Chapter 1: Blotchy Beginnings
"Heads up!" Iris called, giggling as she threw an oran berry in her sisters direction. It was late morning and the two siblings were playing a game of catch, tossing back and forth a particularly plump berry. They had been playing for a few hours now while the sun slowly rose in the sky, as if reluctant to start the day. The aforementioned berry met Artemis' paw with a firm thump. The female drew back her arm for a powerful throw when movement in the thicket behind Iris distracted her from throwing it back. Iris pulled a face. "Are you going to throw it or what?" The thicket shook loudly and a shadow towered over Artemis' sister. With no time to shout a warning, the Lycanroc drew back her arm again and hurled the projectile with all her might. It whizzed through the air with speed, flashing across the clearing in an instant. It all took place in the matter of a couple seconds but Artemis sensed her pitch was perfect, not that an Oran berry was going to hurt the attacker. The berry passed a few inches above Iris shoulder, too fast for Iris' eyes to folllow. Only to stop dead in its tracks by another paw. Turning quickly, Iris found herself facing another Lycanroc, who was grinning ear to ear.
"Dad!" Iris squealed, jumping into the arms of her father. The broad shouldered wolf chuckled, a deep sound that seemed to rumble out of his entire body. "Irie.." He growled happily, throwing the berry underhand at Artemis as she made her way towards them. The female caught the fruit and took a bite out of it, ending its career as a ball. Although pleased to see her father return, Artemis was annoyed at herself. Naturally protective over her only sibling, if that was any heat signature intending to harm, she would have been unable to intervene in time. Atlas caught her gaze and nodded, both Pokemon following similar trains of thought. These were dangerous times, and a careless mistake could tear a family in two. Still, nothing HAD happened. "Iris, go tell your mother I'm back will you?" Atlas said, setting down the small Lycanroc. "Okay dad!" Iris replied, smiling at her sister as she padded past, her pace speeding up gradually until she was shooting through the clearing and into the trees. With the two now out of earshot, Atlas raised an eyebrow. "I thought i told you two to play away from the edges? Pokemon snatchers would find themselves easy targets if they found their way here." The male commentated, gazing down at the sombre looking pup. Kicking her paw into the dirt, Artemis looked up at her dad finally. "Yes dad. I suppose we just gradually moved closer as we played, I didn't realise." Atlas nodded thoughtfully, looking back the way he came as if the people be spoke of would appear at anytime. "Still, it was fun to sneak up on you girls, I haven't been able to do that for some time. Nice throw by the way, if I hadn't known your capabilities, I reckon that would have paused my snatching by a second at least!" The chuckle came again, but the point was made and Artemis filed it away. She wasn't a kid anymore and she valued her dads advice highly. Atlas saw his daughter's shoulders straighten and lose the previous droop they had showed upon realising the danger she had put Iris in. 'Good girl. I doubt that will be a problem again.' He thought. "Shall we head back? I'm sure your mother will be happy to see me again. That woman probably goes loopy thinking about what trouble I might have got myself into!" Artemis giggled, thinking of the picture Atlas painted. It was a pretty accurate description, all things considered. "Will you have time to take me out tonight?" Artemis asked as they headed back home together.
"Oh no he won't!" A voice sounded, cracking the relaxed atmosphere like a whip. "And if I catch you two sneaking out again you'll be grounded for a week young lady!" Two figured appeared in the edge of the clearing, Iris and Hespe. Artemis' gulped, realising she had been caught for the second time today. 'Why is life so unfair sometimes?' She thought grumpily. Sweeping past her, Hespe hugged her husband tight, happy to see him home. "No luck this morning?" She asked, although the answer was obvious. "Unfortunately not my dear, the forest was eerily quiet, as if something had disturbed it. I didn't catch a scent or find any tracks, bizarre." Atlas thought back to his hunt, recalling his steps. It truly had been a strange morning, although he shrugged philosophically. One couldn't bring meat to the table everyday, and they had enough supplies. "I could always go out toni.." Hespe stamped her foot as she put her direction in the reverse. "I don't think so! Don't think I don't know what your night excursions involve, she's too young!" Artemis rolled her eyes, sensing another argument between her parents unfolding. This had been the source of contention for some weeks since the Lycanroc had turned 17. Without a male heir, Atlas had started teaching his daughter how to hunt, track and move like a hunter. The species was naturally talented, one only had to unlock the hidden potential stored inside each Lycanroc. Hespe had strongly opposed the idea, with both possessing good arguments. "When I was 17.." Artemis mimicked to Iris in a perfect representation of her mother, causing the young Lycanroc to giggle. Hespe shot a look of daggers at her daughter and grabbed Atlas, pulling him away from the two so they could have another confrontation about it. Taking that as her cue to suddenly become missing, Artemis took Iris' paw lightly and led the two back home, they still had water to collect that they had abstained from this morning in pursuit of games instead. They pushed through the bushes and left their parents alone to squabble.
Atlas crossed his arms, looking down at his wife with a stubborn expression. Neither of the two rarely backed down so it was looking to be another mirror match. "I don't get why you're so caught up over this, it has been weeks and we've not had any problems!" Hespe crossed her arms too, shooting that familiar look of daggers up at her husband. "Ohhh, i'm sorry! I suppose I should only complain when my daughter is seriously injured, or worse, killed! And then when you return by yourself I can say 'told you so!'" She shot back, glaring angrily. Atlas sighed, casting aside the urge to start shouting. "She is perfectly safe with me babe, I could understand your view if I was forcing her to learn but she wants to become a hunter! Do you think Artemis' wants to become a housewife to a male in another pack?" Hespe's eyebrows shot up. "So that's what I am to you am I? Atlas' housewife, the one who looks after the kids, cooks and cleans with a smile until her faithful husband comes home!" Atlas realised his mistake and hastily attempted to fix it. "N-no not at all! You're my wife Hespe, and I value what you do for this family to the highest degree! When I found you all those years ago, you were different.!" With Hespe looking unconvinced, he tried a different tack. "I still remember it now, bursting out of the undergrowth muttering about not wanting to be like your mother. You had run away from home after refusing to marry that 'peabrained hunk.' Those were the words you used right?" Hespe's eyes had lost the fire that had consumed them and the tips of her mouth had ever so slightly started to rise. "That is correct." Atlas latched on immediately. "See! You rejected that life your parents tried to give you, so how can you stand here and subject your daughter to it?" Hespe frowned, the males opportunity to score a point now lost. "Because she's MY daughter! Don't you think about how hard it is to gaze at her and wonder if it will be the last time? Our home isn't safe anymore, and YOU know that! I wonder how you can stomach taking her out at night and not be worried sick!" Atlas looked at the ground guiltily. "Do you not think it's just as hard for me? It's my responsibility to look after her when we're out and therefore it is my responsibility to teach her how to fend for herself. I know you must think I'm doing this to fulfil my fantasies of training a son but it's not that at all! She's smart Hes, brave and intelligent like you. Quick and strong like her pa. Artemis deserves a choice, a path in life of her own choosing. If we didn't provide that chance, well I would fail as a father." Hespe flinched as he said that, tilting his chin to look him in the eyes. A battle waged behind there. A duty to keep his daughter safe along with a duty to teach his daughter to keep herself safe in a changing world. "Why do I feel like I'm in the wrong?" Hespe asked softly, letting her paws run down his chest. "You're not Hes, you're just a little bit less right than me."