Obvious exits:
North <N> leads to Commerce Road - Route 7: Sunny Offshoot.
Northeast <NE> leads to Commerce Road - Route 7: Trading Point.
West <W> leads to Commerce Road - Route 7: Gilded Path.

Rix arrives from Commerce Road - Route 7: Trading Point.
Rix has arrived.

Fair weather clouds sail across the blue sky, propelled by light breezes from the west. It's warm in the sun, cool in the shade, and the air is clear and dry. In the forest, the wind rustles the bright green leaves of trees and bushes and carries Oddish pollen, downy seeds, and the fragrance of wildflowers along with it. While at the coast, the ocean is a deep cool blue today, the waves lapping at the coast gently under the pleasant spring sky.

Finally.

Without a rider to guide her, an Arcanine runs straight at the database. Better save! (Saving)

Rix has been on the run for two days now. Her paranoia and suspicions of people have driven her to skirt towns and cities and stick to the wilderness. The scent of fresh spring water has called her to this picnic area for a quick drink. The smell of humans and pokemon is all around but most of the scents are quite faded. Stepping to the stream and looking out over the water hesitantly, she happens to notice her reflection. <What a mess!> she concludes sadly. Her trainer had been a nice sort. They had just never seemed to understand one another. The food he had tried to offer was not satisfactory to the Tigrynx's picky tastes. Her orange coat was somewhat dulled and patches of fur stuck out in clumps that were ready to be shed. Her lanky figure had become rather skinny after that voluntary hunger strike. She sighed and bent down farther to lap up the cool, clear water.

After a few quick sniffs, Peppy leaps back up with a sudden thrill and excitement. <This is it!> he barks quickly, loudly, and with no little passion, a big doggie grin starts to spark up on his furry face. Bit by bit, little images of memory start to piece themselves back. He's been here before! He remembers this place! <Now, if I remember correctly,> mumbles the puppy under his breath, turning his head to the side. A little fur dislodges from his right cheek - simply from shedding, no doubt - and sails into the wind. Shedding's been really hard on this puppy, what with him having a much bushier and larger coat than the average Growlithe. <It shouldn't be too far from here.> With a slight nod, the Growlithe continues down at the path, though this time his head is down - he's following his nose. Toucan Sam would be proud.

The cool water really hits the spot for Rix. She smiles down at herself as the ripples begin to fade into larger, softer circles. There needed to be a new plan. She would find a new stick and continue her hunting until she had gorged herself and gained at least 10 pounds! Well, maybe a brief nap in a sunbeam would be a better start. Looking around she selected a patch of sun not to far from the stream. Flopping onto her back and contorting herself into an odd position, Rix falls asleep. The Tigrynx looks like something that has fallen out of a tree. Her top half is going right and her bottom is going left. Add to that the patches sticking out of her coat and her pink tongue lolling out of her mouth and you definitely get the appearance of a dead feline. She is so exhausted that the sound of the approaching Growlithe and his busy nose don't register a bit.

Isn't this a confusing switch of roles? It seems that Peppy's the one intent on working, while Rix is thinking about eating and sleeping. Ah, irony. Anyway! Sniff, sniff! Sni... eh? Peppy blinks softly, slowly lifting his head up and cocking it slightly. That seems like a very... Hrm. A very familiar scent. Taking another few steps forward, Peppy now focuses less of his senses on smell and more of it on sight. Even through colorblindness, it's not too long before Peppy sees Rix. And the puppy can only widen his eyes. Is she..? ... No, the scent is too strong... Unless she only *just*... This requires a closer look. Now bursting forward, Peppy moves into a jog in the sleeping cat's directions.

Rix sleeps on. Her chest rising and falling very softly and the rest of her lean body remaining still. The sun is seeping through her fur and warming her from the inside out. With a fur coat, spring is a great time to be a Tigrynx! It is not too hot, nor is it too cold. Sleep is just the thing to rejuvenate a hunter. No sounds interrupt her dozing; she is too weak and far too tired. The last time she tried to rest a trainer and three pokemon had snuck up on her. She was still badly in need of some good shut eye.

Make Peppy number four. Then again, it depends on your interpretation and definition of 'snuck up on'... running full speed, panting easily, paws thumping against the ground, that's not exactly sneaking up on. "Growl gro-o-owlithe lithe growl!" woofs the puppy as he approaches, coming to a screening halt. And despite the fact that Peppy's not too smart, he is intelligent enough to realize that moving chest = living creature. A little exhale is given, and a little anime mushroom sigh escapes from his mouth. A moment later... <Are you okay?> He prods the Tigrynx with his nose. Dumb.

Fair weather clouds sail across the blue sky, propelled by light breezes from the west. It's warm in the sun, cool in the shade, and the air is clear and dry.

Without a rider to guide her, an Arcanine runs straight at the database. Better save! (Saving)

Hot sun, cold wet nose! "Rrrryyyyyyyyx!" the feline howls as she shoots into the air. Collapsing without grace back onto the ground, the Tigrynx sprays dust and hair into Peppy's face. Her own nose sucks in a stream of it as she tries to collect herself and she begins to sneeze in a small chain of "tigs". Rix shakes her head and slowly focuses her eyes. She is standing now with her legs splayed and her tail standing up behind her like a broken bottlebrush. Two Growlithes! What would she do! The images begin to waver and finally fade into one another. One Growlithe, now that was more manageable. After her eyes clear, she manages a short sniff and puts a name to the familiar face of the shaggy form in front of her. Rix's mood changes instantly when she recognizes a familiar pokemon face! "Tig tig rynx!" <Hey, its you!> she says with a small bounce and leaps forward to pounce on Growlithe with her tongue already starting to creep out. If he doesn't move quickly, it looks like Peppy is going to get a free bath!

Ijou arrives from Commerce Road - Route 7: Trading Point.
Ijou has arrived.

Dust and hair + Sensitive nose = One great big giant sneeze. The puppy's face distorts a little bit as he begins to rear his head back slightly. With eyes beginning to close, Peppy prepares... prepares... and sneezes at the ground. Sniffle, sniffle. Sneeze number two! Sniffle. Sniffle. Pin! Because of his preoccupation with sneezing, Peppy doesn't notice Rix whatsoever... so it's a complete and total shock to him when she pounces upon him. He lets out a huge horrified gasp, and already his life begins to flash before his eyes. <Aaiiee! Heeeelp!> he howls, struggling to get out from under the feline (but most likely in vain). After a couple licks, however, he almost immediately quiets right down, left only to breathe heavily, tongue outside of mouth, peering up at Rix's eyes in horror.

Rix's pink tongue rasps over and over Peppy's furry head and neck. His hair is longer then hers causing her to gag a little, but she is to excited to stop. He was quite surprised by her sudden attack but as he settles down, she begins to purr and forces herself to regain proper feline composure. Stepping back and sitting before him with a toothy grin plastered on her face and her tail wiggling happily, she greets him with a slitting of her eyes and wrinkle of her nose. <I am glad to see you!> she says softly. Her eyes sparkle with life even though she looks much thinner and somewhat older.

Slowly traveling down nearby road is a young trainer, accompanied by two pokemon. To his side is an Arcanine, who looks well alert as she makes her way down the trail. Adorning her head is a small Pikachu, who has his ears perked and continually looks from side to side, his small hands clutching Kinnouka's perked ears. When the road swerves into the area around the creek, the trio comes to a halt. "Well, this looks like a good place to set up camp, guys!" Ijou tells his companions as he grabs a hold of one of the backpack's straps. "Don't you thi -" The teenager's question is cut off when he finally sees the two occupants of the place. Sweatdropping, the trainer stares at the sight, a perplexed expression arising upon his face. "Or not," he says in a dry voice. As he tries to figure out what to do, Ijou reaches his free hand up to scratch at the back of his head. Surprisingly, neither of the pokemon he arrived with make any movements as of yet.

Shedding season might make Rix's licking a little difficult - while there are no shedded clumps of fur on Peppy's face, there's sure to be a strand here and a piece there, probably making Rix's tongue and mouth a little fuzzy. Yuck. It's only after Rix gets off him that the dog can actually start calming down a bit - he's breathing so fast, so hard, it's almost like the poor puppy is hyperventalating. He's too easily spooked. But can you blame him? He doesn't reply to Rix - not yet, at least. What with him being scared senseless and panting so heavily, it's unlikely that he would be able to speak much in the first place.

Rix's grin fades to an open-mouthed stare as she peers around the puppy and boggles at the sight of the trainer and his companions. "Rrrr-yyyynx ynx tig tig rrr?" <What the-are you following me or something?> she snarls at the trio, forgetting the Growlithe momentarily. She stands up and arches her back, and shakes her head angrily. It must be impossible to sleep around here she concluded. Peppy's intrusion was a welcome surprise, but this human was not someone that she was happy to meet again. <Friends of yours she?> she asked Peppy out of the corner of her snarling mouth.

After a moment of just staring at the Tigrynx and Growlithe, Kinnouka begins a low and throaty growl. Kou, the Pikachu, on the other hand, makes no effort to look fierce; he just stares at the other pokemon with a look like he's forgetting something. Almost immediately, the Arcanine is ushered into silence by the teenager. "Quiet, Kinn'. You remember that Tigrynx we met up with yesterday... it ran away like a bat out of hell!" Ijou exclaims, though trying to keep his voice to a minimum. "But the Growlithe... I dunno. Kinn', maybe you should go see if you can talk to them or something? You were a Growlithe once. That way they may not drop dead from fear if they see me." The firedog glances over to the boy for a moment before giving a quick nod as her answer. The teenager extends his hand out for Kou so the canine can go by herself, and Kinnouka is on her way, taking quick and short steps as she advances towards the group with her head held high. As she continues onward, both Ijou and Kou see the angered posture the feline takes and take a step behind some nearby foliage, but they're far from being left concealed by the plants. Kinnouka sees the pose, as well, and finds it hard to restrain herself from snarling at the cat. <Evenin',> she replies coolly, stopping when she's a few steps from her previous position.

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

Blink, blink. Peppy can speak almost normally now, and his first inquisition? Not 'Why did you attack me?', not 'How did you know I was here?', but, <Following you?> A pause, then <No... Are you following me?> Hesitation. <Friends?> A moment later, Peppy rolls over onto his tummy. His intent is to ascend to four paws, turn to Rix, and ask her what she's talking about... but he doesn't even stand. He sees the female Arcanine approaching, and, after a moment or two of processing (he's sort of slow), realizes that Rix was talking to the larger (much, *much* larger) canine, not him. "Growl," he tells himself. An accurate translation would be something like, '<Oh.>' The puppy turns his head to Rix. <No... Who are they?> Quick glance. <I mean, she?>

Rix watches as the Arcanine approaches slowly and Peppy finally catches on to the fact that they're not alone. <They are the ones that woke me up the last time I was trying to sleep.> she mutters unhappily. As the large canine comes to a stop, Rix catches the greeting and eases her defensive posture a little. She wishes she had the courage to ask Peppy if he thought they could take the Arcanine if necessary. Snorting derisively she offers the huge pokemon a nod. <Can we help you?> she asks with a hint of anger in her otherwise calm voice. Anger seems to always get her in trouble, but Rix just can't help herself. At least she is getting better at how she handles it.

Kinnouka takes several more steps before plopping her rump down on the hard ground. The firedog listens as the two converse, but jumps in to answer the Growlithe's most recent question. <I'm Kinnouka,> she states in a rather emotionless tone of voice. She turns her head slightly to stare straight at the nearby feline, forcing herself to pull her lips up into a smile. <Can't a fellow pokemon come around with out being questioned?> she inquires, trying to sound polite even though it comes out sounding rather snooty. <And it's not my fault that you were practically sleeping in the middle of the road, cat,> she quickly adds.

So what does a Growlithe do in this case? Peppy hasn't marked this spot as his territory - he doesn't have anything against her. But what if Rix attacks? What's a Growlithe to do - attack a fellow canine pokemon, just because a feline - of all things! - does it first? Especially not a girl canine. But then, what if he's threatened? Too many things bubble around in Peppy's head, and the dog doesn't have half the IQ points necessary to decipher and translate it all into a clear solution designating what he should do. Even as he tries vainly to come up with an answer, he nods slowly to Rix, mutually agreeing with her. <It's really... annoying when people wake you up,> Peppy woofs softly, stating the blazingly obvious. His head is turned to the side as he speaks, but his ear flickers softly as Kinnouka introduces herself, and his head whiplashes in that direction. And Peppy has to peer practically straight up - even if he wasn't lying on his stomach, it would be a stretch to look into the eyes of a pokemon exceeding six feet. Peppy can only manage a really soft grin, a light tail wag, and a silent prayer of 'Please don't let her kill me.'

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

Oranges, reds, and golds light the fair weather clouds, shadowed in purple, around the setting sun. A soft breeze blows from the west.

As the sun begins to slip slowly out of the sky, Rix sighs for her own benefit. Not only had she not gotten a nap in, she wasn't getting any closer to filling her stomach while sitting here under the paw of an Arcanine. To echo this point her stomach gave a loud rumble that you could almost see through her thin fur and scrawny features. <A fellow pokemon is one thing,> she finally answered, <but a fellow pokemon toting a trainer is a different story.> Rix's eyes turn toward the bushes that fail to totally conceal Ijou and the Pikachu. <Don't try and pretend that they aren't there, I saw them come in with you and I remember you from the other night,> she informs Kinnouka. Peppy might not have noticed yet, but feline versus canine is not the only issue here. This showdown is also female to female. Being a half starved little scarecrow, Rix has no intention of causing a ruckus, but pride is pride.

Kinnouka shoots a glare at the puppy, her friendly expression morphing into a rather annoyed one as she pulls her lips up to reveal her fangs. <I wasn't addressing you, now was I?> she says, emphasizing on the last part of the sentence; it sounds more of a statement compared to a question. And as Rix begins to speak again, the Arcanine almost immediately rises to her feet and dips her head down to glare at the feline. <Listen, cat, did I ever say they weren't there?> she snarls, sounding thoroughly irritated with the Tigrynx, <And let me tell you this, if you ever speak poorly of Ijou or me again, I'll tear your little head off!> To prove her point, the canine snaps at the air in front of her before focusing her hard stare on the feline again.

Peppy's eyebrow shoots up quickly, and his heart skips a beat. Trainer?! The puppy's first thought, as unbelievable as it seems, is that Patch might have moved on and gotten another Growlithe, and evolved this one. Reason sets in a moment later (out of the countless Growlithes and Arcanines in the world, what are the chances that this one is owned by his ex-trainer?), but the dumb pup still can't help but be a little edgy. His thoughts are shattered, however, when Kinnouka's angry woof pieces the air. An Arcanine has sharp teeth, and if even if her bark is worse than her bite, that's one scary, scary bark. Peppy quivers back a couple inches, peeping out a frightened little <I'm sorry!> The last thing he needs is a 900 pound creature mad at him. He's shivering fiercely now, mumbling very softly, almost inaudibly, <Really sorry... I didn't mean anything...> Ah, like the worm to the bird...

Brindled clouds conceal a few patches of starlit sky.

This has not been Rix's week. She is going trying keep going on a stolen roast beef sandwich and a Rattata. That is not enough food to give energy to a 61 pound feline. She is too tired to really flinch at the canine's threats. She obviously had an attitude problem, but Rix was not in the mood to deal with it. She new she couldn't best the Arcanine in a fight, and based on Peppy's lack of, umm, courage. She was obviously not going to get any back up. <Dogs,> she breathed to herself. <I have no interest in speaking ill of either of you. Depriving others of their sleep does not however, gain you much ground in my book,> she says almost like a spoken sigh. She felt weak and her head was swimming. <I am Rix, recently freed by the trainer Zachary,> she offers, refusing to call him /her/ trainer. <And this,> she points one unsheathed claw at the puppy, <is Peppy.> <He is my friend and it would be appreciated if you treated him civilly,> she finishes her negotiating. Rix shakes her head and wobbles a little, boy did she not feel well.

The Arcanine only regards the other canine with a quick glance in his direction, then her gaze falls back upon Rix. She returns to her seated position, and her fierce look fades away so her expression reveals nothing much of her mood. <Depriving!> she exclaims, <If we hadn't come, you likely would have been run over by a passing truck!> Kinnouka takes another glance towards the cowering puppy when the Tigrynx introduces him, but makes no move to apologize for her previous actions. The firedog narrows her eyes a bit after the feline finishes speaking, but says nothing as of yet as if contemplating her next move. She doesn't act as if she notices the cat's wobbling, or she doesn't really care.

This is really, really weird. Like talking to a man pointing a gun at you - if the Arcanine so desired, she could probably easily... ah... tear apart Rix and Peppy... really, really quickly, too. Not really good. <Um,> the Growlithe growls softly. Oh? Is he sticking up for himself? <Y... um, you don't have to treat me savelry-> He butchers the word 'civilly' completely. <-If you really don't want to.> Yeah, I didn't think he would stick up for himself, either. He will probably (rightfully so) go ignored. Why wouldn't he? A little quieter (though Kinnouka will still probably be able to hear if she so cares) than his whimpers of a few moments earlier, the pup growls to Rix, <Maybe we should move on.> A pause. A blink. <Or, um, I should.> A blink. A nervous glance up at the Arcanine. A quick look to the ground. We? I? It's hard being dumb. Really, it is.

Rix closes her eyes and attempts to collect her thoughts and settle the fog that is seeping into her head. <Spineless lump,> she grumbles at the puppy with a twitch of her tail. Opening her eyes again she glances back at the huge canine. This was definitely not getting them anywhere fast. <I still don't understand what it is you want from us, >she in forms Kinnouka. Rix sighs in exasperation and then slowly turns and walks back toward the stream. It is only a few paces away but it feels like a mile. Getting to the edge of the stream, she bends over it and laps at the water. It is colder now and although it quenches her thirst and momentarily eases her headache, it then makes things worse. Doesn't brain-freeze suck? Rix quickly grabs for her head with both paws, sending her headfirst into the stream. Wet cat, miserable cat, hmm, unmoving cat.

Kinnouka opens her maw to answer Rix's question, but is left stupefied by the Tigrynx's actions. Though she doesn't seem like the one to care about the feline at the moment, she immediately leaps to her feet. The Arcanine quickly bounds over the side of the stream to peer at the cat, only to gawk once she sees the current position of the cat. The fear of water clouds her mind, and she is unable to think of something to do. The canine restlessly paws the ground before calling out for Ijou. Almost immediately after the call, the trainer steps out from his "hiding place", blinking several times and just standing there. Just calling someone's name isn't really helpful...

Instant relief flows through Peppy's veins as Rix turns around and starts walking away... but the comfort quickly drops when he realizes that she's only taking a drink. <Oh, great,> he mutters to himself, turning his head down to the ground and away from Rix. He's sitting on his rump right now - his front limbs are perpendicular to the ground, stretched out all the way. <She's just disrespecting her now. What does she think she's doing?> Peppy the semi-schiznophrenic. His little conversation with himself is broken as Kinnouka howls out for her trainer, and his head rockets up. Despite the fact that both Rix and Kinnouka were talking about Ijou earlier, Peppy seems completely and totally surprised by this - as is marked by moment of stunned silence, followed by a few rather hurried backsteps. <Rix...> the puppy arfs softly, his front left paw twisting in the dirt. <She's called her trainer...> He'll say this even if Rix lifts her head and sees the human after hearing Kinnouka's call - after all, Peppy is the master at pointing out the obvious.

A cool breeze blows from the west, driving dark clouds before it which blot out the stars in patches overhead. Elsewhere they glitter brightly in the dark sapphire sky.

Things were all jumbled up in Rix's mind. She was tired, her head hurt, and there was cold water gurgling all around her. It then occurred to her in a fleeting thought that she hated water. She swiveled her head about, trying to find which way was up without success. She let out howl after howl in little bubbles that scampered toward the surface. 'Up,' her mind prodded 'those go up Rix'. She flailed madly with all four paws until her head broke the surface. She dug her claws into the side and hauled herself out of the water. Collapsing on the bank she faded into unconsciousness as the fog in her mind began to thicken. So tired, she was just so tired. Her body stopped fighting as her mind gave in to the sleep. She was unaware of anything else going on around her.

Without a rider to guide her, an Arcanine runs straight at the database. Better save! (Saving)

Ijou isn't entirely aware of what's happening with the Tigrynx, nor that he's not really welcomed by the other pokemon, but an urgent-sounding bark from Kinnouka is all it takes to make him rush over to her side. When he arrives, his first action is to just stare at the fallen Rix. "What... happened?" he inquires in a rather low voice as he kneels down on one knee, obviously relying on the Arcanine to watch his back as he does so. "Man, it looks in bad shape," he states, his gaze still on the cat.

Okay. No reply. <Rix...> Peppy growls with a little desperation, slowly turning his head. <Don't you s-> What Peppy is saying comes to a complete and total stop as he peers in horror at the soaking Tigrynx, and even as little droplets of water are launched in his direction, he stays almost completely still, eyes wide, mouth slightly ajar. He doesn't know what in the world just happened. He does, however, now know two things: there's a trainer in the area, and his friend is now unconcious on the ground. Peppy can let himself get bashed around, torn apart, and mutilated... but there's something about the loyalty of a Growlithe that can't and won't let the same thing happen to a friend. Crazy? You bet. Stupid? Totally right. Illogical? Darn tootin'. But it doesn't matter how crazy, stupid, and illogical a Growlithe's loyalty might be at this point - it's there. Peppy springs into sudden action, quickly crossing the few steps it takes to get near his friend. He comes to a quick stop rather close to Ijou, and immediately assumes a defensive position, teeth bared. <Get away from her!> he growls, trying to make his cute and fluffy face seem as ferocious as possible. It doesn't really work all too well. <Right now!> Two big flaws, though. 1: Ijou's the only one who can really help, as the feline is soaked, and the sun won't help dry her as it's already set. And 2: He's completely and totally forgotten about the Arcanine, four times his height and twenty times his weight. Lovely.

For the second time today Rix lies sprawled on the ground. Moonlight plays off hundreds of tiny droplets that cling to the wet feline's fur. Beads of them trickle down her forehead and drip from her pale nose. The Tigrynx's normally pink nose would appear white to the human eye. This is probably from the poor condition her attitude problem has caused her to fall into. She navigates through the fog in her mind, trying to reach the voices that call out nearby. Her legs begin to move mechanically and her body twitches. A wet cat is a pathetic sight. A three-foot, skin and bones wet Tigrynx has to be really pathetic. Rix's black, satin ears hang limp and even her little plume of a tail looks like a gnarled twig.

As the Growlithe comes closer to Ijou, the boy sweatdrops and gets up from his crouched position. "Hey, woah... easy there, I just want to help her out, okay?" The trainer takes a few steps back from the other canine, hands up in the air as he backs up. As the teenager steps backwards, Kinnouka steps forward in an attempt to block Peppy from her trainer. With her ears flattened against her skull, she bares her teeth. <Now I'm going to treat you "civilly" if you don't back off!> she threatens with a snarl, <Now!> As the Arcanine tries to deal with Rix's defending friend, Ijou tends to the Tigrynx. "Man, what to do..." the trainer mumbles, "And she looks in horrible condition. Any ideas, Kou?" The perched Pikachu thinks for a moment before coming up with an idea. <Towel!> he exclaims, beaming that he thought of such a brilliant idea. "Good idea!" the teenager states as he slides the backpack off of his shoulders and onto the ground. He kneels down and after rummaging through it, retrieves a small, blue towel. "Hey there, hold still," Ijou mumbles to Rix as he reaches forward and tries to dry the feline's fur with the towel.

The Arcanine moving in front of Peppy comes as a shock to the smaller canine, though the job he does of hiding it is much better than his last attempts. Simply put, he is now torn. None of the consequences of any actions are favorable: flee and let the trainer have his way with his friend, or stay and get mauled by an Arcanine. A fearful look up at the Arcanine. A glance at the cat. Arcanine. Cat. Peppy bites his tongue - while he's still in a crouching, defensive position, he's ceased to growl. The Growlithe decides on an action. It's suicide! his brain tells him. You idiot! Don't choose that! Stop! Yet he goes through with it anyway. <I said,> barks the dog, giving Kinnouka one last glare. <Get away from her.> And he takes one quick step forward. If, for whatever reason, the Arcanine doesn't immediately move to stop him, he'll take another step. At this point, it would have been about one second. If she still does not move (ha!), he'll take a quick third - no more. His step(s) will be shaky and nervous, though not slow. Defying an Arcanine... this is something like spitting in a Katerwaul's face.

Without a rider to guide her, an Arcanine runs straight at the database. Better save! (Saving)

If Rix were conscious, she would probably faint. Seeing Peppy stand up to an Arcanine would truly be a sight to see. Unfortunately, she is missing all the excitement while lying in a state of damp, directionless oblivion. The fog in her mind seems to be clearing a little and the voices sound closer then ever. <Coming,> she whispers softly to answer them, her feet still moving as though she were going to stroll on down the road. The towel on her fur seems to act like a hairdryer to the mist in her mind. As her skin feels the warmth she begins to come slowly back to her senses. First hearing, then smelling, next feeling and finally. . .no. She isn't willing to open her eyes yet. Her head still aches and she is so very tired. 'Is she back home with her mother and siblings?' she begins to wonder.

Kinnouka refuses to allow the other canine to take more than one step, and she quickly jumps to the side in an attempt to block Peppy from moving any further. The firedog's snarl grows louder and her ears flatten even further. <I told you to not move,> she growls, <And that's my final warning.> The Arcanine is not restrained by Ijou, but that's basically because he's too busy tending to the Tigrynx, and Kinnouka isn't doing anything drastic as of yet. The trainer continues to rub at the feline's fur body with the towel. "Come on," he mutters to himself.

Thum-thump, thum-thump, thum-thump. You really can hear Peppy's heart beat - it's practically louder than his panting, and even that's louder. As the Arcanine begins to growl, Peppy reflexively starts to back into a submissive pose - ears back, tail drooped. He manages to recover himself back into his defensive position, however, though this time it's not quite so... passionate. This is absolute desperation. It's like trying to get by a brick wall, except it's not a very sturdy brick wall, so it might fall on you and kill you if you provoke it too much. <I... just...> Heavy breathing, fright, anger, rage, horror... all of these lead to unclear barks and woofs with pausing in between. <... Want to... help... my friend!> Peppy moves once more... though not forward. It's a side-step. Even as he's stepping, he realizes that he is, yet again, disobeying the Arcanine - she said not to move, and he's moving. But he needs to get a better look at Rix - it's difficult to look around so large a pokemon. Has she already been caught? What's going on? <Rix! Wake up!> he howls, even though one sidestep probably won't be enough to allow him to see around the Arcanine. This is just... Beh. Felines!

A cool breeze blows from the west, driving dark clouds before it which blot out the stars in patches overhead. Elsewhere they glitter brightly in the dark sapphire sky.

'Peppy?' Rix's mind asks? She was now ready to try and shake the sleep. Checking with each of her senses like individually turning on power systems, she finally forces her eyes to flutter open. The sight is an interesting combination of chaos and simplicity. Hanging over her is the face of a boy. <Zachary?> she asks uncertainly. No, she could see that it wasn't him. Peeking over his shoulder is a Pikachu. Her mouth waters and her stomach growls. Her attention then shifts to the towel. What on earth was he doing? Struggling onto shaky legs she pushed herself away from the boy and wobbles toward the two canines. <Peppy,> she calls out softly.

Ijou releases a relieved sigh once the Tigrynx comes to and watches as it stands up to head over towards the Growlithe. Blinking, he commands Kinnouka to step down for a moment. "Kinn', move to the side - let the Tigrynx pass," he says. Him telling her to back off is a good thing in Peppy's case; else a fight may have broken out. Reluctantly, the firedog steps away and allows Rix to pass, though she still glares at Peppy for his defiance. <You're lucky,> she states with a snort, <Else you'd be kibble by now.>

Peppy's ear twitches. Rix's little cry really isn't much - soft, quiet, and it has to make it over an Arcanine. But he hears it anyway. And that's just about it - it's a little too much, and Peppy prepares to bust right through the large pokemon, even knowing there would be no chance for success. Fortunately enough, that's not necessary: the pokemon is told to move, for reasons Peppy can't understand. It could very well be a trap - but he's stressed out, worried about Rix, and not the brightest bulb in the bunch. He takes a few steps forward, dedicating a step or two to glancing up into Kinnouka's eyes as she speaks. He doesn't say anything to her. He only marches by, apparently not acknowledging her. After he's finished glancing at her, his gaze turns to the ground, and he begins to think to himself... just how close to getting in serious trouble he was. And, granted, he's not out of it just yet.

Rix pushes forward to meet up with Peppy again. Feeling reassurance in the fact that she knows him and he is a fellow wild pokemon. This has been quite an ordeal and she just wants it to be over with. Rix doesn't turn to look at the Arcanine, just hobbles right past her. Perhaps the dog would attack her, or on the other hand, it might not. Right now she just wanted out. Reaching Peppy, she gives a small sigh of relief. <Let's run,> she says softly to the Growlithe. The comment is only for him and being only an inch from him, she hopes that it isn't that audible to the others. She takes a quick swipe at the puppy's nose with her pink tongue. It is apparent that he has been concerned and was there trying to help her. She knows he is a /true/ friend now and will never forget that. Turning to look over her shoulder at Ijou, she grins weakly. He didn't try to stuff her in a ball. He could have, but he didn't. Maybe all trainers weren't so bad. Rix then turns and trots off at a pace that she thinks her legs can maintain to get her out of reach of the human and his companions. She listens for sounds behind her, hoping that Peppy is following while the others are not. <Safe journey trainer,> she calls back to Ijou in the form of a feline thank you.

Without a rider to guide her, an Arcanine runs straight at the database. Better save! (Saving)

Neither Ijou nor any of the pokemon make any effort to follow the fleeing duo, they only watch as they press onwards. Kinnouka snorts and mumbles something concerning 'gratitude'. The trainer offers a small smile to the canine and extends a hand over to gently pat the Arcanine on the shoulder. "We best be heading over to the city and finding a place to camp," the teenager notes as he reaches down to pick his backpack and the towel up. Kou agrees wholeheartedly and, with that, the trio turns around and begins to walk in the same direction that they arrived from.