A Lake Filled Surprise

Your rump plops weakly against the shore of a lake. The wound on your leg was pounding out in pain from the ever-ending walk to the swamp, and it urges for rest. Jackal certainly didn't mind stopping after walking for about two hours though. He sat his personal belongings next to him before he lied on his backside, yawning out tiredly with arms crossed behind his head. He murrs out to you, "Take as much time as you need to pooch. I'm in no rush."

"True, but I am in a bit of a rush." You remind him. "That frog could be fighting for his life in that swamp right now, and we're just idly sitting here worrying about ourselves." You can only sigh and inspect your leg to asses the damage.

Jackal frowns some response, "Yeah, yeah, I know. But you can't go anywhere if your leg gets worse. You're your own priority, right? You can't help anybody if you don't help yourself. He should be fine. If that crazy Toxicroak is bold enough or crazy enough to live in a feral-infested swamp, then he's probably holdin' off on his own just fine." The Typhlosion wanted to reassure you, but he notices how much attention you were giving your leg. He sits up a bit, with a genuinely worried expression no less, "...H-Hey, how's your leg doin' still by the way? Need my help or...?"

"I'll be fine." You answer him quickly without budging. You inspect your leg, and although it wasn't too bad, it might still get infected. Not with becoming a feral hopefully, but in the more traditional sense a wound could get. "I just need to wash it some. Just go back to relaxing. I'll be up and ready to go soon enough." Jackal wasn't entirely convinced by that, but pressing it wasn't going to help. He closes his eyes and lays back flat down, plopping a hand on his gut.

You stare at the cold lake water and prepare yourself for however this might sting. Nudging up to the coast, you splash a bit of water on your wound, cleaning your black leg fur and cooling it off while enduring some surges of pain. You grit your teeth and just bear through it. You could have suffered a far worse fate. Feeling a bit better after your leg is given a thorough wash, you cup some extra water in your hands to drink. The cold liquid felt relieving after the trip through the rather hot and dry canyon. It impresses you that no one seems to be lodging by this lake at all. That also worries you too, however.

After the washing, you stare out at the lake and enjoy its odd silent beauty. The way the water glimmers from the sky above, hindpaws dipped in the shallows; it was moments like this that you used to savor, without the company of other individuals or traveling much. Something was far odder than the melancholy you feel though. Strange ripples in the water wobble at the surface, stirring from some kind of movement.

Jackal peeks and eye open and looks over at you, noticing your silence when peering at the lake. He lazily sits up, asking out to you, "Hey, you okay? Cause-" He is quickly cut off when...

1. A red beam shoots out from the water!

2. A large beast arises from the water!