Peering over her shoulder, tail-flame held safely away, Sharpshot scanned the forest at their backs with dark, narrowed eyes.

The Rattata squeaked and darted away, no longer interested in a fight, and the tiny Charmander huffed sparks in response, unimpressed.

"Be nice."

Grumbling under her breath, Sharpshot trotted back to her trainer's side, rubbing against her woolen leggings and fur-trimmed boots with a purr.

Hillevi smiled crookedly as she bent down to scoop the little Fire-type up, straightening as claws dug into her thick sweater-dress.

Chirping happily, Meatlug hopped around their trainer's feet, stubby tail wagging as she bounded ahead.

For an Aron, she moved over the uneven terrain with the bouncy ease of a Skiddo, giggling as she sprang off a cranky Geodude that was now rudely woken from his afternoon nap.

"Sorry!" Hillevi apologized, stumbling past in a rush as Meatlug forged a path ahead.

The old hunting trail was overgrown and half-hidden from years of disuse, barely visible as a dirt path, but that was to be expected.

This mountain was the tallest, widest peak on the island, and even Stoick the Vast, Chief of Berk and High Chieftain of Valhalla, never dared to scale it and face the mighty Dragon that called the crag home.

Hillevi, on the other hand…

Scrambling under a thorny bramble and fumbling over a half-buried boulder, the scrawny Viking paused to check her compass and make sure they were still heading in the right direction.

"A little more to the left, Meatlug." She advised, Sharpshot's tail-flame providing them much-needed light in the thickening forest. "And be careful!"

The Steel-type chirped an affirmative before barreling ahead, and her companions shared a put-upon sigh before following.

"Never mind…"

A sudden CRACK and squeal from ahead froze Hillevi in her tracks, green eyes wide.

"MEATLUG!"

Sharpshot leapt off her shoulder to rush ahead as she scrambled up the slope, heart hammering and mind racing.

"MEATLUG!"

A whine answered, and Hillevi burst through the vegetation blocking her way, blinded by the sudden unimpeded sunlight.

Blinking away starbursts, she could only gape at the sight, awestruck.

The clearing was like a massive plateau cut into the mountainside, ringed by trees and massive boulders covered in moss, with a cave on the far side that was wider than five mead halls and taller by three.

Lying in the center of this great open space was the biggest Pokemon Hillevi had ever seen, all black scales and yellow-red trim, long body flopped gracelessly on the red-stained grass.

"Oh no…"

Any thought of what exactly she was doing fled at the realization that this Pokemon was dying, every shred of emergency medicine crowding into her brain as Hillevi jolted into motion, steady hands pressing against black scales.

"Meatlug! Status!"

The Steel-type moaned deep in her chest, like a rattling engine, nudging under the beast's jaw and barking an affirmative once she felt a pulse.

A quick scan revealed a myriad of cuts and gashes along the entire serpentine length, and she dropped her backpack on the bloody grass to root around for medical supplies.

Stitching would never work on wounds that size, especially with the thin thread she had available, though the overabundance of bandages, gauze and tape should be enough…

"I'm gonna need your help, Sharpshot." Hillevi decided, straightening.

The Fire-type nodded, expression grim as her girl held one of the larger gashes closed with red-slick hands, breathing in-

A great shriek rent the air, and Hillevi was thrown head-over-heels into the grass as the serpentine dragon lashed about from the fresh pain, green eyes open and glassy from shock.

Meatlug squealed in shock as she leapt back to keep from being crushed, blood flying as smaller cuts reopened and deeper gashes threw sprays of red like fountains.

"Stop!" Hillevi screamed, throwing herself on the Dragon's head in a vain attempt to stop the violent thrashing.

Wrapping her arms around in a frantic approximation of a hug, the reddish-brunette looked up into that big green eye in clear concern and terror.

"We're trying to help! Please! STOP!"

The words seemed to pierce through the fog, and the great beast slowly went still, rumbling low as pain truly took hold.

"That's it…" Hillevi cooed, petting dark scales as red dripped down her skin. "We'll have you fixed up in no time, okay?"

Meatlug purred like an old engine, nuzzling under the Dragon's jaw, and Hillevi slid back to work, Sharpshot eyeing their patient warily.

"Come on, girl. We've got a lot of work to do."

Huffing softly, the runty Fire-type nodded after a moment, retaking her place on the girl's shoulder to continue their task.

Dragon or not, none of them would let the beast die.