(ACE) The ILEX Team

In the dark foliage, a shape darted through the undergrowth. In it's camouflage nearly invisible as it trampled on desiccated leaves and branches, a faint metallic jingling following with each step. The air was cold and reeked of the crisp death of October, so the crackling traveled far before being muffled by the many skeletons hanging overhead. Gradually slowing from earlier expediency, the shadowed silhouette stopped under the shade of a large oak tree, panting heavily as he stooped to catch his breath. A few seconds later getting up with a start, wide golden eyes glanced about frantically in the scant moonlight. Oh god no it's going to find me it's going to find me it's going to find me. Shivering from biting cold and gnawing fear, he wrapped himself with his arms and hoped his green garb would offer him some respite. With a change in the icy breeze, the acrid stench of a festering rot was brought to his attention. Blood now running cold as the winter winds whispering around him, his gaze returned upwards and he set off in the direction opposite of the doom he was warned of.

No matter where or how fast he ran, he couldn't escape the horrible smell of death that followed him. It only grew stronger as he continued deeper into the night. Feeling like he was going to gag from the stifling air he burst into an open grove. Slowly he walked forwards a few paces until he was in the center of the little hollow and looked up at the moon. It was so bright that not even the stars were visible around it, and it hung there being the sole light in the sky. Bitterness welled up his throat at the reminder of just how long he too had been alone, the ursa's knees buckled from the weight of it all. His brothers...He has failed them. It was probably for the better that he hadn't seen anyone, he'd probably screw up and get them killed. Just a walking disaster waiting to happen. He was going to die here, no one knowing or caring about his existence in this god forsaken forest. In the corner of his vision, the darkness skirted ever closer and he knew he was going to die alone. The Teddiursa let his head bow to the victorious loneliness and accepted his defeat. But his overwhelming despair was interrupted by something entirely unexpected.

"Hey! Hey you!"

Blinking away the tears forming in his eyes, the little bear looked up from the ground and stared in confusion. It was a purple balloon, talking to him.

"W-Wha?"

The balloon drifted down from it's height to a little above his level, smoky blue eyes glowing with confidence and some supernatural force. The yellow 'X' on it's face turned out to be it's mouth, -Not it, she?- with a smile in the middle of her face.

"What 'cha doing all alone in the forest? It's kinda dark for hiking ya know. Hmmmm...?" She put one of her heart shaped appendages to her face in contemplation, then looked back at him with a kind concern in her eyes and voice. "Are you lost? It must be really scary huh...Well it's gonna be okay! I'll help you find your friends!" Those glowing sapphires looked back at him full of joy and hope. Those kinds of people died years ago, what was someone like this doing here of all places? Is this even happening?

---

Man, who knew flying could be so boring?!? She had been down from the clouds for hours and she hadn't seen anyone yet as she hovered above the treeline. "Stupid trees, blocking everyone's view..." Muttering aloud to herself as she drifted along, she couldn't help but feel lonely. It had been a long time since she was in the city and she hoped it was doing alright. She severely doubted the likes of The Heliotile or Shifter to be able to take over the city, but as Castelia's resident hero she of course would have some worry for it. "Ah well, it should still be standing by the time I get back. Man, the chief is going to chew me out so bad when I get back. That guy really needs to watch his blood pressure." In these mutterings and inane musings, she distracted herself from the oncoming dread. She hadn't seen a single soul since she came down, not even birds flying in the sky. The dead silence pervading the forest was giving her the creeps. The place was huge, even if half of it looked like it had been hit by a tornado. She couldn't say she knew much about the weather patterns in Johto, but no doubt she could get some good info on it at the next book store or library.

Sounds in the thicket below her caught her attention and she followed along, working hard to keep up with the fleeting shadow below. After awhile it had finally stopped, and the balloon paused for a bit to rest before continuing. It was a little green Teddiursa bent over in the grove, appearing to be dressed in a military outfit. She waved at him, but since his vision was currently directed towards the ground she opted for shouting at him as her second option.

This should get his attention "Hey! Hey you!"

It seemed to work and the Drifloon floated down so she could address this stranger more directly. Military are usually part of a unit, I wonder why this guy's all alone? "What 'cha doing all alone in the forest? It's kinda dark for hiking ya know. Hmmmm...?" Her eyes went wide when coming to a sudden realization and she looked back at the bear, really taking in his appearance. He was absolutely filthy aside from the clothing, strangely it seemed the bear cared more about their upkeep than his own. His eyes were a bright yellow with discoloration around his eyelids, a few shades lighter than looking like he'd gotten a pair of black eyes. The Teddiursa looked tired, and absolutely terrified. He was shaking even as he replied to her. Oh man, he looks like he hasn't slept in days. Poor guy! "Are you lost? It must be really scary huh...Well it's gonna be okay! I'll help you find your friends!"

Looks like a job for Spiderman!

Cyrielle flew over the treeline, keeping a watchful eye over both the trees and the skies around her. The forest below was devastated, torn apart as if by a great beast. Good thing we weren't here when this happened, huh? She wanted to shake her head at the thought of running into one of the powerful undead, but was all too aware of the little Espurr that did not need to be accidentally thrown off. Smiling, Cyrielle reflected on the years that had past, before they'd come here to this forest. She and Seda both had been really lucky to have even survived this long, yet here they were. Tales were told of Johto, especially of the forest itself-it was plague ground zero, full of nasty undead that few could hope to defeat. Cy didn't know if such things were true, but it was enough to make her doubt if coming here was a good idea.

Ah, don't think such things! Now is not the time to stress.

Cy scanned the land below, looking for a decent place to land. Surely there had to be a place in the forest for the two of them to find shelter, and with night coming, she had no desire to stay exposed in the sky. After a few minutes, she found a spot that would work; most of the trees there had fallen, no longer obstacles, and the forest floor was relatively clear.
"We're heading on down, Seda," Cy said to the Espurr cheerfully before her descent. Nothing flew out of the forest or the sky to attack them, which left Cy feeling immensely relieved as she settled onto the forest floor. Everything was quiet, and she decided to get a good look at their surroundings. The intact trees were very close together, letting in no light, but they could be a source of protection. Cy would just need to make sure to keep watch for undead Pokemon...and find a heat source. She was just now noticing just how cold it was, and using Flamethrower could draw attention.

Deciding to handle such problems one at a time, Cy turned her attention back to her Espurr friend.
"Whoa, this forest sure took a hit, didn't it? But we can still find a place to stay," she said, smiling, trying to be optimistic about their situation. "Let's have a look around."

(OoC: Hope that was enough for you to go with, Vince. This post gave me trouble. :/ Will edit if not.)

She would never get tired of flying! "Cy! Cy! Go touch that cloud!" the kitten chirped, pointing with one dainty paw towards the thin clouds around them. The Dragonair did not always listen to her suggestions, but Seda hardly noticed most of the time. What other Espurr could say that fly every day! The snow Bengal giggled, settling happily on her perch, wrapping her other arm around Cyrielle's spike. Her small body sat upon her upper neck, paws wrapped tightly around the magical horn of her dragon friend. Her round blue eyes flashed around them, taking in the scenery. The sky was darkening, giving way to night, and the kitten's stomach fell in disappointment. They would have to land soon. Her least favourite part of flying was when it ended. And after a short time, Cy confirmed her suspicions.

"We're heading on down, Seda," the serpent informed her in an upbeat tone, but Seda sulked in response. "Okay..." she muttered, looking away and sticking her bottom lip out, pouting. Watching as the floor grew bigger and bigger, though, the kitten perked up effortlessly. "The trees are so big!!" she mewed in wonder, mouth forming a small circle to match her naturally round eyes. "Whoa, this forest sure took a hit, didn't it?" Seda nodded in response as they dipped beneath the tree tops. "So many trees got broke!" The Dragonair landed as smoothly as ever, smiling up at her. "But we can still find a place to stay," Cyrielle added optimistically.

Seda nodded in enthusiasm, scooting up from her laying down position to stand with all four paws on Cy's forehead as she stood upright. Wrapping one forepaw around the trusty spike for balance, Seda looked around the dark forest as a light breeze sent a chill through her thin fur. "Let's have a look around." While she was always up for something new, there was something about the forest that made her uneasy. The snow Bengal twitched her whiskers, looking uncertainly behind her best friend. "Do you know where we are, Cy?" she asked in a shaky tone. "The air is really chilly," she added after a moment, not talking about the temperature.

The look of... panic? that flashed through the eyes of the undead set the Absol on edge, nerves screaming out as a sense of rushing... wrongness assaulted him. His horn throbbed as he took a slow step back while trying to talk down the distraught creature, "...Are you alright?" His voice was low, non-threatening. The other dark type responded in a cry, N-no.... No..... P-please... Get away, I'm... I'm dan-

A surge of pain ran through the Soldier, his body impacting the wall of the building behind him, thrown from the force of the impact that had flown from his opposite. A gasp escaped him, blood gurgling from between his lips as something vital within him ruptured. "Now, now. This is MUCH more fucking like it." Apos climbed slowly to his feet, eyes widening as he saw what the Scrafty grasped in her small hands... his scythe, broken off cleanly from his skull at the base. The undead was moving again, fast, Oh so fast, the blade flicking out in a motion too fast to follow. He sank to his knees, a line of fire running across his throat as it was laid bare to the chill air. A dull thud was let loose as he fell to his side, legs clawing hopelessly at the frozen earth, scrabbling to make purchase, to get himself away. A look of hatred and... horror? ran through the other dark type as she brought the blade down, bisecting him across his torso. His vision grew dim, and sound faded...

....

His eyes flickered open, heat pulsing through his form. "Is this... Am I...?" He looked down, examining himself. Pale flames ran up his ravaged body, knitting his torn flesh together. He started as his long-still organs began screaming, asserting to him, YELLING at him that he was alive, against all odds, alive, alive, ALIVE. He rose, shakily, taking stock of his surroundings. The ground beneath him was torn, shredded from the fight before. And yet... These signs are old. weathered... they're downright ancient... He looked upwards to the moon, judging it's position in the sky. It's been... months since then... He continued his observations of the town, nothing the lack of sound, the lack of... movement. It had clearly been abandoned by his fellow survivors long ago... He took a shaky step, and then another. Slowly the revived soldier made his way away from the town in the mountains, away from his grave, heading to the south-west.

Several Months Later

The Absol had traveled across the land of Johto, since his resurrection. He had seen the carnage, heard whispers of them. The living knew them as Harbingers. Even undead feared them, making a wide berth around wherever one resided. He had heard of specific instances, the Zoroark that searched for Love, the Magmortar whose fires were dying out. And yet... here he was, on the outskirts of what he believed to be their homeland, their ground zero. Ilex forest, where the Gyrados from Rage had been rumored to have rampaged. Where the behemoth, Tyranitar, had once roamed. Where the blind dog, Houndoom, had hunted for screams. A shiver ran down his back, his scythe filling him with a low dread.

I shouldn't be here... nobody should be here... The soldier steeled himself, staring at the stars above to soothe his nerves. His eyes closed, and he let loose a shuddering breathe. I have a job to do. I have to stop them from doing what was done to me. The Absol stepped forward once more, making his way into the ruined forest ahead. Far above, the last light of the sun caught a serpent, descending up ahead of him.

Only Arceus himself know how much time had passed since Xander had flee the blazing storage building and was heading what he thought was North. It could have been days, even weeks since he was on the road. The notion of time completely dissapeared for the ghost pokémon, but again it's been over three years that everything in the whole world stopped altogether, only to become a twisted version of a hide and seek game, where the issue of being found would be fatal. Through the morning sunlight, Xander could see what was ahead of him. A massive forest of high trees and impenetrable darkness. Without a doubt, he finally realised where he was. The Ilex forest. He was back to that damned forest. Ignoring his rumbling tummy that had been crying for over an hour now, he ventured inside the wooden labyrinth, unknowing of what he would find in there.

Even if it was far away in his memory, the Haunter could remember what happened in this forest what seemed to him as decades ago: Those damned harbingers that were roaming amok, Tyranitar and Gyarados. He passed over a broken tree, and he found himself in the middle of a path of wood and earth mess, sinister result of the infamous titans. Continuing on his route, he wondered if he would saw Azalea Town again (well, what was remaining of it), where he stood a night in the trashed Pokémart. His thoughts where however cut short by the dull pain and the grumblings of his stomack. "Damn, since when I last ate?" he spoke to himself. The last time he ate was a while ago, when he found an half-rotten Razz berry that was foul enough to make him swore to never eat those again. He looked around, trying to find something to eat, or at least something that was edible for him and definately NOT rotten. He finally turned around a giant rock to find some mushrooms. He promptly took them and ate them unceremoniously. He knew about the dangers of poisonous mushrooms, but a perk of being half-poison type was that he doesn't have to care much about it. There wasn't even near enough mushrooms to satisfy him, but at least his stomach will stop growling. Nodding to himself, he resumed his travel, aiming what he would believe was North, and ventured deeper in the forest.




"WhoooOOAAAH  MAAAAN, WHAT'S GOING ON???" Xander began to experience the hallucinogenic properties of the mushrooms he just ate. His vision deformed the trees and the ground, stretching them, twisting them, making them into impossible patterns. His own claws were playing tricks on him, changing colors and forms. He staggered in the airs, trying to keep his balance, but fails to do so. He began to wander aimlessly between the trees, trying to get his senses back before ultimately blackout




Xander had somehow floated over an high branch of a tree, and firmly believed he was an Ambipom. He was watching over his hoard of Nanab berries when suddenly an army of flying Tepig swooped out of nowhere and threatened his precious Nanab. The Ambipom fought bravely, but the narrow branch wasn't the place to hold a stand, and he eventually loose control and fell of the branch. While he let out a terrified cry that would surely be his last, Xander realized something: He wasn't an Ambipom, he was an Haunter. He wasn't protecting his Nanab Berries, but a pile of random rocks and pine cone that he spent hours to collect. He wasn't falling down either, he was just slowly float back to the ground, under the eyes of a dazed odd-colored Absol. His terror cry lowered to only a tiny whisper of a cry, his eyes still locked on the other pokémon as he continued to descend untill the ghost finally reaches the ground. An awkward moment of silence followed while the Haunter looked at the Absol, mentally face-palming himself repeatedly and blaming those damn mushrooms for this embarrassing moment, not having enough courage to utter a single word.

The feline slunk through the underbrush stealthily, her bright blue eyes watching around her for any movement. Standing to her full height, the plants rustled noisily as she stood, making the Cheetah Persian wince. Oh fudge, that was less than graceful. She thought, her ears flattening. She took a moment to compile herself once she was sure nothing was going to jump out and attack her and continued on. Her spotted form broke up her image as she walked through the flora, making her practically invisible in the overgrown forest. He cover didn't last long though. Soon she stumbled upon an area where there used to be trees, but they were nothing but overturned stumps and charred roots. Only a few trees stood out, and in one such tree, Duma spotted two pokemon, an Absol and Haunter. The Persian took a quick glance around, about to turn and walk away when a sharp, shrill scream came from the Haunter.

Whirling around, Duma stared wide-eyed as the Haunter slowly floated down to the ground, screaming. The Normal Type grew extremely confused, and her mouth hung slightly open as her eyes widened in a mix of confusion and shock. What is wrong with that Haunter? She thought, sinking down to the ground so she was laying on her stomach. Slowly creeping towards the duo, Duma peeked over a fallen log, her blue eyes wide as she observed them. Finally she stood, her tail waving back and forth nervously. "I... Uh... A-are... Are you o-okay? Y-you seem a lit-ttle out of i-it." She said, her voice shaking horribly as her legs threatened to collapse underneath her. Oh legends please don't let them be hostile, please don't let them be hostile! Duma thought hurriedly, carefully holding her tongue in her teeth so she didn't make more of a fool of herself.

(ooc: Please skip me, there's been unexpected circumstances and i won't be able to post tomorrow.)

Lifting her nose to the air, the white Espurr twitched the small muscles, flickering her whiskers in the wind. Seda's mouth fell open naturally as she turned her eyes to the tree tops where they had just come from. The sky was stained with the setting sun, an omen of night as stars threatened to sparkle from beyond. Her expression slowly lit up, the uncertainty brightening to a wondrous curiosity as she watched the clouds slowly vanish. "Wouldn't it just be the best if we could stay up there forever, Cy! Never have to come down!" The snow Bengal released an optimistic purr, brushing off the chilled wind that rustled her fur.

But the optimism was short lived, as the evening silence was violently cut through by a shrill, long cry. Seda immediately flinched, scrambling backwards and dropping onto all fours as she pressed her rapidly trembling body against Cyrielle's warm scales. A whimper escaped the kitten as her round eyes flickered rapidly back and forth, pupil's dilated in terror. "What was that?!" she wailed, tears building beneath her eyes.

The throbbing from his scythe was growing now, the uneasy dread moving smoothly into a low pain, a dull ache that filled his skull, setting his nerves alight. The dark fur along his hackles raised, and his muscles tensed. Something's... not right.... Something's coming...

A scream ripped through the chill air, a rapidly fading cry from above him. The Absol jumped back, landing in a low crouch as a dark light pulsed along the length of the crescent blade. "Make your presence known!" He commanded, his voice fading into the shadows of the forest. All was silent for a moment, a quick two heartbeats passed before a rustling was heard, and a Haunter descended, eyes fixed on the Shiny. The Soldier tensed, his head whipping forward as a shimmering purple crescent launched forward from the ebony sickle.

"I... Uh... A-are... Are you o-okay? Y-you seem a lit-ttle out of i-it." The revived Pokemon flinched, eyes flicking left to see the source of the timid voice.  "Move slowly, and keep eyes on this one. I don't know if he still lives, or he's gotten the sickness... Move behind me, and be prepared to either attack... or run..."

Xander wasn't sure what to expect, but the purple glow of the scythe of the odd-colored Absol was probably the last thing he waited as an answer. Diving on the side to evade the beam of purple energy as a reflex, the Haunter succesfully got out of the way of what could have been a fatal attack. The slash of light continued its way before hitting the tree Xander was on not so long ago, peeling the bark off where the contact was made at first, then completely torn the tree at this spot, cutting it and making it crashing against the other trees, leaving a smoking stump behind.

When the Ghost Pokémon get up, floating back in the airs, he firstly inspected the stump, touching where the Psycho Cut hit it before shaking his claw at the hot surface, hissing at the sharp pain of the psychic energy left in the wood. Suddenly, he started to look back and forth between Apos and the stump, his face looking more and more horrified each time, finally realising what happened. Or maybe not.

" ... WHAT THIS TREE EVER DID TO YOU???"

Xander started to throw a childish tantrum while he remembered the good times he had with this tree. It wasn't just a simple tree, it was the only one that truely understood him. He remembered the times they went to the park together, his wooden friend pushing him on the swing, when they went to the beach together, that dreadful raid of the flying Tepigs... As he hugged the stump, Xander's mind clicked on something. His expression got more stern and serious. The tree was awfully close of him when that Absol attacked him. What if the tree wasn't the target?

"... Hey, wait a minute."

The Haunter's mind was racing at the possibilities. What What if the tree was just an innocent bystander, and HE, Xander, was the target? But why would he be attacked? After all, he didn't even attacked or threatened or anything. As Xander ponders for what seemed to him as seconds, but in reality was several minutes, floating back and forth, he came to a conclusion:

"Oh. OH! I see it now. YOU attacked ME!"

Again, another childish tantrum was thrown, ponctued by "Why"s and "Who sent you"s, along with a myriad of accusations of being an undercover Tepig. In his speech, the fur coat of the Persian caught his eyes. Xander circled around Apos pointed at her: "You! You there, you saw everything I'm sure of it! He attacked me for no reason! Please tell me you saw everything!". But as soon as the Absol muttered something about the Ghost not being healthy, Xander took an offenced stance.

"Me? An infected? Do you REALLY think I'm one of those monster that used to roam here days and nights? I don't have any purple patch of skin nor fur that peels off! (Obviously, he's all purple) I didn't show an aggressive attitude toward any of you. I don't even have anything they could infect me with! So, excuse YOU, sir Absol Sir, but I can affirm without a doubt that I AM ONE THOUSAND PERCENT HEALTHY AND NOT INFECTED!"

Of course, with all the commotion and the emotionnal instability of the Ghost, it wasn't helping him digesting those darn mushrooms, and his stomach thought it was a good time to expulse them out of his system. So, without ceremony, Xander vomit all the content of his stomach on the ground, resuming in pine cones, dirt, some rocks, leaves, patches of grass and of course, half-digested mushrooms. Extenuated by such activity, Xander just let himself roll on the ground beside his previous meals patch, only to raise a claw in the air.

"If you want one, just ONE advise in this damn forest.... don't eat the mushrooms... Urgh."

"Wouldn't it just be the best if we could stay up there forever, Cy! Never have to come down!"

Seda's good mood was infectious; Cyrielle felt her worries melt away, if only for a second. How grand would it be to stay above the clouds, and never run into the undead! While such things were only a pipe dream, the thought of living in peace was joyous. For an instant, Cy felt a semblance of hope. But then came something that brought her back to reality; a terrified scream, not a sound that usually signified a threat, but Cyrielle immediately tensed, ready to fly up again at a moment's notice. While they hadn't been forced to fight undead too often, Cy was always on guard, ready to protect Seraida.

"What was that?!" Seda's terror was evident in her voice, and that only made Cyrielle more determined to defend her from whatever was in the forest. But that scream-it hadn't sounded like the screech of an undead. It sounded like someone scared out of their mind, as if they'd seen a ghost...or worse. As much as Cy wanted to get away from this forest, especially if there were undead lurking about, she didn't like the thought of simply leaving someone behind, not if there was something she could have done.

"That sounds like someone's in trouble," Cyrielle responds to the Espurr, trying to stay as calm as possible for her benefit. "They could use our help..."

Cyrielle looks around nervously one more time. Was that more sounds she heard, or was her mind playing tricks?

"But-I don't know. Not for sure."

Fear still coursed through the Espurr, manifesting as a soft whimper from the kitten's jaws as the Dragonair responded confidently. "That sounds like someone's in trouble," Her best friend always knew what to do, Cyrielle always said the right thing. Seda instinctively crawled forward, craning her neck to look down at the Dragonair with wide, apprehensive eyes. "They could use our help..." the serpent added softly. Seda flicked her tail back and forth quickly behind her, gripping the soft scales of her friend with her small paws. "Y-you think?" she asked hesitantly with a shake to her mew.

"But-I don't know. Not for sure," Cyrielle admits, looking around quickly. Seda instinctively looked behind them, between the two effectively covering all ground. But the Dragonair's words hit a nerve in the psychic's mind. But.. what if they did need help? Without warning Seda suddenly jumped up, standing on her hind legs again as she gripped her horn. "But Cy! We hafta help if that's the case!" Seda looked down, gaze suddenly determined. "What if we are their only hope? Lives could be at stake! Let's go!"

After giving out his most important advise about this forest, the Ghost Pokémon floated back into the airs, dusting himself to remove the leaves and dirt away. A quick glance over the two other Pokémons shown that, while he might had convinced the shy Persian, the Absol was unmoved by his speech, and was even looking at him suspiciously. An urge to adress a witty answer to the canine appeared in Xander's mind, but he quickly discarded it, provoking him could only makes things worse than they are now. He just pouted instead.

The Haunter looked up, only to see the slow declining light of the day through the thick layer of leaves and branches. Damn, how much time was he under the influence of those fuckin' mushrooms? It did bother Xander for a moment, then it simply dissapeared. He floated in front of the two other Pokémon, not sure of where he wanted to go. He finally point out a direction with his claw. "If I recall correctly, there's a road  in that direction that will lead to shelter for tonight. If we are fast enough, I think we'll be able to get there before night." As he floated further from the clearing, he turned around to check if he was followed. To his great surprise, both of them hadn't moved yet.

He floated back to the group, and asked them why they weren't following him with a grumpy voice. The Absol took a step forward: " We know nothing about you! How can we follow you and-". The rest of his sentence was cut off by the Haunter: "Oh, of course, how rude of me. (He moved a claw proudly on his chest) I am Xander, gentlemon extraordinaire, adventurer and-". This time, it was the Haunter's turn to be cut off but the Absol: "... and a complete bouffon." Xander took an offended gesture before pouting again. "Go f#ck yourself!". After recollecting himself and clearing his throat, the Ghost asked them to follow him so they could be on their way and hopefully get to destination before dawn.

But Apos still wasn't convinced that they could trust him. Rolling his eyes, Xander spoken in an irritated tone of voice: "How to put this so you can understa- OH! by the way, complete change of subject but, Welcome to the Ilex Forest! Population: You both, me, and a whole shitload of infecteds that just dream to tears us appart and eat us alive." He approched the Absol, and he wispered to him: "Well, that's what the last census of the area said, and I don't want to be around to check if it's still true because, you know, infecteds and stuff?" Floating back to his previous place, Xander shrugged: " Oh, but if you prefer to meet your friendly neighbours, I don't mind at all. It's your call. Otherwise (He rolled his claws in the airs and pointed somwhere) I'm going."

With that said, he ventured further into the woods, but slowed down a little in case the other two decide to tag along.

(OoC: Forgot to add that I had express permission of Apos to control his character a bit.)

The Persian whimpered as the inverted Absol shot a Psycho Cut at the Haunter. It swerved around the ghost and hit the tree, toppling the tall foliage. "Move slowly, and keep eyes on this one. I don't know if he still lives, or he's gotten the sickness... Move behind me, and be prepared to either attack... or run..." With a muted meow of agreement, Duma backed away from the Haunter, ducking behind the Absol. She wanted to still see what was going on though, so she poked her head around to keep her blue eyes locked on the ghost. "... WHAT THIS TREE EVER DID TO YOU???" Duma flinched at the sudden outburst. "You d-don't need to be so loud you k-know..."

After a little bit of contemplation, the Haunter looked from the Absol to the tree, lost in thought. "... Hey, wait a minute." The Persian's ears    flicked at the ghost's tone. Unknown to her, a small smile crept up onto Duma's face. "Oh. OH! I see it now. YOU attacked ME!" She couldn't help it, Duma snickered, amazed by the idiocy of the Haunter. "Typically t-that's what usually is t-the case when a P-Psycho Cut is thrown at a 'm-'mon." The Haunter then pointed a ethereal claw at her and Duma shrunk down to the ground, her ears flattening. "You! You there, you saw everything I'm sure of it! He attacked me for no reason! Please tell me you saw everything!" She whimpered at getting directly addressed by the loud ghost. "I... Uh... I-I'm uh... I'm j-just gonna n-not respond. P-please don't yell, it h-hurts my ears..." Her words seemed to fall on deaf ears. Do ghosts even have ears?

"Me? An infected? Do you REALLY think I'm one of those monster that used to roam here days and nights? I don't have any purple patch of skin nor fur that peels off! Duma blinked. "W-well your kind of... All p-purple..." "I didn't show an aggressive attitude toward any of you. I don't even have anything they could infect me with! So, excuse YOU, sir Absol Sir, but I can affirm without a doubt that I AM ONE THOUSAND PERCENT HEALTHY AND NOT INFECTED!" Duma was about to respond, when the ghost doubled over and proceeded to expunge half digested mushrooms out in front of them. Duma yelped and backpedaled so fast that the Persian tripped over a tree root and ended up going ass-over-head into a bush.

"If you want one, just ONE advise in this damn forest.... don't eat the mushrooms... Urgh." Dragging herself free of the entangling shrub, Duma glared daggers at the haunter. Biting her tongue to stop herself from shooting a sarcastic dart at the ghost, she shook out her fur before slinking back over to her previous position behind the safety of the inverted Absol.

"If I recall correctly, there's a road  in that direction that will lead to shelter for tonight. If we are fast enough, I think we'll be able to get there before night." Duma crouched back down as she dove into her thoughts. We don't even know this Haunter's name! What is it trying to pull? Is it going to lead us to our death? The Absol seems nice but the ghost is just... Weird. What was with it's scream? It seemed to be scared if falling, but don't Haunter float? She delved in her thoughts for a bit before the Absol brought her out of her thoughts. "We know nothing about you! How can we follow you and-""Oh, of course, how rude of me."
Oh boy, here we go.

"I am Xander, gentlemon extraordinaire, adventurer and-""... And a complete bouffon." Duma coughed to stop herself laughing, without much success. She bit her tongue to stop her laughter from inviting unwanted scorn, but a look up at the pouting Haunter made her almost lose it again. "Go fuck yourself!" Snickering quietly, Duma took a deep breath to calm herself. "How to put this so you can understa- OH! by the way, complete change of subject but, Welcome to the Ilex Forest! Population: You both, me, and a whole shitload of Infected that just dream to tears us apart and eat us alive." Well. At least she knew where they were now. "Doesn't look much like a forest to me..." She meowed, looking around at their surroundings. "Well, that's what the last census of the area said, and I don't want to be around to check if it's still true because, you know, Infected and stuff?"

"Oh, but if you prefer to meet your friendly neighbors, I don't mind at all. It's your call. Otherwise..." Xander spun his claws around in a sphere before pointing off somewhere random. "I'm going." Duma looked at the Absol, looking to them for guidance. "That Haunter - X-Xander seemed to k-know where he w-was going. Maybe w-we should follow?" She asked, not willing to move until the Absol moved.

((skipp me, I'm too angsty to post for Spidey atm))

"But Cy! We hafta help if that's the case!" Seda declared, "What if we are their only hope? Lives could be at stake! Let's go!"

The Espurr's words gave Cyrielle more confidence in her desire to help; Seda was right, they couldn't leave if it meant saving someone else. Her nerves were overpowered by the drive to action; now was the time to act, not endlessly worry.
"You're right," Cyrielle responded to the Espurr, glaring at the trees of the forest now instead of being wide-eyed in fear. "Hold on tight!" she warned Seda before flying through the forest, fast as she dared without going too quickly-didn't want Seraida falling off, after all. Luckily for them, the trees had been rendered thin enough for Cy to be able to fly at such an altitude without much trouble. Following the direction where the scream had come from, or as close as Cyrielle could tell, she fully expected to find injured Pokemon, or at least a scene where a fight had taken place.

What she got instead was an area with two Pokemon whose species Cy couldn't identify; one was cat-like, at least. Dumbfounded, Cy slowed to a stop, landing easily on the forest floor. While one looked timid and the other way too tense, neither of the Pokemon appeared distressed or even injured. They're definitely not walking corpses though...that's a good thing. But who had screamed, and why?

"Are you two alright?" Cyrielle asked the strangers, glad there was only two of them. Her throat turned cold as she prepared to use Ice Beam if they attacked. She detested having to do so, but there was value in caution...and Cyrielle wouldn't let them harm Seraida.

Seda felt her veins burn with empowerment, her best friend straightening her own back along with the Espurr as both stood up tall. "You're right," Cyrielle agreed, causing a squeak of joy to escape the kitten. "Hold on tight!" the Dragonair added with renewed vigor, the enthusiasm jolting through the pair like electricity. "Heck yeah Cy!" Seda crowed, dropping back onto all four paws. She wrapped her arms around the horn on her friend's head as to make sure she kept a good hold.

The Espurr relished the sharp breeze that immediately blew through her folded ears and her thick, spotted fur. We ARE super heroes!! Rushing to the rescue-- they would save the day! As Cy led the way, weaving through the trees with years of experience, Seda watched as they eventually opened to a clearing. The serpent pulled up gracefully, landing softly onto the grass without  jostling the Espurr. Seda's face immediately scrunched up, pursing her lips as she stood back up to two legs on her perch."Are you two alright?" her best friend asked after a moment, but the Espurr took a sassy stance. "Yeah! What's the problem, bubs!"

The ghost reacted in a way the Soldier hadn't been expecting. His voice raised and seemed... indignant? Surely no such emotion that had ever crossed the mind of an undead, at any rate. What Apos was looking at wasn't dead (yet, at any rate), but was clearly ill, physically and mentally. He was on a tirade, in... defense of the tree the Absol had felled? In either case, he was clearly deranged, and not much threat. At any rate... another attack like the last one will drop him before he can cause much harm.

The tension fell from his muscles, and he straightened as the Persian behind him gave voice for the first time (audibly anyway, god knows he had heard her wiseass sniggering while the Haunter was speaking), "That Haunter - X-Xander seemed to k-know where he w-was going. Maybe w-we should follow?" The veteran turned, head cocked to the side before speaking in a low, confidential whisper "And go where, to the land of magic shrooms? He's clearly... unstable, and you want to trust him right off the bat...?" He was in the process of turning back to the Haunter, when the newcomers caught his eye. A Dragonair now sat before him, half hidden at the edge of the clearing. "Are you two alright...?" Her voice was soft, reserved, and tinged with both worry and... anxiety? His mouth opened, the first shred of words forming when the Dragonair's companion made her appearance, speaking loud and with confidence. "Yeah! What's the problem, bubs?!"

The absol sighed, glancing towards his new Persian friend Shold probably make a point of getting her name soon... with a half shrug, before calling back to the pair. "Yeah, we're fine here. Had a run-in with a haunter who appeared undead. He began to stride towards them. "He did make a point of mentioning, though, that this place isn't at the top of the list of places to be at night, or near the middle, for that matter. He glanced at the Persian again "Trying to decide if it would be better to break camp, or to leave the forest. I think I saw you earlier" inclining his head to the dragon, "Flying overhead. How do things look from up top, if I may ask?

((Due to the changes in the post cycle, Duma will post next, followed by Keb. After that, we'll be following the Teamsheet))

Duma's ears flattened as the Absol looked back at her. "And go where, to the land of magic shrooms? He's clearly... unstable, and you want to trust him right off the bat...?" Her gaze dropped, and she mumbled apologies. "O-oh. Right. S-sorry. You're right." She mumbled, her ears perking up as something sounded nearby. "Are you two alright...?" Her blue eyes looked at the dragonair, her ears perking up as she looked out from her hiding spot behind the Absol. I need to get his name... I can't go around calling him 'Absol' forever... She thought, opening her mouth to ask, when a second voice brought her attention to a small espurr. "Yeah! What's the problem, bubs?!" Duma blinked, tilting her head to the side. Bubs? They weren't children, right? So why was the espurr calling them bubs?

"Yeah, we're fine here. Had a run-in with a haunter who appeared undead. Duma snorted, squashing her laughter. "T-that wasn't the only thing w-wrong with him..." She muttered, rolling her eyes as she looked back at where the Haunter had disappeared to. "He did make a point of mentioning, though, that this place isn't at the top of the list of places to be at night, or near the middle, for that matter. Duma looked up at the Absol. "Surely he w-was just exaggerating, r-right?" She asked, looking over at the shiny espurr, studying them. "Trying to decide if it would be better to break camp, or to leave the forest. I think I saw you earlier," She looked over at the Absol, confused. Saw who? "Flying overhead. How do things look from up top, if I may ask? She followed his gaze to the dragonair. Oh, right. They fly.

"W-well, surely that H-haunter was just exaggerating, r-right? Maybe we s-should just break c-camp?" She asked, before a sudden thought came to mind. "Oh! R-right. Um, I'm D-Duma. I-If I may a-ask, who're you all?" She asked, before flattening her ears and crouching, her blue eyes watching the others.

Xander continued to further a little more into the woods, trying to find the trail untill he noticed something wasn't right. The ground here was covered with leaves and branches, so normally quadrupeds Pokémons would make at least some noise, isn't it? Then, why wasn't he hearing any? He turned around, ready to congrats them about their stealth skills when he realised they were just not following him. They were still at the same place he found them. Puffing his cheeks and muttering, the Haunter floated back to the two. He called them them out: "Hey! You two! If you had a death wish, you just had to tell me right off the bat, so I wouldn't bother waiting for you! The sun is still high in the sky, but it won't be long before everything grow dark in this damn forest!"

He was about to add another layer of lecture upon them when he realised the group had grown by two new members: A magnificent Dragonair and a little Espurr. They probably appeared after he ventured further in the woods. The Ghost Pokémon hasten to presenting himself: " Oh hello there, didn't saw you earlier! Let me introduce myself! " Saying that, he took the Espurr's hand and vigorously shook it, with enough energy to rock her whole body. " My name is Xander. I'm a gentlemon extraordinaire and adventurer." With a menacing finger pointed at the Absol and a pout aimed at him, he added: " AND NOTHING ELSE THIS TIME!" With a grunt and another pout, he looked away.

Clearing his throat, he then turned to the Dragonair: " It's a real pleasure to meet other survivors!" He extand his hand to the Pokémon, but realised she was lacking arms, and therefore hands to shook, he jittered awckwardly on place before turning away with an "Mh." He finally faced the group and clampsed his claws together: " As I said earlier prior to your arrival, the Ilex Forest isn't one of the best place to stay in the open at night. The consequences of such act are rather... gruesome for the majority. I suggested to the other two here to try to find the nearest remainings of human city to take shelter for the night. The thing is, unfortunately, I don't remember in which direction it is, so I only have a vague idea of where it actually is."

Thinking about something for a moment, he added:" But I would believe I overheard something about you two being out in the skies before landing here, am I correct? If it's the case, have you happen to find a clearing with human building... ehm... let's say...." With his claws, he showed a vague direction: " ... in this area? I believe it's our best chance for tonight. After that, we will of course be free to move at our own free will."

Thunk!.... Thunk! ...Thunk!...

A sound echoed in the distance, the deep rumbling of the earth... if the earth could make such sounds, that is. Above ground, the sun had sunk low. The trees and foliage of Ilex Forest itself dipped in the fingers of night. The ground  beneath was solid, no chance of giving way, crumbling, toppling someone to the darkest depths. No... that was not possible, of course. Thunk!... Thunk... THUNK! The sound vibrating through the air then was very clearly not a natural occurrence.

The sound slowly shaped itself into a voice, words distorted and muffled, but words nonetheless. "Let me..! Out...! Out!... OUT!" With the last bellow, the ground suddenly ripped upward in a living geyser of rotted flesh. The monster who literally tore himself from the ground slithered further, out of the hole he had torn. Though he no longer breathed, his chest shook from the exertion his limbs endured, his tongue hitting the grass as he laid there, resting, for the moment.

Charizard was filthy, more so than usual. The gore that covered his pale scales was mostly gone, instead covered with mud and dirt. Behind him, his tail still half hidden in the hole he had emerged from. "COLD... so... no sun," he whined, the sounds from his throat more alike to the rusty gears in an old factory. His handless arms scrapped against the ground, leaving ashes and infected blood on the green grass. "Why...? Where sun?" He cried to himself, thrashing his wings above him. The leathery appendages flicked upwards then landed limp on the clearing around him. "Want... need warm," Charizard begged the air. It was cold, so cold. He could not remember the last time his scales were warm. From the rip in the ground, light flickered, remnants of the lava he urged to rip through the bedrock for him.

Had he bee able to, the dragon would have sobbed, but even tears of blood were beyond hi, the scorched, black holes beyond any sort of liquid. He was alone, so alone. Why did the cold never end? Did the sun hate him? "Hey! Hey you!" The sudden cry caused him to recoil. Despite already laying on the ground, he curled up on himself. Dragging his tail from the depths, he whipped it around to bury his nose beneath. "No... no loud," he whimpered. The night was too cold. The air too cold. He needed alone. He needed quiet. "Are you lost? It must be really scary, huh?" Charizard began trembling. His wings clenched, poised as if ready to take flight. "No... need quiet..."

"Well it's gonna be okay!" His shoulders pressed upwards, the bones that started his wings rubbing against each other. "NO..." Smoke began to wafer from his nostrils. "I'll help you find your friends!" That was when his wings snapped upwards, roaring through the wind with the clap of thunder.

"WHAT FRIENDS!"

He was standing up then, his massive legs pulling upward and thrusting his great chest into the air. He released another bellow. "NO FRIENDS! SUN FORSAKE! SUN HATES!" Shooting through the air, he spun in a corkscrew as he flew over the treetops to reach the voices. "GET DOWN!" A new voice was speaking, the commanding tone loud and authorative. Charizard smashed to the ground, his yard long talons making deep groves in the earth as he screamed to the sky. He could smell warmth, blood. There was a small warm thing in front of him. He heard the scrambling of paws, but they were not retreating.

"Bring it on, dragon!"

They were challenging.

Lava formed at his lips as he gauged the distance. Charizard waved his tail behind him, the massive appendage ripping several of the still-standing flora from their roots with no effort at all. "NO FRIENDS!" The sound, then, was movement. Suddenly there was a sensation in his chest. Was he stabbed? "GET OUT OF HERE!" Charizard thrashed, whipping his charred arms back and forth as his bulk threatened to fling the Teddiursa off, but he held on purely due to the knife embedded in the Harbinger's skin. With one mighty swing of his tail, the lizard swatted the bear off of his chest. The Teddiursa hit the ground with a loud gasp, the air knocked from him. Charizard lunged forward, gripping the small creature with one massive foot on his chest. NO SUN!" The flames building in his throat exploded, but it was not the Teddiursa who took the Flamethrower.

"A job for Spider-" The words were cut off with a sickening pop! as the Drifloon exploded from the heated air inside of her. "N- No...!"

Charizard was stunned into shock. "Did... friend... save... friend?" His posture dropped, becoming passive in the aftermath of his actions. He was unaware of his claws digging further and further into his victim beneath him. The Teddiursa fought to speak, his chest shaking with the effort, but the gashes in his chest were too gruesome. He choked on the blood pooling in his throat, but when Charizard shuffled his position, he accidentally crushed the green furred body beneath his heel.

Frozen, in shock, Charizard could not move. "...F-... friend?" he whimpered softly. A look of anguish came over his facial features, despite the disfigurement, and he pulled himself into a crouching position. "Friend...?" he repeated, bringing his nose to the remains of the Teddiursa, bumping into him softly. There was nothing solid remaining, though, and as Charizard scuttled backwards, he was left with fresh blood on his muzzle along with a patch of green fur.

((Please Skip me this cycle. I posted 3 posts ago, and I need the rest of the team to respond))

"Yeah! What's the problem, bubs?!" Seda immediately jumped up and said, destroying whatever tension had been in the air before. Cyrielle held back laughter, but the other two didn't seem to be as amused; one sighed while the spotted cat merely looked confused. Not exactly the responses she'd been hoping to get, but Cy smiled with relief, finally able to relax. These Pokemon weren't hostile.

 "Yeah, we're fine here. Had a run-in with a Haunter who appeared undead," the leader Pokemon explained. "He did make a point of mentioning, though, that this place isn't at the top of the list of places to be at night, or near the middle, for that matter." Cyrielle forced herself not to scan the forest for threats, instead focusing back on the one who had spoken. He seemed calm enough...though Cy wasn't too sure about the feline that kept making remarks. She must have been a lot less sure of herself.

"Trying to decide if it would be better to break camp, or to leave the forest. I think I saw you earlier. Flying overhead. How do things look from up top, if I may ask?"

Cyrielle thought back to when they'd been flying, and looking down at the forest; it hadn't been pretty. The destruction, and what could have caused it-well, Cy was hesitant to write off the Haunter's claims of the forest's danger. Maybe he knew about what had happened before?
"Not good at all," she responded, "Something must have...rampaged through the forest before, there's just flattened trees everywhere, everything is either crushed or knocked over."

"W-well, surely that H-haunter was just exaggerating, r-right? Maybe we s-should just break c-camp?" Cyrielle was about to disagree with her when the feline spoke up again. "Oh! R-right. Um, I'm D-Duma. I-If I may a-ask, who're you all?"

"I'm Cyrielle," she replied, smiling gently at Duma. The girl must have been terrified, and Cy sympathized with her; the last few years could not have been good for the feline. I wonder if she has been with her friend for long? ...well, I guess she wouldn't be asking his name if that was the case.

 "Hey! You two! If you had a death wish, you just had to tell me right off the bat, so I wouldn't bother waiting for you! The sun is still high in the sky, but it won't be long before everything grow dark in this damn forest!" The appearance of the Haunter was far from a shock, but boy did he have a way with words. Cy figured he could give Seda a run for her money with that sass. ""Oh hello there, didn't see you earlier! Let me introduce myself!" Suddenly he started to shake Seda's hand with too much enthusiasm-poor Seraida would no doubt have a serious headache after that. "My name is Xander. I'm a gentlemon extraordinaire and adventurer." Cyrielle wanted nothing more than to laugh out loud as he pointed at Duma's companion with a very childish expression. Was this guy even real? "AND NOTHING ELSE THIS TIME!"

"It's a real pleasure to meet other survivors!" Xander exclaimed as he turned his attention to Cyrielle. Apparently he had forgotten she didn't have any hands, and tried to give her a handshake too-it was at that point Cy could no longer keep back her laughter. Seda did and said funny things all the time, but this Haunter was in an entirely different dimension. She bit back her laughter as Xander began to address the group, not that such a thing was easy.

"As I said earlier prior to your arrival, the Ilex Forest isn't one of the best place to stay in the open at night. The consequences of such act are rather... gruesome for the majority. I suggested to the other two here to try to find the nearest remainings of human city to take shelter for the night. The thing is, unfortunately, I don't remember in which direction it is, so I only have a vague idea of where it actually is." After his words, Cyrielle simply nodded. So she'd been right about the dangers of the forest, which was all the more reason to get out of it. It would have been easier to simply fly away, but who knew how many Flying-type undead lurked in the skies at night around here?

"But I would believe I overheard something about you two being out in the skies before landing here, am I correct? If it's the case, have you happen to find a clearing with human building... ehm... let's say...." The Haunter pointed a claw in no clear direction, which didn't make Cyrielle any more confident in his directional abilities. " ... in this area? I believe it's our best chance for tonight. After that, we will of course be free to move at our own free will."

"Actually, I think I know what you're talking about," Cyrielle said, "It could be really damaged there...the area, I mean...but it's worth checking out. Right?

The Absol glanced at her and the Espurr felt pride run through her fur. Yeah, this guy would listen to her for sure! He better! Though despite her internal bravery, her round, blue eyes would not leave the scythe on his head. "Yeah, we're fine here. Had a run-in with a Haunter who appeared undead," the feline explained, though Seda was having trouble concentrating. With a single toss of his head, the Absol could cut her clean in two. "He did make a point of mentioning, though, that this place isn't at the top of the list of places to be at night, or near the middle, for that matter." The snow bengal dropped onto four paws, pressing herself against Cy's head. I don't want to do this anymore... But... the Absol at least was being logical. "Trying to decide if it would be better to break camp, or to leave the forest. I think I saw you earlier. Flying overhead. How do things look from up top, if I may ask?" He inclined his head towards the Dragonair, his expression expectant but not unfriendly. Regardless, Seda fluffed up her fur, narrowing her eyes in a fierce way. Don't come near my best friend you sharp... thing!

But to the Espurr's dismay, Cy shook her head in response. "Not good at all," the beautiful serpent explained. The tone of her voice compelled Seda to break her glare at the Absol and look down at Cy with sympathetic eyes, patting her cheek with one paw as she continued. "Something must have...rampaged through the forest before, there's just flattened trees everywhere, everything is either crushed or knocked over." Seda didn't remember that. "The view was so pretty from up there," the kitten whined softly, but the Persian was the one who spoke up. "W-well, surely that H-haunter was just exaggerating, r-right? Maybe we s-should just break c-camp?" Seda cocked her head to one side, pulling herself up to sit back on her haunches. Would staying with this group be a good idea? The cat looked so nice and spotty... "Oh! R-right. Um, I'm D-Duma. I-If I may a-ask, who're you all?" the cheetah asked. "I'm Cyrielle," her best friend responded softly, but the Espurr flicked her stubby tail up. "She goes by Cy," she added bluntly. "I'm Seda."

I won't let them near my best friend, she thought, narrowing her eyes at the Absol. Her thoughts distracted her, Seda tuned out the Haunter tht was speaking way too loud. But she was not given the luxury of doing that for long-- "Oh hello there, didn't see you earlier! Let me introduce myself!" The Haunter was right in front of her, catching the Kitten off guard as she bounced onto her hind legs in shock. Seda's eyes widened in alarm as he reached out for her, but he was only-- "H- hey!" she squawked loudly as he gripped her paw and shook it, with great force, up and down. Her entire body jostled with each shake. "L- Let g- go!" she stammered, unable to speak with her head bouncing up and down. "My name is Xander. I'm a gentlemon extraordinaire and adventurer. AND NOTHING ELSE THIS TIME!" Xander? The Espurr flared up her fur once more, dropping onto all fours and glaring up at Xander as she made sure the scene would not repeat. "He's loud," she muttered under her breath.

In fact, he wouldn't stop talking. Seda plainly tuned out his words, instead studying the spots on Duma's fur. Cy would listen and make sure things worked out, she didn't have to pay attention. Xander pointed vaugely around them, his expression perplexed after a few minutes. " ... in this area? I believe it's our best chance for tonight. After that, we will of course be free to move at our own free will." Seda rolled her eyes. This guy was some adventurer. "Actually, I think I know what you're talking about," Cyrielle's voice made her ears perk up. "It could be really damaged there...the area, I mean...but it's worth checking out. Right? The implication was not lost on the Espurr. "Are we staying with them, Cy?" she whined loudly, showing her obvious distaste at being with the group. "The guy over there might cut me in half with his sword!" she hissed, glancing at the Absol's horn.

"Actually, I think I know what you're talking about," Oh good. At least he remembered it was in that part of the forest. How would he could claim himself an adventurer and not AT LEAST remember where that damn town was. "It could be really damaged there...the area, I mean...but it's worth checking out. Right?" " "Of course i  is damaged. I estimate that one or two buildings are still standing and  offer enough shelter for all of us, but it's still way better than to stay in the open, don't you think? I mean, it will prevent infected to spot us in plain sight. We could aslo make a fire there: the nights in the forest are rather cold after dusk."


"Are we staying with them, Cy?" The little ball of fluff asked to her friend. It was obvious that the idea of being in a group of stranger wasn't the most trilling idea for her. Well, the company of the Absol at least: "The guy over there might cut me in half with his sword!" Xander thought about it for a second before trying to change the Espurr's mind about it: " As I said, nothing prevent us to part our separate ways tommorow morning, but for the time being, I think it's more than reasonable to stay together. Strenght comes in numbers after all. Otherwise, better roll yourself in barbecue sauce and lay on a silver plate while waiting for those monsters to get you for their midnight snack tonight." He paused, approaching the Espurr close enough so he could whisper to her: " And just between you and me, I've met him a couples of minutes ago, and I can assure you that if he finds a reason, he WILL cut you in half." As to bring some proof of his sayings, he pointed the still smoking bark of the fallen tree: "That tree was standing about ten minutes ago. Just sayin'." . That said, he clampsed his hands together and when back where he was standing: "Anyway, moving on~. .


He was about to make another wise-ass comment of his own when he suddenly stopped talking. Was that just a scream right now? If it was, it was way back deeper in the forest. As the Ghost's face grew more and more uneasy, he toned down his voice: "... Have you guys heard that just now, or it was my imagination?" It could clearly be his imagination. After all, not so long ago he firmly believed he was attacked by flying Tepigs. As he glanced around, looking everywhere trying to find a clue of what might had happened, he noticed the shadows of the remaining trees were starting to merge themselves with the general darkness, the already declining lights on for Sun just going dimmer and dimmer. Weither it was something that came out straight from his imagination or a real scream, it wasn't putting Xander in the happiest of moods. He started to be anxious, like something bad was bound to happens if they don't get out of here, and fast. Every fibers of his being urged him to go away, far away from here. "You know what? I don't want to be around to answer my question. Let's get the hell out of here. Cyrielle, please lead the way." He really hoped they would move as well, but the urge of running away was something hard to subdue, so much that he concider to ditch them if they decide to not follow him.