Grant woke before dawn with the distinct feeling of being watched.
He lay still beneath his blanket, listening past the soft crackle of the dying fire, past the slow, steady breathing of the Pokémon around them. Dewott slept sitting up, shells tucked neatly at its sides. Swadloon was curled against Grant's hip like a living cushion. Venipede lay coiled near Nyra's pack, and Pignite stood watch a few paces away, flame low but constant.
Nothing looked wrong.
And yet . .
Grant slowly sat up.
The forest was quiet, but not peacefully so. Branches creaked without wind. Somewhere in the distance, gravel shifted.
Grant's pulse quickened.
He rose carefully and stepped away from camp, boots silent against the dirt. Dewott's eyes opened instantly, sharp and alert. It followed him without a sound.
Grant reached the edge of the clearing and stopped.
"Hello?" he said softly.
No answer.
But the feeling didn't go away.
He turned back-and froze.
Something small darted behind a tree, claws scraping stone.
Grant relaxed just a fraction. "You can come out," he said gently. "I won't hurt you."
A moment passed.
Then a head poked out from behind the tree.
Round. Brown. Dirt-smudged.
A Drilbur.
Its eyes were wide, uncertain, but not afraid. Its claws dug nervously into the soil as it stepped into the clearing.
Dewott shifted, ready.
"It's okay," Grant whispered, holding out a hand; not reaching, just present.
The Drilbur hesitated, then scurried closer, sniffing Grant's fingers. Its nose bumped his knuckle.
Grant smiled despite himself.
"You've been following us, haven't you?"
The Drilbur squeaked softly.
Grant knelt. "Why?"
The Drilbur pawed at the ground, then glanced back toward the darker forest, toward the quarry's direction. It shivered slightly.
Grant's chest tightened.
"You don't want to be alone."
The Drilbur nodded.
Footsteps sounded behind him.
Nyra stopped short when she saw them.
"…Grant," she said carefully, "why is there a wild Pokémon in our camp?"
Grant looked up. "It came to me."
Nyra's eyes narrowed, instinctive caution flaring. "That's not normal."
"I know," Grant said. "But it's not aggressive. It's scared."
The Drilbur scooted closer to Grant, claws digging lightly into his pant leg.
Nyra frowned. "You don't know what you're inviting."
Grant met her gaze steadily. "I know. But I also know what it's like to need someone and not know how to ask."
Nyra hesitated.
Dewott glanced between them, then lowered its stance, not threatening, but watchful. Swadloon peeked out from behind Grant, rustling softly.
The Drilbur squeaked again, softer this time.
Nyra sighed. "You're serious."
Grant nodded. "I won't force it. If it wants to leave, it can."
Nyra studied the Drilbur for a long moment.
Then she knelt too.
"Alright," she said slowly. "But we're careful. Very careful."
Grant smiled, relief washing through him. "Thank you."
Nyra glanced away. "Don't thank me yet."
The Drilbur stayed.
It didn't sleep much, curling near the edge of the camp, eyes half-open.
It felt as if he wary of some unknown presence.
Grant stayed awake longer than usual too, senses stretched thin, the feeling of being followed still prickling at the back of his neck.
At one point, he could've sworn he saw movement beyond the trees, just for a second.
But when he looked again, there was nothing.
Morning came slow and gray.
Grant shared food with the Drilbur, carefully, letting it approach at its own pace. It ate quickly, nervously, then glanced around as if expecting someone to take it away.
Nyra watched from a distance.
"It's used to running," she observed. "Probably been chased off before."
Grant nodded. "Not anymore."
She raised an eyebrow. "You're assuming a lot."
Grant shrugged. "I'm hoping."
They spent the morning training lightly.
Dewott practiced defensive positioning with the Drilbur watching closely, mimicking movements in the dirt. Swadloon worked on tighter silk constructs, now reinforcing instead of hiding. Venipede ran agility drills around the clearing while Pignite practiced controlled bursts against fallen logs.
Grant noticed the Drilbur copying Dewott's stance.
"You want to try?" Grant asked.
The Drilbur hesitated, then dug its claws into the soil and burst forward in a short, clumsy dash.
Nyra blinked. "Huh."
Grant grinned. "Natural."
They spent the next hour experimenting, short burrows, controlled bursts of movement, learning how to stop without crashing.
The Drilbur tired quickly, panting.
Grant knelt beside it. "That's enough for now."
It squeaked, protesting weakly.
Grant smiled. "We go slow."
Nyra watched the exchange quietly.
By midday, they sat on a ridge overlooking the road network ahead.
Finally came the time to choose a town.
Nyra unrolled her map. "Alright. Next Gym."
Grant leaned in close, shoulder brushing hers.
"Striaton's closest," Nyra said. "But it's a triple-type Gym. Trickier than it looks."
Grant nodded. "Dewott would have an advantage… but Swadloon and Drilbur might struggle."
Nyra tapped another route. "Nacrene City. Normal-type Gym. Lenora."
Grant's eyes lit slightly. "Battles that test fundamentals."
Nyra smirked. "And research. Lots of it."
Grant laughed softly. "Sounds like my kind of challenge."
Nyra glanced at him. "You sure? Normal-types hit hard."
Grant looked at his Pokémon...Dewott steady, Swadloon calm, Drilbur watching him intently.
"Yeah," he said. "We'll be ready."
Nyra nodded. "Then Nacrene it is."
The quiet closeness between them felt comfortable.
That night, camp felt… warmer.
Grant sat beside Nyra, closer than usual. The Drilbur slept curled near his pack now, trust tentative but real.
Nyra broke the silence. "You know I was worried, right?"
"About the Drilbur?"
"About you," she said quietly. "You take on a lot."
Grant looked at the fire. "I don't want to become someone who turns others away."
Nyra studied him, then gently rested her head against his shoulder.
"You won't," she said. "You're not alone anymore."
Grant's breath caught.
He didn't move away.
They sat like that for a long time, firelight dancing, Pokémon resting peacefully around them.
For once, the feeling of being watched faded.
Or maybe, Grant thought, it had simply decided to wait.
And somewhere beyond the trees, unseen footsteps paused… then turned away.
For now.