Chapter Text
Absol padded down the faint trail, his paws scuffing the soggy, damp ground. Wet pebbles squelched beneath his paws and dripping ferns brushed his underbelly, the air cold and moist against his rough tongue. Absol pricked his ears, ducking low in a hunters crouch. Mist swirled in the dense forest, briefly revealing a pair of glowing gold eyes. The illusion disappeared before Absol could concentrate, though, so he shook his pelt, grunting as he continued onward. Absol let his hard, icy blue gaze rake across the forest, prowling up onto a gnarled old tree stump. Bird song and animal calls echoed through the woods, the trees rustling in a lazy breeze. Something howled off in the distance, but Absol took little notice, parting his lips to taste the air. Drawing in smells to the scent-glands on the roof of his mouth, Absol detected a faint pidgey trail, nearly swamped by the stronger smell of moss, stone and leaf mold.
A cold rush swept by, making Absol spin around. He caught a glimpse of a nearly-upright figure, silently prowling behind a tree, an onix length away from him down the slope, but that didn't make sense, because Absol could hear paw steps approaching from behind him. Absol craned his head to look over his shoulder, seeing nothing. The paw steps ceased, but the burning sensation of being watched didn't leave Absol. His hackles rippling with unease, Absol sat down on his haunches, giving his chest fur a brief, self conscious grooming.
"Are you looking for me?"
Absol leapt to his paws, peeling back his lips in a snarl as he swung around, trying to find the source of the voice, "Come out, Lucario!" He growled in frustration, "I know you're here, some where."
That deep, rich, calm voice, it sent shivers up Absol's spine and made his pelt prickle. He caught the scent, a brief, clean scent that reminded Absol of a Ninetails, but less like fire. The air suddenly tingled with old magic, laced with the soft buzz of welcome. Butter gold eyes lit up, just beyond the bank of fog, framed by a vaguely Lucario-shaped shadow. Absol lashed his short tail, dropping into a hunting crouch and prowling forward, "You're the one who summoned me," He growled, "Why are you hiding?" Absol was annoyed, his tone rough with impatience.
To his out rage, Lucario chuckled, amusement softening his gaze. Absol held his ground, gritting his teeth and not saying a word as Lucario slid out from the mist, materializing from the dim morning light. His jaws didn't move when he replied, his fluffy tail twitching. "You will find out, in good time." Lucario's ears swiveled, raising his head to sniff the breeze. Absol grunted, sitting back down. He hated it here, it rained too often, it was dark all the time and he could hear the waterfall chasm, some half a sky-length away. Absol missed the open mesa, where the canyon spires reached up to the sky like claws. It was dry and sunny there, and the clouds didn't blot out the moon. Absol was almost convinced Lucario could hear his fur, bristling against the humidity like a pitiful Mareep.
Lucario glanced at him, a soft grumble escaping his muzzle, "We can head to the summit," he offered, a hint of sympathy betraying his voice. Absol glared, growling, "I'm fine and don't read my mind." He snapped, getting to his paws. Absol's claws scraped the stump as he clamored down, ripping up pieces of moss and bark as he stalked down the slope. He approached Lucario warily, giving one of his front paws a sniff. Lucario gazed at him evenly, his eyes calm as he reached out to pat Absol on the forehead. Absol frowned at him, watching as he turned, twitching an ear, "Follow me."