Three months prior...

In the skies of Sinnoh, the looming bulk of Mt Coronet coming up fast, only two pokemon were in the sky. Flying as fast as her wings could take her, a Pidgeot made for the forest near the base of the mountain. On her back, with one arm wrapped tightly around her neck, was an Infernape. Pidgeot would never have bothered carrying the cruel pokemon anywhere, but she had returned to her nest after a hunt to find her chicks in the clutches of the fiery ape. He had given her a choice between taking him where he wanted to go, or watching him snap the thin necks of her babies. Reluctantly, she had agreed.

The ground zooming up at them, she gave a few last flaps to slow her descent and landed as gracefully as she could with the much heavier Infernape on her back. Once they were safely on the ground, she turned hate filled eyes to her captor.

"You're where you wanted to be." She snarled. "Now let me go!" Infernape chuckled nastily before pressing her to the ground with his superior strength.

"Go?" he asked, a malicious smile creeping onto his face. "I thought we might have some fun first." Pidgeot's eyes widened as she felt the hand caress her leg, realising just what he was going to do to her.

An avian shriek pierced the calm day, though no one came to investigate.

Present timeline...

Wolf stared up at the ceiling, sprawled out on the bed with only his boxers on. He sighed, before turning to the bedside table and checking his watch. 1:07am. Rolling his eyes, he flopped back out onto the bed. He had tried everything he could think of to get to sleep. He had asked Nurse Joy for warm milk, he'd tried counting Flaaffy jumping a fence, and he'd even asked each and every trainer in the pokemon centre if any of their pokemon knew hypnosis, sleep spore or sing. Nothing had worked.

He shifted onto his side, looking at the watch again. The time hadn't changed by more than a few seconds, which irritated him no end. He hadn't had a wink of sleep so far tonight, and it looked like it wasn't going to change. He rolled over again, waiting for sleep that wouldn't come.

***

"No offence Wolf, but you look like hell."

Jazz looked up at her trainer as he stared out the window, worried about him. Her description wasn't all that far from the truth, the normally neat looking trainer having the appearance of being a Gyarados' chew toy. His eyes were bloodshot and he had dark bags under them, his diligently shaven face showing the beginnings of stubble. The bored, faraway look on his face wasn't helping either, one hand propping his head up as his elbow leaned against the window sill. His hair hadn't been brushed like normal, showing that he had been tossing and turning all night. On top of that, if Jazz could trust her nose, it smelt like he wasn't wearing fresh clothes nor had he showered. She looked up at Serenity, who had just arrived next to her and was wearing a disapproving scowl.

"Bloody hell." She sighed, depositing her breakfast on the table in front of the trainer so she could put her hands on her hips. Her jaw dropped as Wolf, in his sleep deprived state, picked a biscuit from her bowl and popped it in his mouth, only to spit it out almost immediately.

"This is a far cry from yesterday's breakfast." He commented, yawning mid sentence. Serenity huffed, pulling the bowl out of his reach.

"That's because it's my breakfast." She snapped, glaring at him until he fixed his tired gaze on her. "You need to clean yourself up, Wolf." He merely stared, not really hearing her talk. Jazz looked at him, her eyes sympathetic.

"He misses Lucky." She said, reaching up to rub his leg soothingly. Serenity huffed again, annoyed at how much he'd deteriorated. She thought she'd knocked some sense into him three months ago when they'd returned to Hoenn from Sinnoh, but apparently it hadn't been enough. Happy looked over to them, her face falling at the sight of Wolf. She jumped up onto the seat next to him, resting her head on his lap and letting him scratch her behind the ear absently. She hoped the contact would go some way to cheering him up, wondering why he'd forgotten what she'd told him when they'd met. She looked out the window, watching the rain lash at the glass. Bad weather meant that sad people stayed sad longer, her mother had always told her. What they tend to forget is that bad weather passes, the remainder of the saying went. It was what kept her so happy, but she doubted Wolf was in the mood to listen.

"Wolf, it's such a horrible day here. Why don't we go somewhere where it's sunny?" Serenity asked, trying to give Wolf the idea. He didn't respond, still staring out the window. Happy frowned at her, wondering just what she was trying to do. Serenity left her seat, walking to stand beside him again.

"You know, I could teleport us somewhere with clear blue skies and calm blue water." She added, scowling again as he failed to pick up her hints. Frustrated, she stormed off to the front counter and leaned over it, digging through the bric-a-brac stored behind there until she found her prize. Pointing the remote at the wall mounted television, not too far from where Wolf was sitting, she flicked through the channels, ignoring the cries of protest from those who were watching the music video.

"Boring!" she declared, channel surfing until she found what she wanted him to see. A smartly dressed woman standing in front of a large map appeared on the screen, indicating the middle of the land mass on the map.

"... and for those of you who prefer a brisk mountain hike, the skies around Mt Coronet are clear and the temperature at a lovely twenty three degrees Celsius. Back to you, Rhonda!" Wolf gave the screen a glance, more because he was disturbed by the sudden change from the music clip that had been playing than because Serenity wanted him to, not really taking in anything that was said. The Gardevoir had little chance to elaborate, forced to run for it to escape the group of angry trainers who wanted her to change it back. Happy looked at the screen, puzzled, before turning to Jazz. The Raichu noticed her confusion.

"That's where Lucky and Caelas are, in a place called Sinnoh." She explained, watching the coin drop behind her eyes. She sat up, turning to Wolf and wagging her tail.

"Wolf, why don't we go and visit Lucky and Caelas?" Happy asked, smiling at him as he turned to regard her. "It's a much nicer day there, and I'm sure you'd like to see them." She could see the spark return to his eyes, like a long lost semblance of life returning to a golem.

"Visit Lucky and Caelas?" he asked, staring at her. "That's a great idea Happy!" Still running from the angry mob, Serenity momentarily forgot about them as she heard Wolf give Happy credit for her idea, she stopped mid stride and was almost bowled over by the mob, not even resisting them as they snatched the remote back and changed the channel. She let out a muffled shriek of anger, storming over and hitting him over the head repeatedly, forcing the trainer to shield himself.

"How come you didn't get it when I was saying it?!" she yelled, still trying to strike him. "Now go and clean yourself up, you twit, before I get really mad!"

***

"I told you, I have a mate. If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times!"

Lucky stormed away from the uppity Lucario, tearing her arm away from his grasp. It wasn't the first time Ahnaeir had tried to seduce her, and she was more than annoyed at his repeated attempts. He rounded her, trying to keep her facing him.

"If he truly cared about you, wouldn't he be here with you?" he asked, a comment that set Lucky's blood boiling at the implied insult. She wanted to hit him, but if she did she wouldn't be allowed to stay with the clan any longer. Caelas needed to be with the other Riolu and Lucario, and Wolf might not be able to find her if she had to leave. Restraining herself, she shoved Ahnaeir away from her and kept walking back to the clan's halls, careful not to drop too many berries. Thankfully she had been able to fashion a small bag out of leaves to carry them, so it wasn't much of a problem. Avoiding the arrogant stalker was, though.

"What about your own mate? I'm sure she wouldn't approve of you chasing after me." She said coolly, trying to keep out of his grasp. He merely smiled, keeping his stride as long as hers and his eyes on her figure.

"If she were smart, she wouldn't say a thing about it." He quipped, reaching out again. She slapped him away, glad when she saw the rock face where the clan kept its home come into view. At least with the rest of the Lucario in view Ahnaeir wouldn't try anything, else he would be banished from the clan. The chieftain suspected that Ahnaeir wanted to desert his mate even though they had sworn themselves to each other, but he couldn't prove it without seeming like he was singling the Lucario out. Fairness was what gave Baeleruil the respect of the clan, and it was something he lived up to.

As they drew closer, Lucky was surprised to find a pair of Lucario heading in the opposite direction. One of them, a full head taller than his companion and more broadly built, was the clan's champion Feradeth. Feradeth and the Lucario following him stopped in front of the pair, forcing them to stop.

"Ahnaeir, come with us." He commanded. As champion of the clan his word was second only to Baeleruil's, and that was a matter none would dispute. It was rumoured that the champion could hurl a Golem one hundred metres with nothing more than his paws, and none were too keen to find out what he could do to a Lucario that would disrespect the chieftain by refusing to obey Feradeth. "The patrols have reported a human and a Chimchar moving through the forest. We believe he is a trainer." All present except Lucky flinched at the mention of trainers. Fathers, mothers, children and siblings had been lost to opportunistic trainers who wanted their own Lucario. Rare though the occurrence was, no one wanted to take the chance that they would be next.

"Fine, I'll come." Ahnaeir said, taking care to hide from his face and voice the reason he had come out here. Feradeth stared hard at him, before turning to leave in the direction the scouts had indicated the human would be travelling. Lucky frowned, wondering why she felt drawn towards the trainer as well. The champion fixed his gaze on her, Lucky unflinchingly staring back. Finally he nodded, indicating her to follow as well. Having a female in battle was unheard of in the prideful clan, but having been trained herself Lucky was an exception to the rule. Silently they stalked through the forest after their prey, no sound other than the almost undetectable crunching of leaves underpaw.

***

Eve looked around her in wonder, taking in the surrounding forest. Though she had seen plenty of forests even in her short life, there was something different about this one, something in the atmosphere that made it seem special. She looked over at Wolf, watching as the trainer moved through the undergrowth and tried to keep low hanging branches out of his face. She had to admit that he'd done a pretty good job of cleaning himself up in such a short period of time, although the evidence of his lack of sleep still faintly showed in his eyes. Maybe he'll sleep better after seeing Lucky and Caelas again, she thought to herself.

"Does something seem wrong to you, Eve?" he asked suddenly. She looked around the forest, but couldn't see what was unsettling him.

"No, I don't." She answered, looking around in confusion. "What do you think is wrong?"

"There are no other pokemon around here." He replied, frowning at the masses of trees surrounding them. Eve followed his gaze, realizing that he was right. Any area of forest around the world would generally be bustling with the various noises of pokemon going about their business, but where they were was completely silent save for the noise they were making. She frowned again, realising that neither of them were moving but that the crunching of dry leaves was just barely audible. Before she could warn him, the scene exploded into violence.

Wolf shouted in surprise as a burly Lucario leapt at him, aiming a blow at his midsection. Even as he managed to avoid the blow, his attacker brought his other paw up to strike at his face. The trainer stumbled, falling onto his backside even as he grabbed at the poke balls at his waist.

Eve moved to help him before she was set upon by two more Lucario, her more nimble movements making Wolf's evasions look like something a man about four times his age would be doing. She leapt backwards, preparing to send a searing gout of flames at her foes before a loud shout stopped all present.

"Stop! Wolf, is that you?!"

He glanced over, where another Lucario was hurrying over to interpose herself between the combatants. To any other person she would have been little more than another Lucario, but to Wolf she was someone who he could never forget.

"Lucky?" he asked, breathing a sigh of relief when he saw his brawny foe draw back out of the corner of his eye. Pushing himself to his knees, he almost lost balance again when she crashed into him, wrapping her arms around her love in a choking embrace, even as he responded in kind. Stunned, Feradeth stared at the back of Lucky's head.

"Do you know this human?" he demanded, anxious to know where he stood. Lucky paid him no mind, all of her senses devoted only to Wolf.

"I missed you so much." She whispered into his ear, nuzzling his cheek lovingly. He rubbed her back firmly, holding her as close as he could.

"I missed you too." He murmured back, eyes closed and a single tear of happiness leaking out of the corner of his eye. Eve watched in wonder, until she noticed one of the Lucario moving towards the pair intently. She moved in front of him, the flame on her tail glowing dangerously. The Lucario sneered down at her for a second before turning his attention back to the couple.

"Get your filthy hands off her human!" Ahnaeir shouted, hopping back when the Chimchar sent a warning burst of flame at his feet. Lucky finally broke away, still not having removed her eyes from him.

"Wolf, what are you doing here?" she asked, still a little stunned at seeing him. He arched an eyebrow at her, wondering if she was being serious.

"I came to see you and Caelas. Why else would I be out here?" he replied, watching her shake her head at the obviousness of it all. Feradeth stepped closer, still not having had his question answered.

"Lucky, who is this human?" he asked her again, this time rewarded with her turning to regard him.

"This is Wolf." She said, introducing him. "He is my mate." The champion flinched, his eyes widening slightly as she gave him his answer. He knew that her mate would be different by virtue of her child's eyes, but to be human was something entirely beyond him. The remaining Lucario stared at the pair shocked that not only was this human not an enemy but that he was loved by a Lucario. Ahnaeir watched in open mouthed shock before the arrogant snarl reasserted itself on his face.

"You enslave her, then defile her?! Disgusting beast!" he yelled, moving to approach them again and stopped by another burst of flame. Lucky glared back at him, angry that the idiot would dare refer to Wolf as anything but a good person.

"For your information, I decided to join him, and I was the one to declare my love to him!" she shouted back, moving to face him. Wolf glared at the Lucario as well, his hand lowering to the poke ball that contained Serenity. If it would come to a fight, he preferred to have help he knew was on his side. "Wolf is a kind and loving person!" He snorted, folding his paws over his chest rather than risk Eve's fire attacks.

"If he loves you so much, he should prove it." He snapped, turning to Wolf. "I declare a challenge. The victor will have rightful claim to her paw." Wolf stared incredulously at the loudmouth Lucario, one eyebrow arched at him.

"You want me to risk someone I love for no good reason?" he asked. "Bugger off." He saw a look of triumph flicker across his accuser's face, frowning as though he'd missed something.

"You don't understand." The other Lucario explained. "If you fail to meet his challenge, you forfeit all claims to her paw." Wolf spun around, fixing his stare on the speaker. Ahnaeir glared at him as well, the scout having ruined his cunning plan. Finally the trainer shrugged.

"Six one, half a dozen the other." Wolf said, cracking his knuckles. "No difference to me if I have to kick his ass or not."

***

Wolf had the strangest feeling of role reversal as he climbed down into the ritual fighting pit, a large circular hole in the ground that went as deep as the height of an average Lucario. This must be how the pokemon feel during battles, he thought to himself, feeling both nervous and excited at the impending combat. The entire Lucario clan had turned out to watch the challenge take place, curiosity hanging heavily in the air as to the identity of Lucky's mate. Excited murmurs ran through the crowd, as the assembled Lucario and Riolu discussed everything from the fact that he was human to whether or not Wolf had any chance at victory.

Upon arrival, Wolf had been thrilled to see Caelas running towards him, though he had only scant moments to spend with his son before the champion had ushered him away to the fighting pit. Now they stood on the edge closest to Wolf, Lucky cradling Caelas in her arms while the rest of Wolf's pokemon crowded around them, identical expressions of worry etched on all of their faces.

"Let me stand in for Wolf!" Ivysaur demanded, turning to face the chieftain of the tribe. Baeleruil stared hard at Ivysaur, impressed by his determination to defend his friend and Lucky. However, the chieftain merely shook his head.

"I cannot allow that." He stated. "The challenge was made to Wolf, and as such he must be the one to fight it." Ivysaur growled under his breath, unable to let the matter lie.

"He's a human!" he argued, not once taking his hard stare from Baeleruil. "How is this fight even remotely fair?!" The chieftain nodded again, conceding his point.

"I will admit that circumstances are unique." He said, though the hard look in his eye didn't waver. "However, tradition must stand." Ivysaur took a step towards the chieftain, anger in his growl, before he was stopped by Wolf.

"Don't worry about it." He said, the easy smile he always had before a match appearing on his face. "I can handle this jackass, no problem." Ahnaeir looked over from the other side of the pit, smirking. There was no way that his brittle bones could stand up to hitting the iron hard bones of a Lucario. The smirk vanished though, once Wolf transformed. Astonished, the murmurs started up again as the assembled clan witnessed Wolf transform from human to Lucario. Even Baeleruil had to work hard to keep the shock from his features. Now Wolf, the brown furred and green eyed Lucario, faced his foe with renewed enthusiasm.

"Not the easy pickings you were expecting, huh?" he asked, a note of false sympathy in his voice. Ahnaeir snarled at him, only silenced when Feradeth stepped to the edge of the pit to address the combatants.

"The challenge is about to begin." He declared. "This battle will be fought with skill and strength alone, as the use of special techniques is prohibited. If either combatant uses a special technique, they will be immediately disqualified. The victor will be the one who knocks out his opponent, and will have rightful claim to the paw of Lucky." Eyes turned to Lucky, trying not to stare but at the same time drawn to her. She felt her face heat up under their scrutiny, but kept her own gaze on her love.

"Good luck Wolf." She whispered, not caring if anyone heard her. All went deathly silent, waiting for the champion to start the battle.

"Begin!" Feradeth said, his voice heard clearly by all present. Ahnaeir immediately went on the offensive, determined to end the battle before he could find out whether or not Wolf was powerful in this form. One surprise was enough for the day. Wolf dropped into a defensive crouch, a position Machoke had taught him was perfect for dodging the attacks of almost any foe. He had learnt that lesson quickly, due to the alternative of being hit by her.

He nimbly dodged to one side to avoid the Lucario's first attack, finding him no quicker than Machoke, allowing his heightened reflexes to anticipate the best direction to move. The next few attacks were just as easy to avoid, Wolf merely shifting enough to keep himself untouched by his foe.

"Fight me you coward!" Ahnaeir snarled in anger, his attacks becoming wilder with each swing. Perfect, Wolf thought to himself. The Lucario's anger was working in his favour, making the task of dodging easier. This time however, he flipped backwards away from his adversary, landing and pushing off lightly with both his hands and feet, letting Ahnaeir follow him into his trap. When Wolf landed on his feet for the fourth time, he was unsurprised to find the Lucario leaping at him, intent on smashing his paw into Wolf's muzzle. Ahnaeir however, was surprised when Wolf launched himself forward this time, his paw burying itself in the charging Lucario's midsection and combining the velocity of both combatants to double the victim over, winded by the blow.

From that point it was a sorely one sided battle. Wolf rained blow after blow on his opponent, one moment pounding away on his stomach before dealing him a savage uppercut to send him reeling. Wolf didn't give him a chance to recover, diving in again to hammer away at his chest. Feeling Ahnaeir's resistance crumbing with each blow, he put all of his strength into one final punch, doubling him over again with another punch to the gut. Ahnaeir staggered back, clutching at his midsection before falling on his side with a last groan of pain. Wolf didn't take his eyes off his opponent, waiting to see whether or not it was a trick. After a minute it was apparent that Ahnaeir was defeated.

"The battle is decided, and Wolf is the victor!" Feradeth declared, his keen eye able to tell that Ahnaeir wouldn't be able to muster the resistance to fight off a Magikarp. A great cheer erupted from the crowd, and Wolf felt himself almost bowled over as Lucky and Caelas jumped down into the pit to give him a big hug.

"You did it Wolf!" she cried, arms wrapped tightly around him in ecstasy. Caelas moved from his mother to sit on his father's shoulders, his tiny paw pumping enthusiastically into the air.

"You're the greatest dad!" he said, and Wolf felt a surge of pride from inside as he heard his son's praise. This day was just getting better and better.

***

"I am impressed by your skill, Wolf." Baeleruil said, the chieftain sitting at the head of the clearing where the clan held its feasts. Wolf, Lucky and Caelas had been allowed to join him along with his pokemon. They were arranged in a circle, with Wolf and Lucky on one side of the chieftain and Feradeth on the other side. The other warriors had taken seats with their own mates and friends, Wolf and his friends being the guests of honour at this feast. Wolf himself grinned, having heard that the chieftain was notoriously hard to impress. He had transformed back in time to see Baeleruil standing over the semi-conscious Ahnaeir, a disapproving look on his face.

"You have failed to win the challenge, and are thus found guilty of abandoning your sworn mate." He had pronounced. "You are no longer welcome in Eyllisithek." Turning, he had simply walked back to the clan's ancestral home and left the Lucario to his fate. As one, the clan had followed him. His mate had stopped to shake her head over him, but nothing more. He had broken the bond between them, and had failed to salvage the situation by winning the challenge. Exile was the only thing left to him.

Bringing himself back to the present, Wolf nodded his acceptance of the chieftain's compliment, taking another mouthful of meat that Eve had thoughtfully cooked for him. He looked over, seeing Caelas and Eve engaged in conversation with each other. Once they had had time to be introduced, the pair had immediately hit it off. Lucky had wondered at the absence of Princess and Ninetales, but had warmed up to Happy and tolerated Squishy, which as far as Wolf was concerned was the same thing. The excitable Milotic wasn't easy to get along with when just met, but he was expecting Squishy to calm down long enough for a proper introduction at some point that night. She had pestered most of the clan, but they took it with good natured acceptance.

"This has been a nice dinner, but I would like to spend some time with Wolf alone tonight." Lucky said, stretching her arms. Wolf was busy talking with Caelas, getting to know his son. She didn't like splitting them apart so soon for a second time, but she couldn't ignore her own needs. She shifted uncomfortably, the burning feeling between her legs almost unbearable. Baeleruil nodded knowingly, the small movement indicating that he would allow them to leave. She smiled in thanks, before getting up and walking over to Wolf. She rested one paw on his shoulder, pleased when he turned to face her.

"Come with me, Wolf." She whispered, giving his shirt a gentle tug. "I want to show you around." He nodded, getting to his feet and picking Caelas and Eve off his shoulders.
"I'll talk to you guys more later." He promised, setting them down and following Lucky as she led him towards the mountain side.

He gazed over the rugged slopes, taking in the simple rough beauty of the place. The rock was a soft white, as though it were carved from marble rather than any natural formation. Caves lined the formation, and Wolf was surprised to find a single bush with pink flowers at the entrance of each. Lucky led him to a cave only a few levels up, the climb much easier than he expected it to be. She gestured to the entrance, indicating that he should enter first. Once he was in, she plucked a flower from the bush and cast it into the centre of the entrance, the natural version of a do not disturb sign. She turned to Wolf, her need almost overwhelming her. He was busy marvelling at the inside of the cave, littered with keepsakes and a soft grass bed in one corner. His bag was there too, one of the Lucario having volunteered to put it there for him. He turned to her, surprised when she tackled him and knocked him onto the bed, the pile of grass far softer than he expected. He looked up at her as she straddled him, a hungry look in her eyes.

"Lucky?" he asked, never having seen her act like this before. "Are you okay?"

"No," she replied, her eyes not moving from his. "But I will be soon." Before he could ask, she planted her lips onto his in a lustful kiss, her want of him driving all other thought from her mind. All that mattered to her at this moment was him. He placed his hands on her back loosely, surprised when she moved one paw to push a hand down her shorts, his fingers slipping under the band and her underwear to rest against her backside. She drew back, looking down at his questioning gaze.

"No wasting time, Wolf." She said, leaning down to grasp his shirt in her mouth and pull it up over his head. Scant moments after she had removed it she was scrabbling away at his belt and jeans, undoing both and pulling them down to his shins. Wolf watched in amazement at her frantic undressing, standing and letting her own shorts and underwear fall to her ankles and kicking them over on top of Wolf's bag. Once they were both naked she straddled him again, rubbing her already wet slit along his hardened length. She leaned in and kissed him passionately again, moving his hands to her hips and guiding his tip into her, wasting no time in taking the entire length into her welcoming body. He gasped at the overwhelming heat of her body, far more intense than anything he had ever experienced from her.

"Ohhhh, I missed this..." Lucky moaned, staring down at Wolf lustfully. "There's only so much I can do with a rock." Wolf didn't have time to ask before she started humping him, faster than she normally would. She moved at a constant pace, making sure to draw almost entirely off of his shaft before plunging back down to envelop him in mind blowing heat. He gasped again, the combination of her speed and her built up arousal feeling incredible. He could barely think, the only strand of thought he could grasp was that of what was happening at that very moment.
Wolf kept a firm grip on her thighs, trying to aim himself so that they both got the most out of each movement. Her pace made it difficult to control her movements, but he still knew where her most sensitive spot was through practice. Lucky howled as his tip brushed the more sensitive nerves, setting every other nerve tingling at the touch. She increased her speed, hips bucking wildly as she neared her climax. The sheer velocity of her movements had the very same effect on him, and Wolf could feel himself about to burst.

"Lucky, slow down!" he panted, trying in vain to get control of the situation. "I'm gonna-ahh!" Unable to hold on any longer, Wolf felt himself shoot his seed deep inside her, the Lucario screaming in ecstasy as she felt her own insides tighten onto him, draining him of everything he had to give. Panting heavily, she collapsed onto his sweat soaked chest, unwilling to leave him just yet. They simply laid there, trying to catch their breath enough to even utter a single syllable. Lucky was the first to stir, drawing back enough to look him in the eye. Her gaze had changed from rabid lust to gentle love, running a paw along the side of his face. He smiled back, still gasping for air. His own eyes were unfocussed, his energy having been fully spent in sating her needs.

"That... was..." He panted, unable to finish the thought through the exhaustion. She didn't mind, leaning down again to nuzzle him.

"I needed that, Wolf." She said, her own breath coming in short gasps. "I love you so much. It tears me apart to be away from you." He held her close, kissing the top of her head. Tomorrow he would be able to tell her how much he missed her as well, but for now they needed the rest.

***

Dragging himself through the forest, the injured Lucario cast yet another hate filled glare in the direction from which he had come. He would dare exile me?! he thought bitterly. I'll have my revenge on that senile old bastard!

So wrapped up in thoughts of vengeance was Ahnaeir that he didn't even notice the Rhydon he bumped into. The beast turned, a warning growl issuing from its throat as he raised his fist, ready to teach the Lucario some manners. A high pitched, cruel laugh stopped the movement, and Rhydon stepped to one side to allow the laugher to approach. Two other pokemon grabbed Ahnaeir by the arms and held him where the leader of the group could see him. Ahnaeir looked defiantly into the face of the leader, his anger overwhelming any fear of the approaching Infernape. He stopped in front of the Lucario, smirking at something.

"Looks like we'll be able to find some weakness from this guy." He announced, pleased when the other pokemon snickered with him. "Now you're gonna tell us the easiest way to avoid the patrols from your clan, or Freddy here will be putting the screws on." He indicated the Scyther who had appeared next to him, a malevolent smile plastered on his face. Ahnaeir grinned back at the Infernape.

"That won't be necessary." He replied, seeing his chance for revenge. "I'll be happy to tell you anything you want to know."

***

Wolf and Lucky were seated at the edge of the mountain side, watching the small band of Riolu playing. Caelas had dragged him out of bed quite early, so Wolf had not only had the chance to interact with his son, but also with his friends. Wolf had been asked to recount tales of his journeys as a trainer, the group sitting in awestruck silence as he described many of his exploits, the stories ranging from when he first started as a trainer to meeting Zapdos, as well as the nerve wracking attempts at league glory. When the other pokemon had arisen, Caelas and Eve had joined his friends in a game, giving the others time to explore and Wolf and Lucky some time to talk.

"He is such a cool kid." Wolf remarked, smiling at Lucky. "I'm glad that I had this time to spend with him while he's still young." Lucky placed an arm around his waist, resting her head on his arm.

"I am as well." She said quietly. "It's important for both of you that you can help raise him, even if only for a short period." Wolf frowned at her comment, a thought striking him.

"I just thought of something." He said, not looking at anything in particular. "I raised you, and now we're raising a child together. Is that strange?" She shook her head, smiling.

"To be fair Wolf, I never thought of you as a father." She countered. "Just a friend. I knew my father pretty well, so I see nothing wrong with it." Convinced, Wolf fell silent, content merely to be with his love and watch their son playing with his friends. The moment was perfect, neither of them wanting anything to change.

A cry of pain broke Wolf out of his complacent feeling. As he watched, a wounded Lucario staggered into the clearing, the Riolu stopping their game and staring in unease at the Lucario. Wolf and Lucky ran over to him, the trainer catching him before he hit the ground and propping him up against a nearby tree, Lucky running off to find Baeleruil. Wolf gave her little notice, busy pulling a potion out of his bag and administering first aid. He focussed on keeping the Lucario comfortable, certain that whatever he had encountered in the forest wasn't going to give up the chase.

"Caelas, you and your friends need to get back to your homes." He said, his voice carrying enough urgency that none of them voiced an objection. Silently they trooped back to the caves, unwilling to meet what had hurt this Lucario.

"A wise decision." Wolf looked over his shoulder, unsurprised to find Baeleruil had been the one to speak. Lucky, Feradeth and several other Lucario were in his wake as they approached, the chieftain kneeling on the wounded scout's other side. The Lucario fixed a weak gaze on the chieftain, trying to voice the words.

"They... they're coming." He wheezed, forcing himself to talk through the pain. "A large band of pokemon... they're coming here... Ahnaeir is showing them... the way..." He slumped, consciousness leaving him. Baeleruil stood, though none present could doubt that he was angry.

"Feradeth, sound the horn." He said, facing the forest where the scent of the approaching pokemon was faintly upon the wind. The champion wasted no time in confirming the order, bounding up the cliff face and disappearing into his own cave. When he re-emerged, he was carrying a horn that looked to be carved from a tree branch, which he immediately sounded. A low note carried through the forest, spurring the Lucario into action. Within a few minutes the Lucario had assembled at the base of the mountain side, bringing Wolf's own pokemon with them. The females went to the caves, tradition prohibiting them from fighting alongside the males in serious battle. Two of them carried the wounded scout, one of which didn't bother trying to hide her tears. Lucky didn't move, her position with the clan allowing her to fight.

Once they were ready, Baeleruil lead the assembled warband into the trees, following the scent of the approaching pokemon. Wolf and his pokemon followed them, the trainer transforming into his Lucario form so that he could fight as well. They didn't have to walk far, the scent growing much stronger in short order. Now sounds could be heard, the jeers of pokemon sounding much like a gang of thugs bearing down on a young couple. The warband travelled less than a hundred metres more before they came into sight. The bulk of the group was made up of large and imposing pokemon, Wolf noting the hulking forms of Rhydon, Machamp and even a Snorlax among their number. Both groups faced off, neither making a move to get any closer.

"This is our land." Baeleruil stated, glaring across the assembled foe. "You are not welcome here, and we will remove you by force if necessary." Mocking laughter rang out at the proclamation, though it was only from a single pokemon.

"Amusing." The mystery pokemon sneered, and Wolf felt a surge of dread at the familiar voice. He glanced down at Eve, who had gone rigid, eyes wide with fear. It was a pokemon neither of them had ever expected to meet again, least of all here. "And the hero is here too! Looks like my lucky day!" The laugh came again, and this time Wolf could pinpoint where it was coming from. There, sitting on a branch overhanging his ragtag warband, was an Infernape Wolf recognised. Staring in disbelief at the pokemon, he watched as his smile grew wider, showing unspeakable triumph.

"I just realised I never introduced myself at our last encounter." He drawled, smirking down at Wolf. "My name is Shayne. I figure that's something you want to know before I kill you."Chapter End Notes:Just wanted to let you all know how I got the names too. I think elf names work well for Lucario, so I dug out an Elven name dictionary that I've had for a while and fiddled around with the prefixes and suffixes to find ones I liked.

Ahnaeir (Ah - crafty, sly; nae - whisper; ir - dusk)
Feradeth (Fera - champion; deth - eternal)
Baeleruil (Bael - guardian; eruil - noble)
Eyllisithek (Eyllis - land of; sithek - Adamantite*)
Caelas (The name of a Wood Elf waywatcher in a book I have. I liked the name, don't know if it means anything)

*This was the closest thing that I could find to reference a metal (adamantium, a fictional metal generally thought to be the strongest metal), which fits in with the Steel-type aspect of Lucario. It's not meant to make the place sound cold and unforgiving, but to describe its inhabitants