The aroma of pike wafted through the mild evening air as Gerald gave it the perfect sear. It would be ready in about five minutes. A passing family of Furrets and Sentrets diverted his attention. Fellow campers. Loud, too. More than a hundred feet away, but every word was clear as a bell.
“… ’ow long’s it gonna be closed?” The wife asked her husband. “Been three weeks already!”
He shrugged. “Guess’s good as mine. Ask Sterlin’ ‘bout it ever’ time I see ‘im, but even ‘e doesn’t know. Somethin’s wrong and they’re sayin’ nothin’…”
One of their kids interrupted him before he could elaborate, turning the conversation to the fun things they’re going to do on their vacation. Gerald surmised they were talking about Revaria, one of the many planets to which earth had portals. News for the past few weeks speculated on the sudden closure of those portals. No warning. No notice. The wormholes were rendered inactive one morning, leaving visiting Revarians no answers, no way home, and no way to contact loved ones. He felt pity for stranded visitors on either planet, but could do nothing about it. All he could do was be thankful he knew nobody trapped there and pray the closures would soon be lifted. His attention turned to his wife and children returning. Nikki was sobbing into her mother’s neck tuft. He looked up at Michelle.
“She accidentally killed a mouse when she wanted to pet it.” She patted Nikki’s back. “I told her it’s okay; mistakes happen.”
Gerald stood and gathered the crying Nikki into his arms. “There there...You didn’t mean it, sweetie. Don’t cry…”
While her father consoled her, her brother daydreamed. There was a metropolis of mice minding their own business. Going to work, playing, doing mouse things, and then… What was that in the distance?!
A GIANT NIKKI!
Run for your lives!
But no one could escape. The fox trampled the unfortunate mice while she belted out a stupid Riley song. Innocent little Nikki was a killer. It was like a game where you play as a mouse and the final boss was Nikki. Her stomp attack can kill you in one hit, so you had to take utmost care. A chortle erupted from Terrence before he could stifle it.
His mother’s death stare bore into his soul.
“I-I’m sorry!” He turned as though he could hide his grin. “I-I was thinking of, uh, s-something!”
Gerald sliced up and portioned the mouth-watering pike onto everyone’s plates. Leftover potato salad and coleslaw from lunch served as sides. Though Nikki was still downcast, she wasn’t crying anymore. The irresistible allure of food and empty stomach swayed her attention. Gerald ignited the fire pit with Ember, casting the vulpine family in a scintillating orange glow. Above them, a diamond-studded canvas signaled the waning hours of the day. Now was the time to eat together and enjoy family. Terrence and Nikki were about to start shoveling the food in when their father cleared his throat. They noticed their parents bow their heads, so they quickly nudged their plates away and did the same.
“Lord God,” Gerald started. “Thank You for this time with family, and the food, the pleasant weather, and…” He sighed. “We pray that everyone stranded by these closures would be able to go back home and be with their loved ones again. In Christ’s name, amen.”
The other three echoed his amen despite Nikki’s ignorance of the portal situation and Terrence’s halfhearted sympathy. He cared as well as a child could about problems outside his own world. Gerald looked up for a few seconds, taking in the speckled firmament.
Was anyone on Revaria looking back?
The family dug in, their appetites unable to hold off any longer. Terrence wanted to tease Nikki about the mouse, but didn’t want to push his parents’ limits. Dinner was peaceful. After the food was enjoyed and all cookware cleaned and put away, it was time for ghost stories. Their mother wrapped Nikki’s woolen Riley blankie around her children while their father spooked them about the frightful Mismagius who haunted Lake Dorson. In the middle of the night, he sought unsuspecting children and tricked them into sleepwalking into his lair deep in the forest. The pulsating illumination of the fire on their father’s face amplified the yarn’s terror. Nikki clutched her brother for protection. He tried to pry her off but shrugged and gave up when she wouldn’t let go.
Gerald’s eyes grew heavier as the tale waxed long. Every few sentences were interrupted with stifled yawns. He checked his watch and his eyes widened.
Already 10:15? Where did the time go?
Michelle stood with a stretch and rubbed her eyes. Nikki was sound asleep, head propped against Terrence’s shoulder. He shook her with his paw, jolting her awake so she’d get off him. She stood and stretched out her legs.
“Time for bed.” Their father grunted as he stood. He and Michelle had been awake nearly eighteen hours and were ready to close the book on the day. “Your sleeping bags are set up already.”
Terrence didn’t budge. The young fox wagged his tail as though anticipating hours of playful frolicking. “I wanna stay up.”
“You can in your tent, but not out here.” His father said.
Not a compromise the boy was thrilled with, but being awake was always better than not being awake. He nodded with a grumble.
“If you stay up, keep the noise down.” His mother added. “And if you need anything, come and wake one of us.” Her gaze turned to Terrence. “We don’t want you going anywhere by yourself.”
Terrence shuddered at the thought of having to wake one of them up in the event he needed the bathroom. He’d tell them nothing. “Okay.” He nodded.
With parting hugs, bids goodnight, and one last birthday kiss for Nikki, the foxes climbed into their tents. The parents made sure their children were in theirs and the zipper pulled up completely before going into their own. Gerald and Michelle conked out not two minutes later.
As for Terrence? His night was just getting started. If Lake Dorson was a Level Blue wild zone, what danger was there in exploring? It was an open-world map demanding he locate all the weapons and macguffins that would help him defeat the radioactive chipmunks. Only then would peace be restored to the campgrounds! He laid low for several minutes… Ah, there was that sound… His dad’s distinct snoring. He was out like a log. Mom too.
Terrence’s paw grasped the plastic zipper and, with the gentlest motion, began pulling it upward. The dark silhouettes of the mountains and distant forest lined the horizon. A broad smirk crept onto his muzzle.
Adventure awaited.
-
“… You lost him?” Nicholas growled into his phone.
“Th-they…” A Lycanroc stammered. “They say, uh… he attacked out of nowhere and-”
“So tell ‘em to fight back! You’re telling me that coward foiled you?” The Typhlosion shook his head as he started typing a Chitter post comforting Revaria about their unstoppable military.
The Lycanroc thought about divulging the fact that Ohara stole some of his men’s trapping devices, but decided against it. He’d rather not spend the rest of his life in prison; he was in enough hot water. “I’m s-sorry, sir… Won’t happen again.”
Rutger gave an irritated sigh and hung up. That incompetent canine would be disciplined later; he had a speech in five minutes. He was not terribly worried about Ohara. Sure, he knocked out four of his men, but that was like one mouse outsmarting one cat when ten thousand other cats were afoot. That traitor’s time was dwindling.
Suited up in his striking blue suit and red tie, Nicholas studied himself one last time in the mirror and headed downstairs. Per usual, cameras flashed and desperate reporters thrust their mics at him, hoping for extra comments and words of solace. His smile broadened and stride grew more deliberate. The embodiment of confidence and anchor for Revaria, Nicholas was a beacon of hope.
The return to normalcy was imminent.
-
A dark figure crouched and crawled into the cover of a stony, narrow recess. Shebaton Cavern was vast enough to enable escape from a national army. Ten thousand ‘cats’ may have been after him, but they were lost in an endless labyrinth. Meanwhile, he had been here before. He knew this network of paths like a familiar neighborhood.
The figure trudged through a mile of damp soil, bag slung over his back. His hands, knees, and feet formed shallow imprints in the ground. Granules tumbled as his lithe frame navigated the tunnel, forcing him to intermittently stop and stifle his coughs. The clatter from his cargo made him wince; the spherical traps jostled about as he moved, but this was the best solution. Better in his satchel than in the hands of his pursuers. His left knee protested with pops and creaks a quarter-mile into the tunnel. He would’ve brought more medication for his weakening knee joints, but had no time. He was fortunate to have taken anything, let alone elude Rutger.
The tunnel slowly widened into a chamber bathed in chemiluminescent blues, purples, greens, and reds. A sight that would captivate most people’s sense of mystery and beauty, but not his. Even if he had not been here before, there was no time to gawk. The ample space allowed him to stand (and groan as sharp pain tore through his left leg). He leaned against an outcrop of obsidian to catch his breath. He imbibed two pills of his medication and let the pain take its time waning away. On the bright side, not a soul knew his whereabouts. Even if one of Rutger’s men were to find the tunnel, he could pile rocks against the opening. Many of them had heat-sensors, but the thick walls and abundant life would make it difficult to pinpoint him.
After recovering some of his strength, he stacked heavy obsidian chunks against the tunnel’s mouth. A powerful attack could blast them away, but he couldn’t worry about that now.
The hunted figure walked toward a patch of soil in the center of the room and knelt. He then set his bag down and unzipped it. No one else was here, but force of habit made him cringe at the sound. He reached in with trembling hands, cautiously shuffling items. The photo… hastily-accrued rations… those spheres…
The sight of those made his fur bristle. A mental image of Rutger stared at him, eyes boring into his. Rutger’s mouth turned upward in a polished, toothy grin.
“I’ll get you, traitor...”
He moved the spheres under the other items and stopped to breathe. And then, sounds.
Gunfire?
It was muffled and concentrated somewhere above the ceiling.
“Don’t panic.” He assured himself. “Just a predator… probably.”
In a shadowed corner of his bag, he found them. The seeds and vial of water. The water was untouched despite his thirst. He forged a shallow groove in the dirt, placed a pebble-sized blue seed into it, and filled the hole with soil. When he opened the vial, he poured the water onto the mound and waited.
As the water coursed its way through the ground, he listened to the noise. Aside from the clamor above, he felt safe. Soldiers unqualified to be soldiers pathetically trying to stave off some hungry monster. Sad, but not his problem. Eventually, the chaos dissolved into quiet. The peace was welcome.
A minute passed and a tiny bud broke forth. A wave of relief swept over him as all the tension in his being dissipated. Eyes moistened slightly. The hell of the previous three weeks was over.
It was time to go.
-
Terrence was about to dart from the tent when a voice seized him. “Tewwy!” Nikki snagged his tail. “Mommy and daddy said no-”
He whipped about and clasped her blabbering mouth shut with a disapproving paw. “Zip it.” He scowled. She forced his paw away.
“I’m gonna tell!” She tried to step past him.
“No you’re not.” He moved in front of her.
“I am too!”
“No you’re not!”
Rustling from the other tent silenced them. Terrence noticed the silhouette of his father sit up. He held his breath; his dreams of adventure were about to be dashed. Stupid Nikki and her stupid yelling. She was going to pay for this.
“Gotoslee-” Gerald muttered incoherently and promptly plopped back to a comfortable supine position. The snoring resumed.
Phew, close one.
Nikki tried to pass her brother again when he came up with an idea. An impish grin crossed his muzzle.
“Alright, you can tell.” He stepped to the side, allowing her to dart past. She was about to call for daddy when Terrence continued. “I just hope the Evil Toxic Beast doesn’t find you.”
She froze and her head swiveled back to him. Her quizzical ‘deer-in-the-headlights’ expression was priceless. Terrence held back laughter. “Yeah, you see, he doesn’t like it when little children, uh… especially little girls who like Riley, stay up past their bedtime. In fact, it’s even WORSE if he sees them outside their tents.”
Her little frame trembled, eyes darting about for any sign of this monstrosity.
“Legend says...” he skulked towards her for dramatic effect. His eyes met hers with sly avarice. “he likes to trap them and... FEED them to his radioactive chipmunks. So... you should just stay here and be safe.” Terrence kept a serious demeanor.
His sister bolted into the tent with a whimper as tears welled up in her eyes. “B-b-but… why’re you going?”
Terrence sighed, not anticipating the interrogation. “To, uh… kill the monster… yeah.”
Nikki’s tears disappeared as quickly as they came. If anyone could destroy the Evil Toxic Beast, it was her big brother. Well, so could daddy, but he was asleep.
“S-so… yeah, just go back to sleep and let me handle this.” He waved his paw dismissively. “It’ll be a piece’a cake.”
A smile brightened her face. “Okie. Be caweful!”
With the smirk a child gets from pulling the wool over his sibling’s eyes, Terrence darted heroically toward the forest. The Evil Toxic Beast would not stand a chance! Each bound away from their little campground bolstered him with increasing confidence. If mom or dad woke up, he’d be too far away to be found. And if Nikki ever caught on, she’d be too scared to leave the safety of the tent and chase him.
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
It may have been Nikki’s birthday, but this was Terrence’s night.
Nikki whimpered, Terrence shrinking into the black, wooded horizon. Worries burgeoned, esteem in her brother’s abilities replaced with heart-thudding dread. Alone in her tent, parents asleep, brother off to confront a terrifying beast in a forest infested with radioactive rodents…
With tremulous limbs, she scurried after him. Maybe she could reach him before the beast saw either of them. She could’ve told mommy and daddy, but what if it took too long to wake them? By then, Terrence will have fallen to the cruel monster, never to be seen again.
“Tewwy!” She wailed as her puny frame bounded through the grass. She wasn’t as fast as him, but that wasn’t going to stop her. Her brother showed no sign of stopping. In fact… he picked up his pace. “TEWWY! STOP!” Any moment, a hulking purple monster dripping with slime would reveal himself and capture Terrence. Her legs ached the longer she ran. Soreness. Pain. Terror.
Terrence vanished into the trees.
Her nerves tightened, but she never stopped. There was still hope; there always was. She’d find him and they’d be safe in their tent again. A glimpse of a Riley episode projected itself in her mind. The innocent little raccoon was lost in the dark, scary forest one night, but her opossum and ermine friends found her. Though they were scared, it turned out Riley was never in danger. She apologized for getting separated and thanked them for finding her. The lesson in persistence and loyalty propelled Nikki onward.
Minutes later, she panted past the forest boundary and stopped to catch her breath.
“Tewwy…” She whimpered as she tracked his scent. “Whew aw you?”
Nothing.
“T-tewwy…” She continued, each tentative step leading her deeper into the forest. As she inched her way through the foliage, the canopy became denser. The negligible atmospheric light diminished. She didn’t see him, but the twitching of her nose alerted her he was nearby.
She called his name repeatedly, her voice louder and more desperate with each iteration. “Pwease! Tewwy!” Her eyes watered. His scent became muddled as the aroma of the forest overpowered it. “Whew aw-”
“AAAAH! HELP!”
Nikki’s ears perked up; the voice erupted from deeper into the trees. She took off. “TEWWY!”
Adrenaline and blood thundered through her little skull. There was no time. The Evil Toxic Beast had claimed the helpless fox and would soon drag him away.
“HELP!”
The voice was closer!
An ember ignited in her chest and gathered heat as she readied an attack. Only enough to light a few birthday candles, but it was all she had. She couldn’t see or hear the monster, but maybe he was just very quiet.
“I’m coming I’m coming!”
“HEL-”
A nearby SNAP cracked the still air as Terrence’s plea was cut off. Nikki froze. With quivering lips, she uttered his name one more time.
Seconds passed...
Silence.
Her legs went numb. She desperately surveyed her surroundings for any chance her brother survived... Nothing but night and the idle silhouettes of oak trees. Her frame crumpled to the ground, face buried into her paws as her whimpers melted into sobs. The weight of mortality pulverized her like a cascade of cement bricks. Birthdays were meant to be filled with mirth, family, and Riley songs. The fact she would never see her brother again made her-
“GOTCHA!”
A tap on her back made her jump with a shriek. She whipped herself about, prepared to cast the Ember waiting in her lungs. She stopped short.
“Tewwy?!” She gasped.
He keeled over and clutched his stomach in a raucous bout of laughter. No scratches, scrapes, or wounds of any kind. Just a fox giddy over his own japes. The twig he snapped for effect was an improvisation he was particularly proud of. “That… that was SO easy!”
Nikki was not laughing. Her eyes moistened from Terrence’s pretend fate while his moistened from unfettered guffaws.
“It’s not funny!” She growled as she wiped away ongoing tears. Terrence rolled onto his feet and eased up on his fit.
“Yeah it is!”
Nikki sniffled. “I… I fought you were died…”
“It was a joke, Nik.” Terrence shook his head though his remorseless smile remained. “I’m obviously not dead.”
The tears didn’t stop.
He turned in a quick 360-degree motion, letting Nikki see all of him. “See? I’m alright. Stop crying already.”
The hemorrhaging from her eyes lessened, but the scowl remained.
“Okay, I’m sorry.” He sighed. “I… won’t do that prank again.”
Nikki extended her paw. “Pwomise?”
“Of course.” He smiled and shook her paw. His gesture restored a smile to Nikki’s face, but now that her guard was down...
“You’re it!” He playfully punched her on the shoulder and darted away.
“Hey!” She barked and pursued him.
Terrence looked back over his shoulder. “If you can’t catch me, you’re a smelly sock!” He ran, but not at full speed. He wanted to make sure Nikki always saw him.
“You’re smewwy sock!”
“How can I be if you’re one?” Terrence fired back as he maneuvered through baneberry shrubs and leapt over protruding roots. He’d slow down enough to give Nikki hope, only to speed up and elude capture.
“Hey!” She exclaimed a jocular cry.
Deeper into the woods they played, Terrence always a few steps ahead. It wasn’t until the intrusion of a river that they were forced to stop. He darted to the right, but Nikki pounced on him. The two tumbled over each other in a ball of squeals and chortles, nearly rolling into the water. Terrence smeared her face with a lump of mud and she reciprocated. Yips of laughter filled the air as the two children became caked in dirt. Meanwhile, an opening in the forest canopy revealed a sea of scintillating specks lightyears away.
Distant worlds unaware of their frivolity.
Distant people living similar lives.
Distant conflict that found no place in their minds.
This was Terrence and Nikki’s life. Summer. Playtime. Vacation. All the misgivings the older brother held at the beginning of the trip evaporated. This was fun, and neither wanted it to end.
-
Through stars...
Galaxies…
Nebulae…
Endless space…
An invisible distortion tore through the cosmos. Thousands upon thousands of lightyears traversed in minutes. It would connect with its destination soon.
-
An indeterminate time later, but still nighttime, budding anxiety eroded the foxes’ youthful merriment. Better go back to their tent and pray their parents didn’t know about this. Being slathered in mud did not help, but good thing they could use the river to wash it off. Into the water they waded and frantically scraped away the evidence of overnight play. Terrence shuddered at the thought of dad looking into their tent and not seeing him or Nikki. Thoughts coursed through him of everything he ever enjoyed being confiscated. No friends, games, wi-fi, or food until he was thirty. Making It back quickly was crucial to survival. Sneaking out for a nightly quest wasn’t the brilliant idea he thought it would be. As soon as he was satisfied with his own cleanliness, he yanked his sister along and stepped out.
“Hey!” A partially-clean Nikki protested, pulling back in vain.
“You’re clean enough. Let’s go.”
Through the forest he raced, Nikki struggled to follow. The suffocating darkness and obtrusive trees did not help; it was like they conspired against him. Every moment spent navigating these obstacles was another second mom or dad could be waking up.
Terrence stopped suddenly; Nikki caught up seconds after. She cocked her head in confusion. An additional snag in the foxes’ return reared its head.
“Tewwy?”
“Wait…” Terrence panted. His ears perked as he swiveled his head to the right, left, backwards… His heart beat a little faster as the situation coiled itself around him. Every direction looked the same… trees to the right… trees to the left… trees in front and trees behind. A homogenized mass of bark, foliage, and logs…
No sign of a trodden path, no sign of Lake Dorson, no sign of the tents…
“… Tewwy?”
“What?!” He snapped, causing her to recoil.
“Aw you okay?” Her ears drooped.
“Y-yeah… sorry. Just, uh… thinking. Uh… let’s keep going.”
Terrence pressed on, hoping his nose or eyes would recognize a familiar scene. His tired feet trudged along the unchanging environment. More trees… more dirt…
Oh? Was that something different ahead? A clearing, perhaps?
His pace quickened. Relief slowly washed over him. The canopy thinned out as he progressed. Beyond that, he could make out the sky. His pace evolved into a gallop, no cries from Nikki to slow down could deter him.
Finally! Out of the forest! Now just get to the tents-
He skidded to a halt. His mouth went agape. Mind went blank. This had to be a cruel joke.
It was the river again, just a different part of it.
Nikki caught up, feet equally sore. Her voice was shaky. “Tewwy? Whew aw we?”
The question went in one ear and out the other. His limbs trembled as the dilemma bore its gaze on the little fox. He choked out a hopeless whimper as thoughts of dread filled his heart. The thought of being grounded didn’t bother him that much anymore; he just wanted to be back in his tent.
Nikki broke the silence. “Aw we lost?”
“I… uh…” A little moisture accumulated in his eyes which he quickly brushed away. “Yeah…”
Nikki gasped. But, to her brother’s surprise, she didn’t cry. That one episode of Riley came to mind again. If her favorite raccoon can hope her way through tough moments, so could they. A glint of optimism lit up her face as she tried to encourage him.
“Wet’s keep wooking!” Her tail wagged.
Terrence groaned at her incredulous solution. “Where do we start? We’ll just get more lost.”
“B-but Wiley said neber gib up!” She grabbed his paw as though wanting to pull him along. “Don’t gib up, Tewwy!”
Terrence wanted to argue, as he couldn’t admit that irritating raccoon sounded saner than him, but his better judgment won. Nikki’s solution was more likely to find the campground than staying here and pouting. Besides, there were no dangerous animals around. Terrence was thankful this was a Level Blue Zone and not higher. With a renewed sense of gratitude he was ashamed to vocalize, he regained his composure and led the way.
Onward…
Onward…
Minutes elapsed… nothing familiar yet… more trees, more shrubbery, more-
A spark lit up Terrence’s eyes.
That tree! It was the one he hid behind when he tricked Nikki! He couldn’t forget that silhouette resembling the skeleton boss from Nightmare Quest! “This way!” He took off like a bullet, leaving Nikki trailing once more. His parents could be waiting for them with crossed arms and dour expressions, but it didn’t matter. He would be back in his tent.
Onward…
Onward…
A violent jolt rattled the ground, flinging the foxes to the side like rag dolls. Terrence rolled over a few times before stopping in the crook of some thick roots. Dizzy. Wind knocked out of him. Couldn’t stand up.
Another rumble. The ground rocked back and forth with slight, rapid vibrations. Leaves and twigs shaken loose and small critters fleeing their holes. Wide-eyed, Terrence clung to one of the roots. He couldn’t see Nikki, but could hear her screams through the tremulous oscillations.
“N-n-nik-kki!”
The rumbling became louder… more violent…
CRACK!
Clods of earth cast about in a sudden eruption. Terrence covered his head from the cascading detritus.
A pale shaft of blue light shot upward, illuminating the canopy and surrounding trees. It produced a stagnant hum difficult to describe. It was like a machine-animal hybrid. In a panic, Terrence forced himself up and stumbled out from the crook.
“NIKKI!”
The shaft of light was brighter at its base, and the ground it poured from caved inward. The strident glow forced him to shield his eyes. He still couldn’t see Nikki, but promptly realized where her wails were coming from.
The newly-formed crevasse.
As his pupils calibrated with the alien resplendence, he noticed her little paw reaching up, groping for any kind of leverage.
“TEWWY! TEWWY!” Her shrieks ripped through him.
He bounded to the hole in massive strides, squinting as he closed distance with the light. His eyes adjusted once more and took in the sight.
He seized up.
Below Nikki was an infinite, bottomless sea of blue light. All Nikki had for support was a protruding root she clenched with her right paw. She reached for Terrence with the other.
Terrence clasped his paws around her left paw and pulled. The adrenaline surging through him contended with the light’s unrelenting hum. He managed to pull her up a little, but terror kept her other paw clenched about the root.
“Let… go… of that!” Terrence yelled, heart pounding.
She wouldn’t.
“Come... on!” He barked, not realizing his weight was causing loose ground under him to slip into the abyss. “Just…” He grunted, “grab my arm with… your other paw and… I’ll pull you up!”
Nikki stubbornly held onto the root; it wasn’t until Terrence yelled at the top of his lungs that she obeyed. Her other paw swung up and grabbed his arm. Terrence lurched forward. He did not anticipate the sharp increase of force.
The soil slipped away. Terrence lost his footing.
Toward the hole they slid.
The light blinded Terrence as it consumed his vision. He pulled and pulled. Sweat dripped from his forehead. Arms and legs strained in vain. Nikki’s grip slackened as the gradient turned into a wall.
“NO!” Terrence yelled, tears forming in his eyes. “HOLD ON!”
Digit by digit, Nikki lost her grip. Down she went. Her screams faded as the hole tore her away down the bottomless pit.
Gone.
Terrence had just enough footing to hop back onto stable ground. He could run and get help. His parents. Campground authorities. Anybody. But… what was down there? His heart thudded against his ribs. Mind went blank.
… What if he had no time? Would the seconds spent getting help cost Nikki her life?
With a leap, he vanished into the hole.
-
A Pidgeot and a Mandibuzz soared through the chilled air with unyielding purpose. The alien beam of light pierced the southern horizon. No time to ask questions despite the hundreds inundating their minds. Someone could be in trouble. Was this an attack? Prepare to strike, just in case. Closer their wings guided them. Closer… closer… faint yells echoed in the distance.
Faster!
An otherworldly hum accompanied the desperate pleas. What was that? It didn’t matter right now. Rescue first, questions later. Lake Dorson was an oasis of peace and isolation. Whoever was causing violence to this innocent would be met with swift justice.
The Pidgeot and Mandibuzz glanced at each other, silently signaling a coordinated offense. First move would be a tandem Sand Attack; blind the assailant before inflicting damage. From there, take them out with relentless blows and apprehend them. Below the canopy they flew. Almost there.
Then the light flickered and the hum slowly faded. Did the attacker see them and cease? The birds seamlessly weaved through the trees; this mystery Pokemon wasn’t going to get away.
Before the birds could reach the dwindling light, it tapered into nothing. Their talons made contact with the ground. They were certain this was where the light was.
Nothing here.
No sign of any disturbance.
Other rangers rushing to the scene were met with the same placid, yet bizarre atmosphere. A search promptly began. Shouts for discombobulated travelers went unanswered. Other rangers decided a census of campers present on the grounds should be taken. Would anyone be missing?
They hoped not.
