Ryker's struggle

Chapter 1 The Rainforest

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It was Early in the morning, Ryker was sleeping in his bed snuggled up close to Ruth. He woke up to the sound of early bird mons singing. Ryker loved hearing them sing in the morning. He slowly got up and padded over to the edge of the den so he could see outside. His ears perked up at the sound of splashing water as they lived near a waterfall. It has been one week since they got to the rainforest, and it took them a long time to find a place to stay until they came close to the falls, at first Ruth seemed hesitant about the den they found just because it was so close to the waterfall. But it was all she could find, the first few nights they had spent in trees. Ryker was glad they had a nice den on the ground now, he didn't like being up in the trees, it made him feel nervous at the thought of falling out by accident. He watched the flying bird mons with curiosity as they all flew away together. He felt his tail wage Excitedly he wanted to go out and explore their new home. He walked back over to Ruth and pawed at her. "Hey Mom?..." she snored in response. "Mom?? Wake up." she opened her eyes and then looked annoyed. "Ryker it's early, why don't you go back to sleep?" he shook his head. "I can't! The sun is up and I wanna go outside."
"No! You're not going out alone it's too dangerous!" she hissed. "Can you come with me then?" she opened her jaws letting out a huge yawn.
*yawn*
"Why are you so tired?" he asked. "Because Ryker I'm a dark type, and all dark types are nocturnal." He frowns. "Well, I'm not through...." Her eyes opened. "Yea... but hopefully that will change." He tilted his head back in confusion. "Umm what? I can't just change into a nocturnal." she smirked. "Yes, you can if you evolve into Umbreon." he looked at her. "Umbreon??? What's that?"
"It's what Eevees evolve into when they're old enough kid, but for now you're still much too young."
"Can I go out then?"
"No! I told you already your not going out all by yourself."
"But I'm so bored!"
"Well find something inside the den to entertain yourself!." she hissed before closing her eyes and falling back asleep. Ryker let out a deep sigh and then sat at the den entrance. (As long as I'm inside the den she said.) he thought as he watched the outside world. Then he saw something run by. He gasped in shock backing up away from the den entrance. Then he heard a giggle. "Hehe, tag! Your it!" Ryker tilted his head to one side now feeling curious. He slowly crept forward to peek outside but couldn't see anything. But he could hear the sound of rushing paw steps and the laughter of other mons playing. He finally decided he'd only be a minute. He slowly walked outside, the rocks under his paw felt strange to him, he felt his heart race with excitement as this was his first time going anywhere alone. He finally got outside. As Ryker sat by the rocks near the waterfall he saw them. A little Eevee about his age was running around chasing a Nickit. By looking at the heart shape at the end of the Eevee's tail he could tell it was a female, then he heard the Nickit yell. "Haha can't catch me!"
It was a male. Ryker suddenly felt shy as they both paused to look at him. The Eevee called out to him. "Hello! My name is Izzy what's your name?"
"Ryker," he answered. The Nickit met his gaze. "I'm Rusty," he said. Ryker waved his tail excitedly as he was making new friends, forgetting about Ruth he asked. "Can I play with you guys?" Izzy smiled "Of course you can!" She gave a happy bonce. Rusty nudged him "Hey are you new here? We haven't seen you before."
"Umm... yea actually it's my first time out of the den alone."
He grew a smirk on his face. "Come on Izzy let's show him around then." now Ryker's tail was waging he had been eager to see his new home. He followed as Rusty led the way. Izzy ran beside Ryker. "Wow friends with a shiny." this made him a bit confused. "What's a shiny?"
"It's what you are, most Eevees are brown like me, you're considered to be very rare." Ryker felt surprised hearing that. Then Rusty spoke. "Umm isn't it unlucky to be a shiny these days?" Izzy looked puzzled "No... Since when?"
"My dad told me that we had to leave Aspen forest because it was full of shiny haters." she shrugged. "Well, they must just be jealous." Ryker paused to think. (Aspen forest... That's where my parents had abandoned me.) he frowned. (Were my parents Perhaps shiny haters? Is that why they left me?)
"Ryker are you ok?" Izzy had woken him from his thoughts, he shook his head to clear it. This is the present, that happened then but this is now, I just need to move on from it. "Yea I'm fine, I was just thinking because I'm new here."
Rusty took the lead running. "Come on Ryker!" the shiny Eevee gave a happy bounce and followed his new friends. As they travelled through the forest Ryker felt his heart beating with excitement he was warming up to his new home then they halted once they got to a river. Ryker froze as the current was looking pretty strong. "Wow... It's beautiful here." Rusty backed up a bit. "We really shouldn't get too close, let's turn back."
"Dose this water go all the way to the falls?"
"Yes," Izzy answered. The grass under their paw felt soft Ryker gazed up at the trees seeing how thick they looked compared to his last home. Once they got back Rusty called out. "Hey let's see who can throw rocks the furthest!" Ryker thought it seemed like an odd game but he didn't want to question it. They all picked pebbles up off the ground but unfortunately for Ryker just as they all hurled them, Ruth came outside looking for him. "Ryker?!" she called before all three pebbles hit her. "ARG!!" she yelled then hissed at the Eevee and Nickit. "Who are you, kids? And where are your parents?" she demands at once. Izzy pointed with her paw. "I...I live over there.."
"Good now go home!"
"Erik!" she yelled running off. Then she turns her sharp glare on Rusty who right away tucked his tail between his legs and began slowly backing away. "I... I'm sorry.." he whimpered. Ryker felt his face glow red hot with embarrassment. He avoided meeting Rusty's gaze by looking away. "You!" she hissed "If you know what's good for you, you'll stay away from my son!" he nodded. "O-ok, miss.."
"I know you rotten Nickits are no good now get!" He bolted away. Ryker hung his head in shame feeling awful for what just happened. Then Ruth approached him. "I thought I told you to stay inside?" he frowned. "I... I got bored... Mother I... I'm sorry."
"Well, you better be! Those other cubs are a bad influence on you, I don't want you hanging around them." alarm hit him. "But I only just met them!" she growled, "yes without my permission, Ryker this is serious I said not to leave the den alone!"
"But I wasn't alone I-"
She struck him slapping her paw across his face. "DON'T YOU TALK BACK TO ME!!"
Ryker froze staring at her in shock before slowly dipping his head now feeling scared. Ruth seemed to relax a bit. "Good now come along it's time we find some food." Ryker felt his tail waged a bit at the mention of food. "Oh boy! Are you gonna teach me to hunt?" she paused seeming hesitant now. "Umm... Yeah when you're old enough, but for now I'll let you tag along so your not alone in the den." already forgetting about the conflict that had just taken place he followed her excitedly. If I pay close attention I can learn. She began leading him deeper Into the forest. Ryker ran at her side with his tail held high feeling pretty eager as he gazed around the beautiful forest and felt the soft leaves and grass under his paw. Then suddenly she stopped and he ran into her. "Damn it, Ryker! Watch where you're going."
He suddenly felt embarrassed. "Oh... Hehe sorry guess I got a little too carried away," he said giving a sheepish smile. Then her gaze softened. "That's ok, just be more careful from now on." she lowered herself and Ryker watched with interest, but something seemed off about her hunting, he couldn't see anything or even pick up any sents. He sniffed the air again trying to see what she had her focus on. *sniff* sniff* Ryker felted surprised as he could sort of recognize the smell. Then he saw it as a gray Thievul came padding along. Ryker tilted his head in confusion this mon looked like the full version of Rusty. (....why is Ruth hunting him?) then she got up. "Ok Ryker you wait
here I'll be right back," she said getting up and leaping out at him. Ryker watched in confusion and shock as she attacked the shiny Thievul using a shadow claw. He let out a surprised yell as she sucker punch him, in the side of the head causing him to drop something which she snagged off the ground. Then as he tried to hit her she dodged it then turns tail running back towards Ryker. "Run!" She hissed through her teeth." Ryker's heart pounded in his chest as he began running as fast as he could. Then Ruth snatches him up carrying him. She took a lot of sharp turns losing the Thievul easily. Ryker was still in shock as they returned home. She put him down and then dropped a Rattata on the ground. "Umm, Ruth?..... Wasn't that stealing?"
He questioned feeling bad for what just happened. "Look Ryker out here it's every mons for themselves, I'm only doing what I need to, to survive!" he frowned. "But I thought stealing is wrong? Wouldn't it make more sense if we found our own prey?"
"Prey is prey, it doesn't matter how you get it Ryker, what I did was a smart lesson why hunt when others do it for you?" he felt his tail droop. "Oh... But you will teach me right?"
"I'll teach you everything I know, but for now eat." Ryker couldn't help but feel a little guilty. He knew that stealing wasn't right. But Ruth said she does what she needs to, to survive if that is so does that mean?. he felt almost too afraid to ask. "Umm, Mother?"
She looked at him. "Yes?"
"......you do know how to hunt right?"
Her eyes lit up with surprise for a bit before answering. "Of course, I can hunt!..... I... I'm just a little rusty is all but it's no big deal! I'm a liepard after all I'm much sneakier during nightfall."
Ryker could tell she was uncomfortable with the topic. Now he was feeling worried. (if she can't hunt, how am I ever gonna learn?... Will I have to steal and depend on other mons too?) now Ryker was getting stressed out.
"Ryker we're going to be ok, don't worry, now eat up you need it more than I do," she said in a kind tone. He took a bite and began eating then once he finished he padded back inside. Then suddenly he heard a voice. "Hmm, so this is where you live? You didn't think you could lose me that easily did you?" feeling alarmed Ryker ran back outside to see what was happening. Ruth's fur stood on end as she held her ground as the shiny thievul approached her. Ruth looks worried. "Ryker! Get back inside!" she hissed. Then the Thievul turns his attention to the shiny Eevee and his expression changes. "A shiny Eevee named Ryker? My son told me he had just made a new friend with the same name." Ryker felted small staring up at the Theivul. Then he looked back at Ruth. "Now I didn't come here to start a fight.... I just wanna talk, because it seems you keep stealing from my food supply, but now I'm starting to see why." Ruth peeled her lips back. "Frist off-" Where did you get this Shiny Eevee? I know your, 're not the biological mother." he interrupted
"Why that's none of your-"
"I have no parents..... They left me in a bush."
Ryker interpreted. "Ruth is my mother."
"Ryker! Leave the talking to me!" Ruth snapped. The Thievul looked surprised. "Oh... I'm sorry to hear that..." he paused again looking at Ruth. "I didn't mean to get off at a bad start, allow me to introduce myself."
"My name is Maverick." Ruth raised an eyebrow. "That name sounds pretty familiar to a flareon I heard so much about." He frowned not looking so pleased hearing that. Ryker felt a bit confused. What Flareon are they talking about?
He shook his head. "I may be a shiny, but I'm nothing like Darle." He stated. Ruth just let out a grunt.
"Ha! Nor are any of us like Denny!." He pinned his ears back "There's not a lot of mons around here that even know of the wars that had taken place..... where are you from?"
Ruth looked uncomfortable for a bit. "We're getting off-topic, I'm Ruth by the way."
Ryker couldn't help but ask. "What wars?"
"Oh, nothing really kid, just two brothers fighting." Ryker frowned. "So bad that there's a war?"
"Ryker that's enough!" Ruth snapped. "I don't ever want to hear you bring it up again, am I clear?" His ears drooped down. Now he was curious to know. Plus she's the one who first brought it up. He thought to himself.
"Sorry miss but I hope you don't mind me asking, where are you from?" Now she looked a bit worried. "I... Came from Aspen leaf forest."
"Hmm thought so." He held her stare. "Ok and You know Aspen Leaf is full of shiny haters."
"Well, I'm not one of them, as you can see here I'm taking care of this young shiny." He smiled at her "Well I had to move out here for my own good, plus I have to protect my son.... My mate, unfortunately, didn't make it." Ryker's mouth dropped. "Why that's awful! What happened?" He interrupted. The Thievul looked at Ruth. "This isn't something the young one should know about." Now Ryker felted annoyed. "Oh come on!"
"Ryker stop you already heard too much."
"I must say you are a very lovely liepard, may I take you out sometime?" At first, Ruth dropped her mouth open and narrowed her eyes as if he offended her just by asking, but then there was a glow in her eyes as she let out a purr. "Sounds good to me."
"Alright so when are you available?" she brushed her tail under his chin. "Come back at nightfall, I got a few things to teach Ryker before I leave him alone."
He nodded. "Ok then Ruth it was nice meeting you, enjoy your Rattatta, I'll see you tomorrow," he said before giving a wink and then walking away. Ryker noticed that Ruth stuck her tongue out at him as he had his back to them walking away, Which made him feel a little confused. "Aren't you looking forward to seeing him?"
"Hu?, oh yeah, of course, I am, now come along Ryker." they padded inside the den.
"Tonight when I'm gone can I trust that you'll stay in the den?" he nodded. "Yea I will I promise." she let out a deep breath. "I suppose that little Nikit will be with you, I guess that's ok." then she padded back out. "I'll be back in a bit." she paused before leaving. "While I'm out I'd like you to learn a move, like a swift or quick attack." Ryker felt a bit excited about that. "Ok... Shouldn't I practice that with you?" she shook her head. "I got other stuff to do, just try it on a rock or something." then she left.
Ryker watch her go then let out a deep sigh sitting down. he was starting to have a few questions in mind. (how did Ruth make it this far in life if she can't even hunt?).