Trouble On The Net

Part 3

The four trekked down the path, although it was getting dark so it was a little less easy to see, "Where are we anyway, twerp? Yous get lost again?" Meowth yawned and shifted uncomfortably in the vines. "Seriously, yous and dat blind twerp always get lost the second yous sees trees. It's kinda sad really."

Ash wanted to argue but knew he was right; him and Brock do get lost very easily, "well, we're not lost now so just relax. We'll get back to camp in no time!"

"Bulbasaur!"

"Pika-"

Both pokimon seemed to shoot daggers at Meowth, as if daring him to relax. The cat gave a nervous smile to the mouse before sighing and yawning, "I can't remember the last time I hit the hay-" he struggled to keep his eyes open, but he stayed walking beside Ash for a few more minutes, catching wind of Pikachu's warning looks whenever he trailed behind.

...

The moon was visible threw the trees when they reached Misty and Brock. They had a little camp set up and a fire going as Brock made dinner. "Ash! Took you long enough." Misty called, jumping off her seat with Togapi in her arms, "We where starting to get worried!"

Ash rubbed the back of his neck, "Sorry to worry you guys, just ran into some trouble-"

Meowth could've sworn he heard Jesse and James start reciting the motto all the way from the ravine. He would've mumbled it to himself if he wasn't so tired.

Brock already had the pokimon food set out beside the tent, whereas the trainers sat in front of a little campsite using fallen logs as seats. "Woah, that smells great Brock! Is it done?" Ash quickly took a spot on the log.

"Yup! Dinner is served!" The cook poured the soup into three bowls and handed two to Misty to take over to the campfire.

"Oh, could you make another bowl of Pokimon food for Meowth? He's over there with Pikachu and Bulbasaur. I promised to help him tomorrow." Ash said between spoonfuls.

Misty and Brock looked over and sure enough; the cat was sitting facing away from the campfire and next to Pikachu and the rest of the pokimon. Misty gave Ash a look, "Do I even want to ask?" Ash rubbed the back of his head but explained all of what Meowth told him, which wasn't a lot.

"One more bowl of Pokimon food, coming up," Brock rummaged threw his bag before making one more meal.

Bulbasaur's vines where still confining the cat as he tilted his head back in exasperation, "Hows' a pokimon supose ta get any sleep with vines diggin' in it's fur!?" In response to both pokimon ignoring his shouts, he dramatically fell forward, face now in the ground.

Misty peered over at Meowth, "Is he okay?" She asked with a strange sense of concern. "Poor guy must be worried sick, unless he's bluffing and this is a trap." She mumbled.

Brock went over and set the full  bowl beside him, "Hey, Meowth?"

"What?" He mumbled, face buried in the grass

"You gonna eat anything?"

"Besides dis here dirt? Nope."

"Come on, when was the last time you ate?"

"When you weren't the cook"

Misty shot up, hands on her hips, "Brock spent a lot of time and effort making that Pokimon food and you're not even gonna try it?!"

"You said it, sister" Meowth then reached a paw out and used fury swipes on the vines, freeing himself as well as forcing Bulbasaur to retract them, "Much better," next he curled up in a ball and drifted to sleep. Bulbasaur growled at the cat but didn't complain further when Ash didn't give him any orders to use Vine whip.

"Guess he's just tired" Ash slurped the last of his food,

Misty set aside her empty bowl, "Tired and cranky"

...

The fire was now out and the campsite was quiet, with only the small sounds of snoring coming from two sleeping bags. All the Pokimon where either in their pokéballs our sleeping by their trainers. Meowth hadn't moved from his curled up spot, but he did open one eye. His food bowl was taunting him. He looked around before carefully sitting up to eat and go back to sleep.