It was another night, in the quieter parts of Mauville - those parts where humans were vacant, and in their place pokemon prowled. Wandering like this every so often was fun for Ettie, honestly - mingling with the local pokemon, helping out those in need, and maybe even finding those who were willing to join her pack. And just being in Mauville in general meant that she got to see the pretty lights that shone from the lower levels of the city, too!

Briefly, she couldn't help but wonder how the lights compared, to when a pokemon terrastallized - or, in her own words, became pretty-glowy-shiny. She had been able to get her hands on a shard for Anne, in fact, not too long ago - a pretty red one! She just needed to get an orb, and an opportunity to actually put them to use, now - which, she supposed she could do that by showing off to Josh, next time they visited...

Huhmhmhmm...

Oh, there were so many things to do, so many people and pokemon to meet, and so many sights to see - Ettie could barely keep track of it all, sometimes! But that was okay, really.

That just meant that there was plenty, for the young wildchild to do - both for tonight, and the coming days.

The path that Resheph took - with the occasional nudge on Ettie's part - would be almost like the wind. The dragonair moved swiftly, twisting about as she pleased - even if the turns were otherwise gentle, and there weren't much in the way of loops and flips like the initial barrel roll that she had taken Ettie on. It was relaxing in a way, feeling the wind rushing past, floating above the world without a single care, and watching the specks and shapes that made up the pokemon down below...

... Though, Ettie would eventually get the taste to be bold once more. To try something a little more daring - and stroking a hand along Resheph's neck, both in a gesture of wordless praise and to get the dragonair's attention, she'd state "Ettie feel-ready."

Ettie would take in a deep breath, as Resheph began to turn upwards - and once more, the world around her began to flip upside-down, as the serpentine dragon went into a flip. The sensations that came with it - the disorientation of having up and down confused, one's blood rushing to her head - were so new, and almost overwhelming. And yet, in this moment, Ettie couldn't help but welcome these feelings - releasing her breath in laughter, wanting to experience every bit of flight for herself!

The flips were quite dizzying as a result, though - and so were the aileron rolls and twists that Resheph wanted to do. So there was only so much Ettie could allow in a short period of time, before she felt as though she was going to topple over without the cocoon saddle holding her steady. She could definitely see now why it was a must with certain pokemon of Josh's - and it was likely if she ever got a flying pokemon of her own, she'd be doing the same!

Eventually though, Josh would begin to descend down to the next sector - and Resheph followed alongside, twisting about in a graceful yet energetic Dragon Dance as she did. She could see that Josh wasn't attempting to fight against Kokusho - and Kokusho, in turn, had calmed down greatly, landing carefully in Sector 4. Josh would speak to the hydreigon, apologizing to him - and Ettie couldn't help a smile.

"Josh need-trust-pack, need-listen," Ettie spoke to the gym leader with a gentle giggle - glancing at Kokusho briefly. "Ettie trust Saber. Ettie trust Ulysses. They know-way, too." Pokemon were smart - just like the humans that directed them - and they usually had as good of an understanding of a situation as their trainers did. Certainly, maybe Ettie could take control more often, and dictate every little motion they take or move they use - and the pack would follow... But that wasn't part of what being a pack was about - and they would surely feel stifled and restricted if she took that approach. Which, in turn, would likely make them pretty unhappy - which was the last thing Ettie wanted!

She wanted to trust in her pokemon, and respect their agency as living sapient creatures - even if she didn't have the words to articulate that much. Thus, when she took control, it was often to inform and suggest - such as to communicate to Resheph what Ettie felt her limits were - or to coordinate, rather than to just dictate every little thing. She was a packleader, after all - not a dictator.

But, for the time being, there were new pokemon to meet - namely, the non-dragon-type flying pokemon that Josh owned. There was a good number of pokemon in this particular group - ranging from more avian pokemon, to more reptilian fellows like Meteos! It was a little awkward getting out of Resheph's cocoon saddle - and Ettie couldn't help a slight sway on her feet, still dizzy from the flips and twists - but she'd approach the group, looking each one over. "Hello! Friends!" She'd greet them, much like she did Josh's other pokemon.

Would she be flying atop one of them, this time? Or would they be sticking with Resheph and Kokusho?

As Josh apologized, Ettie would blink for a second - a little surprised, but... She'd smile gently, and nod - a quiet acceptance of his apology. "Ettie love pack - Ettie hope pack love Ettie, too. All pack matter." She spoke easily in agreement, reaching down to scritch Princess - who had relocated to the wildchild's lap - behind the ear. "Howl-together... Show feeling. Show is-pack. Is-friends, is-family." Mulling over it for a moment though, she'd glance to Josh's pokemon - and mention with warmth "Josh-pack... Probably love Josh, too." With how much love and care Josh seemed to show for his own pokemon, she was sure that his pokemon wanted to do right by him, too.

But with the coming night, the shadows had begun to behave strangely - and at Callan's call, the camp would come alive as the group prepared for a potential fight. Anne would get up, lips curling as her eyes darted between the shadows. Barbara snarled, sparks dancing amongst her fangs. Madame would even give a pre-emptive Howl, to get everyone's blood pumping in preparation! The pups would group up - Duchess and Rascal both seeming nervous and unsettled, even with Ruffian and Princess both to help watch everyone's backs. And above, Adrea and Astus circled - crowing and cawing, as if to goad the foe(s) into revealing themselves...

... But, as it turned out, there wasn't a threat at all - and Johanna would be the one to realize this. At her scolding, a sableye - Angelica - would reveal itself, and a number of the pack would begin to relax. Though, a few of them would shoot the sableye unamused glares - Ruffian in particular curling his lips with a hint of hostility. Anne would press a paw down against the lilipup's back however, in a silent command to not pick a fight with their own ally.

Angelica had something to share, though - namely, that it had been interacting with some of the local spirits - ones who apparently were planning to go on a march through the Border come sunrise. Ettie's eyebrows raised with curiosity - and glancing to the others, she'd suggest "We follow? In-ves-ti-gate!" as she pointed to the shadowy imagery of the soulmarchers. It sounded like something that could be fun to investigate, especially if the group was as friendly as Angelica seemed to imply.

Either way, with a potential plan for the 'morrow in mind, the pack would begin settling back down to rest once more - Anne appearing to be taking point, in keeping first watch for the beginning of the night.

Present:


Callan Young , Josh Devlin , Johanna Joy

It was safe to say, that Ettie had been caught by complete surprise by the space-time distortion. She had, in fact, already been there when the distortion formed - having been looking around at the local fire-type pokemon native to the desert and route 111 as a whole, and trying to hunt down a wild tera pokemon that she had spotted once upon a time, a long time ago! But as she and her pack had been resting - hiding out from the sun in the shade of an olden wall that hadn't yet fully crumbled - things had begun to go awry...

It was almost like a storm, yet all the more sudden - a thunder-like crash was the herald to the fabric of reality swirling about them, and the world itself seemed to shift into something else entirely. Immediately, the pack was alarmed - barking, crowing, and the like. Something was wrong - horribly wrong - in a way that Ettie lacked the means to articulate or properly comprehend. Was this like that prior trip to the Border with Josh and the others? Or something different...?

In either case, the silver lining to it all - even amidst the danger of the berserk and disoriented pokemon that had begun lurking the shadows of the ruins - would be the fact that it was a very localized phenomenon. With a little stealth, Ettie found the edge of the dome that had formed over the ruins - and she found that she could easily leave, if things got too dangerous. On top of that, this distortion had brought with it a little goodie, in the form of a pretty red shard.

Maybe there'd be more? She wasn't sure - but she was confident in the pack's ability to fend off these pokemon, and perhaps Josh or Callan or some other person might find interest in whatever other things she could find here..! Thus, little Ettie began searching - much to poor Anne's chagrin, with the lycanroc being more keen on just leaving...

Ah well...

Seemed like there wasn't much of interest to be found, at least not tonight. It was still interesting, in interacting with the different pokemon who made their homes so close to humans, though. It really went to show just how adaptable pokemon could be - and in Anne's opinion, it also went to show that it was easier said than done, to truly control the wilderness. Because even in such a large multi-tier city as Mauville, filled to the brim with humans, there were still spaces where wild pokemon saw territory for themselves.

But for the time being, rather than worry over deeper thoughts - Anne could see that Ettie found another pokemon to play with; namely, a wild carbink floating along. Much like with the litwick before, the two twirled in tandem - the pups dancing around at Ettie's feet. The young wildchild was giggling with glee all the whilst - and as her eyes met Anne's, and as she gestured for the lycanroc to join in...

... Well, how could Anne say no to her sister's smiling face?

Duchess seemed to enjoy the attention - yipping happily as she danced about Johanna's hand, before rolling over and wiggling playfully in the dirt as her belly was tickled. Her tongue lolled as she gave the woman a cheery bark - leaning in from her position on her back to alternate between licking and nipping at her fingers! There'd be faint bits of static from the electrike's fur - and Johanna's hair may gradually begin standing on end as a result - but otherwise, it seemed Duchess has a decent grasp on not shocking people by accident.

Princess, meanwhile, was content to just enjoy some of the food provided while she watched Duchess have her fun. Lazy as ever, she'd be leaning against Johanna's side as she ate - gaze relaxed and halflidded. When Astus and Adrea landed nearby though, the Snubbull would take the time to tear off bits of the sandwich - sharing with the two corvids.

Ruffian and Rascal, on the other hand, were of mixed feelings. On one hand, they were trying to be big and tough (despite them being amongst the smallest of the pack, and Rascal sounding like a squeaky toy.) It was hard to be looking tough, when someone was just casually scritching them! But, on the other hand, Callan certainly knew his way around giving dogs a proper scratching...

Gradually though, they'd both simply sigh and relax into the touches - even if a bit begrudgingly on Ruffian's part. He supposed he could put up with this, for now, he'd tell himself - denying to himself that the scritches felt good.

And then Pago, finally, would get his chance to climb up into Josh's lap - and as he was pat, he'd let out a content hum. This was nice. He was content to just lay here like this, for however long he'd be allowed to - and yawning a second time, he'd close his eyes as he rested his head on his flippers, folded atop Josh's knee.

Ettie perked up as Josh mentioned Pago though, to which she nodded - giggling and smiling warmly. "Yeah!" She agreed - stepping closer and leaning down to gently scritch Pago behind the horn. "Pago help-swim, even when not-big. Strong!" She spoke praisingly. Even if he wasn't a dewgong, Pago was strong enough to let Ettie hang on while they swam around sometimes - like a kickboard - to help her go a little faster than she would've otherwise.

Though, when Ettie proposed them all howling together as a group... Josh declined to join in - and Ettie couldn't help her expression falling with disappointment briefly. "Oh.." She hadn't entirely expected Callan or Johanna be interested in joining in when she brought it up - she recognized they probably didn't know her too well. But she had kinda hoped Josh would've. It wasn't about singing voices or whatever, to Ettie - she didn't care if he wasn't good at howling, that wasn't what it was about, but... Maybe she should've explained it better? What words would she even use...?

But much to the wildchild's surprise, Callan would begin to howl - even with his mouth muffled by a sandwich. Ruffian and Rascal both perked up at the sound - and catching on, they'd begin to howl with. One by one, the voices of the canids rose into a chorus - one that even Johanna joined in on - and Ettie, her expression lighting up, would throw back her head to howl as well! Adrea and Astus began to crow and caw as they circled above, as if to try and add their voices to the chorus as well. Even if Pago couldn't quite howl in the same way they did, he'd let out drawn-out bellowing 'bwark's all the same, too!

To feel the sound rise up from her chest, to feel it reverberate with her packmates and friends down to her bones, with the unsaid statement of 'yes, we are together' hanging in the chorus... This was right.

As the howl tapered off, Ettie would breathlessly giggle with a giddy sort of joy, wiggling like a dog trying to wag a too-short tail. Running up to Callan with a bark, she'd hug him close and as tightly as she could - which, with her small size, was probably not all that overwhelmingly strong - nuzzling her cheek against his shoulder. Then she'd let go, so that she could run up to and bearhug Johanna too, nuzzling against her shoulder with a little yip just the same!

Anne, watching Ettie's excitement, would just let out a fond sigh. Her sister, she swears...

Ettie soon settled back down into a seated position though, even as she happily wiggled in place for a little longer. She watched as Callan pulled out a guitar and began to play it - her pack beginning to settle down around her as they listened to the music. A number of the canids began to yawn widely, clearly ready to sleep the night away - though some of the older canines, Anne, Barbara, and Madame in particular, would keep watchful eyes out for the rest.

As Johanna approached, these eyes would settle onto her briefly - though only Anne's lingered. The lycanroc was willing to accept the proximity, even if she still needed more time before she could form a proper opinion of the woman besides 'stranger'.

Ettie was more than happy to spend time with her, however - and at the comment and question, she smiled brightly. "Pack make Ettie happy! Pack feel-like home!" Ettie spoke readily, reaching back to pull herself closer to Anne and snuggle up against the large lycanroc's side. "Anne sister! Grow-with, learn-with - in 1-1-9!" She explained, gesturing with each pokemon she named. "Ruffian, Duchess, Princess, meet together. In Mauville! They, uhm... Strays?" Ettie spoke - pausing for a second to try and find the right word. The three didn't have any trainer, any pack, when she first met them - just each other.

"Rascal, Astus, meet in 1-2-0, when-meet Josh! Barbara, Adrea, also 1-2-0, when-meet Toki-ranger-friend!" Ettie continued to explain. She wandered route 120 a lot, honestly - and a bunch of her pokemon were from there, as a result. But given the proximity to Fortree, which she felt like was the town she was most familiar with, was anyone surprised that she tended to wander the routes near it? "Madame in 1-2-0, too - when pack explore alone." Then last but not least, "Haru meet in 1-1-1; really rocky! And Pago meet near-Mauville, when snowboys!"

Though, speaking of Toki Akiyama , she wondered how he was doing - it'd been a bit, so maybe she should go visit Fortree again, soon!

"Pack make Ettie happy... Ettie want pack happy, too." Ettie spoke in conclusion, though - and reaching up, she'd gently tug Johanna's shirt in a wordless invitation for her to sit with the pack. They could all snuggle together, in one big dogpile (ha-) this way! ...

...

... Though, as the darkness of night came in - and as the shadows grew ever longer... Anne couldn't help but note the way that they began to move. Swaying, flickering, twitching like unsteady marionettes. The lycanroc growled softly - unsettled - drawing Ettie's attention.

"What wrong, A-..?" Ettie asked - though her voice trailed off as she, too, began to see the movements of the shadows. Though there didn't seem to be anything necessarily threatening about it, seeing the movements of the shadows not match up with the motions of the shadow's owner... "... Ettie not like..." She'd state with a frown, similarly unnerved by it. It felt wrong - what was going on..?

Completed:
'begin building a base camp/settlement of some kind'
'attempt to spend the "night", surviving the elements or any threats.'
'during the night, the camp's and your shadows will flicker and move in odd ways'
Present:


Callan Young , Josh Devlin , Johanna Joy

But of course, not every pokemon you find on the street is as playful in nature as the litwick was. From a hidden nook, the sounds of crashing and rustling could be heard. Ettie, curious, would move to investigate - peeking in to see a tipped over trashcan, and a mammalian pokemon of some form digging through it. Ettie couldn't help but cock her head a little - the colors and markings reminded her of something, another pokemon she'd seen at one point, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it...

Though she wouldn't have much of a chance to properly ponder it, before she got her answer as to why. As the mystery pokemon, an ornery purugly, would soon pull himself free to regard the group and - believing them to be competition for whatever meals the trashcan might hold - arch his back to hiss at them!

On one hand, Ettie could recognize this pokemon to look a little bit like a glameow she'd seen, once before. Did that make this the evolution, she wondered?

But on the other hand, this was definitely not a happy kitty, and perhaps not the time to be making observations! Anne, recognizing the latter point clearly, would just huff and grab Ettie by the back of her shirt and jacket - walking off before they could get themselves into an unnecessary fight by accident.

Trying to get into the cocoon was a bit tricky - though with Josh's direction and a little fiddling, Ettie managed it. As she secured herself atop the dragonair's back though, she couldn't help a slight frown - fidgeting somewhat with the cocoon. It wasn't exactly uncomfortable - in fact, it didn't restrict her movement as much as she thought it would. She could lean forward to bring her body closer to Resheph's, and lean side to side to peer below! But the saddle was definitely was made more for someone like Josh, than it was for a small child like herself - and the proportions for certain parts of the cocoon felt off as a result.

Ah well - it was tight enough in the places that mattered, she was sure, if its main purpose was keeping her from falling off. And that all being said, it was still something that she could adapt to. Thus, she'd reach down to pat Resheph on the neck, mentioning "Ettie ready!"

And as the duo took off, Ettie found the ride to be quite smooth - just the kiss of the passing wind on her skin, and the gentle up and down of Resheph's serpentine movements. There wasn't much in the way of turbulence to be worried about, none of the thud of paws against the track or the jolt of landing back into the waters to shake her. And really, given how a dragonair flies without relying on wings, it wasn't too much of a surprise. But it was still something that Ettie couldn't help but note, as they rose upwards in a gradual ascent. She couldn't help but let her eyes drift closed, just to take in the feeling of this upwards momentum...

Once Resheph was as high as she wanted to go though, only then did Ettie's eyes open once more - and as she gazed down below, her eyes lit up with pure wonder.

She had never been so high up before - and it was an awe-inspiring experience. So high up that she could see the different parts of the facility, so high up that she could see Mauville City, so high up that she could even see where Route 119 began on the distant horizon. And though they were faint pinpoints down below, she could even see pokemon - both Josh's and her own pack - going about their days, without a worry in the world...

Though, before Ettie's thoughts could go any further, Resheph seemed to have other ideas in mind. Namely, the dragonair would suddenly go into a barrel roll - looping through the air, and flipping upside-down in the process! Ettie yelped in surprise, clearly unused to the idea of being able to just go 180 on the fly; and yet, in that brief moment where the world was above her, she couldn't help but find awe in this new perspective as well.

Still - a flip like that was a little dizzying, and not the sort that Ettie was going to try again immediately - (which, 'immediately' was the key word here.) Instead, she simply allowed herself to explore and acclimate to Resheph's agility as a whole - giggling as she got to experience just how nimbly the dragonair could move through the skies. How similar was this, to moving around underwater, Ettie wondered?

There were so many different types of movement that she could experience, Ettie was beginning to realize. So many different avenues, just waiting to be explored...

Though Ettie was stuck on which dragon to choose, one was apparently happy to see her again. As Resheph came in close and nuzzled her, Ettie would giggle happily - gently hugging the dragonair, and nuzzling her in return. "Ehehe - okay, Ettie-ride-Resheph!" She'd decide, not about to say no when a friend was making quite the eager case for herself!

Kokusho's brief outburst (and Josh's scolding) would make Ettie jump a little, however - her demeanor shifting slightly as her eyes looked the hydreigon up and down, as if gauging whether or not she should keep an eye on the dark-type. As the initial surprise faded though, she decided that it was okay to relax. Again - Josh's pokemon were pretty friendly, and she was sure he wouldn't bring out any who were truly hostile.

As Verte vibrated his wings though, Ettie turned her attention to him - cocking her head curiously as she regarded the sound. A flygon sorta looked insectoid - but also not, even if it did sound a bit like a beedrill... Hmm... "... Bzzzz!" Ettie soon decided to try and mimic the humming noise with her mouth - giggling a little. It felt funny against her tongue, trying to make that same noise!

Just like Josh though, Ettie would attempt to get up onto Resheph's back - although, she seemed a little puzzled at the cocoon saddle. How... does this work? Did she need to put something on, or undo something so that she could slip in? Cocking her head, she'd make a puzzled whine in her throat - before turning her attention back towards Josh. "Um... Josh-friend help?" She asked, appearing a little sheepish.

As it turned out, ghost-types tended to enjoy coming out at night - and even in cities, you could sometimes catch glimpses of them. Dancing amongst the windows that lined the street, a little litwick could be seen - seemingly enjoying watching the way that the light of her flame reflected off the metal of the frames. Drifting to and fro, the ghost-type whistled a content little tune as she twirled through the air - without a care in the world.

And Ettie, in watching the litwick, couldn't help but giggle and share in the little candle pokemon's simple happiness. She'd twirl amongst the lampposts all the same - whistling back to the ghost-type, as if the two were having a duet. This was pretty fun, if you asked her!

Duchess was happy to join in on the fun, too - the little electrike bouncing about Ettie's feet with excited little yips! It took a certain amount of coordination to ensure that Duchess didn't accidentally trip over the little wildchild - and yet, it was worth the giggles and smiles that Ettie made in response.

Eventually though, the litwick's dancing would take it to someplace the pack couldn't follow -drifting off through the air, over the open space at the center of this level, and soon seemingly fading away amidst the lights of the lower portions of the city. A bit of a shame, that Ettie couldn't dance with the litwick any longer...

... But, ah well! There was still plenty more to find around here, she was sure!

Inertia had a larger impact while moving through the water than it did while moving on land, it seemed... The delay between Ettie's attempts to nudge Ulysses one direction or another and the actual action was a little puzzling for the wildchild to handle; and really, she was more content to just let Ulysses dictate the direction. It was far less tricky for either of them, that way.

And besides - by letting Ulysses take control of the ride, the dewgong would be quick to impress! With a sharp turn and an Aqua Jet, the water-type would leap from the waters into a great leap - and Ettie squealed and laughed with excitement as she hung on! "Again!" She cheered, not even caring about maintaining the lead that the duo had now. She was having a blast just soaring like this!

But, as the group arrived at the next sector, it would be once again time for the run to end - and much like before, Ettie would pat Ulysses as she hopped off his back. "Thank you, friend!" She spoke, giving the Dewgong one last quick scritch before she moved to catch up with Josh.

Which, as she met back up with the gym leader, she'd be met with the sight of a number of dragon pokemon! Her curiosity was plain to see as she looked at each individual, her eyes lighting up in recognition in seeing Resheph and Goroh in particular! "Hello, friends!" She'd greet them with bright smiles - walking up to get closer looks, as well as offer each them a chance to get some attention and pets. It was pretty neat, getting to see these dragon-types; and Ettie half-expected that she'd likely get a chance to ride one of them, but...

... Whereas Saber and Ulysses had been easy picks, thanks to Duchess and Pago, Ettie wasn't quite as sure which of the dragon pokemon she'd choose, if she had to!

Thus, at the question of whether she'd ridden a dragon before, Ettie shook her head 'no' - glancing to Josh. "Uhm... Which one, Josh-friend think?" She'd ask, her gaze shifting to once more look between the noble beasts present. While she could go for someone she was familiar with, there was also the chance to get to know one of Josh's other packmates...

While Spot's attention wasn't on the female liepard, she'd flash Ribbon a wide and toothy grin. Oh, she knew just how powerful a good Attract could be in the right paws - just as powerful as the pokemon you allure, really. All it took was inserting the right thoughts into this mutt's head, and he'd likely cause all the more mayhem than she ever could. Though, as soon as Spot looked back to her, she'd return to her flirtatious wiles - purring to the lucario, and nuzzling him. He was such a good guardian, she praised him - keeping her safe, from these uncouth brawlers - and she was so, so thankful for it...~

But, the illusions being broken was certainly an issue, in the feline's opinion. With zoroark unable to maintain the ruse, the enemy was sure to rally without the pressure of feeling outnumbered. But ultimately, the group knew they likely wouldn't win the fight - that wasn't the point of this little conflict in the first place...

... But, that didn't keep the feline from cursing a litany internally, when the trainers ran off, and when Spot was returned to his pokeball. No, no, no - this wasn't how it should go! Even as nervousness crossed the liepard's expression, she'd soon bare her fangs at Ribbon - and arching her back, she'd hiss at the cutiefly in a usage of Screech!

And from the shadows, her mate would make himself known - the male liepard darting out from the shadows to capitalize on the Screech, by attempting to claw at the cutiefly with Slash!

Seeing her opponent's return though, Anne snarled - wasting no time in stepping in to try and help back up the cutiefly. She'd slam her front paws on the ground - and from the point of impact, a line of sharp stones would shoot up from the earth in a Stone Edge rushing right towards the male liepard! Though he managed to dodge the brunt of it, the sharp edges would still graze at his hide - drawing a wince from the feline.

. . . . .

As Ettie, the pups, and Julia ran, they'd be led by the little wooloo to the barn that the herd rested in at night, both for safety and for warmth. Through the barn's entrance - the doors wide open - the herd could be seen huddled together at the back of the building, letting out frightened bleats and trembling against one another. But they weren't the only ones here - namely, a trio of individuals were present as well; two men and a woman blocking the way out of the barn.

The trio were all holding catcher poles - and as one of the wooloo attempted to make a break for it through the gap inbetween two of them, one of the men would snatch up the wooloo with the pole. It began to bleat and struggle in fear against the loop around its neck, but was unable to break away as the man scooped it up in his arms. "Here's another wiggly one - get this one in the truck w' the rest,"

"Just a few more, and we'll be out of this dump before anyone knows it." The other man spoke with a grin.

However, the wooloo that had been guiding Ettie and Julie would display a surprising amount of fight for a pokemon raised as livestock. Throwing itself forward, it would tackle-roll into the back of the man's legs - sending him toppling over, with the help of the element of surprise! "The fuck!?"

The frightened wooloo he had grabbed would take this chance to slip away from his grasp. Now free, it fled out into the pens beyond - the pole trailing behind it (not that it seemed to be paying much mind to it,) and bleating up a storm all the whilst.

The woman, however, was displeased with this - muttering out a brief "Dumbass..." before glancing over her shoulder, to spot Ettie and Julia. "And that's why I didn't want any of them slipping away!"

The second man, however, simply would crack his knuckles - before pulling out a pokeball. "What're you worried about? 's just a kid, a couple of pups, and a little lass - we can handle them just fine." Tilting his head to the side and grinning though, he'd mention "Unless, of course, you two're willing to forget you ever saw us, to avoid diving straight into a world of hurt?"

Ettie, in response, would let out a wordless snarl - baring her teeth at the trio. Duchess and Princess would both begin to bristle and growl, too - lips curling, and the electrike's fur audibly sparking with electricity all the whilst.

One of these days, Anne was going to get an ulcer from the shenanigans that Ettie got up to, the lycanroc decided to herself.

Wandering into a cave, that other people were apparently exploring for some reason related to New Years? That was concerning enough, considering that Ettie had a fear of bat or bat-like pokemon - though she was at least confident in her and Duchess' abilities to fend off any of the flying-type beasties if they came the pack's way. And ultimately, she could understand why it prompted Ettie's curiosity in the first place - talks of some bell, and how ringing it could confer good luck for the rest of the year...

But, it wasn't just any cave that Ettie had brought the pack through. The shrine was surrounded by watery paths - which was a trouble inofitself, given the lycanroc's immense distaste for water and Ettie only having two water-types that could help navigate them. And not only that, but the cave was home to plenty of Dragon-types!

Thankfully, the pack was able to safely make it to the shrine at the end of the cave, though - and presented with the sight of it, and Ettie's delight at it all, she decided that the stress in coming here had been worth it.

Ettie wasted no time in running up to the bell - the pack following behind - and with Anne's help, they would ring it together. "Ettie want happy pack." The young wildchild stated simply, smiling to the canines and corvids that had come with her up to now. Happy, healthy, and together - she'd have a pack that any lycanroc would be proud of (though it was safe to say she was already plenty proud of what she had,) and make friends with as many people as she could in the process!