The Passion of Predators
[AUTHOR'S NOTE: I highly recommend listening to some music as you read this for the best experience. Specifically, "The Outlaw's Return" from Red Dead Redemption, or the soundtrack from the Crystal Mine level from Gauntlet Dark Legacy. Even one of those ten-hour long ambient winter sound videos will do, but those are my strongest recommendations!]
[UNOVA EXTENDED FIELD RESEARCH POKéDEX ENTRY 416:WEAVILE: BEGIN]
Weavile are social and intelligent Pokémon that are top predators of snowy biomes. Sneasel of both genders start off with a teal-colored coat. Males transition to a dark slate-colored coat while female Sneasel transition into a dark indigo coat. Sneasel also have two claws at the end of each limb and acquire three when they become Weavile. The golden "coin" is actually a deposit of keratin and several key minerals for building their nails, fur, and feathers; Weavile and Sneasel with healthy claws and coats typically have much more bold and shiny reservoirs. Their bodies will only tap into it during periods of malnutrition, which will cause it to shrink and dull. Weavile sport a crown of red feathers as they mature and train, which may play a large part of deciding hierarchy or mating partners.
These Pokémon generally form small packs of about five members, but larger packs are known to have form occasionally. Extended packs, or tribes, are less nomadic and relocate less often compared to standard, smaller packs. Introvert Weavile are less common to find compared to social Weavile packs. Anecdotal evidence shows that they may be on average more dangerous than an extrovert. This area requires more research before a definitive conclusion can be made. Infighting is common among larger packs and can cripple the long-term survivability of the pack.
There are two methods of Weavile pack hunting: pack hunting and skirmishes. Pack hunting is where all members hunt; this is much more common the five-Weavile packs. A skirmish is typically a solo hunt, though sometimes involves a couple more Sharp Claw Pokémon. Skirmish hunting is more common in extended packs and tribes, where the extra numbers favorite more diverse and sparse hunting coalitions for covering more ground. Different Weavile packs can be profoundly hostile against each other.
In either case the hunting party employs a large variety of strategies to take down prey: Flanking, full-force charges, and stealth are a few tactics. The strategies can be broken down even further by attacking only using their sharp claws or the bitter cold. A hunting party typically uses a combination of these methods to bring down any prey. Smaller packs tend to feed on the site of a successful group kill, while extended packs will either laboriously haul the carcass to the others, or send one Pokémon back to lead the rest of the pack to the carcass, while the others stay behind to feed and keep guard.
Sharp Claw Pokémon are omnivorous, though most diets tend to be about sixty-five percent carnivorous and thirty-five percent herbivorous. Sneasel shift more towards being carnivorous as they develop into Weavile. They are not picky eaters and will forage on anything to survive. Sneasel and Weavile alike have been shown to openly consume any type of meat, from standard prey- Pokémon meat to exotic, unusual meat, such as that of Kabutops, Scyther, and even Wailord, from multiple studies. Sharp Claw Pokémon bodies are incapable of grazing, but will happily eat a variety of berries in addition to meat. In general, they will typically consume any food as long as it is not heavily rotted or contaminated.
It is interesting to note that Weavile and Sneasel are some of the few Pokémon known for deliberately killing for sport and entertainment; some sources even document trophies being taken and kept by them. There may be links between Sharp Claw Pokémon that are introverted, alphas, or both, and those that claim trophies for personal satisfaction.
Weavile also have a specific mating ritual. When one Weavile encounters a potential mating partner during mating season, the Weavile will initiate a duel-like spar session to test the other. If the other Pokémon fails to match the Weavile or is struck too often, the Sharp Claw Pokémon will reject that particular Pokémon as a mating partner. If the other Pokémon manages to match or surpass the Weavile in the spar session, then the Weavile will recognize the other as a righteous mating partner. Weavile are protective, monogamous partners that only seek new partners if their mate is separated for a substantial amount of time, or if the mate is killed. Most mating rituals are technically initiated by the males looking for a partner, while the females are the ones that most commonly accept their challenges. Gestation periods involving Sneasel or Weavile averages four to five months between a same-species mating pair. Otherwise, gestation periods wildly vary based on the other Pokémon. Sharp Claw Pokémon are relatively fertile; gestations that involve Sharp Claw Pokémon carry a comparatively high chance for multiple offspring being simultaneously conceived and born. This is partially the reason why they tend to form groups and are social Pokémon within their own circles, and their populations rarely dip into threatened status across regions.
Weavile are of acute interest by researchers and trainers alike. Their intelligence and cooperative behavior makes them strikingly intriguing subjects for researchers, while trainers are fonder of their natural acclimation for battle. Many regard Weavile ownership with controversy. There are many examples of Weavile ownership where they have been domesticated into perfectly fine and beneficial, Pokémon. Yet, many argue that their naturally devious behavior makes them of high interest for criminal activities with proof. Whether it is to use their speed to steal from others or their ruthlessness to deal bodily harm to others, it is easy to see there is plenty of controversy over ownership.
Conversely, hunters, rangers, and farmers treat them as an extremely high-threat pest species. Sharp Claw Pokémon are notoriously ravenous of everything they come into contact with. They can effortlessly make populations of other, relatively weaker Pokémon plummet in a short time span, and depending on the intensity of the problem, can cause devastating, lingering environmental and property damage in the process. Some regions are even known to introduce a lenient hunting season to stem the numbers of the Sharp Claw Pokémon. Such situations are typically reserved for abnormally high numbers of Sharp Claw Pokémon, or if there is confirmation of a pack in an area where their presence is not tolerated.
Much research regarding the Sharp Claw Pokémon remains, with breakthroughs being found and recorded daily.
[UNOVA EXTENDED FIELD RESEARCH POKéDEX ENTRY 416:WEAVILE: END]
Far to the northwest of the Unova Region, where the snow-capped highlands lie in privacy, there was a juvenile Sawsbuck running as fast as its legs could go, not caring which direction it was going, as long as it wasn't behind him. He was trying to force himself to go faster and faster; faster than his legs could ever hope to carry him. The Sawsbuck's sprint was coming to a crawl as blood loss from an open wound on its side drained away his stamina as he collapsed onto the snow. The Pokémon felt the cruel cold seep into his body from his wound as the ground beneath was dyed a mild pink. He gazed behind him to see a devilish pack of Weavile closing in fast; cackling to celebrate their success early.
Out of desperation, the Sawsbuck mustered the last of his strength to stand and fight, hoping to take down as many of the vicious Pokémon he could. Soon he was surrounded by all sides of cackling, spitting Weavile that were sharpening their claws in anxiousness. One member from behind shrieked an attack order, forcing all the Weavile to dogpile the Sawsbuck. The wounded Sawsbuck readied itself to counter the swarming pack with its stubby set of horns, only to have each of its legs lacerated by the Weavile.
The Sawsbuck cried out in pain as it fell to the ground awkwardly, followed by the fifth Weavile, the one that gave the order to charge, coming into its blurred vision. It raised its claw and drove it into the doomed Sawsbuck's neck. Almost instantly, the leading Weavile pulled its claw towards itself to tear out its throat. It died swiftly and without a fuss.
"Ah, that's more like it," cheered the Weavile executioner, "I love a good hunt!" "Now, let's get this meat back to the others." The five Weavile took an appendage, four on the legs and carrying the head, lifted up the carcass in unison, and started to take it back to the others.
It was just another night in the chilled lands far in Northern Unova. The cold lands are no place for the weak. Hollow, piercing, whistling winds that graze across whatever they touch dance unrestrained through the frigid air. The dark nights bring even colder temperatures, which can cause entire groups to disappear by the time the sun comes up. Plants and berries become scarce, save for a select few, dictating the diet of most that have made the cold their home to primarily meat. Those that don't express a will to survive by any means necessary are soon swallowed up from the ice and cold air, or find themselves the target of a more hardened predator. Here, an extended pack of nomadic Weavile have made a successful kill against a considerably sized Sawsbuck. It was just another incident that occurs in nature, as ugly as it may be.
Elsewhere in the frigid region was the remaining pack of Sharp Claw Pokémon that stayed behind. They took residence at the foot of small mountain dotted with tall, frost adorned trees, and a cave that went about fifty feet deep. It was this pack's home, their shelter, and their safe haven. The pack had stayed there for about a week, enjoying the shelter and atmosphere. Communicating, playing, and training was going about underneath the snowy, umbra sky. A female Sneasel, a few inches taller than the rest, spotted the hunters returning.
"Hey! Look!" she rallied to her relatives, "They're back!"
The other Weavile and Sneasel turned their attention to the hunting party coming back with a big Sawsbuck being dragged against the snow by exhausted, bloodied Weavile. Even though they appeared exhausted, it was a satisfactory tiredness upon killing and bringing back such a hearty prey. It was being dragged on the snowy ground by all four of the hunters; one on each limb, and the leader carrying the head. The hunting Weavile dropped the Sawsbuck in front of their hungry kin and made way for them to scramble towards the carcass.
"Eat up. We got ourselves a big one here!" barked one of the hunting Weavile to his hungry companions.
"This one took a while, too." huffed another member who sat down to relax his limbs.
The pack scurried towards the carcass in a unified mass, with the exception of the one who called out their return. She was the closest to the slain Sawsbuck and thus the first to be served, or so she thought. One of the hunters recognized the hungry Sneasel and swatted her away with the back of his hand.
"Oh, hoho, no," laughed the bullying Pokémon, "runts like you don't get to have the best bits! Either learn your place or bring your own contribution here!" A few other tired Weavile chimed in with their cackling.
"Owww," she squeaked, "you didn't have to do that!"
This Sneasel was considered to be a beta. She was the crowd favorite to be picked on, as she never tagged along or contributed to a hunt ever since she was able to. Scuff marks and scratches perpetually adorned her coat, making her look like a raggedy, abandoned Pokémon. There was also a distinct notch cut into her ear feather from one of the alphas, making her immediately identifiable to the others when they needed to blow off steam. It is not uncommon for packs of Weavile to start picking on the weaker members that tag with them, whether for stress relief, identifying hierarchies, or for sadistic entertainment.
The aggressive Weavile crossed his arms and raised a sarcastic eyebrow at the hurt Sneasel, obviously enjoying the schadenfreude.
"Oh?" he remarked.
"Why do you always have to pick on me?"
The stubborn Weavile uncrossed his arms and pointed at her, taking a step closer every second to further shame the Sneasel,
"Because WE are the ones who know how to hunt…"
He took a step closer. One of the feeders looked up at the commotion.
"…Because WE are the ones who know how to make a kill and bring it back here…"
He took another step and got up to the Sneasel's face and rested the tip of his claw on her throat. Several more pair of eyes looked up, equally split between disturbance and excitement.
"…Because WE are the ones risking our lives to go out where it isn't safe to bring YOU food to fill your belly…"
His voice drew nearly all the Pokémon's attention to the Sneasel, who was starting to feel the pressure pile fast,
"…and YOU'RE the one complaining, who never had to go out and risk your life to make a contribution as you leech off our contributions with no compliment?"
She locked up from his words. It was as if she was being strangled from an invisible Ekans.
Without warning, the opposing Weavile delivered a kick to her gut to knock her back onto the snowy ground.
"Hmph!" the Weavile spat onto the Sneasel, as he pressed his foot on her forehead.
"Please stop! I just want to eat!" whimpered the tormented Sneasel as more and more pressure was applied onto her head. As she blindly flailed her arms and was about to cut the oppressing Weavile's ankle, another one of the hunters rushed over behind her and clenched her limbs to fully immobilize her. She cried out for help, but the rest of her feeding kin were watching the brawl while snacking on the Sawsbuck's innards.
"Stop it, stop it! Please!" she begged, but her words were met with sharper pain, as the one restraining her arms started to clench her arms tighter, greatly increasing her pain. She cried and squirmed to get the two Weavile off her, but it was only using up more of her strength.
"Keep on squirming, runt! Squirm until you realize you will always be at the bottom! Go ahead and make it harder on yourself!" cried the Weavile that started it all as he started to twist his foot on top on her.
Eventually, she gave up and remained in defeated silence with grave emotions running through her mind: sadness, discipline, revenge…
"I'll take that as yes. Heh. Took you long enough."
All she could do we lay on the ground in the snow until the two bullying Weavile relinquished the pressure on her so she may finally feed. The carcass was nearly picked clean; all the tender and juicy bits were claimed, and there was not enough meat for her to pass the night without hunger. She ate what she could as she heard the distant laughter of the Weavile hunters complimenting each other on ganging up on her. Malicious thoughts were racing through her mind.
(I can't take it. I can't take it at all. I'll prove to them that I'm not just some underlying that takes the fall every time they get offended. I'll show them. I'll show them all. And when they do, I'll be the one laughing at them…)
The bullied Sneasel tried to brush it off and rejoin the others to get some sleep. She lay down to try and get ready for tomorrow, but remained wide awake from her bad memories.
She was always on the bottom of the totem pole, despite the fact she was the biggest sized Sneasel that pack ever had at around three and a half feet. Being bigger meant she needed more than the rest, and she was always handed scraps, not to mention all the "big baby" insults from her peers from her size. The runt tried to forget about it, prepare for a new day, and get some rest.
But she could not get rest. Negative thoughts swirled in her mind. Any sort of drowsiness was shunted away. Stress and bad memories were winning over her biological clock. She couldn't sleep; she realized she didn't want to the same time, something was shining through all the dark thoughts. A glimmer of inspiration, a speck of hope. The Sneasel got up from her ill rest to further explore this obscured speck of change.