[FIN] Wood Folk

[Blood_Goddess]

Winder was the challenge, and it always had been, even for someone like Ray, who through her years of experience could live in the open winter with little worry for anything going wrong. She knew what to do, and she knew when to do it, and she was self trained to know how to adapt when the situation called.
Regardless, the task of living outside in the winter was always meant to be a challenge that the women undertook for the sake of the challenge, and was by no means ever pleasant.

Right now though, the women didn't really have much of a choice any other way.
Sure she still had lease on her apartment till March, but after a point the town because so stifling that Ray and the Pokemon living with her had opted instead to live out in the woods, far away from any other people.

The fire was warm and healthy, without it being too big. It wouldn't be that long for too much longer if Ray didn't go out and search for wood soon. Her stocks were running a little low, and she still hadn't made up her mind as to how long she even intended to stay in the woods this time around.

The forest was silent, as it usually was in the winter months, the only break was the crushing of a person's steps through the mountain snow, and the breathing of the difficult hike with snow shoes strapped to their feet.
A few pokemon lingered around beside her, a large snake in what looked like a custom body covering.. a jacket for a snake, slithered before the women, nose poking up at the trees as if to search for something that would be more usable for the women. and a contrasting colors of a black and neon green Scizor. walking a little distance behind.  

[Gwennythe]

Moriko wasn't fond of the cold, really, but she preferred remaining out of her pokéball. Currently, the Sawsbuck was serving as a mount for the green-clad boy atop of her. He was, at least, dressed in layers, though the winter seemed colder than he'd expected.
He'd glimpsed some signs of life around before; even glimpsed the dim glow of a fire from time to time from higher elevations.
Company, depending on who it might be, could be welcome, but he had to admit, he hadn't /really/ been sure whether to approach anyone he found or not.

It was Acorn and Moriko who decided, when they sensed a nearby presence, that Lin, and they, should go and meet whoever was there, clearly deciding they were 'friendlies'.

Jeeves and Lin, the other occupants of Moriko's back, aside from the Chespin, were rather forced to ride along as the grass type took off.
"Oh!" Lin was startled and held on as they trotted through the snow, down toward what sounded like a group.  

[Blood_Goddess]

The figure standing in the snow boots had their tall frame dressed in heavy outdoor wear, a large coat with a fur lined hood was pulled up over their head, and their face was covered with another inner layer fabric to keep the cold from biting their face.
a noise that didn't register from the familiar founds the two pokemon with her name reached her ears, causing the form to pause and turn in time to see an approaching Sawsbuck with a rider.

"well, hello there" Ray greeted with a degree of surprise, though the mossy green eyes flicked very suddenly to the two pokemon with her to see if they had any chance in their demeanor.
Though she could tell they were doing their own surveying she got nothing from them that there was any need for alarm.

Her reason to worry vanished almost instantly however as the pokemon and human drew closer, and she actually recognized the person on top of it.
"Ah- and there is a face I haven't seen in a long time! Please don't be offended that I forgot your name,"
She turned to face him more fully, shifting the arm full of fire wood she had gathered into a better grip as she did.  

[Gwennythe]

Lin didn't really recognise the... person-shaped bundle, until he heard the voice. Doublestripe was also rather familar.

"Uh. No worries." Lin grinned, trying not to show how much he wished he was dressed as warm, and playing up to his usual temporary bravado.
"I forget my name too sometimes- I remember your pretty face too, Miss Ray! Uh, Lin, pleased to remake your acquaintance!"
Jeeves snorted and rolled his eyes.

Acorn decided to wave a stubby paw.  

[Blood_Goddess]

"Oh ho ho!" Ray chuckled in response to his flattery and with an impressed air that he had remembered her name,
A hand moved to her hip while Double Stripe and Emith made their way to stand on either side of the human.

by the way the women's eyes squinted, it was clear she was giving the smaller pokemon with the man a broad grin, lifting her free hand to wave back at the Chespin.
"So you remember my face and my name pretty well, I've got to say I'm honored I could seem to leave an impression."
Long legs allowed her to shuffle forward a little to meet the boy and his pokemon part way "Kind of an odd place to run into familiar faces though, what bring you out in the cold?"  

[Gwennythe]

"Oh, I make a point to remember gorgeous women. But, uh, well, mines and eggs and all that too..." He patted Loro's ball. "Might have helped just a touch too, perhaps."

Acorn beamed happily, and switched paws to wave the other now.

"Um. This is Acorn, you've met Moriko and Jeeves." Lin introduced and then looked surprised.

"Oh. Uh. Nothing. I mean. Nothing 'brought me out'. I, uh, kinda live out here." He frowned. That wasn't /quite/ right. "Well. Not right here. I have a place in Sandalwood sometimes but we pretty much only use it like a base sometimes and really live out here. What about you?" He recovered himself and grinned again. "What brings your pretty self all the way out into the cold?"  

[Blood_Goddess]

Another chuckle rose from the woman again, "Ah yeah, good times, good times," her half lidded eyes settled on the trainer once more.
"Ah so you live out here? Thats cool- that's cool, don't meet many people that say that they can, Where's your camp site at?
As for me," She shrugged her shoulder, reaching out to put her free hand on Double Stripe's shoulder and winking at the Chespin as he waves again.
"its nice to get away from civilization sometimes, you know?"  

[Gwennythe]

Acorn decided she liked Ray and decided to climb down from Moriko to study the pokémon with her.

"Umm... Back that way." Lin pointed, then frowned. No, that wasn't it... "Maybe more that way. I should probably move around less." He admitted after a moment. "Mostly I've been going where Moriko wants to for the past few days."
He nodded.
"Towns are -really- noisy. I mean. Yeah, Sandalwood's a city, you know? But I was never really in the heart of it and everywhere else just seems so... people-y." That wasn't a word, he suspected.  

[Blood_Goddess]

Double Stripe flicked his tongue out as the smaller pokemon approached them, lowering his head closer to the snow, as Ray herself lowered her posture heavily onto one knee to greet the pokemon as well.

"Uh oh." Ray laughed. "well thats not good, hopefully your pokemon can find its way back, you don't want to get caught out here after dark. A fact I'm sure you're aware of." Ray corrected herself.

"There is something to be said for the isolated quiet, isn't there." with a content breath behind her snow mask, Ray lifted her half lidded mossy eyes up to the boy again. "I was just heading back to my camp, if you want, you can let your pokemon rest up there and I'll help you find your camp before dark."  

[Gwennythe]

"Oh, I... Uh. Have a lot of faith in Moriko." He really did. But still, he kind of wished he'd made a note of the location and direction a little better himself.
"They all do what they like but they haven't led me wrong yet."

Acorn twitched her nose and then decided to reach out a paw and try and touch Double Stripe... He /kind/ of smelled like Jeeves but he was... different? She supposed this was the evolution. Would Jeeves turn stripey too?
"P'n!" She informed Ray happily.

"Oh, that'd be great! Is it far? I thought I saw a fire a while ago... could that have been you?"  

[Blood_Goddess]

"And Moriko looked like the trustworthy kind. But what if something happens to them?" Ray asked, holding a gloved finger up. "and they can't end up leading you back?"

Double Stipe flicked his tongue out at the Chespin, tickling the smaller Pokemon's nose with it before Ray laughed, and reached a hand out to pet Acorn on the head.

"Yeah that was probably my fire." Ray admitted "I havn't seen anyone else out here, heck I was surprised to see you out here!" the woman let out a single laugh, before she was back on her feet and started walking again. "Well- follow me, I'll lead you back to camp."  

[Gwennythe]

That was probably a good point; if something happened to Moriko, Lin counted on Jeeves... but if something happened to both of them, he'd be a little stuck perhaps... Well, he knew, at least, how to make a new fire (not that he trusted the stuff) and a reasonably warm shelter if he had to... But still, it would hard if he didn't have Moriko and Jeeves around.
"Uh. We'd manage..."

Acorn giggled and twitched the green 'spikes' atop her head, happy at the petting.
She then trotted after Ray as the woman led them.

Lin grinned and urged Moriko forward to follow along too.
"Don't s'pose you brought any food from the city along? 'S not that I don't like roots and stuff, but one's had a bit of a craving for a pastry for a few days..?"  

[Blood_Goddess]

Ray just grinned softly at his response, She wasn't going to push the issue, as she had planted the seed to give him something to consider and think about, what happens from here really wasn't any of her business. And she wasn't one to push her ways onto people who don't ask for it.

"From the city? Naw." She replied, glancing back over her shoulder as she shifted the wood in her arms to hug it more to her chest. "I leave with MRA's for emergencies, any food we eat out here is from hunting and fishing. If you want something to eat I hope you're okay with that."

Double Stripe looked over his shoulder at the human who was following them, giving a light flick of his tongue before slithering his covered form up closer to Ray, where he hissed lightly at her, drawing her attention at his conversational tone.

"What- yours?" She asked, drawing the snake to a nod. "you sure?" Again the snake hissed and drew his head up a little.
"Well, alright, DS usually makes sure to pack some sweets whenever we go out, He said he would be willing to offer you one after dinner."  

[Gwennythe]

"That's fair enough... Though... Um. I haven't really hunted in a long time." He frowned slightly; Ruff had hunted, he was sure. He remembered going with Ruff and Jeeves, and Ruff talking of hunting trips and pokémon partners past. Yet Lin, despite no real problem with meat itself, just hadn't hunted; he'd always got by somehow, mostly by staying mostly close to civilization in winter, he supposed. Perhaps he just didn't like the idea of actually killing something himself... He wasn't even sure.

Then, Double Stripe's exhange with Ray got his attention and Lin looked impressed, gratified and smiled at the grass type.
"Really? That's very kind! Thanks 'DS'!"  

[Blood_Goddess]

Ray lifted her shoulders in a gesture of dismissal "Oh that's taken care of already. I make it a point to always have something ready."
Shifting her stance Ray turned toward the over human, grinning down at the Chespin when she noticed it following in the steps of her snow boots.

"So tell me!" Ray stated, seeming to not willing to let much in the way of silence linger between them "How have things been since the mountains?"

Double Stripe flashed as toothy a grin as was possible for the snake, his row of long thin fangs glinting momentarily before he slithered on, sliding up next to Acorn
The snake announce to the smaller grass type.