(ELITE) The SNOWPOINT Team

Everything was a terrible haze... A purgatory of light and dark, sound and silence, pain and numb. Dante couldn't make out anything that was presented to his fading mind as it danced along the precarious line of awake and unconsious. He knew not of the others that surrounded him, nor the newcomer he'd likely snap at were he in good enough health. No, he remained perfectly ignorant of them, and the lengths they were going to keep him alive.

Out in reality, however, he was not so peaceful.

His throat gurgled with blood, coughed on reflex as the sneasel held him up by his neck, nearly choking him before Strix got back with the medicine. Tongue lolled out of the side of his mouth, limp and useless, there was no reaction as Strix tried forcing the medicine down. Dante's dangerous mouth remained agape, allowing the medicine to slowly dribble down his trachea. The effects went straight to the worst wound, the gaping, sloshing hole in his side, patching it up for the most part, blood still pumping out with each heartbeat. It wasn't good, but at least he wouldn't die within minutes. Dante, however, remained unconsious, his eyes still rolled firmly to the back of his head.

"Maybe... Can we use what we used on you and Ciara to wake him up, at least? The drug?" The large feline asked, fear coloring her voice. Strix looked at Alice in incredulity, his eyes wide as he tried to slow his mind down enough to think cohesively.
"Uhh...Y-yeah! We need an adrenaline shot! But I didn't fucking see one in there-!" He snarled desparately, holding the canines' mouth shut with one claw and twisting his body around and dropping his heavy hand down on the box, quickly pulling it towards him. His impatience growing, he flipped the small white container over, tossing it over his shoulder as his attention turned to the small mess of used items next to him. His heart sank as he saw nothing useful, his large claws fumbling shakily around and discarding the empty vials and wraps. But his face brightened as he looked to the syringe and then to the others, his claws guickly grasping the white, plastic object with a strange plunger.
"H-here!" He stuttered, trying to control the tremors going through his armored body.

Without hesitation, he pulled off the plastic wrap and lid, and looked to the others breathlessly, before plunging the needle into the canines' heart.

(Adrenaline shot, yay! If thats not ok dear, I can change it. Also, Strix held his mouth closed, so he doesn't spew the potion everywhere when he wakes up lol)

((please skip. I'm really sorry for holding up the team, I thought I had posted already. >.< There's not much for Alice to do atm.))

Eerything was a blur. A positively awful... blur.

I was unable to move. My pelt stood on end, my eye wide with horror, my paws rooted to the snowy ground. The only thing that seemed to be animated was my heart. A horribly pounding thing, the organ bursting out of my chest. I was pretty sure that I could move bu then, but... But I didn't want to. I was a frozen statue of dapplyed pinks as Dante fought the beast. He moved with the strength of all of us in his spirit, I swear that he was fighting for our lives as much as his. The Manectric took care of the Sneasel, the one I had tried to warn, but she was soon gone from my mind. I was useless. Useless as I stood there in my horror. There was nothing I could do as the beastial creature that was Dante battled against the she-witch. At one point I was crying, but I didn't even realize it. The world was just snow and Dante's blood.

His blood.

Because... Because... Oh dear Lugia...

I could only watch as the crimson claws of the Zoroark were suddenly digging into the chest of the canine, gigglin about how he was ticklish on the inside. I felt bile rise in my throat as she continued, the life draining from my friend as his blood steamed against snow and his eyes dulled. The Houndoom like creature was losing. Dante was losing the fight. Strix and Alice and Yon-co emerged back onto the scene, but still I could not focus on them. His blood clouded my gaze. The Raichu that was once my best friend rushed to my side, violently shaking me and saying my name, but I could not move. If Dante... If Dante cannot defeat her... Strix even could do nothing.

He was as helpless as I was. It would never matter how much I cared for him if we were all slaughtered.

But then things changed.

In what felt like a milisecond, fangs flashed as the bonified canine that was our leader suddenly lunged. I stifened, only able to contiue watching the morbid scene before me as he attacked. The timing was brutal. His jaws were suddenly clamped onto the skull of the Zoroark. As she fought back, it became clear that she was not going to survive the fight. In a show of strength, she was dead. The little amount of food in my stomach rose up and I finally moved. Stumbling away from the scene, I retched up the contents of my gut to the snow, wrinkling my nose against the vile smell. Yon-co was at my side, unable to meet my eyes. "You... Y-you okay?"

Was I imagining it... Or did he sound... distant?

"I am... fine," I lied in a dejected voice, my tone hoarse as if I had not spoken in a long time. The Raichu merely nodded. I knew he could tell that I was anything other than fine, but I was thankful that he did not push. I could hear the struggle of trying to revive Dante, but I could not even turn to face the scene. I was a sick excuse for an ally, but I could not look at... At that. The wound, the blood, or the body. So it would be just my luck that I would have yet another vision.

It was not farther in time. I could still recognize the scene. I could see the sun. But something was very wrong. The backgroung was utterly silent. No Pokemon, infected or not, were in the area. But I saw a flash of black. And bones. I could make out the form of a skeletal fanine, the same species Dante used to be, but something was so wrong. You could feel the terror on the air. There was something that made this Houndoom more than just an undead.

It was a monster.

It was like being in a trance, everything happened so fast. Raiden had gone out to charge the hellion who had this group's friend by his very beating heart when suddenly the tides turned and the skeletal hound had his reaper hanging limp in his jaws. All electricity ceased at once, Raiden's feral snarls falling as he watched in morbid horror. Who were these people? What had he wandered into?

The large Nidoking burst out of the warehouse like hell was on his tail and immediately set himself on the hound Dante. Ordering the others around in panicked rush he set about trying to patch up their friend. Worried when he saw everyone with Dante he backed up a few steps and turned back to the warehouse door. Ciara stood there, propped against the doorframe, watching everything unfold. 'She's all alone...' Swallowing nervously he made his way over to the injured female and eyed her carefully. She whimpered with every breath she took and her eyes were glazed by drug and pain. He doubted she was even fully aware she was standing.

Ciara saw the electric canine approaching her but she couldn't move, her body rebelled against any attempt. While she couldn't fully register the pain he body knew it couldn't move, that it shouldn't move until she was healed. Her mind trailed back to how Dante's new form tore into Kennyth, saving her from death, only to face it himself. "Dante..." her breath was hot against the icy wind, the words forming in cloud and drifting away to join the countless icy crystals surrounding their sanctuary. She watched as her Alpha, Strix, worked to save Dante but she didn't hold any hope of him surviving. How did one kill death without becoming it?

She could feel the strange drug losing its effect, her mind becoming harder to focus as the world started to become fuzzy. Something pressed up against her, keeping her up as she started to fall, and she turned to see brilliant blue fur ringed by a golden mane. "Raiden? Is it really...?" He gazed down at her with clear, compassionate eyes and gave her a comforting smile. "Don't worry pup..." His words melted away as her vision started to go white and suddenly she was lost not only to his world, but in her past.

~~~~
A starved, deathly skinny Poochyena lay whimpering as she was defeated. Her fur was matted and dirty, signs of mange and obvious fleas covered her frail body as she forced herself to roll to her belly, wincing in pain. She had lost. She lost and now she was going to die...

"Don't worry pup, I won't hurt you."

Pale yellow/red eyes opened in surprise at the warm voice that obviously didn't belong to her trainer. Before her stood a powerful canine covered in electric blue and lined in gold. It was a Manectric, the very one who had just tossed her aside like so much garbage, and here he was telling her she wasn't going to be hurt. Why? Losing meant punishment...didn't it?

"Don't be afraid, you're safe now..."

Lies! They had to be! Why would anyone...? But she was wrong. Wattson, the Gym Leader who had caught her Grunt stealing, picked her up and took her with him back to his home. He bathed her, fed her, and gave her a warm place to bed down. Ciara was so confused. Over the next few days she started to open up, admiring the Manectric who she now knew as Raiden as a powerful figure worthy of idolization and respect. But it was a fantasy, a dream that was soon crushed.

Her Grunt broke into the house in the middle of the night and summoned her back to her ball. For months she tried to escape back to that ideal life, to Raiden, but he eventually beat it out of her. She told Kennyth and Coal about Raiden, about how proud and fearless he was. About how she admired him. They warned her to go back to the ways things were, to put that life behind, but a small part of her would always remember.

Always...

~~~~

"Pup? Pup are you alright?" Raiden was trying to get Ciara to come back to him, the girl's tears beginning to soak his pelt and more than worry him. She had collapsed and only Raiden's quick reflexes had prevented her from hitting the floor. Now she seemed lost in herself, tears flowing easily as she quietly muttered his name. He was right when he thought he knew her. This had to be that small Poochyena Wattson had tried to save so long ago. He had always thought she had been taken back to that life and it killed him now that he knew he should have kept looking.

"I'm sorry..."

Nothing.

Pure nothing.

And then pain.

With the shot of adrenaline, Dante's eyes shot open, eyes dialating from the drug. Thankfully, Strix's hand was closed around his muzzle, otherwise, the remaining resevoir of hyper potion would have gone everywhere. Sputtering, choking and finally swallowing, Dante thrashed, the sights and sounds shocking him to the point of hysteria. Heart pounding, a stark contrast to its earlier plummet in rhythm, Dante's feet scrambled to regain themselves. He tore his muzzle away from Strix's hand -who looked only like a giant blob of purple- and stumbled backward into the blood-spattered snow. It would probably have been funny if he weren't on the verge of death.

Panting heavily, wound still weeping from the excursion, Dante once more scurried to his feet to find his vision was slowly coming back together. Purple blot: Strix. Pink blot: Hera. Dark and blue blot: Alice. Blue and yellow blot: the guy from the warehouse. Dark blot beside him: Caira. The other dark blot, Dante wasn't sure of, but he didn't care. As long as the blot wasn't fucking things up, he was ok. He looked down to his paws, still reeling from the fact that he was standing. That fight with Delia... did that not happen? Or was this Hell, and he would never escape from this forsaken frozen wasteland? He looked up to meet Strix's gaze, eyes searching the other. He was by no means healed, but it'd do for now.

"...I'm... alive?"

Strix pulled out the syringe, just as the large canine began to thrash and gag wildly. The poison type held onto Dante as best he could, but he quickly overpowered him in his frenzy. The Houndusk thrashed himself out of the Nidokings' grasp, making him fall back, weakened and dazed.

He strained his eyes as he attempted to steady himself in the snow, but his large body swayed back and forth while he glared at the scene in front of him. From somewhere, he heard crying and whimpering, but he couldn't pinpoint from where.

"...I'm... alive?" Dante gasped, reeling as well.
"About fucking time, Sleeping Beauty." The Nidoking grunted in response, unsteadily pushing himself up. "Warehouse."
He snarled weakly as he got to his feet, looking wearily at the corpse of the dead fox before trudging past, towards the large hole.

______________________

The small Sneasel watched uneasily as the big one leaped up, looking at everyone as if they all had grown two heads. She fiddled with her claws as his piercing blue eyes fell on her momentarily.
"...I'm... alive?"
"About fucking time, Sleeping Beauty. Warehouse." The scary and bloodied Nidoking growled at them, his large, protruding teeth only enhancing his ferocity. But while she was intimidated, the small ice type got to her feet and followed, her ears low and her claws tucked to her chest. After seeing the damage these large ones could do, she wasn't about to make them angry.

(god, im sorry for the shitty post. I'm not feeling too great. OTL)

Alice pulled back sharply as Dante forced the needle into Dante, nowhere near as gently as Yon-co had. Arceus, but he didn't need to be so rough about it... Snapping her head back, however, she gasped when Dante's eyes opened. He was alive! A sense of warmth in the back of her head said that she had been useful, her idea had saved him. But this thought was buried behind the joy of the leader's survival. Bouncing on her feet, she cleared a way for Strix and Dante to stumble into the Warehouse. Looking around, she noticed Yon-co standing with Hera. Strangely, she felt none of the jealousy that she had earlier- and stranger still that she should find it strange! Hera needed him much more than she did right now.

She was about to follow the others inside when she heard the crying. Whipping around, she located the source. Ciara! The blue and yellow dog was already with her when she found them, Ciara seemingly unconscience. Swallowing hard, she looked her over again. Those wounds looked pretty nasty. "Do.." She swallowed again softly. "Do you need any help getting her inside?" She could carry her roughly the same way she had Yon-co, with just a little more difficulty.

THe vision ended. The Houndoom I had seen vanished into the depths of my mind as the psychic power I had naturally ended the vision. But I still saw it. The glazed over eyes. Blood. Death. I had never seen anything like it, not even the Absol from before was near that bad. "...Oh dear Lugia... What's next...?" I whispered, my voice delicate as a lily as I sluggishly mulle over the meaning behind what I had seen. Yon-co had stayed by me. It felt like hours by the time I opened my eyes to a world of the present, but he had not moved. For that I was grateful. Panting, I forced myself to focus on a tree not far away. I wanted nothing other than to close my eyes, but I kept seeing that monster. That Houndoom.

"...Hera." The Raichu's voice was soft, trying to capture my attention without startling me. I slowly turned to face him, my eyes unfocused and dark with unexperianced horrors. The electric type silently pointed, bringing me to look in the direction of his muddy brown paw. It was just in time to see... to see Dante raise his head. "...I'm... alive?" Those two words easily traveled to my sensetive ears, making me show an expression that was so rare nowadays.

I smiled.

"About fucking time, Sleeping Beauty." Was Strix's beautiful response, and I felt my mood lifting. Sure, we had fought a battle and almost lost our Dante... but we didn't. We won. Maybe that alone was a cause worth fighting for. Forgetting about the vision, the sarrow, the pain, I slowly followed Strix's lead. I realized that Yon-co had stayed behind, and when I glanced back, he was walking towrds Alice and Ciara and the new guy.

She didn't need his apologies, it filled Ciara with joy just to know that Raiden was alive and right there with her. The Mightyena nuzzled his side gently, trying to convince herself that this wasn't some kind of wonderful dream. She felt his soft laugh rumble in his chest, she could hear his heart beating, feel the warmth running through him singing that he was indeed living and present. Cracking her eyes open she looked up at Raiden and a smile that hadn't been seen on the hound in years graced her features.

"Do...Do you need any help getting her inside"

Raiden looked from the pup in his care to the lioness and shook his head, knowing she was most likely more concerned about the others residing in the warehouse itself. "We'll be fine, you can go check on your friends." The Manectric was bigger than the small female who he currently held standing, and carefully slipped himself beneath her to prop her on his back as he had done earlier that day. Grateful, Ciara gave him an affectionate nip to one of his hair spikes and Raiden chuckled at her childlike innocence. He knew, of course, that the kind of life she had probably killed most of that innocence, but it was good to see she still retained at least a small portion of it.

Upon getting back inside to the others he slid Ciara down gently, letting her rest on a soft pallet of cloth on the floor before laying down beside her. He watched the large dino settling back as the skeletal hound started coming around. Ciara's tail wagged gently as she saw Dante beginning to rouse, happy to know she hadn't failed them once again. The only concern for the two canines as they lay resting for the first time in forever was the look of terror etched into the Espeon's face. Something told them that whatever had her that scared wouldn't be a good thing.

The roaring silence had dogged her, chased her and tortured her as she roamed and meandered, lost as to where her master was, where her kin were, and where she was altogether. She knew she had traveled some ways, as snow now crunched delightfully beneath her feet, but her mind was not on her location. She was merely satisfied that there was some sort of noise around her other than the silence.

However, a different sound echoed, catching her attention. Shrieking. Cries of pain, panic. The sweet, loving scent of blood came to her, taunted her, pulled her body in its direction. Attracted by the furious noise of battle, she headed uphill, eyeless sockets wide and open. Throughout the battle, she continued upward, following the siren of a trail. Lulled, soothed by the shrieking and fighting, she seemed to come upon it too late. As soon as she crested the hill, it was done.

Over.

SILENCE.

"SILENCE!" she cried in agony, thrashing her bare head, furious the noise had died, deceived her. Smelling the blood, however, she knew she had more opportunities. She charged forward, wailing in despair and anger.

((I am here to complete a contract.))

"About fucking time, Sleeping Beauty." Dante turned to Strix, who looked about how he felt. Still, the somewhat sarcastic remark gave admission to a small smile on the houndusk's face. "Warehouse." Yeah, he'd made it... Everyone was alive, including himself. He'd stopped Delia... He'd stopped her.

As Strix moved forward, Dante and the others seemed to follow. Back into the warmth of the Warehouse, back into the womb of safety. It was a comforting thought, that they'd finally get a break from this nightmare of 24 hours. How he wished they were back in that cabin, with only the absol after them... Still, they were together, somewhat safe, and whole. He trudged forward, almost making it to the building when he heard it.

Screeching.

Turning abruptly, half-expecting to see Delia rising from the snow, he saw a near mirror image of himself. Skull exposed, it looked to be a houndoom-- or at least, at one point was once a houndoom. Her face was ripped off, leaving only the bone beneath; there weren't even eyes anymore, only empty sockets. Her frame was thin and gaunt, a walking skeleton. Dante could recognize that this was an Undead -obviously- but... there was something different about this one. Something wholly indescribable that it could only be characterized by the feeling of dread clawing at his abdomen. Stronger than the absol, more terrifying than Delia, Dante knew that this houndoom was not something to scoff at. "INSIDE!" he bellowed, not tearing his eyes away from the oncoming hound.

The Nidokings' eyes grew wide as he beheld the creature that came over the snowbank; a skeleton of a canine, the same species as Dante was. But this one was macabre, its' face and eyes missing and replaced with a hideous and empty stare. But it was the sheer power that this creature emanated that made Strix freeze in a horrific realization.
"Great Arceus, there's more than one..."

"INSIDE!" Dante howled at them. Breaking himself out of the daze, he cringed as he stared at the others, leaping through the enormous hole.
There's no way we can keep that thing from coming in...not through this hole...

Strix growled and stomped doggedly to an enormous machine, digging his claws into the metal and tugging at it with all of his might. The Nidoking snarled in exhausted desperation as the machine painfully creaked in protest, but eventually gave into the behemoths' persuasion. With a deep crunch, the heavy piece of machinery snapped from its' base, coming off in Strix' arms.

The Nidoking gasped as he adjusted to the cumbersome weight threatening to fall from his shaking arms. With a hiss, he stomped back to the hole, giving a quick look around to make sure everyone was inside before dropping the enormous metal block into the tunnel with a deafening crash and screeching of metal. He fell to his knees, gasping for air and trying to make his vision stop swimming.
"We can't fight that thing...we can't...!" He rasped, gulping at the air as he got to his feet shakily.
The poison type looked back at the hole, his weight shifting uneasily, as if he was frightened of what lurked outside. The Nidoking looked about the group frantically.
"We have to move! Deeper into the building! Hide!" He whispered, urging them to pick up the wounded as he spoke. "Strongest of us take the wounded!" The Nidoking limped forward, his gaze on the frail and terrified Hera.
"Hera..." He whispered, his wide and terrified eyes on hers as he opened his arms to her, offering to carry her.

_______________________


Rune whimpered under her breath as she stood by the others, all of them much older than her. She watched as they all trotted in at the canines' command, gasping in awe as the Nidoking lifted an enormous machine off the ground and toppled it into the gaping hole, effectively blocking the path.

"We can't fight that thing...we can't...!" The large beast gasped out, his fierce eyes wide with terror. Rune looked at the others in confusion.
"...Do you think it will actually get through that??" She asked as she pointed at the ruined machine, flabbergasted. But the large beast only answered with a frantic beckoning to run.
"Strongest of us take the wounded!" The Nidoking snarled as he approached the purple feline that had first spoken to her. The Sneasel pulled her claws in close to her chest, waiting to see what the others did; if they obeyed the large dino.
What can get through that???
Is it like the big dinosaur?
The little Sneasel began to shiver visibly as she pondered what was on the other side of the wall.

(@_@ I haven't been getting notifications again, I'm sorry my dears. I think it has to do with the browser we use?)

Alice nodded at the larger electric dog. He would be able to manage fine without her. Turning around, she caught sight of Yon-Co approaching the small group. Padding ahead of the other two, she met the yellow rat halfway. "Come on, rat." She said caressingly, wrapping her tail around him softly. Releasing him, she continued the way she was going, heading inside with the others. However, before she could get completely inside, a screeching sound caught her attention. She could almost make out a word... Silence? What did that mean? Half turning, she saw Dante go rigid, and shout for everyone to get inside. Eyes widening, she turned the rest of the way to see what was coming.

It was as if hell had sprouted legs.

It looked just like Dante, or at least what Dante had looked like. If Dante had part of his head missing. It was an Undead, and they had fought larger Undead than this one... and yet... Something about it, it was just... powerful. Fear coursed through her. "Yon-co!" She called. "Come on!" Turning on her heels, she darted inside after the others. Breathing heavily, she tried to sort through her panicked thoughts. That thing exhuded the same fear that she had felt from the two that had killed her friends before, Molasses and Akina. How the hell were they going to fight this thing? She swallowed as Strix echoed her thoughts. His next statement made her even more worried, however. "Take them where?!" She asked worriedly, eyes darting around. Nowhere was safe anymore. Nowhere.

"SILENCE!" I had been fooled, lied to by whoever was secretly controling all of the actions and emotions and thoughts of the world. I had managed to convince myself in those few seconds that there was nothing to worry about, the vision could have simply been too much stress on someone too weak from the stress of the world. But no. "Of course it has never been that easy. Never will be that simple," I whispered, my words drowned out by the monsterous roar from the revived Dante. He may have been alive and able to move, but I was no fool. "INSIDE!" In that single word, I could hear the underlining fear. He knows. He knows we cannot possibly dream of fighting it. Catching a glimpse of the creature in the distance, I didn't bother squinting to try and make out features. I had already seen it. He knows we couldn't even if we were all at full health.

I did not hesitate, bounding forward then. My stick thin legs seemed to have been hollowed by the temperatures, my paws were thoroughly numbed. Flashing out white clear claws as I ran, I felt an almost emotionless calm. It was like none of that was real, not the blood and not the Houndoom. I just could not make myself feel the fear. Flicking the double tipped tail of mine behind me, I was right with the others. The paralyzing cold and exhaustion I had felt earlier was gone, just leaving an echo of the experiance. I flinched, remembering how useless I was against that Zoroark. At least we are safe from her now. But I knew that kind of miracle would not work against that Houndoom.

I rushed through the hole with the rest of my chosen family. I had never used that term to describe our group before, but there was no time for that. I stood stiff and tall inside of the wearhouse with everyone else. I was like a ghost, an entity, just watching everything run by without comprehending a thing. I simply watched as Strix made the extra effort to keep that thing out, going to move the massive hunk of machinery he could and put it into a place to block the undead's path. I watched as he fell to his knees, the monsterously powerful Nidoking breaking before my eyes. Just like the rest of us... We would all just die at that rate if things didn't calm down. Don't we deserve a break?... Strix spoke, out of breath, but I could easily hear his words. "We can't fight that thing...we can't...!" My last amber eye softened with sympathy as he forced himself to his feet, allowing no time to rest. I forced myself not to think of when next we would have that luxery.

The Nidoking survayed the all of us, and I was startled to find real fear in his eyes. Unease prickled at my numb paws, only half of it being the blood returning to the near frozen veins. ...Why am I not so frightened like the rest of them?... what is wrong with me?... I forced myself to focus on his words as he gave out orderes in a raspy voice, tone urgent. "We have to move! Deeper into the building! Hide! Strongest of us take the wounded!" His gaze landed on me, and it was as if suddenly my heart was warming all of y body all over again. "Hera..." The fire in my blood increased, making me feel like I would burn anyone who touched me. With no hesitation, I bounded forward, curling up in his grip like a newborn kitten.




I saw Alice coming in my direction after responding to the Manectric and I grinned in a goofy way at her. "Come on, rat," She greeted me, and I raised an eyebrow playfully at her words. "Of course, kitty cat," I responded with a chuckle, enjoying the lightatmosphere that was returning, even if only for a short while. In that life you have to just find the good and hold on. Enjoy it. Her touch was so gentle as her long feline tail circled my midsection. I blinked up at her in slight shock at the gesture, but the lioness was preoccupied. I watched her face, the way her eyes seemed to dialate and round with a fresh new wave of fear. My tail shot up right behind me, electricity sparking from the tip as I heard the same bonechilling howl as she did. "SILENCE!" My pelt stood on end, suddenly understanding what Alice was able to see from her higher vantage point. "What do you see?!" I hissed up to her, but was interrupted.

Dante the beast yelled a command for a retreat, but I didn't have to be told twice. "Yon-co!" Alice cried, but I was already running as fast I could. "Come on!" I didn't respond, I had to concentrate. Alice was a Luxray- and by nature, she was much taller and faster. I didn't have time to turn and see what everyone's wide, terrified eyes were trained on- I had the stubby legs of the group. Even the newest one, the SNeasel, was faster. I barely got in with my tail before the Nidoking already had the exit blocked. I cringed, imagining losing the long limb. I pulled the lightningbolt close to my body, just as the Nidoking was whiespering orders. My heart beat so fast and loud in my ears, I almost mssed Alice's words. "Take them where?!" Lashing my tail behind me, I looked around with narowed eyes. "The hell are we running from, anyway?!" I snapped, fear making me short. But I stayed close to the Luxray, letting one paw out to gently touch her foreleg.

I would not let someone else die.

[ooc: Houndoom, if you get in, feel free to sink your teeth into Yonny. C: Tear off a leg or a tail or an ear.~]

The nightmare that came from the snow was the worst he had seen. At first, the hound looked like the strange evolution that Dante had taken, but soon the skull armor around her face was revealed to be actually her skull. Empty sockets looked on before charging with a terrible screech, forcing everyone inside. While he wasn't sure she had actually seen them there was no doubt she saw the ones fleeing back into the warehouse. And with Ciara lying all but dead by his side there wasn't much any of them could do.

"We have to move! Deeper into the building! Hide!" Strix's voice, cracked with worry and fear, washed over the group and Raiden was forced to realize that among all of them he was really the only one battle ready. Everyone was injured or broken in some way, or looked as though they hadn't rested in days. "Strongest of us take the wounded!" No...no someone had to stay and distract the bloodthirsty hound while the others moved. "It won't work."

Ciara opened her eyes to Raiden's soft reply and looked around in fear. She could hear the panic in her Alpha and knew that it meant they were most likely all going to die, even though she had no idea what was outside to worry them so. "Raiden...?" she whispered, causing the male to look down on her in pity. "We can't all run, it will only catch us. Someone has to stay and keep you safe..." he nuzzled her gently, trying to get across that she was in no shape to fight. Looking up at the others the Manectric rose to his feet and stood proudly.

"I will keep it busy while you all get out."

The Mightyena's eyes widened in horror, knowing that if he stayed he wouldn't be coming back for them. Or her. "No!" she couldn't lose him now, not after finding him after so many years. "I can't let you do this!" Struggling to her feet Ciara felt the fresh scabs on her wounds tearing, blood beginning to pool and run from them, but she didn't care. She took a few feeble steps and pressed herself firm against Raiden, refusing to let him go, and begged over and over for him not to do it. "Please..."

Looking to Dante, the only one who hadn't begun to move already, Raiden gave a soft and pleading stare. "Please take her..." he requested, knowing that the hound too was injured, but there was no one else. "To keep her from harm, to keep all of you from it, we need a distraction. As the most battle-ready I can take that responsibility. But..." He couldn't finish as he felt Ciara beginning to cry and his gaze softened even more. Moving away gently her gave her one affectionate lick on her cheek and turned to Dante once more. "You're the only one I can trust to get her out of here. Please keep her safe."

And with one final look he turned to face the only entrance into the warehouse, guarding the path of Ciara and her friends as he waited for the hellhound to arrive.

I felt my skin prickle as the cold wind brushed through it. Man, this sucks. I opened my eyes to a dim light, the clouds covering the sky as the wind howled like one of my kin. I looked to the blizzard outside of where I was sleeping.

Heh. Sleeping in a box. That's different than usual. The snow as starting to come in and corner me. And with all of the screeching outside, I didn't wanna take a chance. One of them sounded mad. You could never take a chance with those bloody monsters. I poked my head out, looking around. I suddenly yelped as a clump of snow hit my nose. Gee-wilikers that's cold!! I pulled my nose back in, shaking and making the snow fall off. I looked back outside. Well.... I can't hide forever. I can't stay in a box, in a closed mind.... Like... before-- Hey! No stinkin' thinkin'! I gotta check things out!

I walked out of the box, the snow going up to the fur on my chinny chin chin! I yelped, falling into it. ...Hey, this is kinda fun! I made my way through the snow, imagining myself as a squirming Slugma or a Lapras swimming in the ocean blue. The ocean blue of... snow. I giggled to myself, looking over the edge. Yep, lots of cherry syrup on the ground. But nothing I'd wanna taste. I started to walk, er, squirm to the other side of the building I shook my fur off, walking into a shallower patch of snow.

Ah, truly a winter wonderland! I was usually graceful when walking, but I guess this time I made an oopsie! I should have heard the ground creaking like a branch under my foot. It was too late when I realized, because I had already begun to fall. The ground gave out below me, and I yelled as I fell through the roof. I didn't know for how far I fell, but it was only a moment and my stomach got knotted and spotted and dotted with sick! I grunted as I fell on the ground, right on my shoulder. O-Ouchieee....

I looked up, seeing a large blob of purple walk down the hall. I didn't see what it was, but I.... I wasn't scared. I focused on it, seeing a horribly bloody Nidoking. But... it's eyes weren't all glowy red like a zombie. I looked as others walked around the corner, all of them looking full of ouchies but they didn't look like they were those walking freaks. I felt crazy at the time, but... heehee! When am I not crazy? They must have been survivors, like me. I carefully walked up to them and tried to be polite.
"H-Hey, are you guys survivors? Like me?" I must have looked timid enough for the big pokemon to feel bad for me... right? I was as poor as them.... I was mixed up with the poor. I always pitied them, but now I'm one myself. I have to put my background aside, I guess. I looked to them, hoping for a friendly response.

-----

(OoC: I'm so happy to be on the team~~~ <3 I've waited for a while, but now I'm up and my engine's goin'! B3 Enjoy my hyper ball of Growlithe fluff. xD)

Her cries came out of her like a banshee's, sharp and cutting through the air around her. She drove herself forward, unrelenting as eyeless sockets still sought for her screeching prey. They gave her noise, they chased the silence away. She needed them to continue, to never stop... Never stop screaming, never stop screaming... Her long, slender legs carried her swiftly over the snow, her mind on nothing but those that drove away the silence and her insanity. Unfortunately, she did not see the small hole they were all diving into, causing her to run straight into the warehouse wall at full speed.

The old, rotting wood cracked some, but stood firm against her forceful attack. She was tossed back a little, but now the sounds were becoming muffled. NO! They couldn't leave now, not when the sirens had begun to play and the screams filled her mind with peace. The silence was already coming for her again, a shadow in her mind whose calws always reached for her. Screaming still, she clawed and bit at the offending door, but it refused to give way. They were escaping...! She let out a cry of pain and fury, unwilling and unable to let them go peacfully. She ran around the building, trying desperately to find a way inside.

Suddenly, a crash. Her empty sockets stared upward, her ears pinpointing where it'd come from. Her legs carried her, bringing her up and up until she fell through the hole in the cieling herself. She fell, landing away from the other that had initially caused the cave-in. Screams littered her ears, bombarding them, bringing her a euphoria of angelic music. Her teeth snapped, her ever smiling grin glinting in the dim light. She lunged forward, teeth sinking into the first thing they touched.

Something plump, something small, something full of electricity. She dragged it back out, flinging it through the weakened walls, her prey's screaming intensifying as she brought him back out into the snow. Her teeth dug mercilessly into his flank, sharp teeth rendering the underlaying muscle with ease, like a hot knife in butter. She placed her paw on his back, to keep him still as her muzzle roamed over the rest of his form, carefully deciding where to bite. Her teeth soon found his tail, and she began to chew it like a dog would a bone. She gnawed, then crunched down, eventually severing the limb from its host, the snap of the vertebrae echoing in the empty air.

After everyone else had managed to get in, Dante dove into the hole himself, just managing to get away as the thing that was once a houndoom collided hard with the warehouse wall. It scratched and howled, its terrifying noise rivaling that of even Delia's, as they were forced to quickly come up with a plan. Strix moved a piece of machinery into the tunnel, but Dante knew it wouldn't last long. "We can't fight that thing...we can't...!" Strix cried, his words ringing true. There was no way they could fight that horror and live. And they all knew it. "We have to move! Deeper into the building! Hide!" The nidoking's voice was barely above a whisper, barely audible ove rthe houndoom's cries outside. "Strongest of us take the wounded!"

"There's a place upstairs we can defend. We should head up there. Destroy the stairs once we get up," Dante announced, his eye on Strix. He trusted the big guy to do what was needed.

"The hell are we running from, anyway?!" the rat cried in response to Alice's own fearful question, earning a glare from Dante.

"Why don't you stick your fat head out and look?" Dante snapped, unwilling to take any bullshit after such a terrible few moments. "It's dangerous-- that's all you need to know. Now MOVE!" A presence nearby caused the houndusk to whirl, spotting Raiden beside him. Paranoia and fear had a grasp of them all, save for one, it seemed.

"Please take her..." he requested, meaning Caira. Confused, Dante stared, unsure of what was being asked of him. "To keep her from harm, to keep all of you from it, we need a distraction. As the most battle-ready I can take that responsibility. But..." The electric wolf paused as Ciara let out a choked sob, which was consoled by a gentle, loving lick from Raiden. The hell? Since when was everyone hooking up in the middle of a crisis? Even with Dante's unending confusion, he listened. "You're the only one I can trust to get her out of here. Please keep her safe."

Dante shook his head. "You're right-- you're the only battle-ready one here. We can't lose you just to have it come after us five minutes later. Strix's block should hold-- we just need to get the hell out of here and upstairs. Get her, and GO!" Limping, he was about to make his own way up when something fell through the roof, causing him to cry out in panic from all of the built up stress and fear.

A snow white growlithe emerged out of the broken wood and fallen snow, matching her decorations. She perked up, eyes bright with exceitement and joy, causing Dante nothing but anger. The fuck was there to be happy about when a screaming, dangerous lunatic was three inches of wood away from tearing them all apart?! "H-Hey, are you guys survivors? Like me?" she asked, earning a snort of anger and a glance to Raiden.

"There's your distraction!"

It wasn't a moment afterward that the houndoom fell through the hole as well, stumbling a little from the fall. It wavered a little, but took no time to lunge for Yon-Co and toss him out, the wall breaking under the force. Dante knew that he was forfeit now-- there was no way any of them could save him. Knowing how courageous the others were, he snarled at the rest of them, effectively blocking their paths with his giant form. "He's done for-- leave him! Get upstairs NOW!" It was either just the raichu or all of them... and Dante chose to take that chance Yon-Co had involuntarily given them and make the most of it. He would deal with the others later, but at least they'd be alive to be angry. Pushing the line upstairs, he wouldn't allow anyone past him.

((Damn, this post is colorful @-@ Welcome to the team, Tails! You just popped in a bad time lol))

"There's a place upstairs we can defend. We should head up there. Destroy the stairs once we get up," Dante barked, his sharp blue gaze on Strix. The Nidoking nodded in strained fatigue, pulling Hera closer to his chest as he began to plod towards the back. His arms and legs shook, but he fought back the exhaustion his battered body endured.

He grunted, spinning around sluggishly when he heard the Houndusks' yelp not far behind him. The prolonged fear and ongoing fighting was wearing on the behemoth. His mind began to blank, all the action and screaming not registering as it should.
So when he saw the small white canine that fell from the sky cheerily pipe something, followed by the decaying horror collide with the ground not feet from her...everything stopped making sense.
He saw Dante bark something at Raiden.
He saw the rat, his face a mix of bewilderment and fear.
He saw the sightless monstrosity regain its bearings and clamp its terrifying jaws around the plump haunch of Heras' friend and toss him out of the building screaming...
Hera...
Everything suddenly sped up again, returning with deafening screaming. He didn't know who was screaming. All he knew was that Hera needed to be protected.
They all needed to be protected.
"He's done for-- leave him! Get upstairs NOW!"
Strix tightened his grip on the Espeon in his arms, pure adrenaline giving him one last push. Once at the top he looked back to see Dante at the end of the line, guarding the stairway with a fierce determination. Strix hissed, his heavy legs pounding towards the canine, his claw extended and raised for an attack.
"Move!" He rasped, his free claw pulsing with a ghostly energy. With a grizzled snarl, he slashed at the stairs with an enormous spectral claw that extended past his own. The beaten staircase gave way immediately, the powerful shadow attack making quick work of the narrow pathway.

The Nidoking faltered, his breath coming out in pained grunts as he stumbled backwards and fell to one knee.
We left him behind...

Strix fell silent as he held himself up with one claw on the ground, hunched over in mental and physical agony, his rasping breath all that could be heard from the poison behemoth.

_________________________________

Terror.
Terror was all that she knew from the moment she saw these pokemon.
She stood like a statue in complete shock as the nightmare hound came through the roof, crashing down upon them and snatching the Raichu.
She scrambled forward, stumbling clumsily as she practically fell on the white canine in a frantic attempt to get her attention.
"Hurry!" She screeched with wide eyes, her large claws scraping against the floor as she leaped forward on all four limbs towards the others.

She looked back to see if the pup was following, quickly leaping onto the stairwells' safeguard at the bottom and jumping to the second and third floor rungs before reaching the very top to wait for the others.

(Strix held onto Hera until after he destroyed the stairs, but I left it open for her if she wants to get out of his grip beforehand. I have no idea how you want this scene to play out, so I can change stuff if you want me to~
I also made it sound like Strix was about to attack Dante but at the last minute spit out an order to get the hell outta the way, lol)

Alice nervously stood to the side a bit, watching the others file inside. Yon-co brushed her leg gently, calming her slightly. Her eyes still darted around, however, watching the walls. They wouldn't keep that thing out... A crashing sound from above caused her to nearly jump out of her skin.

Turning in the direction of the sound, her fear turned quickly to relief when she saw it was just a small puppy. Too quickly, it seemed. Almost immediately, there was another crashing sound. Alice screamed as the Houndoom fell through the very same hole. It was inside! She didn't have time to react before it moved, however. It was so fast! It darted straight towards her, and she closed her eyes, already flinching.

Another scream next to her wrenched her tear-filled eyes open, however. No, it wasn't coming for her. Yon-co! When she opened her eyes, the thing was already retreating, pulling Yon-co by the leg. "No!" She cried, taking a step forward. "Not him!" Tears fell freely now, and she collapsed. Dante was there, blocking the doorway now. She had lost him.

She stayed like that for what felt like a very long time. Sobbing on the floor. Pitiful. Eventually, however, fear overcame grief. She couldn't stay there. She had to move. Stay with the others. The others who had let Yon-co die. She had let Yon-co die. Reluctantly, she dashed upstairs with the others. Pushing passed Dante, she receeded to a corner of the upper hallway. From there, she could see Strix destroy the stairway up. They were safe for a short while, anyway.

A pink bundle of fur in Strix's arms caught Alice's eyes, however. Oh Arceus... Hera... She would likely be in just as much pain over Yon-co. She would have to talk with her later. For now, however, she sat in her corner, and silently cried.

"You're right-- you're the only battle-ready one here. We can't lose you just to have it come after us five minutes later. Strix's block should hold-- we just need to get the hell out of here and upstairs. Get her, and GO!"

Raiden snarled at the hostile reaction from Dante, the male clearly more concerned with himself than the injured. "Hold? HOLD?! You think for one instant that something made of metal will survive against an undead's fire?" There was no way he would be able to keep the others safe and carry Ciara at the same time. He was the only one who could fight, he couldn't be laden with a dying pup and still defend them. It wasn't possible. Dante needed to use his head and not just his mouth.

"Please let's just go!" Ciara pleaded with Raiden, but to no avail. He wouldn't budge on the issue. She looked to Dante and hoped that something would come of the beta wanting them all to stay together, the Alpha having already left without them, but all he seemed to be doing was glaring at Raiden. Why did all the males in this group have to be so self-righteous? Each one thought they knew what was best for the group but really they were all just acting like overgrown children! Even her Alpha had abandoned them! "We have to go before it gets in here!"

However the appearance of a snow white pup acting like the world wasn't going to hell around her showed up before anyone could say anything else, and Dante felt it a better idea than the Manectric staying. "There's your distraction!" Raiden's jaw fell at the mere suggestion of using a child as bait. Who knew if she could even fight! Her survival this long could have been out of mere folly than actual skill for all he knew, and he was willing to literally toss her to the wolves? "Classy..." But all their arguing was for naught, because the hellhound had followed the pup in the way she came and found her sights on one of the few straggling behind. The Raichu.

His hideous screams pierced the air as he was dragged outside and the Manectric felt electricity sparking around him in anger. Ciara whimpered at his side pathetically at the frightening display and moved away from him, not comfortable around the snapping currents. "He's done for-- leave him! Get upstairs NOW!" Ciara nodded pathetically and limped after the others but Raiden turned his head and glared. "Get yourself upstairs, mongrel." He was done playing games with the skeletal hound, and if he wasn't willing to protect his own pack then Raiden would. He wouldn't stand by and let innocents be slaughtered by some she-devil.

With a howl the crackled of electricity dancing across his fur shot outwards, the Discharge heading straight out the hole and to the decaying Houndoom. If no one else was going to defend the Raichu, and if he couldn't defend himself, then she would taste his electricity instead. No way this group was going down without some kind of fight.

((Houndoom, you sexy beast, feel free to attack my boy while you are here, just nothing life threatening. He could use a few scars, lol))

"We have to go before it gets in here!"

"There's your distraction!"

"Classy..."

Arianna barely had time to comprehend the scene she had dropped into. Distraction? She was very distracting but--. Suddenly, a hellish hound dropped through the roof. The pup looked behind her, almost frozen in fear as it lunged right past her and at the Raichu that had been near. She stood still, staring as it ripped at the mouse and threw it outside, running to attack it. She hadn't had the nerve to move, staring at the faceless Houndoom that tore after the electrike rodent. She heard the others squabbling in panic at what just happened.

"No! Not him!"

"He's done for-- leave him! Get upstairs NOW!"

"Move!"

Arianna seemed to be like a statue, just staring at the sudden destruction she might have caused. Her organ's felt like they had turned to mush and sunk to her feet. She didn't acknowledge the Nidoking's and Houndoom's command even though he plainly heard it. But suddenly, a black blur pushed her, knocking her out of her stupor.

"Hurry!"

She glanced to the feline-like creature who pushed her, seeing her run away from the scene. Quickly, the small dog finally realized the extremity of what was going on, now turning tail and hightailing it out of there. Damn, she always seemed to cause these things to come around, huh? As she ran, catching up near the Sneasel, she heard the Manectric, which hadn't ran with them.

"Get yourself upstairs, mongrel."

She glanced back, seeing the blue canine spark with electricity. She hadn't time nor strength to help in this battle... which she felt guilty for. She couldn't possibly be strong enough to provide any sort of help. With this solemn thought, she bounded up the stairs, running as fast as she could go until she landed on the floor the Sneasel had ran to. She nervously walked to the black cat who had tried to help her before. She looked up at her, not knowing what to say. How could she say anything? She could have been the reason that that... monster had known where they were.... Although, she she shouldn't feel bad until she had all the information, right? No reason to be sad when you might have not been at fault, right...? She lowered her head, and with a bizzare sense of calm and numbness, watched the others climb the stairs. Heck, she didn't even know who these rag-tag group of pokemon were, anyway. Didn't even know their names. Although she wasn't alone anymore, she supposed....

The screaming was delightful, the plump rat in her jaws filling her mind and soul with his wailing cries, his terrible screeching for peace. For mercy. For things that Houndoom no longer knew how to give, only take... for the things that now drove her to insanity. She threw him on the snow, her sharp, lethal fangs having ripped a good hunk from the rodent's flank. Dazed, the rat only groaned and then began to gasp quickly, the snow shifting around him, indicating to the demented hound that he was attempting to escape.

She trotted forward, empty sockets set on her prey. Her paws found the bloodied flank once more, licking and lapping at the pouring hot liquid. Its coppery taste, its thick, creamy state-- this was good blood. She began carefully tearing at the muscle that produced the blood, but found naught but electricity in her face and throat. The indignant rat had had the gall to attack...? Her skeletal jaw opened in what was meant for a smile, and a raspy, otherworldy cackle escaped her. She felt nothing, only tingling as the electricity worked to revive her many missing or dead nerves. She lashed, however, clamping onto what happened to be the rat's face, then pulled, claiming one of the electric-producing cheeks from its owner. The attack stopped, and Houndoom swallowed her catch.

However, more electricity crackled, causing her to turn her head, even though the action was purely pointless and out of instinct. A wave of tingling hit her, went through her lean, gaunt form, but again, she only felt the pressure. Faceless skull stared at her new opponent, and she went toward him, movements a little jaunty and rigid. Bursting forward in a new frenzy, she wailed once more, her banshee-like cry echoing in the frozen air. She tackled the new opponent into the snow, clamping onto his right shoulder. Her fangs met more resistance than the rat's, the muscle beneath them far hardier and tough. She bit harder, beginning to thrash her head and neck to loosen the stubborn flesh.

"Get yourself upstairs, mongrel."

The words cut deep, and Dante nearly bit at the insolent bastard's face, but the stupidly heroic manectric bounded off, howling and sparking like he was the fucking calvalry. Who the fuck was he to fucking judge?! Giving an angry snort, putting the thought out of his own mind, Dante turned and bounded up the stairs, just in time to see Strix holding his claw high above Dante's head, ready for a devastating attack. Dante paused, unsure what that attack was supposed to be meant for. "Move!" His mind clicked, and he darted past, Strix's arm falling and decimating the stairs. It was done.

Panting, head hung a little, he looked up to count and see who all was now left. Strix, holding Hera and himself, both looking particularly bad. Alice, weeping quietly in the corner. Ciara, shivering, probably wondering over the manectric's fate. The little sneasel, whose name he hadn't even caught yet, shivering with fear and the newest ballf of fluff, the white growlithe, stared down at the floor at her feet, seemingly overwhelmed. Well, it was accurate to say that "overwhelemed" was a good fucking word for the past hour or so. Dante gave a sigh as he turned and faced the now destroyed stairwell, staring down at the hole that revealed naught but snow... It was easy to hear Yon-co's cries of pain and terror still, his whimpers and groans, even. Dante was cursed with such good hearing, he could so easily hear the fight between the demon hound and the manectric...

His lip began to curl as conflict waged war within himself, his instinct of self-preservation and to protect the rest of the pack fighting against the instinct to protect everyone. The bastard had nearly called him a coward, and the houndusk had seen that look of disgust. He knew all too well what had to have been going through that manectric's mind, that he himself was a coward, was condemning the others because he'd only wanted to get up and away from danger. While it was mostly true, it was only because he wanted to so desperately keep the others safe, and knew that no matter what, Yon-Co was finished. Even if he'd managed to combat the brute, to run her off or even kill her, Yon-co would surely die by then... by bloodloss or wounds or even pure and plain simple shock. It was so hopeless... was that manectric too stupid to see that, or was he willing to die for a stranger he didn't even know the name of?

Was he willing to do the same?

He turned his ornate head back to the others, to Strix's tired, beaten hide, Ciara's poor shivering frame, Hera's limp body in Strix's arms... Alice's trembling, sobbing form... He had a duty to them, to the ones he'd called his packmates. And... unfortunately, though Dante didn't care much for that little rat, the others obviously did. And Ciara... he'd seen her fear for the manectric firsthand, the one who'd so foolishly thrown his own life away for a stranger... He'd braved the blizzard and that camerupt for her, why not this threat for the others? He looked down to Strix, catching the behemoth's eye, then heaved a resolute sigh. He was biting his own words... something he was very good at doing.

Without a word, he turned back to the hole and lept down, landing on the floor with a hard thunk. His legs nearly gave out underneath him, energy still sapped from his near-death fight with Delia. Not letting any more precious time escape him, he charged forward, now able to see that the hound already had the manectric pinned. Head lowered, courage brimming, he could only think to himself, What's one more crazy bitch for today? With that thought spurring him on, he collided with the hound, knocking her off her prey, sending her light form nearly a few yards off. Standing his ground, he glanced back at the manectric, giving him a small glare. "Dick," he growled, then began to pursue the hound while she was down until he saw Yon-co... or rather... what was left of him.

With the Houndoom detained for maybe moments, Dante bounded to the injured raichu, limp still present, eyes going over his form in horror. Cheek missing, flank eaten... There was no way, even if he survived, that he could go back to normal... He gently poked Yon-co with his nose, hoping for some sort of sign of life. "You still with us, Fat-Head?" He could only hope... For Alice and Hera...

((Permission given from Houndoom to headbutt her lol))