FH: WINTER

"Fort Haste: WINTER" is a recount of a tale set within the Pokémon world - one in which everything has gone wrong. Here we meet the final survivors as they struggle to endure through hell and beyond. An unknown virus has wiped-out most of humanity, leaving behind children which seem to be less affected by the disease. In an attempt to preserve what remains of humanity, Fort Haste was bodged in the months following the pandemic. Even now, the settlement remains at the very heart of the ongoing apocalypse. For everything that has happened and all the trials humanity has faced - Fort Haste stands as a vision of hope.

Please note, this and following chapters will contain both narrative and speech in various dialects and languages. Anything said in Pokémon will be underlined as shown. Normal speech will remain unaffected, although italics and bold may be used for effect following standard rules. For whistle calls *…something like this…* will be used, and any random flashbacks etc. are marked with {''}.

Fort Haste is a work of fiction written as a collaboration between ZenColour and Just-A-Reader0Love

AUTHOR NOTES

Zen: Looking back through FH, R'Love and I decided it was about time that this story got the attention it deserved. There was a lot of improvements that could have been made, as well as editing in proper use of grammar and the English language in general. So FH: Winter has been rewritten, improved, cleaned, and generally polished so as to be the story I dreamt up over two years ago. For old readers you can expect better content, a more coherent story, and a completely new ending! If this is your first time then buckle down and prepare yourself for post-apocalyptic mayhem (with a bit of ZenColour quirkiness)!

R'Love: I must say, things will be a lot more polished this time around. The events in the plot will be spruced up and made clearer. They may also be points of view that were not seen in the first version of the story. There is one crucial thought to have when writing a story: have fun and enjoy your work. That brings out the best in your writing.

HAYS SNH Version 3 (0058 PA)

Forward written by H. Bennett and A. Good [EXTRACT]

9000406224992 - Sinnoh Outreach Programme for Historical Preservation

These self-proclaimed 'Hasties' are largely descendants of the only surviving group to have pulled through the global pandemic. I myself come from the much more densely populated region of Sinnoh, although in respect to pre-DPP numbers our recovering society is still minuscule. It's hard to imagine how crowded the world once was, although research suggests that nearly a hundred years later we're still experiencing the repercussions of the virus. Many pokemon remain mutated, though these hardly compared to the original 'Ferals' which once stalked the Earth. Given what happened, it's amazing humanity survived at all.

CHAPTER 1

An Excerpt from Hays's Journals V.I

It was the coldest winter in living memory. Yet somehow it was one of the warmest for friendships. Survival brought us together by nature's brutal demand that safety is derived from both numbers and cooperation. That year was the year that marked the beginning of Fort Haste. The year that made it what it is today - A message of unity.

ORION's POV

{'Vermin…'}

I growled fiercely at the face that taunted me. But the chain held, no matter how hard I tugged at the linkages. Muscles in my neck contorted and burned as I fought to escape my captivity. Blood vessels ruptured as I failed again and again to attain freedom. With my arms tied tightly behind my back, not to mention looped around an old tree trunk, there was nothing I could do. Inside the bloodied skin and aching sinew, my battered body was a mess of foaming energy that was apparently useless.

Dark visions of escape played on a constant recording in front of my eyes. But the tape reel was scratched and the image jumped in increasingly more violent repetitions as I tried again and again to pull myself free.

'Freak of nature! To think you came here of all fooking places. Bargaining like you belong with us - as if you could lead us! Piece of Feral shite!'

I growled at the approaching figure. The teenager hauled himself through the mud with a venomous expression wrapped tightly across a darkened face. His clothes were a few weeks overdue of a decent wash, and appeared to hang off his skinny frame. It was a common sight to see post-apocalypse now food was so scarce. Stepping forward to taunt his captive, I could only pull back from the young man as he hooked grimy hands over his belt.

The boy stood still to inspect me. That didn't last long before he spoke with a sneer,

'You can't even speak! Fooking Pitiful!'

Almost to prove his point, I rolled my tongue dutifully around my parched mouth and drew out all the moisture I could. With a heave I spat tightly on the floor, although it pained my bruised ribs to do so. It took an embarrassing amount of time to get my voice working.

'Seriously Derrick. I thought we could talk this out or something.'

'Yeah right.' The kid squinted at me whilst scratching at his mop of curly hair, 'I told you before. We don't want anything to do with you or any of those affected by the virus. The world's has enough fookin mutant freaks without one trying to actually lead us! Fookin Umbreon.'

'I was trying to help.' I spluttered, 'And what do I get for it? A damn shovel to the back of the head!'

My reply was meant to come out a little more forceful than it did. Instead it came out as a squeak and then even into a small whine. Pulling my ears back was all I could do in an attempt to hide just showed how much I looked like a weird Umbreon cross-breed. This only made the younger boy snicker.

'Yep. And I don't want any of it. None of us do. If humans are meant to survive then we'll do it alone. We don't need damned mutant vermin like you telling us what to do.'

The surprise kick to my groin took my legs out from under me. With a yelp my tail stood on end as I fell forward. The freezing chain bunched around my wrists held my slumped as I screwed my eyes tightly shut against the pain. Sounds came to my throat as I tried to fight away the rising animalistic instincts in my gut. Everything inside told me to fight back. To gain revenge.

{'Vermin…'}

I think it must have been the pain that woke me from the nightmare. I became all too aware of the dream I was having as the aches and pains of reality began to seep into my consciousness. With a moan I rolled over only to have sweltering pain jerk up my spine.

Blinking my eyes open, I was nearly blinded by cool sunlight illuminating my face.

'How are you feeling?'

My ears twitched at the noise but I just groaned, pawing at my eyes in an attempt to adjust the to daylight.

'Orion?'

'Ughhhh...' was all I managed to get out as I blinked the world into a vague clarity. The next thing I knew and I could feel Fenn stroking at the fluff of hair between my ears. She knew I hated that and I sent a stony death-glare at the fuzzy outline of the teenager. After a couple more petty strokes at my earlobes, she pulled back and crossed her arms.

Pulling in a deep breath, I tried to make sense of seeing the world sideways as I lay in the medical bay.

'So? How are you feeling?' Fenn pushed, pouring a glass of water. She set it down on the bedside table. There was little else to furnish the small room, although paint had been added to cover up the breezeblock walls. The medical facilities had been built in the Far-Shed which once held Grumpigs, meaning that the small ward looked more like a farm outhouse than a hospital. Following on from everything that had happened at Berry Hill, I was just glad to be home.

Jane was sat in a old kitchen chair currently leant against the far wall. With a large notebook lying across her knees, she was studying the worn pages with what appeared to be a new pair of glasses. The young adult, around sixteen, had dark black hair which was loosely slung into a small bun. A little short for her age and with a shy nature at the best of times, she was engrossed in her reading as bright brown eyes flickered back and forth behind her round spectacles.

'Uh. Fine?' I wasn't so sure myself, having just re-lived everything again in my fitful sleep, 'My back hurts.' I complained.

'Well. That's to be expected. It took two of us to bandage you up.'

Fenn was pacing the room, dragging her leather boots across the polished concrete. Light from the dusty single-glazed windows illuminated her fair hair, blue eyes, and grim expression. Obviously contemplating the situation to hand, and how my attempts at reconciliation with the break-off group of survivors had failed, her gaze was elsewhere. Adjusting the the thick woolen jumper she liked to wear from about her neck, she heaved a large sigh before rubbing at her temples.

It was Jane that spoke however, asking quietly; 'Can you remember much?'

I tried to shake my head to say no - only that each twitch of my neck brought a spark of pain and a thumping headache. That and I knew that neither of them would believe me anyways. The small-scale carnage I had created just to escape had confirmed that fact. At least they'd come off worse at the end of it all. A small consolation at best.

However, the memories felt more like a dream from a past life.

'I can recall fragments.' I murmured softly, 'I know the Wildling's turned up to help. I guess it didn't end too well did it?'

'You could say that...' Fenn had stopped pacing, her eyes like daggers as she turned to look at me. 'So much for your great idea to unify us all eh? Not only did they refuse your terms but they…'

She stopped, exasperated.

'I told you that it wasn't going to work! Those guys up at Berry Hill hate you Orion.'

Fenn liked to get to the point, but often a little too quickly. Yet even I had to admit she was right. When the survivors from the nearby town had come to this region, a large handful of children had decided to break away and form their own group. That would have been fine - except for the fact that they stole a large volume of food, ammunitions, and medical items before they left. Their leader, a kid named Derrick, had a personal hatred for me. I felt it went beyond the fact I had Umbreon features.

Jane was still studying whatever book she had on her lap. From the sheer size of the hardback I could only guess it was some type of medical encyclopedia.

I rolled over slightly. It was a struggle to get comfortable again, though at this point I didn't know whether or not it was indeed possible. My fur itched and I didn't want to be cooped up in here any longer then I had to. Attempting to sit up, however, was a bad decision. Tendrils of cold pain focusing on my ribs brought out a small yelp.

Grinning sheepishly at the pain, I avoided Fenn's cold glare as I settled back under the cover. Perhaps that wasn't the best idea.

'You need to take it steady! That body of yours has been through more than it was designed for. You may be half Umbreon but that doesn't mean you can skimp out on rest.'

'Yeah about that…'

Jane got up suddenly, and Fenn turned to look at the shorter teenager with lightning speed. For a moment Jane visibly blanched, before brushing a stray hair from her face and getting to business.

'I...uh...managed to have a root around and found something. It's medicine which will help speed up the healing process. Better than nothing'

'I don't…' Fenn cut me off my complaining with a raised eyebrow and I dropped into silence again.

Watching them both study the small bottle, I finally piped up in a small voice,

'Is it an ointment or...you know...I don't really want to be wasting anything that could…'

'It's a spray Orion.' Fenn's voice was steely, 'Just take it. Jane's pretty sure it should work. We've got enough stocks unless you start making this a weekly event.'

The spectacled girl nodded, already pulling the tab out of the potion bottle and shaking up the small container. With the two girls stood over me, there wasn't much I could do but comply. With a groan I accepted my fate, rolling over whilst Jane undid the yellowed bandage which was already stained from blood.

Cold air caused my skin to goosepimple under the sprinkling of black fur. Gritting my teeth, I wasn't prepared for the sudden wash of the spray down my shoulders and spin. The tingle of fluid against the open wounds stung and I yelped in shock at the unpleasant situation.

'Ouch! Fenn!'

My hackles rose and I fought off the natural response to growl at my would-be healers.

'Orion. If this stuff works then it's better than you suffering. End of story.'

'Fine.' I replied, still not enjoying the sensation of the spray working it's way down to just above my tail.

After applying the pokemon medicine, re-bandaging my middle, and even finding a painkiller (which I was certain also came from a Pokecenter bottle) Jane didn't have much else to do. Following training which she'd largely taught herself over the past few weeks; Fort Haste's very own doctor commanded me to relax and rest. Ensuring I had enough water and a chamber pot, she dog-eared her medical tome and left Fenn and I to our own company.

The door closed rather loosely. It appeared that the old kitchen doorframe didn't fit well into the crudely bricked partition. There were large gaps present at the top and bottom of the doorframe.

'Everything's ok in Fort Haste then?'

My attempt to break the silence was only met with a small sigh as Fenn pulled a chair out to sit closer to the bed. Now that Jane had gone, she seemed to relax visibly. Her shoulders slumped into a more natural position. Wiping her nose with the back of a sleeve, the bags under her eyes became startlingly obvious. It was clear that Fenn hadn't slept well the past few days.

Thankfully, she let a small smirk play across her pale face.

'I think we can manage without you for a couple of days Orion. But yes. Everything is fine here at Fort Haste.'

She paused before adding a little more harshly,

'And I'm not letting you out of this room until you get the rest you need! Those guys beat you up pretty bad and it won't do the kids any good to see you with a black-eye.

Whatever potion that had used on my wounds seemed to be doing the job. Already I could feel a numb sensation replacing the pain. Letting my lungs rise and fall with a slow rhythm, I tuned my ears into the noises around me. Through the brickwork, Fort Haste could be heard hard at work within the surrounding sheds. Voices carried easily through the old farm and I let myself sink into the comforting background static of kids preparing dinner, teaching basic forestry skills, sentry changeovers, and someone fixing the shower block.

'How much can you really remember?' Fenn broke the silence

Bringing my focus back to the small ward, I found Fenn's soft blue eyes watching me carefully. She must have been as tightly strung as a harpsichord whilst Jane was still in the room.

My mouth was dry.

'Too much…'

'They beat you didn't they? They tied you up like you were some kind of animal!'

'Even I have to admit it's not a hard mistake to make.' I spoke in a warm tone in the hopes it would calm the teenager. 'Not to mention that you literally just gave me Pokémon medicine!'

I prodded the accusation lightly, running the mock accusation by her.

Fenn wasn't in the mood.

'Seriously Orion. This isn't good. If anything, it might have made it worse between us and the guys at Berry Hill. We know they've got more than they need and now…'

She trailed off.

'I guess trade and an alliance is no longer on the cards.' I said in agreement.

Fort Haste had been organised as safe haven for the refugees of the last remaining quarantine zone. Moving out of the city had been a monumental task in itself, and some of the kids decided they didn't want a mutant's leadership. The result was a short scuffle and a small aggressive group now living only a few kilometers away on top of the best strategic site within a hundred miles. In an apocalypse where every life mattered, a fractured society was no longer non-trivial.

'You bet it's not!'

Fenn's cold anger raged behind her eyes and I groaned. Trying to untangle my short Umbreon tail from around my legs, I relaxed into a soft pillow and stared at the ceiling. A few cobwebs clung to the painted ply-board.

'Look Fenn, it's not that bad. These things happen and…'

'WHAT did they do to you?'

Fenn wasn't backing down, crossing her arms fiercely. Flecks of mud that she had been scraping off her jeans were stuck in her fingernails.

'Tell me Orion.'

If humans could learn the skills that Pokemon can, I'd have called that glare "Mean Look" for there was no running away from this battle. When in moods like this Fenn got what she wanted, when she wanted it.

I grumbled, avoiding her steely eyes.

'So you know the first part and the last part? You should be able to fill in everything in between. I don't want to talk about it alright? Surely you can respect that? I'm not going through all the pain again just to feed your lust for revenge. I tried and it failed. They don't want to join us. They don't want to share resources. They want to be left alone.

Fenn's face dropped slightly, before she set her jaw briskly.

'It's...it's not like that. I don't want revenge.'

I raised an eyebrow before a ache pulled a tendon in my shoulder blade. Grimacing, I relaxed back under the warm blankets. The throbbing headache was starting to make me feel sick to the point that I could taste acid in my throat.

Fenn noticed that it took some time to regain my composure.

'I'm guessing my back is pretty messed up?'

She nodded, 'Just a little.'

Tears had started to form around the rims of her eyes. For a few moments I cursed silently at how hard it was to read the young adult. One moment she was a fiery as a Moltres and the next as quiet as a Uxie. This unpredictability made it hard to know what to say even at the best of times.

'It's ok Fenn. Everything it where it needs to be for winter.

With a sigh I tried to bring her back together.

'All we need to do now is to grin and shovel shite until spring comes again. The kids are happy, the defenses are pretty much finished. What more could we hope for?'

That comment didn't do the trick

'It's what they did to you.'

I itched at an ear, even though lifting my arms caused me to grit my teeth. After a moment I folded them behind my head and hoped to calm the drumbeat pounding between my ears.

'People are like that.'

Fenn shook her head but said nothing.

We must have sat in silence for a long while. Just being in the company of the teenager was soothing and I found myself drifting off into a dreamless sleep. At first I fought the tried embrace, but it was without success. Falling asleep, it wasn't until morning that I realized I had slept at all. The curtains were drawn and Fenn was gone. An empty chair to mark her place.

Rolling over with a whine, I was surprised to find only a numb reminder of the pain in my shoulders.

Getting out of bed against the imagined protests of my would-be carers, I steadied myself with the help of the bed frame. The ground was cold under my feet. Letting blood return to my toes, I shook out my tail and found my jacket bundled up neatly in the corner. Donning my clothes to fight off the chill, I straightened my jacket and went on a hunt to find my boots.

The medical wing was pretty drab. The shear simplicity of it made me chuckle. Sure, there is modernism and there is minimalism - but then there is 'Fort Haste' where everything has a value. Although we'd tried our best to thoroughly scavenge the ruins of civilization, there was a natural limit to forays. Given the dangers of the new world, Ferals included, we only had neither the time to dig out anything beyond what was absolutely necessary. The medical wing had three rooms, five beds, and a storage area at the back which only Jane could access. In fact, it was one of the few places in Fort Haste I was specifically not allowed to go. I didn't know it that was because of a lack of trust, or the fact we'd only ever found a single key for the door.

Finding my old leather boots stood next to the exit was a relief. Lacing up slowly, I had to fight both morning grogginess and a looming headache to finish a messy knot. It was too early to be doing stuff like this, but in truth I had no idea what time of day it was. The sun hadn't yet risen. With winter approaching that could mean anything.

To be honest, I wasn't really thinking as I greeted the icy morning. It was times like this that it felt as if I was detached from my body. In some respect it was if I was floating through time as well. Mulling over my thoughts with my hands stuck in my pockets, I kicked the medical wing door close behind me. Outside and the sparkle of frost brought the farm to life in a thousand shimmering tones. The old farmstead stood sentry.

It was cold outside - cold in the sense that your breath stopped at your nose to form a misty haze of vapour. Sound barely carried through the morning gloom, my ears twitching to seek out each and every tiny vibration. One slender furred lobe was still stiff from where I lay on it overnight.

Trending softly across the yard, I found my way out in front of the accommodation block and across the silo barn. Previously it had been used to store cattle feed. Here the yard opened up to a large clear area before the old farmhouse, as well as a short tarmac drive which was now blocked by an imposing twelve foot palisade. Mist clung to the ground in a freezing fog that turned distances into whitewashed holograms. Even the farmhouse was greyed-out by the misty shroad - although a trail of smoke graced the pale blue sky. My feet led me up and onto the embankment.

Visibility was poor, that was more than obvious. Standing up on the embankment to stare into the void beyond, the pale yellow markers disappeared into the haze at around 20 meters distance. We'd buried posts spaced at every five and used their relative position to map out visibility. Like almost everything in Fort Haste, it was a simple but effective fix. Modern problems require modern solutions.

Standing on the embankment, I watched the sentries work their way back and forth across the elongate mound. Material had been dug out to form a protective ditch and much of the dirt had yet to settle. Calling it a trench would be too generous. I could have jumped over with ease. Then again, I did have an unfair advantage.

Stumbling across the next sentry, I had to jolt myself back to reality.

Wiping the chill from my cheeks, I fluffed up the cravat around my neck and brushed my coat off. As 'Leader' of Fort Haste I needed to look the part - even if I often failed. I guess everyone finally accepted a mutant was the best that they had at the moment. Most likely because nobody wanted the responsibility of the job themselves. Well, apart from the guys up on Berry Hill. They had a completely different agenda however. Not to mention that they were a bit murderous, to say the least.

The sentry on duty was a younger boy perhaps a year or two over ten. He walked stiffly in the cold with his hands buried into his pockets and only his tired eyes peeking out over the top of a thick woolen scarf. The poor guy was shivering like crazy too, hopefully taking the last few repetitions before the end of his shift. The teenager was so focused on watching the area beyond the palisade that he nearly tripped over my boots before noticing there was a morph stood in front of him.

Regaining his composure with remarkable speed, he lifted his hand in a weak salute.

'Sir!'

I smiled at the sentry warmly, hoping to soften the hard Umbreon features that were incorporated into my expression. The sun wasn't even up yet, but the faint grey tinge of a wolf's dawn echoed across the horizon.

'Thanks for the light, sir!' The sentry grinned cheekily, pulling his scarf down to sit under his chin.

It was only then that I noticed I had been mooching around without a flashlight again. During curfew hours, it was Hastie law to always carry a LED AA battery torch. Confused over whether or not the sentry was being ironic or now, it suddenly hit me. He'd been referring to my Umbreon features after all. I'd gotten away with lighting up my path with glowing golden rings, but it was something that freaked out the kids. Unlike nearly everyone in camp, my heightened senses allowed me to see with pretty much perfect night vision - to the point that I forgot how normal people struggled. Some perks were a burden as much as a benefit. Both my ears and tail were humming faintly as they spilled out a soft yellow glow. I could only hope that the morning dusk hid my reddening face as I tried to mentally stop the natural light show.

The Sentry was rocking back on forth on their heels and I wasn't sure if he wanted me to move out the way, or simply make small talk. Adolescents and teenagers often felt uncomfortable even at the bests of time. I racked my brain for something to say.

'Uh...at ease Kyle.' I paused, hoping that I hadn't muddled up his name 'When's your shift up?

The boy stamped his feet in the semi-frozen mud around the A"-marker buried into the ground.

'In about six minutes.' Kyle double-checked his watch with the illumination of his torch, 'well it's nearly seven, I think.'

I nodded, walking up a little closer to the edge of the embankment. Staring beyond into the darkened abyss of the apocalyptic wasteland, instead I was met with the increasingly bright blue skies and the shadowy forest in the distance. In fact, the farmland around Fort Haste looked almost exactly the same as it had done about a year ago. Minus the people of course. They were sort of dead from the virus by now.

Kyle was wrapped up warmly, a michelin-style coat hugging his frame snugly. Another ten minutes and he'd be in the warm anyway. Time was an important thing for sentries. Too long between changeovers and any attacking force could easily wipe out a primary line of defense, storming a camp that was none the wiser. It wasn't that we were expecting anything like that - but better safe than sorry. Shorter shifts kept the kids more alert and stopped them slipping over on the icy ground as much. We had more than enough accidents from twisted ankles and sprained knees at the moment.

Two markers A" and B" marked out the section that the person on duty would cover. There were eleven sections in total around the camp. If anything happened, whistle calls could be used to indicate what section and which marker the problem was nearest to. It also meant that eleven people were on sentry duty on the embankment at any one time. Each would have a fifteen-minute slot. Rotations of the sentry on patrol would be staggered down the line so that only one person was being switched at a time. Admittedly, it was a faff and one hell of a drill to teach. It turned Fort Haste into the fortress it was never really meant to be.

I mean it works, don't get me wrong, but it looks weird on a farmstead.

'Anything to report?' I asked softly, letting my eyes stare across what was quickly becoming a beautiful morning.

'The weather maybe..?' Kyle piped up I chuckled at the comment. 'There's been no Ferals' he added quietly.

I nodded. We hadn't had any attacks in the past week but there was no obvious pattern to the maddened things. Ferals had their own agenda (i.e. consume/murder everything) and often attempted to break through the defenses because they were too stupid to turn around. We left their bodies to decay in the surrounding fields - you'd have to be insane to even get near the diseased beasts. The virus affected Pokemon in the same was as it did the humans - but those that survived were mutated into disgusting beasts with an innate stupidity that made them dangerous.

Don't get me started trying to explain what happens if a human gets infected. It's not that I don't truly understand myself - more that the chance of survival seems so alarmingly small that it's not worth considering. Those that do pull through often suffer from the same deformations as the Ferals, cursing them with Pokemon features in a way that is painful and irreversible. It sure as hell isn't fast either.

'Good.' I replied curtly, trying to push the dark thoughts out of my mind. 'Pokemon are friends, Ferals are foes.' I intoned, although a little mockingly in retrospect. It made the kid laugh.

'Don't forget that.' I added for good measure.

'No sir.' Kyle continued to snigger.

Deciding that I better return to camp before Fenn found my hospital ward empty, I blew out a puff of air and bid the sentry goodbye. The again, she knew I'd arranged to have a meeting this morning with Roan.

'Well. I'll be seeing you at breakfast then Kyle. Enjoy the rest of your night and keep a sharp eye out for the next five minutes! Remember, You never know what could happen out there!'

Having turned the conversation to a more serious tone, Kyle straightened and nodded stiffly. I gave him a slight pat on the back, something that made my shoulder cry out in pain, before turning on my heels. Leaving the adolescent to stare out into the murky gloom, I slid down the embankment onto the concrete below.

The bandages rubbed up my back and I clenched my jaw in an attempt to fight through the pain. Whatever ointment Jane had found had since dried overnight, leaving the padding tight and itchy. Knowing my luck and the painkillers were wearing off as well.

Checking the horizon for a rough estimate of the time, I fished around in a jacket pocket to find my watch. The Lee-slopes were eery in the mist - pockmarked by sharpened stakes, razor wire, and other nasty defenses which faded in and out of the ground fog. The embankment was positioned so that it encircled the majority of the north-east, south, and west of the farmstead itself. A ditch had been dug out and the soil piled up to form a nice barrier which we'd packed out with sandbags for support. Outside the ditch, a near 40 m halo was peppered with anything we could find to deter a Feral. Impenetrable was a word that I did not use lightly, though I was tempted to apply it in this case. There were a lot of surprises packed in the Lee slopes.

Making my way towards the main gate, I followed the rim of the parameter slowly. Twitching on their own accord, my ears picked out of the sounds of the morning as I waited. I tried to sooth the butterflies that kept reappearing in my stomach.

Berry Hill had only occurred the day before. In truth, the meeting should have gone a lot worse than it did. Thankfully the small wooded hilltop was actually a part of the territory of the local Pokemon herd. The so-called 'Wildlings' represented a poor English translation but it still described the native Pokemon pretty well. Led by a group of Sawsbuck, the wild creatures had teamed together for generations in an attempt to survive the harsh realities of nature. That was before the virus swept through the region. Unlike the humans, they'd been prepared for every eventuality.

I'd known the local Wildlings for some time now. If it wasn't for them, I doubt everything would have turned out as it did. The Wildlings had helped with the construction of Fort haste, not to mention saving my skin only a day earlier up on Berry Hill. Sawsbucks are surprisingly agile creatures. The Pokemon got the whole 'safety in numbers' thing and were all too happy to work with humans to survive the brutal new world. So far, Fort Haste had got the better side of the bargain.

It was this relationship between Wildlings and Hasties that was becoming increasingly important. It got to the point where we were agreed to start having regular meetings.

Today was the first one.

To be honest, I was a little surprised that the Sawsbuck made it through to the main gate as easily as he did. To those that hadn't walked it before, the path would be like finding a needle in a haystack. Nothing clearly marked the route through the Lee slopes except for a slight decrease in density of things that were likely to kill you. The barred door looking menacing in the pre-dawn gloom. As a front gate, it wasn't overly remarkable but hell was it imposing coming from the outside. Thick tree trunks had been roughly hewn into boards and then screwed together to interlock neatly.

I spotted a very familiar Sawsbuck at the exact same moment the sentry did. A loud whistle blast tore through the crisp morning air.

*…Arrival…Main Gate…Respond...*

Waiting a moment, I replied to clarify the three short blasts told me I needed to jog down another twenty meters to the main gate. Whoever was on duty, Haley I think at this time, had already been forewarned of the visitor.

*...Affirmative...Leader...Coming…*

The two huge pine doors swung open slowly. A pulley system drew the gate apart just enough to fit the large Sawsbuck before closing with a loud groaning creak behind him. Haley was at the controls, checking the door was bolted before hopping down to stand next the large deer Pokemon. Even given the scale of the main entrance, the Sawsbuck had to duck to fit his majestic antlers through. A faint hint of dew caught at his fur.

'These whistles are most distracting' The Sawsbuck was mumbling to himself before spotting me approaching. 'Ah Hunter! I'm a little early I know, but I thought it to be in our best interests.'

His hazel eyes sparkled and I steadied my heartbeat with little effect. Even having known the unifying leader of the Wildlings for some time now, it was hard to not feel a little in awe of the creature. Standing taller than a man, the Pokemon dwarfed me. The speckled fur trimming his body was puffed up to fight the cold, with his large hooves sparkling with frost as he pulled closer. It appeared that the Pokemon was rapidly transitioning into his winter form as flecks of white fur dotted his face and neck.

I had to remind myself to advert my eyes out of respect. Hint: Don't look a Pokemon in the eyes as it's often viewed as a sign of aggression instead of attention.

'No worries Roan. I wouldn't expect anything else. In fact, it gives me a chance to thank you sooner. If one of your herd didn't come to my rescue when you did I might not be standing here now.'

He snorted at that and I turned to Haley a little awkwardly. It still felt weird talking to Pokemon like this in front of people. It was clear she was mystified by it all. Then again, she had a look in her eye that was yearning to pet me. Fenn had said I always looked cute when speaking Pokemon. Apparently Haley had a soft spot for cute things.

'Thanks Haley.' I cleared my throat, struggling to manage the transition between Pokemon and English, 'Good job. Your replacement should be here anytime and you can get in the warm then. I'm guessing Mike should be up pretty soon. He's not a late sleeper by all means.'

'You can say that again' she agreed as she obviously fought the urge to squee. The girl was tall for her age, making her look a good deal older than the fifteen years of age she was. With a bobble hat hiding her jet black hair, she puffed out a small cloud of vapour. Haley had a habit of wearing wellies a few sizes too big for her. Today she filled up the extra space with a few layers of socks and dirty blue jeans tucked in snuggly.

'Thanks Haley.' I repeated, waving her off before turning my attention to the impressive Sawsbuck. Roan waited patiently with his gaze lazily gliding over the buildings of Fort Haste as he inspected the farmstead calmly.

'I got the report on what happened Hunter.' Roan turned to me with a sad sigh, 'I would have helped sooner if I knew.'

'It's fine Roan. If it wasn't for the Wildlings then things might have been very different.'

I gave the Pokémon a friendly smile. The Sawsbuck wasn't offended easily and I planned to keep things that way. With his shoulder height matching my own it was hard to look down on the majestic beast. He seemed to hold himself with a grandeur and magnificence that was simply part of his being. Sawsbuck were naturally like that, a splendour etched into every fibre that made the proud animal.

Yet the Pokémon's antlers were in a state of change. A couple of loose clumps of red leaves hung haphazardly across the living branches. Bare keratin stood as a stark reminder that it was only going to get colder.

'You are healing well I see.'

I nodded my agreement before changing the subject to more pressing matters.

'What news is there from the Wildlings, your grace?' I queried, tugging at the cravat tickling my neck.

I admit, I don't usually speak this formally but things sound a bit different when you speak with Pokémon. I was also talking with the most powerful figure in what was easily a hundred mile radius. Roan was the chief buck of what remained of his herd, and herd animals being what they are, this included a lot of other Pokémon under his protection as well. The Wildlings were mirroring our own attempt at self-preservation - albeit more successfully. They knew the lay of the land and how to squeeze every possible resource nature could provide.

Survival was another string that I could use to tie us together - for the benefit of both parties. The frequent talks between me and Roan over these past months has been the beginning of an alliance that was desperately needed. For all we knew, Fort Haste was the last bastion of hope for humanity. But where before humans could be accused of pretty much enslaving Pokemon for their own agenda (certain criminal groups spring to mind) the Wildlings were untamable, intelligent Pokémon in their own right.

We walked unhurriedly towards the heart of Fort Haste. To all accounts this was the central yard which was nearly surrounded on all sides with various barns and outbuildings. This included the near-empty Foodhall where the few early-risers were stating the morning preparation for breakfast. Insley could be heard shouting commands to get the ovens fired up.

The Sawsbuck's hooves clattered loudly on the icy concrete of the old yard. Echos reverberated around the sheds as yellow sunlight began touching the very tops of the eaves.

'I can tell your thoughts are not here Hunter. You too are in a state of flux.'

It was a while before I replied.

'There is a lot to think about when you are helping to run a place like this.'

'Indeed.'

Wisdom spun like pools in the Pokémon's eyes. With a low voice like a quiet rumble he spoke.

'I should warn you that there has been increasing numbers of Ferals over the past moon-quarter.' Roan paused for a moment to gaze across at the Keep. I wondered what the two of us sounded like to an observer, although hardly anyone was up yet. With no real destination in mind, we wandered across the yard and towards the K'field.

'They have been banding together Hunter. And I do not think that is a good sign. At first we thought the madness was a blessing and what used to be an individual was lost. Now it appears that the maddened are as clever as we are. It is almost as if they think!'

I frowned,

'Now that is worrying.'

'Indeed it is. Some of the herd have stopped the death prayers to those that had been…' The Pokémon seemed to query the best phasing for a drawn-out moment. '…taken by the madness' he finished.

I closed my eyes for a few seconds, out of respect really. Sawsbuck (and all Pokémon for that matter) draw an immense purpose from their traditions. Shared beliefs act to bind herds together and that some pokemon were turning away from them was a very bad omen. Since the pandemic, Pokemon had believed that those infected and mutated into Ferals were effectively dead and devoid of a soul. Now that the theoretically brainless Ferals were seen to be rational...well, it could easily upset a lot of Pokemon.

'Once again Roan, I offer anything available to help.' I paused before adding, 'These are trying times.'

'You can say that again' The Sawsbuck agreed, 'I know that what you say comes with great meaning Hunter.'

The Sawsbuck turned to face me now and for a moment we simply took in each other's presence. To be honest, I was shitting myself. A staring contest with a fully grown male buck was not something I did often, especially a dominant alpha-male such as Roan. What was I really? A scrawny teenager with a tail sticking out of his butt and an ego too big for his boots.

'You're doing a good job here Hunter. I can respect you for that. Your parents would be proud.'

Those were the last words I expected to hear from the Pokémon.

'I can see your mark in everything that has happened here. I also understand that not all humans are the same . What they did up on Berry Hill was a crime that no one should commit to any being - let alone their own kind!'

Roan gave me a soft gaze, before shaking his head and staring across the K'field and the rolling hills beyond. I didn't know what to say. A little dumbstruck at the praise received from the buck, the leader of the Wildlings chuckled as he saw my expression from the corner of his eyes.

With the sun grazing the horizon behind us, our shadows were thrown out before us to hide the sparkle of a harsh frost over the K'Field. This was only area where Fort Haste laked any defences. The small farmstead merged into the surrounding landscape and the world beyond, dotted with trees nearly bare of faded brown leaves. Floodplains wiggled back and forth along the edges of the River Ex although we'd been lucky to have no flooding yet. Behind us the sounds of Fort Haste waking added a static to the peaceful moment. A lone Chatot warbled a morning song.

It was Roan who broke the silence.

'You humans are remarkably clever.' He rumbled, turning round to gaze across the central yard. Sunlight illuminated the grey flecks to his coat and highlighted the multitude of facets to his nine-pointed antlers.

'That's the keep.' I pointed out the nearest building, 'And we didn't really want to dig a big trench through this field so we just built a wall across it instead.'

'Keep.' The sawsbuck struggled to fit his muzzle around the word, 'As in...to own?'

'Yes.' I nodded formally, 'They are traditionally used to as a safehouse for protection. It is from old human technology that I read about.'

'Remarkable. Let us hope that you never need it.'

I didn't feel the need to point out the structure was built out of flammable materials. The Keep was the tallest structure in Fort Haste and was equivalent to a three story building - albeit built out of straw bales. We'd use the short rectangular bales like a scaled-up version of building blocks, along with a wooden frame and natural lime which would protect the bales from the elements. Often using the building as a watchtower, it was now being used as extra teaching rooms for some of the younger children.

A faint drizzle had started, with misty raindrops more like clouds itself than actual precipitation. Shaking the moisture from his coat, Roan managed to dislodge a small red leaf from his antler which tumbled gently to the ground. The Sawsbuck noticed this also, and we stared at the fallen leaf for a long moment.

'Will the Wildlings be ready for the winter?' I asked quietly, kicking at the dirt with a boot.

'We will survive as we always have done. You know our ways as well as we. This settlement even! I am honoured that it contains the same organization that we Wildlings possess. You have a herd here too Hunter.'

Yet another red leaf curled up amongst his antlers, only to spiral down to the turf without a whisper. Lifting his neck, I noticed just how royal the beast looked once more. The early yellow sunlight caught at the colour hugging his antlers. Cream and brown fur circled his body and muscles seemed etched onto his woolly coat. Proud? Certainly, but something that he deserved. A Knowledge that you were enough.

'Do not be afraid of change Hunter.' Roan advised softly.

After that, our conversion didn't last much longer. Talking over the state of the world, as well as our plans for the following months, we made our way back to the main gate. Haley had changed shifts with a slightly younger chap who opened the doors to reveal the new wildness. A few whistle calls passed back and forth to announce Roan leaving, as well as to ensure there were no immediate threats to any of us.

Sharing a few last words, the Sawsbuck gave a cheery farewell before returning to the woods in a fast trot. Turning my gaze back to our home, I couldn't help but think Fort Haste looking insufficient. The place looked like something drawn out of some unguided, dysfunctional dystopian fictional novel. Then again, that's what our world had become now.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. My Umbreon ears were still glowing faintly for some reason.

'Orion!'

The voice made me jump. Even with extreme speed it would have been impossible to defend myself from the arrival of Fenn. The teenager was upon me in a heartbeat.

'What do you think you're doing going out without a coat in this weather! Not to mention you're supposed to be resting in the hospital ward right now! Seriously Orion?'

And that's when I realized all I was wearing was my overcoat over a thin shirt. Stepping away from the main gate, I attempted to hide my embarrassment although my Umbreon features did all the talking. With my tail between my legs and ears folded down against my short black hair, I looked like a dog being told-off by its owner.

'Uh...Morning Fenn?' My face reddened as I quickly understood there was no getting out of this one.

'Yeah, Morning alright! From what I've heard you've been up half the night traipsing round in just a shirt to keep you warm. Not to mention without a torch! No wonder-'

'Fenn. I had a meeting with Roan. The Wildling thing remember?' I interrupted, although her prompt glare made me wish I hadn't. Maybe I should have asked her to calm down, but that never ended well either. Instead, with a slightly exasperated grumble, I gave in.

'Let's go and get a coat on then.'

The young woman was trying to dismantle me with a solid glare. Without a twitch of warning she grabbed my hand, fiercely tugged me back towards the central yard without a word. All I could do was stumble along after her.

XXX

[2.37] Buffalo Springfield - For What It's Worth (1967)

I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. This story is a work of fiction, and any resemblance to any events, location, and/or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. The views expressed by the characters and/or the narratives do not necessarily reflect the author's views. This fiction is rated T and may be unsuitable for young audiences. 'Fort Haste' is a fictional concept that is owned and regulated by ZenColour. Viewer discretion is advised

[Edit 31/01/19 correct proofreading errors]

[Edit 01/02/19 because R'Love found {} can be used on FF!]