Introducing Pip the Duncemon

Where is this place? What happened? The thoughts ran through Varim as the brisk cold air brushed by him. It was colder then even his mountain home. His cheeks and ears were flush red and fingertips were chilled. He traveled through the thick snow, the trickles of ice and snow finding his feet and turning his socks into soggy rags inside his boots.

The digivice had not reacted since taking Varim to this cold barren wasteland. His mind thought back to the events not an hour ago and how he had lost everything in a blink. "Papa...Mama..." Varim said allowed, his tears wouldn't come in this cold. It was as if his eyes had already frozen. Varim could feel his body fatiguing. The burning blaze that consumed his family and home, in some ironic way he wished he could feel that heat now.

"I...can't go on." Varim spoke allowed, his body pushed for him to move but his legs refused. He knew that he had to stay awake in the snow and ice, it's beautiful blanket of white was hiding a freezing death. Even still, he had to sleep. His body could not continue. He was born in the ice and snow, perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to be coddled by the false warmth of the ice and chill him into an eternal slumber. At least that way, he could see his wolves and parents again.

Yes, that wouldn't be so bad. To sleep and wake up with them again. Varim fell into the snow, his body imprinting on the untouched white. His eyes looking aimlessly into the distance. He thought he saw a peculiar object in the snow, but he was to tired to try and make it out. He would just go to sleep...it wouldn't matter in a few moments anyway. Varim closed his eyes, and would let the snow take him. So he thought.

Pip couldn't hear anything in his dome. So he started struggling once more. His back end flipping back and forth in the air. He finally began digging with his back paws feeling the snow lighten against his belly. Finally he was able to pull free with a gasp for fresh air. He shook his body of the snow clinging to him his fur slightly damp.

Alls well that ends well. He was free and damp but happy just the same. He walked around the hole his tail wagging. It was a moment but he noticed a lump in the snow. And a strange smell....well not too strange. He had smelled a human or two before. Though this one smelled like smoke. He trotted towards the limp body and looked down. 

"Hey you okay," he asked. When no response was received he nuzzled him slightly feeling his cold flesh. "Not good." He muttered and started nuzzling his slender frame over not without a lot of effort. Until he was finally on his back. He then laid down on him and sprawled out his body. His chest against the humans. He waited there for awhile before laying his head down deciding to take a nap while he waited for him to wake up.

Time had passed and Varim felt himself waking, but something was wrong. He did not feel warm like he thought. He was still cold...very cold. His eyes opened with a few small blinks and looked down at a strange warmth coddling his chest. To his surprise, a wolf cub had tried to keep him warm.

Varim smiled and slowly reached for the sleeping cub as to not startle him. He placed a soft hand against the fur of his neck and stroked it like he had done so many times to his late wolf friends. They had always enjoyed his pets he always thought. Sometimes taking their snouts and taking his hand and throwing on their necks themselves.

The cubs heat was enough to keep his heart beating and the blood pumping, he would live it seems. Varim's soft stare and petting would be the first things Pip would see and feel upon his own stirring.

Pip felt him beneath his chest. The gentle beating of his heart. He had honed in on it in his sleep. So that he would wake if it stopped. He didn't expect to wake up to the gentle caresses on his neck. His light blue eyes opened slowly to meet the humans own silver ones. His tail began wagging as he started to smile. 

"Morning," he quipped happily. "I was kind of worried when I found you."

Pips eyes were the same color as his wolves when Varim finally gazed upon them. It filled him with a small fleet of joy but it was quickly replaced by a fear.

"Morning," he quipped happily. "I was kind of worried when I found you."

He gasped and his eyes widened as if he had seen a horrifying sight, "Y-you can...talk?" Varim stated. "H-how can...a wolf speak? A..Are you a spirit?" Varim was worried that this could be one of his wolves come back to him in spirit form. That perhaps he was dead after all, but then why was he so cold still?

Was it the chill of death? Did it feel the same as the winter snow?

"Am I...truly dead?"

"Y-you can...talk?" Varim stated. "H-how can...a wolf speak? A..Are you a spirit?" Pip cocked his head. What was wrong with this human? Maybe he was alone in the cold for too long and his brain froze.

"Am I...truly dead?"

"I don't think so. You are talking aren't you," Pip said cocking his head. "I'm Pip. And we really should get you out of this cold. But you are much too heavy for me to pick up or drag. Kori shouldn't be terribly far." He had just started out. And while it was still early to return he figured  freezing human was a rather good excuse.

"I don't think so. You are talking aren't you," Pip said cocking his head. "I'm Pip. And we really should get you out of this cold. But you are much too heavy for me to pick up or drag. Kori shouldn't be terribly far."

Varim's fears subsided and instead intrigue set in. If he wasn't dead and this wolf could speak, then what was it? It was still a wolf and it was offering its help. Varim's trust of animals went beyond normal so he gave Pip a smile.

"I am Varim." He reached for Pips head, scratching him behind the ears, hoping that Pip held the same sweet spots as most other wolves he had encountered.

"Thank you for saving me." Varim began, he felt the cold beginning to set in again and he wasn't safe yet from this winter wonderland. The warmth of Pip was keeping him going but he would need to defrost somewhere as Pip so wisely mentioned.

He pulled his hands away and blew his hot breath into them, his face softening its gaze. "I will go with you to Kori, great spirit." Varim said, misinterpreting what Varim was.

Varim hadn't denied Varim's question of being a spirit, only if he was dead. Varim believed in guardian spirits in the form of animals. That everyone had one and now his had come during his darkest hour. It was something that made him feel a little bit better.

Varim went to stand, forcing Pip from his body. He looked down at his Estoc that he had grabbed just as the bright light too him. It lay in the snow and was nearly invisible against the white. Varim picked up the Estoc and had placed it back in its holder sitting on his waist.

He looked down at Pip and smiled, waiting for him to lead the way. A sudden cold wind blew against him and he clenched his eyes at the cutting air. He hugged himself and began to shiver. How quickly he wished to have the fur Pip adorned. He would walk, behind Pip at a slow pace fighting against the cold and sharp winds. Pips presence being an extra boon, he would keep his will high to make it to their destination. The promise of warmth and a new companion to speak with the fuel for it.

"I am Varim." Pip hummed lightly enjoying the ear scratches. Who knew humans had such magic fingers?

"Thank you for saving me."

"It was nothing. I would want someone to do the same for me," Pip said smiling.

"I will go with you to Kori, great spirit." Yep his brain had frozen over. Pip just chuckled his tail wagging. Let him call him what he wanted for now. Pip can tell him all about digimon later.

Pip jumped off Varim as he started to get up. He hopped out a bit in front of him. Then waited til he was ready before starting towards home. He knew the way by heart now. After get lost once in his childhood. It took him a long time wandering the white wasteland before being able to read the tundra. 

Pip walked out in front of him regularly stopping to wait and to look back at him. Occasionally he ran back to him to check on him. Rubbing against his legs to help keep him moving. 

"Not far now," Pip finally said.

If Varim would look up just a bit he would see towers blending into the sky. The white icy structures reflecting light and making the day seem brighter. There was easily a dozen of them dotted along the horizon. As they got closer and closer he would soon come to realize these easily scraped the sky. 

"The tallest one is apart of the castle. It is thirty stories," Pip said happily. "My families home is That dome there," Pip said heading for a much smaller tower no more than two stories and looking more like an igloo.

He trotted up to the home opened the dark wooden door. The house was dead quiet as they came in. Pip went about lighting the fireplace and setting things up. Leaving Varim to get comfortable. The chairs were really nothing more than slightly flattened pillows on the ground. The house was rather normal and looked like all one room. Off to the right of the door were the steps acting as a small divider to the open toilet. It was sparely furnished with only what was needed and a long square table low to the ground. 

"My parents and siblings are working right now so you won't meet them til later tonight," Pip said settling down beside him wherever he sat.

Time seemed to slow with the cold, Varims sense of it had gone. He looked down at the snow the shield his sensitive face from the sharp wind. He looked at Pips footprints to keep his direction. He'd occasionally stop when his legs refused to move, wanting to fall into the snow again.

He'd feel the young pup push against his legs urging him on, "Not far now," Pip encouraged several times. The echo of his voice was nice against the whistling of the cold wind in his ears and the crunching of snow under his buried feet.

Varim didn't speak, he just kept moving. Following his guardian. He looked weak, like he was ready to collapse again at a moments notice. Sounds of shivering escaped his iced lips. How fickle life was, throwing him from an inferno into a blizzard. Which was better, to burn or to freeze? Such a horrid thought to have in this moment.

He just needed to hold a moment more. He hadn't even noticed that they had entered a city of some sort until Pip spoke up.

"The tallest one is apart of the castle. It is thirty stories," Pip said happily. "My families home is That dome there,"

Varim raised his head to notice the beauty of the place he was in. The crystal spires that littered the skyline were the most beautiful sight he had ever laid his eyes upon. The way they glistened on the suns rays was truly breathtaking. Pips home was just as beautiful, however smaller.

Varim walked with Pip up to the entrance the thought of finally getting out of the frozen climate was exciting. He walked inside and looked around the home, taking in the sights and smells of this new place. It was so much fancier then the home he had on the mountain. Varim remained silent with an open mouth as he admired everything around him.

"My parents and siblings are working right now so you won't meet them til later tonight,"

The sudden talk from Pip snapped him from his reverie and he looked to the sight of the crackling fire and a deep fear washed over him. His face contorted and he clenched his teeth, his eyes opened so wide and he moved to the nearest wall from the fire. He spread out over it and stared at the flame.

"N...no! P-Please..." Varim said in almost a whisper, his cold fingers scratching at the wall and breathing becoming short and loud as he gasped. His body trembled from fear instead of cold. He could not bring his focus from the fire and had been transported back to mere hours ago as everything around him burned.

"S...Save me...please..." He had forgotten young Pip was even there and any attempt by him to garner his attention failed. He just continually stared at the fire.

"N...no! P-Please..." Pip looked up cocking his head. He looked between Verim and the fire. What was going on? "S...Save me...please..."

"Okay so you don't like fire," Pip said pushing the screen in front of the fire. Then covering it with a light sheet to hide it from view. The light dimming as it did so. "We can't put it out though. We need to warm you up."

As the flame escaped his sight, Varim slid down the wall clenching his chest to feel his beating heart. He took a breath and slowly sat down in his wet cloths with an audible squish. He felt afraid, disgusted and alone all at once. The realization of the events of losing his family and home returning to him. His face formed into a frown and eyes began to water.

He began to silently weep into his hands, the salty cold clear tears finding their way through his fingers. His body still shivering from the cold, he whispered "Mama...Papa..."

Pip watched him slide down the wall. His tears making Pips ears and tail droop. He walked up to him nuzzling his arms. He wondered why he was crying.

"Hey it's okay now. The scary fire is gone," Pip said softly. "Where are they?" Pip asked cuddling up to him still hoping to warm him up. It would take awhile with how wet his strange fur is.

"Hey it's okay now. The scary fire is gone," Pip said softly. "Where are they?"

Varim felt the brush of fur against him and the nose that was warmer then his skin push against his arms. He looked out to the side of his supposed spirit guide and reached for him. He took him into an embrace and continued to weep into his neck, the warm fur quickly becoming soggy from the damp clothes and tears. His body still shivering.

"They are dead...burned in an inferno mere hours ago...before I wound up in that wintry field. Same with all my wolf brothers. Were you not sent from the spirit world to help me?" He said. He hadn't heard Pip before when he mentioned his parents and siblings.