the air shivers around her. she clutches her gloved hands together for a bit more warmth, rubbing as her boots crunch through leaves. gideon and thistle aren't exactly autumnal beings; the twig upon the turtwig's head is a lovely shade of orange. regardless, the pair don't complain about the cold, knowing full well they'll be treated to a nice meal and a stay in the greenhouse when they return home. 

gideon croaks suddenly and willow moves over to his side. the turtwig lifts his knobby leg and thistle draws out some of her vines to yank the rock from his foot. 

he grunts, but looks away from the extraction, gaze wandering over the clearing until it settles on the perpetrator. the larvitar watches them from the bushes. 

gideon gives a wiggle and willow chuckles, offering him the okay. he bounds forward, neatly stepping over more of the offending pokemon's stealth rocks. 

orange and red leaves burst from under gideon's shell and whistle sharply towards the larvitar. the creature stumbles out of the bushes, only to be thrown back in when the foliage hits its mark. gideon jumps and it retaliates with a thrash, tossing and turning in a rampage. 

gideon's hit, but the mark across his cheek doesn't linger for long. green spores suckle the life force from the larvitar to heal the turtwig's own wounds. 

when it's felled, willow praises him and tosses a poke ball. 

SAFARI WARDEN

☉

when the ball stills, willow bends to pick it up. gideon shivers happily up at her and bounds off. no sooner has he disappeared than the sound of a scuffling breaking out reaches her ears. she pockets the safari ball and, looking to thistle and elisabet for comfort, goes after the sound. 

she emerges to find gideon butting heads with a bulbasaur. thistle steps forward with a crow, vines extending to wrap around the other bulbasaur's legs. she gives one swift tug and the wild bulbasaur's legs splay out; it hits the ground with a thump. 

the bulb upon its back yawns open and, much like gideon's move earlier, expels a spray of orange and red leaves towards the group of arrivals. willow throws her hands up, but doesn't need to, as elisabet steps forward and slices through the sharp leaves with ease. 

thistle snorts, plants her feet, and twists, launching the wild bulbasaur across the clearing and into the trunk of a gnarled tree. it collapses to the ground, stands on shaky legs, and then totters over. 

willow makes a face at thistle and then throws another safari ball. 

SAFARI WARDEN

☉

elisabet scoops the ball for her so willow can check on thistle's wounds. the bulbasaur is unscathed. willow praises her, thumbing the spot above her brow that she so loves. thistle's lids droop and she hums contentedly, swaying while elisabet checks the perimeter. 

the leavanny comes across a peculiar little pokemon. it attempts to put her to sleep, but she slashes at it, interrupting its attack with her powerful bug-like arms. it cringes as willow stands abruptly to the sound of scraping metal. 

it totters in the air and then its metal body digs into the cold earth. willow shoots elisabet a look and throws her last safari ball. 

SAFARI WARDEN

☉