The idea of staying at an estate over night brought mixed feelings that clearly played over Leah's expressive face. It would be comforting and homely, no doubt. She'd feel like she was in a place she belonged and would certainly be much more comfortable than the flat, rigid beds of the Pokemon Center. Not to mention the idea of having a friend who came from a similar background! It was, at first glance, a lovely idea.

But the twist in her gut reminded her of why she had even gone on this journey to begin with. The sight of her mother laying in bed with a pale, hairless face. Her raspy and tired voice recalling her dreams to be a Pokemon doctor. Wasted years. Indecisiveness. Nothing had ever come to life in terms of her mother's dreams.

So... That meant that Leah had to ensure someone walked the path her mother yearned for. Right?

"That would be lovely," Leah said with a soft smile. The friendless had faded into something more reserved and tamed. "As long as I'm not intruding."

But their conversation was short lived by the telltale sounds of rustling in the grass. Some shrubbery by a nearby cluster of trees announced the appearance of a black, lean creature with intimidating claws. Truthfully, it was the scariest Pokemon Leah had ever seen in person! Needless to say, she was more than happy to stand back behind her new friend and avoid any encounters with that vicious snarl and dangerous claws.

Leah took a few steps back, granting ample space to the battlers, and then turned her attention to Norn. Or rather, where she had assumed he was. She had to double take when she didn't see the ball of brown fur right at her heels. Her heart sunk in her chest and in a moment of panic spun around on her heels. Dress twirling and color draining from her face, she started walking away from Murasaki. Thankfully, the panic was brief. After no more than two or three steps, Leah caught sight of the brown and cream fur wedged into a thick, bristly bush.

Without thinking -- or rather, fully trusting her partner -- she got on her knees and pushed away the foliage to take a peek at whatever had drawn in the Eevee.

Nestled in the very back, up against the trunk of a slender tree, was a rather small Pokemon with tiny, blue eyes sunk deep into the black head. Round paws tugged at a yellow, triangular coat that covered its pitch black body. When its eyes flicked between Leah and Norn, it tugged at the coat more, bringing it up and over its wide, frowning mouth.

"A... Snorunt?" Leah murmured mostly to herself, but the words earned a chip-like sound from her companion. "But, I thought Snorunt lived in packs? Large packs, if memory serves..."

Seemingly understanding her words, the young -- perhaps a baby -- Snorunt nodded a couple times and made a low, whispery noise that sounded similar to teeth chattering. Maybe it was too young or too fearful, but either way the Pokemon seemed to have no intentions of fighting or causing any harm to either Leah or Norn.

With that in mind, the young girl reached out towards the Pokemon.

The Snorunt tensed and its whispery noised turned into something more like a grumbly moan. The tips of Leah's fingers brushed against an invisible, solid force just inches away from the Snorunt's body. Curious, she pressed harder into it, her palm now flush against the barrier it had summoned. She couldn't help but frown.

"It's not very safe here, you know," her voice was soft and gentle, much like a mom talking to a very young, very scared child. "We should find your pack and get you home."

The Snorunt lowered its head and tugged at the coat once more. With such a simplistic face, it was hard to read emotions, but Leah couldn't help but feel sadness pour from its demeanor.

"They probably migrated up the mountain," she continued to explain. She doubted a wild Pokemon could understand her words. Half of the time she wondered if even Norn could, for that matter. But, she continued to try. "With Pokemon like Sneasel and Houndoom running around these parts, a lone Snorunt is..."

Dead, quite honestly. Mother nature working her charms. Snorunt were pack creatures for many reason, though namely was survival. They're slow, frail Pokemon that relied on tactics and numbers to make it in the unforgiving wilderness. Even if this Snorunt was a fully matured adult, its chances of living were slim at best.

Not too far away, the sounds of Murasaki's battle cut through their conversation. A shrill cry came from the Sneasel followed by the sounds of branches snapping. Disgruntled noises came in the form of low chatters and yips from the weasel as it continued its assault. Briefly, Leah wondered if her new friend was holding up okay.

The sounds of the battle was enough to make the Snorunt's eyes widen. Its body shuddered and it let out a cute, but stressful noise. A quiet cry for help, as if it hoped that its weak attempts would somehow summon the pack it had gotten separated from.

Norn's ears flattened and he let out a soft chatter. His noise twitched as he shuffled forward. Mimicking Leah's motion, he put his paw against the protective barrier the Snorunt kept up. His tiny paw rested next to Leah's. He chattered once more.

"I... I can't promise I'll find your family," Leah said softly, a frown tainting her otherwise cheery face. "But I can at least keep you safe until we're strong enough to make it up the mountain and look for them."

Leah shifted her weight, earning a defensive whisper from the Snorunt. It shrunk away from them just a tiny bit, but otherwise didn't run. Leah's free hand wiggled through the pack she had resting over her shoulders and after a few moments, she reached back around to the Snorunt. With a practiced click, she tapped the button on the center of an empty pokeball. The pokeball expanded to its full size in her hand as she held it out towards the Snorunt.

"What do you say?" She said softly, smiling to the Pokemon.