who taught her that if you just obeyed, blocked out everything else, nothing could hurt you. He was the reason she survived that awful life. This Camerupt was Kennyth.

And he was trying to kill her.

((OOC: If anyone else goes after Ciara besides Dante, please don't do anything to save her. I have a plan and it wouldn't all fit into one post. Bad things are going to happen and I need full control of Kennyth for that. Thanks in advance!))

A sneeze escaped the houndoom as he trudged and trotted through the thick sheets of blinding snow. The blizzard had picked up again, and it had come back with a terrible vengeance. For a moment, it was all Dante could do to simply stand and try to see his surroundings. There was no scent to follow, the snow made visibility nil and the howling winds did little to help him hear anything. He turned to see the path he had taken quickly covered; his tracks were also gone. Meaning he was lost in this blizzard.

Shit.

He turned his attention back forward and shook his coat free of the snow. Some had already begun to freeze to his coat, and his nose was becoming numb. Going after Ciara seemed not the best choice now, especially with two newbies and a wounded back at the den, but it was all he could do now to figure out where the hell he was. Gritting his teeth, he continued on, fighting the headwind that was determined to stop him. He listened hard, trying to find something in the chorus of winds, since it was the only sense that could fight the blizzard.

"So tired all of a sudden...Must be the drugs..." Hera whispered breathlessly as she nodded off, her head resting on Strix' flank. The Nidokings' ferocious countenance softened as he gently placed his claw on her back. He gazed down at her, letting his eyes drink in the many scars that glared beneath her fur.

He sat, content in her company, reminiscing on the first time they met. She's so very beautiful...
A blush passed across his face as he realized how much he really cared for her. Maybe I overreacted with the Raichu...His eyes darted towards the retreating rat as his face grew grim once more. The Raichu had dashed to the small female Houndours' side, seemingly inviting her in.

Nah. He thought, baring his teeth slightly.

Alice felt Yon-co approach her, but said nothing. She was too focused on finding wood to be distracted. She heard the others talking, and the electric type leaving her side, and a sudden commotion, but she was all too focused. At last, when she was about to give up, she caught sight of a tarp layed out behind a cabinet. There were oddly shaped lumps under the tarp. Logs! Carefully, she pulled the tarp away to reveal a small stash of wood she had almost missed. Carrying two at a time, she slowly brought them to the middle of the warehouse, stacking them in a wide circle. Baring her teeth, she bit at the middle stack, exploding it in a flash of flame, allowing the other logs to catch and make an appropriate blaze.

She then walked back to the others, feeling very proud of herself. She stopped when she saw "doctor" Strix applying the medicine to Hera. She didn't eavesdrop, no, of course not, but one word did stick out of their conversation.

Sweetie...

Suddenly, Alice's face split in two, as she was unable to contain her grin. It seemed to her that Strix's eagerness to keep Hera alive made much more sense than it had. She said nothing, though, and forced her face to become smooth again. "I got the fire going." She said, simply.

((Sorry, had to catch up a bit. Hope I didn't miss anything. >.<))

((Ooc; Skippibg Yon-co as he has nothing to do until Winter replies ^^;))

I was thrust into a world that was foreign. I had no idea what was going on. But then again, my eyes were napped shut, blackness all around me and pressing tightly on my body. I felt that if I did dare to open my eyes, I would be horrified by what I saw. However, suddenly, the pressuring fullness was gone. I knew that I was no longer alone.

A joyous giggle filled my ears, as if someone were right behind me, and I was suddenly no longer frozen. My eyes snapped open and I whipped my head around to see who it had been. But I was laying down, my stomach on the ground with my legs curled up beneath me. But the laughter had been right above my head- someone would have been floating above me. Suddenly the carefree giggle was flung through the air again, but this time when I snapped my head around I was able to see the owner of the voice. Just a bour, but it was a white splash against the sky, a small bit of light green with a bright red flash. It was gone before I could even focus on it. But I no longer needed to as I suddenly took in my surrowndings. A pained gasp escaped me as my eyes widened with wonder. I recognized the place. Oh Arcus, I did. There were great rolling hills around me, grass a few feet high being tossed to and fro as the wing made them look like waves of earth. Faraway on some of the tallest hills were trees and I knew that there was a massive forest there. And on the other side was the human village. 

This was the place of my birth. My home.

Memories and images of the Pokemon from my childhood suddenly flashed behind my eyes. Mother. Father. Jude and Astrapi. Luna. The group of Zigzagoon and Skitty we would all hand out with in our spare time. And... The image of a girl suddenly clouded my eyes but I could not think her name. My trainer. I had met here here. We had built our outstanding friendship here. Our journey had started here. Suddenly I could not bear the beautiful cloudless sky, the warm sunlight on my fur, or the endless breeze coursing through my ears. It reminded me too much of her. A sob suddenly ripped through my cheat, threatening to choke me. I knew by then it was a dream, but now I was beginning to think it was a nightmere. But suddenly something seemed to ride the wind, a soft sound brought to my ears.

"Elle ne fera pas un bruit."
I knew the words. And I knew the tune. They were in another language and the sound slightly too high but I knew it.
"Alors tenez bon. Levez-vous quand il est tout s'écroule."
I jumpedto my paws, suddenly no longer being able to take it. I whipped my head to and fro as I desperately yearned for where the voice was coming from.
"Vous vous tenez par la douleur. Vous ne serez pas se noyer."
I found myself suddenly running. My legs pushing my body downhill, the heart pumping wildly within my chest. I found myself translating the lyrics within my head as I searched for the voice.
"Et un jour, ce qui est perdu peut être trouvé."
The voice was suddenly so close, so near that I could hearthe singer breathing. My own voice joined in withthe last line.
"Donc, debout sous la pluie!"

She was suddenly in my sights. As the familur scent weaved around me like a comfort no one else had ever provided and I drank in the sight of her like no other. There, singing the song I knew all too well as Stand in the Rain, was my trainer. I mewed out, tears streaming down my cheeks as she slowly turned to meet my eyes. I only saw her smile before crashing into her warm arms. I was shaking terribly, so many emotions running through me as her human hands stroked my fur. But she did not say anything. Instead she continued on with the song, going to the last corus. I translated into English with my head as I sang in French with her.

"Donc, debout sous la pluie. Restez sur place. "
"So stand in the rain. Stand your ground."
"Levez-vous quand il est tout s'écroule. "
"Stand up when it's all crashing down."
"Vous vous tenez sous la pluie. Vous ne serez pas se noyer. "
"You stand through the pain. You won't drown."
"Et un jour, ce qui est perdu peut être trouvé. "
"And one day what's lost can be found."
Vous vous tenez sous la pluie."
"You stand in the rain."

I was in heaven. It was the way I had always wanted to be and wanted to remain forever. The tears staining my cheeks did not stop and I just breathed in her scent, my beloved trainer. I was not awear that my voice was actually coming through my lips, singing into the waling world as well as in my dreams, a smile on my face as a lone tear escaped me.

((Ooc; This post was dedicated to Shaymin. (: ))

The snow was blinding, anyone in it could barely see a couple of feet in front of their face. But if you looked closely into the distance, you could make out bright flashes of orange. This is where one could find a black canine, in stark contrast against the snow, running as fast as she could. The look on her face was of pure terror, as tears streamed down her cheeks. A fresh burn on the back of her leg making her pace wobble.

Jets of flame darted past her as Ciara weaved left and right trying to dodge. he was relentless, never pausing in his slow pursuit. He obviously couldn't catch her while she was running, so he was doing his best to slow her down. Kennyth had been hot on her tail since she ran into him, and because he was such an old friend she just couldn't bring herself to attack. So she did what she was best at, she ran like hell.

She turned a sharp corner and found herself in a dead end alley. She skidded to a stop, and almost collided with the wall. She was trapped. Ciara turned when a hot puff of air brushed against her neck, and she saw Kennyth looming over her. She let out a terrified scream as his mouth opened wide, letting out a hot, steaming cloud of smoke. It made her eyes burn, and temporarily blinded her. The Mightyena wasn't prepared for the Srone Edge he let loose, the sharp rocks slicing into her fur and flesh, causing her to scream even louder.

He kept at her with a Take Down, causing her body to give out and collapse, rolling away from the force of the blow. He was on her again, Stomping over and over, the domes on his back cracking and hissing smoke. He was preparing for another move when she found enough energy to roll under him. He was so large that it took him a few moments to move back to where he could reach her, but it still wasn't enough time. He began to Stomp on her again, and every blow made her cry out in agony.

((OOC: Okay Dante! Do your thing! Just remember to use the Eruption move when you kill him. Those domes are ready to explode.))

Inochi watched as a dark shape dashed past them, and the Houndoom seemed to know it cause he turned to look back at her. She didn't understand why, but those ice blue eyes scared her. They where the same colour as hers, and they scared her. She shrunk back a little as he bent his head so that it was right in front of her face. "There's a warehouse up ahead; go in there if you want shelter. Food, you'll have to find someplace else. You cause any trouble, the nidoking in there will eat you for dinner. Tell him Dante let you in. I gotta get after that stupid mightyena," He said before going after the black blur.

Inochi sat in the snow for a few moments watching Dante run after the thing that ran past them. A warehouse? With a Nidoking that would eat her? Inochi felt like walking the other way if she wasn't so cold and scared. She turned around to go to the warehouse when she was faced with a Raichu. She let out an squeak of surprise and backed away a little. "Hey! Need some help sweet heart?" It said. And Inochi didn't know what to say.

The Houndour stared at it for a good while before reply. "N-no..." She said, looking to the side so that she didn't make eye contact with it. "I mean, yes. I n-need to get t-to the warehouse, t-the one with a n-nidoking." She said as she looked back over to the electric type.

Inochi began to walk to the warehouse where she poked her head through the door and saw the Nidoking with a, Espeon she believed it was called. There was also a Luxray, all fully evolved and scary looking. She slowly walking in. "U-um, D-Dante said I could t-take shelter here?"