it doesn't take long for the pokemon hiding in the trees to become curious of her. even less time still for them to watch her intently, eyes blinking in agitation as she moves deeper into the brush. this land is theirs, after all, and she's traipsing rather carelessly through their front lawns. 

when she hears a twig crack behind her, she ducks. the lithe form of a red-tailed treecko sails over her. crouching, she withdraws a pokeball from her side and releases the shelgon. the dragon squares off, but is slow to action. 

it's an unseasoned dragon - part of the reason she'd brought it along on the excursion.

shimmer takes a slam straight to the face and nearly totters back, but manages to stand her ground. flames gather angrily in her maw and then spark out. searing embers singe the treecko's side and freya is quick to throw a safari ball before it can cause anymore trouble. 

PREMIUM SAFARI WARDEN
catching treecko!

☉

the ball wriggles a few times and ends up rolling under the brush. freya has to crouch down and grimace through a thorn bush to scrape for the ball. and later, she counts herself lucky that shimmer is on watch because the flamethrower aimed at her back singes the shelgon's tough scales instead.

the fire does little damage to the dragon. it turns to face the torchic and delivers a few blows. the chick is quick to fall when it realizes most of its puny attacks can't do much against the creature it faces. 

PREMIUM SAFARI WARDEN
catching torchic!

☉

and throughout these battles, a purple-skinned pokemon watches from the bushes. shimmer is not privy to its stare and nearly steps on the creature as she passes it by. both jump back, startled, and shimmer shifts her weight from side to side, assessing the situation at hand.

the mudkip, however, upon seeing the other two pokemon fall easily to the dragon, decides it's not worth the fight. it turns tail and runs; shimmer moves with a start, but freya orders her back. 

"there will be others. let it go."

PREMIUM SAFARI WARDEN
skipping mudkip!

☉

shimmer finds herself in the waiting clutches of a hidden bagon. with its green scales, it blends in neatly with the surrounding foliage, so both tamer and dragon are taken by surprise when it leaps towards them. shimmer gets in its path, bowling it over before it can rush into freya headfirst. 

she squares up, puffing, and rolls in a rage towards the bagon. the dragon dances neatly out of the way and ducks its head, colliding against the hard shell of the older beast. 

freya flinches as shimmer collapses, returning her quickly and replacing her with another of its line. ojutai bellows as he's released from his ball and wastes no time in assaulting its opponent. 

he takes care of the green-scaled creature rather handily and freya grins, offering him praise as she throws one of her last two safari balls.

PREMIUM SAFARI WARDEN
catching bagon!

☉

ojutai glimmers at the praise. bouts of fire escape from his nostrils, surprising him, and freya laughs at the absurdity of it. a long time ago, she'd handled the hatchlings as much as she was able. since the fall of the estate and her lack of support staff, their care has fallen to the wayside. 

though they are not the bloodthirsty beasts that she holds dear to her heart, there's something that must be said for these small ones' antics. 

but ojutai's bloodline is strong and though he's only several moons old, he's quick to pounce on a white-furred eevee that happens across their path. the tussle lasts mere seconds before drool-covered teeth clamp around the eevee's head. 

freya calls him off before he can snap down the snack and tosses her last safari ball.

PREMIUM SAFARI WARDEN
catching eevee!

☉