Once Is Enough

Part 13 (End)

Avian slowly regained his numb feeling. He felt that there were stray leaves, twigs, and dirt dousing him as he lie on the ground of his cave. Too puzzled to figure why, the Pokemon instead sat up and let them tumble off his stomach and head.

The thunderstorm had died down, and only a shower of rain accompanied the dark unwelcoming sky. The wind gave him chills, but he felt as if those chills were being caused by something else. Like there was something important he was missing. He thought...

...Ow... My body's... Aching so much... He stared down at his paws blankly, fatigued from the pain. Why is it so hard to move...? He decided to ask.

"Zoar, what hap--"

His eyes widened in revelation.

"...Zoar!"

The memories came flashing through his head at once; they ambushed him into panic.

No... No no no no!

Avian shot himself up, despite the minor paralysis effects. Shear worry and horror were the only factors aiding him now. He hastily rushed out the entrance to the rocky crevice and into the falling rain. He didn't care about his fur getting soaked like he should have, he didn't care about anything at all:

Zoar was in danger.

The Riolu ran and ran, calling out his name into the night pleadingly. He didn't even reconsider the fact that Zoar's pack might have still been on the move. He blocked the idea that they would charge at him, even decreeing the possibility that he would be eaten on the spot. It all seemed so reminiscent, which frightened Avian. Exceedingly.

"Zoar?! ZOAR! Are you there?!"  he called desperately. Before he knew it, tears began to form in the corners of his eyes.  "S-say something! You're scaring me...!" He couldn't have fought them on his own, could he?! he thought.

His question was soon answered.

Avian's eyes were met with about four other Luxrays sprawled among the battleground. Dried blood tarnished them and the areas they occupied, and he couldn't have felt more mortified in his life, even more so than the day he lost his parents. Avian didn't think to examine them, hurrying onward until his foot kicked something lying in front of him. When he glanced down, he immediately gasped, covering his vision and recoiling instantly.

The child compelled himself to look again, sliding his paw away from his face shakily.

The body of a muscular Luxray lay limp on the damp earth. He knew it wasn't Zoar's, for his eye had a distinguishable scar along with other lacerations that looked like they were fresh. His gaze was lifeless, dead, and Avian had to turn away again. It was somehow different than the other bodies. This one seemed have suffered more damage, like it was the primary target.

He gulped.

Those Pokemon... They must have been the ones who raised Zoar... He deeply pondered for a moment, recalling what his friend had said about them.

"My pack is actually very ruthless. Their purpose is to survive, yes, but they do it... Mercilessly,

When any of them came across a prey, they would hunt it immediately without even thinking twice. Then others began to hunt, more and more like this."

His mind began to imagine these cadavers, once alive, killing and killing those poor Pokemon. He imagined how appalling it must have been for their families when they never arrived home.

It made him feel sick to his stomach, scrambling his thoughts for a moment.

He urged himself to continuing walking...