Forest Depths

You were trotting through the trees as you tried to find your bearings within the forest. You were panting a bit as you looked around frantically, searching for the way back to the dirt path.

“Rai! Ease up! Not so fast!” Rachael cried out, holding on your side; having to limp a bit on her able foot to keep up with your pace as the other one was still sore.

“There’s no time! Kate and the others are in danger!” You argue as you keep on moving, only to trip on a stone, sending you two to the ground, falling into wet mud for you. You groaned as you lifted your upper body up, face completely covered in mud before you wiped it off, helping you see once more with your annoyed face.

“Ow…” you hear a voice and you turn to see Rachael holding her hurt leg. You look and feel bad for causing her more pain.

She noticed your expression and said, “I can hardly walk, let alone fight. How are we gonna help out even if we find our way out?”

Your eye twitches in frustration as you’re unable to argue with her reasoning. You’re still quite battered from fighting that Greninja, and as she said, she can’t fully stand on her hurt leg. If you managed to get up there in time, you would be practically serving yourselves up on a dinner plate.

“We have to trust that they’ll be okay.” She said just as you helped her up and shouldered her once more as you moved more carefully.

“I’m not worried about them as much as I’m worried about Kate.” He stated as you look around once more, only to find shelter to hide and rest instead. “What if they just abandon her or worse?”

“What are you suggesting?” Rachael asked, raising an eye towards him.

You were silent for a moment before you looked at her. “I don’t deny that they have been helping us out, sans Nina who just joined up today. However we have met those who are distrustful to strangers and even tried to attack and eat us. That Scrafty from before said it was every Mon for themselves, and there’s no doubt that there are those who do follow that rule… I hate having to say that about the group, but we barely know them. Even Neku, who help us out, isn’t too bothered about vore.”

“Rai, Neku helped us out when you blacked out. Even e-.. dealing with that Mr. Mine infected.” Rachael reminded you.

“I know that, but-“

“While Felix did attack us, he stopped when Kate begged him to. You also trusted him to find a safe place for her, I heard you.” She added and continued. “You told me that Vargus saved your life when he just met you. And throughout the night, he did nothing to you. Plus he seems genuinely caring to Kate.” She added, patting your back.

“Mhhh… I don’t deny all of that, it’s just…” you stated while making sure to keep his ears open for any potential threats. “We gained a considerable amount of allies, and while they did help us out, we still don’t know much about them. Neku’s still mysterious, Felix attacked you without listening to reason accusing you of being bandits, and Vargus has that… fetish.” You said that as you noticed a small crevice with a boulder at the side. You lay her near the boulder as you leaned on the slanted earth to rest a bit as you stare at the medallion. “On our way to the soothsayer, we needed herbal medicine for Kate, and you needed to drink tea repped by a stranger, which if you’d refused would’ve cost you your life.”

Rachael was silent as she does remember that incident and how it really bothered her how her life came down to drinking tea. “Even that soothsayer, who did help with her info and Mega-Evolution, still manipulated us into a dangerous quest just to see if we would go help someone in need, who it was already dealt with before. We could’ve still died!”

Rachael moved over to you and place a paw on your shoulder. You look to her as she stares at you with her comforting gaze. You held her paw and squeezed it gently. “I never had anyone else look after Kate while I was away. I trust you because you’re my best friend, but them? I just met them.” You think about your parents before you think about your sister. “If something happens to Kate, I… can’t ever forgive myself.” You squeeze your paws as you finish speaking.

Rachael listened to your words, taking a deep breath as she leaned on the rock. “I hear what you’re saying, and you’re not wrong to think that, but it doesn’t look like any one of them would do something so cruel.” She stated, “She’ll be okay.”

You look at her and see her reassuring look and it calms you a bit, “A-alright, but I would feel better knowing for sure.”

Rachael nods in agreement as she leans back on the boulder, just as she felt a draft coming from behind the stone. Rachael then turns around and notices a small opening in between the boulder and wall. She tries to push against the boulder, but it is too heavy. “Rai, give me a hand with this.”

“Huh?” You asked confused as you approached her.

“There may be a way through this.” The Buneary answered. Hearing this, you move to her side, and on the count of three, you two push against the large stone as hard as you can. You felt it shift a bit to the side as there was in fact a pathway past it. You grit your teeth as you push your weight against it. “You go in first.” You say and she limped in. You carefully make your way in as well, the boulder moving back into its original position.

You two sigh afterwards as take a moment to relax now that you’re not in the open before you notice your surroundings are dark. You generate a little bit of electricity in order for you two to see better. When that happened, Rachael’s faint voice hit your ears. “Look.” You saw where she pointed to see what looks like a curtain at the end of a dim hallway. You stare with a bit of concern. No one would have that within a cave. You turn to your friend in order to place a finger on your lip, telling her to keep quiet. She nods in response as you start to carefully move your way towards the curtain. You can feel your heart pounding against your chest, hitting with every step you make just as you reach the point where you’re able to reach your paw towards the fabric to touch it. You take a deep breath as you are about to move it, but then you pause just as you felt Rachael hold your shoulder. “It wouldn’t be right for us to intrude and shock them if someone is there.” Rachael whispered quietly in your ear. “Speak out in case non-infected are there.”

“What if they’re infected?” You asked.

“I’m on guard.” She whispered to you, lightly placing her paw down, but wincing a bit from the pain.

You thought about it as this could still get you in trouble, but probably more so if you just walk in. You take a deep breath as you open your mouth.

“H-Hello there…” You spoke calmly, but your stutter betrays you to show nervousness. “I don’t mean any trouble. I just want to know if someone’s staying down here. Please speak if you’re there.” You finish as you wait with bated breath for any kind of response. Despite seconds passing, which felt like minutes in this moment, you heard nothing that implies there’s someone here.

With this, you move the curtain aside and step inside. There was a stove within the center of the room, which was bigger than you expected. You noticed there were entry points in two directions, with smaller holes meant for storing things. Once you saw all of this, you noticed three things. One, many of the small holes were filled with various supplies. Two, carrying bags were still present here, 4 to be exact, and three, the room looks rather tidy and neat. If infected were present, they wouldn’t leave it like this. ‘Someone’s still here.’

Just then, you heard a noise coming from the right. Just as you were turning towards the direction, you felt your hind paws leaving the ground and in the next moment, your body was pressed against the wall with their body pinning yours and an arm at your neck, putting a bit of pressure, but not enough to stop your breathing.

“Who are you?” A gravelly voice spoke out as you looked and saw purple scales on the arm, traveling along it to see the stern gaze of a Nidoking. Considering he’s capable of pinning you to the wall with one arm, he’s naturally strong as his green eyes stare at you sharply.

“It’s alright, I didn’t know anyone was here. I-I don’t want any trouble.” You stated, trying to look non-threatening. You can feel the pressure at your neck lessening a bit, but still keeping a firm hold on you.

“Is there someone else with you?” The Nidoking asked, looking towards the certain. “If you want him unharmed, you better come out!” he demanded towards the direction Rachael stated.

You don’t hear a response at the moment, with you thinking she’s either debating whether to speak up or keep quiet, or was waiting for you to say something. You want to protect her, but she won’t be able to push that boulder out of the way, and she won’t make it far with a hurt leg. Plus considering the Nidoking isn’t immediately trying to kill you, he clearly isn’t one of those predators.

“J-Just my friend. Rachael, you can come in.” You stated, hoping she would do so. You heard stumbling as you see the Buneary entering, hands raised and limping on her good leg. She was looking in some direction. When you follow her view, you realize that it wasn’t just you three as there was a Nidoqueen standing at one of the openings. She was looking worried at the two strangers despite them being bigger.

“A-as he said, We don’t want any trouble from you two.”

“Neither do we…” The Nidoking stated, staring at you sternly. “If you do mean that, you should turn around and leave this place. Right now.”

“I’m sorry for scaring you two. We were just trying to find a place to hide and rest.” You stated, trying to breathe more.

“You two, all alone? It’s not possible.” The Nidoqueen stated. “You have to be with those bandits! If they discover where we’re hiding…”

“Are you two bandits? You better look me in the eye when you answer.”

“Why ask? Everyone around here is infected!” She stated, marching towards the Buneary.

You start to grow worried. It’s clear that they had an encounter with the bandits that Felix told you about, and now you’re being accused of being a part of them.

“I am with a group, but we’re not bandits!” You stated, staring into the Nidoking’s eyes. “We were on our way back to a survivor camp when we were being chased by a pack of infected when we got separated!” You explained urgently, if you don’t convince them that they’re not in danger, you and your friend won’t leave here alive!

Rachael yelped when the Nidoqueen grabbed her arm. “You expect us to believe you? You can’t let them leave.”

“So you want me to deal with them?” He asked, looking at her.

“Why not? It’s better than what the infected or those brutes deal with their victims!” The Nidoqueen stated, her arm trembling. “Think about it Terrence, we barely escaped them the first time, if they discover where we’re hiding…”

You feel the larger nido’s arms tremble a bit, departing on what to do as your face loses a bit of heat from the female’s words. Clearly this crisis and their encounter with bandits have gotten her paranoid of strangers, and you can understand her paranoia, but to consider ‘that’?! Is there a reason why she’s acting like this?

“P-please calm down!” Rachael stuttered frightfully, “We can talk about this! There’s no need to be drastic!”

“You say you want to talk, but you never said anything about who you are.” The Nidoking responded.

When he said that, you take a breath to compose yourself. “In that case, my name is Rai. I came from Aurora with my dear friend, Rachael. I also went through too much to get eaten today.” You responded, getting the Nidoking’s attention. “Me and my friend are not bandits, though we have heard what they’ve done. It’s terrible.” You speak to him in a calm tone, “We’re not like them, and I can tell you and her aren’t. You're a good Pokémon, and that’s quite a rarity in these troubled times…” You said, lifting your paw to place it on Terrence’s paw.

“Don’t move!” he growled at you, making you freeze up as he stared at you, then at the Nidoqueen. You could do nothing but wait and stare until he says…

"I better not regret this…"

"I’m sorry, but I can’t take the risks!"