✔️Pokemon: Beastly Hunter (Leaf x Gary) (leafgreenshipping)

Episode 16: The Burrow

After a few weeks of resting, Leaf and Gary decided to leave their friend's house and start their journey. Before they leave, May and Dawn give Leaf a basket of food, a new red hood, a dagger, and bow and arrows.

"It is just a precaution," they said. "You never know what may happen when you are out in the wild."

The two girls nagged Leaf and Gary for a while before letting them go.

It had been a long time since Leaf set foot in the forest. Of course, she did sometimes take a walk there, but it was different from actually going in to go somewhere else. It was totally another feeling. Leaf felt relaxed in the forest. The forest would not judge her or care about her.

Gary was walking alongside Leaf as they walked deeper into the forest. He was a bit worried when he heard that the hunters had reached their cottage. Their cottage was a bit deep into the forest and was hidden away by trees. So, it shouldn't be easily found, especially in the middle of the night. He also took precautions to make sure it cannot be easily found.

That only means one thing: someone wanted to find him and knew that he was alive and living in the forest. The scariest thought was that they knew something he didn't know.

That thought alone scared Gary.

"So, where shall we go now?" Gary asked and looked at his partner.

Leaf got out of her thoughts and glanced at Gary for a second before looking away. His brown eyes were staring into his eyes and it scared her. Her ears turned a bit red when she looked away, but she kept her cool.

"Well, we cannot go back to the cottage since someone already knows where it is. It would be dangerous. I think we should go back to the mansion. That would be our safest bet. We know approximately where it is, right?" Leaf said after a careful analysis.

Gary thinks about the plan Leaf just said. "That would be a good idea. From here, it will take us a while to get there. Maybe a couple of hours at most," he said.

Leaf nodded her head. The two continued walking in silence. Occasionally, they would stop for some rest and some food. There was nothing to be said between them.

They walked for a couple of hours. Since they left in the afternoon, the sun sets midway. Gary and Leaf decided to find a nearby burrow to stay for the night.

"There are a lot of burrows here. They are more common than caves. They were built during the tribute war times and made from uprooted old trees. The hole from the ground was then structured and a new tree was planted on top. It is like a secret base under a tree," Gary introduced as he led her to a burrow. He lit a small candle so that they would be able to see.

Leaf looked around to look at the underground shelter. It was like Gary said. It was a large circular area. It was only enough for three people to sleep.

Gary saw Leaf looking at the ceiling of the shelter and laughed. "Don't worry. It won't fall. It was structured this way to support the ceiling. I don't know how they did that."

While Leaf set up the food, Gary set up the bed. He was carrying a backpack with two small sleeping bags with other supplies and a dagger. Once they were done, the two sat together and ate their cold meal together.

"I assume that this is not a place you feel safe in?" Gary asked as he took a big bite of his meat bun. He was watching Leaf's every move as she looked around with interest. It was not a look of distrust, but rather a look of interest and something else.

"No, I am just wondering how you know this place," Leaf said. She looked at Gary and then looked away.

"He is giving me that look again," she thought as she focused on her bun.

Gary smiled and took another bite. "I have been a naughty boy while growing up. Let's just say that I come across one of these," Gary said. He sighed and thought of the incident that happened years ago that led him to the discovery of these underground places. It is only a temporary shelter.

It was silent for a while. Only the chewing and swallowing of the food can be heard as the flame from the candle brought some light into the room.

"What are your plans after this? I am sure you are not planning to stick with me forever," Gary asked.

Leaf thought of it for a while and then shrugged her shoulders. "I am not sure. To be honest, I never really thought much about it. I will think of something as time continues. I just want to know where my mom went. She disappeared for years now, and I don't know what happened. This may be the closest I've ever been."

"I see," Gary said.

After eating, the two just sat together before they lay down in their bags. Gary blew out the candle for them to have some sleep before they needed to travel when the sun went up.

They turned against each other, but both were unable to sleep.

Leaf's eyes were still wide open as she tried to calm her rapid beating heart. She worried that the silence would cause Gary to hear it. It was the closest she had ever been with a male. Even in the cottage, Leaf usually sleeps in the bed while Gary insists on sleeping in another room. Her mind cannot stop reminding her that Gary was just a few feet away, maybe even less.

Gary, on the other hand, was deep in thoughts. After a few months of having company, he wasn't ready to be alone again. While Leaf staying with him was a sudden occurrence, he didn't mind it as much. She was there when he came home and kept him company. Gary can visit his friends occasionally, but it was different from someone welcoming him home when he returned. His heart aches when he thinks of being alone again.

The two were caught up in their own thoughts before unconsciously, they fell asleep.