Contents:
Aurora
Obvious exits:
North <N> leads to Overgrown Lands - Route 11: Off the Route.

Snow flurries drift silently down from the pale grey sky. The air is damp and cold, and there is little wind. In the forest, snowflurries dust the bare branches of the broadleaves and the needles of the conifers. While at the coast, light snowflakes sprinkle the glossy, black, and calm surface of the ocean.

Dreary. It's a dull, dark, drab day on the island, and it only feels like it's going to get worse. Should one try to resist the snowflakes tumbling from the sky and glare up at the clouds, once would notice that though it's midday, the sun is completely hidden behind the grey clouds that drift by the atmosphere. Needless to say, it's freezing cold outside, and with the vanished sun no longer shedding rays upon the white layered earth, the air hangs wet and hazy. And yet, even though most of the barn pokemon are huddling together near each other, drawing warmth from whatever other inhabitants they can tolerate being near, some are still out there in the blustering weather... namely, Peppy the Growlithe, who's been gone for some time now. Out for the daily hunt, no doubt. Nothing would seem particularly strange to an onlooker, but the pokemon know. Something is wrong. Something is going to happen.

Usually, Aurora isn't frightened when Peppy goes out to hunt - after all, he's done it many times before, and he's always come back, whether with food or without. So, usually, Aurora tends to the puppies while her mate's gone, making sure they're fed and that they're playing with each other happily, often having to keep an eye on Flame as he plays to make sure he doesn't try to bite or scratch, and Dakota to make sure she doesn't run off out of sight. Usually, this occupies her until Peppy comes back, and then she can breathe a little more easily.

Is it late at night? Early in the morning? Right smack at midday? It's difficult to tell, as the sky for the past few days has been grey, dark grey, and light grey... not exactly the best sign of what time it is. It's somewhat light grey before Peppy finally returns, which either means that the clouds have started to move or that it's somewhere from dawn to dusk. None too helpful. Despite the awful weather, however, Peppy seems to have had quite a successful hunt; he's brought back larger Rattatas in the past, but this one certainly isn't small. Usually he has a look of triumph in his eyes, his chest all puffed and sticking about because he -knows- what he's doing. Today, however, he might as well have come back empty mouthed; his eyes remain locked to the ground, even as he steps onto the wooden floor, dripping snow and water into small puddles that start to collect around his feet. His tail is low, his shoulders drooped, his ears lifeless. He's disappointed or worried about something, all right - but none of the pokemon of the barn take much notice. They know why.

Peppy's return definitely gets Aurora's attention - but, strangely enough, she doesn't come bounding towards him to congratulate him on a successful hunt. She sits and watches his face as he comes in, and nods a little as she sees his expression. Dakota doesn't share her mother's trepidation about the weather, and bounds towards her father, barking excitedly as she runs. She gets to a few feet in front of him, then turns and wags her tail, waiting for him to follow her back to the rest of his family. Dusk sits by her mother, looking at her father and then up at her mother, giving an uncomfortable little whine. <I know, Dusk,> woofs her mother quietly. <Something bad is on the way.> Karen, curled up against her mother's other side, gives an answering whine, and Aurora finally says to Peppy, <You were very brave to go out today. Thank you.>

Not even the sight of little Dakota hopping her way to her father and leading him back to the family is enough to pick Peppy's spirits up, and Dakota gets no smile, no nuzzle, no tail wag as he lugs the Rattata over to Aurora, moving slowly the whole way. As Aurora expresses her gratitude, the larger Growlithe opens his mouth to let the lifeless purple pokemon tumble down to the floor, smashing into the wood and crumpling into a heap. Though Peppy didn't doesn't catch Aurora whispering to Dusk, the look on her face... the disappointed state of the baby Growlithes (some, at least)... he knows it. He lifts his head up as Aurora speaks, but again, no smile. <You're welcome. ... You...> Here, the Growlithe gives the air a small sniff, turns his head slightly to the side, sniffs again, and frowns. <... You feel it too, don't you?>

Aurora sniffs the air herself, and then nods to Peppy's question. <As I said to Dusk, it feels like something bad is in the air... she and Karen can feel it too, though they don't know what it is.> She shudders a little, and Karen gives a sympathetic nudge and a bark, which makes her mother smile. <It's going to be a bad storm, isn't it?> Aurora says quietly, almost in a whisper. <And it's coming soon...>

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

As Aurora speaks, Peppy's eyes shift from his mate's to his children. His tail begins to wag, but not so much because he's glad to see them, more because of the sudden shock that hits his body. What would they do if one of them... Flame and Dakota don't seem to want to pay him too much mind, too busy off doing other things to focus on being frightened, but the other Growlithes sense something in the air. Definitely. Looking back to the female adult, Peppy frowns a little, and parts his jaws. It takes a moment or two before he speaks, and when he does, it's not exactly the most forceful of statements. <... We should... you know, um, talk later. I don't...> His eyes shift to Dusk, though probably only because he's horribly afraid of telling Aurora what they "should" do. She is the smart one, after all. <... I don't want to worry the puppies. And... and I don't want you to worry that much, either.> Dakota, oblivious to the world around her, has already marched over to the Rattata, all glad that she's the first one to dinner. She begins to attempt to gnaw on the corpse's claws, though doesn't get very far.

Snow flurries drift silently down from the pale grey sky. The air is damp and cold, and there is little wind.

Peppy's concern elicits a grateful smile from Aurora. <Thank you, Peppy,> she says, and then looks down at the Rattata. <Shall we let the children have it first?> she asks Peppy, and she tilts her head slightly towards the straw against the wall of the barn, trying to indicate to Peppy to head over that way. <They can have their fill - they've not eaten for a while - and then we'll have what's left.> The puppies seem rather enthusiastic at this suggestion - Dusk's ears prick up and she wanders towards the Rattata, sniffing at it eagerly, while Karen doesn't move but peers at the carcass with interest, as does Briska as he walks up to his mother. Even Flame comes sauntering over, his brother and sisters moving away from him slightly as he approaches.

Peppy's face shifts from concerned stare to confused peer when Aurora gestures to the straw, and, perplexed, he glances over at the wall, as though there's something of interest over there. Needless to say, there's not. It's just a wall. With straw. Turning his head back to Aurora, the canine opens his trap to speak. <Wha-> He catches himself, that crucial neuron firing off in his thick skull. Slowly, the sides of his mouth curl up into a half smile, and for the first time, he seems genuinely happy. He understands what Aurora means! Taking a glance down at the puppies, though most likely because he only wants to avoid accidentally kicking or stepping on one, the larger Growlithe trots his way over to the wall, spins around, and plops down on his rump, ever so glad that he was able to process Aurora's subtle (?) gesture.

Giving the assembled puppies an encouraging nod and a, <Go on, you all eat it. Your dad and I will have some after you,> Aurora carefully extricates herself from the group of pups, and pads over to the place where Peppy's sitting. She watches the puppies start to dig into the Rattata as she sits down - although some of them aren't doing that well, like Dakota who's still working away at the claws and looking rather puzzled that it's not working. After a little time, she turns to Peppy, and says quietly, <How close do you think this storm is? It feels like... I'm not sure. Maybe it'll be several days, maybe only one or two. What do you think?>

Even as Aurora turns to him and begins to speak, Peppy continues watching the five little ones make their way around the Rattata, trying to munch away at whatever flesh that will let their underdeveloped teeth sink into. He's definitely not ignoring Aurora, and perhaps to let her know, his eyes flicker to her every so often, though they always return to the puppies. When Aurora finishes, Peppy speaks up almost immediately. <I don't know how long it'll last,> he admits quietly, the temporary high from catching Aurora's gesture fading quickly. <But I do think that it'll be bad. I'll go out hunting again tonight... I think the man knows, he might bring extra food if he knows something is coming.> He nods slowly, almost sagely, directing his eyes back to the puppies, who are still bumbling about the corpse. A small smile appears on their father's face, and he adds softly, almost distractedly, <... Whatever happens...>

Peppy's first words agree with Aurora's, and the female nods as she listens to him. When he suggests going out to hunt again, though, her nodding stops suddenly, and she sits there as if frozen for a good few seconds - she doesn't hear his words about the farmer, or if she does, they don't register. <Go out hunting?> she repeats, in a whisper. <No, you can't - what if the storm starts while you're out there? What'll happen then?> Her voice rises, getting louder and gaining a more frantic tone, though she still manages to keep it quiet enough not to distract the pups. <You can't go outside in a blizzard, Peppy! Please, please, don't go... I know we might need the food, but-> She glances over at the place in the barn where the food bowls are kept, as always, though they're empty at the moment and awaiting refilling. <The man will bring more food, I'm sure! Just... please...> Her last words are pleading, almost a plaintive whine. <Don't go out in a storm...>

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

Aurora's shocked demeanor surprises Peppy, and by the time the translated word <Happens...> escapes his mouth, she's recovered enough to protest. Peppy can only peer at her for a moment or two, before her voice raises in pitch - and, inversely, his head lowers in level. Her pleading voice strikes a chord in his chest, and no longer does he feel quite like taking matters into his own paws. The Growlithe can't even speak for a few moments after Aurora's final request, and when he does, he is very soft, almost ashamed to have even suggested something that would hurt her. <B... but... but we need food,> he whimpers quietly, turning to the side and nestling his neck into his shoulder. <... We don't know how long it'll last...> Look at this. Not only is a blizzard coming, but now he's making Aurora -worried-. The poor guy's a nervous wreck now.

<And we don't know when it'll start,> Aurora replies almost immediately, emphasising the last word. <You could be out there when it starts snowing, and not be able to find your way back. And I know you'd try your best, like you always do, but if the snow keeps on falling then you might not return...> Her voice has got louder, and by this point other pokemon in the barn, and even one or two of the puppies, have noticed she's talking - the attention of the puppies brings Aurora back to her senses, so to speak, and she's silent for a few moments before whispering, <I just don't want the same thing to happen to you as happened to me. If those humans hadn't found me, I might have died... and in this snow, there might not be humans around to look. I'm scared, Peppy.>

Peppy has always sort of depended upon Aurora for strength. Though he's been trying to make himself appear the tough guy, always hunting and puffing out his chest, Aurora of all should know that he's got a soft interior. Whenever something's getting him down, depressing him, poof! He always rushes right to Aurora's side to bluster it out. He's always depended on her for strength when he gets scared or sad.

That's why what Peppy does now is a rather surprising thing. His tail no longer appears so droopy. A twitch of life takes it over. He no longer huddles into his shoulder uncertainly, trying to appear small and submissive; he now lifts his head up high to keep his head level with Aurora's. His breathing becomes louder, but far more controlled, and he simply watches Aurora for a few moments, not mad, not disappointed, not scared himself... but he's got a glimmer of strength in his eyes. <No,> he woofs at last, his head shaking softly. <No, Aurora, you can't be scared. Because I'm not.> The side of his mouth twitches, but the Growlithe resists the urge to smile. <I worry about you as much as you worry about me, Aurora... and you know that nothing, no blizzard or something big and scary, won't keep me from returning.> His own voice has also increases in pitch, but unlike Aurora, he doesn't notice. He opens his mouth as though he wishes to speak more, but Aurora will get a chance to talk now.

Peppy's raised voice and increased confidence lend Aurora a little, too, and her tail wags a bit as he tries to encourage her. The mention of the blizzard, though, kills her good mood, and her tail droops down once more. <I know you'll try your best...> she mutters, glancing over at the puppies as they do their best to devour the Rattata, then looking back at her mate. <And I don't want to be scared, because you're being brave. But storms remind me of... then. That time I was cold, wet, and running as fast and far as I could, but the storm wouldn't stop. I could just see the PokeCenter by the side of the road, and then everything went black. And it was so cold... Karen said I'd been asleep for three weeks.> She shakes her head a bit, and smiles wanly. <I know you'll try your best, but you can't fight a big storm like this one. Please, if you go out, don't go too far. Not out of sight of the barn, if you can help it...>

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

Peppy makes a quick motion with his neck when Aurora mentions the storm not stopping. It takes every muscle in his body to let her finish out his warning without practically diving upon her, and so the moment her jaws close, Peppy steps out of his stance, maybe catching Aurora a little off guard, and, should she not pull back or jump away, will attempt to give her a nuzzle. Almost a tough nuzzle, perhaps a little rough, but definitely a loving one. <This one's going to be different,> he growls quietly, attemping to nestle a little deeper. <Because I'm going to be here. And I'll protect all of you, no matter what.> And it's not just words. He really means this. And perhaps he'll go hunting, or perhaps he'll stay home, or perhaps he'll try to find the man, but whatever the case is, he's going to come back safe and sound, and he's going to make sure they make it through this blizzard.