Obvious exits:
Northeast <NE> leads to Commerce Road - Route 7: Trader Way.
Southwest <SW> leads to Celadon City: Eastern Entrance.

Aurora has connected.

A light rain falls from a grey sky. It's warm and there's a slight wind from the southeast. In the forest, raindrops patter against the leaves, and glisten like silver beads on their deep green surfaces. The wet tree trunks have darkened from grey to brown. While at the coast, the rain dances on the surface of the playful blue ocean gently.

Rain! Wild pokemon of the island are all too familiar with this weather. Some pokemon love it - but if you ask a the poor fire creature, it happens all too often. Little growls, whimpers, and other not-very-cheerful little sounds escape from Peppy's jaws as he makes his way down the path, his fur completely soaked. This'll teach him to take a walk when the sky's overcast, all right. <This,> he woofs to himself, paws coming to a stop in a huge mud puddle. He shakes himself furiously, sending muddy water flying all over the area. <Bites!> he finishes. <Why can't it be sunny again?>

A light rain falls from a grey sky. It's warm and there's a slight wind from the southeast.

An answering woof comes from the area behind a clump of bushes. <It's horrible weather!> There's a pause, followed by scrabbling noises of leaves being moved, then, <Is that you, Peppy?> Nothing emerges from behind the bushes, not even a flash of red fur - it seems that Aurora is going to stay put in the den until it stops raining. If it stops raining.

Peppy just blinks twice before turning his head in the other Growlithe's direction. This pup has learned to expect the unexpected, but he definitely didn't anticipate receiving a reply to his somewhat rhetorical question. <Aurora?> the Growlithe replies loudly, squinting through the rain as he tries to see precisely where the other pokemon is. It's difficult - some of the larger raindrops sting a bit, so when his vision isn't getting blurred by raindrops, he's flinching or twitching, which makes it hard to see straight. The soggy dog takes two or three steps in the direction of the den, but that's about it. <Where are you?>

<In the den,> comes the barked reply. <It looks really wet out there. And there's a puddle right in front of the den...> There's the sound of a splash, and a slightly frustrated "Grrrow!", followed by a protest of, <And it won't go away!>

In the den? Peppy just sort of turns his water-filled eyes in Aurora's direction for a few seconds, before finally making the connection. Den means no more getting wet. No more getting wet means... Well, just what it is. Still, it sounds very tempting right now - but is the other Growlithe willing to let his soaked and dirty-furred body in? After a moment of summoning up courage, Peppy woofs a somewhat uncertain, <Do you, er, do you mind...> Sploosh! Peppy finds that 'puddle right in front of the den', apparently, and now he's even more wet. "Lithe," he mutters to himself, his ears and tail drooping even further than they already were. <If I come inside?> Then, quickly. <It, um, doesn't have to be long! It can be really quick. I'm really wet.> ... Right, and that's supposed to convince Aurora. Peppy twitches a little at his mistake, realizing that's not something he should have said.

There's a pause, and more scrabbling noises of leaves being moved around, then, <Yeah, there's enough space for... er... two of us.> Aurora pokes her nose out of the den, sneezing as the water drips into it, and looks at Peppy. <Um, could you try to shake some of it out before you come in? Then you'll stay dryer...>

Standing there, looking oh-so-miserable in the rain with his paws totally submerged in the puddle, Peppy smiles for the first time that day. <Thanks a lot,> the pup woofs softly, his tail giving a grateful little wag as he takes a step forward. <I-> But his paw stops right in midair. <Oh, right.> And with that, Peppy begins to shake himself off - for a good three seconds. Then with another tail wags and another grin, he woofs, <How's that?> Of course, seeing as how he didn't move from his place, it's possible that Aurora herself might get hit from some of the water Peppy's flings loose. ... Dumb dog.

Aurora does indeed get hit by a few of the drops of water thrown off by Peppy, but it appears that the female Growlithe was expecting it - she lets out a small yelp of surprise, then shakes her own fur out slightly and moves over to one side of the den. <There should be enough space in here...> she mutters, as she waits for Peppy to step into the den.

Yelp. Yelping isn't good - that suggests something is painful, or surprising, or otherwise right. Peppy just sort of blinks at the female for a moment, a somewhat perplexed look on his face. The rain is still dripping from the sky - he's getting wetter by the second. Suddenly, it hits him: <Oops!> woofs the puppy suddenly, his eyes widened slightly and his cheeks reddening. <I, uh, didn't mean to do that,> he continues, hesitating before taking a step into the den. He lowers his head as he tries to squeeze in. <I, um, just, um... sorry.> Peppy feels like an idiot. ... Well. He is an idiot, but now he feels like more of one.

<It's okay, it's just a little bit...> Aurora shakes her head again, a few drops of water hitting the roof or floor of the den, and then shuffles over a bit closer to the side of the den near her, in order to give Peppy more space.

Phew. <Just a little bit?> woofs Peppy, looking visibly more relaxed. <I was afraid I...> He trails on, however, and doesn't finish. Instead, as he makes his way further into the den, he changes the topic altogether. <You... we did a really nice job with this den,> he comments, not for the first time, as he presses against one side of the den to Aurora as much room as he possibly can. <I-> Bump! <Ow!> And the pup hits his head on the ceiling, causing a couple little grains of dirt to fall from it. <That hurt,> he mutters, lowering his head down as far as he can so as to rub it with his right paw.

A light rain falls from a grey sky. It's warm and there's a slight wind from the southeast.

<Are you okay? The roof's a bit low, I know, and I've hit my head on it before...> Aurora says hurriedly, peering over at the other Growlithe, and adding, <I'm sorry about it, but I didn't think I could make it any taller, because I wasn't sure if it'd fall in or not...>

A pack of Growlithe puppies play Tug-of-War with the database. Better save! (Saving)

Peppy stops rubbing his head long enough to give Aurora a tiny little grin. <It's okay,> he assures her quietly, giving just one quick glance at the ceiling. <I was just a little, er, clumsy.> This time a lot more careful - overly careful to the point where it's almost comical - Peppy moves around a bit, settling down into as comfortable a position as possible while keeping his side pressed against the soil-wall. After a few moments, Peppy blinks, and glances over at the other Growlithe. <But, um, is your head okay? You've never hit it too hard, have you?> It's a little late for that...

<It's fine, thanks,> nods Aurora, the top of her head tapping against the roof as she does so, making her stop and lower her head with a grin. <So, er...> She waves a paw to indicate the den, and adds, <What do you think of it?>

Peppy woofs an uncertain little noise, cocking his head slightly (and making sure not to bump it on the ceiling). The dumb pup just sort of peers at Aurora a little further, pondering over the question in his head. What does he think of Aurora's head? <It's... um...> Redness poofs up behind his cheeks - but then it just vanishes. <Oh! The, uh, the den.> No, really. <It works really well.> The dog gives an appreciative nod. <See? I'm not wet anymore.> ... Actually, he's still very wet, his fur patted against his skin, a few drops still falling from the tips of his reddish fur. But he doesn't seem to notice this.

Aurora nods again, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks. <Thanks, but it could've been better... and thank you for digging it out with me.> She settles down on her forepaws, and turns to face Peppy again. <Well, it's still raining, so I'm going to try to have a nap.> That said, she lowers her head onto her paws, and her breathing becomes gentler and slower as she starts to fall asleep.

Hrm. Peppy opens his mouth to say something, but as Aurora starts to drift off into slumber, the pup decides it might be best not to wake her up. He doesn't even risk a '<Good night>' - he knows just how annoying it can be to be awakened when you're just getting to bed! And so, the dog lies makes himself comfortable in the den but doesn't go to sleep; no, he stays up to watch the raindrops.