Hey, look, an update! Sorry it took so long, I was well and truly stuck on the battle scene. I really hate writing them, y'know?

Can't guarantee the next update will be swift, maybe you'll need to wait another five months or so! haha.

Gifted Curse

Chapter Seven

Slash

AuroraFire stood firmly with the fur along her spine standing on end, while Jake simply stood frozen in fear, carrying a very worried expression. He had never seen so many aggressive pokemon at once, and the fact that they all directed their attention towards him and AuroraFire frightened him. Aurorafire, however, felt little fear. It was mostly annoyance.

"Who are you!?" She demanded, attempting to make herself sound a lot more aggressive than him. The mightyena laughed once again, sending a chill down Jake's spine.

"If you want to know so badly, then I am Slash," He announced rather proudly, puffing his chest and holding his head higher than any of his gang. AuroraFire made a sound which sounded, to Jake, like she was annoyed. She took one step forward and stared daggers into Slash.

"Slash," She said with an eerie tone, "I bet you cannot best me in a fight," Jake whimpered. Oh, what? He thought, Is she trying to pick a fight!?!

Slash howled in laughter, he wasn't taking this seriously at all. "Very well, then, A one on one, I assume?" As if they had anticipated this, Slash's gang moved in to seperate Jake from AuroraFire, and giving their leader room to battle. Aurorafire growled, Jake..

"Worried for the human?" Slash retorted, snatching back Aurorafire's attention, "Why are you so worried for it?" Jake clentched his fists slightly at bieng called an 'it', while AuroraFire growled, "Aww, how nausiating," Slash lowered his head for the first time since his appearance and puffed his maned neck, growling slightly.

Jake only blinked for a second before the two began fighting. Jake had seen pokemon battles on tv multiple times before, but he got the feeling that this battle was much different. Life or death...

AuroraFire began with a swift Quick Attack which Slash only barely managed to dodge. The wolf-like pokemon quickly turned to clamp the Ninetales neck with a well-timed Bite. She yelped briefly in pain but ignored it to focus on shaking the black mass off her neck. He's not letting go.. time for some Payback I think... She craned her neck towards Slash in a hasty attempt at reaching his neck, but realised that this was impossible with him still holding a vicegrip on her own neck. Instead, she dived for one of his legs and mimiced his bite attack as her own Payback. The double damage-dealing move was enough to force Slash to release his hold on AuroraFire's neck, allowing her to quickly back off in a defensive stance. Ignoring the searing pain his front-right leg, he turned to face the fox once again.

Clever. Using Payback to deal double the damage I caused with Bite, He thought to himself, I know what I could do next..

Jake looked on in both awe and fear as the two pokemon attacked, countered and seperated. He didn't recognise AuroraFire's second attack, but wondered why she wasn't using any of her fire attacks. The nine-year old looked at her opponent, the slightly injured Slash, and noticed him begin to puff his chest out. ..? what move is that? Taunt? He thought to himself, No, I don't think it's taunt... What is it?

AuroraFire, on the other hand, knew what move Slash was attempting. ..!! Swagger! She growled lowly, I have to act fast!. She quickly enveloped her entire body with a soft blue glow which made Jake gasp with amazement. This should do... I hope.

Slash let out an ego-filled huff and subsequently growled at his opponent once he realised what she had done. Safeguard, stupid fox. He turned around and angrily kicked dirt into AuroraFire's direction in an improvised Sand-Attack. The move caused Aurorafire to buckle in an attempt to prevent any of the dirt particles from getting in her eye.

And it also made Jake stumble and fall.

One of the mightyena that surrounded Jake retaliated with a powerfull bite on Jake's right hand. "AAH!" The nine year old couldn't help but yell in pain, the bite was so strong it drew blood. AuroraFire spun around as soon as she heared the yell. Jake!! Just as quickly as he had grabbed it, the mightyena let go, and Jake grabbed his injury with his other hand and squeezed it in a weak attempt at lulling the pain.

Silly mistake, you stupid fox

Slash, not wanting to miss the oppurtunity, lunged forward and gripped AuroraFire's neck once again. The attack was so unanticipated, that it nearly winded and toppled her. She began to wriggle and move about to try to shake him off, but to no avail. He's so strong..!!

Urgh, that was unfair! Thought Jake, holding an expression was screamed that he was in pain, but also attempting a half-hearted glare. She was distracted, that was unfair!

AuroraFire stopped moving around and simply stood in one place, panting heavily with Slash maintaining his hold on her. He won't be stupid enough to allow me to attempt another Payback, She thought to herself, growling, Perhaps.... Without warning, she dived into a forward roll, taking Slash so completely by surprise that he actually let go. Before he could recover, AuroraFire was back on her feet.

And releasing a vicious torrent of flames at him.

Flamethrower! Thought Jake pleasingly. This was the move he had been anticipating since the beginning of the fight.

Once the flames died down, a very exausted looking Slash stumbled about trying to keep his footing. He glowered at Aurorafire menacingly, while she returned the expression. Knowing that it wouldn't be wise to continue challenging her in his condition, he runs off. The other mightyena that surrounded Jake follow suit, not paying any attention to Aurorafire at all. The Ninetales watches them run off into the night. Thank the heavens for that, Then a sudden wave of realisation hit her Jake! She turned to Jake's direction to see him clutch his injured hand, and ran over to him.

"Jake, are you alright?" She asked with concern. The black-haired kid smiled painfully at her, trying to give some reassurance but failing miserably. "Those dreaded dogs! You were not part of the fight, they had no right to inflict damage on you!"

"Don't worry about it!" Jake quickly said, trying his best to smile reassuringly. "I've had worse, you know that!". AuroraFire sighed. Jake was right about that, however his injury was still bleeding, and that could be a problem. These thoughts, however, were pushed aside when she caught scent of an unfamiliar pokemon. Almost a second later, Jake also caught it. She whirled around to see three Ninetales and a young Vulpix. She was about to take a defensive stance, but noticed that none of them had any hint of malice in their expressions or body language. One Ninetales, a female, AuroraFire could tell, with a small black dot beneath her right eye, stood forward before her company.

"Identify yourself, fellow Ninetales," She spoke with a calm, gentle voice, but held a hint of dominance. It was clear to Aurorafire that she was the leader. AuroraFire wasted no time in hesitation, taking a proud stance before speaking. Jake simply looked on nervously.

"I am AuroraFire, I come from the Ryder Forest, and this" she motioned her head towards Jake, "is Jake, he is an aquaintance of mine, and he means no harm,"

The Ninetales studied both very carefully, in particular Jake's injury. She looked back at her company and exchanged glances before looking back at AuroraFire again.

"AuroraFire of Ryder, I am SandCrash, this forest in which you stand is Vanity, my home," She motioned all around her, "I trust you enough to allow you to stay, for I, as well my family behind me, have witnessed your battle with Slash,"

"You saw that? I'm surprised I didn't sense you earlier," AuroraFire mused curiously. SandCrash smiled sweetly and walked forward.

"Indeed we saw that. Slash and his gang have been a menace to our home for a long while now, I am happy that someone like you has come and shown him his place, this bieng something I have failed to achieve," SandCrash looked oddly downtrodden by this point, which prompted one of the other Ninetales to come along beside her.

"You have tried, at least, my Lady," He said softly. SandCrash lifted her head back up again, and turned to face Jake, whose hand had, by now, thankfully stopped bleeding.

"I express concern for your human here," She told Aurorafire, Jake huffed at bieng reffered to as an object again, "His hand may need to be looked at, has it stopped bleeding?"

Without any concern for the concequences, Jake half-heartedly stated "Yeah", but made a face once he realised that he'd answered her. Ah, they're gonna ask about that now. Oops. SandCrash looked to AuroraFire, who was unfazed, "He understands?" the ninetales questioned.

"Yes, he does," AuroraFire sighed, best to avoid how, for now, "But should we concentrate on his hand for now?" she diverted, bieng honestly more concerned for Jake's injury than anything else.

While she was still confused over Jake's ability to understand her, SandCrash understood and respected AuroraFire's higher concerns. "Yes, follow me, I shall lead you to a place where we can clean the bite wound," She stated, beginning to walk off. "And while we do that," She stated, turning to face the two with a grim expression.

"You might as well learn of Slash's other abilities", she stated.

Staring at Jake in particular.