Exploring Entry II

“Calm yourself…” Echo’s voice was gentle as the Luxray Tortie brushed past Whisper’s side - his gaze gentle and placid compared to the raging inferno from the Pyroar-Obstagoon.

“Easy for you to say!” Whisper grit his teeth - his words hissing from between his canines as his sides struggled to contain the panting that tried to worm its way up his throat. He was trying to calm himself! But it was incredibly difficult to achieve when everything within him was lit on fire and raging through.

Echo pulled away from Whisper momentarily - his thick tail brushing through the foliage that sprung from the thick grass below. Flower stems bent but did not break underneath the heft of the appendage as he circled around the struggling Pokemon.

“If you keep yourself so strung, you will break. You have been pushing yourself far too hard these past few days.” Echo’s words held little judgment - but were dripping in worry as a sigh pushed its way out of his maw. “I worry.”

A sharp twinge of guilt ran through Whisper, and the fiery Pokemon hung his head as he finally achieved control of himself. The disappointment and care that the icey Pokemon felt for him did wonders to cool him down.

He hadn’t meant to worry Echo… he just… He couldn’t stop. He couldn’t take too long either - he had to find them.

Echo knew - Echo understood, but he also understood that it would take time. And that was okay - there was no rush. They weren’t in danger… no, they had just left without a word. And that stung all the more.

“Lay down, let the breeze run through your mane.” Echo gently led the other to a patch of dense clovers - the soft and plush plants pillowing him as he let Echo decide his course of action.

The wind danced through the grove’s clearing - the Hidden Grove eerily silent mostly due to Echo’s own actions.

What wonders did it do to have a rampaging fire Pokemon in a mostly grassy area… it did amazing to clear everything out, and to keep the native Pokemon away from them.

As Whisper plopped to the ground - sending a few pieces of plant debris into the air with his rough actions - Echo walked a little ways away, standing next to a large bush.

He turned back slightly towards Whisper - his eyes sad as he watched the other. “You know as well as I do that he never would have wanted this…”

“Well… you know as well as I do that he would have never left us in the first place - what do we really know of him?!” Whisper lashed out - rage returning briefly before it spluttered out and extinguished. Whisper slumped, avoiding Echo’s eyes as he knew what he would find in that multifaceted gaze of his. Understanding and patience. It was what made Echo… well, Echo. It made staying riled up very difficult though, but was that really a bad thing?

“Stop.” Echo’s word was gentle as he looked away, teeth grit as his calm demeanor was finally being chipped away at. Whisper felt hollow in this victory, as it was not one at all. 

Why were they even fighting? There wasn’t a point to it at all.

“...I’m sorry…” Whisper uttered lowly as he looked away as well - the air grew heavy with tension as they both stewed for a second.

A small critter sounded as a small Dedenne stumbled through the path - fleeing quickly as it scittered through the undergrowth.

“As am I. I am not trying to make light of your struggle. It is… difficult to watch you run yourself into the ground though…” Echo looked over at Whisper - who was still maintaining a long gazed distance away - and sighed heavily. “Why do you push yourself so for someone who left you behind with a word?” Echo’s words were heavy and full of meaning as he watched Whisper struggle internally with the question.

“I…” Whisper dug his claws into the ground - dirt smuggling itself underneath his clawbeds as he stumbled over his thoughts. It was a good question. “It is all I’ve ever known. He was there for me since I was a cub… and… I can’t believe he just left out of his own will. It had to be for some reason… right?”

Whisper’s words showcased the vulnerability that he had been trying to hide away, and Echo caught that.

The Cetitan Tortie just nodded to it. He didn’t know him as well as Whisper had… but everything pointed to the male just getting up and walking away. No struggle, only a few things left behind… including Whisper…. 

“Stand up, please…” Echo moved towards Whisper - urging the Pyroar-Obstagoon to his paws. Whisper cocked his head, but did as he was instructed - standing up straight upon the bed of clovers, his form slightly smaller than Echo’s as the electric-ice type stood right in front of him.

It was starting to near evening at this point - the sun starting to set as it painted the sky in brilliant shades or reds and pinks and purples. The clouds drifted without a care - knowing nothing of the struggle happening beneath them on the lowly earth.

A sharp chill ran through the air as the temperature dropped in the grove - the trees swinging overhead as they danced in the biting wind. 

Whisper shivered slightly - though this wasn’t due to the wind nor cold. Echo’s eyes were fixated on him - the contrasting colors bright as he focused straight on the other.

“Don’t hurt yourself pushing for someone that left you behind… please. Please promise me you’ll take care of yourself and stop doing this. I see the marks left behind on the tree trunks from your claws as you stumbled and fell while trying to push yourself faster and faster.” There was a quiet plea in his words, Echo’s eyes echoed with pain and were filled to the brim with worry over his friend.

Whisper bit his tongue, looking away from the earnest gaze directed at him.
“I… give no promises… but I will try to tone it down a little.”

“That is all I ask for, so thank you…” Echo gave a watery smile as he brushed close to Whisper before walking away slightly. “Shall we continue our journey through the Hidden Grove? We have not collected everything we came here for just yet…”

Whisper nodded to Echo’s words - having forgotten all about the pack upon his flank that held what little they were able to find before Whisper had ran off in a blaze of righteous fury at the world.

It was nearing the end of the day, so it was best that they wrapped things up quickly now… but their words still hung in the air - heavy and weightful.