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.