This chapter onward, there may be a perspective change between characters using centered bold text.

Chapter 8 - A Step Forward

Es woke up the next morning without much trouble, but the umbreon was nowhere to be seen. She wasn't concerned at all, so she walked out into a small opening of sunlight and observed her surroundings: no 'mons were in sight and there were a couple of berry bushes to feed her if she couldn't find her way to any new shelter before dusk approached again.

Soon after she set off on her search, a chill ran down her spine. Was she being watched? She took a closer look around to find out, but nothing looked suspicious, so she pressed on, nervous as she was. A few hours passed, but she couldn't find any decent replacement for a den other than the occasional hollow tree trunk, which usually housed a couple bug Pokemon anyways. She decided to head back after seeing a glimpse of rain clouds in the distance.

When she arrived at the den, the umbreon was curled up in the entrance, whimpering in pain from the many scratches she could see on his side. She didn't care much for the stranger, but she was still concerned for his safety. After all, he was still a nice 'mon and the den was his.

Es: "Hey, umbreon, what happened to you??"

Umbreon: "I... can't say..."

He was obviously shocked to hear her voice again, but also relieved. It also looked like he was tensing up just a bit less at her words.

Es: "Please tell me what happened."

Umbreon: "Nothing happened, I just... fell into a thorn bush..."

She could obviously tell he was lying, but the sound of him starting to cry was enough for her to drop the subject and gently start patting his back, not too close to his wounds.

They sat there for a short while before he finally managed to sit up. She started to ask another question when he suddenly threw his arms around her and cried some more. She reluctantly hugged him and patted him on the back for a while longer. His crying eventually stopped, and it took her a couple minutes to realize he had fallen asleep.

After somewhat dragging him to the back of the den, she laid him down gently in his corner and sat in hers to think about what all could've happened for him to come back looking so afraid and hurt.

Umbreon

After a couple of hours, he opened his eyes to see that she was sitting in the entrance, almost as if she was guarding the den. She turned to look at him with a smile. What had happened for her to suddenly act so friendly towards him? He shyly smiled back at her and looked at his side to see that, somehow, his wounds were fully healed! He sat there becoming more and more confused as she started approaching him. He looked up just in time to watch her lean in to give him a peck on the cheek. He went still as a blush formed across his face.

He didn't have to sit there for long as he woke up from what turned out to be a dream, with Es watching him from her corner, the sunlight from the approaching dawn illuminating them both.

Es: "You had the goofiest smile on your face, must've been a good dream, huh?"

She giggled to herself and stretched a bit before walking out to fetch some berries for herself, leaving him there in his own awkward silence, blushing even worse than he was in his dream. He let out a quiet whimper and curled up in his corner, wincing as he had accidentally laid on his still-injured side. The injuries weren't as bad as they were before, but they were definitely still sensitive.

He waited for her to come back, fighting through it all with a small smile, as he had his hopes up to at least make a friend out of this mysterious stranger.