Chapter II: Leomon
Tantomon was still thirsty, but not as much has she had been before. Thus her first priority was to find something to eat, then water. Server had pretty much the same food as File Island, and it didn't take her long to find bushes with berries and trees with fruits. After eating enough to carry on she went out to find water.
After walking aimlessly throughout the forest she soon caught the sound of running water. She hurried towards it and found a creek of crystal clear water. She fell on her knees and drank as much as she could.
"Well, look what we've got here," a voice said. "A water thief!"
She turned her head. Behind her three Digimon had appeared. There were four of them, they were stocky, walked on all fours and had a body that more or less melded with their heads. Their skin was yellow with red fur on the back and the head. Large horns grew in a ridge across their backs. They grinned and in their eyes she saw malice.
"What do you mean?" she asked. "I haven't stolen anything. Who are you, anyway?"
"Oh, tough kid, huh?" one of them, obviously the leader, said. "We are Gizamon, and this is our place. Everything here belongs to us, that water you're drinking included."
"What?" Tantomon said. "Are you serious? You can't own water, that's ridiculous!"
"Well, I guess we disagree then," the Gizamon said. "But I'll be nice. You apologise now and we'll not beat you up. Much."
"Forget it," Tantomon responded. "I have the same right to drink as any of you, so get off my back!"
"Oh, fierce little critter," the Gazimon leader said." Looks like I'll have to teach you a lesson. This one is mine, boys!"
The Gazimon charged. Tantomon hurried to pull her sword from her back. She had never been in a real battle before. Elecmon had given her some advice a while ago, but nothing to prepare her for something like this. The Gazimon was both bigger and stronger then her, so she decided to strike first in hope of bringing her opponent out of balance.
"Bubble Blow!" she shouted and blew a stream of bubbles towards him. The bubbles didn't do much damage but he lost his aim. Tantomon managed to side-step his blow, which opened him for another attack. "Sword Bash!" The bamboo blade hit Gazimon in the head, and seemed to cause some pain for him, but it was not enough to stop him. He quickly regained his advantage.
"4-leg Kick!" moving too slowly to dodge the attack fully, Tantomon was hit and thrown to the ground. She struggled to get up. "Spiral Saw!" She got up in the exact right time to avoid the attack. Gizamon rolled past her in the shape of a spiked wheel, but his last attack had made her dizzy. Before she had time to strike back she was hit by another 4-Leg Kick. Taking the full blow this time, she felt the world go black before her eyes. When she came to she was laying on the ground. A loud ringing yelled in her head. The pain was awful. Soon the ringing turned into the sadistic laughter of the Gazimon. She tried to stand up and had to support herself on the sword. Her head ached like nothing she had ever felt before.
"Run away, little pipsqueak," the Gazimon leader said. "You're to weak to be playing with big boys like us!"
Tantomon limped away with her face twisted to a mask of anger and tears burning in her eyes. She kept on going, even though the pain in her head only increased. All the time she heard the Gizamon's voice though the pain. Run away… You're too weak…
Finally she fainted in a small meadow; a beaten and completely defeated little Digimon drained of her last powers. Too weak…
"Are you alright?" a soft voice asked. "Hey, are you alright?"
She opened her eyes. She felt very dizzy and she tried to sit up. She immediately regretted it as the pain cut through her skull like a red-hot razorblade. "Aaargh, my head!"
"Take it easy," the voice spoke. "You might have a light concussion."
She looked up. The face of an enormous lion looked down at her. She was startled and tried to get away, but was too weak. The pain was too much and she felt the world go black again.
"Whoa, stay with me, little one," the Digimon said. "I'm not doing to hurt you."
"My head…" Tantomon whimpered.
"Here," the giant said and handed her something green. Some kind of plant. "Chew on this, it will help against the pain."
She took a bite from it and started chewing. It tasted sour, but the headache faded away. "Thanks," she said. "I'm Tantomon."
"My name is Leomon," her helper answered. "I'm sorry if I frightened you. I assure you that I would never harm any innocent Digimon. Tell, me Tantomon, how did you end up like this?"
"It's a long story," Tantomon said. "It all started on File Island, where I used to live…"
Tantomon explained how she left File Island, travelled the ocean and ended up on the island where she found Shellmon, how he took her to Server and finally how Gizamon defeated her.
"He told me I was weak," she ended. "I guess he was right."
"No," Leomon said and shook his head. "There is no shame in defeat from a superior foe. Gizamon is a Rookie Digimon and you are only In-Training and you were also weak and tired from your exploits. Sounds to me like you fought better then most In-Training Digimon would have."
"Maybe," Tantomon said but still sounded pretty down. "Thank you, but I have to get going. She stood up and swayed to avoid loosing her balance.
"I don't think you are ready to travel yet," Leomon said. "Why do you not come with me to my home. I can provide food and water for you, and when you are strong enough you can carry on your quest."
"Okay," Tantomon said, feeling that she could trust this impressive beast king. "Is it far?"
Leomon smiled and gently picked her up and places her on his shoulder. "Not for me. Hold on to my mane and don't let go."
She had barely the time to obey before he sat of, running through the forest. His motion was almost fluident, as if the bushes and trees were nothing more then mist for him. Fast, quiet and powerful he floated through the wilderness like a phantom. Tantomon held on to the thick mane as hard as she could. Soon they had reached the mountains, and there Leomon took her to a cave. It was very spacious, divided in different sections and alcoves. Fires burnt in several places, all placed to spread the light and heat evenly throughout the cave. Leomon took her to a large bed of straw, probably his own bed, and put her down on it.
"Stay here," he said. "I will get some food and water for you, and then you better get some rest."
"Thank you," Tantomon said. He turned around to leave. "Leomon?"
"Yes?" he said without turning back.
"Who are you?"
He turned around and looked at her. Then he drew the Beast Sword on his back and held it up. The blade gleamed in the light from the fires. "I am Leomon, the symbolic representation of good Digimon. I protect the weak and innocent from evil and wage an eternal battle against my dark opposite, Ogremon."
Tantomon was speechless. She could do little more then stare in awe at the blade in his hand.
"I took you here because I knew you needed a helping hand," he continued. "You are a very brave little Digimon, but bravery is not enough when you stand all alone. I also took you here because I sensed a greatness inside you, of a like I have rarely seen before."
"Greatness?" Tantomon mumbled. "You must be mistaken. I have never done anything great."
Leomon simply smiled. Suddenly he placed the tip of his blade towards the hilt of her own sword. "Do you know how to use that?"
"Not really," she confessed. Then she got an idea." But maybe you could teach me?"
"Teach you?" Leomon said, amused by her question. "Yes, perhaps I could, but are you sure you have it in you? Training swordplay is not a child's play."
"I'm not a child," Tantomon said. "I know I can do it, please!"
"But do you have the time?" Leomon questioned. "Becoming a skilled swordfighter takes time, and you have a quest, remember?"
"How much time would it take?" Tantomon asked.
"Hmmm," Leomon said and resheathed his word while putting his hand to his chin. "About a year, I think."
"A whole year?" Tantomon said and frowned. "I'm not sure I can wait that long. If I do my very best and train hard every day, how long would it take then?"
"Then it would take about two years," Leomon estimated.
"But you just said one year!" Tantomon said. "Look, I promise to put my whole soul into it. I'll do anything you ask of me."
"Then it would probably take three years," Leomon said. "Students who are in a hurry rarely learn quickly."
"Oh," Tantomon said, realising that she had just been taught a lesson in patience. "Okay then, three years it is. When do we begin?"
"We begin when you are strong enough to take it," Leomon simply stated and turned around. "Now, let me get that food and water for you."