Malantau Howling Precipice

[Chibi Pika]

Whatever it was, there was still the problem of the cub to attend to. Lowering his snout to the ground, he took a deep breath, then set out slowly forward. Slow enough to give Ranger time to catch up. He kept one ear turned back to hear Ranger and the other forward as he tracked his missing 'packmate'.

The footfalls were close. Alarmingly close, too close to ignore. A wave of bittercold swept through the fog that hearkened back to the barrens as they had been in the dead of winter, months ago. Then, the fog parted, swept back until it sat over and all around like a dome, enclosing them. And right in the center, now visible, was a trail of blood leading away from a spear of ice embedded in the snow. A number of other spears of ice were scattered across the clearing.

And there, on the opposite end, was the masked beast with hooves like glaciers and coat like fresh powder and mane like frozen daggers.

And it was staring straight at Archie and Koa with cold, empty eyes.

 

[Tetra]

A dark shape melted out of the fog, another canine. For a half second, a paranoid corner of Koa's brain braced, expecting another attack from some ghostly dog.

And then the shape took form. Dark fur and orange and metal bands. The Houndour Archie mentioned. Another step closer, and he jolted to a stop. Blinked.

Wait was that-

Then the fog parted.

Fear and shock snapped Koa's sense into high alert, his focus shifted instantly to the scene before them. Blood and ice and that massive beast, the legend- no, not legendary, not here. Something else. And something definitely not friendly.

~

Anubis' head snapped toward the blood and spear, then to the towering icy beast. A growl rose in his throat. He took a step forward as his inner fire flared in anticipation for a fight.

Weak though this new body of his was, he would not let this creature harm anyone further.

The dark growl built into a threatening snarl that in spite of his small frame, spoke of a more experienced mon, and sent a clear message.

'Back off.'

 

[Chibi Pika]

The Wight's Bane—Glastrier, frozen counterpart to Spectrier—ignored Anubis, its gaze fixed squarely on Koa and Archie as it took a few heavy steps forward, hooves crunching the snow.

And then the frozen mask adorning its terrible face creaked open at the jawline, and the bane spoke.

"Yᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴠᴇ sᴘᴏᴋᴇɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ."

The tone, if it could even be described as such, was neutral. A statement of fact.

 

[Weazel]

The fog lifted, no, it shifted around them, sealing off the sky while pulling away to reveal the grim scene before them. Archie couldn’t spot a body, but the trail of blood was obvious, splattered red against the brilliant white of the snow. The other spears littered around the clearing suggested a scuffle, that only ended when one struck true. And at the center of it all… That horse, was that the Legendary Glastier he’d heard so much about? Archie grabbed his Scalchops and summoned his Razor Shells, but he was grimly aware that this was not a fight he’d be able to win.

And then it spoke. Archie glanced backwards at Koa and Dustin, the latter of whom shrugged. To be honest, the Saint almost hadn’t seemed to notice the Buizel, or the Houndour for that matter, its gaze solely fixed on the Dewott and the Electrike. Who had they met that could possibly be of interest to the terror of the Wight Barrens? … Oh, right, him.

“You mean… Spectrier?” Archie asked, watching the horse for any sudden movements.

 

[Chibi Pika]

"Sᴘᴇᴄᴛʀɪᴇʀ..." the voice hissed.

Hooves stamped. The bane tossed its neck roughly, icy mane creaking unnervingly. When it was done, it again fixed its gaze on Archie, unnaturally forward compared to the typically sideways gaze of an equine.

And then the words became sharper. Clearer, as if spoken by an actual creature rather than a megaphone. Still, it was a raw voice, rusty from what might have been decades of disuse.

"Spectrier is... a useless coward," Glastrier said, her words high and bleak, like a desolate arctic wind. "A miserable, pathetic fool who thinks he might run from our past."

 

[Tetra]

Glastrier, it really was Glastrier. The weight of the icy saint's gaze bore down on Koa with nearly the same intensity he felt from legendaries back home. He found himself tensing, readying himself for a fight he was sure they couldn't win. Not with so few. Maybe with the other Wayfarers.

Its voice crept through the air like an icy chill. The other. Spectrier.

Then Glastrier spoke again.

"Spectrier is... a useless coward," Glastrier said, her words high and bleak, like a desolate arctic wind. "A miserable, pathetic fool who thinks he might run from our past."

Koa bit back a number of rude things he wanted to say. Spectrier was timid, sure, but that seemed unnecessarily harsh. Don't pick a fight. "And what past is that?" he asked in an even tone, still bracing himself in case of another attack. His gaze flitted briefly to the trail of blood, wondering if the Shinx was okay. He cast Archie a wary look. What could they even do if it did attack? No Betel, no Wayfarers... All they could do was try to not antagonize it.

~
Alpha!

Anubis would have known that voice and shock of blue fur from anywhere, and in any other situation he would have ran to his alpha's side, overjoyed to be united with him again. But faced with such a foe, he had to be wise. Ignore me, will you?

He tentatively edged around the ice-type, testing if it would pay him no mind. Perhaps he could get around it, find where the trail led. Or strike from behind if necessary.

 

[Weazel]

Archie frowned, grimly. Listening to a murderous Saint casually drag their counterpart had not been anywhere near what he expected to do today, but here they were. Was he supposed to commiserate? Defend the honor of a Saint he honestly hadn’t been all that impressed by himself? The way the horse was glaring at him certainly suggested it expected some kind of answer. Or maybe it just liked playing with its food.

“He seemed to be afraid of you,” the Dewott said.

Meanwhile, Dustin’s eyes followed after the Houndour as it crept around the Ice Type. Clearly up to something. He shouldn’t stand idle either. The Buizel edged away from the Electrike and Dewott, mirroring the Houndour’s movements on the other side of Glastrier. The more split up they were, the harder it would be for the Legendary to focus on any one of them. At least, he hoped that was the case.

 

[Chibi Pika]

Glastrier was pacing back and forth now, tossing her head in agitation. She didn't seem to have noticed Anubis or Dustin... yet.

"And what past is that?" he asked in an even tone, still bracing himself in case of another attack.

"This place," the frozen saint said, mist escaping her jaws with each word. "The place where he... where I... where everything fell apart. And I now I guard the wastes while he has become nothing more than Arthur's shadow."

'Guard' the wastes... was there some greater purpose to her tirelessly stalking the barrens?

 

[Inkedust]

The blood and scent trail seemed to lead further into the fog only to abruptly stop just after a short distance if either one of Anubis or Dustin chose to follow it further. There was a new, unfamiliar scent where the bloodtrail stopped, leading deeper into the fog.

It seemed that something far larger that swiped the shinx and, based on both sound and scent, it was close. Circling them.

Watching them.

 

[Tetra]

On some level, Anubis was aware this was a significant risk. Unwise, even. He was in a strange land, with the body of a pup, with only a single Buizel for an ally. But how many a time had he watched Alpha forge ahead into danger in pursuit? Had Alpha not chased that Thief so very long ago, Anubis himself would not have been reunited with him.

So with light steps, he crept away from the icy beast, circling wider and then following the blood scent into the mists.

He drew short as the trail ended and looked up, stepping protectively toward the Buizel as he did. The water type was another stranger to him, but a friend of an ally was his ally. "Something is watching us," he growled, trying to pick out a shape in the mists. "Be ready."

---

Arthur's shadow? Had Spectrier really abandoned his counterpart? Or was that just one jilted perspective? "Fell apart... So he left his duty with you?" he asked carefully, the words leaving a bitter tint to his thoughts. What duty did they have here? By what he heard, Glastrier just attacked anyone who came near. "Is that because of Arthur?"

 

[Weazel]

Alright, so... Was Glastrier upset that Spectrier and Arthur left, or was she upset she was left  behind? What was it keeping the Legendary here? Could she leave if she wanted to? There was some kind of subtle wrongness to the Saint. Was she a specter, grimly holding on to the last bit of familiarity anchoring her soul here?

"Why do you continue to guard this place?" He asked. "Is there something here that demands your continued presence?"

The Dewott's eyes flicked away from Glastrier only briefly, meeting Dustin's own as the Buizel crept his way around the Legendary. He really hoped the Buizel had some type of plan.

---

Dustin had no plan. He only knew that if this walking corpse decided it, they were all dead. So what was the play, then? Dance to her tune in the hope she didn't turn hostile? Scatter and hope she lost track of at least some of them? How do you appease a dead God? And where the fuck was that Houndour going!?

The metallic scent of blood lingered in the air, to make no mention of the trail of it leading into the fog. Following it, as the Houndour was, would lead them to the canines missing companion. Bleeding as the Shinx was, every second counted. Dustin scowled to himself, he rubbed his face with both paws. The he crept after the Houndour.

The trail lead away a little ways, before it just stopped. Ominous. The Houndour leaned in close and practically hissed that they were being watched.

"Yeah, she's about twenty paces behind us," Dustin dryly quipped under his breath. But, the Shinx hadn't vanished into the aether, someone, or something, had grabbed him. He lifted his head and scented the air. Sure enough, an additional scent had joined those of blood and death.

The Buizel nodded, grimly, and pivoted around until he and the Houndour were back to back. He felt what little power he could summon welling up in his chest. He had half a mind to give anyone who tried to surprise them a surprise of their own... But then he thought better of it, and let the power dissipate. The last thing any of them needed was for him to accidentally irritate the horse god by blindfiring Aeroblasts.

Personally, the Buizel didn't like it when the events in his life rhymed with those of a scary campfire story.