Wintertide Wintertithe

"Let us make this perfectly clear." Kage bared his teeth as he stood protectively in front of his kids. Soku stood by his side looking equally as menacing. Honestly Kage wasn't used to seeing his partner like this, but he would be lying if he said he didn't like it. "This truce is very temporary. Once wintertide is over or! If you lay a finger on my kids. This fragile truce is done."

"Don't even think about them the wrong way." Soku sounded deceptively calm, but Kage knew better. Where Kage's anger ran hot, he had learned that Soku's ran cold. It was not easy to get Soku mad, but arceus help you if you did.

Eclipse didn't outwardly react to their threats but his lack of reaction was it's own tell. "Although you may not trust my word, trust in my loyalty to my queen. We are not here to cause trouble. We are here to learn." He slammed his tail on the ground.

"Where are the rest of you then?" Kit looked between the much smaller group than usual.

"The whole pack was not required for this. We are more than capable of passing along anything relevant you show us." Eclipse huffed. "It's not practical to travel all together when out numbers grow so large."

"Why? Looking for someone in particular?" Styx grinned.

"Personally the ones I'm most worried about are here." Kyu slumped, ears drooping.

"Previous data does suggest that the strongest are accounted for..." Cyber looked uncertain about the whole thing and it was clear that Proto would much rather fight the other pokemon in front of them. Cyber pat his friend's arm in a sort of comfort.

As the two groups shot each other distrustful looks Kazoku and Terios snuck forward, much to Kage and his partner's dismay. "Look." Kazoku looked between the two groups with a stern look, her brother following her lead. Her gaze settled on her parents and team. "We're here to teach them about wintertide right?"

"Yes but-" Kage started but he was cut off by Kazoku holding up a hand. Since when had she gotten so good at that?

"Then we need to do that." Terios crossed his arms, his sister nodding in approval as she did the same. "For now we're all on the same side."

There was some snickering front the pack as the two children scolded them. Though that amusement was short lived as the two of them rounded on them. "And you all." Kazoku pointed a finger at Eclipse. The were kommo-o stuttered in surprise. "You're here to learn, so don't try and start anything."

There was silence for a moment before one of the weremon broke it. "Well I'll be. The kids have spunk." Sable gave an appreciative whistle.

"It appears our young friends are more than expected." Moraine hummed appreciatively.

Eclipse composed himself as he cleared his throat. "Right. We are in your care. Please show us your... wintertide." Kage sighed as Kazoku and Terios returned to their side. Today was going to be a long day.

---

"So you... pick out gifts for each other but have to wait until a certain day to open them?" Sable hummed as she sat cross legged in front of Kazoku.

Kazoku nodded. "Yeah!"

Sable frowned. "Why wait?"

"Well..." Kazoku frowned. "I'm not sure actually. It's just how it is." She shrugged.

"Not a very helpful answer..." Sable's eyes drifted up to where the child's parents were staring her down rather threateningly. She'd be lying if she said the duo of sneasel weren't intimidating. "But that's fine." She cleared her throat as she refocused on Kazoku. No need to give her parents a reason to break the fragile peace. She glanced over to where some of the other members of Team Unity were explaining to her packmates about various aspects of wintertide. Honestly Sable could see the appeal. Despite the rather basic explanation she was being given she could get why the pokemon of Coldour would want to celebrate a holiday like this. Her packleader hadn't seemed keen on the idea even before they'd known who was going to be teaching them though. She got the feeling that Eclipse was hiding something and she didn't quite like it. That sneaky vampire Styx was also most certainly involved. She'd have to interrogate him later since there was no way she would try to challenge Eclipse like that.

Speaking of the vampire weavile, it seemed like the two robotic members of the team had been chosen to wrangle him. The smaller one, Cyber she was fairly certain, was animatedly explaining the intricacies of wintertide decorations. The other, Proto, had his large claws laying gently on Styx's shoulders. A light, unspoken threat but one that Styx didn't seem keen on pushing for now at least. Sable had no doubt that the vampire was planning all the ways he could rip apart the two pokemon just based on the look he was giving Cyber. At least the robotic sandshrew seemed too immersed in his explanation to notice.

Moraine seemed to actually be deeply interested in what the zorua fusion, Kit, and eevee fusion, Kyu, were talking about. She overheard something about cooking. As the two guild pokemon spoke Moraine would interject occasionally. Perhaps with questions or suggestions. It was hard to tell with the distance and other conversations going on.

Meanwhile Soku and Kage wrangled her packleader. Though they were also keeping a rather close eye on her. She had no idea if whatever the three were doing was actually productive, but hopefully what the rest of them were learning would be enough. She was willing to bet that neither side of that exchange were particularly happy. Though to Eclipse's credit he did seem to be paying attention when the sneasel duo did attempt to explain something.

"I'm back!" Terios nodded at his sister. If it was even possible the two parents seemed to get even more defensive with the return of their other offspring. Sable thankfully at least knew how to tread carefully. The werevamp sneasel placed down a few neatly wrapped boxes in front of Sable. "This is what the gift typically look like." Terios nodded before sitting down next to his sister.

"You make them look this nice only to rip into them and destroy them?" Sable hummed picking up one of the boxes. It was light and the paper crinkled as she moved it around. "Is it fun to destroy?"

The two siblings glanced at each other. Terios shrugged as he looked back at Sable. "I guess? It's just part of the whole experience to get at what's inside though."

"I see." Sable placed the box down.

"I'm thinking we should wrap this up for the night." Soku glanced at the sky, the sun was starting to set. A much preferred time for Sable and her pack but she understood Soku's want for this session to end.

"Where are you all staying?" Kage looked at Sable. Eclipse looked mildly offended that he hadn't been asked but both sneasel ignored him.

"In an inn not far from the outskirts of town." Sable hummed. "Why?"

"If it's not too much trouble we'd like to escort you there. Just to make sure you stay out of trouble." Soku walked up and gently urged Kazoku and Terios to get up and behind him. The two timidly waved to Sable as they went over to Kage.

Her heart warmed slightly at that before she nodded. "While it is not my call I have no personal issue with it."

"Good." Soku nodded. "Alright everyone wrap it up! We're talking our... guests back to where they're staying for the night."

Eclipse looked ready to argue but a glance at Soku and Kage seemed to cause him to hold his tongue. He nodded stiffly at them. "Very well. We shall accept your... offer." The entire pack was well aware it was more of a thinly veiled threat but that had been the norm of the day anyway. As the guild pokemon lead Sable and her pack back to where they were staying she couldn't help but think that perhaps this wouldn't be so bad.