Bounty Hunters

"No, Please stop!" I cried out as I held my Meowth tightly to my chest, the young pokemon mewling pitifully. He was hurt by the battle, but our assailants weren't letting up. Kovu was my only pokemon, and I was a new trainer. We weren't terribly far from town, but we were surrounded.

Bounty Hunters.

"Stop? Maybe you shouldn't have been in this neck of the woods." He was obviously the leader of the other three. Tall and muscular, he hasn't raised a finger since I came upon them skinning a Furret. I hadn't even reacted before he had ordered the others to grab me, which I reacted to be bringing out Kovu.

Three Houndoom growled simultaneously as I took a timid step back. Another one of the hunters stepped malevolently towards me. "Hand over that Meowth and we can let you walk. Right, Boss?"

The boss smirked. "Meowth is worth a lot more than Furret, that's for sure."

That's when I made the worst mistake. I turned tail and ran, holding Kovu close. My heartrate had already been fast, but now it felt like my chest would burst. I couldn't think straight, I just needed to run. Run as far as I possible could.

Then there was a snarl and a sharp pain in my right calf. The tug was harsh and painful as my right leg was pulled out from under me. I twisted so that I wouldn't land on Kovu, who mewled in shock and pain at the same time as I screamed.

Then fire surrounded me. My skin stung immediately, sharp pain on any exposed skin. It felt like forever that I burned, but when it was over, I didn't want to move. My tears stung the blistered skin on my face. It was hard to breath, and my eyes were swollen shut.

I could still hear, though, as the bounty hunters approached. The crunching, burned grass beneath their leather boots, and their grunting voices as they laughed and sneered. I couldn't focus enough on their words to know what they were saying.

I felt Kovu leave my arms, jerked fiercely from me weakened grip. I tried to call out for him, but all that came out was a whimper. I desperately reached out for him, but a boot crushed my hand. I don't even know what sound I made, it was some kind of pained cry. It stung and burned, and I heard a crack as another sharp pain rose up my arm and shoulder from my hand.

Then they left me. I had no one, not even Kovu, as I slipped away into unconsciousness. I knew that I wouldn't awake again.