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Kaida wasn't much sure about how beliefs worked, how whole groups could suddenly decide to believe in something on a whim, but she was aware of the inherent value in respecting something stronger than her. If it were stronger, and she showed the proper respect, then she could hope that she could be assisted, in this life or another. [break][break]

As she put herself on her knees, bobbing her head down, she heard a shriek behind her. Rattata, quickly cut off by snake fangs. Hema must be feeding today, she didn't attack out of malice. The Rattata wasn't strong enough, and had no help. Hurriedly, she lowered her head more. [break][break]

Yes, help would be very much appreciated in this world.

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Kaida didn't know how she came into contact with Kjoll, she didn't know how she encountered any of her starting family. Those memories were a void in the back of her mind, a gap that doused her in unease, pounded her heart when she tried to focus on it. She never was able to remember anything, so she stopped focusing on it. Too difficult. Nothing gained. [break][break]

Still, she always wondered about Kjoll. The great Onix lounged in the clearing, eyes lidded as he watched the skies. Such a giant, and so gentle. Kaida smiled as she stepped over and reclined against the rocky body. What kind of event brought them together? Perhaps one day she'd remember, and thank them properly.

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The day something awful had happened, far from this little makeshift home, Bragi had...found a little device a human little one had been playing with. [break][break]

The little animations were very fun to watch, and from what Bragi could tell, the little digital human in this game was trying to save the world! Exciting! [break][break]

At least until she died, fingers too blunt and squishy to properly play. One frame advantage exploit, and the little human died. One hit, and it died, drawing a wail from the Toxicitry. [break][break]

Game over for the little human.

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Kjoll had been staring into the distance for a long while these days. Kaida was rarely gone this long, and the Onix had a terrible feeling it wasn't something he should ignore. Yet, abruptly, he laid back down as if relaxed. There were little ones here, and he didn't want to spread his fears to them. [break][break]

Bragi was all happy today, having finally figured out the concept of hitboxes. He couldn't derail that happiness just because he was worried, now could he?

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Today was a happy day. Bragi had finally figured out juggling the opponent! Oh, also, Kaida was ok. [break][break]

At least, that was the news going around to the little ones. Hema, her scales changed from the sheer grief of the incident, whispered about their Kaida with the more eldest of the pack. A ghost, perhaps, or something special. It was always in those legends Kaida liked, of something spectacular happening. She only hoped Kaida was not to be the slayed monster...or even the hero. A hero nor monster got nothing but the fame of it all. [break][break]

A beast might get survival, if one gained from shunning others.

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In all honesty, the little ones weren't stupid, least of all Bragi. [break][break]

Hema smelled different these days, and definitely looked different. She jumped to defend and attack for others just a little too quickly, and didn't have the natural happiness over those she Attracted anymore. Bragi didn't doubt she would eat less if that didn't make her weaker. Bragi noticed, but shrunk away. She could leave it to the big ones to comfort Hema, right? Way easier to pretend to be happy about a cancel into an uppercut anyway.

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They had a Charizard now, Muspel, she didn't stick around here too often. She was their newest transport. If Kaida had no way of bringing them with the wonders of technology (speaking of wonders, today Bragi had learned to keep a hitstun going!), then it was Muspel's duty to bring them ASAP. [break][break]

She was pretty friendly, Bragi thought, but she didn't seem to fly well. Maybe living among those who crawled and slithered wasn't doing wonders for the winged one. Kaida would fix it, she surely would.

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The Pokemon had started training for reasons Bragi still wasn't sure about in entirety. She could hear a brawl going on the forest, probably Jotun or Hel challenged someone for training. [break][break]

Bragi thought her dexterity was better now, her fingers could control Overdrive far better than she remembered before...and it was all thanks to her new little device! Even now, a cross up was nearly simple for previously clumsy fingers. [break][break]

Still...hunting called, they needed to eat, and Bragi needed training.

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Kaida didn't dare release Lae near the rest of her pack, especially not the more fragile sort like the bug-types. At least, not until Lae got over her attacks. [break][break]

Specifically, the type she was having right now. [break][break]

She had been fed, watered, and, in a moment of naivety, Kaida took this as an opportunity to further their bonding and take a walk through the forest. Rhyhorn were very simplistic creatures, even more so than Kaida herself, and Lae had obediently waddled by her side with seemingly no issues. Kaida had captured the beast as a rescue from a cavern and, despite herself, grew fond, fond enough to keep her, and fond enough to try and pat the beast on the back as they started making their way back. A less simple creature might just bite her, headbutt her away, it would be understandable. This was a Rhyhorn though, a Rhyhorn that thought she was trying to touch the still scar-heavy mark on her back, and Rhyhorns did what Rhyhorns did...charge. [break][break]

The suddenly thrashing Pokemon shrugged Kaida aside, whirling towards her with a terribly focused air. "Lae..." There was no talking her down, nothing to stop the Rhyhorn except returning her...and Kaida didn't want to do that. Lae charged blindly, flying past her as she threw herself aside, hearing a tree shatter as the Rhyhorn blew through it...shit...there went her idea of climbing a tree. [break][break]

But Kaida hadn't survived this long for nothing. Rhyhorn were very simple, and charged in a straight, blind line, she learned very quickly. Even when it switched to snapping Ice Fangs, it was always straightforward. She'd have to remember that for battle. Her own movements were swift and winding, switching directions swift like a snake's strike. Lae would not catch her. [break][break]

The charges started to wind down, slowly, slowly, and Lae finally collapsed downwards, panting heavily. Kaida's legs burned and sweat coated her body, if Lae had hit her...and yet she settled beside the Rhyhorn, pointingly only touching it on the head, and she was allowed the contact. "That wasn't fun for me or you, right Lae?" She wasn't sure whether the grunt was a response, but nonetheless, she continued, "Didn't mean to freak you out...it'll get better." No scar lasted forever, and even her phantom burns started to fade into normality, surely the Rhyhorn would be the same. Lae was family, though her armor wasn't exactly scales. They had to protect her too. "Next time we'll go for a run, does that sound better?" [break][break]

She thought the grinding noise, struggling through a rocky and tired throat, sounded excited.

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Fafnir lived up to most Salamance's reputation. She was scary, she was strong. She was the epitome of a dragon in not just appearance. She gathered treasures, you see, and woe be it to the person that touched it, even when she was gone from home. [break][break]

Home was somewhere in the distance behind her, a necessary sacrifice. Kaida expected the Pokemon to find their own food and catch it too. Still, she gave them permission to wander as long as they weren't more than a day's journey away...a necessity for the Salamance, who needed to wander but Kaida would appreciate having her Pokemon near enough to use. If Fafnir ate within the forest, she would overhunt every single species within it, then what would the treasures eat? [break][break]

Her shadow scattered most Pokemon, ignored by the dragon, who simply snarled in glee in the terror she inspired. She only got serious as she spotted a field, a field full of Bouffalant! Yes, there was easier prey, but she was a dragon! The Salamance rose in the air, so far as to disappear from sight and hide her shadow among the clouds. She didn't plan on catching one, but as many as she could manage. So, when she came down, it was with a Dragonbreath, the purple flames clinging to the grass but not spreading, perfect for preventing a fire. One, two, three, snorted and faced the flame, trapped as the others fled. A shriek of triumph was the only warning before she slammed down on the largest. That particular hunt was done in a moment. [break][break]

And within those draconic flames, she hunted. She didn't dare ruin her prey with a Flamethrower, so she was left with her own strength. She grappled and clawed with one, finally managing a Crunch and bringing it down. Her last prey was the most defiant of its fate, dancing around her to try and drag out the situation the most. It wasn't until it slammed painfully into her flank that she finally grew irritated and unloaded a blast of Dragonbreath into the prey, lucky paralysis allowing her to finally land her killing Crunch. [break][break]

As the purple flames died, she fed furiously, two corpses gone in an instant. She only changed her behaviour with the last, rolling it until she could hold it comfortably to her chest. She cast a careful gaze upwards, a bird or another dragon might just attack her in midair if she wasn't careful, she'd have to fly fast. [break][break]

For her treasures living in the forest, the pack, she couldn't lose this prey. What kind of dragon didn't take good care of its treasure?

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The unfortunate thing about having a Carvanha, a Pokemon making its home within the ocean, was that she couldn't just let him wander. She didn't live close enough to the ocean to let him free there and, even thoughb he could live in rivers, she didn't dare leave him free in the first place. One misplaced fisherman, and her Njor would be lunch. She'd need a personal aquarium or land to let him free, and she had neither. [break][break]

Thus, Njor and her had to take what they could get. Today was his turn to swim in the river and eat what he wanted. [break][break]

She sat at the bank, feet in the water but eyes locked on her vulnerable charge. Njor cringed away from anything that so much as looked any bigger than him, but swarmed anything that couldn't fight back. He was hungry, but too cowardly to even try and risk anything for a bite to eat. She noticed he was braver around companions of his, Corpus the Huntail and Din the Gorebyss respectfully, but she couldn't disturb the river by letting them feed in the same place. [break][break]

The blue blur she was watching suddenly jerked towards her, prompting her to pull her feet back in case the fish tried to rub against her. A large Croconaw was coming down the river, and he wanted to be safe, now. With a sigh, Kaida returned the Carvanha, already returning to the rest of her family. Everyone lived pretty well, except for the underwater denizens. [break][break]

She needed to do better, for them.

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With her strength, Freki didn't imagine Kaida would make her build it up...and then expect her to guard a garden. [break][break]

Still, it was important work, she knew that, she really did. They had been welcoming Pokemon that didn't hunt like the likes of them, and they needed to eat as well. She also knew that it was their healing supply. Oran Berries, Pecha Berries, they were all very important and could even spare a trip to the Pokemon Center. It didn't exactly make her feel better to be sitting here, full of belly, safe at home while everybody else did the work. [break][break]

A Spearow got a little too close, and she swiped her tail at it, puffing out her chest as it flew away. Any work was honest work, she just had to keep telling herself that. Keep telling her that...

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