TW: death
It took us another day to get to Union Cave, the next obstacle in our course. I didn't let Faye out of her pokeball unless to feed her or let her stretch. Cupid had an uncharacteristic animosity towards her. Ulric was fine, though he was miffed because Faye wouldn't talk to him. I'm super interesting, he said. I don't know why she won't talk to me.
Union Cave was large and formidable, but well-travelled. Lots of trainers passed through the area, so it had a clear path and lanterns that illuminated the way. The inside glowed aquamarine and streams burbled in the distance. We trekked for a half an hour before Cupid stopped in front of me.
She growled.
"What's wrong?" I said.
Luca glanced at me. Cupid's growl faded into a whimper. I smell something bad.
I picked her up and she buried her snout into my collarbone. "What are you smelling?"
Luca petted her head and between the bones on her back, which she usually liked. Cupid didn't relax. It's the smell when I hunt prey, but not for hunting. When the red comes out.
"Is Cupid okay?" Luca said.
"There's something ahead that's scaring her," I said. Cupid's fur bristled. An ice cube formed in my stomach. "I think we should check it out."
"That's how people in horror movies get killed," Luca said.
"But if we don't, we won't know what it is." I marched forward. Maybe it was maternal instinct that drove me; Cupid was my child and I didn't want anything to scare my baby. Cupid gripped my shoulders with her paws. Then we rounded a corner.
The stench hit me first. It was the smell of a hunting ground, battlefield, butcher shop, something dead.
"Luca, don't get any closer!" I said, my voice raspy.
"What are you –"
He stopped at my side and stared. The smell of rotting blood inflamed my nostrils, and bile roiled in my stomach. It was a dead slowpoke in a puddle of its own blood. Its tail had been severed and taken.
Luca puked. His marill wailed. I couldn't look at the slowpoke; I just rubbed Luca's shoulders until he finished puking. A wildfire of indignation overwhelmed me and my breath hissed through my teeth. "It lost too much blood and died," I said.
Luca returned Buddy. I couldn't imagine how traumatizing it would be to see a fellow water pokemon dead. I returned my pokemon as well. "We need to give it a proper burial," Luca said.
I nodded. "Let's take it outside."
Author's Note: Shorter chapters are easier for me to upload. Sorry y'all.