Darksong
Back in action!
Sometimes, things are what you least expect them to be, where you least expect to find them.
For example, take this situation. You know those Sudowoodo... they act like trees? I was looking for berries in the morning, when one just Rock Slided me out of nowhere after I seemingly bumped into a tree trunk! How rude! What do they expect for mimicking things like that?
But, there are the good times, too. I had gotten lost in the forest, and I asked myself where I was going, but a Roselia kindly pointed out the way back to the plains!
Of course, that's not always how it is. It's not always Pokemon disguising themselves. Sometimes, you're looking for something, but you can't find it when it's right in front of your nose.
You see, as a Mightyena, I'm a rather intimidating creature. Let me guess... you're wondering why I'm not with a pack. It's simple, really, but at the same time, it's rather complicated. In short, I was shunned and exiled because I was colored differently, with my fur a shining copper and my eyes a clear, aqua blue. I lived a long life on my own. Once, in the winter, when I was weak, a member of a foreign Houndoom pack attacked me; the results were not pretty. I hardly escaped, with my left shoulder scarred and my paw mangled, my long claws almost torn out. I prefer to stay away from others.
After that, I've only wanted one thing: a pack that would accept me. Through my whole life, the hatred and sadness directed at me just filled my heart with the same emotions. My chest is heavy with loneliness and desire, a want just to fit in.
I raise my head, swiveling my long ears, at the sound of a howl, my blue eyes glistening with hope. But just as I am happy, the thick, brown fur along my spine bristles with caution as I clench my teeth. My nose, with its odd blue color, twitches like a Buneary's, scenting the air. The howl is far off, and no scent of other Mightyena is near. I'm in neutral territory.
Cautiously, I decide to follow the lamenting cry. Reluctantly, I hold back a desperate cry of my own as my paws swiftly make soft rustling noises on the soil covered in dead leaves. The autumn wind is cold, its frigid breath ruffling my fur and sending a massive shudder through me. Temporarily, my fur is smoothed by the headwind, and I am slowed, wondering when it will dissipate so that I can continue faster, so that I can get closer to what perhaps is my destiny. But I cannot help but wonder: Will it bring fortune and acceptance, or just more hatred, like my past has?
A howl rings through the forest again, and this time, it is much louder. Determined, I think of the distance that I have closed between myself and this stranger. Finally, the scent reaches my nose; I am downwind of the other Mightyena, so he does not notice me. Still, I slow to a careful trot, being sure to keep my footsteps inaudible. My speed decreases even more as I near the stranger, my fluffy tail sweeping the air.
I stifle a sigh of relief as I examine his face carefully. The black markings near his eyes are different than my own brown ones; he is not of my pack, as I was afraid he would be.
Suddenly, the wind's direction changes, and he lifts his muzzle, sniffing. I flinch, alarmed, as his head whirls towards me. He does not look away, his gaze sharp as he focuses on the exact spot where I am. Finally, I gather my courage and boldly step out of the leafless bush that had concealed me before, and with a start I realize that it was probably my eyes and nose that had given me away.
To my surprise, his tone is not hostile, and he is not tense, though he firmly stands his ground. "What is your business here?" His voice is strong and rather deep, with a slightly aggressive edge to it, though that does not seem to fit him at all.
Again, I shiver, cautiously taking a step back. "I-I'm a loner," I stammer, my voice shaky. "I was just looking for another pack... to fit in." I say the last part slowly and softly.
"I'll need to ask our leader... maybe it would be best for you to wait here." He pauses cautiously, and his voice becomes a growl. "How do I know you're not lying?"
"I swear to Arceus I'm telling the truth," I retort, though unconfident. My tone is still meek, sounding more like a Poochyena's than a Mightyena's.
He hesitates. "Fine. What is your name?"
I blink for a moment, trying to remember. I haven't used it for such a long time...
Finally, I reply, "Kyra." At least, I think that's my name.
"For now, you don't need to know my name," the black-furred Mightyena growled. And with that, he sprang off into the woods, the sound of his paw steps slowly fading.
I sigh as he dashes away, sitting down. I turn my left paw over, staring at it wistfully. The pad is worn, the claws erratically located. The right claw is missing almost entirely; what is left of it dull and disgusting. I almost grimace at myself. The middle claw is pointed slightly towards the left claw, which is the only thing normal about this paw. I can see the two blackened punctures on the edge of the middle pad where my foot had been pierced by the Houndoom's Fire Fang. As I put my paw back down normally, the same is shownn on the other side. I wince as I try to put weight on my paw. It began to hurt again, as if looking at it made me conscious of the pain.
Unexpectedly, the stranger returns, his dark gray fur flowing as he lands with a gust. Suddenly, his countenance is stern as he glares at me. "Our leader says he doesn't want you here. I recommend that you get out of our territory before he takes your life like a Rattata's."
Obediently, I nod, turning around slowly. Once, before I start fleeing as fast as my paws would allow me, I look back at him. I don't know whether the glint of regret in his eyes is my imagination or not.
The growl of my empty belly is almost as fearsome as one that would come from my throat. I know that I am starving, as almost all my ribs are visible through my skin, but all prey seems to evade me. I cannot determine whether it's my slightly limping step or my heavy breathing, but something is draining my luck, and my life, gradually.
There are no more cries as the sun begins to set. I am faced with only one choice: to go to the city, to live as a stray, though I doubt anyone will take me in.
Night has totally fallen by the time the lights -- and the stench -- reach me. But there is no time to rest. I must find food soon, my belly seems to tell me as I am struck with hunger stronger than ever before in my life.
The first thing I see of the city is hard, black ground that is rocky, blowing even more pain into my contorted left paw. I start to cross it, but bright lights approach slowly, almost blinding me. A loud noise like a sick Farfetch'd reaches my ears, and I dash out of the way of the giant thing just in time. I have no chance to see exactly what it is, but it's long enough for me to know that I have to avoid those things.
There is no smell of food, but I see cube-shaped structures nearby. Would they, perhaps, hold something of use?
Curious, I continue towards them. But there is no food-scent near any of them, and hopeless, I collapse on the grass next to one of them, my breathing ragged from my long journey.
I jump up with a start as I am awakened by the bright light, and something cold is just on the tip of my nose. For a moment, it's small and gray, but then it dissipates into water. Snow?
Great, just what I need. The weather is cold and there's no hope of prey. And now, as if that weren't enough, there are a few small humans dressed in baggy clothes exiting the cube-shaped things. They seem too busy to notice my copper shape against the slowly whitening ground.
There's only one human that's not a smaller one, and I watch him as he slowly exits through a hole in the wall. The tall figure looks around, locking his gaze on me.
His next action surprises me. Carefully, he takes a few steps towards me. My fur bristles as I growl, but it becomes a whine as he continues to close in on me.
I feel something on the top of my head, and it takes me a moment to realize that his hand is on my head. But I do not flee, quieting down. He says something in an endearing voice, his other hand on something at his belt line. It's a blue sphere with a white section in the middle. He must see the fear in my eyes, as he says, "I'm not going to use it on you, girl. Of course not. I just happen to have someone else."
As he releases the Pokemon inside, he glances at my ribs. "Hungry? No, let me rephrase that. Of course, you're starving."
He turns back towards the structure which he exited through, and curiously, I follow him. But something touches my left flank, and I look back quickly. My heart skips a beat as I whirl around, recognizing the canine. It's the same Houndoom that had battered my paw. His long, ram-like horns curve over the back of his head, and there are bones on his back.
"Kyra, right? I'm sorry, I won't hurt you this time."
My fur that had been standing on end lowers as I'm calmed, although I'm still not completely sure.
It's not long before the human returns with something that makes my mouth water. It's a kind of raw meat, and I gaze at it hungrily, as if it had hypnotized me.
Quickly, I devour it, and after the few minutes that I eat in, the human leads me into the cube, the Houndoom by my side. That's when I learn that things that you're looking for can be where you can least expect them; you just have to look a little closer.
For example, take this situation. You know those Sudowoodo... they act like trees? I was looking for berries in the morning, when one just Rock Slided me out of nowhere after I seemingly bumped into a tree trunk! How rude! What do they expect for mimicking things like that?
But, there are the good times, too. I had gotten lost in the forest, and I asked myself where I was going, but a Roselia kindly pointed out the way back to the plains!
Of course, that's not always how it is. It's not always Pokemon disguising themselves. Sometimes, you're looking for something, but you can't find it when it's right in front of your nose.
You see, as a Mightyena, I'm a rather intimidating creature. Let me guess... you're wondering why I'm not with a pack. It's simple, really, but at the same time, it's rather complicated. In short, I was shunned and exiled because I was colored differently, with my fur a shining copper and my eyes a clear, aqua blue. I lived a long life on my own. Once, in the winter, when I was weak, a member of a foreign Houndoom pack attacked me; the results were not pretty. I hardly escaped, with my left shoulder scarred and my paw mangled, my long claws almost torn out. I prefer to stay away from others.
After that, I've only wanted one thing: a pack that would accept me. Through my whole life, the hatred and sadness directed at me just filled my heart with the same emotions. My chest is heavy with loneliness and desire, a want just to fit in.
I raise my head, swiveling my long ears, at the sound of a howl, my blue eyes glistening with hope. But just as I am happy, the thick, brown fur along my spine bristles with caution as I clench my teeth. My nose, with its odd blue color, twitches like a Buneary's, scenting the air. The howl is far off, and no scent of other Mightyena is near. I'm in neutral territory.
Cautiously, I decide to follow the lamenting cry. Reluctantly, I hold back a desperate cry of my own as my paws swiftly make soft rustling noises on the soil covered in dead leaves. The autumn wind is cold, its frigid breath ruffling my fur and sending a massive shudder through me. Temporarily, my fur is smoothed by the headwind, and I am slowed, wondering when it will dissipate so that I can continue faster, so that I can get closer to what perhaps is my destiny. But I cannot help but wonder: Will it bring fortune and acceptance, or just more hatred, like my past has?
A howl rings through the forest again, and this time, it is much louder. Determined, I think of the distance that I have closed between myself and this stranger. Finally, the scent reaches my nose; I am downwind of the other Mightyena, so he does not notice me. Still, I slow to a careful trot, being sure to keep my footsteps inaudible. My speed decreases even more as I near the stranger, my fluffy tail sweeping the air.
I stifle a sigh of relief as I examine his face carefully. The black markings near his eyes are different than my own brown ones; he is not of my pack, as I was afraid he would be.
Suddenly, the wind's direction changes, and he lifts his muzzle, sniffing. I flinch, alarmed, as his head whirls towards me. He does not look away, his gaze sharp as he focuses on the exact spot where I am. Finally, I gather my courage and boldly step out of the leafless bush that had concealed me before, and with a start I realize that it was probably my eyes and nose that had given me away.
To my surprise, his tone is not hostile, and he is not tense, though he firmly stands his ground. "What is your business here?" His voice is strong and rather deep, with a slightly aggressive edge to it, though that does not seem to fit him at all.
Again, I shiver, cautiously taking a step back. "I-I'm a loner," I stammer, my voice shaky. "I was just looking for another pack... to fit in." I say the last part slowly and softly.
"I'll need to ask our leader... maybe it would be best for you to wait here." He pauses cautiously, and his voice becomes a growl. "How do I know you're not lying?"
"I swear to Arceus I'm telling the truth," I retort, though unconfident. My tone is still meek, sounding more like a Poochyena's than a Mightyena's.
He hesitates. "Fine. What is your name?"
I blink for a moment, trying to remember. I haven't used it for such a long time...
Finally, I reply, "Kyra." At least, I think that's my name.
"For now, you don't need to know my name," the black-furred Mightyena growled. And with that, he sprang off into the woods, the sound of his paw steps slowly fading.
I sigh as he dashes away, sitting down. I turn my left paw over, staring at it wistfully. The pad is worn, the claws erratically located. The right claw is missing almost entirely; what is left of it dull and disgusting. I almost grimace at myself. The middle claw is pointed slightly towards the left claw, which is the only thing normal about this paw. I can see the two blackened punctures on the edge of the middle pad where my foot had been pierced by the Houndoom's Fire Fang. As I put my paw back down normally, the same is shownn on the other side. I wince as I try to put weight on my paw. It began to hurt again, as if looking at it made me conscious of the pain.
Unexpectedly, the stranger returns, his dark gray fur flowing as he lands with a gust. Suddenly, his countenance is stern as he glares at me. "Our leader says he doesn't want you here. I recommend that you get out of our territory before he takes your life like a Rattata's."
Obediently, I nod, turning around slowly. Once, before I start fleeing as fast as my paws would allow me, I look back at him. I don't know whether the glint of regret in his eyes is my imagination or not.
The growl of my empty belly is almost as fearsome as one that would come from my throat. I know that I am starving, as almost all my ribs are visible through my skin, but all prey seems to evade me. I cannot determine whether it's my slightly limping step or my heavy breathing, but something is draining my luck, and my life, gradually.
There are no more cries as the sun begins to set. I am faced with only one choice: to go to the city, to live as a stray, though I doubt anyone will take me in.
Night has totally fallen by the time the lights -- and the stench -- reach me. But there is no time to rest. I must find food soon, my belly seems to tell me as I am struck with hunger stronger than ever before in my life.
The first thing I see of the city is hard, black ground that is rocky, blowing even more pain into my contorted left paw. I start to cross it, but bright lights approach slowly, almost blinding me. A loud noise like a sick Farfetch'd reaches my ears, and I dash out of the way of the giant thing just in time. I have no chance to see exactly what it is, but it's long enough for me to know that I have to avoid those things.
There is no smell of food, but I see cube-shaped structures nearby. Would they, perhaps, hold something of use?
Curious, I continue towards them. But there is no food-scent near any of them, and hopeless, I collapse on the grass next to one of them, my breathing ragged from my long journey.
I jump up with a start as I am awakened by the bright light, and something cold is just on the tip of my nose. For a moment, it's small and gray, but then it dissipates into water. Snow?
Great, just what I need. The weather is cold and there's no hope of prey. And now, as if that weren't enough, there are a few small humans dressed in baggy clothes exiting the cube-shaped things. They seem too busy to notice my copper shape against the slowly whitening ground.
There's only one human that's not a smaller one, and I watch him as he slowly exits through a hole in the wall. The tall figure looks around, locking his gaze on me.
His next action surprises me. Carefully, he takes a few steps towards me. My fur bristles as I growl, but it becomes a whine as he continues to close in on me.
I feel something on the top of my head, and it takes me a moment to realize that his hand is on my head. But I do not flee, quieting down. He says something in an endearing voice, his other hand on something at his belt line. It's a blue sphere with a white section in the middle. He must see the fear in my eyes, as he says, "I'm not going to use it on you, girl. Of course not. I just happen to have someone else."
As he releases the Pokemon inside, he glances at my ribs. "Hungry? No, let me rephrase that. Of course, you're starving."
He turns back towards the structure which he exited through, and curiously, I follow him. But something touches my left flank, and I look back quickly. My heart skips a beat as I whirl around, recognizing the canine. It's the same Houndoom that had battered my paw. His long, ram-like horns curve over the back of his head, and there are bones on his back.
"Kyra, right? I'm sorry, I won't hurt you this time."
My fur that had been standing on end lowers as I'm calmed, although I'm still not completely sure.
It's not long before the human returns with something that makes my mouth water. It's a kind of raw meat, and I gaze at it hungrily, as if it had hypnotized me.
Quickly, I devour it, and after the few minutes that I eat in, the human leads me into the cube, the Houndoom by my side. That's when I learn that things that you're looking for can be where you can least expect them; you just have to look a little closer.
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