Avian had noticed the sudden change in weather. The two had taken shelter in his cave from the menacing weather. It was odd, Zoar and him had been through some light showers of rain over the week, but never as... Electrifying as this one. The aura around him was going absolutely crazy, bouncing and zigzagging all over the place from the high voltages of electricity. He also noticed Zoar's poised demeanor; looking acutely concentrated and alert of something. The Riolu didn't mean to pry, but he had to know.

"Wh-what's happening, Zoar?" Avian questioned, palpably worried. Zoar didn't respond. He just kept surveying the area with his fur bristling from possible threat. Avian shook his front leg. "Zoar, please, tell me what's going on!" he begged.

Zoar stayed quiet for a few more moments as he sniffed the air. When his pupils dilated, he pushed Avian behind him with his paw. "Stay behind me, Ave," he commanded. Avian began to perspire rapidly.

"But why, Zoar?!" he demanded out of fear, completely disregarding his manner at that moment. He heard Zoar exhale in distress before he turned around and responded.

"...It's my pack," he murmured. The hairs on Avian's body stood up in shock.

"Your... Pack?"

"They've tracked our scent. They're trying to ambush us!"

Avian's heart lurched in dread. His mind denied everything that was happening, his emotions turning into an uncontrollable frenzy.

"No! This can't... It can't...!" he stammered. Zoar glanced away. Avian shivered immensely, recalling the fate of his parents because of them, how they were planning on eating him alive back at their pride. He tensed anxiously, refuting the tortuous feeling he felt that night creeping up his spine. "Wh-what are we gonna do?!" His voice was but a frightened whisper.

The howling wind blended with the patters of Luxrays under the darkening clouds. It gave off an ominous feeling that shocked the two into silence. Zoar could feel his pack crawling and bounding around them in the shadows, he even remembered participating in it once a long time ago. They would scare their prey into thinking they were imagining things, and then unleash their attack. But why were they doing it now, when they knew well that Zoar had knowledge about their tactics?

He bit his lip, realizing what he must do.

For the first time, in a long time, he was scared about the outcome. He imagined it happening, yet... Now? When it seemed like life gave him another chance for redemption of a cruel, encapsulated life? Now it felt as if it were being torn away from his grasp, all too quickly for him to accept.

He glanced at Avian and finally spoke.

"Listen, you need to get as far away as possible, okay?" he explained. The pup's eyes widened, like he expected them to. Zoar immediately began to regret his order, but pushed forward-- it was for Avian's own safety. "No matter what you see or hear, you just keep going and don't look back!" He could only watch as Avian's pride was slowly being crushed like a delicate clump of sand. His eyes flared with a betrayal-like emotion.

"Zoar... How could you say that...?!" he exclaimed defiantly. "I told you! I don't want to run anymore! I can't run! After what happened with my parents?! With you...?!" The Riolu clenched his fists tightly. "I can't afford to flee from my loved ones while they fight for me! I have to fight too!"

"Ave, you don't understand! You have no idea what they're capable of doing to you!" Zoar retorted with a serious face. He couldn't sugar-coat it anymore, he had to scare him away. "They show no mercy, they'll play around with you until you're dead in front of their feet! No matter what you do, their too powerful!"

"But isn't this what we've been training for all this time?!" Avian argued fiercely, burning blue aura crackling around him. "All those times I thought I was ready and I wasn't, that was before you taught me everything! But now, I know I'm ready to take on foes like these! You've seen protect you for Arceus sakes! Please! If you just let me try--!"

"You're NOT ready," he snapped. "This storm is like nothing you or I have ever seen before! One of their Pokemon had just left the pack that kept him alive for his whole life and failed to kill their only scrap of food in months! Do you not expect them to express their rage like this?! Think, Ave! You need to wake up!" Avian flinched at his words. Zoar's expression was stone cold like he had never seen before. For the first time ever, he just stood there, shocked, hurt, incapable of moving. His words were like a dagger to his pounding heart that painfully echoed through his head.

Zoar, realizing what he did, softened his eyes immediately. He darted away in shame, lowering his voice to make it sound more docile. He knew he couldn't reveal  it too much though, Avian wouldn't listen to him if he did.

"...I'm going to cover for you while you hide," he said. "When it seems safe, make a run for it. And whatever happens, you keep running, alright?" He placed a paw on his shoulder, gaping into him to make sure he understood.

With a voice almost like a whisper, Avian replied.

"No."

Zoar's eyes dilated.

"What?"

"I said no!" Avian cried with all the obstinance he could muster. Zoar pulled back in astonishment, and the pup dropped his head. "Zoar, if you're going out there alone...! No, I can't let you!" He began to tremble violently. "You said we're a team, remember? And I can't leave you to fight on your own! It's too dangerous! Who knows how many of them are out there?!" Zoar felt within him a slight fulfillment that the boy had spoke wisely about the situation; he was right entirely. "You have to trust me, I'm strong now! Stronger than ever before! I can feel it, I'm ready to fight by your side! I'll show you how brave I can be, Zoar!"

For a long time, the two stared at each other. Avian's gaze was filled with longing and headstrong tenaciousness while Zoar's was with anguish. The older Pokemon didn't know what to do, he saw the courageousness coarse through the child's veins, just like the day he began to train with him. Except this time, he knew Avian grasped the idea of what he was about to do instead of counting on his naivety. Zoar knew quite well what Avian was going to get himself into, and he could tell Avian did too. He couldn't help but marvel at how much the pup had grown over the time they spent together, and it warmed him to know that from now on...

He will be safe from them.

Zoar let out a defeated smile.

"...Alright. You win, kit," he surrendered convincingly. "Let's go show them who's boss."

Avian felt his heart skip a beat. He trusted him! He really did! After all this time, he felt ready to take on anything. Anything at all. Honor swirled within him as he nodded.

"Zoar...! Th-thank you!" he beamed proudly. Turning around, they faced the entrance of the cave towards the circling Luxrays.

Zoar glimpsed at the Riolu, one last time.

"I promise," Avian began. "I'll fight beside you until the very en--"

A volt of electricity quickly clung onto him in a fraction of a second; not giving the pup even a chance comprehend what had just happened.

It shocked his whole body until his eyes clouded with darkness, and every single one of his senses were unfeeling and cold.

Before he knew it, he found himself falling to the ground, unmoving.

Confounded.

Immobilized.

...Zoar... Why...?

Ringing filled his ears; only the muffled echoing voice of Zoar entering into his mind before it completely collapsed:

"I'm sorry, Ave.

...But this is my battle."
____________________________
Zoar padded outside the cave, despite how anticipated he was. He felt like breaking for it, and disappearing into the night like nothing happened. Like a ghost, almost. He would be safe from the hell that was to await him.

But that was unthinkably selfish.

And after all he had taught Avian, completely hypocritical.

He shook his head, exhaling sharply.

From within the darkness, those mirroring eyes glared back at him. There were about six of them, and Zoar particularly recognized two. A Luxray with a wild grin and a chipped ear strode behind another Luxray with an old scar over his left eye. Both had their teeth bared, ready to strike at any time. The front-most one halted the others and spoke.

"Ah, Zoar. Long time no see," he croaked with his bladed voice.

"What do you want, Syphier?" Zoar snapped in response.

"You've forgotten already?" he mused. The Pokemon cocked his head intriguingly, and soon acted as if an idea had hit him in the head. "Oh, I should've taken into consideration that you've been gone for... a few days now. Your memory must be foggy, no wonder."

"Why are you even coming back for me?!" Zoar demanded. "I was useless to your pack, a burden! You should've been happy I was gone!" The second Luxray's eyes blared with vexation.

"Its not you were after, Joltick-brain!" he retorted. "It's the scrap we're after." The hairs on Zoars back bristled, but he forced himself to keep his serious and unchanging expression.

"Stupid as always, Strike," he muttered, causing Strike's anger to bubble even more than before. Zoar found that he oddly enjoyed it. "I sensed you all coming the day before and had him run away before you arrived," he lied. They looked convinced, and Syphier let out a low chortle.

"Well then... That's a shame. We clearly said for you to watch over that pup. The only food we've been able to find in months. I guess you took that order into different thoughts... You disobeyed us." His face became morbid with hostility. "...And you know what happens to the members who disobey orders, especially such simple and mindless orders like that one." The group began to creep forward, Zoar recoiling.

"What's wrong, Zoar?" Strike taunted. "Ya figuring out that your as weak as you thought you were?" He let out a maniacal laugh that not even the thunder could compare to. Zoar lowered his head until his radiant red and yellow eyes were the only visible features on his face. Electricity emitted from his mane.

"...I'm not going to let your pack eat him," he hissed.

"What?!" Strike roared. He towered over him "Say that again to my face! I dare you!" There was a long pause before Zoar let out a deep growl from his throat. Syphier only stared at him, fascinated by his sound.

Zoar flashed his teeth.

"That pup. Will not. Be eaten."

Zoar prowled forward, causing Strike to step back.

"I WILL NOT ALLOW IT!" 

The Luxray lashed his right claw at the other's face; blood spilled from his cheek and he howled in agony.

"D-! Damn you! ARGH!" Strike stumbled back into the formation, covering the wound to keep it from bleeding out. The other Pokemon flinched in shock at the usually tame Luxray's move.

"Zoar! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Syphier yowled infuriatingly. Zoar only shot him a glance.

"You went too far this time! You ordered the midnight patrol to hunt out of boundaries! They killed that pup's parents and left him for dead! THEY FEASTED THEIR REMAINS RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIS EYES!" he exclaimed. "How could you do that to a mere child?!" Syphier didn't reply, but only licked his lips maliciously. Zoar grit his fangs. "You make me sick," he spat. "You and your pack may have raised me, but I will not succumb to your rules, not after what you did!" Sypher's eyes flashed red with rage along sly shine of manipulation. He loomed in front of him.

"Is this what you want for your pack, Zoar?! For us to starve out here in the barren wilderness only feeding on the boney and weak?!" He stepped forward towards him. "Winter is nearing, the prey will be scarce, and at this rate, we're all going to parish!" He let his voice drop, hiding the chilling taunt in its huskiness. "Did you want that upon us? Upon you?" Except Zoar stood his ground, staring his leader dead in the eye.

"Barren... Barren?!" Zoar cried. "It's barren because of us! Because we kept hunting and hunting with no forbearance towards the other helpless Pokemon that were trying to survive too! IT'S BECAUSE WE KILL--!" A bolt suddenly lunged at him, and he took the powerful shock from his former alpha. Zoar hollered in pain, but did his best to block out the electrical stabs with all his might. He finally sent one of his own discharges, canceling it out into a storm of yellow dancing off the arriving rain. Panting heavily, he looked up at the horde that was advancing towards him. Syphier swung his paw and hooked his claws into the side of Zoar's head, making him wince.

"I'm going to enjoy killing you," he snarled.

Zoar let out a raspy breath.

"...I'll make sure you die before that happens."