Chapter 7: Lone Wolf
"Shadows gather around
Those that chose to walk alone
Straying far from trial and friend
And running from the things they fear to lose.
Do you see them wandering
Just out of reach?
Yet they chose to walk a path
So far apart from the world."
Year: May 12, 2308
Location: Mountains beyond Rock Pick County, Americanus North Neutral
Garurumon raced across the ground, faster than any other of his species, while Zev bent low over his neck. His words were almost lost to the wind as they entered the mountains "We've seen those strange crests before, perhaps we should pay the mutt a visit."
"That would be a stupid idea, even if you aren't right" kudamon growled but garurumon just shrugged. "You never met her; it was before the split screen." the wolf digimon replied without much emotion.
"Let's go find that cave then, the forbidden cave..." Zev murmured, leaning further into the digimon's neck as he sped up.
It didn't take them long to find a digiport and Zev used his digivice to cross them into the mountains of the digital world, as near to the spot as he could guess.
Location: Cave of Fusion, Digital World
Pride paused as she stepped into the main chamber of the cave of fusion, her glare raking the three failures she had sent out that morning.
At that moment Lust, a cheetah/bat mix, came over and whispered into her ear "We have an intruder boss, Greed is currently in battle with him near the back entrance"
"Who allowed him in here?" Pride hissed, glaring at her before she turned to Chaos "You and Lust can give our new friend her welcoming tour"
She watched them until they had led Koko down the passage to the cave with the crests before she turned her glare on Wrath "This is your last chance Wrath, bring me the intruder or you'll be an example to the others."
Wrath nodded, trembling as she shot down the back tunnel. After a few moments, she came back dragging the wolf-boy Zev with Greed following behind her.
"A pure blood, one of my old pack at that" Pride gave an evil smile and slipped the shadow crest from her pocket "I saved this just for you, pup. Greed, go fetch a fusion core…"
Zev shifted, struggling in Wrath's arms as he regained conciseness. "Thought I'd find you here mutt. Didn't like our pack?" his words were a low taunt as he scanned the room for either of his partners.
Pride snarled and held the crest close to his face as it began to glow "I'm in charge now pup so what does that mean?"
Zev struggled harder, wincing as the crest began to bond with him "Me follow a mutt like you? I don't even follow the pure ones, dog"
Pride growled at the last taunt and slapped him across the face, drawing blood as her claws broke skin "Say that again pup and you won't even live to follow me"
"I. Don't. Follow. Anyone." Zev growled in response, jerking back into Wrath as kudamon leapt between them, missing the crest by inches. Bond or not Zev didn't waste time in breaking Wrath's grip and leaping backwards over her.
"Without that core you have no control over me, mutt." he muttered, snapping out his digivice as gabumon appeared and digivolved back to garurumon. Zev snatched up kudamon and jumped onto to garurumon's back as the wolf digimon raced for the exit.
Once out of range and fear of pursuit, Zev slumped against garurumon's neck and sighed "Let's not do that again."
Kudamon grumbled agreement then gave his partner a worried glance "Are you okay?"
"Few broken ribs I'm sure, don't really know" Zev muttered, his voice fading as he collapsed against garurumon, barely avoiding tumbling off.
Kudamon and garurumon exchanged wary glances and they started off towards the nearest village in hopes of finding a healer.