A/N - Thanks for all reads, reviews, faves and follows! I hope you're enjoying this =D
62 - Stalker
Moonlight glinted off the icicles, and shimmering water trickled from them, pooling onto the floor with soft drips. Cleo gazed out through the cave entrance at the stars speckled across the sky. Everything was silent, as expected in the mountains. The only other sound came from Mischief's steady breathing as he slept deep in the cave. He'd fallen asleep shortly after Cleo had fixed the collar on him. The poor whimsicott was still exhausted from his fever, and his endless panic hadn't helped matters. The collar had been like a tranquiliser, sedating him as he realised he couldn't hurt her so long as she wore the accompanying bracelet.
Cleo idly turned the bracelet around her wrist. She hadn't known Mischief long, but in that short space of time the naive whimsicott she'd encountered in the market had swiftly fallen into a pit of self-loathing. It made her heart ache. There was nothing but goodness in him. What those scientists had done was nothing short of a cruel torture.
Cleo sighed and sat back on her paws. There had to be a cure out there somewhere. There just had to be. But even if there was, it wouldn't bring back the life he'd taken. He'd always know that his friend had died at his paws. Cleo feared Mischief would never forgive himself for that.
Cleo's ears pricked at the faint patter of tumbling rocks. She froze, barely breathing, as she strained her ears against the following silence. It had been brief, but there was no mistaking it. There was no wind outside to disturb the plants enough to send pebbles trickling down the slope. Someone was outside. Cleo's heart hammered as she waited for something… anything else to give her any indication as to whether it was just a natural slide. But nothing else came. Just a haunting, heavy silence.
Every muscle in her body tensed, ready to spring. Was it deliberate? Was someone trying to lure her outside? The cave suddenly felt a lot smaller, as if the walls were pressing in on her. She stared out between the icicles, deadly spikes that made the cave mouth resemble a gaping, hungry maw. They didn't need to lure her out. If one of the Darkness had found her, she and Mischief would be well and truly trapped.
Cleo rose to her feet, and a dull ache throbbed through her leg. She bit back a curse. She'd forgotten about that. Neither her or Mischief were in any fit state to fight. Her paws itched to flee and hide. She crept silently towards the sleeping whimsicott and dropped down to crouch by his ear.
"Mischief!" Her voice was barely a whisper, but it was thick with urgency. "Mischief!"
The whimsicott's eyes fluttered open and he fixed her with a bleary stare. "Huh?"
His mind seemed to clear as he took in her fidgeting posture. Cleo glanced back at the cave mouth, her ears straining for the faintest sound.
Mischief pushed himself up on one arm. "Is something wrong?"
"I think someone's outside," she hissed. "We have to leave."
"Really?" He pushed himself up, following her gaze. "I can't hear anything."
Cleo hushed him and staggered to her feet. Mischief stared down at her leg and his expression turned questioning, but he didn't voice it. Cleo crept to the cave mouth and peered outside, searching the deep shadows. Even though she couldn't see anything, she'd fought enough dark-types to know they could blend into the shadows flawlessly. Her entire mouth went dry and her fur pricked on end. Instinctively she reached for Mischief's paw only to be met with the resistance from the collar. When she looked back at him a brief sadness crossed his face, soon replaced by relief. At least it was working.
Cleo motioned at him to stay quiet and lead him out of the cave. She turned her head in all directions, her ears swivelling. If someone had been trying to lure them out then they'd be lurking somewhere. Her mind screamed at her to run, but she forced herself to keep a slow and steady, quiet pace. If anything, it was to control her limping. If any lurking assassin saw that, she'd be considered easy prey.
Cleo stuck to the path, trying to find a way down the mountain. Her first instinct was to get to lower ground. The Moorlands were filled with places to hide, not to mention hidden ways into New City. If they managed to find one, any enemy pokemon would be baffled when they lost their trail.
The silence of the mountains felt unnatural. Not even a breeze stirred her fur, as if the wind itself was too scared to move. Her breath seemed deafening and she tried to still it as she crept along the path. She had to check a couple of times to make sure Mischief hadn't fallen behind. His light footwork didn't disturb the rocks and created no noise. He kept low down and close to her, not even glancing back.
Soon (although it didn't feel soon enough) Cleo picked up the gurgle from the river as it smashed its way down the mountain. Her heart soared. That meant they were very close to the cave where they'd found the seviper remains. They were very close to New City. She lifted her head to pinpoint it, fighting the urge to break into a run. She motioned Mischief towards the river and they crept up the rocky slope towards it. As they neared the top, Cleo's foot slipped over loose scree and opened her mouth in a yell. She grabbed a stiff plant and her feet scrambled for a foot hold, her tails swishing as she fought to right herself. She felt resistance from her bracelet as Mischief reached out a paw to grab her. She met his anxious gaze briefly as her paws found their place on the slope. Her yellow eyes were wide as she watched the rocks tumble to the path below. Each clack of stone on stone sounded like thunder. She bit her lip as the faint echo of her yell faded out, and she exchanged a worried glance with Mischief. She dragged herself up beside him and made to move on, but Mischief stood staring back down the slope.
She turned her head back down to the shadows below. Two green eyes reflected the moonlight, framed by the lithe feline body of a liepard.
"Well, well," a velvety voice purred. "Look at that, pretty kitty. You gave yourself away."
The slender leopard leapt up the slope, each footstep calculated. Not so much as a pebble tumbled away beneath his paws. He landed in front of her and turned sideways as he stalked silently over the rough ground. There was no mistaking it. This was the pokemon that had been hunting them. That small rock tumble was no accident. He knew they were in that cave, and he'd been trying to lure them out.
"Can you fight?" Cleo whispered to Mischief.
The whimsicott didn't answer. He balled his fists at his sides, his orange glare fixed on the liepard.
"So you're not running?" The liepard's ears pulled back flat against his skull. "Because it's clear to me that neither of you can put up much of a fight." He looked Cleo up and down and his lip curled in a sneer. "Are you really going to make this so easy for me?"
The liepard lunged, his claws splayed. Cleo felt his hot breath on her face. She yelled, sending a flash of pink light into the larger cat. He flew back from her, landing with a grunt against the rocks. He scrambled back to his feet and shook out his pelt. The fur bristled around his neck and he lowered his head in a snarl.
"What was that?" he scoffed. "Psychic-type moves aren't meant to hurt me!"
"It wasn't a psychic-type move." Cleo straightened, finding her confidence. "And it's not just me who can use them, either. My friend can, too."
Mischief shifted beside her, doubt clouding his eyes.
The liepard looked at each in turn and snorted. "Then I'll just have to kill the both of you, won't I?"
He lowered his head and crept towards them, pulling his lips back in a snarl. The low rumble made Cleo's bones tremble and she took a hesitant step back. She braced herself to strike out with another disarming voice, but the large cat leapt again, turning to strike her side. His claws raked her shoulder and she turned to meet his attack. Her ears flew open, sending out another flurry of pink light. But it fell short, only skimming his tail.
The liepard doubled back, lunging at her. Cleo raised her paws and narrowed her eyes, bracing herself for impact. But Mischief stood in front of her and met the cat's claws. The liepard's teeth gnashed near his face, causing Mischief to pull his head back. But he held the large cat's paws against his shoulders, slowly pushing the bigger pokemon back.
The liepard panted with effort, which morphed into a single laugh. "The rumours were right. You really are no joke." He pulled his head back and lunged forwards, causing Mischief to stagger and break his hold. Before the liepard's teeth could lock around his throat a flash of silver streaked past them, and the large cat yowled, falling back. His heavy paw smashed Mischief around the head as he twisted to face his assailant. But whatever it was vanished up the slope of the mountain.
Blood trickled from the liepard's shoulder, marring his purple and cream fur. He hissed, turning his livid emerald glare back on Cleo and Mischief. The whimsicott's breathing was heavy as he barred the assassin's way. Deep scratches turned Mischief's shoulders red, and blood trailed down his face from around his left horn.
The liepard lowered himself to a crouch, his sharp teeth glistening in the moonlight. A small black shape landed in front of him, causing him to reel back with surprise.
"Leave them!"
The liepard snorted with disgust and took a step back. "Harlequin?"
Cleo echoed the liepard's surprise.
The zorua stepped out of the shadows and raised her head to meet the liepard's gaze. "Another assassin sent out on the hunt? Isn't Hydreigon tired of this yet?"
The liepard opened his mouth to retort but then glanced at the red gash on his shoulder, as if seeing it for the first time. His eyes widened and his gaze drifted back up the mountain slope where it rested on the pawniard twins. Their sharp blades glinted in the moonlight as they stood in clear view. The liepard's legs trembled and he stagged back as his breathing turned erratic.
"Oh no. No!" He collapsed to the floor and screwed his eyes shut. "No, please! I don't want to die!"
Cleo's heart leapt and she raised a paw to her chest. The way the liepard was whimpering unsettled her. Harlequin stood over him, staring down at his terrified face, but he wouldn't meet her eyes.
"You don't want to die?" There was little emotion in Harlequin's voice. "Yet you were more than willing to kill these two?"
"I was only doing what I was asked!" The liepard looked up at her then. "You would do the same!"
"You're wrong," said Harlequin. "I don't bow to Hydreigon anymore."
The liepard stuttered for a moment. "Then… you really have gone rogue?"
Harlequin snorted. "I'd call it 'seeing sense'."
The liepard snorted between gasps. "Yet you're just going to let me die?" His lip pulled back from a canine in a feeble sneer. "How the tables have turned."
Harlequin stared down at him as his head lolled to the side. His mouth gaped open as he gasped for breath, his ribs rising and falling frantically.
"You're just like I was," said Harlequin. "I can see it now. Terrified you'll be killed for putting one paw out of line. That's how Hydreigon controls us. Through fear."
The liepard fixed one livid eye on her.
Harlequin wasn't shaken. She shrugged her shoulders. "You know you don't have to go back?"
"Not go back?" The liepard struggled to raise his head. "Become a rogue, like you?! You heard what they did to Enigma!" He smirked as Harlequin flinched, her fur bristling down her spine. The liepard nodded. "Yeah, you heard about that? Well… I'm not about to waltz right into that trap."
Harlequin bared her teeth in a snarl. "At least Enigma died fighting the right battle!"
The sound of metal on rocks alerted them to the pawniard twins. They crept down the mountain, bracing themselves to leap to Harlequin's aide. Their watchful gaze never left the liepard.
The liepard laughed weakly and flopped onto his side. "I was sent to find you, Harlequin. Those Outcasts are friends of yours." He nodded towards Cleo and Mischief. "I was only tracking them to find you."
Harlequin's sapphire eyes narrowed into slits. Then she let out a sigh and relaxed. "Yet all you're doing is talking to me?"
The liepard gave her a quizzical glance. "You expect me to fight? You poisoned me!"
"Did I?" A smirk spread across Harlequin's muzzle and she raised her paw to examine her claws. "I don't remember that."
The liepard's green eyes widened and he raised his head to look at her. His ears pricked forward towards the zorua, but Harlequin's playful smirk never faltered.
"You really believe I poison all my enemies?" She chuckled and lowered her paw, inclining her head on one side as she met the liepard's confused stare. "Your reaction is purely psychological."
"But… you hit me." He looked at his shoulder, soaked with blood.
"I didn't hit you." Harlequin nodded to the pawniard. "They did."
The liepard rose to his feet, his spine bristling. He shook his fur and bared his teeth at Harlequin. "You little-"
Harlequin met his glare with a calm stare.
The liepard let out a long breath but he didn't smooth his fur. "You really didn't poison me?"
Harlequin shook her head. "If I had, you'd be dead by now. Then you'd have no choice whether or not to return to Hydreigon."
Confusion filled the liepard's emerald eyes. He looked up at Cleo, sending a chill down her spine. But it was only a brief glance as he returned to Harlequin.
"You can be free," Harlequin told him. "You don't need to live in fear of Hydreigon. Sure, on this side you'll need to flee from the murkrow's watchful eyes, but you won't need to kill anymore. Or you can fight on the right side of the war."
"The right side…" The liepard seemed to taste the words, his expression growing distant. Then he snorted. "What is the right side of a war, anyway?"
"The side I'm fighting on," said Harlequin bluntly.
The liepard stood back and shook his head, half-turning away. Then he looked back. "You really didn't poison me?"
Harlequin flashed him a smile. "No. You'll be fine."
With a grunt, the liepard turned and bounded down the side of the mountain.
Harlequin watched him go then turned to Cleo. "Well that was a close shave."
"You spared him?" Cleo stared at the shadows where the liepard had vanished.
"Yes." Harlequin sat down heavily and was soon joined by Scratch and Claw. "I've learned any pokemon can change if given the chance. I wasn't about to rob him of that."
Mischief looked down at her and she gave him a warm smile. The whimsicott was trembling and he rubbed at his bloodied shoulder. Cleo shook herself and reached into her bag for an oran berry.
"Thanks for the help there, Harlequin," said Cleo. "As you can see, neither of us are in top form."
"I've noticed."
"Forgive my ignorance, but what are you doing here?" Cleo asked. "I thought you were in the cells."
"I was. But Spark and Faith wanted our help to find you." Harlequin sat down heavily and looked them both up and down. She frowned at Mischief's injuries. "Looks like I was just in time."
"You definitely were. But you took a big risk." Cleo tugged part of the peel away from the fruit. "If that assassin hadn't believed you'd poisoned him, things might have turned very ugly."
"It was worth it, though," said Harlequin.
"I'm not denying that. I just hope he takes on board what you said." Cleo trailed off as she turned towards Mischief. She'd almost forgotten about the collar.
"He already has." Harlequin took the oran berry from Cleo and reared up onto her hind legs to help Mischief rub it into the scratches. "I showed him mercy, then look what happened." Her voice was muffled by oran pulp. "He spared our lives and went his own way. Who knows? Maybe that path will lead him to the Fairy Garden."
A hiss came from Mischief, followed by a mumbled apology from Harlequin.
Cleo glanced back down the rocky slope. Two green eyes looked up at her, then vanished as the liepard slunk away into the shadows once more.
...
The path widened out onto flat ground. Scattered rocks lay haphazardly about the base of the mountain, covered in melting snow. The soft clink of the pawniard twins' feet soon faded away as the group reached the grass. A large bramble bush sprawled out between stiff, spindly plants that had struggled to survive the cold season. A few young trees cast their shadows over it, their delicate branches filled with evergreen spines. A small shape sat outside the bush and rose to its feet as Cleo and her friends drew closer. Cleo recognised Faith's violet eyes as they reflected the moonlight, and the mawile trotted silently towards her.
The twins left Cleo to rush to Faith's side. She beamed down at them and placed a paw on each of their shoulders. Then she looked up at Cleo and Mischief again.
"You're both okay!" she whispered as she took Cleo's paws. Her claws brushed the bracelet and she looked from it to Cleo, raising an eyebrow. She glanced down at Harlequin, but Cleo shook her head sharply. A look of realisation crossed the mawile's face and her gaze wandered to Mischief. She opened her mouth to speak.
"I'll explain later," said Cleo before Faith could ask. "First, I want you to tell me what you're doing here?"
"We got worried!" Spark poked her head out of the bramble.
Cleo's shoulders sank in a sigh. "I told you to leave it two days."
"That was two days too long." Spark yawned. "I'm just glad you're okay."
Harlequin snorted but she chose not to say anything about their close encounter with the liepard. The zorua stood up and shook out her pelt. "I'm gonna find somewhere to sleep." She narrowed her eyes at Cleo and Mischief. "I suggest you two do the same."
"We'll keep watch," said Claw.
Cleo looked back at the twins. Faith was smiling at them warmly.
"Thank you," said the mawile. "But I feel like the bramble isn't big enough for all of us. It's already a little crowded."
"A little crowded?" Cleo asked.
The branches shifted as the slender form of a furret emerged. Sandpaw stood, brushing leaves off her sandy fur. Cleo raised an eyebrow at the furret.
"I thought I heard voices," said Sandpaw. She smiled at Cleo. "It's so good to see you."
"Huh. It's good to see you, too." Cleo turned to Faith. "Have you got Tinker in there as well?"
Sandpaw chuckled. "It's just me and Scout."
"And Spark," came the dedenne's voice.
Sandpaw laughed again. "Scout and I are going to find the Fairy Garden."
"That's great!" Cleo beamed at her, then her expression melted into a frown as she rummaged in her bag for her tent. "How did Tinker take that news?"
"Not very well, unfortunately." Sandpaw rubbed her paws together as she watched Cleo and Faith set aside the poles for the tent. "Can I help you at all?"
Cleo guessed the furret wanted to keep her mind off Tinker. She nodded and motioned her over. Mischief crouched at her other side, listening intently as Cleo explained how to put the poles together.
"Where did you get this?" Mischief asked. "What happened to the old tent?"
"We got it off a group of travelling Outcasts," Cleo explained while threading a pole through the tent.
"It's really something," said Sandpaw. "I've never seen anything like it."
"It's certainly more convenient than the old tent," said Faith. "That one always needed a tree or something else to hold it up."
Mischief said nothing, busying himself by shoving the tent pegs into the stony ground. Faith gave them an extra whack with her horn, and the tent was up in no time.
Cleo turned to the whimsicott and pulled the tent door open. "You get some rest."
Mischief didn't complain. He crept into the tent and Cleo released the door behind him. Her gaze wandered over her friends, resting on the pawniard twins. As exhaustion swarmed over her, she felt incredibly grateful for their offer to keep watch. She feared if she tried she wouldn't be able to stay awake.
Cleo looked up at Sandpaw. "Do you want to use the tent?"
Sandpaw shook her head. "I'm fine in the bramble with Scout. You take the tent, Cleo. You look positively exhausted."
"If you're sure," said Cleo. She gave the furret a small smile. "Thanks for your help."
"Anytime. It's the least I can do." Sandpaw gave her a small bow and returned to the bramble.
A grumble came from the prickly bush that suggested Sandpaw had disturbed her sleeping son. Spark tumbled out and slumped over to the tent with a wide yawn.
"Luxury over the wilds?" Faith joked.
"Any day." Spark slipped into the tent.
Faith made to return to the bush but Harlequin cut her off. "You take the tent, Faith. I'll hunker down with Sandpaw and Scout."
"That's kind of you, Harlequin," said Faith. "But you don't need to do that. I'm fine."
"Nah. I actually prefer sleeping rough." Harlequin nodded to the tent. "Go on. I'll take over Scratch and Claw later, too."
Harlequin's cool blue gaze fixed on Cleo. Faith looked between the two and, sensing Harlequin wanted to speak to Cleo alone, she retreated into the tent with a polite 'thank you'.
Cleo met the zorua's sapphire gaze. "What is it?"
Harlequin nodded to the bracelet. "Are you gonna explain what you're doing?"
"What do you mean?"
"Don't think I've not noticed!" Harlequin scoffed under her breath. "You've detained Mischief. I know how that thing works. Do you really think it's such a good idea?"
Cleo turned the bracelet around her wrist self-consciously. "I had Tinker modify it." When Harlequin didn't look convinced, Cleo went on. "He can still use his attacks. It just means he can't leave my side, and there's no risk of him hurting me."
"And he's okay with that?" Harlequin asked through clenched teeth.
"It was the only way I could convince him to join us again." Cleo's shoulders sank and she leaned back against a spindly tree, scattering water droplets from its branches. "I don't want to do it, Harlequin. But…"
"He's worse, isn't he?"
Harlequin's voice was barely a whisper. Cleo met her gaze and Harlequin glanced aside, shifting uneasily.
"He deteriorated when we were travelling," said Harlequin. "He couldn't let go of what he'd done. I have to admit I was getting very worried." She paused.
Cleo closed her eyes, her chest tightening.
"To be honest, Cleo, I thought putting that collar on him might have been the last straw," Harlequin added.
"I was worried it would be as well," Cleo muttered.
"I'm assuming he didn't find that mushroom? Or it didn't work?"
Cleo shook her head stiffly. Had he even mentioned it? She couldn't remember, and she daren't ask.
Harlequin trailed a paw over the ground. "I'm glad you found him. Just… don't do anything too drastic."
"I won't. Trust me, I've thought this through."
"I know." Harlequin looked up at her. "You always do."
The zorua stood up and plodded towards the bramble.
"Thank you, Harlequin."
Harlequin stopped and looked back at her. "What for?"
"For looking out for Mischief," said Cleo.
Harlequin blinked at her.
"You told me where he was," Cleo went on. "I know you'd have brought him back to us if he hadn't been so…"
Harlequin closed her eyes and nodded. "There was nothing I could do. But I knew if anyone could help him, it would be you."
Cleo blinked back tears and wiped her paw across her face.
"Good night, Cleo," Harlequin said softly.
Cleo nodded at her. "Good night."
...
Thanks for reading, everyone!
