Pokémon: The Mysterious Region (book 1)

Chapter 21: The Hunted

Breathless, I staggered to a stop, putting both hands on a tree to steady myself as I sank to the ground.

"Come on," Luna said, hauling me to my feet. "Now isn't the time to rest. We need to hide."

I groaned. Thanks to the injuries I received from Sceptile plus all the running, I was exhausted. 

"I can't," I wheezed. "Go any further."

I collapsed back on the ground and breathed heavily. Luna kneeled next to me and grimaced. "Fine."

She ripped off some moss off a root and held it up to Dewpider. "Wet this will you."

Dewpider blew some bubbles and they popped on the moss. Luna squeezed it to release some of the water, then began wiping my face with it.

"Not too deep," she said. Must be talking about the small cuts on my face. Then she froze and leaned in closer to the point where I could feel her hot breath.

"Xera," she said, pointing to a spot on my left cheek. "Take a look at this."

Xera leaned in close, her face spinning in front of my eyes, her voice more distant. "He's been poisoned. Sceptile didn't want to take chances. Must be slow acting."

I felt my body get laid down, but I didn't know if it was Luna or Xera who had done it. My vision had gone blurry and my brain muddled up. I saw a figure rise from beside me and I reached out a shaking hand in an attempt to stop them.

"P-please," my voice was shaking as well. "D-don't go..."

My vision was fading. I could hear voices. Talking. Talking. I could see silhouettes. Three of them. Humans. Not Pokemon. Humans. Not Pokemon. Humans. Not Pokemon...

...

I was running. I knew I shouldn't stop. He was getting closer. I could feel his sharp gaze in the trees, leaves slicing through the air. I felt them slice past my face, stick themselves in my back, ripping apart my leaf-woven clothes.

I turned my head and saw him lunge through the air, his sharp tail punching through my back and shooting out of my chest. I screamed in agony as I saw the blood on his tail, watching it slide backwards out of my body. I fell to my knees, blood gushing from my mouth. I tried to speak, choking on the blood. I fell forwards, everything else fading away...

...

I blinked. I was awake. I could feel something on my left cheek, something wet and sticky. I tried to lift my left hand to feel it, but my whole arm felt like lead. I groaned in discomfort as I tried to move my body, but to no avail.

I gazed upwards at the canopy, squinting since the light from the sun glared down on me through the leaves. My head was raised slightly and the surface beneath it felt soft. Maybe a root with moss?

With great difficulty, I turned my head sideways. I could hear voices talking. I could see Xera conversing with... was that a little girl. She was dressed in a long coat of dark fur, her purple hair in a ponytail, kept together by a yellow orb. Her eyes were the most unnerving. Sharp yellow, not like the soft golden color of Luna's eyes. These were more similar to Sceptile's.

She appeared to sniff the air, then grinned, sharp teeth in plain view. She said something, then pointed to me. Xera looked over at me and almost fell off the root she was sitting on. She hurriedly got up and came over.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"You know," I grunted, trying to shift my body into a more comfortable position. "It almost sounds like you care."