Pokémon The Johto Journeys: Tough Enough

Chapter 6: Night of the Houndour

                They followed the footprints as far as they could, but the trail disappeared in the middle of the woods.

                “Don’t worry, Ash,” Brock said. “I have an idea.”

                They made their way back to the clearing and Brock started another fire. Then he put a pot of hot dogs over the flames to boil. While the fire blazed, Brock began to carve something from a piece of tree branch as he explained his plan.

                “The wind will carry the smell of the food,” Brock said.

                “I get it,” Ash said. “The Pokémon that stole our stuff will try to get it, right?”

                “Right,” Brock said, nodding. He held up the piece of wood he was whittling. It was shaped like a hot dog. “But instead, it’ll get this meaty little decoy.”

                Misty shivered. “I hope it doesn’t get us,” she said.

               Ash understood Misty’s fear. The sun had set and the woods looked dark and spooky. Who knows what kind of Pokémon was lurking out there?

             The friends took the hot dogs out of the pot and left the decoy in place. They hid behind some bushes to watch the campsite.

                Suddenly, the fire went out. Ash heard a rustling noise, Pikachu’s ear twitched.

Ash turned away from the camp. “What’s out there, Pikachu?” he asked.

                There was another rustling noise. Ash turned back around.

                “The bait is gone!” Ash cried.

                “Whatever took it got away again,” Misty said.

                Brock didn’t seem worried. “That went perfectly,” he said. “The thief took the fake food. If it wants the real deal, it will have to come back again.”

                Ash was impressed. Brock’s plan was really smart. When the Pokémon came back, he’d be ready for it this time.

                They didn’t have long to wait. A low, growling sound filled the night. A chill traveled down Ash’s spine.

                The friends stepped into the clearing. The growling sound seemed to be all around them. Togepi shivered in Misty’s arms. Pikachu scanned the surrounding trees.

                Then Ash saw a pair of red eyes peering out if the darkness.

                And another. And another. And another.

                They were dealing with four Pokémon. Not one.

                “What are you waiting for?” Ash challenged them. “Come on out!”

                Four black Pokémon slinked out of the trees. The Pokémon walked on all fours. Each one had a sleek, muscled body and an angry-looking snout.

                “Guess we’d better check this guys out,” Ash said. He took out his Pokédex.

                “Houndour, the dark Pokémon,” Dexter said. “Houndour travel in packs and communicate through barks in order to surround their prey.”

                One of the Pokémon stepped forward. It dropped the fake hot dog on the ground and growled.

                “I guess it didn’t enjoy your little trick,” Misty said.

                “Maybe that wasn’t such a good idea,” Brock admitted.

                Misty’s voice rose to an angry pitch. “Maybe you should have thought of that before!” she yelled.

                Grrrrrrrr.

                Something else was growling now. Ash looked in the direction of the noise.

                A fifth Houndour was standing on top of a tall rock.

                “That must be the leader of the pack,” Brock remarked.

                “I don’t care who you are,” Ash told the Houndour. “I want my backpack back!”

                The lead Houndour leaped off of the rock. It stood with the other Houndour. The five Pokémon growled menacingly.

                “I think they’re going to attack!” Misty cried.