Obvious exits:
North <N> leads to Old Macdonald's Farm.
South <S> leads to Overgrown Lands - Route 11: Off the Route.
West <W> leads to Field and Streams - Route 11: Orchards.
East <E> leads to Footbridge - Route 12: Junction.

Fair weather clouds drift through the blue sky from the west, along with the wind. The sunlight on the snow is dazzling, and it gleams on the ice. In the forest, blowing snow drifts against the trunks of the trees. While at the coast, the sea is bright but cruel and cold looking in the sunlight, the waves gentle and the whitecaps small.

Kite arrives from the south.
Kite has arrived.

The weather for the past few days has been fairly more mild, and the sun shining upon the snow is a sight for the sore eyes of those pokemon who spent the entire winter thus far cooped up in the barn. The more intelligent pokemon realize that there's still weeks and weeks ahead, but Peppy isn't exactly one of the "more intelligent". The Growlithe makes his way down the route, head low to the ground, tail erect and wagging, perhaps hunting or perhaps taking a walk... or, apparently, neither. His head is bowed far too low for him to simply be having a stroll, but he does not sniff the air or seem to be keeping a look out for Rattatas, suggesting that he's not exactly out hunting. ... So what, then, is he doing? With Peppy, you never really can tell.

Coming from the opposite direction of the fire-type is a little ball of brown fuzz, known to some as Kite. The Eevee is walking slowly down the path, sour expression on his face as he sinks into the snow when he pauses too long. With a quick hop he's out however, albeit with chunks of snow clinging to his fur. <I... hate... Winter.> he snarls quietly to himself as he tries in vain to shake some of the snow from his short legs. This only causes him to lose his balance, and he ends up tumbling face first into another drift. At this point, he's no longer quiet. A string of obscenities that aren't going to be translated pierce the cold air as Kite lets off steam that has been gathering the entire day.

Peppy's right ear is the first part of his body to react to Kite's foul language. It twitches softly, and the other one immediately perked up, suddenly attentive. "Growl?" Peppy asks himself, bringing his head from the snow to the sky, scrunching up his face slightly in the blowing winds. Swish, swish goes his bushy tail, fighting against the gusts. The pup lets out a half-growl, half-grunt as he scans the horizon. He smells the faint scent of something, and he could almost swear he heard something as it blew through the wind. Words he doesn't care to process. Words he might not even know. Kite must be covered in snow, for Peppy doesn't detect the Eevee again through sight, smell, or sound, and he turns back to the ground, once again losing himself in thought. His paws pick out of the snow, leaving prints that will allow him to make his way home... supposing the blowing snow doesn't cover his tracks.

Once Kite is done his little rant session, he's left panting rather dramatically. <Wow, that felt great.> he chuckles once he's recovered, tail waving to and fro <I gotta do that more often!> He's back to hopping along the snowy path once more, this time trying to move faster and prevent any further sinking mishaps. Sure, the wind is blowing him around like a leaf, but at least he got to let out his frustration without being reprimanded by some holier-than-thou type.

Purple, gold, and vermillion clouds grace the western sky as the sun descends toward the west.

It's never been easy for poor Peppy to think, especially about things as confusing as are on his mind right now. Indeed, his eyes are narrowed at nothing at all but the snow, which his nose almost touches as he goes along. As a matter of fact, the only thing that keeps him from walking into one of the trees occasionally dotting the white landscape is pure luck. Chances are he will eventually bash straight into one. Plop plop plop. Again, a faint whisper on the wind. Peppy's head shoots up, and now, a little more worried, he looks across the land. His eyes are wide, his body tense. <Is somebody out there?> he barks into the wind, then again. He's got to stop doing that. If there really is an evil monster out there hungry for delicious Growlithe flesh, pointing out your location is not the wisest of all ideas. But Peppy does it anyway, for he doesn't see Kite. The large mound of snow in his way just might be the reason.

An Eevee doesn't just have those super long ears for show, no sir! They can hear pretty well with the darn things, and it is those very ears that allow Kite to catch Peppy's barking over the wind. Barking. Barking usually means a dog. Kite gulps and pauses in his hopping, which of course leads to him sinking again. This time however, he has bigger problems. For a moment, he takes into consideration going back to where he came from. This idea is nipped in the bud rather quickly however, he needs to get where he's going before it gets dark! There are plenty of larger animals that would find him particuarly tasty. Summoning up his courage, the normal type shouts back a reply <Uh, yeah! Someone's out here! Hello, heh...>

Somewhere, a blue haired boy selects the right shade of lipstick. (Eee! Saving!)

Navarone arrives from the south.
Navarone has arrived.

Ah ha! Peppy tenses his entire body as the Eevee speaks, whipping his head towards the mound. His breath is held as his eyebrows narrow, the canine's teeth clamping together. The voice does not sound familiar, but whatever it is, it's right on the other side of this mound. And it sounds squeaky, sounds small - and it might make for a great dinner. (Why is it that Peppy seems to hunt better when he's *not* trying?) He takes one step towards the edge of the mound, exhales, inhales, shakes his head, and proceeds to it. <Are you still here?> he howls to the sky once again. He glances at the pile of snow, peers forward, then peers back at the snow. <Don't go yet, don't go!> Ah, the mighty hunter, stealthily stalking his prey...

The fair weather clouds in the west turn purple, gold, and vermillion as the sun sets. The snow, in shadow, looks blue. A cold wind blows from the west.

Hmm. Something he's never met doesn't want him to go. Now, some of Kite's fellow Eevee might not see anything peculiar about this, they aren't exactly the brightest creatures around. Kite on the other hand is a little bit more world-wise than they, and isn't about to rush over to meet this new 'friend'. Just because he's wary doesn't mean he's polite, however. <If I weren't still here, who would be talking?> he monotones back, his own eyes narrowing somewhat <Why exactly are you so eager for me to stay, anyway? Somehow I don't think you're a traveling salesman, so what's the deal?> Swish swish goes the nervous tail.

The orange-red sun sinks below the western horizon, leaving a darkening tapestry of purple and red-gold clouds behind it.

Ah ha! Fwoosh! Peppy kicks off of his back paws, sending snow flying into the air as he dashes towards Kite. Or, at least, dashes a little - bit by bit as he galumps over the ground, he gets slower... and slower... and slower... until, as he approaches Kite, his pace is slower than a walk. His eyes have gone from angry and aggressive to calm and curious, and his jaw now hangs loose instead of clenched. Should the Eevee not have scampered off, the next thing to roll out of his chops is a strange question Kite may not have been able to prepare for. <Aren't you one of those things?> Ah, yes, the things. Sniff sniff. <I think I've seen you before.> Sniff sniff. <One of you, I mean.> Sniff sniff.

As the sun sets, the sky is turned into a canvas of the gods, painted with blazing hues of red and yellow, and even indigo away the far side of the sun. Even the snow isn't spared, for it has a hint of blue in it. Such a colourful scene, quite in contrast to the many dreary days of monochrome sleet and freezing rain. And yet, the day's beauty seems to go unnoticed by some. Not many have the time to sit down and stare at the sky, watching it darken into night. Some are hunting, some are simply wandering. An example of the latter would most likely be this Vulpix, walking in from the east, tails swishing in the chilly air. If anyone were paying attention, the firefox has been doing this for several days now, simply waltzing out of the barn, disappearing for hours on end, before reappearing just before dusk settles into night. And as the day darkens, Navarone makes his way back to Assisi, to wait out the night.. but today it seems that there might be an interruption in his programme. As a canine howl pierces the silence, one of Navarone's ears perks up, and he lifts his head up curiously, and sniffs in the direction of the sound. Alas, it brings him nothing, as he is upwind. Carefully, he paces over to the source of the sound, edging closer to the commotion that Peppy and Kite are currently making.

Ah yes, this is it... the end. Somehow the Eevee always knew his life would end thanks to one of his snide comments. At first when he sees the Growlithe approaching, his eyes are tightly shut as he awaits the inevitable. Time passes, and nothing happens... save for the object of his fears asking him a question. A really vague question. <What?> he squeaks, eyes shooting open at Peppy

Ah yes, this is it... the end. Somehow the Eevee always knew his life would end thanks to one of his snide comments. At first when he sees the Growlithe approaching, his eyes are tightly shut as he awaits the inevitable. Time passes, and nothing happens... save for the object of his fears asking him a question. A really vague question. <What?> he squeaks, eyes shooting open at Peppy's inquiry. Somehow he manages to regain his concentration, and stutters out <I'm... an Eevee. Yes. A living, breathing, non-eaten Ee-- what exactly was that all about?> His tone changes quickly from casual to ticked off, and his huge black eyes send a nasty glare up at the fire dog.

When Peppy blinks at Kite, he appears genuinely confused, as though the answer is *not* as blaringly obvious as it really is. He cocks his head very slightly as he sits down on his haunches, setting his rump to rest in the snow. He seems to not feel uncomfortable sitting in the snow. He remains silent for a good few moments, trying to puzzle things together in his mind. Eventually, his eyes widen, his jaw parts, and he blinks once more, as though finally coming to an understanding. <You mean...> Pause. <Oh! You mean, about me eating you?> He wags his tail excitedly. <I only eat Rattats and Pidgeys. And burgers, too, burgers are nice.> Wag wag wag. <And I don't think you're a Rattata or a Pidgey!> His wagging becomes slower, and his head drops a little, and that half-concentrating, half-confused look manifests into the pup's face once more. <... Are you?>

As he approaches the two conversing pokemon, Navarone takes a detour, and wades into the tall grass. Except the once tall grass is now nothing but mere wilted shrubbery covered by snow. As he pads over the snowdrift, his one eye, though lacking the ability to focus, catch sight of a Growlithe, and a.. what's that? Eevees are rare, after all, and it's unlikely that Navarone has come across one is all of his short lifetime, and even if he did, it's most likely he forgot the encounter. But the Growlithe is indeed recognizable. It's Peppy, after all. He walks towards the two, making his appearance glaringly obvious to the Eevee but not the Growlithe; Peppy's facing away from him. He almost seems nonchalant about his own exposure to the two; as if they practically didn't exist. He comes to a stop, but the location of where he sits is quite awkward; right beside Peppy. Far away enough so that he can't spot him out of the corner of his eye, but close enough to sense him, if Peppy could. He doesn't make any attempt to introduce himself, as he just looks over the fire-canine and the normal type.

Twitch. Twitch. Kite opens his mouth, as if he's about to give a really long (and very loud) lecture on how many things were wrong with what Peppy just said, but quickly snaps his mouth shut when he thinks better of it. He's getting much too old for this. His entire fuzzy form droops in a mixture of relief and exhaustion, and he replies quietly "Vee. Eeeeevee." <No. I'm an Eevee.> Wow. Saying nothing takes much more effort from Kite than saying many somethings. When the Vulpix makes his appearance, Kite's attention is drawn over that way. <Okay, before you say anything...> he speaks in a deadpan tone to the fox <Are you confused over my species, too? Let's just all discuss our menus out in the open so I know what to expect.>

Brindled clouds conceal a few patches of starlit sky.

It's already been established that Peppy is feeble-minded. His entire concentration is having to focus itself almost entirely on talking to the Eevee, and he's not really listening or smelling or looking for anything else. A Rattata could probably wander on by and escape unharmed. Heck, maybe even a walking burger, so focused are the Growlithe's thoughts. Peppy peers at Kite for a moment, before directing his eyes to the ground, as if trying to remember. <Patch mentioned it one time,> he woofs softly, still thinking. The fact that all Kite can say is "Eevee" and variations thereof doesn't seem to give Peppy enough of a clue, because he shakes his head and looks back up at the brown fluffball. <I don't know what you are, but I'm a Growlithe!> His chest puffs out and he half-grins at Kite, as though this fact is very special to him.

Navarone blinks when the Eevee addresses him rather suddenly. Oh well. It makes his introduction so much more easier that way. As the Growlithe finally finishes, he then speaks up. <I heard you the first time. From what I overheard, you're supposed to be an Eevee. That's what you say at least. And not to worry, I try not to eat anything that's not normally in my diet. Even if I considered it, you're probably not too filling. Too much fur, too little to chew on; somewhat like me.> He turns around and looks at his lifted tails, as if to confirm his own sayings. He then turns his head towards the south, and looks at the Assisi Farm distractedly, tails curling about himself nearly automatically.

Several blinks and a sigh later, Kite decides that perhaps trying to have a normal conversation with Peppy isn't going to pan out. Why not address the seemingly brighter canine? <Well, that's a relief.> he exhales upon hearing Navarone's response. A look is shot back at Peppy, as Kite tilts his head to the side. Something seems awfully familiar about that mutt. Something he can't quite put his paw on. Eventually he shakes it off as nonsense, you've seen one Growlithe you've seen them all. So here he sits with two canines. In the snow. In the cold. <Eh... so, you eh... come here often?> comes the weak attempt at a friendly banter

Somewhere, a blue haired boy selects the right shade of lipstick. (Eee! Saving!)

Fwoosh! Peppy's head whiplashes (ow) in Navarone's direction, and the Vulpix immediately gets a heartfelt, warm and welcoming blink. <What are...> A pause. A small smile. A somewhat quiet <Hey.> Looks like Peppy doesn't quite enjoy being surprised. Turning his head back to Kite, he gives him a nod-nod-nod, stops for a half second, then nod-nods again. <Lots of times I come out here hunting... but a little while ago Aurora went out instead of me. Did you see her? She looks like me, except she's a girl and she's nice and really smart, and her name's Aurora. Mine's Peppy!> Wag, wag. Notice how little he's actually touching upon physical description. Maybe once you've seen one Growlithe, you -have- seen 'em all - at least, that's how Peppy seems to be painting it.

As the Eevee asks his little question, Navarone jerks his head up slightly, as if roused from some daydream that he was having. Turning his head back unhurriedly to the other two, he ponders his answer for a moment. <I do stay around here, if that's what you're asking>, is the reply that the Eevee gets from the firefox. <But that's only for the winter. I usually move out by spring.> Peppy's little greeting gets a heartfelt nod from the Vulpix. Peppy's little description of his mate makes the Vulpix roll his eye, though it isn't out of annoyance, as the grin on his muzzle suggests otherwise. He doesn't bother to introduce himself, as he once again turns around to go and sort out his tails, as well as groom them. Nobody really understands how six tails can be so much trouble, but that's a reality Navarone's evolution line has to accept.

<Can't say I have, kid.> Kite replies to Peppy, as apathetic as Peppy is chipper <Why, you in the dog house?> There's a small chuckle from the Eevee at this joke, obviously he's quite proud of his zinger. Does he realize a Growlithe might not grasp the concept of a joke including an old -human- saying? Probably not, because Kite only really half understands it himself. <Eh, that is to say-are you in trouble with your lady friend? Didja have a fight or something?> At this point Kite is asking himself why he cares. Maybe it's that chill in the air that makes him go all caring and stuff. Stupid snow.

The wind carries a clump of snow, which breaks apart in the air and sends globs of freezing flakes clinging to the pup's fur. A chill unintentionally rips down the Growlithe's spine, and he shivers a bit, though it doesn't seem to slow down his happy wagging. <Dog house?> he asks. <Trouble? Fight?> Peppy shakes his head, almost as if he doesn't hear the Eevee. <I would never fight with Aurora! She just wanted to go hunting because she hasn't been out of the barn in a long time. And I had to watch the puppies.> And just like that, his tail drops, his face falls, and his eyelids close, almost apathetically. <... I'm really glad I hunt, because it's really, really hard to take care of puppies, because I was really worried about Aurora, and then one pup got hungry and starting yapping, so then they *all* started yapping, so then I fed them, then Dakota got bored, so they *all* got bored and started fighting, and... and...> He pauses here in inhale deeply, and his comments are now dotted with panting, his tongue hanging limply out of his mouth. <... And I really feel sorry for Aurora, because her job is harder than mine.> Given that she came back with two or three cuts, she would likely disagree.

Navarone smirks. It's not often that you see an Eevee, 14 pounds of mostly brown fur, call a Growlithe, 42 pounds of PokeForce staple and backbone, a 'kid'. Peppy is, by most standards, a child in mentality, but adult in reality. Nevertheless, as he watches the puppy pokemon sort through his experiences in days past, Navarone's sarcastic grin fades, and turns into that of uncertainty. Reality can be harsh; and for the pup to realize that now, /now/ of all times, is nothing short of taxing. At least, that's how Navarone feels about the couple. <Maybe you should have gotten me to help. Or was I even in the barn at that time? Hmm.. don't think so.> His tails continue swishing, though they now sway more softly. <So. Who might you be?>, he asks of the Eevee.

Kite cringes somewhat at the mention of puppies. It's quite obvious the Eevee isn't a 'kid' person in the least, and the thought of a gaggle of loud, whiny brats to watch over sounds like torture. <Man, I'm sorry...> the words slip out before he can even think better of them <What I mean to say is, heh, that's a tough break.> The normal type shakes his body suddenly to get himself free of some of the snow the wind has sent his way. Once he's done that, he finishes his thought with a smirk <You'd never catch me with kids, or a mate for that matter... oh, the name is Kite. Well, that's the last name that was given to me, anyway.> When he says this, a hint of sadness comes over the Eevee's face, but he's quick to rid himself of it with another expression of indifference <Eh, yours?>

Peppy remains pretty much oblivious to Navarone's thoughts. He shakes his head as the Vulpix talks, though doesn't verbally reply. Perhaps he doesn't have time; Kite saps away all of the Growlithe's attention almost right away, and we all know Peppy has the attention span of a sugar-high four year old. <But... but but!> Peppy sputters, almost as though completely in disbelief of what the Eevee has to say. <... But I don't have any regrets.> Navarone can feel free to talk right over the Growlithe, or he can wait until Peppy's finished talking; Peppy will continue muttering, rather quietly. <... It was really hard, but even if it is hard, I do really love them a lot. Lots and lots, just especially when they're sleeping. They like to sleep. I think they got that from Aurora. Or maybe they got it from me. Or maybe they got it from both of us, since we both like to sleep. They also eat a lot. I think that came from Aurora, too. No, wait... I think it came from me.> Peppy's going for that "intellectual babble" kind of thing now.

<Kite.>, Navarone repeats stoically. The name doesn't ring a bell, neither does it conjure images of a generically diamond-shaped human flying device. When the Eevee asks of his own name, Navarone is hesitant to reveal it. He stares down at the snow, and does so for quite awhile, before he whispers, to no one in particular. <.. Navarone. Last name given to me as well.> Like the Eevee, there's a hint of depression, and even regret in his face, and even though it's more obvious than Kite's, it's not really noticeable given his head's current position. As if to distract himself, he turns over to the Growlithe now muttering in a nostalgic tone. He grins slightly. Maybe that talk they had the other day was effective after all, and as he raises his head, he gazes over at Kite. <So, why are you so scared of having kids, eh Kite?>

A cold wind blows from the west, driving charcoal clouds before it and blotting out the stars in isolated patches overhead. The air is clear and elsewhere the stars shine brightly.

Kite frowns somewhat at Peppy's babble, his ears drooping as the Growlithe rambles on. <Good fer you then, kid.> he nods, actually being polite for once <Me? I'm a loner. I like having nobody to tell me what to do or where to be. I can roam where I want, when I want.> He puffs his chest out somewhat at this declaration, making the chain around his neck that is usually hidden in fur a little more visible. When he realizes it's able to be seen however, he quickly un-puffs and gives a nervous laugh, hoping that nobody noticed the trinket.

And so Peppy babbles, quieter and quieter until he's merely mumbling to himself, words so quiet that not even he can hear them. Gradually, he sighs, before putting himself back in the conversation - right in time to hear Kite speak. <... You don't want to trade your freedom, do you?> He turns his head to the side, looking towards the horizon. The sun is descending now, and the pup squints as he tries to watch it fall, the breeze ruffling the white fur on his chin. <When Aurora and I first became mates, she was really concerned about that. She was... she was really quiet, until I finally asked. She told me she was scared, because being my mate would...> He never turned back to either the Vulpix or the Eevee while he spoke, and even now he looks even furhter away, as if wanting to hide his face. <... Chain her down. ... But I don't regret it, and I don't think she does, either. It's a big, scary world, filled with all sorts of bad things...> Peppy grins slightly. <Maybe it's not always bad being chained.>

<Hmm. That sorta reminds me of someone>, Navarone comments on the Eevee's choice of lifestyle. He blinks once, and then, that sad, lonely face appears again, and he absent mindedly turns it away from the two other pokemon, and stares into the distance longingly. The little chain doesn't go unnoticed, but it does go uncommented. Like the Eevee's loner lifestyle, it also reminds him of the aforementioned 'someone'. And he just stays there, staring, staring... and then he just sighs. Turning back to the two, Peppy's little speech catches his attention. The comment about the world being a frightful place makes him nod, solemnly. <I sure hope so. Being chained to each other.. that's not so bad, ain't it?> He grins at his own realization of the pup's revelation. He might not be /that/ smart, but even then, he's got his own share of things that most people don't know yet. <But.. when you're chained down by other people... and when you don't want to be tied down..> He fails to continue his reverie, as he just sighs deeply and shakes his head. He shakes himself brsikly, ridding himself of the light snow covering his back. He forces a smile on his face, and looks back at the Eevee. <Must be nice, being able to do whatever you want, isn't it?>

<Eh.> Kite seems to be struggling to try and find some ground on which he can relate to Peppy, but he comes up short. Sure, in a way Zeph and he had a bond in which they were proctected from the scary things of the world (although he really couldn't protect Zeph all that much). He's saved by the Vulpix speaking up again, although recalling his former trainer has made his tone somewhat less confident <Uh, yeah... it's great. Nobody tells me to go freeze my tail off looking for food-- I do it by my own choice. Heh.>

Peppy gives Navarone his attention while he speaks. He does not nod, or shake his head, or bat an eyebrow, or whimper, growl, or make any noises, or show very much expression at all. But isn't not showing expression an action all by itself? <I don't know,> he mutters finally, right as Navarone asks Kite how it feels to be free. He turns his head to the side indignantly, closing his eyes. <... I don't know what I'd do if I went back to the barn one day and Aurora and the puppies weren't there.> One eye blinks open, his jaw parts, and he glances back at Navarone, wondering if he's reminded of the same event. Kite gets a flicker of the eyes, but that's about it. Peppy's far more interested in Navarone's reply than the Eevee's.

Somewhere, a blue haired boy selects the right shade of lipstick. (Eee! Saving!)

And the Growlithe's comments do bring back certain memories of that day in the snow. If at the time Navarone looked upon his task as something that had to be done, now he sees it as some form of cruel torture the pup had to endure. It's just desserts for the Vulpix, or so he thinks. <Have you forgotten already? I thought you said yourself what you would do if that happened.> And suddenly his demeanour almost perfectly mimics the tone of voice he had on that very day. All but his face. Turned away from Eevee and the Growlithe, it looks almost on the verge of bursting into tears. Then he realizes something. Peppy said, Aurora, /and/ the puppies. That just does it for the firefox, and he just sorta half collapses into the snow, as if it held no more coldness, and was as inviting as a warm fireplace. And to the firefox, it just might be.

Okay, this has been a nice little chitchat and all, but the cold is really starting to get to Kite. <Barn... you mean 'the' barn? The one that has the free grub?> the Eevee tilts his head to the side, totally missing the more important part of Peppy's statement. His tail starts to swish again, although this is probably to keep it from turning into a tailsicle and falling off. <Sounds good. Sounds warm, for that matter.> he manages a small smile, looking in the direction of Assisi <I don't know about you guys, but I'm not keen on camping out in the snow tonight... how about I follow you back there? Haven't been there for a little while.>

Navarone's comment invokes a small grin on Peppy's part. It's not a particularly cheerful smile, it's got almost an aura of sadness about it. His voice is somewhat cracked and quiet as he replies with a simple, <You know what I mean.> And then Navarone collapses into the snow. He glances at Kite. Then at Navarone. Kite. Navarone. Kite. Navarone. <We should... uh, uh, Navarone!> Plop, plop. Peppy trots (doesn't dash or sprint or dive or spring, just sort of trots) over to the Vulpix's body in the snow, glances up -again- at the Eevee, then back down at the Vulpix. He whimpers softly, frowning. A chill runs down his spine, though whether from fright for his friend or simply from the cold is unsure. <Are you... are you all right? Are you hurt? Are you cold?> This is not good. Nope. Not good. Can't be good!

Navarone simply lies there, for the most part oblivious to Peppy and Kite. When the Eevee mentions the barn however, he lackadaisically turns his head towards the structure. If but for a brief moment, Navarone saw the barn, alighted and bathed in flame in the very same way on that fateful night. If one were to gaze into the Vulpix's eye, it would be obvious that it held nothing but fear in it. His breath quickens, little gasps of air as well as little bursts of steam emanate from his muzzle. And then Peppy just shouts at him. Blinking, as if awaking from some dream (though nightmare is more like it), he breathes deeply, in and out, as if trying to process what happened in the brief passage of time in which the past had relived itself. He lies there, unmoving, unspeaking for several moments. And then he finally says something. <I'm... alright>, is his cold, steely response, as he slowly gets to all fours. He licks his muzzle, and blinks once more. Without looking at either Kite or Peppy, he simply says, in that same stony monotone, <We should get going. You want a place to rest, do you not?>, he directs his query at Kite. <Come.> And he just turns towards the Assisi barn, without even checking on the other two.

Kite watches over the Vulpix's actions with a combination of confusion and worry. Not so much worry over the fire fox as worry over the unpredictable nature he's displaying. Once Navarone has gotten back onto his feet however, Kite's expression becomes more exhausted than anything. <Sounds like a plan.> he nods, moving to hop after the Vulpix, thoughts of free food and warmth dancing in his head.

Peppy simply watches Navarone for a couple steps, before he shakes his head and turns back to the sun, which has now almost entirely disappeared behind the line that makes up the horizon. "Grrth," he grunts to himself, shaking his head a little. Back to Navarone his eyes go. <You go on ahead,> he woofs. <I'm going to keep on hunting.> What are his reasons? Would he be ashamed to go home without food? Is he hungry himself? Does he love Aurora so much he wants to get her something to eat? Would he feel guilty if his *easier* job resulted in no Rattatas? ... Does he just not want to have to help with the puppies? His motives are unclear, but his intentions are not. <Be safe. I think you can follow my pawprints back... though it might be too dark. And the snow might have covered them. And I think I got lost on my way out here so it might not be a straight line.> Ah, that's our Peppy. Even when he's using his head and giving Navarone and Kite a suggestion, he's really not using it well.

<You do that>, Navarone replies to Peppy's wanting to continue hunting. As if he'll catch anything in the darkness. For the moment, it seems that Navarone's once uncaring nature; a direct contrast to his current demeanour that he has shown to the likes of many pokemon lately, has surfaced again. For now, he's practically oblivious to the needs of others. <Assisi's this way>, he says to the Eevee, not out of wanting to help the little brown canine-like creature, but out of pity that Kite should have no care in the world. What use is there if one does not have any care? And that's pretty much how Navarone feels, right about now. Useless. His reasons for doing so go unexplained, as the Growlithe and the duo consisting of Kite and Navarone now go their separate ways.

Perhaps on the outside it seems as if the Eevee has no cares, but one should never judge a book by its cover. The same goes for a person who puts on a mask for the rest of the world to see, to save themselves from having to answer the same questions over and over. He trails after the Vulpix without saying a word, although he does pause to look one last time at Peppy before vanishing into the cold night.

If Peppy finds it odd that he wasn't given an enthusiastic good luck or a decent farewell, he doesn't express it. He watches the duo make their way in the farm's general direction, his fur ruffling fiercely in the night's winds. Once he's sure they're out of his range of hearing, he sighs loudly, almost dramatically. <... I just don't get it,> he whispers to himself, searching for comfort in his voice and not finding it. <If this is what being chained is like...> And now he lifts his head up to the sky. The air is crisp and cool in the darkness, and the blowing wind feels good as it dances around the pup's ears. He takes in a breath or two. <Then why do I feel so free?> He closes his eyes, shakes his head, and whirls around, venturing off into the darkness, hoping to catch dinner before retiring for the night.