Echos of the cursed forest

Chapter 35 : Love and Hate (Jake's past)

Jake sat next to Crystal feeling warried. His sister was still asleep and the moon was out but jake couldn't sleep all he could think of was skulls and Avas threat to kill crystal 'i won't let that happen!' He thought to himself he got up and walked outside And looked around. The shiny houndoom was no where to be seen so he moved on to go to the river he look at his reflection and frowns "Stupid jolteon" he mutters "i thought you would like jolteon's" Jake jumped with startle "Wha?" He looked to see a shiny Sylveon on the other side of the river "Skylar...is that you?" The Sylveon hope on a few rock's to cross the river "of course it's me...how meny shiny Sylveon do you see?" Jake smiled "hehe i don't your the only one arounder here" Skylar frowns "you are you alway upset?...you seem down agin" jake looked at his paws "well...i got a lot going on right now but....I'll be fine" she pushed against him "hmm well maybe i can help" she said with a lovely smile. Jake felt his face heat up with a blush "oh t-thanks.....but that's not necessary" he said and she pulled away after "hmm.... jake i...i like you...so please let me help" Jake stared at her. She gave a sad look that made him feel guilty 'But she dosen't understand when Skull wakes up i have to go with him and Eva' he turns away "no...I'm sorry Skylar but i....i just want to be alone right now" she looked away with a sigh. "Alright then....but i just want you to know...I'll be there for you if you ever need help...don't be afraid....be brave and strong" she then gave him a kiss on the cheek before running away. Jake stared after her 'But....I'm not strong...or brave' he looked back at the water and narrows his eye's why must he be afraid all the time and of his own brother "Why must i be a cowed....i should've told her" he then dashed back towerds his den and he found that he was growling in stress 'if i have to....I'll fight skull....i won't be his slave i won't stay silent!'
He was heading to his den to get Crystal but he ran into a houndoom instead. The houndoom snapped her head around to glare at him "There you are!" She growls at him and Jake knew it was Eva. He gave a sheepish smile then Skull came from behind Eva with a death look in his eye's "well well Jake i had thought you ran away" he then chuckles "hehehe....but you don't have to guts to run from me" Jake sat back "....no..what is it you want me to do anyways?" Jake asked and Eva walk up to him with a smirk "there's a pack of houndooms neer by....my pack in fact but they won't let skull in" she said and jake glanced at her then skull 'i never thought of skull to be the kind to follow a pack or rules'
Eva then went on "we need your help to make them see how valuable he is as not just a packmate but a leader" jake stard at her "What!?....how am i supposed to do that?" Skull glares at him "oh no worries we got it all planned out..you see jake there a bunch of fool's, a pack of stupid houndooms who follow any pokemon they think is a strong and brave pokemon" he snarled before going on "i need them to see my strength and glory....who better then you to help....I'm going to challenge there leader and your going to be hiding neer by and secretly help fight him...then the rest of the houndooms will believe I'm strong enough to lead them" Jake felt a growl in the back of his throat feeling angry at his brother "Why can't you just fight fair?.....if i help you do this well it....it's cheating it's a right out rotting thing to do!" He snapped at Skull losing his temper but eva stepped up "you don't get to talk back...you'll do as told!...or Remeder I'll kill your sister" he snarled at him. Jake back off "...humf" he looked down at his paws ".....fine" he grumbled and Skull eye's him sharply ".....good now let's go!" He growls before heading off with Eva at his side. Jake followed behind and glanced at his den 'Crystal....i promise you'll be safe as soon as I get back we'll get as far away as we can from skull'

****

They walk for an hour before Skull and Eva come to a stop. Jake stops as well and that's when he hears voicese of other pokemon talking. Skull look at Jake woth a vold glare "Alright now to find you a good hiding spot...and Jake remember it has to be an electric move" he said as he lead jake behind a bunch of rocks Jake looked around and soon he found a good spot where he cold see the pack of houndooms. Jake gave skull a nervous look "but skull....i..I'm no good with electric moves" he says but Eva is one to answer "huh funny hearing that from a jolteon ain't it" she growls and skull chuckles at that "Now don't use the move untill i give you the singl to attack...and remember don't be seen" he and Eva then walk in to the other's view. Jake watch's them 'ugh....i can't belive I'm actually helping him in this...'
Skull walk right up to the alpha houndoom with his head high and Eva stood by his side. "You again huh....i Already told you get lost this pack isn't fit for you!" Tbe alpha growls as he's eye's lucks with the shing houndoom. Jake felt shooked when he realized how much bigger he was then skull. Skull just growls "i know i failed to join the pack last time but this time...i am here to challenge you!" Skull raised his voice so that everyone could here him. All the houndooms gathered around with interest "A challenge eh?...you couldn't bet me the first time now you asked to fight me again but this time to the death?"
'Wait skull is fighting him to the death....maybe i should just let him die...but then Eva will still try and kill my sister....'
Skull noded "yes that is correct..." All the houndooms broke in laughter and the alpha walk up to skull "well.....i don't like fighting or killing....but by pack law all challenges most be accepted..so your on" they. The they both walk a good dissent from each other before they start but the Alpha then started glowing and jake felt shooked to see the Alpha had evolved somehow and was now even bigger "Make your move!" Tje alpha then howled and Skull tryed for a fire blast but the Alpha then used dark plus and Skull gose flying a cross the grass but got up. He look vary angry about it and he trys for a bit and hit him with it tbe alhpa throw him off right after and used flamethrower and skull was to slow and got hit. The fight went on gor a bit and both of tjem were starting to look tired skull then used dark plus and the alpha got hit but then he jump on skull with his clows out and snapping teeth skull let out a howl that jake knew was meant for him to use his election attack 'Alright i have to get it right the first time' he thinks to himself before he trys to gather all his strength and used thunder and a cloud formed above there heads and a thick lightning bolt hit the alpha off of skull and he was paralyze by the electric move and a lot of the houndooms look shooked by the sudden attack. Skull got to his paws and changed right at the alpha and he amd for the death attack bitting right into the throat and blood poors out as skull rips out his throat. All the houndooms just stood where they where in shook as they glanced at skull standing over there dead alpha
Jake felt bad abd really guilty
Skull had blood running down his muzzle and down his neck as he gave the houndooms a threating glare "Your alpha is dead now....I am your New leader and who ever want's it different will have to challenge me!" He called to all of them and they all lower there heads in respect and then skull turned the dead body and took the maga stone and clips it to his paw so it won't fall off then he turns to them again and let's out a victory howl. Jake lowers himself feeling mixed feelings 'i did my part....so i can leave i hope' jake thought to himself as he turns away and dashes off towards his den.

****

The sun was setting as the ahours go on. Jake speed throught the tree's to finally get to his den watch Crystal was at. He comes to a stop as he see's his little sister "Crystal!" He yelped as he stopped she looked ar him
"Jake wherr have you been?" She asked and jake lowers his head feeling ashamed for helping Skull cheat with the fight but shakes his head "it Doesn't matter....but what is important is that we're leaving" he then pushed Crystal "Hey...what's going on why do we have to leave?" She said pushing jake back. Jake then snarls "Because of Skull alright...Crystal he's dangerous" Jake stumpped his paw on the ground feeling fustreated with his sister.
Then jake hear a noice behind them and turned to see Skylar she looked puzzled "Your leaving?....like leaving the forest?" She asked but jake shook his head "No just moving to a different part of the forest...Skylar I'm sorry i didn't tell you that" Skylare hoped over to him "No wartie in fact i know a great place ro live....i could take you there of you want" sge purred and jake felt his heart bet fast for a minute. "Y-yeah that'd be great" Crystal eyed her brother "hmm....fine" she mutters as they head off.

***

Nightfall had finally hit but there was no moon put just the stars. The three of them walked through the forest but jake didn't what to slowl down he wanted to get as far as possible from skull. Skylar glanced at jake making him blush bet red "....hehe so once we get there....would you wanna do something with me?" She asked with a sweet tone and Jake smiles "yea....that would be great" Crystal rolled her eye's from behind "ugh get a room" jake felt embarrassed when realizimg that the glceon was there but Skylar just giggles. And leans closer to the jolteon "we almost there?" Crystal asked and Skylar is the one to answer "Almost there just a few more minutes" then she runs up ahead and comes to a stop "Ah there it is!" Jake and Crystal ran after her and come ro see what she was looking at. Jakes eye's landed on a a nice looking den that was carved into the tree nust under the rots. "That is a nice den...but it looks like someone may live there" he said and Skylar smiles "yea...i live here well i did but now you can live here I'll make a new den for myself" Jake felt shooked that she'd give up her home for him "....no you don't i can make a den just across from yours" he said and Skylar gets closer "Well we can make a den for your sister then we can share a den...if you know what i mean"  she winks at him and he blushirs once again. "Yea sounds good to me~"

***

One moon later

The sun was at full point and Jake was out hunting with Skylar. They have been close ever since she had helped him move for Crystal's safety. Jake saw pray pokemon and got low to the ground and creeped up to it then jumpped out and killed it fast with a quick bit. "Jake...did you catch anything?" Skylar asked as she cane running to his side. He smiles "yeah i caught dinner....let's head back" Skylar and jake head back to the den to eat dinner and after they where done Skylar cuddles close to jake with a sweet smile "Jake...i love you~" she whispers to him making him smile back knowing he felt the same way about her " i love you to" he closed his eye's feeling nothing could ever go wrong "Uh hm!" Jake and Skylar both get startled by the sudden voice jake got up and glanced at the entrance feeling puzzled looking at the strange pokemon "Who the mew are you!" He snapped and the strange pokemon smirks
"hehe who am i you ask....well I'm Echo.....and i need your help"