A Burning Leaf

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Jake went back to Icicle Woods to get stronger. He looked around at the blanket of snow, the ice covered trees, and the frosty caves. He walked around in an uneventful few minutes, and then heard the rustle of icy bushes a couple feet away from him.

Jake waited firmly until the end of the tale, and then took on a look of pride for Twayblade. "You did a great thing!" Jake said happily, showing his gratitude in his friendly, energetic voice. "And I never needed a Rawst Berry anyways, as me being a Fire type!" He looked at Twayblade with his big, blue eyes.
"So." Jake said thoughtfully. "What are we gonna do now?" He looked at the blue cloak that she was shaking, and saw the pieces of rough, brown bark fly off and the snow fall gently to the ground.

"Now you're awake," began the Treecko pausing to sweep her cloak back around herself and fasten it lightly around her neck. She then turned to the Tepig, "I think we can move on without too much trouble. Where are you headed anyhow?"
Twayblade's head tilted to the side ever so slightly in curiosity as she asked the question. Jake might have said something about it before, she wasn't sure. However either way she could not remember and so asking was the best way to gain an answer.

"I'm probably gonna go to Mt. Frostmeer." Jake replied. "I'm just going wherever the wind takes me, I guess." He got up and started walking over to the exit of the cramped area. "And we should get moving, now that it will be easier." When he got outside, he was practically blinded by the sudden burst of light.
"Ow!" Jake said, shielding his eyes. "Let me get adjusted to the light." He looked around and slowly saw the snowy land and barren, brown trees come into focus. "OK, I'm ready, now!" Jake said, walking a little bit to let Twayblade get out.

Twayblade chuckled a little, walking straight outside into the binding brightness of the white that covered the area. She was used to it, but paused to give Jake a moment for his eyes to adjust.
"If you're heading to Mt Frostmeer, then you'll want to head deeper into the forest rather than out of it," she commented, yellow eyes scanning the area. There were no footprints in the fresh snow which meant there likely were no other Pokemon nearby.

"That's what I'm trying to do." Jake said sheepishly. "I don't have much sense of direction." He looked around, trying to find a path through the dense woods. "I think... THIS WAY!" He yelled without thinking.
"Sorry." He said to Twayblade. "I hope that didn't startle any Pokemon." He went in the direction he was pointing to, and looked around a little bit and waited for Twayblade to get there. He finally found some trees with pine needles all around him. "This world looks so beautiful." He said to himself. "It just looks like it was made to be beautiful."

Twayblade winced at the sudden sharp yell, having not expected it from the Tepig. Shaking her head, she blinked, yellow eyes switching attention from him to the bright, white environment.
"It should be alright," she replied, "There doesn't seem to be anyone around here anyhow..." The Treecko paused, glancing around the area once last time. The trees were silent, not even the subtle creak of branches in the wind could be heard. Satisfied that they truly were alone in the area and wouldn't end up attacked, Twayblade followed Jake, remaining silent as she walked, her cloak masking her footprints as it dragged along in the fresh layer of snow behind her.

Jake looked around, still trying to find a pathway into the denser parts of the white woods.  He walked this way and that, through bushes, some full of life, and others empty with death, and past trees so thick with needles, they blocked the sunlight.  He went over rocks, past small streams, and through clearings, where the sunlight blinded him yet again and again.
"I think it might be this way!"  Jake exclaimed.  "I think I can see the peak past those trees!"  He looked around in the clearing they were in.  It seemed to have footsteps already in the snow.  "Do you see the footsteps?"  He asked Twayblade.

Twayblade wordlessly followed the Tepig, half amused that he still hadn't realised they'd been walking around in circles. She wandered out of the cover of the trees and the dead but rather dense undergrowth. There was only one set of footprints, their size fairly small when you compared them to Twayblade's own. The Treecko called over to Jake, "Put your foot in here."
Of course when the Tepig did, his foot would fit perfectly into it. Perhaps then Jake would realise his mistake.

Jake did as told, seeing that the footsteps were exactly the same size as his own. "Well, that's odd." He looked around, putting two and two together. He saw that barren tree before, with the burn marks he put in it so they wouldn't get lost. "Wait a minute. Are we just going around in circles?" He asked Twayblade.
"Well, at least I see the peak now!" Jake said, looking on the bright side. "Now I know which way to go!" Jake looked at his Grass type acquaintance. "But just in case, can you take the lead?" He asked sheepishly.

Still technically being a mystery dungeon, the forest itself was not as linear as one might think. Twayblade chuckled a little at the idea of being so unprepared however she nodded.
"Alright i'll lead. Let's just be careful not to make the same mistake again," she smiled before moving forward. Twaybade walking in front of Jake now, the Tepig could easily watch as the frosted tips of her dark blue cloak dragged excess snow along with it, filling the Treecko's footprints in as she walked and making it look as if no one had ever been there.

Jake followed Twayblade silently, watching for any signs of Pokemon. They walked past snowy, otherwise barren, brown tree branches. He saw the many small rocks half-buried in the snow, that was reflecting some of the light from the evening sky. After a long, peaceful time, Jake finally said something.
"What do you think we'll find at Mt Frostmeer?" He asked Twayblade. "Assuming you're gonna go up to the peak with me." He added hastily. He wondered what she was gonna answer, since she lived here in the woods. He tried to read her face, but he was never really good at this, and it didn't help because of the weak light and the shadows from the trees on her face.

The Treecko remained silent as she walked, unsure of how to answer. She assumed that no matter what, Jake would find more hostile Pokemon up the mountain. However she was unsure whether she wanted to go herself. She had explored the lower parts of the mountain before in her youthful curiosity, and the pokemon there were definitely not to be trifled with. Remaining silent, Twayblade merely continued onward, her yellow gaze focused on leading the Tepig to his chosen destination.

She froze quite suddenly however as a twig snapped and the sound of wing flaps echoed around the previously silent area. Startled by the noise, Twayblade glanced around, trying to find the source.

This dice is not existing.

Jake too looked in the direction of the sound. He watched into the woods, hard to identify the Pokemon the made the noise. Once it came into the light, he realized it was a Snubbull. "Well, at least there's no type advantage against you." Jake said casually, as if the Snubbull was an old time friend.
"Can you use your Grasswhistle again?" He asked. "I'm really tired, and it's getting dark." He looked at the Snubbull again, and saw it getting ready to attack. "And please hurry up, because I'm not gonna keep dodging all night."

Twayblade rolled her eyes at Jake in annoyance and merely walked over to the Snubbull. She was a lot more confident battling against it due to not having a type weakness against the normal type Pokemon.
The Snubbull parted it's jaws and it's fangs began glowing with an eerie red aura. Having encountered the species before, Twayblade knew it was preparing to use Fire Fang. The Treecko waited for it to charge at her, before nimbly leaping into the air. She sailed over the top of the Snubbull, landing neatly behind it. Her green tail began to glow white and Twayblade whipped around in a circle, getting in a neat hit on the Snubbull from behind with her Pound move.

Jake just watched the battle sleepily, and looked around a bit. He saw them attacking each other, dozing off to sleep. But he kept on getting awoken from the cold and the noise of battle. He found it harder to go to sleep every minute. After a few minutes of the battle he remembered he had Sleep Seeds.
After the realization, he took one out, and ate it, falling asleep almost instantly. He dreamed of a lot of different stuff, like evolving into a Pignite, then into an Emboar. He also dreamed he was Arceus, and he kept on defeating every foe he battled.