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Description
A warm, humid breeze blew from the east, carrying with it the scent of sulfur and ash. There was a volcano nearby. EV didn’t have a clue where they were, but something about that was vaguely comforting. If things got any more frustrating, she had something to push Growl into.

The little runt had not shut up in over an hour. EV couldn’t even understand what he was saying anymore. It was just yap yap yap, bitch bitch bitch. And Umbro bantering with him didn’t make it any better. The mutant could no longer tell what side Umbro was on. At one point he had been trying to get the mongrel to shut up. Now… She just didn’t know.

In blearing heat of the late afternoon Umbro had led them to the shadow of rising cliff. Their plan, as far as EV could tell, was to follow it until they found something to eat or somewhere to rest. But in the effort to suppress a headache that Growl’s jabbering was bringing on she didn’t protest their ascent up what appeared to be a mountain, and only as the broadness of her paws became alarmingly apparent did she realize just how narrow this ledge had become. When she was forced to walk one paw after the other, she spoke up in a growl. “Hey, Umbro, why the hell are we going this way?”

The Umbreon looked back at her, and then down at his feet. The idiot. He hadn’t notice until she pointed it out. “Oh. Hm.” He looked ahead, his tail ticking as he surveyed the ever-narrowing span of ledge that took a sharp turn and went out of sight. “It’s taking us somewhere,” he ventured. “I’m sure it broadens ahead.”

She scowled. He turned forward so he wouldn’t have to see.

Growl had stopped yapping long enough to make the same observation EV had before following on Umbro’s heels. To her satisfaction he stayed quiet, watched his toes, and twitched with nervousness. The ground was far below them- survivable for her, but a much farther fall for a little pipsqueak like Growl. And the path was rapidly taking them higher.

To everyone’s satisfaction the ledge did widen after the bend. EV could fit her paws on the edge side-by-side, but that wasn’t much of a comfort when the mountain began to rumble. At first it was hardly noticeable; just enough to vibrate the pebbles they were kicking out of their path. But as the minutes ticked by the shake grew stronger, rocking them violently and shaking loose rock.

Growl’s agitation didn’t help him when the mountain gave such a shake that it threatened to throw them all to the ground. “Shit!” the Growlithe yelped, his claws pressing into the dusty rock. “This is bullshit, we need to get out of here! Umbro-”

“I know, I know.” While his cool demeanor should have been a relief to her, it only served to piss her off. She watched the dark green eyes take in their surroundings in a series of quick sweeping motions. Then he picked up his pace. “This way. Come on.”

The trio moved at a trot. The mountain continued to tremble and shake, and more than once EV had to dodge a falling rock. One nailed Growl in the head, and EV only just managed to grab him by the scruff before he followed it over the ledge. EV hadn’t seen it before, but Umbro actually had a location this time- a shallow cave that dipped steeply into the mountain’s interior, gaping out of the rock face about a meter over their heads.

If the ledge hadn’t widened by then they would have never made it there, because they were all actively dodging boulders by the time they made it under the cave. EV took a running leap, launching herself right over Growl and scrambling into the cave’s mouth. She spun around peered over the edge, looking for the others.

Boulders were raining down on them as they tried to find stable footing. Umbro looked like a black and green fish gliding between the falling rocks, a streak of red marking the erratic wave of his scarf. Growl couldn’t keep up; the little Growlithe was thrown and crushed from all angles by the falling rocks.

EV felt her heart slam against her chest as she crouched, following the two with wide dark eyes. “Idiots!” she barked. “Get up here!”

Umbro threw his head up, for a moment looking lost before he spotted EV, and then Growl. He sprinted toward him, and when he found an opening through the rocks he lunged at the little one, snatching him up and running toward the cliff. EV could tell before his feet left the ground that he wasn’t going to make the jump; the rocks under him were rolling, and he was battered by more rubble as he came up. His paws slammed against the edge of the cave without sticking, and he flung Growl at EV before he disappeared under a boulder that sent him tumbling down the cliff.

EV sprung at Growl even as her eyes followed Umbro. As the plummeted Growl’s disoriented form slipped through her claws and slid off the cliff. A broken cry ripped from her throat as she clawed at the cliff face where the little dog hit before tumbling down the mountain with Umbro. “No!”

She couldn’t save them. Their pelts disappeared in a cacophony of roaring earth. EV clung to the cliff, large black eyes watering as the dust bit at them savagely. When the mountain grew still, there was no sign of the two at the bottom; they had disappeared under a pile of dirt and rock. EV thought she was going to be sick.

Just like that, she was alone.

Description
A warm, humid breeze blew from the east, carrying with it the scent of sulfur and ash. There was a volcano nearby. EV didn’t have a clue where they were, but something about that was vaguely comforting. If things got any more frustrating, she had something to push Growl into.

The little runt had not shut up in over an hour. EV couldn’t even understand what he was saying anymore. It was just yap yap yap, bitch bitch bitch. And Umbro bantering with him didn’t make it any better. The mutant could no longer tell what side Umbro was on. At one point he had been trying to get the mongrel to shut up. Now… She just didn’t know.

In blearing heat of the late afternoon Umbro had led them to the shadow of rising cliff. Their plan, as far as EV could tell, was to follow it until they found something to eat or somewhere to rest. But in the effort to suppress a headache that Growl’s jabbering was bringing on she didn’t protest their ascent up what appeared to be a mountain, and only as the broadness of her paws became alarmingly apparent did she realize just how narrow this ledge had become. When she was forced to walk one paw after the other, she spoke up in a growl. “Hey, Umbro, why the hell are we going this way?”

The Umbreon looked back at her, and then down at his feet. The idiot. He hadn’t notice until she pointed it out. “Oh. Hm.” He looked ahead, his tail ticking as he surveyed the ever-narrowing span of ledge that took a sharp turn and went out of sight. “It’s taking us somewhere,” he ventured. “I’m sure it broadens ahead.”

She scowled. He turned forward so he wouldn’t have to see.

Growl had stopped yapping long enough to make the same observation EV had before following on Umbro’s heels. To her satisfaction he stayed quiet, watched his toes, and twitched with nervousness. The ground was far below them- survivable for her, but a much farther fall for a little pipsqueak like Growl. And the path was rapidly taking them higher.

To everyone’s satisfaction the ledge did widen after the bend. EV could fit her paws on the edge side-by-side, but that wasn’t much of a comfort when the mountain began to rumble. At first it was hardly noticeable; just enough to vibrate the pebbles they were kicking out of their path. But as the minutes ticked by the shake grew stronger, rocking them violently and shaking loose rock.

Growl’s agitation didn’t help him when the mountain gave such a shake that it threatened to throw them all to the ground. “Shit!” the Growlithe yelped, his claws pressing into the dusty rock. “This is bullshit, we need to get out of here! Umbro-”

“I know, I know.” While his cool demeanor should have been a relief to her, it only served to piss her off. She watched the dark green eyes take in their surroundings in a series of quick sweeping motions. Then he picked up his pace. “This way. Come on.”

The trio moved at a trot. The mountain continued to tremble and shake, and more than once EV had to dodge a falling rock. One nailed Growl in the head, and EV only just managed to grab him by the scruff before he followed it over the ledge. EV hadn’t seen it before, but Umbro actually had a location this time- a shallow cave that dipped steeply into the mountain’s interior, gaping out of the rock face about a meter over their heads.

If the ledge hadn’t widened by then they would have never made it there, because they were all actively dodging boulders by the time they made it under the cave. EV took a running leap, launching herself right over Growl and scrambling into the cave’s mouth. She spun around peered over the edge, looking for the others.

Boulders were raining down on them as they tried to find stable footing. Umbro looked like a black and green fish gliding between the falling rocks, a streak of red marking the erratic wave of his scarf. Growl couldn’t keep up; the little Growlithe was thrown and crushed from all angles by the falling rocks.

EV felt her heart slam against her chest as she crouched, following the two with wide dark eyes. “Idiots!” she barked. “Get up here!”

Umbro threw his head up, for a moment looking lost before he spotted EV, and then Growl. He sprinted toward him, and when he found an opening through the rocks he lunged at the little one, snatching him up and running toward the cliff. EV could tell before his feet left the ground that he wasn’t going to make the jump; the rocks under him were rolling, and he was battered by more rubble as he came up. His paws slammed against the edge of the cave without sticking, and he flung Growl at EV before he disappeared under a boulder that sent him tumbling down the cliff.

EV sprung at Growl even as her eyes followed Umbro. As the plummeted Growl’s disoriented form slipped through her claws and slid off the cliff. A broken cry ripped from her throat as she clawed at the cliff face where the little dog hit before tumbling down the mountain with Umbro. “No!”

She couldn’t save them. Their pelts disappeared in a cacophony of roaring earth. EV clung to the cliff, large black eyes watering as the dust bit at them savagely. When the mountain grew still, there was no sign of the two at the bottom; they had disappeared under a pile of dirt and rock. EV thought she was going to be sick.

Just like that, she was alone.