Chapter
5

Dark
Growlithe was too weak to fight the river and knew he was going to
die, just like Flareon and Vulpix. He surrendered his body to the
water and closed his eyes, letting himself be pulled by the current.
Occasionally he was brought to the surface and could gulp some air
into his lungs, after that he would just be pulled under again to the
cold where his lungs threatened to burst. Downstream the river flowed
around a rock in its centre but Dark Growlithe crashed into it and
fainted.

*****

Dark
Growlithe opened his eyes and looked to see where he was. It was cold
and dark, he stared harder and realised he was inside a cave, lying
on a bed of wet straw. At first he thought he was back in Ninetales’
den but then he noticed this cave was different. Inside the rocks
were tiny crystals that glimmered in the dull light from the
luminescent mushrooms growing out the walls. There was no door he
could see and in the centre of the cave was a large hole filled with
water. He tried to stand but he was still too exhausted to make it up
and he fell unconscious again.

*****

When
Dark Growlithe came to again, there was a dead goldeen lying close to
him.

“That’s
for you to eat,” said a voice behind him.

Dark
Growlithe looked behind him and saw a male vaporeon, dripping wet,
lying on a raised stone watching him. The vaporeon stood up and
walked over to Dark Growlithe.

“I
was worried you wouldn’t survive,” said the vaporeon, “It’s
rare that a fire pokémon will survive being in a river as long as
you were but I guess you’re a lot stronger than I thought.”

“Thank
you,” said Dark Growlithe as he began to eat the goldeen.

“I’m
the leader of a vaporeon pack that lives here, you can call me Steam.
What’s your name?”

“Dark
Growlithe. Why are you called Steam? Where I came from everyone was
just called by the type of pokémon that they were.”

“It’s
the same in my pack except if you do something outstanding for the
pack you are rewarded with a unique name. I’m called Steam because
my mother was a vaporeon and my father was a flareon. You’re not a
growlithe are you?”

“I’m
just different to a normal growlithe, that’s all.”

“Why?
Was it because of your parents?”

“I
don’t know my parents. They died when I was very young and I was
raised by Ninetales.”

“She
never told you about your parents?”

“No,
she said it was better to leave the past in the past.”

“But
something like that will bother you. Personally I don’t think your
father was a fire pokémon.”

“You
don’t?”

“No.
I assume Ninetales named you.”

Dark
Growlithe nodded.

“Well
I suspect it was because your father was a dark type pokémon, maybe
a houndour. I’ve heard stories of pokémon of different types
having children that had a combined DNA. For example a pikachu that
can breathe fire or something. It is really rare however.”

“Maybe
you’re right. Ninetales said I had interesting genes,” remarked
Dark Growlithe bitterly.

Steam
noticed his tone but didn’t pry.

“No
offence meant but I don’t know if I can trust you yet. That’s why
the door to this cave is blocked. I’ll leave you to eat. I might
send some company later, otherwise I’ll come and talk to you.”

Dark
Growlithe grunted as Steam walked to the hole in the floor and dived
into the pool of water. Dark Growlithe finished eating and walked
over to look into the pool. He could see it wasn’t just a lake or
dam but connected to a river and could be used as a means of
transport. Dark Growlithe couldn’t use it though and settled down
on the floor to rest.

*****

At
the end of the day Steam came back to the cave with Dark Growlithe in
it.

“I
did some… well… spying and verified your story. You came from the
pack on the plains, right?”

Dark
Growlithe nodded.

“Ninetales
is quite upset you left.”

“Did
you tell her I was here?” asked Dark Growlithe in a sudden panic.

“Don’t
worry. I asked other pokémon that live near the pack. Ninetales is
clueless.”

Dark
Growlithe settled down again.

“Do
you have anywhere to go now?” asked Steam.

Dark
Growlithe shook his head.

“Do
you want to join my pack?”

“You
mean it?”

“Yes,
but once you join you can’t leave We need to keep our home secret
and all.”

“I’ll
join.”

“Then
I need to know some things about you. What was your rank in your
previous pack?”

“I
was second in the pack, because I was Ninetales’ favourite.”

“Why
did you leave the pack?”

“I
don’t want to say,” answered Dark Growlithe looking away.

“If
you don’t answer I can’t know if I can trust you and I can’t
have you in the pack.”

“Ninetales…
she wanted… she wanted me to be her mate. I refused, she was going
to force me to, so I ran away.”

“I
see. Would you ever betray this pack?”

“No.”

“But
you betrayed your last pack. You left them and are now trying to join
here.”

“I
didn’t want to be her mate. I didn’t love her like that, that’s
why I left. Anyway, I was shown a different view. I saw Ninetales’
pack wasn’t as great as she had led me to believe. I
was…brainwashed! I killed pokémon, just for doubting Ninetales
when… when they were probably right.”

“I
know about Ninetales’ pack and I probably would have done the same
thing if I were you, but don’t ever betray this pack. If you wish I
may allow you to leave later but if I do you will swear to never
reveal anything you have learnt here to anyone, understand?”

“Yes,
sir.”

Steam
smiled at Dark Growlithe.

“Then
allow me to be the first to welcome you to this pack, Dark
Growlithe.”

*****

Steam
announced to his pack that Dark Growlithe was staying. There were no
objections so Steam left Dark Growlithe with Aquafang, the vaporeon
in charge of the pack’s defence. He studied Dark Growlithe intently
for a while.

“Did
you know that you’re a problem?” he commented finally.

“Why?”

“I
don’t have anything against you personally, but you’re a fire
type pokémon and this pack is a water-type pack. We do almost
everything in the water and you can’t swim. At least not for long
before fainting.”

“I
can still fight on the land. You won’t only be attacked from the
water.”

“We
don’t fight on the land if possible. There is only one way into our
territory aside from the water and that is that small hole over
there. Do you really want to watch the hole every day for enemies?
We’re not at war so we aren’t going to need to fight. If we are
we’ll hide in the caves.”

The
vaporeon pack’s territory was a stretch of beach next to the river.
It extended a short way onto grass as well but was completely
surrounded by the high walls of the mountain that the river flowed
through. The pack slept and took shelter in a series of
inter-connected caves against the river. The only way into the pack’s
territory was a small crack through which only one pokémon at a time
could travel.

“But
if other pokémon got into the caves you would need to fight on the
land.”

“All
the cave entrances can be sealed off by large boulders. Even if an
enemy breached the rocks there are other caves which can only be
reached by swimming underwater. You won’t be able to do that, which
is another problem.”

“I
could hunt for the pack,” suggested Dark Growlithe, getting
desperate.

Although
he had found another pack, or rather they had found him, they didn’t
seem to need him for anything.

“We
get our food from the river,” stated Aquafang.

Dark
Growlithe was severely disappointed and Aquafang saw that. He felt
sorry for the fire pokémon and thought hard to find something he
could do.

“There
is one thing you could do,” he said finally.

Dark
Growlithe perked up and looked attentively.

“There
is? What?”

“Since
all the members of the pack, excluding you, are either vaporeon or
young eevee there is a major bias in our teaching. The eevee are
taught almost exclusively about the water. The problem is that out of
the five eevee evolutions only one lives in the water. For the eevee
that decide to become an evolution other than a vaporeon our teaching
is largely useless. You on the other hand have spent all your life on
the land. You could be used to teach the young eevee about what to do
on the land. Do you think you could do that?”

“Sure,”
answered Dark Growlithe, eager to help repay the pack in some way for
rescuing him, “Just tell me what you want.”

“First
we’ll have to go see Vaporeon-sensei; he teaches the eevee.”

*****

Vaporeon-sensei
was busy lecturing a group of fourteen eevee about what to do in the
event of a flood. Aquafang and Dark Growlithe waited patiently to the
side.

“All
the eevee are about a year younger than you,” said Aquafang, “When
they turn two they begin lessons and then when they’re three the
whole group has to pass an evolution exam.”

“What
sort of exam?”

“The
leader’s of the other ‘eon packs will go to the pack where the
exam is being held, bringing their eevee with them, and then will
decide together a task for each eevee. When the eevee completes the
task they will choose their evolution and join the respective pack.”

“What
kind of tasks?”

“Some
are lucky and get easy tasks such as find such and such a pack while
other’s may be asked to fetch a feather from Articuno.”

“Can
they do that?” asked Dark Growlithe doubtfully.

“Not
likely. They are still welcome at all packs during their task. Some
never succeed and other’s evolve during their task.”

“Do
those ones abandon the task?”

“Some
do. Most have more pride and never give up. Some live their whole
lives working for a pack, evolving by themselves, but still, whenever
they have free time, attempt to complete their quest.”

“It
seems unfair.”

“Everyone
goes through it. Most of the tasks aren’t that difficult, the
Articuno thing was just an example.”

Vaporeon-sensei
dismissed the eevee and came up to Dark Growlithe and Aquafang. The
two vaporeon nodded their heads to each other in respect.

“What
can I do for you?” asked Vaporeon-sensei.

“Not
for me,” replied Aquafang. “I’m sure you know Dark Growlithe.”

“I’ve
heard of him.”

“I
can’t use him in the defence force so I was thinking he could help
you teach the eevee how to survive on land.”

“You
don’t think I’m good enough?”

“I’ve
told you we need to focus more on land training.”

“I
know. I know. I was joking.” Vaporeon-sensei turned to Dark
Growlithe, “Do you want to teach?”

“I
want to do something for the pack and this seems to be the only thing
I can do,” said Dark Growlithe, “I’ve never taught anyone
anything before, but I’m willing to learn.”

“You’re
always learning and teaching. Volunteering for this has already
taught me you want to help the pack. Come tomorrow and I’ll see how
you fit in.”

“Thank
you,” said Dark Growlithe gratefully.

“I’m
going to get some food, Aquafang. Do you want to come hunt?”

“Fine,
I’m finished now. Look around the pack’s territory,” said
Aquafang to Dark Growlithe, “It’s yours as well now.”