Moving up the sloped regions was proving to be quite a challenge. Flicking her left ear to chase off an annoying fly that buzzed around her head, Renamon panted as she worked her way up the steeper cliffs. Hey!? Where's that energetic and cool fox that we all fear?! A still small voice chuckled in Renamon's mind.
'On vacation...' Came Renamon's quirky reply to herself.
'I need to get a life if I'm going to talk to myself like that. Now what was that book I read about stress and psychology?'
That was the truth. The kitsune had been fighting for so long that it took her some moments to recall what life had been life before all that gruelling training and fighting to be the strongest digimon of all. Then she tripped and caught herself just in time before she was flung into the air and tumbling down the slope. Unfortunately, she already looked as if she had been rolling in the dust. Sweat trickled off her fur making the hairs clot together. Altogether a scraggly appearance that one would never see Renamon in... until now.
'I need a bath.... I need a rest... and I need food. There's three reasons to quit for a moment.'
Pulling herself to the top of the slope, the golden fox scanned around from her small vantage point. There was a fruit tree in sight only a few leaps away and a cluster of berry bushes, but other than that there was nothing else worth eating.
'Oh damned there's still so many more hills to go before I reach the mountains.'
Stocking up on her health level was a must so the foxy digimon changed direction and moved to snacking on berries after she had determined that they were not poisonous. How did she do that? Well, perhaps she just ate one and waited to see if she would turn purple. Nah, the vixen had a keen sense of smell many times more so than a humans. It was natural for her olfactory senses to tell her immediately what the berries consisted of, and she recognised no harmful chemicals in them.
'Tuna sandwiches would be more delectable... oh Rika...'
Renamon choked as a huge wave of nostalgia overcame her for a moment. As she remembered some of the fond memories she had with Rika she soon became aware of a wet sensation in her paws. Looking down at the purple mush between her claws, Renamon made a face as she dropped the squishified berries and licked her paw. Then as if image-conscious she glanced around before cleaning her paw and climbing to her feet.
'Right its only a few more hills.... its only a few more hills... too long for a mantra... hmm okay, just keep going... just keep going'
The foxy digimon soon turned into a swift shadow that raced across the rolling hills and steep slopes and narrow paths of the digiforest. Bounding from branch to branch and leverage to footholds, the vixen was but a fleeting figure once again, never pausing but to calculate distances and only leaving behind a flutter of a leaf... and her lingering scent. The mountains were finally getting closer by the minute.
As the vixen had sat down by the bushes of elfinberries, the pair of emerald green eyes continued their vigil watch from the shadows of the forest. When she had left, the creature stepped out and bent down. A pawful of pointed claws scooped up a pile of sandy earth from the ground. Bringing its head down, the shadow tilted its head and sniffed twice before letting the grains of sand and rock fall back onto the floor. Narrowing its eyes, the ebony furred figure stood upright and hefted its spear to its more powerful right paw. From then on things could only get more interesting. It grinned revealed its pearly white fangs. Not long now... not long at all. Then like a bolt of lightning, it too disappeared like the wind.
"Walk within beauty... huh! I am far from looking acceptable." Renamon scoffed as she transversed the rocky plains. The hills were behind her and the whole range of mountains flooded her visions. Her paws were still slightly sticky from the juices of the elfinberries and she was looking much more like she had lost a battle and been dragged through dust and dirt. Pausing to flick a small pebbly rock that had lodged itself between her toes, Renamon sniffed. The air was tainted was the damp scent of water. Unlike the wintery smell of the mountains or the thick balmy rainforest water, this smelled different, almost like rocky minerals.
'If I'm wrong... no I'm right. Its to the left!'
Renamon smiled with the thought of what she knew would come. A refreshing bath! She was right. Near the side of a drop off in between some rocky crevices was a small hot spring that splashed in a small pond. The water was as clear as air as the fox sighted the bottom of the hot water spring. It didn't look deep taking into account the refraction of light and the illusion of water... Tapping a paw onto the surface of the shimmering water, the kitsune found that the water was warm, its heated vapour rising like smoke trails into the air.
Without a second thought, the vixen slid in. She very much wanted to splash right in but it wasn't good for health to jump into a hot spring. Scrubbing the dirt from her fur with her claws, the vixen laid her head back against the rock allowing the warmth to permeate her skin and warm her heart. She still had a long trek to go. It was just so comfortable, like lying in a pile of blankets in winter.
Just as she was about to close her eyes, a sudden chill ran down her spine. Her fur standing slightly on end, she snapped her eyes open and glanced around. She thought she felt something staring at her. Perhaps something with evil intent. She stood up with the water at waistline and turned around frantically. Her senses were normally correct. But all she saw was the open plains and the cold wind blowing over the scarce terrain. There was no one there...
xXxXxXx
::One week ago::
The humanoid figure blinked as he moved into the darkness of the cavern. There scarcely illuminated by the light of a candle were six huge figures. The beasts sat upon their hindquarters, glowing eyes narrowed to slits as they watched him step in. From the dim light onty the metal artifacts embedded into the stone cold walls reflected some light.
"Stop." A voice spoke from the darkness, coming from one of the beasts.
The figure halted immediately, a footpaw half raised from the ground. Slowly he took a step back awaiting further instructions, trying to still his heart which was hammering against his chest. Few digimon ever met these six beasts face to face. They were a legend and almost only heard about but never seen. Finally after what seemed like infinity in silence and stillness the same voice spoke.
"We have heard about your efforts young one. Although you are still very far from our level, we have seen your skill. We have a task for you."
The figure immediately dropped to one knee, head bowed and a paw clunching the ground, the other resting upon his knee.
"I am honored to be trusted, I will not let you down!"
There was a loud snarl that almost made the smaller digimon jump back in fright. A flash of fangs appeared in front of his eyes and as he reared his head back in surprise the large shadow had already retreated again, eyes glaring at him.
"You will let me finish first! Listen properly I will not repeat myself. The renamon that has returned from the real world is on the other side of the mountains. We will not forget her and her past actions. You WILL bring her here. You WILL NOT breathe another word of this to anyone. And you WILL NOT return until you have found her is that clear."
"Yes. Transparently." The figure replied with serious gaze hoping to show the beasts that he was not afraid. It was rumoured they hated the sight of weakness.
"Enough with your talk, go!" The voice speaking for them all commanded him and he bolted immediately from the dark cavern.
Watching the younger one sprint away the candle was extinguished as a pair of glowing red eyes turned to the others.
"Are you sure this is right?"
"Even if you will forgive... I will not." Replied the other. In the darkness the figure that had spoken to the smaller digimon began to glow a greenish deathly hue. She was slim and badly marred with scars from battle. Turning her muzzle towards the reddish eyes she growled and lifted her lips to bare her fangs.
"Unless you have a better idea?" She snarled.
A dark purple figure started to laugh in a cynical way.
"You two are like cubs barely birthed, fighting over a puny mouse."
"That was uncalled for Ranthor!" The female grumbled.
"Then I suggest we just wait and see." The large dark purple male smirked and they faded away again into the darkness. Six beasts once seven. Six beasts once alive.