Catastauros Run [Hrist and Gunter]

Gunter did not know why the city felt different. As he stalked along behind his companion, eyeing the people in the streets, though, he could tell that something was different. There was an undercurrent, a tension, a sensation of calm before the mighty storm. Hrist, though, seemed excited rather than worried- he was beginning to be able to tell the difference, watching their face, the set of their shoulders- the slack in them, more like. The way they meandered this way and that, exchanging words, getting food- he liked food. When Hrist turned, crouched, and offered him a stick with balls of pokepuffs in bright, pretty colors, he perked up, abandoning his defensiveness for a moment.

The stick lodged in his mouth briefly before he snapped it in two and threw it to the side.

It was good to hear his human laugh, however short it was as they moved to clean up the stick-pieces.

Then they lead him lower in the city. Back closer to where he'd come from, the familiar twists and turns of the mines. He started down the paths, made it a few paces towards 'home' before Hrist called him back to their side. "Gunter, nu-uh, this way. We're going to the Run!" He cocked his head, squinting. Only some of those words made sense- his name, no. This way. What was 'run'? More importantly, why the emphasis on /the/ run?

Well, no sense in trying to work it out. Most of what his human did made no sense to him, but then again, they had defeated so easily his worst foe. They didn't even have teeth, hadn't even been injured in the battle! He sighed contentedly at that memory, and hastened to catch up, bumping his head affectionately against their thigh. Hrist instinctively pet him, right along the skull where he liked it best.

All was right in the world.

Then he let himself fall back, let Hrist lead. Down, to a much louder place. The bellows of angry pokemon in a large corral, the mass of people in an area that had been specially cleared out. Pokemon- so many of them, almost more than he'd ever seen at once, had him stepping up once again, head low and claws clutching at his sickle all the tighter.

And yet, Hrist still seemed at ease. She made her way carefully through to a group of people in a cage- he'd never seen humans in a cage, that was weird- and struck up a conversation. They handed them a harness, and a paper with a number on it. Numbers. He'd started to figure out that those shapes meant something, to the humans. They stuck one on their own chest, got somebody else to slap the same one on their back, then crouched, beckoning him closer. Obediently, curiously, he stepped up- and they reached through the harness, grabbed his snout.

He struggled a moment, betrayal on his face as he pulled back against their strong hands, but then the loop was around his head, and they released his head. He almost scuttled away, but they looped an arm around his neck. There was a click, then another, and the harness was secured. Immediately, Gunter threw himself onto the ground, letting out a noise of protest, writhing to try to get loose. It was no use, and Hrist was no help- they were giggling again. Eventually, he gave up fighting it, and lay on his side, panting. There were eyes on him. Snickering. He came up with a loud snap of his teeth, stomping his foot and slamming the bone-sickle on the ground. The crowd dispersed, and pride bloomed in his chest- right up until Hrist tapped his nose with two of their fingers, hard, and told him no.

Confused, he stared at them, tipping his head up and whining before they patted him. "Sorry, buddy. Don't snap at people. Be good. Come." Those words, he knew, too, so, obediently, looking at the ground, he trotted alongside Hrist, keeping careful pace. They went to join the rest of the humans and pokemon in the- tunnel? It had no roof, but the walls were high, strong. Pokemon were arranged so the largest were to the sides. Humans and the smaller ones in the middle- and behind them, the bellowing pen.

A sense of dread filled Gunter's body, but Hrist was stretching. Getting ready for something strenuous- like when they'd gone out together to go fight. That had been scary- but fun. Maybe this was like that? Nobody seemed scared, in the group. Even though they were in such tight quarters, they still spread out, gave one another enough space. Slowly, Gunter unwound, took deep, steadying breathes. Sat on his haunches, watching the people around him.

Eventually, there was a mighty cry from some human at the head of the pack, and Hrist let out a war-whoop. Gunter sprung up, but they did not point him towards a foe. Instead, they beckoned him to follow, and keep up- some of the humans and smaller pokemon were already running. He had the urge to chase- but Hrist clicked their tongue, caught his attention. No- he wasn't to chase. Their legs stretched, ate up distance- they were running from him, expecting him to follow. He could do that. But- oh.

Altogether, it started to click. The herd of pokemon and humans, they were putting distance between themselves and the Bellowing Pen.

There was a crack, a thud. Something far behind them fell over. Hrist let out another mad whoop of excitement, and he shrieked in response as he heard the tauros starting to run, too. Had his human gone mad? They'd deliberately put themselves into danger! And him, too! He almost turned around to fight, but another human flitted between him and Hrist, shoved them and knocked his head with their shin, and forced his attention forward. Teeth snapped after them, but Hrist called his name. Not the time. There was only the winding path ahead, the mad dash.

To where? He did not know. He heard some of the slower people and pokemon hit the walls, start climbing- and, for the first time, he noticed the onlookers, cheering wildly and helping those that climbed out of the way.

Out of the way of the charging bulls. He could feel the vibrations beneath his feet, the heat rolling ahead of them, off their bodies. The stench of sweat- of prey. Once more, Gunter felt the urge to whip around, to scream his challenge- but he would not win that fight. He knew that, even if it stung to think of.

Hrist. Where-? They'd been parted by a seviper, and the panick that welled in his chest was very real. He screamed, then, worry in his breathless cry.

An answer, his name, to- the left? Opposite of where Hrist had been. He carved his way that direction, saw them. Relief- short lived. Few people were left in the running, then, and the herd was gaining. he could feel the hot breath of one on the tip of his tail- and then there was a neat ticker tape up ahead. Two paths that arched up to either side of a pen. A human had pulled ahead, broken through a fancy band of color, and was collapsed up there.

Hrist called him. He jerked in that direction, watching as they bolted up one of the ramps, and he put his head down. One last push, and he turned, broke ahead. Up, up to safety as the tauros herd thundered into the pen below, and slowed. Hrist seemed- happy? They looked overjoyed, reaching down and scooping him up. Much less easy to do than when they'd met, but they still swung him with glee, and let themselves flop hard onto their back. The wind knocked out of Hrist, heavy breathing- but they, and the others who had finished the run, were gathering, exchanging hand-slaps and rewarding the pokemon with pets and ruffles. Strangers even touched him! Without flinching!

Pride swelled in his chest- he'd succeeded. He still didn't fully understand what Hrist had brought him into, but- they were happy, the other humans looked exhausted but satisfied, passing around water bottles. Water. He was thirsty, then, and his legs started to ache as he rolled off of Hrist, let them get back up. They sat up, took an offered water bottle and collapsible bowl. Poured it out for him. He greedily drank, and watched as Hrist sucked a bottle flat in a few seconds, ended up coughing, choking. Laughing at themself.

After everything was cleaned up, Hrist took his harness off, the number. Helped clean up a little, as the sun set, and then- then there was another event. Rolling right from the winding ring-paths, into a walking party. More food- meat! Real meat!- and loud noises. Screaming lights in the sky, way up high. Hrist took him up to a rooftop, with plenty of food and water, a blanket. High up above the partying humans, and flopped onto their back to watch the loud-lights, their feet dangling off the roof. Gunter watched them, a moment, and then turned his attention to the loud-lights, watching them burst and bloom into colors. It felt... good? Correct. He didn't understand all of what had happened, still, but, his human was happy, he had food, and he had made it to the end, while many hadn't.Tired, he rolled onto his side, put his head in Hrist's lap, and stretched before curling up to sleep.