Zoroark
…
In the northern regions, if you know where to look, there is a certain forest where strange things are said to happen.
Some have claimed there are no Pokémon in this forest. Others have claimed they are monstrous in size and impossible to catch. Still others say, and this seems the most likely, that the forest is protected, by what they don't know.
One thing however is certain. Something lurks between those trees. Something, very, strange.
…
"We're lost!"
"No we're not."
Against all advice, the young Pokémon master in training had traveled north in search of rare Pokémon, so where else would he go.
"Do you know where we are?"
"The forest."
Naturally the girl that had been following him around since he accidentally, 'ACCIDENTALLY', wrecked her bike when they first met had objected to his decision. But so what, she objected to most of his decisions.
"I never thought this would be how I died. Lost in the forest with you."
"Guess you're just lucky, huh."
"It's not funny Jack!"
"Only because you have no sense of humor Jill."
Jack and Jill, what a pair. They'd been traveling together for almost two years, and in all that time the bitching had never stopped, not once. Small wonder they weren't married already.
"I'm telling you. We're going to get eaten by wild Pokémon" she complained.
"What wild Pokémon?" He countered, "We haven't seen a single Pokémon of any kind since we got here."
The forest was thick with dense foliage. Shadows hung heavy over everything like the oppressive silence that hushed all sound down to the last Kricketune. All except the humans that is.
"We should leave."
"Okay" he said, surprising her, "which way?"
"Eh?" she looked around frantically, seeking some divine guidance, "I… I don't know."
A little bit of her died inside at the acknowledgement.
"Good, that makes two of us" he said with a grin.
"WHAT!"
He'd been lost for some time. It just didn't bother him. Her on the other hand, well, there was a good reason she was on top of him trying to ring his neck.
"You stupid jerk-face. You said you knew where we were. Now we're gonna die and it's all you…"
"Groooooooooom!"
The angry female froze in place as the low rumbling growl echoed all around.
"Did you hear that?" she squeaked.
Jack might have answered but Jill still had her hands around his neck.
"Groooooooom!"
"Jaaaaaack" she whimpered.
"Et go, I eck" he wheezed.
She did not let go. The aberration that appeared before her had the exact opposite effect.
"Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
With miraculous strength, and a very impressive lung capacity, Jill fled the forest at a breakneck speed, dragging poor unconscious Jack along for the ride.
A shadowy figure watched the humans flee. The aberration vanished like so much smoke on the wind.
It hated when humans invaded its forest. Tromping around like they owned it. Taking whatever they pleased with absolutely no consideration for others.
Well, that was fine. That's why it was there. To protect the forest and all its many inhabitants.
"Zoroark" the shadow said.
Then, like a dream, it was gone. Or was it?