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.

Winter's coming early this year. It's barely the middle of Fall, and already, snow is drifting down from the sky. It's grey and the air is wet, which makes matters even worse. It's not a wonder Peppy the Growlithe has decided to stay home inside the barn today instead of braving the weather. ... Or is the snowfall not the reason he's staying inside? Indeed, while most pokemon are taking this as a day off to sleep away, Peppy is wide awake - just as he has been all day. And all yesterday, too. Lying there on his stomach, white-furred chin upon his front paws and body laid out behind it, the pup has a very soft frown on his face, but other than his rising and falling chest, no movement. He's been very quiet since he came home yesterday. Wonder what's wrong.

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

Some pokemon may like this kind of cold, damp, snowy weather, but Growlithes are not among them - and Aurora is certainly not one of them. In her current condition she can't really curl up, but she's lying some distance from the door, huddled close to her mate and shivering a little at the cold. She glances at the door, watching the falling flakes outside through the gap under the barn door, and then turns her attention back to the area near her - and her mate. Her expression is a little worried as she watches him, her eyes on his face. <Are you... are you okay?> she asks hesitantly.

Even though the barn is cold, even though his mate is so close to him and sharing her warmth, Peppy seems very... unresponsive. One would think that even if Aurora huddling against him wouldn't spark a reaction, the snowfall definitely would. It's as though he's entirely lost. As Aurora speaks, Peppy blinks a couple times - the first evident movement in hours - before shaking his head slowly, glancing over at Aurora, not with annoyance or hatred or sadness, just sort of... nothing. No real emotion. <Okay?> His voice is quiet, and he's silent for a few moments before continuing. <... Why wouldn't I be?> His eyes break off of Aurora's, no matter if hers are still locked onto his, and he looks across the barn to the slightly ajar door.

<I thought...> Aurora starts to speak, but her voice trails off as she notices Peppy's gaze move from her to the door. She frowns, looking more worried than angry, and then follows Peppy's line of sight to the door, commenting in a cheerful-sounding voice, <It's good that we're inside under a roof, isn't it? Because the weather's cold, and it's snowing, and it's not very nice outside.>

Peppy doesn't respond immediately to Aurora; he simply nuzzles deeper into his paws, motions his body deeper into the floor. After a few moments of looking at the door rather aimlessly, Peppy nods very slightly, an odd looking gesture given his head's position. <Yeah.> It's a very disappointing woof, and it doesn't at all carry the intensity and force that it should (Aurora, of all people, should know just how grateful Peppy is to have a home!). The Growlithe pauses for a moment longer, and tries again. <Yeah, it is.> A little better, but not much. The pup is making a conscious effort to make himself not outwardly appear as depressed as he really is, but he's really not doing a very good job. Peppy brings his gaze down to the floor right in front of him, and this he stares at as though it's something special.

Aurora's worried frown gets a little deeper, and she gazes at Peppy for a few moments before she asks softly, <Is there anything I can do to help? You've been very quiet for the last day or so. Did something go wrong... did I do something wrong?> She looks at Peppy for a little while longer, and then she leans her head towards Peppy's, aiming to nuzzle him softly on the cheek.

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If Peppy realizes that Aurora is looking at him, he doesn't let her know. He simply remains there, peering at the floor, not responding even after she asks him the question. Not verbally at least - his eyes do close for a moment and he exhales through his nose. Still, other than that, he's silent - silent until his Aurora leans over and gives him a little nuzzle on the cheek. And maybe that's what breaks the ice, because a moment or so after she touches him, he nuzzles her right back. It's very, very soft, very faint, but it's there. Seconds pass by. Peppy lifts his head up from his paws (though he still keeps his cheek against Aurora's if she stays), glancing at Aurora out of the corners of his eyes. He looks tired. Very tired. <... I went out hunting yesterday,> he growls at last, the sides of his mouth curving downward as he speaks. <... Do you know what a...> Distinct hesitation here. Even the simple name is like poison in Peppy's mouth. <... Katerwaul is?>

<A Kater-what? I don't know what that is... is it another pokemon?> The tone of Peppy's voice, and his hesitant speech, make Aurora's worried frown deepen a little, and she asks, <Did it hurt you? Are you okay?> Perhaps she's starting to repeat herself a little too much - but then, she is worried about Peppy, and it's evident in her voice. <I should come out with you next time you hunt. Two of us together should be able to fight off another pokemon, unless it's really big...>

Peppy, for once, responds reasonably quickly. <I'm all right,> he woofs softly, his frown lightening just a bit as Aurora shows concern over him. He also shakes his head a little, turning it a little more so as to look at his mate more comfortably. <... Don't think you have to. ... Not now...> And bit by bit, his frown is fading, fading, fading - and then it comes back just as strong as ever as he continues speaking. <... They're pokemon. They can make it so you can't see them-> 'Invisible' must be a foreign word to Peppy. <-and have really sharp claws. My scar...> Peppy sort of trails off here, stripping his eyes off of Aurora so as to glance down at the dull gash on his muzzle, his frown appearing even more and more deep. Unsaid goes the fact that the scar came from Katerwauls, but perhaps that can be inferred.

<They can make it so you can't see them?> Aurora repeats, confused. <How do they do that?> She frowns, and then understanding dawns on her face as she continues, <Oh, I remember Karen said something about pokemon that could disappear, make themselves look like they weren't there. Sometimes they could move around through places other pokemon couldn't get to. I've never seen any before, though. Are they...> She shivers a little, and moves closer to Peppy. <They couldn't be... they couldn't be here now, could they? If they can move through things, like walls...>

A shiver runs up Peppy's spine, though whether it's from the cold or because it's from the mentioning of Katerwauls in the room is uncertain. His verbal response, however, is very quiet - only a soft <Maybe> is growled. Peppy doesn't react as Aurora moves closer - on any other day, he probably would have seriously enjoyed it, but not today. Insecure silence. <Two attacked me yesterday.> His voice becomes a little more strained here. Is it because he's frightened by the thought? Shamed by the experience? <Two. They... scratched me... and bit me, and sliced me. It hurt so much.> He closes his eyes, controlling his breaths for a moment or so. He's not going to cry. He's not going to cry. <If a human hadn't come along... I... don't think...> His eyes remain closed, and his teeth clench. His entire body tenses into itself.

For a few moments, Aurora remains quiet, just watching and listening to Peppy after he's explained what happened. Then, with a whispered, <...Oh, Peppy...> she leans over to try to nuzzle at his cheek again, trying her best to comfort him. <There are two of us here now, and we can keep them away if we try together... it's okay now,> she murmurs to him.

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Aurora's nuzzle pulls the lever. The dam breaks, and everything comes gushing out, powerful and overwhelming. Despite his best efforts, despite every single cell in his body shouting out, 'Don't cry, don't cry', Peppy breaks down. <That's not the point!> the Growlithe woofs spontaneously and loudly, not with anger but definitely with passion. Hot tears leak out of his eyes, and there are a lot of them. The fact that he's crying likely humiliates him even further, causing more tears to come pouring out. Jamming his muzzle back into his paws, squeezing his eyes tight, trying to hold in choking sobs, Peppy barks into the floor, <I didn't even fight back! I hardly even tried! I was too scared! I couldn't do it! I couldn't do it, Aurora!> One watery eye blinks open, and he looks over at Aurora's blurry form, fuzzy through the water. <I promised...> Choke. <I promised myself I'd be strong for you, and now... now I...> Sniff. If Aurora's going to reply, this is her chance.

<You must have been strong!> Aurora replies earnestly. <They may have scarred you before, but you didn't get too hurt, and you kept them from getting into the barn. If they can hide themselves, they must be very scary indeed, so you were brave to stand up to them - and you're safe now, so...> She takes a deep breath, and then continues more quietly, <It's okay to be scared. I've been so scared sometimes that I thought I couldn't do anything, only run as far as I could because that was all that would keep me alive...>

Peppy's tears don't slow down at all while his mate speaks, so it's uncertain whether he's drawing relief from her or not. He doesn't say anything for a few moments as he turns his head onto his furry cheeks, the only noise being the occasional choke or sniff. <... I couldn't even run,> the Growlithe mutters, though it's somewhat weak, almost submissive, as if that's not entirely true. More quiet. <I just... I thought about you.> Another sniff. Another barrage of tears. Both eyes are open now, struggling to make sense of Aurora's fuzzy form through the salty water. <While they were attacking me. I didn't... I couldn't... leave... you. But I couldn't fend them off by myself.> Peppy's eyes close once again, and he clenches his teeth together again. He must really hurt inside. <... How am I supposed to protect you if I can't even protect myself?> he whimpers, barely managing to keep from succumbing into a mass of crying sounds.

<It's...> Once again, Aurora starts to speak in reassurance, but then stops to think through what she's going to say before continuing. <There were two of them, but there are two of us... they were just cowardly, and they picked on you when I was asleep and couldn't come to help. Maybe... maybe if we stay in here, and wait for that man to bring food around, they won't want to come in and try to harm both of us together.> She looks hopefully at Peppy, waiting for his thoughts on the matter.

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Though Aurora might not be able to detect it as she speaks, Peppy's sounds are becoming much less and somewhat quieter, and he's no longer crying quite so much. As Aurora finishes, Peppy gives off an audible sigh followed by a sniff. He no longer looks quite as sad - now he's more tired than anything. <I really hope so, Aurora. I do...> His eyes close once again for a few seconds. The pup is only now noticing just how cold it really is in the barn, and, almost automatically, he shifts over closer to his mate, taking in her warmth and sharing his own. Another sigh. Peppy lifts his head up from his paws, noticing the wet spots on the floor from his tears and smiling very, very faintly at them. How embarrassed he must feel... and yet, Aurora didn't laugh! Or blush from humiliation! Or hate him at all! She stuck with him when he was crying like a puppy! <Aurora,> Peppy woofs softly, leaning his head over to affectionately rub his cheek against hers. <Thanks... thank you. I really do love you.> Peppy sighs again, though this one doesn't quite sound so disappointed. Slowly, almost no matter what Aurora's reply is, Peppy's head will sink down until it touches the floor, upon which the Growlithe will close his red, wet eyes - almost undoubtedly for the last time until tomorrow morning.

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

<It's okay,> Aurora murmurs to her mate. <It's the least I can do to help...> She returns Peppy's nuzzle with equal affection, and blushes a little at his last comment. <I... thank you, too,> she says quietly, and as Peppy starts to fall asleep, she adds in an even quieter voice, <I love you, too.> If Peppy's actually asleep, he may not hear her, but there's a chance that he will if he's not quite dozed off yet.

Through the drifting snowflakes, the translucent pale grey of the sky deepens.

Did Peppy hear after all? Could he really fall asleep that fast? For the average pokemon, it would be unlikely for it to go from conscious to sawing logs in two seconds flat... but then, Peppy's not quite average. The pup doesn't give a verbal response, so Aurora might be inclined to think that he already is fast asleep. Truth is, however, he's not yet; a small smile gently creeps onto his face, one of the first signs of happiness he's shown in hours. Other than that, the Growlithe doesn't move at all as he slips further into slumber, feeling warm from his mate beside him, drawing comfort from her proximity.