Chapter Twelve:
The Only Solution
The door continued to tremble and quake, Sally continued to pant and Howl continued to stare with no response.
"Wh-What did you say?"
It was Rowan who had spoken, and he was staring at Sally in total incomprehension,
"Sally? What did you jus-"
There came a sequence of muffled roars from the villagers' side, and then the most powerful crash of all knocked the table and chairs to the floor.
Sally and Rowan recoiled, for the door was beginning to open, sliding the table slowly out of the way, and they had a fleeting glance of someone trying to slip past his companions and into the building when there was rushing noise from somewhere, and Sally glimpsed Howl's paw enveloped in a mysterious light before the Pokémon himself sped forwards, leapt over the obstacles and thrust his paw into the wall directly in the lone intruder's path. There was a cry from out of sight, and then the arm was withdrawn through the gap behind the door. Howl snarled and threw his whole weight against the door and drove it back into place again, causing roars of rage from the villagers-end. Sally made to step over the fallen table and help him, but he thrust out his paw and growled with his fangs bared,
"Stay back!"
"But-!" she began, but then the door shifted and Howl was forced off-balance only to immediately regain his position and shut it once again.
"Are they outside the side door too?" he asked, "Have they got us surrounded?"
"No," she replied. He looked round at them and flicked his gaze from one to the other briefly.
"All right," he said, "You two go. I'll handle this."
"What?!" Rowan burst out, advancing a step towards him.
"You can't expect us to do that!" Sally implored, moving forward like Rowan, but then a deep growl reverberated from Howl's throat and he glared at them with such force that they retreated.
"You must and you will!" he commanded, "I owe these humans a lot, and I intend to pay good on the debt I owe! Head for the crossroads and I'll meet you there as fast as I can!"
"You'll be killed!" Rowan persisted, "We can't just leave you-"
"But you WILL! Now, GO!"
Sally felt her legs begin to tremble, and she took an involuntary step backwards, but recovered her wits and stood her ground.
Howl looked directly at her, his eyes boring into hers - red into blue - and when she heard his voice, she knew somehow only she was the one who could.
"You know who I am. You know I won't go down easily. You'll just get in my way if you stay here. So please… go!"
"O-Oh…OK!" she conceded finally, taking hold of Rowan's arm, "OK! We'll go!"
Ignoring Rowan's protests, she made to steer him away, but just before she turned her back, Howl reached up to his shoulder and lifted the smaller Pokémon off, then he held the little one out before him and spoke in words unfamiliar to her. The little one's ears went rigid all of a sudden and he stole a moment's glance towards her and Rowan before flailing his legs about in the air and trying to grip onto Howl's shoulder again. Howl looked up at Sally with a meaningful expression and she rushed forwards and took the little one from him.
"Look after him!" he called as she took hold of Rowan and hurried across the room, "I'll be right behind you! Do not let him go!"
Sally struggled in the effort of simultaneously searching for the right key and holding onto the smaller Pokémon, who was scratching, writhing and kicking his little legs out to try and free himself from her grasp. She held him firmly around the middle and managed to finally open the door as there came another crash from the main room. Then a roar and what sounded like a blast almost drew her eyes back, but she took hold of Rowan's arm and darted out into the prairie. They turned left and steered gradually away from the walls whilst heading for the path leading back towards the crossroads, and all the while they could hear cries, heavy footfalls, thuds, and every few seconds a snarl would resound through the air and then devastation would follow at the sound of another mighty crash.
"I can't believe we're doing this," said Rowan's voice. Sally turned and saw him gazing hesitantly back at the tavern, and then he began to slow to halt.
"Come on!" she urged, pulling on his wrist, "We'll just get in the way! He wants us to go!"
"There's no way he'll survive! He needs our help! We can still help him now!"
She'd been about to respond, but then the little Pokémon suddenly swiped hard at her face and tried to scramble over her shoulder, but she seized his hind legs and pulled him back down. Then came a voice from the tavern, and when she looked, she saw that there were no more than four villagers directly outside the main entrance calling and pointing at them. No sooner had she seen them when something - another villager - came hurtling out from the building and knocked into the man in the middle, sending him straight to the ground, and before those remaining could do any more than yell, Howl himself leapt out through the open doorway and crashed into another of the villagers, knocking them head-over-heels.
"You see?" she said, pulling on Rowan's arm, "He's fine! Now come!"
And they ran.
Away from the chaos;
away from the villagers;
away from Luna Tavern.
They had been moving non-stop for almost five entire minutes when Rowan began to falter behind her, and Sally had no strength left to pull him in her wake, and eventually they were walking alongside each other, gasping and clutching at their sides.
"How much… farther?" Rowan asked, his voice unsteady.
"Not sure," she replied, in the same condition, "I was… going to ask you that…! You walked this path only two days ago!"
"Yeah, well, I… wasn't exactly timing in my head… how long it took!" he retorted.
Sally felt a sharp sting and arched forward, her teeth clenched and her eyes watering.
"You okay?" Rowan asked, stopping and turning back.
"No!" she snapped, "No, I am not! This little punk won't stop - Gah!"
Sally was unable to finish her sentence, because at that moment the little Pokémon had sank his claws into her skin and tried to push himself free, burrowing them even deeper as he did so.
"Need a hand?" Rowan asked, approaching and taking a firm hold around Pip's middle, "It's okay, I don't mind. You just have to be rea- AGH!"
Pip had swung his hind claws up and dragged them down across Rowan's arm, and if Sally hadn't been ready to catch him, Pip would have tumbled to the ground and no doubt sped away from them in the blink of an eye.
"ENOUGH!" Sally bellowed, gripping all four of the little Pokémon's legs, cramming them into one fist and tucking her arm under his back to support him. The Pokémon yelped and tried to tug his legs free, but she held on tight.
"Enough!" she repeated, "Stop! Please!"
The three of them froze, all panting and staring at one another, Rowan at Sally and she at Pip, who's gaze shifted from one to the other.
"Please…! Just… stop being such a pain!" she continued, "I am not going to hurt you! No-one is gonna hurt you! We're trying to get you home!"
There were no indications of understanding on the little Pokémon's face, for all that his eyes were wide and now fixed inertly on her. She tried to bring her thoughts together and focus on some way she could calm him. Then an idea came to her, and she said, very slowly,
"Howl…"
The long, brown ears twitched, and he blinked up at her.
"Howl… wanted us-" She pointed to her and Rowan, "to take you-" then gave his legs a gentle shake.
"Howl wanted us to take you," she said again, repeating all her gestures alongside the message.
Pip's mouth opened slightly, and his gaze remained fixed on her as she spoke.
"Do you… want me to let go?"
No response.
She squeezed his legs held in her hand and looked pointedly from his face to his legs, and repeated the question.
"Sally," Rowan began, as if he were about to tell her that the little Pokémon didn't realise what she meant, or that they didn't have time to delay.
But her sudden gasp cut him off before he could say anything.
As he had spoken, the Eevee had met Sally's gaze, and responded to her with a quiet 'yip' sound and a slow, deliberate nod.
"Rowan!" she cried, "Did you see that?! He understood me! He-"
There was a noise along the path ahead.
They turned their heads sharply towards it, and saw something heading swiftly towards them.
"What's that?" said Rowan, though there wasn't time for them to wonder. A hiss and swish reached their ears and then a distressed cry from what was unmistakeably a Pokémon followed immediately after.
"Oh no," Sally breathed, "Not now!"
"What?" asked Rowan, but she shook her head. "I'll explain later, okay?" And she swung her backpack round from her shoulders and fumbled with the straps before holding tightly onto the scruff of Pip's neck and pushing him inside it.
"Umm. Sally?"
Rowan gaped, but she took hold and steered him along to the side of the path, thinking their options through carefully.
They couldn't risk running, for that would raise suspicion, and if they could see their quarry out in the open, then it was almost certain that their quarry had seen them too.
"All right. Rowan, just follow my lead and act casual. But not too causal."
"Sally-"
"Just make them think we're nobody! Act normal!"
She felt the creature in her backpack writhe and lash out, kicking out little lumps in every direction, and frightened noises came from within it, but she hugged her arms tightly around it and made soothing, gentle noises.
"Shh… It's okay. Shh. Please be quiet now… Quiet…"
The sound of hooves trotting and wheels clattering became louder and louder, and Sally slung the backpack over one shoulder in an attempt to angle it out of sight.
Eventually they drew level and she glanced sideways as they passed.
The wagon was smaller than she'd been expecting, as though it hadn't been built for the purpose it was here for. But as she saw who was seated inside it, she went pale. She couldn't know that, of course, but she knew she felt faint, and resolutely turned her eyes away.
They had only gone a few steps apart when a booming male voice suddenly called from behind them,
"You there! Halt!"
They froze in their tracks, and Sally drew a deep breath to try and calm the uncontrollable racing of her heartbeats.
"What do we do?" Rowan whispered, but before she could respond, the voice bellowed,
"You! Young sir and miss! Wait!"
She exhaled sharply and responded, "We've got no choice. We'll just have to be quick."
-then they turned and walked reluctantly back along the path as a man clad in light armour leapt to the ground and hurried towards them.
As he approached, she noticed there was a blade at his side and the handle of something sticking out above his shoulder. He was armed.
"Y-Yes?" she stammered, before collecting herself and adopting the modest, polite manner she took when addressing one of her customers, "Yes, how can I help you, sir?"
The guard halted before them.
"Sorry to bother you, but I fear we may be on the wrong track," he said, "We're looking for a tavern that should be somewhere around here, by the name of Luna Tavern. Perhaps you've heard of it? We're informed that it's close to the village, but this path seems to merely go on and on."
"Oh," she replied at once, "Yes, yes, I'm afraid it's a bit out of the way, almost impossible to find first time. No, you see, the way you're heading along now is actually towards our family cottage. We can't seem to get through one week without some poor fool knocking on our door and asking if they're at the right place.
OK, the tavern you're looking for is… along that way," she said, pointing sideways along a small path that she'd just so happened to notice,
"That path will take you there eventually. It's quite a trip, but with that wagon of yours, you ought to be there in no time."
She looked back at the guard, satisfied with her answer and expecting thanks for her guidance. But what she saw instead was that the guard had barely looked away from her. And before she could say anything, he pushed up his visor and stared probingly.
"Um…" she said, "Is… something wrong?"
"How did you get that mark, Miss?" he queried.
"W-What mark?"
"There. On your cheek. And your nose too, Miss!... Has someone been treating you roughly?"
As he spoke, his eyes flicked towards Rowan.
"No," she replied blandly.
"Are you sure?" he persisted.
"Yes, quite sure. Sorry, but if there's nothing more to discuss, we really need to be-"
"Where are you two going, may I ask?"
"To the village. We're meeting somebody."
"Who are you meeting?"
"Family," Rowan cut in, realising Sally's increasing anxiety, "And they don't like to be kept waiting! So if you don't mind, we'll be on our way now-"
"Is that perhaps why you're both sweating like you've run a marathon?" said the guard, with another glance at Rowan.
"As a matter of fact, yes. Excuse you," said Sally, "So, you just keep on following that path 'til you see the tavern, okay? Okay. Good luck." And with that, she and Rowan turned and walked away as quickly as they could without actually running.
"Don't look back," Sally muttered under her breath.
"Don't look back.
Don't look ba-"
"Stop!" the guard called suddenly.
It was an order, not a request, and to run from that would be madness. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth before shaping her expression into one of complete indignation and turning to face the guard.
"What is it?" she said.
The guard approached them at a slow pace and said, with a contemptuous glare at Sally, "What are you carrying in your bag, young miss?"
Sally felt her insides give a horrible plummet.
"What was that?" she managed to reply.
"You heard me. What's in the bag?"
"Never you mind!" she blazed, advancing a bold step closer, "You delay us in our journey, ask us for help, and then start grilling us?! What is your deal?! Come on!" She made to take Rowan by the arm and move onward, but the guard grabbed her firmly by the shoulder.
"If you're merely visiting family, why would you both need full bags, hmm?"
She couldn't respond. She was quivering with fear and genuine anger.
Then, with no warning, she felt the contents of her backpack shift and clatter, and heard an unmistakeable squeal from within it.
She reacted instinctively; whirling around in the blink of an eye and driving her fist as hard as she could into the guard's unprotected nose. He staggered backwards and then Rowan suddenly charged forwards and thrust his foot into the guard's stomach, knocking him hard onto his backside. Sally and Rowan's eyes met in a flash and spontaneously they agreed and sprinted away along the path.
"YOU, STOP!" they heard from behind them. But they didn't stop. Instead they ran flat-out, and then they heard that hiss and swish through the air again and then the sound of heavy wooden wheels turning and advancing after them. Sally realised what was happening, and through the terror that was coursing up her spine, she swung her backpack into her arms a second time and made to unfasten the top, but her fingers had barely touched the straps when Rowan suddenly leapt sideways and knocked her out of the way as the wagon sped forwards at the exact place they had been a second before.
The wheels skidded and dragged along the earth and the two Pokémon pulling the vehicle gave cries as their chains were wrenched back. Then there came the sound of people disembarking.
Dizzy and breathless on her side, Sally unfastened the bag at last and pulled the little creature out.
"Go!" she cried, holding him before her around the middle,
"Run! Get away from here! Get back to The Forest - RUN!"
Then she half-pushed, half-threw him away and he landed with a roll to the ground. The little Pokémon looked up at her with his brown eyes wide and his long ears rigid, and she made desperate motions with her hand to try and shoo him away! To tell him to run!
The little Pokémon looked up past her as heavy footsteps came closer and closer, then he looked from Sally, to Rowan, and past them both again before turning his head back in the direction they had come and scampering away.
"NO!" Sally shouted, "Not that way! Come back!"
She scrambled to her feet and ran after him just as she saw the first guard who had been knocked down skid to a halt as Pip shot past him. And what Sally saw as she ran towards them both made her heart seem to fail.
The object she had noticed before on the first guard's back was a large, menacing crossbow, which he then reached up to and pulled down, taking careful aim at the tiny infant Pokémon as he ran.
"STOP!" Sally cried, lunging forwards, grabbing the guard's arms and pushing them away at the exact moment that a bolt was fired from it.
The man grunted and swung his arm back, making her stagger under his strength, but still she clung on tight until out the corner of her eye she caught a fleeting glimpse of a metal-coated hand before white-hot pain surged across her face and she fell down hard.
"Little WENCH!" he spat, turning his gaze away and drawing a second bolt from his belt. Sally gripped the grass in her fists and struggled upright just as the man was loading his shot and propelled herself forwards again, tackling him down to the ground.
Together they wrestled, each trying to pin the other's limbs down whilst Sally managed to angle in strikes whenever she could, knowing that at least some of her blows were definitely connecting, but that they were barely inflicting any harm at all. She may be desperate and have less restricted movement than her opponent, but he was a trained soldier with genuine combat experience, and suddenly she felt a hand seize her by the throat and pull her to her feet.
"So…" he hissed, "You weren't transporting just any illegal cargo… but a little pet beast."
"Look who's so smart…!" she choked. The guard spat and threw her back to the ground, and before she could even sit up, the tip of his blade was pointed into her chin.
"By attempting to conceal and train a monster as your own from the law, citizen, you have made yourself out to be a possible black market merchant or even a potential bandit!
This has been a matter well-instructed by the law, and the sentence for defying it has been made even clearer.
…Do you remember what that sentence is, citizen?"
Sally glared without response.
The guard leered.
"Think your next move through carefully, young lady… This is your one chance to tell me it was all your companion's idea, and that you were only dragged into it, powerless to resist." She felt the tip of the blade pushed ever so slightly deeper into her flesh.
"I'll say no such thing!" she spat, smacking the weapon aside.
"So you don't deny committing this crime?"
Footsteps approached, and then the four other guards were beside them, two of whom holding fast onto Rowan's arms.
From the looks of it, Rowan had tried to fight back - and lost quite spectacularly. Not one of the guards seemed to be even winded, and Rowan's face was marked and bleeding.
"No," Sally answered, her eyes on her friend, "I don't deny it."
The first guard tutted, making her insides boil.
"Very well. Bind her, they'll fit in the wagon without taking any needed space. You are both under arrest for harbouring monsters!"
"No, wait!" Sally cried as she was pulled upright and felt her arms tugged out behind her,
"Wait! My… My brother had nothing to do with this! I'm the one who dragged him into it! He's innocent-"
"What?!" Rowan cut across her, "Sally, no! What are you doing?!"
"Quiet, boy!" one of the guard's snarled, striking Rowan hard in the stomach.
"Stop it!" she shouted, "Please, don't hurt him! Just let him go!"
"Sally…?" the voice of the first guard murmured.
Sally sensed him draw closer to her, and kept her eyes fixed determinedly elsewhere.
"Your name is Sally…? Our Sally? Of Luna Taver-"
A patter from the ground nearby intercepted his words. Everyone - Rowan and Sally included - turned their eyes down towards it, and for a moment Sally felt something small brush against her ankles before the pattering sounds rushed in-between the mass of legs. The two guards holding Rowan gave cries of alarm and panic, and then the pattering came to an abrupt halt right beyond where they stood. The guards scattered away from it, dragging their captives in their wake, and as she saw what it was that had been making those pattering noises, Sally felt a rush of cold despair.
The little Pokémon had returned; his long ears arched forwards, his body crouched as though preparing to leap, his bushy tail swerving from left to right and his eyes scowling towards the first guard, now standing alone in the middle of the path.
Then there came more pattering sounds - though of less rapidity than those before and considerably louder and heavier. And before the first guard had time to turn around, there came a snarl from behind him and he was struck hard in the spine by something, making him lurch upright, his body rigid, and then a large, charcoal-black paw bearing a pointed spike grabbed him by the throat and slammed him to the ground with merciless force.
Howl stood and turned, his eyes blazing like fire before he said to Sally,
"Mind your head," and then suddenly ran at her and drew his right paw back, ready to strike. She ducked just in time as the guard holding her received a mighty blow to the face, and Howl grabbed her shoulder and pulled her away as the guard fell back, clutching his broken, bleeding nose - and before he'd even hit the ground, Howl had gripped the front of his armour and hurled him straight at those who still held onto Rowan. They scattered to avoid him, and when there remained only one who still held uncertainly on, Howl sped forwards, knocked him to the ground and pulled Rowan free as well.
The remaining two guards closed in, drawing their weapons as the third who had been holding Rowan and the fourth holding Sally struggled to their feet too, but the Pokémon thrust out his paw and created an orb of mysterious blue light to hold them all at bay.
Slowly, Howl backed away, with one paw holding the sphere before him whilst moving Rowan back with the other. Sally hastened to his side, and he said, without taking his eyes off the guards,
"Keep moving. I'll meet you both by the crossroads as planned. Go! Now!"
"We're not going anywhere!" Sally replied at once, "We'll be ten times safer with you."
"I agree!" Rowan added. Howl glanced back at them as if to answer, but then one of the guards suddenly ran at them, his sword held high.
"-Howl-!"
"-Watch ou-!" they cried.
-Or began to, for the Pokémon realised what was happening as soon as they did and sprang forward, seized hold of the guard's wrist before he could bring his weapon down and ducked around him, pulling his sword-arm with him as he did so and aiming a kick at the guard behind him.
His foot connected well: striking his opponent directly in his exposed abdomen, making him give a hoarse wheeze and keel over. Howl seized the chance and raised the sphere in his paw, aimed it over the man's back and sent it soaring through the air, exploding into the guards who had only just regained their balance. Then in a heartbeat, the Pokémon grabbed the man behind him with both arms and hurled him overhead into the one bent-double before him. Barely a second had passed for Sally and Rowan to comprehend any of what had happened before Howl brought his fist down into the opponents at his feet, knocking them both unconscious with the single strike alone.
The Pokémon turned his flaming eyes back to them, and had only begun his response:
"This is not-"
When his eyes widened and he barged through them, sending them tumbling in opposite directions.
Sally heard the hiss of a blade slicing through the air and lifted her head off the ground to see the first guard swinging his weapon in a flurry at the Pokémon, left, right, left, thrust, and not once did the blade find its mark.
Then with a roar that vented rage and purest loathing, the guard leapt forward and the Pokémon responded: grabbing the front of his armour and catching his sword-arm before it fell, and then Howl rolled down onto his back and thrust his feet into the guard's stomach, sending him flying in a summersault and landing some strides away.
Sally and Rowan got unsteadily to their feet as the Pokémon leapt up as well.
Heavy footfalls reached her ears and Sally saw the two remaining guards charging towards their protector only for him to turn and unleash a barrage of attacks almost too quick to register; driving his arms out in grasps and strikes, dodging the guards as they tried to retaliate, and swinging his legs around in wide sweeps - and not once did Sally see a blade so much as brush against him!
Then at last, the Pokémon ducked under a sword as it sliced through the air above his ears and swept out the legs of the guard before him, making them fall onto their back, then he whirled round and drove his paws into the stomach of his second opponent, causing a sudden burst of light to erupt from his open palms and send them flying as if fired from a catapult.
As if he were without fatigue, and as though had known his strategy all along, Howl suddenly back-flipped on top of the leg-swept guard before they could recover their footing and raised an arm high above their head.
Sally shut her eyes tight as she heard the blow connect.
A grunt and wheeze made her open them again, however.
From what she could tell, four out of five guards had reached their limit; their bodies scattered across the pathway and one lay well away from his companions in the vast stretch of green grass. But there was still one who remained struggling to fight. He seemed unable to stand up, but continued to drag himself along the ground towards the crossbow which lay forgotten close by.
"I wouldn't do that," said a voice inside their heads.
Howl strode in front of the guard and snatched the weapon off the ground just as they had begun to extend their arm towards it.
"You wretched beast…!" said the guard, whose voice Sally recognised as the one who had struck her, "You disgusting, inferior-"
"Call me whatever you want. It's not going to change anything," Howl said shortly, his tone quite calm for all the danger within it, "Look around you, human. Your allies are finished, and you're barely conscious yourself. I'm going to offer you the choice. Let us move on without trouble, and I will have no reason to humiliate you any farther. Persist, and I won't think twice about beating you down as well.
Up to you."
An intense silence reigned.
Then Sally heard the guard's unsteady breaths and saw his elbows tremble violently as he struggled to push himself up, muttering and hissing all the while.
He had only just regained his balance when there was a snap of splintering wood as Howl placed both paws on the guard's fallen weapon and steadily broke it apart. Wrenching the bow off the mount, snapping the mount in two, and letting the pieces fall to the ground at his feet.
"BEAST!" the guard roared, raising his sword and charging forwards.
Howl stepped forwards and dodged around the guard, somehow managed to place a paw on his back shoved him hard, causing him to stagger uncertainly and eventually tumble down onto his knees. The guard stood up at once and whipped round, and Sally saw he was suddenly without his helmet. But before she could look to see where it had fallen, Howl raised a paw and revealed it - held loosely in his grasp.
The guard squeezed his fingers around the handle of his blade and gave another hate-filled roar as he lunged for Howl a second time.
And the Demon of The Forest seemed to react instinctively, for Sally had barely a moment to blink before the helmet had been dropped, the Pokémon himself had sidestepped out of harm's way, and driven his elbow back into the head of his attacker.
The first guard's voice snagged, then he tumbled forwards, and his face plummeted hard into the earthy path.
Then he was still.
Sally glanced to left and right, watching for any sudden movement, strained her ears to hear more heavy breaths or more scrapes and clinks of armour moving against itself.
Was it over?
She waited for a few more moments, and then finally closed her eyes and let out the breath she'd been holding.
It was. Finally. They were safe.
"Are you two all right?"
"We're fine," she replied at once, "We're fine."
Howl turned away from his fallen opponent and began to walk towards them, and as he did, she felt a little shiver pass along her spine.
Perhaps it was just the lingering adrenaline, but for a split-second, when she saw the fallen guards scattered along the pathway and returned her gaze to him, she thought she could see just why Rota Village would have perceived Howl as a Demon.
Then the little Pokémon hurried forwards out of nowhere and met Howl along his approach, then his expression softened, and she felt more relaxed.
The two Pokémon exchanged with one another briefly, then Howl leaned down and swung the little one lightly up onto his shoulder with his head peering out behind Howl's, as it had been before.
"All right then," Howl continued, "We need to keep going. We're almost there. You'll have time to rest soon, but this isn't the place for it. Tough it out just a little longer."
Sally nodded, and then Rowan's voice suddenly put in from behind her,
"Wait. So, where is it you're taking us? A-Are we… Are you taking us to your territory?"
Howl blinked, and his eyes moved from Rowan's face to Sally's.
"You haven't told him?" he asked her, frowning.
"I was planning to," she replied awkwardly, "but there never really was a chance to, and I didn't really know if I should, or how I should, or…" Her voice tailed away, and the red eyes returned to Rowan as he asked,
"What're you guys talking about?"
Sally and Howl exchanged looks with one another, then in silence, they agreed with a nod.
"What?" Rowan demanded, "You're both creeping me out right now!"
"Rowan," Sally began, "um… Howl is… H-He's…" But she broke off and shook her head uncomfortably, so Howl himself moved forwards and took over.
"Rowan. I'm going to take you and Sally somewhere safe. It's quite a long way from here, but under the circumstances, I'm afraid you have little choice in the matter."
"What do you mean?" Rowan replied, "I kind of thought you lived close by! Can't we just… y'know… stay in your territory?"
Howl closed his eyes briefly. This was the first time he'd had to answer this question any differently. But answer it differently he did, all the same.
"No."
Sally gazed, confused. What did he mean by this?
"Why not?" Rowan said incredulously, his elbows moving in what would no doubt have been a gesture if his hands hadn't still been bound behind his back.
"I thought that you were taking us to… y'know…" said Sally, moving forwards to face him beside Rowan.
"No," Howl repeated, "I can't. I can't take you to my territory. Because my territory is… crowded."
"You… told me and Sally you lived alone."
"Yes, I know.
…I lied.
My territory is close - very close to Rota Village.
My territory is filled with Pokémon from all over our land who have been driven away from their own homes by humans just like the ones we've seen today.
…And when those humans try to drive us from the one place left to us… I stop them. I drive them away, by any means necessary."
A sudden intake of breath made Sally look round to see Rowan's face turning slowly pale.
"No…" he breathed, "No… way…"
"Sometimes," Howl continued, moving a step closer, "all it takes is for me to scare them. And other times… I have to resort to using force. But I will do whatever it takes to keep the Pokémon of my territory safe."
"You can't be…! You're not saying…!"
"Yes… I am, Rowan."
Howl drew another step closer, and when Rowan made to retreat, Sally caught him by the arm and held him in place.
Howl stood directly in front of Rowan and raised a paw to his chest.
"I am the Demon of The Forest."
A long silence fell.
Sally held her gaze, until she finally looked to see the effect this revelation had brought.
Rowan's eyes were wider than she had ever seen them, and his forehead was gleaming, sending a trickle of sweat cascading down his face until it was tainted the most delicate shade of red as it passed the cut on his cheek.
"No…! You can't be…!"
Rowan retreated a couple more steps and his breaths were unsteady and shaking.
"I-I…" he stammered, "I-I…!"
Until he finally burst out,
"I invited you to DINNER?!"
"Rowan, please!" Sally implored, "Don't be like that! You know he's-"
"Sally!" he cut across suddenly, rounding on her, "Sally, you knew about this?!"
"W-Well, no! Not really! N-Not… Not for long!"
"Not for long!? Sally, have you lost your mind?!"
"Excuse me? Ex-CUSE me?! You, sir, are in no position to start chastising me!"
"OK, first of all: I dunno what that means! And second: This isn't just any random monster, it's the Demon of The Forest! The thing which dozens of bounty hunters have fallen to! The-"
"The Pokémon who just saved both our lives!" Sally shouted him down, making Pip jump and accidentally sink his claws into Howl's shoulder.
"Sally!" Rowan began, with a frightened glance at the Pokémon, "He's literally the most dangerous Pokémon we could be around!"
"And you brought him into my home!"
"I didn't know he was-"
"Why do you think the villagers want my head on a platter all of a sudden?!" she shouted.
Rowan's face went as white as chalk.
"What…?" he gasped, "Sally…? You don't mean…?"
"Rowan… look, just forget about it. It's not important," she said, trying to move away from the subject.
"It doesn't matter how this started," said a deep voice, "In the end, you're both suffering from the consequences. Blaming each other will just create distance between you, and seeing as it's only a matter of time before it's you two against the rest of your species, you're going to need each other."
Sally closed her eyes. He was right. There was no just cause for her to be angry at Rowan, especially as he had only really been doing it out of the kindness of his heart.
"Yeah," she mumbled, turning her eyes to the voice's owner. As he spoke, however, she couldn't help but notice out the corner of her eye that Rowan had taken yet another step away from him.
The Pokémon had seen this too, for he then said,
"Rowan. I have no reason to harm you. You spoke me as an equal. As a creature not to be feared, but to be accepted and learned of. It was very kind."
Rowan glanced towards the ground and gritted his teeth, stammering as though he were trying to speak. Then, unsuccessful, he turned away.
Howl grunted.
"Fine. I won't try and persuade you if knowing who I am really does frighten you. If you don't want my help, then I'll stay out of your way. However, if you do want it, I just happen to know a place where you will not only be impossible to find, but where you will also be quite comfortable.
But regardless of your decision, I still need to take this one back to my forest.
Come with me or go your own way; it is up to you."
And with that, Howl turned and began to walk away along the path.
But before he had gone very far, he stopped and looked back over his shoulder.
"And… if you end up choosing the latter... know that I won't forget what you did for me."
Then, without another word, he walked on, with the little Pokémon on his shoulder occasionally glancing back as if completely at a loss.
Sally edged around Rowan and untied his hands before making to go after him, but Rowan took hold of her by the arm.
"Sally…!" he pleaded, but she pulled free and walked on.
"Sally…!"
Though she heard the desperation in his voice, she knew there was no other option. And if Rowan refused to see that, then she would need to be firm in order for him to cooperate.
"…W-Wait up!" she heard at last, "Sally, wait for me!"
She smiled to herself and slowed for him to catch up.
"Thanks, Rowan. You're the best," she said sincerely.
He mumbled a vague reply and looked uncertainly along the path towards where Howl walked a little ahead of them.
"It's OK…" she said softly, taking his hand and squeezing it gently, "He won't hurt us. I promise."
He nodded glumly, and she followed his gaze. Somewhere amidst the fighting, the Pokémon pulling the wagon must have seized the chance to flee, she thought; for no matter where she looked, neither they nor the wagon itself were anywhere to be seen. She, Rowan, Howl and the little Pokémon on his shoulder were the only conscious life for at least a mile. Then she realised she was still holding onto his hand, and let go at once.
Eventually, Howl's pace declined to a stop in the middle of the path ahead, and it was only his ears that gave the smallest twitch as the two of them finally drew level behind him.
"Um…" she began uncertainly.
"Let's go," he said shortly.
"W-What do you…?" she asked.
He stopped and glanced back over his shoulder again.
"Are you coming with me or not?"
Sally was about to reply, but then she thought better of it, and gave Rowan the gentlest push.
Rowan gulped and she saw his hands tremble at his side.
"Dem-" he said, "I-I mean, Howl… Please… take us to this safe place you're talking about.
…I know we're humans, and you have every right to hate us, but please-"
"Understood," the Pokémon said before he could finish, and continued along the path.
Rowan stood where he was, completely stunned, and it was only as the distance between them increased that Sally finally took hold of his arm and tugged him along behind her.
"All right," Howl telepathized at last, "You two wait here. I'll be back."
Sally was brought out of her thoughts with a jolt, and looked around, startled to find that they had already reached the crossroads.
Howl headed forwards, in-between the path which lead to their left - straight towards Rota Village, and one which went on and on into the distance. She caught sight of where the Pokémon was walking towards and felt suddenly nauseous.
"Hey!" she called out before she knew what she was doing, "Howl?"
He stopped in his tracks.
"What?"
She couldn't respond. An inexplicable fear had come over her, and then she felt her legs begin to tremble and give way.
"Sally?" murmured Rowan's voice, "What's wrong? Are you feeling okay?"
"I-I… I don't know…" she replied. What was the matter with her? She shifted a glance again towards The Forest and felt the same sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"You're not hurt, are you?!" Rowan asked with a definite note of panic in his voice.
"No!" she answered immediately.
"What's the matter, then?"
"I-I don't…!"
She heard the sound of approaching footsteps and looked up, startled to find the Pokémon suddenly standing right before her.
"You're shaking," he said quietly.
He sank to her level and looked at her probingly, and at last she found her voice.
"Okay. Howl… please, just be straight with me. H-How... safe is it going to be for me and Rowan in there?"
"In where?" he asked.
"The Forest," she replied, "I mean, I know you protect them, and I know you'll try and explain, but you said so yourself that the place is crowded full of other Pokémon! And it's possible that some of 'em might not trust us… right?"
Howl's mouth opened slightly as he perked an ear the side.
"What are you talking about?" he said finally, "You're not coming with me into The Forest."
"Wait," she exclaimed, "what? But I thought that you-!
You said you were going to take us somewhere safe!"
"I know what I said. And I told you, I can't take humans into The Forest."
"But Rowan and me - We aren't…! We don't hate Pokémon! We're not like the humans you guys have all seen! Couldn't you just tell them that?"
"It's not that simple," he said,
"I can't just flex the rules however I please. The only reason the Pokémon of The Forest look to me as a leader is because they believe I can protect them. They believe when a human tries to get inside, I will always be able to stop them. If I suddenly started bringing humans in and saying that they could also be trusted, all their faith in me would be destroyed in an instant. They would doubt me, begin to question my cause - and probably my sanity too. And then if some didn't try to unite against me, then I know they'd at least go rouge and try to get rid of you on their own. And if that happened, I would have to stop them. And unfortunately, stopping fellow Pokémon isn't always as easy as just standing in the way.
Fights would break out, and then the whole forest would be thrown into confusion and panic that I would never be able to undo.
…I will not let that happen.
I will die before I see this society fall."
Sally felt the air leave her lungs.
"But then…" she breathed, "what are we going to do?"
"Relax; I'm not going to abandon you. There is a place I can take you. But I've got to warn you, it'll be a long journey, one that we'll be making entirely on foot. So you're going to have to muster all the endurance you have."
"What is this place?" Rowan asked.
The Pokémon turned his gaze to him and said, "It's an island. Far to the west. That island is home to a close friend of mine. She'll be able, and more than willing to take you in."
"An island…" Rowan murmured.
"A close friend?" Sally asked in the same tone, "You mean she's another Pokémon? Why would she take us in?"
"She's not a Pokémon," Howl replied,
"She's a human. Her name is Emmia."
A distant call suddenly echoed, and Howl whipped around to The Forest and stared deep into the trees.
"I have to go," he said shortly, "Stay here until I return."
"-But-!"
"-Wait a-!" Rowan and Sally began in unison.
But the Pokémon had sprinted away before either of them could finish talking.
Rowan and Sally looked at each other in silence and saw their own expression mirrored on each other's faces.
Through the trees he ran, leaping over roots and ducking underneath branches, skidding to a halt and dodging behind cover as a small group of forest-dwellers walked past, heading towards the eating area where the call had echoed from.
Once they were gone, he sped across the path and into the foliage, wading as quickly as he could through it all until they came out at last upon another path.
"Sir? Where are we going?" asked Pip, pressing his ears flat as Howl ducked underneath another low branch.
Finally, when they themselves were close to an entry point of the eating area, Howl came to a stop.
"Little one," he said, lowering him to the ground, "listen to me very, very carefully. There's something I have to do now, someplace I need to go, and I'm afraid I won't be back for a while. I'm telling you this, but it would be better if others didn't know. I plan to be back before anybody notices my absence, so if anyone asks you where I am, I want you to tell them, please, that you don't know."
"Why, sir? Where are you going?"
"Out. I'm meeting someone, but I promise I'll be back."
"Can I come?"
"No."
He held up his paw before Pip could respond and briefly searched the Aura in the eating area before returning his gaze and continuing,
"Stick is sitting with Rustle a few groups ahead. Head on in and ask if you can sit with them. I'm going to go and find Mist and I'll tell her where you are. She'll look after you while I'm gone."
"But, sir, I-!" said Pip desperately, "I want to come with you!"
"You can't."
"Bu-"
"No, Pip. I'm sorry, but you're not coming. It's too dangerous. And you've already been exposed to far more danger than I should've ever allowed you to be. Stay here, where you'll be safe."
Pip looked up beseechingly, but he met his gaze coldly. Then Pip mumbled a vague reply.
"Thank you," Howl said, then, "Don't worry, you'll be all right. I'll be back soon."
"OK…"
Howl patted his back lightly, then stood and strode away, back along the path, and began searching for Mist's Aura.
But then,
"Sir!"
-he heard Pip's rapid footfalls and turned just as Pip flung his front paws around his ankle.
"Sir, please…!" he begged, "Let me come with you! Please! I don't want to be all on my own again! I promise I'll listen to you! I'll do whatever you say! Please let me come!"
"Pip, let go of my leg."
"No!" Pip shook his head wildly and clung on even tighter.
Howl tried to dislodge him as best as he could, but still he held on fast.
He sank awkwardly to one knee, leaned his head in close, and said very quietly,
"Pip. Let go."
A barely-audible sniff, and then the little one obeyed, looking up at him with trembling lips and glistening brown eyes.
"I'm sorry," said Howl, "I truly am. If the circumstances were different, then of course I would let you come along. Unfortunately, however, they're not. The outside world is extremely dangerous. No place for someone like you."
"I don't CARE!" Pip snapped.
"But I do," Howl replied, "How do you think I'd feel if something happened to you? And it was my fault?"
Pip opened his mouth to respond; hesitated, and then closed it again.
"You need to stay safe. You know that. Think of the sacrifices your mum and dad made just so you would get here.
I can't betray their sacrifices. And I'm not going to."
"But…" Pip murmured, "what if… what if they're close by? What if they've found each other and they're looking for us?"
Howl breathed a sigh.
"I'm sorry," he said again, "but I'm afraid they're not close by, Pip. We've searched. I've searched. Whether they're together or apart, neither of them are close by."
Howl could see his eyes beginning to well up, and sure enough after he had spoken, Pip had once again lowered his head and begun to sniff as he had seen him do so many times before. It was a sight miserable enough to have made even the most hardened of Pokémon feel tremendous stabs of pity.
This was wrong, Howl thought. No child should ever have to grow up like this! No child should ever have to grow up alone!
He reached forward, hooked a finger under the little Pokémon's chin and lifted his head up.
"Come on now, boy," he said, "Enough with the waterworks. I know you miss them, but this isn't what they wanted for you. You don't want them to find you like this when they come back, do you?"
Pip's eyes flicked down to the end of his small black nose, and his lips quivered.
Howl kept his own silence for a minute, contemplating an idea that had just taken shape in his mind. Then he reached a decision.
"All right... Listen."
Pip met his gaze.
"I'm prepared to make a deal with you, Pip," he said, releasing him and crouching low until their eyes were perfectly level with one another,
"If you give me your word that you will do as I ask and stay in The Forest until I come back, I'll do something for you."
"Wh-What?"
"What if I told you that the next time a search party is sent out, I will direct the focus entirely to your parents and lead the most thorough search possible…
…and that I may allow you to accompany us?"
The young Pokémon's eyes widened, and the faintest intake of breath was picked up from his open-mouthed expression.
"Are you serious?" he asked, his voice slightly rattled from what would have been a sob.
"I am," Howl replied, "But only if you stay here. You keep your promise to me, and I'll do the same."
"You will? You really, really will?"
"Yes. I swear it."
A beam spread slowly across Pip's face, and he wiped his eyes dry.
"How about it? Do we have a deal?"
"Y-…Yes! Yes, sir! Yes, we do!"
"Then let's shake on it," said the Guardian, straightening up and holding out his paw. At once, Pip shoved his own paw into Howl's open palm, then the latter closed three dark fingers around it, and shook.
"Very well."
Pip looked up at him, and before Howl could say anything, he suddenly trotted forwards, vaulted lightly up onto Howl's leg and hugged him tightly around the midriff.
"Agh…" Howl groaned,
"Again with the…!
…Pip… I'm really not much of a…"
His voice gave out. Then at last he shook his head wearily and rested a paw on Pip's back.
"Thank you, sir…" said the little one's voice, "Thank you so, so much…"
"Don't thank me yet. I still have a job to do."
"I promise…
I promise I'll stay here, sir. And I won't tell anyone anything."
Howl smiled.
"Atta boy."
Then he let him gently down.
"I'll see you later, then."
"Yeah."
"Go on now, beat it."
Pip gave him one last fleeting smile, then turned and scurried away around the corner and out of sight.
Howl chuckled quietly.
'For someone so small, he has a lot of energy to spare,' he thought, before getting to his feet and heading in the opposite direction.
"Why?!" said Mist indignantly, "What's happened? Just tell me!"
"I can't," he replied, trying to keep his voice low, "I'm not sure of anything yet, but I need to go and find out now."
"Why now?! What it is - what have you found?!"
He struggled to respond, racking his mind to come up with something. Then he scoured the trees around his training ground for any eavesdroppers listening in before continuing even more quietly,
"Mist… you remember what I told you, yes? About what… happened to my hometown?
I… I'm not sure what it is - maybe it doesn't mean anything, but when I was scanning the Aura last night, I… I found something. Someone's Aura outside The Forest, and I tried to go after it."
"Somebody tried to leave?"
"No, I mean… the Aura wasn't from here. It was fairly close, but when I got to it, it wasn't the actual Aura itself I'd sensed, but traces of it.
…And they were leading me somewhere. Even further away. I wanted to follow, but I knew I couldn't. At least, not without letting you know first."
"So why won't you let anyone go with you?!" she demanded, "You've lead rescue teams before! Why're you going solo all of a sudden?!"
"Mist, there's… something about this Aura. It's like… a familiar scent to me.
Like I know it somehow. I think It's someone from Treasure Town!"
"How do you know that?! What if you're wrong?!"
"I don't know it! That's my point! I have to track them down now before the traces disperse! This is something I have to do! No-one else needs to get involved!"
She turned away from him and began to pace back and forth, ringing her hands together.
"How long will this take you?" she asked, "When will you be back?"
"I shouldn't take too long. All the more reason for me to go alone and leave the others here. The Forest will be safer, and I'll be able to go about my business quicker."
"That's not an answer! Tell me! When will you be back?!"
The Guardian of The Forest hesitated.
"A few days," he said finally, and it was like a spark igniting a towering flame.
"WHAT?!"
Mist strode back towards him and grabbed onto his shoulders.
"A few DAYS?!" she cried, glaring up at him.
"Two or three at most," he retorted, his tone brusque,
"Mist, please!"
"Have you actually lost your mind?! Howl, maybe you've forgotten, so allow me to remind you!"
"Mist-"
"Just a little ways to the south of here is this little village, right? And in this little village are these locals, and these locals are called humans!
What are we supposed to do if they attack while you're-"
"The humans haven't attacked us for a solid four months!" he said, wishing there were time to explain to her the real reason why they would not be attacking,
"And that's also why I insist that you let me do this alone so that The Forest will remain protected!
Mist, please… I implore you…!
I know it's a risk, but I've got to do this.
…I need you to trust me."
"I…!" she stammered, her expression desperate, "Howl…!"
But he could see that their argument was over. He dislodged her arms clasped on either side of him and strode away, determined not to waste another moment.
"Howl, don't do this!" she pleaded.
"Don't worry," he said, trying to sound calm in the hopes of helping her to be calm too,
"I'll come back. I swear."
He had only gone another couple of steps when she snapped in a tone that vented fury and scorn,
"You mean you'll come back like you did for Treasure Town?!"
Howl froze.
He couldn't move. He couldn't speak. And Mist's sudden intake of breath was the only sound to be heard.
"I'm sorry…!" she said, "I'm so sorry…! I-I didn't-"
"No!" he answered, and his voice was deeper, more dangerous, and more frightening than she had heard it be in a long time.
"Never," he continued, looking back,
"…Not on my life."
-and before she could even begin to contemplate her answer, Howl had disappeared into the trees.