Once Is Enough

Part 2

"...Looks...ny..."

"What...him now?"

"I...we kill...!"

"No...! ...we...him...pack..."

"Yeah! Zo...about you...?"

"No."

"What?!"

"...Can't..."

"ZO...! THIS...ONLY FOOD...MONTHS-"

"Quiet... Both...you."

"Syphier! Don't...understand?!"

"Shut up...kill...you understand?! Zoa...You're...disappointment...care...
pack...once?!"

"..."

"Now do us all a favor and be useful. Pick up this boney thing and hustle."

The voices were becoming more clear as Avian regained consciousness. He squinted open his eyes, only to find his vision still blurry. At that moment, something began to tug at the skin on his back. He was lifted into the air and was carried over the grassy ground. Faint murmurs were heard.

"Worse comes worse, we could just... them. Then we'll have the feast that we all deserve!" one whispered.

"Strike, you'll be a dead Luxray if you go through with that," a lower voice growled. Grumbles were emitted from Strike. "We've already... the runt, but that's it." Avian stiffened and the grip on his back tensed as well. The movement of whoever was carrying him paused and Avian immediately went limp. "Let's go! Move it!" the voice ordered. Avian was lugged into the trees without saying another word. His body dangled from the mouth of the Pokemon that was carrying him. It was then that worry began to enter its way back into Avian's soul. He thought it over again. What did thy say they were gonna do to me...? he thought nervously. Are they gonna eat me?! No... They can't... They can't...! I...!

Before he knew it, the scrawny little Pokemon started shivering, every muscle in his body vibrating in fear. "No... No... No...! I... I don't wanna hurt anymore...!" he breathed as quietly as a whisper. "I want Mom and Dad...! Please... I... I want them...!" The supposed Luxray that carried him suddenly stopped in his tracks, his breaths becoming shaky. Avian gasped silently and went limp again to try and cover up his mistake, but he knew it was too late.

"Zoar. What's wrong with you?" the gruff voice demanded. The Pokemon that was bearing him jerked its head up to look at the still blurry Pokemon in front of him. He and Strike stalked over to them. "You're not acting like your usual self. Did something get into that mushy brain of yours?" He cuffed Zoar's head like a slap as Syphier approached them. Avian could hear a faint rumble within Zoar's throat.

"...No, Alpha," he replied. Syphier eyed Zoar for a moment before continuing forward.

"Lets hurry, there're Luxrays waiting for us back at the pride."

Avian's mind was racing now. He had a notion that the time he had as he was traveling to their pack would be his last. He longed to cherish every moment, but how, he thought, could he cherish a walk to his own death?
____________________________
They finally reached a rocky area with jagged stones and cliffs. The atmosphere was already eerie as it was mysterious. The Riolu heard the padding of other Pokemon on the earth and the licking of lips as they passed by them. Murmurs soon broke through.

"Food! Finally!"

"That skinny thing was all they could find?"

"At least we can eat something."

"How will we share it with the whole pack? It's so tiny!"

"We'll manage. Better than traveling all the way to the barren."

The moving suddenly stopped and Avian shut his eyes hastily. More paw steps emitted, but they seemed to get farther away before they finally ceased.

"We bring good news," It was Syphier's voice. "Us three have located a possible food source for the pack. This Riolu proves that forest Pokemon still live on!" Yowls of sheer hatred came from the gathered Pokemon. "I shall send a hunting group at sunrise to scout the area and slay any forest Pokemon in our path! Otherwise, we feast tomorrow on this pup! And let many days later bring us more!" Powerful roars exploded from the Pokemon, but Avian shivered in terror.

He was scheduled to be eaten alive tomorrow.

"Put him in the cave, Zoar," Syphier ordered. The Luxray dipped his head respectfully and headed to a huge crevice in a towering rock away from the other Pokemon. The light, Avian found, was dying quickly as they went deeper into the shallow cave. After a few moments, the he was set down, still pretending to be limp.

There was a careful pause before Zoar's gruff voice spoke.

"I know you're alive. You can get up if you want." Avian hesitated, but didn't dare to move a single muscle, fearing that the Luxray would attack soon after. He heard him shift. "Fine, then you can just listen. I'm only going to tell you this once," he said. "I'm not going to hurt you... Unless you want me to." Avian tensed in horror as Zoar sat himself down next to the trembling Pokemon. "You're going to be eaten tomorrow, kit, and everyone in the pride thinks you're... Well, not alive," he sighed. "So... If you don't want to 'hurt' when that happens, I can end it for you here. But again, that's up to you..."

Avian knew exactly what he meant. He stayed completely mute, his courage fading fast. He forced the scared tears not to slide from his tired eyes, knowing that he had just felt the cold, harsh slap of reality: It was to survive or die in the wild. And he knew it was too late for him.

Zoar exhaled. "Ah, look at me, asking you such a big question like this..." There was a halt before Avian heard Zoar get up from his place. "I'll give you until tomorrow morning, alright kit? You think about this overnight." As he left the cave, the pup's eyes opened wearily to look at the cold rocky ground.

"It won't matter now, will it...?" he murmured. He stopped abruptly in his tracks at the Riolu's words. "What's the point anyway? I'm weak... There's no food... Nobody's going to protect me anymore... And my parents..." Avian's eyes welled with warm tears.

"I'd rather just stop than live any longer like this..."

Zoar's widened in shock. The child's voice was breaking now, and he cringed at his grueling choice, shivering with wet eyes. There was a long moment of silence until Zoar breathed out uncomfortably with a slight tone of finalization.

"Tomorrow, then," was all he could manage to say before he exited the cave. He then shoved a large boulder to block the entrance and trap the small Pokemon inside. Still, he couldn't even muster any strength to move anyway.

"Mommy... Daddy..." he whispered to himself. "I... Miss you so much..."

He whimpered quietly as he cried himself to sleep for what he thought was the final time.