Punk kept climbing, all senses of insecurities coursing through his wool. His heart pounded, his ears pricked forward, his tail dragged miserably behind him. The mewling kept on quietly. "Help…help…help…" it whimpered, accompanied by tiny scratches against what sounded like gravel. "Don't worry, I'm coming. You'll be safe…I…hope..." Punk said softly, his eyes wide, trying to gather enough light to decipher what was around him. Then there was a shriek, an ear-piercing screech that echoed through the tunnel and made Punk's ears ache. Through the screeching he could hear two sets of cackles; the different, but equally terrifying laughs overpowered the screaming of that meek, shrill little voice until, finally, it stopped abruptly with a little "oomph!" The laughter, however, gradually faded off into the distance. No other sounds came forward, making Punk feel as if he had gone deaf. Those were piercing shrieks, after all. Just what had happened at the source of all that noise? Twisted curiosity pushed Punk forward still, despite every single sense in his body telling him to turn around, scoot back to the entrance as fast as his little hooves could take him, and forget this had ever happened. He was certain if the tunnel was even a little bigger, he would be shuddering faster than a hummingbird's wings could beat.
Just when Punk was thinking about where he'd like to be buried if he was ever found, his front hooves no longer felt the floor of the tunnel. He wiggled them around, but all he felt was freezing air. Was this the end? He still couldn't see anything, but hope and triumph built up in his mind. What was back here? Treasure? Did that laughter belong to a pair of treacherous pirates? Had he found a whole new world? Excitement replacing his terror, he gave himself one final push, only to tumble face-first down a slope. Terrified, Punk wriggled like a worm on a sugar high as he rolled down, flipping and swiveling, until he landed flat on his back. His face and legs sent multiple sharp stings of pain as he took deep breaths. "God, I feel like I'm dead." Punk whispered as he heaved himself back up. "Nobody's even down here." He snorted. "What a letdown. I thought there'd be-YIPE!" He'd spoken too soon! A cold, stony hand planted a tight grip on Punk's back and whipped him up off the ground. It pinched. Hard. "HELP ME! HELP ME!" he screamed. "LEMME GO! AUGH! I DIDN'T MEAN IT!"
Frighteningly close to him, one of those same voices from before chuckled slowly. It was low and hearty, just like a pirate. Now he could hear the flapping of leathery wings just as, if not closer, to him than the laughter. "What did we catch this time~?" A higher voice sneered. Punk felt something slam into his chest. "It feels awful wooly. Like a pillow." "I'm feeling a little ball down here." The lower voice replied. Something was squeezing and rubbing the orb on his tail, making poor Punk cringe repeatedly. Then they both poked at his ears and nose. A dirty finger even went into his mouth at one point, feeling his teeth. "Stop it" he wanted to say, but he decided he should not try to anger these strange creatures. The higher voice gasped. "Oh, I know what it is. It's a Mareep~!" There was that alien chuckle again. "What are you doing here, little one? Shouldn't you be lounging around with your bud-dies~?" "Hey, don't Mareeps have glowing tails? Like, if they get that static electricity stuff?" The first creature asked. "Let's see~." Replied the second one. Then they turned Punk over, gripping his sides. Then he felt himself be thrusted back down to the floor, which brought even more pain to his back. Then he was harshly rubbed back and forth.
Punk whined, terrified. Yet both creatures now kept egging him on, chanting for his tail to illuminate. "GLOW! GLOW! GLOW!" They both demanded. Tears began to flow in Punk's eyes. He had just become conscious! He didn't know how to glow yet! "Oh, he's starting to cry~!" The second creature crowed. "Just glow, little Mareep, and we'll stop. C'mon, show us you can glow." "Okay, okay!" Punk tried thinking glowing thoughts, but he couldn't feel any impulses coming to his tail. He shook it, yelled to it in his head, wiggled his ears and stuck out his tongue, but nothing happened. "COO. OP. ER. ATE!" The bigger bully roared. "JUST GLOW ALREADY!" Punk snorted. "I beg your pardon, it's hard to concentrate on glowing thoughts when you're rubbing me against the ground!" "Maybe he needs a little pull." The smaller bully tightly gripped his tail orb and gave it a sharp pull; he tugged on Punk's tail repeatedly with cold talons. "Ouch! Ow! Why, you winged maggot!" That was it; Punk had enough of this abuse. He moved his nose around until he could feel the big creature's arm, opened his jaw nice and wide, and…
"YOW!" Punk felt the creature's grip disappear instantly. He wasn't taking any chances; he rolled on his feet and bolted. He ran so fast he managed to shake off the talons; he could hear the creature's screaming fade off behind him. Soon all he could hear was his own hooves as he galloped…straight into a wall. Hit with recoil, he cringed and rubbed his aching snout. "Sure wish those guys got my tail to glow." He thought aloud. "I wonder…" Punk sat down. Now that he wasn't being shaken, he could concentrate on his glowing thoughts. His eyes shut tight and his tail laid still, his ears twitching just in case the bullies came around again. Suddenly, for a split second, there was a slight buzz and his tail felt warm. "Is it working?! Oh, boy!" Punk grinned and thought harder, and the warm feeling continued to flicker. Finally, with a brighter flash, the buzzing and warmth seemed to stay. Punk opened his eyes, turned around, and saw his tail orb producing a bright light. He did it! "Woohoo!" He jumped in circles and danced on his back legs. Then he laughed as he proudly chased his newly glowing tail. "I sure showed them! And now I can see!"
The cave was lined with pointed rocks. It was all a pretty shade of bluish gray which glittered in his light. "How lovely." Punk smiled, satisfied. He decided to walk around the cave some more. Those two didn't seem to be pirates, but that didn't mean there couldn't be treasure! And there was still the mystery of who was mewling earlier. "Hello?" He yelled as he walked. "Is anybody there? I won't hurt you! You can come out." "Okay." Something squeaked back, and it caused him to jump backwards and fall on his tum. "Who are you?" He crouched down and held his tail over his head. A little pink creature came up from behind a corner. "Here I am."