The preparations for leaving took longer than Kenji wished.

  Instead of waking early the next day ready to leave, he awoke to a list of items that he found needed to be done. Constructing the sled took up the majority his evening yesterday, leaving him little time to prepare. The idle time spent framing a pack carry on his back was better spent than he realized.

  Kenji believed that as long as he used smaller branches, he would be able to build a suitable pack. It was far from the stiff, water-resistant, leather rucksacks carried by the kingdom's soldiers and Warriors. A simple frame of pliable wood kept it from pressing too hard into his back while a thin box extended outwards. Beautifly silk held the frame together, with thick braids forming straps to slip his arms through.

  It was roughly the size of Sprout's shell, though nowhere near durable enough to carry the heavy turtle. Still, it was strong enough to carry some fruit, his stone knives, and axe that were too valuable to leave on the sled.

  After relieving himself and fetching a drink from the river, he finished the pack and sled. He loaded the two with as much as he believed he could carry, the fruits held in place by wooden crates and stuffed with herbs and other plants. Cleaning out the shelter took some time and only after he started to move the sticks and river stones did Kenji realize that he was procrastinating.

  Shaking his head, Kenji stepped outside the shelter. Sprout was alert, having dug only lightly into the soil and followed Kenji with a watchful eye. Similarly, Flutter was resting on the fallen tree above. The beast had returned after only a short foray in the forest.

  "You two look more ready than I do," Kenji said to the Pokémon with a chuckle. "Then let us go," he sighed.

  Sprout warbled at him as Kenji pulled the turtle out of the ground.

  "None of that," Kenji scolded. "I've carried you through these woods enough, you should be able to walk for a while," he mock-glared.

  The turtle shook slightly, taking the scolding harder than he wanted the beast to, but met Kenji's eyes nonetheless.

  "Oh, growing up are we?" Kenji grinned. "Further proof that you are able to walk on your own," he declared.

  Picking up the wooden sack, Kenji wrapped the braided straps around himself. He shifted side to side, pacing several times to ensure that it settled on his back comfortably. Looking around one final time, he rolled his mother's pendant between his fingers.

  While he felt strange to leave, as the camp represented a sense of stability and safety that he was sorely missing, it was time.

  "I will go home," he murmured softly, remembering the promise he made to himself.

  Stepping up to the sled, he checked it over one final time. The berries were as secure as he could manage, without becoming a burden. The cocoons would be left behind, his need for the silk orbs having long passed. Flutter's string was far more resilient and malleable, especially as the butterfly was capable of altering the stickiness of the material.

  The leaf and silk blanket covered the sled, with his hopes that it would keep scavengers and predators from spotting the hidden food. His gardening leather added an additional layer of protection underneath.

  There was no way to be sure which plants repelled the creatures and which ones attracted them, so he kept disguising it further. He could only pray to the guardians that his scent from the leathers further kept the wild beasts from discovering the store of berries.

  As he grabbed the handles and lifted the sled, Flutter bounced into the air.

  "Beau!" it trilled loudly.

  "Very well then," Kenji called back as the beast flapped away from camp. "Lead the way and I shall follow."

  With the thickness of the surrounding tree, he quickly lost sight of his temporary dwelling. The sled slowed him down enough that Sprout was able to keep up with ease, though Kenji could go without the whining chirps.

  "No," he told the young Pokémon yet again. "If you wish to grow great and strong, you must push yourself. A tree sheltered is uprooted come the first storm."

  Sprout grumbled back and Kenji resumed focusing on marching through the forest. While foraged in the surrounding area, he was loath to journey too far lest he get lost. As such, it was not long before they crossed the invisible boundary that separated what he perceived as the edges of camp and the wilds.

  Like before, he was following the river upstream, with the goal of reaching the far off mountains. Kenji was not sure how long it would take. Perhaps if he walked straight towards them with little to hinder him, it would only be a ten-day. However, to do so would mean abandoning food, water, and his companions.

  So, Kenji kept to the river, following it as the stream wound its way towards the distant mountains.

  It was different, he thought to himself as he trekked. When he first woke up in the forest-even now his mind shuddered-the woods were silent. Moving through the trees, the beastly calls were distant and echoed, with little indication that they were there. The experience was dull and colorless, a chore that Kenji had to work through when all he wanted to do was lay down.

  This time, though, the forest was alive to his senses. Above, the tree limbs shook as creatures moved just beyond his sight. The leaves were greener, spotted with flowers that Flutter squealed to see. Scents were stronger, with some pungent enough to make his noise curl.

  Kenji widely circled around a particularly foul odor, not wanting to meet the source of such a foul odor.

  He stopped only once before midday, plucking a brief snack from a plentiful bush. Sprout's complaints had eased and Kenji decided it was time for the turtle to take his well-earned rest. After filling himself with the red fruit, he packed the beast's nest with soil and leaves. Sprout warbled with tired eagerness when he lifted his head to witness Kenji doing so.

  "You've earned it, little one." he told the young Pokémon. "I shall carry you for a time, but remember," he picked up the heavy turtle and helped cover the stumpy limbs with dirt. "Someday, I'll be the one you drag around like so."

  The beast chirped in happiness and quickly fell to sleep.

  Kenji moved the blanket around, positioning it so that the turtle could still soak in the sun without leaving the sled overly exposed.

  Above, Flutter trilled, either ready to move on or upset the butterfly did not get the same treatment.

  "If you wish to rest, you only need to say so," Kenji answered, picking up the sled.

  Of course, the bug refused. It flapped with more force than necessary at his response, spinning around a trunk.

  "You have the spirit of a Warrior's bond," he said with approval and a bit of envy. He had one bond, but Warlords were said to bear dozens. Of course, those monsters were outliers, with most Warriors only able to support a handful of links.

  Though he was not sure how to form another, he knew it would require the manipulation of his spirit and aura. Right now his single link was a buried seed, sealed until his spirit recovered and his bond was released from the amulet.

  If only he knew how.

  Shaking his head, he forced the thoughts aside. Nothing good would come from treading that path.

  Standing up, he tossed aside the remains of his meal and picked up the sled. He could not help but grunt at the weight. Every day, it seemed the turtle grew more and more. While he joked with the Pokémon, he was truly worried about the rapidly approaching day where he went to lift the sled and found himself unable to.

  Fortunately, today was not that day.

  Leaning forward, he felt as though he were moving underwater. The additional weight slowed his progress significantly but he pressed on undeterred.

  As midday passed, Flutter settled upon his pack with a trill. While the beast was light, he did not appreciate the additional weight. That was, until the beats of wings started to fan him. Sighing with appreciation, he luxuriated in the gentle wind that the butterfly created.

  The river was a constant trickle in the background, helping him keep from wandering too far. However, the flowing water also served as a constant reminder of his thirst. He was sure to drink his fill early in the morning but he had long since sweat it out. The salt stung his eyes but the pain was a minor annoyance compared to what he was already feeling.

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  His tongue felt swollen and dry in his mouth, with the taste of water taunting him from memory. Eventually, he could no longer stand it.

  Turning towards the river, Kenji managed to keep from heading directly towards it. By angling himself slightly, he could still convince himself that he was making progress.

  His entire body ached, from his legs to his back to his shoulders.

  With the thought of a dip into the cool waters, Kenji found himself stepping faster. Focused as he was on putting one foot in front of the other, he found himself nearly falling into the stream as the forest abruptly ended. He jerked to a halt, leaning back to help recover his balance.

  Instead of dropping the sled, he gently set it down and took a moment to wipe the sweat from his eyes. The motion jostled Flutter and the butterfly took flight with a trill of complaint.

  "Apologies," he said with a tired sigh. "Come on, Sprout," he continued as he turned around. "It's time for a short rest."

  Flutter beat its wings several times, as if to make a point, before darting away. The creature was always eager to explore and, after recovering, seemed well enough to resume.

  Sprout, meanwhile, was slumbering deep enough that Kenji despaired of waking the turtle up. No matter how much he cajoled the Pokémon, the beast merely chirped or grumbled lightly without fully opening his eyes. Sighing, he leaned back and decided to try again after slaking his thirst.

  Before doing so, he carefully took off the wood pack. Kenji gave the construction a quick once over to ensure that none of the silk braids were coming apart and that everything was still settled. After ensuring the pack was fine, he stripped out of his sandals and split toe socks.

  The pairs were quickly fraying and Kenji worried over how much longer they would last. While he could likely replace the sandals by scavenging it from his gardening leathers, the same could not be said for the other pair. Likewise, his clothes were becoming rip from the small branches and plants that tugged at the material as he walked.

  Much longer and Kenji would find himself traveling in the nude.

  Kenji snorted at the image of some poor soul spying him through the trees, likely thinking him a deranged individual.

  Taking care with his clothing, he draped his tunic and pants over his sled along with his socks.

  "Perhaps the stench will wake you, mmh?" he said with a huff towards the sleeping turtle.

  When the beast failed to respond, Kenji shook his head and finally waded into the cool waters. Cupping his hands, he ducked his head and greedily drank from the river. It was cold and refreshing.

  Ducking under the water, he let the flowing water whisk away the sweat and filth from travel. While it was not silent underneath the surface, it was perhaps more peaceful. The wild, monstrous calls were quieted and all he could hear was the rushing of the river.

  When he could hold his breath no longer, Kenji stood with a splash and shook his head. Wiping the water from his eyes, he idly glanced around.

  The river was wider and more shallow, with plenty of evidence that the late storm had washed away the riverbanks. Though it appeared that this part of the forest had borne the brunt of the storm more heavily. Several trunks clung banks or were hung up on rocks, broken and water logged. The scene continued up and downstream until the river bent out of sight.

  Looking at the wood curiously, Kenji paused as he noticed low stumps hidden on the tree line.

  Sucking in a breath, he quickly splashed forward, racing to the tree stump he spotted. He had to climb over several trunks, the wood slick and unyielding. Still, Kenji did not care.

  A stump indicated that there was once a tree. And no beast that he knew of would purposefully cut down trees like so.

  Kenji stumbled to a halt and peered at the wide stub of wood intently.

  His shoulders quickly fell as he noticed the deep furrows that marred the remaining trunk. Like a cloud covering the sun, he felt it all so forlorn.

  "Why do I even get my hopes up," Kenji murmured to himself.

  Collapsing onto the fallen, waterlogged trees behind him, Kenji dropped his head into his hands. His breaths came quick and heavy as he fought to control his emotions. Coughing out a sob, he kept himself from retreating. Giving in to despair would solve nothing.

  Kenji forced himself to stand, and messily wiped away the sweat and water that still clung to his face.

  Or at least that is what told himself it was.

  To help focus himself, he lightly slapped his palms to his cheeks.

  "Look closer," Kenji said aloud. "What do you see?"

  Following his own instructions, he inspected the stump again.

  The wood was marred by wide furrows that easily carved through the bark. It looked nothing like the damage he expected talons to make, leading Kenji to believe that the tree was chewed down.

  "Why, though?" he asked himself quietly.

  Standing up, he looked around, letting his mind work as he took in the details.

  There were more stumps along with evidence that trees were chewed on randomly until they were felled. The inner wood was fresh, showing that the chewing occurred relatively recently. The scene continued both upstream and down.

  Yet the trees in the river were old and rotting, clearly not felled at the same time. Kenji splashed through the water as he climbed over the trunks as he studied them.

  These were the key to the puzzle, he felt.

  The wood was worn, both by water and time, disguising much of the more purposeful damage that he was searching for. The teeth marks were light indentations, trimming the trunk of branches and leaving the harvested end slightly pointed.

  More glaringly were the cracks and splits that broke the wood. The damage appeared fresh, with the sharp edges having yet to be dulled by time. Looking at the other felled trees, Kenji saw similar breaks splitting the thick wood.

  Wading through the water, he returned to the sled, voicing his thoughts.

  "Something chewed down the trees, moved them, and then broke them?" Kenji finished with uncertainty. His eyes bounced from the forest to the waterlogged trunks in the river as he spoke, trying to tease forth an understanding of what occurred.

  Back home, such damage would prompt a thorough investigation of the beast responsible, along with efforts to drive it away. Forests were the pride and lifeblood of Greenleaf. Only a few select clans were allowed to harvest the forests. If the problem were serious or widespread, the Warlord might have even sent a junior to investigate.

  Here, though, his worries were more personal.

  There was no telling how fearsome or territorial such a beast might be. For it to so brazenly harm the land and simply let the wood drift downstream only informed Kenji as to the beast's power.

  He simply hoped that he managed to escape the Pokémon's territory before they crossed paths.

  To that end, Kenji drank his fill before climbing the slope back up to his sled and pack. Sprout was still sleeping in his planter and Flutter had returned.

  Another indication that beasts are nearby? he wondered.

  Chewing his lip nervously, Kenji debated on what to do.

  While not exactly the same, it was similar to his journey into the Beautifly Nest. Then, he did not know where he was or how deep into their territory he had traveled until it was too late. Unlike last time, though, to leave the beast's territory would mean abandoning the river for at least a day or more.

  Which would be a more than acceptable alternative if it were not for Sprout and the sled. Even with just the sled, it was possible he could move fast enough before growing dehydrated.

  Sprout changed all that.

  The beast was too weak to travel far on his own.

  That the turtle was still recovering after a morning of travel proved that to Kenji more than wished it to.

  If the young Pokémon could not walk, then Kenji had to carry him. And if Kenji had to carry him, then it would take too long before he was forced to return to the river for water.

  Either way he would be returning to the river.

  There was no other choice, he realized grimly.

  He refused to abandon Sprout and no matter what path he chose would have him returning to the river.

  Decision made, Kenji pulled on his clothes with a sigh. The water was still drying on his skin, causing the cloth to cling to him. After slipping on the wood pack, he picked up the sled and whistled for Flutter.

  "Ti," the butterfly trilled back with a short, piercing note.

  Together, they followed the river upstream, with Flutter leading the way. This time, Kenji kept a sharp lookout, refusing to be surprised should the territory's Pokémon appear. Being on constant alert caused him to jump at every shadow and rustle of the trees, stressing him further.

  So much so that, at first, he missed the growing roar in the background. The rushing of the river was a constant companion, one that he filtered out. The sound became an unconscious guide that changed with the forest.

  So, when the river started to grow to a roar, he did not recognize it.

  Pausing, Kenji tilted his head and listened. Intellectually, he understood that the river was the source of the noise yet he could not understand why. There was no sharp incline or cliff that would create a waterfall.

  Staring in the direction of the river, he felt both curious and apprehensive. Change was dangerous, especially when it involved him directly. If he knew what was changing then he would be better prepared.

  Turning, Kenji approached the river slowly. He was prepared to drop the sled and snatch up Sprout if anything threatening appeared. Several times, he stopped behind a tree to listen closer. However, the thundering river drowned out any other potential noise.

  As he neared, his apprehension grew. Tree stumps grew more numerous, along with the teeth markings from the beasts chewing them down. Overshadowing those were the more worrying signs.

  Broken trees and violently overturned earth. Shattered wood strewn across the ground. Crushed and ruined plants, with deep furrows marring the forest floor. Trees were hanging, only supported by their neighbors who themselves were charred black. The river was a constant rush in the background, louder with every step.

  Flutter let loose several worried trills, either sensing his own fear or also recognizing the signs of a fierce battle. More likely, there may have been remnants of aura clinging to the wood and earth, scaring away other Pokémon.

  Whatever Kenji expected to find, this was not it. The damage to the forest was prohibitive, and clearly recent. The rain from several days ago washed away the details but could not erase everything. Nor did the forest have enough time to recover and hide the damage.

  Stepping somberly, Kenji ducked behind a wide trunk when he grew near the tree line. He set the sled down slowly and stood up. This one bore evidence of the battle and long healed scars from chewed furrows, yet it still remained standing.

  Peering out from behind his cover, he gazed at the river.

  The water rumbled and flowed but that was not what grabbed his attention. A great construction of wood forded the river, blocking the flow of water. Trunks, branches, and mud stretched from bank to bank.

  Or at least it would have, were the dam not broken and destroyed.

  While most of the wooden wall held, it was clear that the majority of the battle must have occurred here. Or at least where it started. The wood was blackened, with jagged streaks that hinted at lightning. Scars spotted the dam, as though one took a giant axe or sword and tried to cut through.

  Kenji even spotted a few boulders at the base of the dam, with matching indentations marking where they were thrown. They rested below the markings of a waterline, the small lake having emptied to a muddy pond.

  Distracted as he was by the scene of devastation, it took Kenji a moment to spot the small beasts scurrying around. Their brown forms allowed the creatures to easily blend into their surroundings, with their small size further hiding them.

  Now that he knew what to look for, he could see more of them climbing over and through the dam. In the shallow, muddy waters, Kenji could further movement as other beasts splashed or swam in the river.

  "So this is where they came from," Kenji murmured softly.

  Before the storm, Kenji never spotted any beasts in the river. Admittedly, he was not at the shelter long before the storm hit and much of his time was spent foraging. Still, after the heavy rains, he saw plenty of fish in the river. Enough that Beautifly grew tired of battling and a Starly poached his dinner.

  "What happened here?" he wondered.