Chapter
3

Dark
Growlithe and the Vulpix Squad had travelled slowly back and only
reached Ninetales’ den at nightfall. The vulpix went their own way
to do whatever it was that they did and Dark Growlithe went home to
Ninetales. Inside the den, a half-eaten spearow was lying near
Ninetales.

“This
is for you,” said Ninetales, “How did your mission go?”

Dark
Growlithe bowed and lay with her.

“They’re
both dead,” he answered.

He
took a bite and Ninetales watched him closely. She lay next to him
and snuggled close.

“What
happened? Tell me everything.”

Dark
Growlithe swallowed.

“Flareon
ran to the mountain but took a wrong path. I killed him myself.”

“How?”
inquired Ninetales, a crazy glint in her eyes.

“I
ripped his throat out,” said Dark Growlithe softly.

Ninetales
nuzzled his face happily, “That’s good! You should be more proud
of your achievements. You’re the best pokémon to have come into my
pack.”

Dark
Growlithe brightened a bit, “It just doesn’t feel that great
now.”

“Don’t
think like that. You did what I asked and that is the best you could
do. You are proving yourself to be an exceptional pokémon. Now, what
about Vulpix? You said she doubted my leadership.”

“She
killed herself by jumping off a cliff. She shared some of Flareon’s
views.”

“Excellent,
I’ll have to ask some of my loyal subjects if they have heard
anything at all suspicious.”

Dark
Growlithe continued his meal and Ninetales fixed her attention back
on him. Dark Growlithe found it a little disconcerting at first, her
eyes following his every move, but he was used to it and soon ignored
it. Ninetales took in every detail of his movements. The way his fur
moved as air rushed over it and his muscles expanded and contracted
just beneath his skin. The way the light shone in his dark eyes, the
way he tore the meat from the spearow and swallowed it. She watched
the lump move down his throat and stared at his chest as it moved in
and out from his breathing. When he finished she observed his tongue
as he licked his lips and paws clean and how sharp his teeth were as
he gnawed on the bare bones.

“That’s
enough,” she finally said, “You’ve had a tough day, come lie
with me.”

Dark
Growlithe left the bones, yawned and moved onto the soft bed of hay
and grasses. Ninetales motioned for him to sleep against her and he
curled up against her belly. She wrapped her nine, snow-white tails
around and over him, rested her muzzle on his neck and the two slept.

*****

In
the morning Dark Growlithe exited the cave and was going to spend the
day doing nothing, he was free. A whole day to do whatever he wanted.
He stood in the shade of the tree for a while, watching what everyone
was doing. A male houndour came around a rock and accidentally bumped
into one of the vulpix from the Vulpix squad. Immediately, she
growled and tackled him. He was knocked over and pinned down before
he knew what was happening. The vulpix stood over him, her teeth
around his neck.

“Watch
where you’re going!” she growled, his skin and fur muffling her
words somewhat.

He
nodded his head and whimpered pitifully until she let him go. As she
got off him she deliberately stamped on his stomach. He gasped for
breath but didn’t do anything. As he moved off a second vulpix from
the squad jumped on his back and bit his shoulder. He yelped and
twisted around to see his attacker. The vulpix smirked at the
houndour and watched gleefully as blood trickled down his leg from
his bite wound.

“What
was that for?’ he asked in whiny voice.

“For
attacking a squad member of mine.”

“I
didn’t attack her,” he protested.

The
vulpix stepped forward and bared her teeth.

The
houndour immediately submitted by sinking to the ground, looking up
at her.

“Get
lost,” she muttered, “I don’t want to see you.”

Head
low, he left. Dark Growlithe didn’t care much, it didn’t involve
him but he made a point of going down. Instead of walking past the
vulpix that the houndour had bumped into he walked right over her.
She grunted as his paws came down but didn’t do anything. The other
vulpix dropped her gaze as he looked at her. He kept walking and went
into the quiet of the forest.

*****

It
was dark in the forest, the trees were tall and their branches and
leaves overlapped and blocked out the sun. The first few metres were
clear at ground level but the deeper you went the more ferns, vines
and shrubs there were. Deep in the forest there were areas that were
too thick for pokémon to travel through. Leaves on the ground
crackled under Dark Growlithe’s feet as he wandered through the
plants. Dark Growlithe’s super sensitive hearing soon picked up a
voice. He headed in that direction and glanced through the bushes. A
female flareon was there with a male flareon.

“But
I don’t want to be your mate,” protested the male.

“Too
bad, I’ve got permission from Ninetales herself. If you’re that
set against it then let’s go and tell her or her squad of vulpix.”

It
was obvious from the male flareon’s expression that he had no
intention of telling either Ninetales or the Vulpix Squad.

“Well?”
asked the female.

“I
don’t want to...”

“Too
bad. I want a baby and I want you as the father. So quit whining and
mount me!”

Dark
Growlithe turned away and left, he wasn’t going to stay and watch.
He felt slightly sorry for the male flareon but again he knew it was
for the best of the pack and he shouldn’t interfere. Ninetales was
the leader and knew what should be done for the pack to survive and
be strong. If everyone was allowed to do what they wanted there would
be chaos, they wouldn’t be ready for an attack, everyone would have
to fend for themselves and bad genes would continue. Ninetales’
system was best.

*****

At
the end of the day Dark Growlithe returned to Ninetales’ den.
Ninetales called him to a corner and stood close to him, her face
right next to his.

“How
do you feel about me?” she asked.

Dark
Growlithe looked at her, “I don’t understand. What do you mean
how do I feel about you?”

“Alright,”
she said, “Let me put it this way, do you love me?”

“Yes.
You saved me when I was young and you’re a great leader.”

“And
what about me as a Ninetales? Do you love me as a Ninetales?”

“I
guess.”

Dark
Growlithe was unsure where the questions were leading and the fact
that her tails were around him during the questions wasn’t making
him feel that good.

“That’s
good,” explained Ninetales, “because you are going to be my
mate.”

“What!”
exclaimed Dark Growlithe in shock, he certainly wasn’t ready for
that.

Ninetales
pressed her body against him, using her tails to pull him tightly to
her side. He forced his way out and jumped to the other side of the
den. Ninetales was blocking his way out.

“I-I
didn’t mean I wanted to be your mate!” stammered Dark Growlithe.

“Too
bad, I want you. You have an incredibly interesting set of genes. I
want to add it to my line.”

Dark
Growlithe paced the width of the den, looking for a gap to get past
Ninetales.

“Let
me out. I don’t want to stay here.”

“You’re
going to be my mate so stop your whining.”

Dark
Growlithe attempted to force his way out of the den but Ninetales was
faster than he was. She tackled him and pinned him to the ground.
Ninetales held Dark Growlithe by the back of his neck and rested the
front of her body on his back, preventing him from escaping. She
wrapped her tails around the two of them.

“We’ll
try again tomorrow. Let’s just rest tonight then.”

Ninetales
released her hold on Dark Growlithe’s neck and licked the top of
his head, more roughly than normal. Unable to escape, Dark Growlithe
had choice but to go to sleep, held tightly by Ninetales.