February 12th - One Year Ago

Despite the constant struggle to endure the harsh conditions, the snowy peaks of Mt. Coronet was one of the most visually breathtaking areas in all of Sinnoh, if not the entire world. Pure white snow blanketed the ground as far as the eye could see, and fresh snowflakes fell at a near-constant rate.

Adding to the tranquil beauty of the mountain was the way that the sunrise spread slowly over the body of the mountain before at last rising high enough to cast its rays over the inhabitants of the mountains. One could argue that the downside was that darkness dominated the morning and evening longer than it did for other areas of Sinnoh, but this was the complaints of a small minority. If even the snow-covered trees that dotted the mountain had adapted to the cycle of sun and snow, then other living creatures would have to make do if they wished to thrive up here.

Most of the Pokemon living in these harsh conditions had built their dens into small alcoves and caves all along the surface of the mountain, or had joined one of the many thriving communities within the labyrinthine passages that cut through the mountain. Those more susceptible to intense cold favored the enclosed spaces of dens, which yielded protection from the harshest winds, and a space to call their own.

A variety of different Pokemon made their homes here. From the peculiarly plant-like Snover, to the intensely trained Meditite, whose lifestyle revolved around enduring the most difficult conditions to hone their focus, both physical and mental. Humans passed through the area semi-regularly, risking life and limb in the hopes that the journey would strengthen them and their team of Pokemon. It was likewise common for some of the resident Pokemon to test their mettle against such nomadic trainers, eager to see if their personal training routines exceeded the methods of a human youth, and some sought out trainers as a means to advance beyond their current level, by impressing the trainer enough to be accepted into the team.

Such was the normal cycle up here, to the point where many of the packs and clans living on the mountain accepted and acknowledged the role of traveling human trainers in the mountain's natural pecking order. To engage a trainer for the challenge, or in the hopes of being taken in, was perfectly acceptable, and even encouraged for those who wanted to improve themselves, and it was theorized by some that if not for the humans gradually thinning the numbers of wild Pokemon, all the prey species would be in danger of being outright over-hunted by local predators, and that the predator packs would eventually turn upon one another and destroy the entire ecosystem of the mountain, making such a beautiful place little more than an arctic wasteland, devoid of all but a scarce few species.

For this reason, and from fear of escalating conflict if humans noticed members of their kind disappearing in the mountains, the packs had established an explicit law forbidding any resident Pokemon from engaging trainers with the intent of maiming or killing the traveler, and that if the trainer was defeated in battle, then the triumphant Pokemon was to allow the human to flee without pursuit. This rule eventually evolved into "allow them to flee without pursuit if the human drops something shiny or interesting, because trophies".

Having a personal den as a place to store one's trophies became something of a status symbol among the mountain's primary Sneasel pack, and could have led to the mass eviction of many other den-owning local Pokemon, but the pack alpha had put his foot down on the matter, and strictly restricted the number of private dens that could be owned by members of the pack, citing it as another potential resource for the pack members to wager in battles with one another.

With that in mind, only two pack members had the distinction of retaining their den for longer than a year. The first was the pack alpha himself, and even that one-year mark was a recent milestone. And the second was the current record-holder, a female Sneasel by the name of Lin.

By the standards of the rest of the pack, Lin's den wasn't really that special, other than its infamous status. It was smaller than the other available ones, and located closer to the outskirts of the pack's territory, giving it an uncomfortably isolated feel. It remained the subject of some speculation, because it seemed that no other Sneasel, male or female, could say with any degree of certainty what sort of trophies Lin might have stashed there, and no one was planning to enter the den without permission to find out, because once word got out what WAS in the den, the rumors would quickly be traced back to them, and retaliation was sure to follow. General consensus among the male population was that successfully wooing Lin was more appealing than claiming the den, and would probably come with some level of access permission, killing two Starly with one Ice Shard.

Unfortunately, this still left them with the hurdle of actually defeating Lin in an official battle, ideally with a witness, or managing to court her by their own merits, and realistically, neither was happening anytime soon. That's not to say that no one was making an effort, though.

On this particular February evening, the sky overhead was covered with a blanket of gray cloud, and the air was sparkling with glistening white snowflakes. It was nearly impossible to judge the sun's position in the sky, but there was enough light to safely navigate, while still being aware that it was descending from its peak.

The cave den was partially hidden from view, in the side of a cliff wall, and its placement almost ensured that one's gaze tended to drift right over the alcove entrance to the wall on the opposite side. It was only with foreknowledge of its existence, or luck, that allowed others to find it.

Unless they were there for a really good reason, most of the pack members avoided the area entirely. It was simply too far away from the rest of the Sneasel territory, and Lin was sure to confront them over the fact if they were too close to her den, and without a good reason for being there, she would consider it trespassing. Most Sneasel were quick to defend their dens from trespassers, so this wasn't really unusual behavior, considering how valuable the dens were, and the likely value of the trophies inside.

A sleek quadrupedal figure made its way towards the semi-hidden cave, its demeanor purposeful, in itself indicating foreknowledge of the cave's location. Its body was covered in light blue fur that was frozen into icy needles, and its face was framed by two dangling flaps of fur, with ends that trailed through the thick snow. The Glaceon paused by the entrance, silently taking note of the distinct mark on the stone wall that indicated the current owner, before walking inside.

The interior of the cave was nearly pitch-black, and the Glaceon hesitated, squinting through the darkness before tentatively taking another few steps. Within seconds, he felt his paw land on a loose piece of ice, crushing it underfoot with a barely-audible crunching sound. He immediately ducked his body as low to the cave floor as he could, just in time for something to flit past his left ear and strike the rock wall beside him. Had he not ducked when he had, the projectile might have skewered his ear instead.

"...you're an idiot, Frost."

The female voice of a weary Sneasel was nevertheless music to the Glaceon's ears, if only because she had identified him by name, informing him that he had been recognized and would probably not be attacked again.

"You told me to stop by in the evening," Frost replied, his tail flicking cheerfully as he rose up and settled himself into a sitting position. "It's the evening, so here I am."

"Frost, I recognize your enthusiasm lends you the unfortunate side effect of questionable decision making, but surely your parents have an objection to you visiting a female Sneasel at her den this sinfully early in the evening," Lin sighed.

"No, my dad says I'm not getting scratched up enough to question it," Frost replied idly, and then he blinked. "Questionable? How? You told me to come to your den."

"I don't recall telling you to enter my den without confirming that I'm awake. I said 'evening' because I'm nocturnal," the Sneasel sighed. "And you seriously just waltzed right in like you live here."

The Glaceon frowned, his expression shifting to genuine uncertainty. "Is that a faux pas? I've been in here before..."

The Sneasel groaned and pressed her paw to her face. "I was awake the other times you've been in here. Here's an idea - don't walk into a female's den unannounced."

"Duly noted," Frost replied, and Lin squinted through the darkness, focusing upon her protege's face. He certainly seemed sincere, even if his tone didn't fully match the words. After a moment, she shook her head and climbed to her feet, brushing one end of the long trailing scarf away from her legs.

"Whatever, let's move on," Lin stated in a vaguely clipped tone. She would have preferred to sleep a little longer, but Frost's enthusiasm for training and such was second to none. Even other Sneasel in her pack didn't have the same sort of drive that the young Glaceon possessed. She had known him for a little over a year now, when he was still an Eevee. Normally, one might think that a stereotypical prey Pokemon would avoid a huntress like the plague, but from their conversations, Lin had quickly determined that Frost's parents, both of which were Eevee that somehow had adapted perfectly well to the harsh mountain weather, were in good standing with the pack.

Over the course of the last several years, the pack had expanded its influence over a sizeable area of the mountain, offering the local Pokemon support, and the other factions the metaphorical olive branch in the hopes of forging a mutual alliance. Seeing as predator-prey relationships still existed, the initial efforts was understandably met with suspicion and skepticism, with some Pokemon believing that they were being blackmailed into an arrangement where they were expected to support their predators, and that refusal would result in being prioritized when the dinner bell rang, and that even if they agreed, they'd inevitably end up hunted if they no longer held value to the Sneasel society.

Even outside of prey species, many of the mountain inhabitants wondered if the whole thing was just a ploy for the scrappy pack to seize more control and territory, either by making the prey species so nervous that they left the mountain entirely, or by getting in close with other packs and clans before turning on them. There was a reason the network creation and expansion took several years to get anywhere. Sinnoh had been plagued by a large number of clan conflicts in recent times, and so everyone was wary of the intentions of their neighbors. Some feared that it would be another many years before true harmony was reached again.

Perhaps Frost's parents had been early subscribers to the arrangement, or maybe they had other connections. Regardless of the reasoning, the understanding was that Frost's family was granted immunity from local predators, although Lin expected that if a pair of Eevee had managed to thrive in the hostile conditions of the mountain, they were tough enough that any connections with the Sneasel pack was formality, not necessity.

Not that this would necessarily give Frost immunity from receiving injuries if he pissed off a pack member, but he would certainly not be hunted as prey. Despite this, Lin still insisted that he not tangle with other Sneasel. He was fascinated by the culture, but Lin didn't yet consider him competent enough in their social etiquette to not endanger himself by saying or doing something stupid. The fact he waltzed into her den was an unpleasant reminder that he really didn't grasp something this basic about her species.

"I believe you planned to show me a more advanced ice technique," Frost said, his tail flicking eagerly, and his black eyes shimmered with unrestrained enthusiasm. Lin strode past him, leading the way back to the den's entrance. Frost cast the trailing scarf a curious glance, but made no comment.

"Correct," Lin agreed, gesturing for him to walk in front of her. The Glaceon hesitated, but complied without objection. The Sneasel's red eyes scanned the surrounding area. "You've shown promise in regards to controlling environmental temperatures, and that will be crucial for this technique. I will warn you, however, that it is an extremely taxing ability, and you will likely not manage it for your first many attempts."

"Challenge accepted," Frost answered with a grin. Lin hid a smirk, before allowing her expression to become neutral once more. At her word, Frost stopped and turned to face her, watching her from across the small snowy field.

"The official name for this technique is Blizzard," Lin stated idly, adjusting her scarf so that both ends were trailing behind her shoulders. She intended to demonstrate the ability, and having her scarf whipped around from the intense winds would be distracting and counterproductive. "In terms of utilizing the ability, you will find it similar to your Icy Wind technique that you learned early on in our lessons."

"So it's Icy Wind with more firepower?" Frost guessed. Lin snapped her claws impatiently, and the Glaceon blinked.

"Horrible way of thinking of it. I want the notion of some techniques simply being 'more firepower' than a more basic technique to be expelled from your mindset," she said crisply. "You can always make a technique stronger once you have more practice or energy within you. True growth of one's skills focuses on finesse and control, not power."

"Is that not how one is considered stronger?" Frost asked blankly, and Lin fought the urge to scowl.

"There are multiple facets to strength," Lin explained calmly. "There is the most basic, being raw firepower. Overwhelming force to achieve victory is the weakest form of strength, because the cost of this power is that it is draining for your body, and often slow, allowing it to be outmaneuvered. That is what techniques like Hyper Beam embody. Pure power, but exhausting. If you rely on Hyper Beam to win battles, you will ultimately find yourself losing if your opponent is able to endure or dodge."

"But using exclusively weaker attacks isn't going to win me anything, either," Frost argued. "Poking someone into submission isn't a reliable tactic, either."

"You're ignoring my point to argue against the opposite extreme," Lin murmured, but she was smiling faintly. It was sometimes entertaining for the young Glaceon to get into debates with her over the merits of one thing or another. Their battle styles were quite different for the most part, so it was natural for him to not fully comprehend both angles. "When you have fully mastered a technique, you will be able to use it more quickly, with less focus, and ultimately, less strain on your body and mind. Control over your abilities is key to becoming stronger. If you can't control your power, then greater firepower techniques become dangerous."

Frost frowned a little. "Then...are you sure I should even be learning this yet?" he wondered.

"I will teach it to you, but you would be wise to continue training in your level of control before depending upon it in actual battle," Lin answered smoothly. "You have great potential, and with time, I hope you'll demonstrate that my faith was well-placed."

These words had a profound effect on the Glaceon. His eyes lit up and any uncertainty remaining melted faster than snowflakes exposed to a Fire Blast. He nodded to Lin eagerly, prompting her to resume the lesson.

"First and foremost, to use Blizzard effectively, one must have full control of the air temperature. The warmer the surrounding air, the more energy you will have to produce to obtain the full effect," Lin explained. This was little different from any other ice technique that she had shown him, but it was always best to touch upon previously learned skills before advancing. After all, one cannot learn to run before they learn to walk.

Frost nodded, but Lin noticed that his eyes flicked towards something past her, and her ears swiftly caught the sound of snow crunching underfoot. Even without turning around, she could tell that the approaching figure was making no attempt to be stealthy, so she was not personally concerned about it.

"Pardon my interruption," a male voice spoke, and Lin rolled her eyes, reluctantly turning her attention away from Frost and towards the new arrival. To add fuel to her reluctance, she found that the speaker was a vaguely familiar male Sneasel, doubtlessly one from the main pack, as he carried the familiar scent of other members of the pack.

"That'll depend on why you're here," Lin retorted crisply, her red eyes gazing intensely at the male Sneasel, searching his expression and demeanor for any tell-tale signs of his visit's purpose. He so far lacked the usual mannerisms of a male hoping to court her or challenge her to a battle, but he could just be better at hiding those signs.

"Ah, well...I was sent to find you," the male explained, casting an uncomfortable glance in Frost's direction, as if the Glaceon's presence somehow complicated things.

"Sent?" Lin scoffed skeptically.

"Master Vile wishes to compare your claws," the male Sneasel said importantly. The skeptical look on Lin's face vanished, her eyes widening in alarm. "When the summit beckons the moon twice."

"You don't say?" Lin mused, casting her gaze towards the sky, tracing a path to one of the highest peaks of the mountain. "Very well, be on your way."

The male Sneasel hesitated. "You...did understand, right?"

"I said 'very well'," Lin repeated coolly and she gestured to the side, the same motion one would use to escort a guest back to the door. The Sneasel nodded quickly and retreated the way he had came. Lin waited until he was fully out of sight before turning her attention back to Frost, who was understandably looking perplexed by the enigmatic exchange.

"What was that about?" the Glaceon inquired.

"Del wants to challenge me, it seems," Lin answered, adopting an unconcerned, even nonchalant tone as she spoke, if only to hide her growing feeling of anticipation and anxiety. Frost scrunched up his face in confusion, the question clear from his expression. "Our pack's current alpha," Lin explained, examining her claws idly.

"So...why was the message so weird?" Frost asked.

"Messages from the alpha are always delivered in an obscure manner if an unrelated party is present. Serves a bit as a playful battle of wits, as well," Lin answered with a shrug. "Masking the meaning behind cryptic clues is harder than you might think, because the recipient has to still be able to make sense of it, and if they can't, you've failed as a message-bearer."

"That seems kind of pointless," Frost noted.

"It's not like Del tells us to deliver messages like that. It's just another facet of how our pack constantly strives to one-up each other," Lin explained, managing a wry smirk. "I'm not expected until tomorrow night, so let's continue our lesson at hand, all right?"


The following night arrived more quickly than Lin would have liked, although on the other paw, this was a blessing, for it meant that she was forced to stew in her anxiety for a shorter amount of time.

Although she had chosen not to explain the reasoning to Frost, she knew full well what this was all about. Every so often, the pack alpha held a public exhibition match against one opponent of his (or her) choice. This was usually a reminder to the rest of the pack just how skilled and powerful the alpha was, to give them a level to aspire to, and to curb the egos of the stronger pack members that were starting to get a bit cocky and unruly.

In many cases, the alpha selected the pack member that was currently viewed as the strongest, because like any other member of the pack, the alpha sought the most exciting opponent. Battle was the lifeblood of the clan, and no matter who the opponent was, throwing the match was the ultimate cowardice. Opponents were not chosen just to lose, and the results were not fixed. Holding the battle in front of the entire pack meant that the loser would have their pride demolished in front of a large number of rivals. No self-respecting Sneasel would dare throw a match against the alpha. Being chosen was acknowledgement of one's skills, and while defeat was hardly desirable, losing honorably and putting up a great fight would preserve more of one's reputation than a shutout.

As Lin made her way along the snowy path leading to the mountainside arena, her mind buzzed with unspoken fears and anxiety. Try as she might to remain calm and look forward to the match, her confidence was wavering. Del was the only Weavile member of the pack, and that would grant him an overwhelming advantage, such that even she would be hard-pressed to compensate for. One did not manage to evolve and become the pack alpha without being exceptionally strong by their own merits.

As she drew closer to her destination, she could make out the sounds of excited chattering among a large group of Sneasel, and it was clear that she had been spotted from a distance, because the chattering grew louder until it had risen to almost a deafening roar. Yet as she climbed the final hurdle of rock and snow, the din calmed into an almost reverent hush.

As expected, there was a large number of Sneasel waiting eagerly for her arrival, some of them nudging the Sneasel standing next to them in order to point her out, although the flowing blue scarf trailing at her sides was more than sufficient to identify her. Lin's eyes scanned the area, noting the enormous expanse of empty space before her, and on the opposite side of the mountain peak, she saw a second gathering of Sneasel huddled around a lone Weavile.

The Weavile was seated upon a large boulder, waiting calmly, his eyes closed as if sleeping. Like all Weavile, his head was adorned with a large crown of feathers, in sharp contrast to the single feather upon all the Sneasel around them. Three viciously sharp claws protruded from each of his paws, again in contrast to the mere two of its unevolved kin. Everything about the Weavile radiated with power, confidence, and skill. The mere sight of the clan alpha made Lin's legs feel shakier, with the knowledge that he was to be her next opponent, and in front of what seemed to be the entire pack. She was never one to be this anxious and uncertain, but something about the Weavile always made her feel that way. It was the ultimate vibe of intimidation.

As one of the nearest Sneasel moved in to say something to the alpha, Del's eyes opened and he raised a paw to politely signal for the Sneasel to cease speaking. His red eyes fixed upon Lin with soft intensity, observing her passively. As the two made eye contact, Lin felt her body shudder involuntarily, uncertainty gripping her heart with its icy talons.

"Lin," Del stated quietly, his voice carrying easily across the arena.

"Delta," Lin replied curtly, but made a point of bowing her head slightly as an expression of respect. Del's eyes flashed in amusement at the Sneasel's use of his full name, but he made no comment, even though several of the other Sneasel around them fidgeted anxiously, as if Lin had just made a bold insult.

"Do you plan on wearing that for the battle?" Del asked, gesturing towards the Sneasel's scarf, tracing its shape in the air with his claws, as a reminder of just how long it was compared to the rest of her body.

"Yes," Lin replied stiffly, already taking a moment to verify the loop that held it in place around her neck.

"Forgive my rudeness in asking," Del said, sliding off the rock he was perched upon, and making his way casually across the arena. "How did you acquire that scarf?"

Lin hesitated, and narrowed her eyes at the opposing Weavile. It was not a rude question in itself, and while others had asked about her insistence on wearing it, the statements were usually made in a critical or insulting manner that didn't focus on where she got it, but more on why she had it at all.

Del showed no reaction to her suspicious look, and merely waited politely for her to respond. Even the other Sneasel around them were looking at one another curiously, as if for the first time in their lives, someone had brought an interesting bit of trivia to their attention. There was little chance of Lin being able to deflect the question in front of this many Pokemon, least of all when questioned directly by the pack alpha.

"I won it," Lin said finally. "From a human trainer a few years ago."

"Ah, and you took that as your trophy?" Del asked, sounding mildly amused. Lin gave a curt nod. "An impressive feat, at such a young age. You would have been roughly two or three years old. May I trouble you to ask what the trainer's team had included?"

Lin suppressed a slight scowl. "Eevee, Kadabra, and Scyther," she said bluntly. This earned her an utterly baffled look from not only Del, but many of the other Sneasel all around them. Lin knew full well what about her answer had prompted this reaction - simply put, none of those Pokemon were commonly seen at all, least of all utilized by a trainer this far into the icy mountains.

"Was...that the trainer's entire team?" Del asked, bemused.

"No," Lin admitted grudgingly. On the contrary, even she had gotten the impression that the trainer had been holding back his best Pokemon, because after she had beaten the third Pokemon, the trainer had considered Lin thoughtfully before signaling that he was conceding the match to her, and made his way back the way he had come. At the time, Lin had suspected that the human was far too smart to leave himself completely undefended up in the mountains, and that if she had continued attacking, he would have called upon another Pokemon to defend himself, and it would not have fared well for the young Sneasel. The Pokemon he had used were probably ones that needed the most training to endure the harsher conditions.

"Fair enough. An impressive feat all the same. Shall we go over the rules of our battle?" Del asked, his mouth widening into a grin.

"Standard exhibition match, I imagine," Lin cut in, but Del shook his head and waggled a claw at her disapprovingly.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Lin. We have an audience that may need to be reminded of things. Consider it a formality."

Another Sneasel stepped out from the crowd and approached the center of the arena, waving its claws in the air to draw the attention of the onlookers onto him instead.

"Attention, please!" the Sneasel announced, its voice so loud that it easily carried throughout the arena and into the crowd of excited Sneasel. A hush fell over the onlookers, probably more due to the icy stare of the alpha gazing around more so than the speaker. Lin willfully toned out the majority of the following speech, placing her focus instead on Del, already searching him for signs of weaknesses that could be exploited in battle. He stood with impressive ease, not even a hint of fear or uncertainty buried within his sharp red eyes.

The Weavile snapped his claws abruptly, and Lin flinched, before realizing she had missed her cue. The grandstanding Sneasel was introducing the combatants to the crowd, but Lin simply waved her paw curtly, indifferent to the belated response. There was an awkward pause, before the ceremony continued.

"The current alpha, the illustrious Del!"

At his name's mention, Del lazily raised a paw in acknowledgement, amid the eager cheers of male and female Sneasel alike. In a way, Lin resented the alpha's popularity. One would think, that in such a competitive society, the one on the top would merely serve as a figure to eventually topple in battle, but that wasn't really how Sneasel society operated. The alpha was more than just the strongest battler, or the craftiest strategist. He was a figure to admire and fear equally, maintaining order within and outside the pack. Then again, one's days would be numbered if they were genuinely loathed. No matter how strong Del was, the entire pack as a whole could beat him with sheer numbers. Del was not stupid or egotistical. He was smart, and polite, but firm.

By contrast, Lin's curt indifference to the attention of potential suitors and opponents alike made her something of an outcast. She was attractive and strong, and this set her on a pedestal above much of the rest of the pack, but she knew with certainty that the pack members did not view her as a 'friend'. They had no reason to hate her, but no reason to love her, either. She was reliable as a supporter to the clan, but little more than that.

Del undoubtedly would have known that, and that's why this exhibition match had such a huge turnout crowd. Lin's reputation set her apart as a challenger who could legitimately win, and everyone was eager to see a match where the alpha could theoretically lose. Adding to that, there were undoubtedly many of Lin's past opponents that would love to see her lose this match, as proof that she wasn't as untouchable as they felt she was.

"Rules! No onlooker may interfere with this battle, no matter what occurs!" the Sneasel continued, producing a tablet of stone that served as the rules document.

Lin snorted. That rule had first been enacted because these sort of matches used to be the equivalent of death battles to solve disputes between potential alphas. Once the society evolved from such a primal state many decades ago, the rule existed now for the sake of common sense rules.

"Rule Two! The challenger is to be provided with a Razor Claw pendant, which will be revoked if defeated."

At these words, Lin's ears perked up, and Del smirked. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled a small object across the arena, allowing it to strike the snow at Lin's feet. The Sneasel hesitated for a moment, before bending to pick it up. The 'pendant' was little more than a sharpened, talon-like claw, visually looking like a stone fragment, with a long string affixed to it, like the bauble at the end of a piece of jewelry. Lin carefully placed the pendant around her neck, and the claw tapped against her chest.

This was a constant tradition for these exhibition matches. Defeating the alpha meant that one would almost certainly evolve from the experience, and truly become a peer to the alpha. It did not automatically promote them to the alpha rank, although this often happened. It was ultimately symbolic - you stood to gain respect, power, and evolution. But losing had the symbol literally ripped away from you. It was the most crushing blow to one's ego, adding insult to literal injury.

"Lastly, the victor, as per the pack's custom, may claim one thing of value belonging to the defeated, or make a request to be honored by the loser; the normal exceptions apply."

Lin rolled her eyes. This rule was simply setting in stone how the clan operated. It was also a reminder that even the alpha himself was not allowed to claim Lin as a mate if she did not reciprocate his interest, although he could make the request for her to join him on several 'dates' that would drastically up his chances of wooing her if she was simply skeptical.

One could question why Lin was automatically assuming that Del wanted to court her. After all, he was a very popular and powerful male Weavile, and the alpha of the pack. He was the type of mate that any female would be happy to have a shot at. That's why it bothered her so much.

Lin had focused much of her training so that she would be able to select her mate options by her own standards. Thus far, all her male opponents had failed to catch her eye, but she had never before considered the alpha as an option. Surely the strongest member of the pack would have some appeal to her? But even if he was interested, just how much would it damage her pride to lose in battle to a male that theoretically DID catch her eye? It seemed so wrong to her.

Lin shook herself quickly. That was a bridge to cross when she got there. Yet as she gazed across the arena towards the opposing Weavile, uncertainty continued to clutch at her heart. For the first time in what felt like years, she truly felt that she had no chance to win this fight.