*To find value in one's own life…*
*One must often find value in another's life…*
*But is this true for all?*
=Chapter 21, The Value of One's Life=
=Sophia's Regrets=
(Sophia's PoV)
Sophia watched her master from the comfort of her small bed as he spoke to Lucy as well as Yara and nera in their chamber, today's topic was, as it has been since winter set in two weeks ago, staving off boredom from being idle. Because most of the pack was idly taking shelter in the den, there was no real need for him and Lucy to direct members to do anything real important besides the obvious ones of assigning guards to the entrance. He was asking what he was supposed to do during these months as 'leader', as up until then he hadn't had much to do once winter set in. Yet the twins had no advice to give him besides, 'Do as you wish', since their situation was the same as other packs during this time of year.
The only other duties he really had also were meeting with some of the elders individually, as they often took this idle time to discuss the issues and problems the pack members have had during the year.
As the twins left they said they would be waiting outside for him should he decide to leave, leaving Lucy and David to discuss how to waste their time.
Lucy's idea to waste time was simple and straight forward, mate with her. Or even spice it up and mate with other females as well as her. Something Sophia wouldn't have minded because it has been a while since he claimed her, but also because he hasn't spent much time with her.
With David taking training sessions with Lancelot to teach him to fight off, or at the very least, protect himself better against attacks he was spending less and less time with her, something she had begun to take notice of in recent months. He hasn't cuddled with her while eating like he used to when they were in their cabin still. Nor has he brushed her fur as frequently as he used to at her request, and because of this her fur was now in shambles. No longer was she a prim and proper Furfrou with well-trimmed fur, she looked like any other wild or stray Furfrou.
In fact, now that she thinks about it, he's barely talked to her as much as he used to. It was as if she was once again, nothing more than his 'pet poodle' in the world.
She sighed, feeling depressed that, as she had felt in her previous life, she was once again 'unneeded' in her master's life.
"Is something wrong Sophia?" David asked her suddenly.
"Huh?" She barked, snapping out of her thoughts to look up at him.
"We can feel what you're feeling Sophia, remember?" He said. "So what's wrong?"
"Nothing darling… I'm just thinking about stuff…" She said quickly.
"Normally when a female in this pack says their just 'thinking', it usually means one of two things…" Lucy said with a grin. "It usually means they don't want to talk about it with those present, or simply want to talk about it with a certain 'someone'."
Sophia sighed and got up. "I don't want to talk about it right now darling, alright?" She said unhappily. "I'm going to get something to eat, care to join me?"
"Sure, I'm a little hungry as well." He said, getting up and stretching.
"Uh David, did you forget, you're supposed to be meeting with some of the elders in a while." Lucy said. "You know how the elders get when you put off what they've got to say to you, they just talk even longer when you finally do."
"Oh, yea, I completely forgot about that…" He said.
"It's alright darling, duties are important." Sophia said with a forced chuckle. "I'll just go and get something for myself then. I'll see you later."
As she left the chamber, both Yara and Nera bowed respectfully to her and asked if they could help her in any way. However she told them no, that she was just going to get something to eat, and left them to stand guard with Karen at the entrance to David's chamber.
While she walked through the tunnel and toward the lake chamber, she saw various members of the pack going this way and that. Many bowed respectfully to her, addressed her as 'Second Prime Mate', and stayed out of her way. Despite not having any real power as David's Second Prime Mate, she knew they had to respect her simply because of her position in the pack's hierarchy. Yet she sighed sadly, knowing that even though she had this position, it still only said one thing to her.
She had no purpose here in this pack, other than being the leader's second wife.
She turned the corner as she reached the main tunnel to the lake chamber, and saw an aged Umbreon with silver and gold rings walking rather slowly toward it as well. She recognized the Umbreon as Elder Yin, and quickly sped up to see what he was doing walking to the lake chamber.
"Elder Yin!" She said, causing him to pause and glance back at her.
"Ah… Second Prime Mate, how are you?" He asked with a kind smile.
"Alright I suppose, but what are you doing?" She asked as he resumed his slow walk. "Why are you out here walking around at your age, shouldn't you be resting up and waiting for my master to meet with you?"
"Getting food and water just like everyone else." He said. "I'm not needed to speak with the leader today, and at least one Elder at any time must be seen by the pack at this time. How else am I to help them with their problems?"
"But at your age you should have Pokemon attending you and helping you!" She said in amazement as she easily kept pace with the slow moving elder. "You should have an attendee aiding you at all times. An old Pokemon like yourself who has lived for many years deserves such treatment for all you've done."
Yin chuckled as he glanced at her. "Perhaps… but if we did that, we would inspire laziness in the older Pokemon." He said calmly. "An Elder's duty is to set examples for the younger ones, and pass on the lessons that we have learned, so that they may pass them on when we have passed away. That is my task here in the pack, and when the next generation of Elders come forth, it will be their task as well."
With his last words she felt a pang of sadness hit her again, as she realized that even this aging Umbreon, who is slowly walking to get himself a meal, has more worth than she does being the Second Prime Mate. At that realization, she felt even more depressed because it just reaffirmed what she thought earlier. Even after Xerneas gave her a second life, she was still just as 'unneeded' at her master's side as she was in her first life.
"What is the matter young Prime Mate?" Yin said, bringing her out of her thoughts.
"Nothing's wrong elder…" She said as they entered the lake chamber.
"I have lived for many seasons young Prime Mate, I know the face of one who is depressed about something." He said wisely and politely. "As an elder, you can talk to me about anything and I will do my best to help you. There is very little that I have not experienced that I cannot help with."
As they walked over to one of the sleds to get some food, she thought about her problem, and wondered if perhaps she could ask him. Deciding that she had nothing to lose, she took a gamble and told him. "I'm just… sad." She said to him.
"There is always a reason for sadness…" He said through a mouthful of berry.
"It's just that… lately… my mate hasn't spent much time with me." She said. "Between his duties for the pack, his lessons from his bodyguard, and other things, he just doesn't talk to me like he used to." She sighed and glanced at Yin. "It almost makes me wish that we never came to this pack, never found the others, and none of this ever happened. Sure we were alone in that dinky cabin, but at least we had each other and we spent time with one another. And… at least I had a purpose… even if it was a small one…"
"I see…" He said as he finished eating, looking at her with a frown. "What was your life like… before coming here?"
As she ate her own food, mostly to delay talking about it, she thought about what life was like back then. She expected Elder Yin to be slightly impatient at her for delaying answering his question, but looked more than content to sit and wait for her to talk.
"Back then… it was just me and him." She started saying. "Each day we were almost always together. While he was growing up I was his family's pet Furfrou, but I was his best friend in the whole of Lumiose City. I couldn't follow him everywhere growing up, but I did my absolute best to try." She chuckled as she remembered how, growing up, she was also his personal guard dog. "What I also did was protect him from bullies, jerks, and just anyone trying to be mean to him. I couldn't really hurt anyone that much, at most a bite here a growl there, maybe scare off some punk trying to hurt him. But I always made sure he was safe… as if our lives depended on it."
"I also was the one he went to if ever he needed to just, go and talk to someone about anything." She said, remembering their many long, nightly, one sided conversations when he was bored and frustrated with homework or anything else. "It didn't matter what was on his mind, I was always there to just listen to his problems, offer encouragement, or even let him cry his tears on my fur until he fell asleep. When he was old enough and ready to move on in life, he took me with him, and nothing really changed between us. I was his pet poodle, his best friend, and guard dog." She sighed as she looked back and wish she had done a better job learning to speak Lumiose, sure she knew a fair decent number of words, but she only spoke 'broken' Lumiose. "In time I fell in love with him, but because I didn't know how human and Pokemon relationships were treated, I never tried to push myself on him. But if ever he wanted me for any reason, be it love, lust, or simply sexual frustration… I would have given myself to him in a heartbeat."
"I never really did anything else back then, I just followed him wherever he went, like his faithful pet companion. I followed him everywhere, growing up I snuck out and followed him to school, when he was in high school I did the same thing. Even as an adult I tried to be with him and go where he went, but now… now it just feels like… I have no reason to be here…" She looked at the ground and sighed. "Lancelot and Karen are far better guards than I could be… and he has Lucy to talk to about his problems. What good am I now that he has the others…?"
All the while she talked, Yin was silently listening and taking in her every word, not talking and letting her speak her mind. "So you are sad, because you feel as if you have no value to the one you love?" He asked at last. "That is indeed a sad thing, there is a course of action I can offer you for your position…"
"Really?" She asked hopefully.
"Yes… and the first one is this… leave him." He said bluntly.
"Leave him?" She said, horrified at the 'advice' this elder was giving her. "What are you saying? Leave my master, the one who raised me and cared for me all of my life?"
Yin nodded sadly as he got up. "It sounds bad yes, but for us wild Pokemon, being useless is the worst thing we can experience." He said. "We take pride in our independence, we take pleasure knowing that we have a task that must be done and that we must carry out. Even if that task is as simple as watching the entrance to our pack's den, or even just keeping a forager safe from attack, we take pride in performing it." He looked down at his paws, and extended his pitiful claws, no longer sharp and extremely blunt due to his old age. "It is when we have no purpose, that we feel devastated in our life. Any wild Pokemon will always choose to leave to find a purpose, than simply remain where they are unneeded or unwanted."
He put his claws back and looked back at Sophia with an even sadder frown on his face. "Even we elders strive to be useful to our pack in some way, each and every day. No matter what, even if all we do is talk to give advice or voice the opinions of our pack members, we take that duty with the same seriousness we did with tasks in our younger years. That is why I walk here, each day, to get food and water for myself, instead of having a lesser member bring it to me. I want to know that I am useful, in some way, because when the day comes that I am unwanted in this pack, is the day I know my life is at an end…"
"I am sorry for giving you such advice, but I am merely a Wild Pokemon, I know not how a 'tamed' Pokemon would act in your position. However… if I were in your position, and I had no purpose in the life of my Pack's leader… I would leave. You may live forever young Prime Mate, but if you have no reason to be here… then why are you even here to begin with?" He turned and prepared to leave, but as he did he glanced back at her with his frown. "Think about why you are here… and decide if that is a good enough reason to be here… that is all the advice I can offer you."
With that he turned and walked slowly out of the lake chamber, occasionally stopping to share greetings with some of the pack members, but otherwise not remaining there.
Sophia however, looked out into the water at Terrance as he laughed and spoke to a huge group of young Pokemon pups, all of whom were listening intensely as he told one of his many stories to them. Not only was he the guard for the underwater entrance to the lake chamber, he was also a storyteller for the young ones. And all of them looked up to the Lapras and eagerly awaited the next time they were brought out from the nursery by Gentaal.
*Even Terrance has more value here than I do… and he's stuck swimming around here in the lake…* She thought bitterly, getting up and walking toward her master's chamber, no longer feeling hungry.
(David's PoV, five minutes later)
"Very well elders, I'll keep that in mind when spring comes." He said as the elders prepared to leave the room one at a time.
The meeting with the elders had been short, which surprised him greatly, as normally they would have had him talking for hours on end. However this meeting was only to tell him about how the pack views him in regards to how they viewed Scar.
They informed him that many of the pack saw him as being too 'gentle' when it came to leading them, that he didn't inspire any intimidation when dealing with other packs. Yet in contrast to other packs, and even some of his own pack's members, his pack saw him as a kind leader, one they had absolute faith and trust in to care for them and lead them well. His standing among them was good so far, but some of the members feared that if he was too kind, it would inspire their enemies and threats to pressure them.
"Do so Leader." Kuma said as he got up. "Remember, our pack is full of Pokemon that admire strength, kindness alone does not equate to loyalty. Though they follow you now, if you prove to be too 'weak' in their eyes, one of them might challenge you for leadership."
"True Kuma, but also remember, kindness and fairness can equal even greater loyalty than strength and power." Isis said with a smile as she passed David, giving him a wink with her blind eyes. "Our pack may not acknowledge our leader as strong as any of them, despite defeating Scar in single combat, but as long as he treats them better than Scar, I foresee none of our pack's members daring to challenge his authority."
"It also helps that he has his guards protecting him at all times." Nayru said as she also began to leave. "Our pack has come to greatly respect and admire your Lucario companion Leader, and his loyalty to you seems unquestionable. So long as he remains your ally and resolute in his duty to you, so too will our pack's members."
"That's good to know." He said, noticing that Jen and Yin were missing from the meeting.
According to the elders, only a few were needed to discuss the issues of the pack to the leader at any time, the rest were to continue their duties to the pack as elders as normal.
As they left the meeting room, he stretched his arms and walked out as well so that Karen could escort him back to his chamber. However as he left he saw Yin waiting outside with Karen.
"Elder Yin, can I help you?" He asked the elder Umbreon.
"Yes leader, I have an issue about certain members of this pack to discuss with you…" He said with a smile. "If you'll just spare me a moment of your time…"
He sighed as he heard that last one, knowing that Yin was probably going to take a while, out of all the elders he was the one who talked the most. "Very well Yin, what's up?" He asked.
(Sophia's PoV)
Sophia sat in her small bed, sighing as she tried to come to turns with the possibility of perhaps leaving her master. What Yin had said was true, she was useless, and if she was useless, why was she there then? To simply comment on what her master did or what the others say? To simply watch what others do instead of doing something herself?
Or even to simply have sex with her master whenever he felt in the mood, like a common 'bitch'. "Everything was so different when we first came here…" She said sadly, remembering how when they first arrived she had some purpose at least, even if it was just someone to talk to.
"Oh don't be like that Sophia." Lucy said, the Absol Prime Mate trying again to cheer her up. "David loves you just as much…"
"Spare me your bavardage optimiste Lucy!" Sophia barked angrily, before looking away sadly. "He doesn't need me anymore… why when he has you and the others…"
"Uh… you do know I don't understand what you say when you talk all funny…" She said.
"Again… unneeded… spent all that time learning Lumiose talk one word at a time… and for what?" She sighed bitterly. "So that the only one who can understand me is the person who has a translator strapped to his ear?"
"I always thought you sounded nice when you talked like that." A voice said, and she recognized it as David.
She looked up and saw her master walk in and sit down next to her, but she was so depressed that all she did was look away, feeling even worse.
"Lucy… think you can leave us alone for a bit?" She heard him ask his Absol mate.
Apparently Lucy nodded because she only heard the Absol's claws leaving and felt David start stroking her fur. She had to admit, it felt nice to feel his hands stroking her fur again, just like he did before back in their cabin.
"So I heard that a certain member of my pack is feeling unneeded?" He asked her quietly, continuing to stroke her fur.
"Where did you hear that?" She said sarcastically.
"A very old Umbreon told me in passing just a while ago." He said lightly. "He said he told you some sad advice, saying that you should leave if you were unneeded in my life."
"Well I'm not needed…" She said sadly, looking up at him but stopping as she saw how sad his eyes were. "Master… why are you crying?"
"Because I'm afraid you might actually leave Sophia." He said instantly.
"Afraid?" She said back. "How can you be afraid that I'd leave? I can't leave, I wouldn't survive a day without you to take care of me."
"I'm still afraid that you might actually leave me Sophia." He said, picking her up and putting her in his lap while still stroking her very messy fur. "Sophia… you have no idea how important you are to me. You're even more important than any of the others on our team to me."
"But how… I'm useless here…" She whispered sadly, remembering everything she told Yin. "I can't fight like Lancelot or Karen, I have no power in the pack like Lucy, I can't take you anywhere or help you like Terrance, and I'm absolutely unneeded in your life… you'd be better off without me." She looked down and started whimpering sadly. "You could… get rid of me… and nobody else would care… or notice."
"I would…" He replied. "Sophia… do you remember what we used to do during our winter nights back at our cabin?"
"Of course… we would curl up by the fire for warmth… you'd read me lovely stories before bed while drinking hot chocolate." She said, remembering those times fondly.
"And whenever one of my song lyrics got rejected?" He asked her.
She chuckled as she remembered the numerous times his writings were rejected. "You'd complain and gripe to me for hours on end, and I'd listen to every word because I was the only one who would listen to you back then."
"And what about the times when one of my songs got accepted?"
"We always celebrated by spending all of our savings on a fancy dinner, and party all night as if we were rich like the Kalos Champion, without a care in the world." She said with a laugh.
"Exactly…" He said, but now there was a hint of sadness in his voice. "You were with me throughout all of that! Through the good times and bad times, for better or worse you were there beside me. You would laugh with me, listen to me when I was down, and cheer me up when I needed it."
"And that's why I don't want to lose you… because if you're gone… then I lose the last precious thing I have from my old life." He said, now burying his face in her fur, just as he used to when he was really depressed about how he had failed a test miserably or when he received his last rejection letter he had been holding out hope was an acceptance letter. "Other than those few trinkets you brought from our cabin, those blankets and pillows and even your bed, the only thing I have left from when I was a writer is you! If I lose you then the only ties I'll have left with my past will be my memories… and I don't want to lose you."
"Even if it's just so we can talk… even if all you do is follow me around… please don't leave me Sophia." He said. "I told you before Sophia that I loved you as much as Lucy, and that's why I made you my second Prime Mate. So please… don't leave, because if you leave then I'll leave with you…"
Sophia whimpered only a little, before she started to nuzzle her lover's cheek with her own. "Even though you're a big pack leader maître David, you still act like a child… when you're all alone and nobody's around to hear you but me." She said to him. "Well… you know what I always say maître…"
"Yea… if it weren't for you… I'd forget to put my head on if it weren't stuck to my body." He said with a chuckle, before he looked into her eyes, no longer looking sad.
Then she smirked, and he smirked as well, as they both sensed what each other wanted to do with the other. After only a few seconds, they both leaned their faces closer to each other and locked lips with one another.
*Alright… I think I can live with this.* She thought happily as she wrapped her tongue around his. *As long as my maître still needs me in his life, even if it's just to be there… that's enough of a purpose to satisfy me."
As they stopped tongue wrestling, she looked up to him and nodded her head over to the suitcase, which still had all of her brushes and cleaning materials. "Maître David, do you think you can brush my fur… like you used to?" She asked him politely. "I have a lot of knots I need you to get rid of… and my coat is absolutely filthy with all of this dirt it's gained being underground for so many months. So do you think you could also give me a bath?"
"Sure thing Sophia." He said with a smile.
"And after that…" She said with a sly grin, going over to her brush and bending over to 'pick it up', giving him a perfect view of her rear. "If you do a 'good job'… I'll give you a 'reward'…"
(Lucy's PoV)
"So do you really think Sophia will leave?" Lucy asked Karen as they sat outside, waiting for David to call either of them back into his chamber.
"As if, that pampered poodle?" Karen said with a chuckle. "She can hardly go an hour without our master to take care of her. I bet you she'll be so terrified of leaving that she wouldn't even make it five steps past the den entrance."
"But what if she does?" Lucy asked worriedly, causing Karen's smug grin to falter for a moment. "She is right you know… she doesn't have a purpose here in the pack, aside from mating with David and bearing his pups. Even then, Xerneas took that away from us…" She growled angrily, remembering how the legendary was denying them that gift, but she was still determined to get pregnant with David's first pup.
"Yea… but I'm sure he'll find a way to convince her to stay!" She said.
Moments later, she felt a sense of relief wash over her, as if a great fear had suddenly vanished. "I think that's either our Sophia or David…" Lucy said quietly. "And it feels like our little Furfrou has finally changed her mind about leaving…"
No less than twenty minutes later, Lucy felt a sudden wave of pleasure start coursing through her, more specifically her sex region. As if to confirm this, she heard the soft whimpers and moans of a Furfrou coming from inside the chamber, and it sounded like a very 'happy' Furfrou. "Well… if that doesn't confirm it, nothing will." Karen said with a chuckle. "Guess our 'pet poodle' is sticking around after all."
Lucy grinned as she heard the moans of pleasure from inside. "Yep, and if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go and join them…" She said. "After all, I'm the First Prime Mate, I should always be with our leader when he and the Second Prime Mate are mating, what about you?"
"I think I'll uh… stay out here… you know… make sure you guys have… privacy!" Karen said with a blush.
"Suit yourself." Lucy said as she pranced past the Braixen and through the entrance to David's chamber.
=The Blind One's Scar=
(Isis' PoV)
"Tell me young Lancelot, why have you requested an audience with me?" She asked the Lucario sitting in front of her.
Though all she saw with her eyes was a world of darkness, her psychic powers were enhanced because of this. No longer restrained by what her eyes showed her, her ability to 'see' with her powers had increased to the point where she could see the others around her, similar to the way the Lucario in front of her saw auras. To her, he was this Pokemon radiating various colors of the rainbow, just as beautiful as Xerneas radiated when she first saw the mythical Pokemon.
"How do you know it's me?" Lancelot asked. "I barely entered your personal chamber, and you already know it's me?"
Isis chuckled in amusement, always knowing that she surprised her visitors with her visions. "Even though my eyes cannot see who it is, I have long since memorized every single one of this pack's members. From the smallest newborn pup, to even us elders, if I have 'seen' them once, I make it my personal goal to memorize who they are and what species they are. And I remember you very well Lancelot, as do many of our pack's females."
She couldn't tell if Lancelot was blushing, but by the awkward silence that followed her statement, she could guess his reaction.
"Well… in any case elder… I came here to ask you about Scar." He said.
At the name Scar, she stopped smiling widely and instead sighed in understanding. "I see… why do you inquire about the previous leader, bodyguard to our current leader?" She asked.
"It's just that, I've spoken to the other elders, and they all said that you knew him the most out of all of the elders." He said. "I was just curious if you knew anything more about him, then the image I know him from, having fought him to protect my master just before he fled from the pack."
"In other words, you worry about your master's safety, and want to know more of your enemy even though he is no longer here." She said instantly, reading between his words to find the hidden truth. "Do not ever lie to me young Lancelot, though you will live forever like our leader and the others who are joined to the 'eternal life giver', until the day I die, I will still be far older than you. I have lived for a very long time, and have seen countless Pokemon live and die in this pack, and even though I am blind, I can still see with a greater clarity than you or any other." She frowned at the Lucario before she continued, letting her words sink into the bodyguard. "If you seek the advice of an elder, you must be truthful to us, or else we cannot aid you properly."
There was silence before Lancelot spoke again. "I see… forgive me elder Isis." He said respectfully. "I was just nervous about asking such things."
"That is acceptable… now what is it you ask of me?" She asked him.
"Why does he hate humans so much?" He replied. "When I first met him, I instantly saw that he hated all humans, yet it is known that he once had a Trainer of his own. How did his relationship with his trainer become so twisted that he now hates humans who don't even know of his existence, even those that mean him no harm? And also… why is he so cruel to those around him?"
Isis listened to his words and sighed yet again, not liking where this topic was going to go, but knowing that the other elders were right. She and she alone knew Scar best out of everyone in the pack. Only his sons could know more, but one of them was banished, and the other avoided his father as much as possible.
Even now, Ardent was avoiding the leader's gaze as much as he could, but always making sure to help the pack however he must.
"That tale is a long one." She said, looking over at the beautiful colors that were Lancelot's figure. "It all started the day I first met him… the day he first arrived in our pack…"
(Isis' memories'
[Listen to this in the background for the most effect for this scene. /watch?v=3CAWQwm3prU ]
She remembered that day like it was yesterday and explained it in great detail to Lancelot. Scar had arrived into their pack's territory, with a great scar across his face. A mark he had received when he had lashed out against his trainer in a fit of rage. His trainer had been a weakling in his eyes, a poor excuse for one competing in the competition. So he had wanted to escape, but the only way to do that was by assaulting his trainer, and the rest of the team had fought back, thus the reason for the scar.
He had been desperate, trying to find a place to live, and because of his experience battling trained Pokemon, the previous leader to Scar had accepted him in. At first he was a typical Houndoom, strong and fierce, with the same mentality of the strong following the stronger as his kind believed. It seemed like he would make a great addition to the pack's strength.
"I was of course an elder back then as well, but I was only into my seventh year as one. When I first saw him, I offered him guidance and council… but the moment I offered it to him, I had a flash of a vision come to me." She said. "In it… I saw our leader slain in combat by Scar. Sure enough, soon after, my vision came true. When he took the role of leader, he took a female Houndoom as his mate… you don't know her, but I knew her well."
She remembered the female Houndoom, she was a young female, a just matured female that had caught his eye. She was a caring member before Scar claimed her, and this was what made her unique compared to the other Houndooms in the pack. Their species was known for intimidation and strength, so her being gentle set her apart, and this is what attracted her to him. At first it seemed like she and he would live a good life, but after their first season together, she gave birth to two eggs, and from those two eggs came his two sons Ardent and Vicious, it all began to fall apart.
"Alas… she did not survive the birth… for fate had decreed that she die it seemed.She had delivered the two eggs at exactly the same time, and both caused her great pain upon being birthed into the world. The pain was too much for her, and she died without even seeing the faces or hearing the mewling of her two pups being born. Scar was saddened by this, and through his sorrow, he named his two sons, Ardent and Vicious."
She talked of how during one stormy night, when he sat outside of the den, ignoring the stinging pain as the thunder sounded in the distance, she had tried to council him of the pack's needs and the various decrees the council recommended he implemented. Yet, he instantly barked back that he did not need her council, that he knew what was necessary for the pack's safety already. So instead, she obeyed and simply hoped he did indeed know what was for the best.
Throughout his next year as Pack Leader, he had watched as his pack's number dwindle ever so slightly, as did the numbers of other packs from various trainers capturing Pokemon. For what use, they did not know, but this only drove Scar to protect his own pack from them, and so began the practice of cautioning them and warning them about the dangers of humans.
"He said that Humans were dangerous, that we could not trust them even the slightest. Yet there were many members in our pack who did remember that there were kind and good humans, for every bad one that existed. But his words sank deep into those who did not trust humans, and for those who did, they merely had to accept his words and obey his caution, thus we avoided humans altogether."
With the loss of his mate, he chose to not take a new mate until he found one that caught his eye as his previous made had. This decision led him to a very lonely life, as each night he went to bed alone, unless he chose a 'mate for the night', which he often did. Often he mated with females that he fancied, or simply caught his eye as he passed by them. Yet for each female that he mated, he became less and less interested in seeking a Prime Mate, and more interested in pleasuring himself. Until one day, he tried to take a female, and she rejected him. Soon after, he learned why.
As time went on, he learned of the 'oddities' in our pack that he disapproved of greatly, namely those who liked their own genders. When he first discovered them, he quickly decreed that any who were like that change their ways or suffer. This drove them to hide themselves from him, but gossip spreads in this pack more than anything else, and his ears were always the first to hear those words.
"Nayru was not yet an elder, but she was quickly approaching that age, and she was one of those who preferred the touch of their own gender. When he discovered her mate, he subjected her to the very same rule that he decreed, and publicly violated her in front of the pack. Even as she begged and screamed with each male who violated her, he did not shed a tear or show her any mercy, until the very end. I tried to council him once again, but he silenced me without even a word, simply by walking away from me. It was then I knew… that he was no longer the same Houndoom that arrived in our pack."
As the years went by, and Scar entered into his sixth year leading the pack, he was forcing the various females of the pack who had given birth to male offspring with him more often. The practice had become so common by then however, that when they heard that a female had become pregnant because of Scar, they instantly knew the pup would most likely die. He had said that he would have no more male offspring, for risk that they would contend with his position for leadership, until he chose a Prime Mate. Yet because he had lost almost all interest in choosing a Prime Mate, no female's pups were safe.
"I tried one final time to council him, but he told me that his decree would stand. Only Ardent and Vicious would be his only male offspring he had until he had a new Prime Mate. Despite my efforts to save the life of a Luxray's pup, he forced her to kill the pup herself, or else he would do it for her. More often though, it was our leader's fangs that were dripping each time he left the nursery. But despite this, we followed his decrees, because he was strong. And though he was not as caring as we wished, he made us strong…"
"Nobody dared to challenge him, none of the other packs, nor members of his own."
(Isis' PoV)
She looked at the Lucario with a sad frown. "Though I alone tried to council him, it was only because of my station as elder that saved me from his wrath. Those who challenged him in the past met with his fury, and they never dared to challenge him again." She said.
"So… there's no real excuse for him hating all humans?" Lancelot asked.
"None other than what I know." Isis replied. "After he arrived here in the pack, we just assumed he hated his human because he abused him. But I believe that because of his nature, he viewed all humans as weak, and his trainer being a weakling in his eyes did not change his opinion."
"I see, thank you for your knowledge about Scar elder." Lancelot said respectfully. "Is there a chance that I can also ask you for some other advice?"
"I'm afraid asking me about how to get the females of the pack to stop showing great interest in you is impossible for even me to answer." She replied with a chuckle. "All I can say is, take a mate of your own, or simply accept that until you do, they will continue attempting to catch your eye."
She chuckled as she imagined the Lucario, once again blushing deeply because of the following awkward silence.
Yes, many wonder how she managed without being able to see, but that was a secret that was best kept only to herself.
=Meanwhile, outside=
(Vicious' PoV)
"This is where we're digging!" Vicious roared at the Linoones as they finally reached the spot.
"It's freezing out here, why do we have to dig here?" One of the Linoones asked bitterly as they started to swipe away at the layer of snow.
"Because your pack leader told you to!" Vicious yelled. "My father told me where to dig, and when we dig a tunnel deep enough, we'll be right over the winter reserves!"
"If he's so confident then why isn't he here as well?" A second Linoone growled as he swiped as well.
Vicious eyed the Linoone as they shivered and swiped away at the snow. He and his father reached his old Pack on Route 10, and there they began to plot with the current Pack Leader to take over his old pack. Of course, the current leader disapproved greatly of attacking another pack so far away and with no reason to, but the prospect of gaining additional members to his pack by absorbing them, increasing his pack's strength and influence was too great a prospect.
So with Scar's knowledge of the layout of the den, he sent his son and several Linoones to dig a tunnel to the winter reserves. Their plan, steal what little food they had stored.
"Hmpf… I can just imagine, they're probably all starving because they don't have enough food right now…" He said. "And when we take even more food away, they'll have nothing left to go around. Then if there's anyone still alive when spring comes around, they'll be too weak to stop us."
He smirked as he remembered that Furfrou, Sophia, and remembered that he didn't have the chance to 'have fun' with her the last time he was here. Perhaps, if he got the chance, he might get to 'have fun' with her at last.