A/N - Thanks for all reads, reviews, faves and follows! I've been getting notifications for the app now, too, so hopefully I won't miss any more! The new banner is done, too, which will be available on Tumblr (Del's Mad World) from next week! Yep, this arc gets TWO banners!

Chapter 66 - Into the Howling Winds

The meeting hall was filled to bursting with angry pokemon. Voices fought to be heard above the din, fists raised to catch Tinker's eye. The riolu's head was beginning to throb, but he stood at the front beside Grey to face the hostile throng.

"This is an outrage!"

"We want it out of here!"

"My son said that dragon attacked him!"

Tinker shook his head and raised his paws for silence, not for the first time. It failed. More voices pressed on him, and canines flashed across the hall.

"I've already told you!" Tinker barked to be heard above the mob. "I can assure you Starshine is not dangerous!"

"Assure us, he says!"

"Are you calling my son a liar?!"

Tinker clenched his jaw and rubbed his temples with both paws. A low groan escaped his mouth. This was hopeless.

"He's conspiring against us!" a female screeched. "He brought a dragon here to kill us all off!"

"He's a Heretic! You saw that furret he brought here too!"

Tinker's fur rose along his spine and he fought back a growl. They were accusing him of being a Heretic now? He raised his head to stare helplessly out at the crowd. A heavy paw fell on his shoulder and he looked up into Grey's wizened eyes.

The alakazam nodded to the side of the room and Tinker followed him, casting a glance back at the angry crowd of pokemon. They watched him go, sneering and throwing jeers. He heard several call him a coward.

Grey closed the door behind them, muffling the hostile voices. The much smaller break room felt like a prison, the only way out to cut through the hostile hall. Grey turned to Tinker with a sympathetic shake of the head. "It's no use, Tinker. You should go."

"Go?" Tinker felt his fur prickle and his lips pulled back in a snarl. "I can't just go! I'm the Guild Leader here, I-"

Grey raised his paws for silence. "This won't fade away without action, Tinker. Go. Take Starshine. I'll send message when things have cooled down."

Tinker smoothed out his fur and unclenched his fists. He was exhausted, as if he'd been in a vicious battle. His head hurt, and his paws were slick with sweat. He stared at the closed door with defeat and his ears drooped.

"Where?" His words came out in a defeated tone. "Where do we go, Grey?"

"The Fairy Garden?"

Grey's suggestion set Tinker's fur on end and he bared his canines at the alakazam.

Grey raised his paws in a shrug. "That's where Mocha and Scout went. You'd already have friends there."

"You expect me to look for a place that doesn't exist?!" Tinker spat.

"Oh, it exists."

Tinker's eyes widened and he stared at Grey, dumbfounded.

"My hearing might not be what it used to," Grey went on, "but the thoughts of others are as loud as ever. Cleo, Spark, Mischief, Faith, even Harlequin… they all believe truly what they claim to have experienced."

"I won't believe it. If this Xerneas exists and is as powerful as Faith and Cleo claim, then why is Hydreigon still terrorising us all?!" Tinker shook his head and he clutched the table to stop from shaking. "If it wasn't for Hydreigon, my father would…"

Grey placed a warm paw on Tinker's shoulder. "Well, there is another option, although you may like it less."

Tinker bit his lip so hard he tasted blood. "Live wild?"

"Okay, so there are two options." Grey chuckled and tried to catch Tinker's eye. "You need to set aside your prejudice, Tinker."

Tinker scoffed and shrugged Grey's paw away. He opened his mouth but Grey cut him off.

"No, listen to me. The fact is, Tinker, that Starshine is no longer welcome here. And right now that poor child needs your help."

"You've always trusted Starshine." Tinker looked back up at Grey. "Why?"

"I've had no reason not to," Grey explained. "He's only a child after all. And as innocent as he might seem, he has a strong desire to protect New City."

Tinker sighed and sank back against the table. "Then why can't they see that?"

"They've known no different," said Grey. "All they know is fear." His face softened with a smile. "You were like that yourself before you found that egg, Tinker. Give them time."

Tinker felt his face flush and he looked away.

"Pokemon here come from many backgrounds," Grey went on. "But few have seen dark- or dragon-types as anything other than forces of the Darkness. They are seen as evil, and very few are willing to look past that to the pokemon underneath."

"Like Cleo," said Tinker, recalling Harlequin. He took a breath, but didn't continue. He didn't know what else to say. It would only make him sound like a hypocrite.

"Yes, like Cleo," said Grey. He moved to stand beside Tinker, perching on the table's edge. "I had a friend once, long before I came to New City. Long before it was officially founded! Your father knew him too." He caught Tinker's eye. "He was a malamar."

"A malamar?" Tinker's eyes widened. "Aren't they part dark-type?"

"Yes, they were."

"Were?"

Grey gave him a sad smile but didn't elaborate.

Tinker shook his head, trying to fight back his frustration. "But I thought you hated the Darkness!"

"I do, but malamar were not part of it. They were wiped out by Hydreigon around the time all psychic-types were." Grey's expression turned distant. "This malamar, Rygard, was a very good friend of mine, and he gave his life to save mine. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be standing here talking to you right now."

Tinker's throat thickened. "I can't imagine life without you, Grey."

Grey nodded his head and placed a paw on Tinker's back. "Not every dark-type is going to turn against you, Tinker. Dark-types don't make up the Darkness, it's what drives them."

"What drives them?" Tinker parroted.

"It's quite a simple force, Tinker. The very same thing that forced all of us to live underground."

Tinker looked up at the wizened alakazam, pressing him to continue.

"Do you know what I see when I look inside their minds?" When Tinker didn't answer, Grey answered for him. "Fear."

Tinker blinked and opened his mouth to speak, but he couldn't find the words.

"Fear is what drives them," Grey went on. "Fear of losing their lives. They are forced to comply to Hydriegon's law because if they don't he will kill them. But not every pokemon reacts the same way. Many dark- and dragon-types have left Hydreigon to live as exiles, avoiding detection from the Darkness in the Border Woods, much like we do here in New City."

Tinker traced a claw over the grain of the table, feeling Grey's eyes on him.

"Take Starshine to them," said the alakazam. "The Outcasts won't welcome you, but they might."

Tinker jerked his head up to him, his eyes blazing. "Take him to the Border Woods?!" He wanted to add 'are you insane?!' but as he flashed his canines grey's warm smile fizzled away his anger.

"That's where Cleo is headed," he said. "And Faith, too. Perhaps they can help you?"

Tinker felt his fur bristle at the mawile's name, but he took a deep breath to settle it back in place. Perhaps Grey was right. There was no place among the Outcasts for Starshine. Having a dragon-type among them was too much for them to accept. They were perceiving it like a weakness in a stone wall. An easy breach. His only option was to take Starshine and leave.

If anyone could help them, it would be Faith. She'd already told him that Starshine could mega-evolve. If the altaria could learn to fight and channel the fairy-type and join them in battle against the Darkness, perhaps then the Outcasts would accept him?

"How?" Tinker's voice came out husky and he dug his claws into the table. "How do I get him out of here?"

"The same way you get from one settlement to the next," said Grey. "Use your transporter to get as far as Windflower."

Tinker scoffed and jerked his head away. "I can't do that! It's still a prototype! What if something went wrong?" He looked up at Grey, meeting his twinkling grey eyes. "You know I only allow myself to use it, Grey. I'm not putting his life at risk. Besides…" He sighed and dragged his claws through his fur. "There's no saying Windflower is still standing. The leader there was instructed to destroy all my equipment and research if the town fell under attack."

"Then I'll take you."

Tinker jerked his head up to him.

The alakazam nodded once. "I can't take you as far as Windflower. But I can get you as far as I can."

"You'll do that for us?"

"I'll do anything. I told your father I'd look after you. That extends to your child as well."

Tinker gave a curt nod and pushed back from the table, blinking back tears. "All right. I'll take Starshine and find these exiles."

Grey nodded in return and followed Tinker out of the break room. The din from the meeting hall hammered on Tinker as he stepped back behind the podium.

"I will take Starshine out of New City!"

His roar cut over the chaos, bringing a momentary silence that was almost deafening. Then the chaos rose to a clamour. Cheers joined the accusations and jeers were thrown once again in Tinker's direction.

Grey placed his paw on Tinker's shoulder and the hall warped around them. The voices plunged into silence as Tinker found himself standing beside Grey in the nest tunnels.

Stomping footsteps thundered towards them and the riolu twisted to the side as three hatchlings raced past, their fur dripping wet and leaving small puddles in their wake. Tad skidded around the corner, wiping water from his mouth.

"Li'l punks! Ye just wait until I get me-" He stumbled to a halt when he spotted Tinker and Grey. "Uncle Tinker!" He inclined his head on one side, looking between the riolu and alakazam. "Och, ye dinnae be lookin' so good. Oh boy." He shook his head and grimaced. "Then ye ain't gonna like what I'm about t'show ye, sure enough."

Tinker's heart felt like lead. He sucked in a breath, casting a glance back in the direction the soggy hatchlings had fled. "Show me."

Tad lead the pair down the corridor. Ordinarily Starshine's room would have blended into the rest, but it stood out like a sore paw pad. Graffiti marred the wall around the door exclaiming various expletives and slurs. Above the door, smeared in red paint, were the words 'go home, filth!'

Tinker clenched his teeth together and blinked back tears from his eyes. This was all his fault. If he hadn't forced Starshine to be accepted into New City… no. He shook his head and shoved that idea aside. If he hadn't, Starshine would never have had a chance at life.

Starshine lay huddled in his nest with Tad at his side. The marshtomp spoke softly to him, trying to drag the sobbing altaria out of his misery.

Tinker flopped against the doorway and rubbed the bridge of his muzzle. "Starshine?"

The altaria raised his head. His bloodshot eyes widened when he spotted Grey standing behind Tinker.

"We're going to take a little trip," said Tinker.

"A trip?" Starshine's voice cracked.

Tad, beside him, paled and looked between his friend and uncle.

"Yes. We're going to join Cleo," Tinker explained. "To help her."

"But… I'm not ready," said Starshine.

"Aye, Tinker, 'e's still a kid!" Tad placed a paw on his chest. "We're both still kids!"

Tinker licked his dry lips as he looked up at the graffiti around the door. He turned back to Starshine and let out a flustered breath. "The truth is, Starshine, neither of us are welcome here any more."

"No." Starshine sobbed and shook his head. "They hate me."

"So we're going to join friends," Tinker went on. "Cleo, Spark, Faith…"

Starshine took in a shuddering breath. "If I help them fight the Darkness… will the pokemon here accept me?"

Tinker had no answer to that. He met Starshine's eyes, which were pleading for an answer. Tinker took in a breath and shrugged. "I don't know."

Starshine closed his eyes and his long neck drooped.

"But we're going to help them fight," Tinker told him. "If they don't accept you, that's their problem. But you have friends. Tad, Scout, Cleo-"

"My Dad," said Tad. "And Mum."

"And me," said Grey.

Starshine seemed to brighten. He raised his head and forced a smile.

"Let's go, Son," said Tinker.

Tad pushed himself up from the nest. "I'm comin' too, aye?"

Tinker shook his head. "No. I need you here in New City."

"But…" Tad stammered, looking back at Starshine. "But 'e's my friend!"

"And that's why I need you here," said Tinker. "You can help the pokemon in New City to see Starshine for who he is. To see him the way you do."

"But Tinker, I…" Tad's shoulders slumped. "Fine, I'll do what ye ask."

"Thank you, Tad," said Starshine. "For being my friend." His smile melted away into tears. "I'm sorry I've put you through all this."

"Stop it!" Tad swiped a flipper across his eyes. "Ye ain't done nothin'!" He sniffled. "If ye see Scout, say 'hi' for me, aye?"

"Of course." Starshine pushed himself to his feet. "Please say goodbye to Uncle Skipper and Aunt Lily for me?"

As Tinker watched the exchange between the two hatchlings a lump rose in his throat. Not only had Starshine and Tad lost their close friend Scout, they were now losing each other. His heart went out to Tad. How would the other pokemon treat him knowing he was friends with an altaria? And what about Skipper and Lily who'd helped to raise Starshine? What would happen in Tinker's absence?

"Please look after Tad and his family." Tinker spoke quietly so only Grey could hear.

The alakazam gave a single nod.

Starshine joined Tinker's side and the riolu tapped Grey on the arm. The room warped around them, and Starshine turned his head to look back at Tad.

"Goodbye!" Starshine called.

Tad's words faded away as he called back to them, waving from beside Starshine's empty nest. The last think Tinker saw was the marshtomp's tearful face surrounded by the hateful slurs painted on Starshine's doorway. It opened a pit of dread in his stomach, and he hoped deeply that Grey and the marshtomp family would be okay in his absence.

...

The ground was covered with smooth rocks. Wiry plants poked up between them, new leaves glistening on their stems as they rejoiced in the end to the cold season. The early sun warmed the ground, but it did little to dry the water off the stones. It pooled across the uneven ground, freezing Cleo's paws as she splashed through it. Just ahead of them she could make out the jagged edge of the Howling Gorge. Beyond that, silhouetted against the noon sky, were slender trees, their bare branches stretching towards the sky. Burned. Brittle. Empty of life. Cleo tried her best not to look at them. Just being here so close to it all left an unsettled feeling in her stomach, one that had been haunting her since they'd stepped paw on the Rocky Plains the previous evening. Memories cascaded through her mind and she had to shake her head to dispel them. Spark never complained. She was as familiar with such memories as Cleo was. Memories of a small espurr and tiny dedenne racing for their lives, desperate to find help as murkrow assaulted them. Two tiny pokemon, orphaned and homeless thanks to the awful persecution from the Darkness. Memories of howling fires, howls that had been silenced just at the start of the cold season. Yet the memories still shocked fear into Cleo's heart.

During her work for the Outcasts she'd done her best to avoid stepping paw back on the Rocky Plains. She'd never come back to the Howling Gorge. Tinker had understood. If work ever called for it, he sent other parties to the gorge.

Spark placed a tender paw on Cleo's cheek and she caught a sympathetic look from her small companion.

"It'll be okay," said Spark. "We'll get through this together, okay?"

Cleo swallowed a lump in her throat and raised a paw to ruffle the dedenne's ears.

Faith caught up to them, having been following behind in conversation with Harlequin and Mischief. The presence of her friends reassured Cleo further and she focused her thoughts on what lay beyond the Howling Gorge. What lay beyond the Forest of Ashes. She hoped deeply their journey wouldn't take them through the skeletal wreck of her former home.

A deep howl sounded in the distance, forcing Cleo's fur on end. Her eyes widened and her spine stiffened. For a fleeting moment, dark shadows raced through her mind, spewing flames.

"The Howling Gorge." Harlequin stepped up to her side, her voice dragging Cleo back out of her memories. "Also known as the Valley of Hurricanes."

Cleo's fur levelled out and she glanced down at the zorua. "Yes." Cleo took in a breath to calm her suddenly racing heart. The Wildfires were gone. "But you never get used to that sound."

"Not unless you live down there." Harlequin motioned with her snout. "Come on. We need to find a way across."

Spark turned her head to look back the way they'd come. Cleo knew she was checking for Yveltal, but they'd not seen him since he'd fled. Three days they'd been travelling since his attack, and none of them wanted to stop for fear the dark bird would appear once more to get his revenge.

The closer they drew to the gorge, the louder the howling became. The racing winds stopped as soon as they started, gusting through the gorge and whipping up sand from the sandstone walls. Cleo resisted the temptation to look down, but Faith and Mischief both cast a cautious glance down the sheer drop to the ground below.

"Wow," Faith gasped. "It's one gigantic wind trap! That's why the winds are so strong here. They're channelled through a narrow pass."

"Yep. That's why we definitely don't want to go down there," said Spark.

Harlequin smirked up at the dedenne. "Scared you'll blow away?"

Spark's whiskers crackled, fluffing up Cleo's fur. The meowstic let out a soft hiss, pawing at her ruff to smooth it again.

Spark was unfazed, glaring down at the zorua. "It's strong enough to blow any of us away, not just me yanno!"

Harlequin laughed and returned to looking for a way across.

"There used to be a bridge," said Cleo. "That's how Spark and I crossed it years ago."

"I know, I've used it before myself," said Harlequin. "But the last time I crossed here was a couple of years back, and it was in disrepair back then. I'd dread to think what state it's in now."

"Don't say that!" said Spark.

"Failing that, we can always detour," said Harlequin. "But it'll add another five days onto our journey at least."

Cleo clenched her jaw. She wasn't sure she could handle another five days. She just wanted to get this job over with. Her eye wandered to the gorge and she jerked her head around before the steep drop sent her dizzy.

"Are you okay?" Mischief's soft voice dragged Cleo out of her thoughts.

She looked up at the whimsicott, meeting his warm orange eyes. "I'm fine," she lied. "I just don't like coming back here."

A look of confusion crossed Mischief's face and he glanced back at the gorge. Cleo realised with a heavy heart he hadn't been present when she'd told Faith and Harlequin about how both she and Spark had lost their home.

"We used to live here, Spark and I," Cleo told him. "Across the gorge, in the forest. The Darkness destroyed it."

Mischief's eyes widened as he followed her nod towards the blackened trees in the distance. "Oh. I'm sorry."

Cleo shook her head and said no more, focusing on trying to find the bridge.

Harlequin was a few strides ahead of them. A low groan left the zorua's throat and she sat down heavily. Cleo trotted to join her and she spotted the tattered remains of the old bridge. The ropes had frayed and trailed limp down their side of the steep sandstone cliffs.

Spark mimicked Harlequin's groan and sank to her bottom in Cleo's fur. "Great! Now how are we meant to get across?"

Harlequin stood with both paws on the edge of the cliff, peering down into the gorge. "The ropes go almost all the way to the bottom."

"We could shimmy down them?" Faith offered, joining Harlequin's side.

Harlequin glanced at the mawile. "That's easy enough for all of you, but not me." She indicated her forepaws. "I was going to suggest we pull them back up and…" She trailed off, looking up at Cleo.

"My psychic won't reach the other side," Cleo told her bluntly.

She looked across the gorge at the supports for the old bridge. The rope had broken clean away from them. Without the bridge they'd need a pokemon that could fly, or take the detour Harlequin had suggested.

"If we did go down there," said Faith, "how would we get back up? Are there any paths to the surface?"

"Pokemon used to travel though the gorge all the time," said Harlequin. "But I couldn't tell you where the tunnels are. We'd have to search for them, and there's no saying which ones will just take us into the gorge. It's not safe down there unless you're a ground- or steel-type."

Faith made a thoughtful noise, her expression calculating. "We might not have much choice."

"Like Harlequin said, we could go around," said Mischief. "A few extra days-"

"-is too long," Harlequin interrupted. "Faith's right. Short of finding the tunnels, which could take days, we might have to go down into the gorge."

The wind picked up again, snatching the rope with it. It trailed along the side of the gorge, and the pokemon pulled back to avoid being snatched up with it.

Spark clutched hold of Cleo's fur in both tiny fists. Her voice went up an octave as her body shook. "Are we sure we want to go down there?"

The wind dropped again, plunging the gorge into silence. Harlequin returned to the edge and squinted as she looked up and down it.

"There are rumours," she said, "that the old pokemon that lived here left a network of burrows. They're easy to see from the walls, but the exits are hard to find."

Spark lowered her voice to Cleo's ear, "Sounds familiar, huh?"

"I can already see some burrows," said Harlequin. "The walls are pocked with them."

"So there would be shelter when the wind picks up?" Cleo joined Harlequin's side, but kept her distance from the very edge.

The zorua nodded. "If we're quick, we might make it. I suggest if we go down, we run straight for a burrow."

Cleo sucked in a breath through her teeth and clenched her fists. "I still don't know, I- Mischief?"

The whimsicott had grabbed the rope in both paws and swung himself over the edge. He met Cleo's bewildered eyes and shrugged. "We need to get down there, and there's no other way, right? So I'll go first."

"You moron!" Spark squeaked. "You're chained to Cleo! She'll have to go with you!"

Mischief blinked at the dedenne. "At least if I go first, if I fall I won't be dragging Cleo down with me."

"No," said Spark with a level of hostility. "You'll just be hanging by your neck!"

Faith placed a paw on Spark's back. "Mischief's right, Spark. We need to get down there. You and Cleo follow him and run to safety."

"But what about Harlequin?" Cleo asked. "We still haven't-"

The wind picked up again, whipping tufts from Mischief's back. He scrambled back over the lip of the gorge just as the wind howled its way through it. His wide eyes went towards the white tufts of fur as they were tossed through the air away from him.

Cleo let out a long breath as the wind dropped and nodded to Mischief. "Go. Quick. I'll be right behind you."

Cleo didn't know where her sudden boldness had come from. She grabbed hold of the rope and threw herself over the edge after Mischief. She steadied herself against the wall with her feet, finding irregular foot-holds. Digging her claws into the rope she lowered herself down, one paw after the next. The rough sandstone scuffed her paws and left a sandy residue on her white fur. The rope chafed her paw-pads and she grit her teeth as she dropped lower and lower into the gorge. The rope gave an unsettling creak and Cleo jerked her head up to meet Faith's violet gaze several feet above her. Harlequin crouched beside her, watching Cleo and Mischief with wide, sapphire eyes.

"Wait until we're at the bottom!" Cleo called to them. "In case it doesn't hold!"

Faith nodded and said something to Harlequin that Cleo couldn't hear. Cleo turned her attention back to the rope, watching where she was putting her paws.

"This is bonkers," said Spark from her shoulder. "There has to be another bridge somewhere."

"Not necessarily." Cleo's voice was strained from effort and concentration. "What pokemon would come and go over the gorge in this day and age?"

"The Darkness?" Spark offered.

Cleo wanted to point out that since the Darkness consisted of a lot of murkrow and dragons that flying would be an easier option. But before she could voice her thoughts she made the terrible mistake of looking down to see how much further she had to go. The ground spun before her eyes and Mischief doubled and tripled. Cleo jerked her head back up, her breath coming in erratic bursts. Spark said something, but her voice was distorted and Cleo couldn't make it out. She became aware of more voices and the wind rustling her fur.

"Cleo!" Spark's voice penetrated Cleo's dizzying fear. "Pull yourself together! Please!"

The world slowed its nauseating spin. Cleo could hear someone breathing heavily in her ear. As the wall came back into focus, she became aware it was her own breaths she could hear. She stared at the sandstone wall, trying to will her heart to stop racing.

"I think I'm okay." Cleo's voice wobbled.

Spark nodded. "Good. You had me worried sick there! Don't look down, okay?"

Cleo rolled her eyes and a small smile appeared on her muzzle. Silently scolding herself, she took a steadying breath and nodded, kicking off from the wall to lower herself to the ground. Trees, mountains… those she could handle. But a sheer drop to her death was a whole other story. She kept her eyes on the wall, forcing herself into a rhythm as she kicked her way towards the ground. Towards safety. She could hear Mischief shuffling down behind her. He'd been waiting, watching them since he couldn't move any further without Cleo. She heard his feet hit the floor and relief washed over Cleo as she realised they weren't far from the steady, reliable ground.

As the rope ran out, Cleo released it and landed heavily beside Mischief. Spark tumbled from her shoulder with a yell and landed on her bottom beside Cleo's feet. Spark grimaced and shook her head, pushing herself back up. Her paw rubbed the base of her tail and she looked up at Cleo.

"Give a girl some warning next time!" Spark craned her neck back to look up the dizzyingly high slope. "Looks like Harlequin's on her way down."

The rope swayed dramatically as it was fastened around Harlequin's waist. The zorua had hold of the rope in her jaws while her paws kicked off the sandstone. Cleo could see fear glistening in Harlequin's sapphire eyes as the zorua forced herself to not look down. Faith watched with concern before climbing onto the rope to follow Harlequin. She shouted something to Cleo and waved a paw before beginning to descend the rope. The mawile kept close to the zorua, ready to offer a paw if Harlequin lost her grip.

Cleo watched helplessly as the wind rustled her ears. They had to be quick. She felt so helpless. None of her psychic abilities worked on dark-types so there was no way she could help Harlequin down. The wind picked up, whipping Cleo's ruff. Faith waved again, her voice drowned out by the wind. Fear lurched in Cleo's chest. She knew what the mawile was trying to say. Cleo, Spark and Mischief had meant to run to the tunnels, and here they were watching their friends!

"Guys, hurry!" Cleo yowled, her eyes scanning the gorge for somewhere to hide. She looked back up at Harlequin. "You don't have long!"

Fear lit up in Harlequin's eyes and her jaw tightened around the rope. Faith secured herself in place with her horn and shouted back to Cleo to run.

A deep howl joined the wind, bushing out Cleo's fur until her tails doubled in size. Her eyes fell on the arched body of a tree and she swung her paw towards it.

"Mischief! Grab that tree!"

Mischief was already ahead of her. He clambered up the slender trunk and latched onto a low branch with both paws, his eyes wide as Cleo rushed to his side. She dug her claws into the bark of the tree and felt Spark lunge into her side and scramble up into her ruff. Cleo pulled herself up towards Mischief and hugged the branch tightly. The wind tore through the frightened pokemon, its wail deafening. Branches shook frantically, whipping at Cleo's body as if it was desperate to be rid of her. Cleo forced her ears shut and clenched her teeth. Sand pelted her face, stinging her eyes until she was forced to close them.

A sharp pain tugged at her ruff and she heard a shrill scream. The pain was brief and she scream faded out into the howling winds. Cleo snapped her head up. Her ears whipped forwards and her eyes widened as the tiny body of a dedenne was tossed away with the wind.

"Spark!" she yowled.

The wind died down as quickly as it had risen, but Cleo didn't release the tree. Her eyes streamed from the sand and fear. Her heart hammered in her chest. She couldn't see Spark.

Mischief dropped from the tree, his gaze fixed on the distance.

Faith landed heavily beside Harlequin and the pair rushed to join Cleo's side.

"What is it?" Faith helped Cleo down from the tree, but Cleo's words were lodged in her throat.

"It's Spark," Mischief told the mawile. "The wind took her away."

Cleo's entire body was trembling. Her eyes released tears and she shook her head, pulling herself away from Faith. "I'm going to look for her."

"Don't worry, we'll find her," said Harlequin. "I'll sniff her out! We-"

"No!" Cleo bared her teeth at the zorua who flinched back at the hostility in the meowstic's voice. "You lot find somewhere to hide! I'm not losing anyone else!"

Harlequin's ears pricked and she raised a paw, opening her mouth to retort. But Faith placed a placating paw on her shoulder.

"Cleo, we'll help you," said Faith. "There's a lot of hiding spots along these walls. If the wind picks up, we'll hide."

Cleo's fur flattened out and she sighed. "Okay." She paused and closed her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm just so…"

"It's fine." Harlequin inched closer to her. "You're worried about Spark, I get it. But we're just trying to help."

Cleo nodded stiffly. "I know."

Faith joined her side and inclined her head to catch Cleo's eye. "I'm sure Spark will be fine. She's pretty hardy. She's probably looking for us already."

Cleo nodded again, feeling her spirits rise slightly. She kept pace with Faith and Mischief, remaining vigilant. Harlequin took the lead, sniffing at the air and occasionally sneezing up sand. For every burrow in the wall they passed they paused to call Spark's name, peering inside. Those they couldn't reach they yelled up at. Soon the gorge was echoing with their voices, and the threat of wind rose again, driving them to shelter until it eased and they could continue their search. With each step Cleo felt her heart sink. Her shoulder felt oddly bare and quiet, and there was no sign of Spark anywhere. Where was she?

...

Thanks for reading! =D