CHAPTER 15: GALLIVAN'S JUDGEMENT

Lyrii's paws worked methodically through the Pecha patch, seeking the ripest fruits while avoiding the sharp barbs. Beside her, Dewlanta's rough, brown fur was already covered in prickles and burrs from their task. Together, the two friends gathered berries for the upcoming New Moon meeting.

A cry shattered their peaceful work.

"Protect the eggs!"

The ancient warning rippled over the two friends who jerked in shock. Lyrii's fur bristled, each white and blue strand standing on end.

The echoes rolled through the forest like a tsunami, growing in volume as more voices joined the chorus. The cries held an edge of panic rarely heard in the valley.

Both her and Dewlanta dropped their berries, breaking away from the bush is frantic tandem. Dewlanta drove her strong ears into the ground, vanishing into a burrow the way only a Diggersby can. Lyrii leapt from her branch towards the canopy, tiny body a streak of white and blue fur.

Her claws dug into bark as she scrambled up the nearest tree. Branch to branch, she rose with desperate speed. The Valley's ancient trees stretched impossibly high, their trunks wider than two Mudsdale standing nose to tail. But Lyrii had spent her life in these branches. Her paws found purchase where others might slip.

Higher and higher she climbed, past nests now empty as their occupants fled. The morning light fractured through leaves, creating a dizzying pattern of shadow and gold. The air grew thinner, cooler.

At last she broke through the canopy.

The Valley of Annwn stretched before her like a living tapestry. The sight stole her breath.

Ancient forests rolled into misty meadows. Crystal pools dotted the landscape like scattered mirrors catching the sun. In the distance, the sacred waterfall tumbled from heights even greater than where she perched.

But the valley's peace had shattered.

Pokemon streamed through the air and across the ground, revealing a single point of gathering chaos near the waterfall pool. The movement rippled across the landscape like waves on a pond, spreading outward as the cry echoed:

"Protect the eggs! Protect the eggs!"

Lyrii's heart pounded against her ribs.

In all her years in the Valley, she'd never seen such havoc. The very air seemed to vibrate with fear and anger.

Her gaze locked onto the crowd that was gathering near the waterfall path. Even from this height, she could see the dark shapes of Pokemon clustering together, forming one writhing mass.

A flutter of wings caught Lyrii's attention.

A Rookidee landed on a nearby branch, followed by a Rufflet hovering close behind. Lyrii opened her mouth to demand if they knew what had caused the ancient alarm to ring out. Before she could speak the little birds danced forward, eager to share the news.

"The human killed one of the fish folk," the Rookidee stated, preening his wing with clinical detachment.

"What?! No, that can't— Eleanor wouldn't— I just saw her yesterday, she was helping build the new—"

"Krawth found the body." The Rufflet's beady eyes pulsed. "The human and her bonded were standing over it."

"But that's impossible!" Lyrii's words tumbled out faster than usual, her paws clutching the bark tightly. "Eleanor took the valley oath, she swore on the Skystone itself—"

"Oaths mean nothing to humans," the Rookidee cut in. "Everyone knows that."

"You don't know her like I do." Lyrii's tail bristled. "She cried for days when she learned the fish could speak. She stopped eating meat entirely!"

The Rufflet drifted closer.

"The evidence speaks for itself. The body was fresh. They were caught in the act."

"By who? Just Krawth?" Lyrii's whiskers twitched. "The same Krawth who's been trying to drive her out since she arrived?"

"There are witnesses gathering," the Rookidee replied. "Many have already seen the body."

Lyrii's heart raced, her usual rapid speech becoming almost frantic.

"This isn't right, something's wrong, we need to—"

A distant roar cut through their conversation, followed by more cries of alarm. The Rookidee took flight without another word, while the Rufflet lingered just long enough to add: "The Elders are gathering. They'll want your testimony about the human."

Lyrii's paws trembled against the bark. Static electricity crackled through her fur, making the white and blue strands dance like lightning-touched clouds. The Valley's usual peace felt distant now, replaced by the crushing weight of responsibility.

Her tail lashed back and forth.

More sparks snapped between her ears. The court would gather soon — she could already hear the deep Rillaboom drums echoing across the valley. As a witness to Eleanor's arrival, her testimony would carry weight. Weight that could crush or save her friend.

Friend.

The word sent another surge of electricity crackling down her spine. When had that happened? When had the strange human child become more than just a curiosity?

Memories flashed like the sparks in her fur. Eleanor's patient attention to her rapid-fire stories, shared berries on quiet afternoons, the gentle way she helped tend to the fish at the pool. Each memory built charge until Lyrii's whole body hummed with contained energy.

The drumbeats grew louder.

Her whiskers sparked and sizzled. The path to the Elder's gathering lay straight ahead. The route to the courts branched right. She had mere moments to decide: Head off the Elders on Eleanor's behalf? Or go straight to the courts and try to save Eleanor herself?

Electricity arced between her paws and the branch, leaving scorched prints in the bark. The power built until her fur stood completely on end, a crackling corona of blue-white energy surrounding her small form.

With a crack of thunder, Lyrii launched herself from the branch. Her passage left a trail of dancing sparks through the canopy, each leap generating new bursts of electrical charge. The display lit up the forest like captured lightning, marking her path through the ancient trees with brief, brilliant flashes.

Behind her, leaves smoldered where her paws had touched, small wisps of smoke rising into the morning air.

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Ancient stone steps descended before them, worn smooth by countless feet. The amphitheater stretched downward, creating a natural bowl that looked like cupped hands, holding the sky. Row upon row of stadium seating formed worn benches in the hillside, carved from living rock and covered in overgrown grass and moss.

Far below at the base of the amphitheater Eleanor saw a stone stage. The stage had a crumbling archway, some relic of the distant past. Beneath the arch was a stone alter upon which two rusted items had been placed. From this high up it was hard to see what the objects were. One looked distinctly like a sword, but the other was something large and flat.

Pokemon poked and prodded her forward, down the steps and toward the stage. Writhing bodies were steadily filling the seating all around, crying out in anger and fear as she was forced past, until Eleanor felt sick from the chaos of it all.

Clouds slid across the sun, casting shadows that seemed to reach for Eleanor and Puck as the crowd pressed them forward.

"Please, you have to listen," Eleanor's voice cracked. "We would never—"

"Silence, human!" Krawth's harsh cry echoed off the stone. "Let the evidence speak!"

The mob fell quiet for a heartbeat.

In that silence, Eleanor heard the soft whisper of wind through the amphitheater's worn columns, a sound like weeping. Rust-stained metal glinted dully from between the stones, remnants of some ancient civilization that had also passed judgment here.

Puck shook against her collarbone, terrified beyond any speech.

Eleanor nearly stumbled and fell under the onslaught of fear that kept pulsing through his end of the bond. She felt dizzy, confused; her fear stretching out to him only to be amplified and returned back tenfold. The panic zipped back and forth, until Eleanor felt like her knees might give out entirely.

"We found her by the body," Krawth's voice rang out again. "The body she killed! Just as she killed those Pokemon in the outside world! She came to our Valley with a taste for our flesh and could not forsake her greedy ways! She profanes the territory of the Ones Who Watch! She curses our Valley with her blight!"

Eleanor's stomach twisted. The growing crowd pressed closer, their eyes reflecting a mixture of anger and fear. She clutched Puck tighter as they were herded down another row of steps.

"That's not what happened!" Her words bounced off uncaring faces. "We discovered the body, we were—"

"Lies!" Krawth's voice rose in a horrible shriek. "The Pokemon was killed with one of your fishing weapons! You've been weaving them ever since you've arrived! You've always planned to eat us!"

A rumble of thunder rolled overhead as darker clouds gathered. The temperature seemed to drop with each step down into the ancient structure. Eleanor's bare feet caught on crude symbols carved into the stone, circles within circles, strange runes that made her skin crawl.

She could feel Puck's heartbeat thrumming between her hands, beating so fast it just felt like a steady hum. She tried to speak, but Krawth yelled over her once again.

"The Valley has laws!" Krawth's voice cut through the crowd. "Laws that protect us all!"

"Please," Eleanor whimpered, her voice growing more desperate as they neared the bottom where the ominous stage loomed. "We're innocent! We would never break our oath—"

But Krawth's accusations drowned out her words, whipping the crowd into a greater frenzy. The ancient stones seemed to absorb her pleas, leaving only the damning echo of her accuser's voice.

Vines whipped around Eleanor's wrists, yanking her arms behind her back.

Puck fell from her grasp to land numbly against the stone floor of the stage. He lay there unmoving, shivering with fright. A cruel looking Corvisquire stepped forward and placed a taloned foot over his body, pinning him roughly against the platform.

Eleanor cried out in anger, struggling against the restraints. They were going to squish Puck! The rough plant fibers bit into her skin. She fell over, knees scraping stone as an Ivysaur's vines and curling leaves pressed over her mouth, silencing her protests.

Her heart hammered against her ribs as more vines wrapped around her ankles. The crowd's angry muttering swelled like a wave about to crash.

Through tear-blurred vision, she spotted Bubbin, one of the Wooloo who grazed every morning in her meadow. He was fighting to reach her. Bubbin was yelling something, trying to roll through the crowd, only to be blocked by a wall of larger Pokemon.

"Let her speak!" The voice of her large Drednaw friend cut through the chaos.

Eleanor twisted toward the sound, hope flaring—but two Bewear pinned the large turtle down, their arms like steel bands stopping him in his tracks.

The pressure against her mouth increased.

She couldn't breathe.

Couldn't scream.

Her legs trembled as she knelt on the ancient stone.

Through gaps in the crowd she caught glimpses of familiar faces—Pokemon she'd named, Pokemon she'd helped, Pokemon she'd called friends—all fighting to reach her and being blocked by the frenzied mob. The bond with Puck started to swell with panic again. Hope started to fade, cutting deeper than any of the vines.

That's when she saw it.

She stared up at Krawth in terror, begging for mercy with her eyes. Krawth was perched on the dais in front of her, mere feet away, so close that she witnessed something no one else seemed to notice.

Purple-black energy crackled around Krawth's form, seeping into the Pokemon nearest to him. Their eyes glazed over as the dark power touched them, their movements becoming more aggressive, more synchronized. Her eyes widened in stunned realization.

Krawth wasn't just accusing her with words— he was manipulating the crowd somehow.

She thrashed against her bonds, desperate to warn someone, anyone. But the vines only tightened, and her muffled cries were lost in the growing storm of voices demanding judgment.

Krawth met her eyes with a look of dark satisfaction, talons clicking against the smooth stone. His wings spread wide, casting a shadow that seemed to pulse with that sickly purple energy.

"The human has broken our most sacred law!" His beak snapped shut with finality. "She must face the judgment of The Ones Who Watch!"

He hopped toward a row of metal artifacts half-buried in the stone. The purple energy crackled more intensely around his form. A shield. She could see that the large flat thing was a shield, now. A rusted sword and a crumbling shield.

"With these relics, I summon—"

A wave of pink light burst through the amphitheater, so bright it burned away shadows. The oppressive energy surrounding Krawth shattered like glass.

Gasps rippled through the crowd as dozens of fairy Pokemon materialized on the upper tiers, their combined power washing over the assembly like summer rain.

Standing at their head was Atlas, his eyes blazing with rage.

"You dare invoke the Ones Who Watch without the Elders present?" Three Kirlia chimed in unsettling unison. The fae court spread out behind them, humming with barely contained power.

Before Krawth could respond, thunder cracked overhead.

A massive Gallade appeared on the opposite side of the amphitheater, flanked by Lyrii and the Valley's council of Elders. Their combined presence sent ripples of calming energy through the crowd.

The fairy light continued to pulse, breaking apart the last traces of Krawth's influence. Pokemon began blinking and shaking their heads, as if waking from a dream. The vines holding Eleanor loosened and fell away. The leaf covering her mouth peeled back.

She fell forward onto her hands, gulping down lungful after lungful of air, until her dizziness began to recede.

"This tribunal was not sanctioned," the Gallade's voice resonated through the stone chamber. "The accused will have proper chance to speak."

The fairy's power flowed like liquid moonlight, gentler now but no less potent.

"You meddle in ways that are irksome and foul, Krawth." The Kirlia added in one voice, heads tilting in synchronization. "The human will receive fair judgment."

Krawth's head whipped back and forth on a swivel.

Eleanor slowly started to stand, unwilling to take her eyes off the large bird. She saw the exact moment when he changed his strategy, passion and rage fading to something calmer and more calculated.

Krawth ruffled his feathers, finding a better perch on the ancient dais. His plumage settled down until he once again looked sleek and perfect in the fairy light. He nodded pleasantly to the Elders, speaking loud enough to silence everyone else.

"I present before the council evidence of human savagery." His voice carried smoothly through the amphitheater. "The human fishing weapon. It bears her distinctive weaving pattern, and was found with the body."

Krawth gestured with a wing and two birds flew forth, bearing a bloody sleeping mat between them. Eleanor recognized it as the very same one the dead Magikarp had been laying on at the scene of the crime.

The ruined weaving slapped wetly onto the dais in front of Eleanor. The two birds that delivered it fluttered away, leaving her and Puck alone with Krawth on the stage once more.

"Proof! By her own admission she uses her human weaving arts to capture and eat Pokemon. This poor soul was caught in one such weapon!"

Eleanor's hands shook as she stood fully, anger beginning to displace her fear.

"That mat is for sleeping! Fish are caught in baskets—"

"Silence!" Krawth's wings spread. "Note how she interrupts, how she fabricates excuses. She does not observe the rules of this court, but seeks to silence out all others."

The crowd shifted uneasily, murmuring. Some Pokemon drew back while others pressed forward, their movements creating waves of tension through the ancient stone rows.

"The accused will speak when addressed," the Gallade intoned.

Eleanor's chest tightened. She caught Lyrii's encouraging nod from where her friend sat with the council.

"Is it not true, honorable Elders, that she admitted these ways to you only recently? The human girl is cunning at crafting these woven weapons! By her own words she has admitted to killing the fish-kind and feasting on their flesh. Is it so hard to believe that she has refused to abandon her savage ways? Especially in the face of such damning evidence as this?"

Krawth's voice rose and fell in a hypnotic pattern. All around the stadium Pokemon stilled, seeming to hang on his every word. He hopped in place, voice swelling to a loud, victorious conclusion.

"Elders! Beloved children of the Valley! This very human was found over the dead body, which was laid out on her very own weapon! Are we foolish enough to dismiss what our own eyes have seen? Nay! We are wise! We are children of the Valley! We shall protect the eggs! Protect the eggs!"

Eleanor felt sick.

The crowd seemed to swell with noise, the panic rising once more as cries rang out from the stands. Puck tucked his face into her chest and began to shiver violently, moaning words she couldn't hear.

A loud boom echoed across the stony colosseum, making Eleanor jerk in surprise. The large Gallade had clapped his hands with such force that it sounded like two boulders crashing together. It had the effect of silencing the crowd, and in that pause he turned to the Noctowl.

The Elder Noctowl stepped forward and a deeper hush fell. The silence stretched for a few seconds before he cleared his throat and addressed her directly.

"Eleanor West." The elder Noctowl's eyes gleamed. "How do you answer these charges?"

"I would never hurt anyone." Her voice cracked. "The Valley is my home. These Pokemon are my friends. I've spent weeks helping the water Pokemon fight against—"

"Against imagined threats!" Krawth cut in. "Another of her manipulations!"

"The accused will finish," the Gallade warned.

Krawth fell silent with a growling squawk.

Tears streamed down Eleanor's face and she turned away from the rotten bird to face the crowd in the stands.

"I swore an oath on the Skystone." Her voice rang out with conviction, and Puck showed the first signs of life since the whole ordeal had begun.

Slowly he rose until he grasped tightly to her collar once more. She cradled him without looking, feeding all the courage she could muster through the bond.

Anger fueled her words, passion gave her voice strength.

"I gave up eating meat entirely after learning about the Magikarp. Please, you have to believe me. This mat," she gestured to the bloody evidence, "must have been taken from the meadow where we live. Please, please if you just go to the meadow you'll see! There are many mats just like this one. They're not dangerous at all! These aren't weapons, they're just things I made to lay on. They are for having a more comfortable sleep, like….like building a nest!"

The crowd murmured. Several Pokemon who had benefited from Eleanor's help throughout her stay shifted uncomfortably.

"I don't know how the Magikarp died, but me and Puck had nothing to do with it! Ask Zeus and his family. The fish are my friends. I would never hurt someone like…" Her voice trailed off. The gruesome image of the murdered fish suddenly filled her mind until she lost her voice, lost her train of thought.

By the time she collected herself, it seemed the moment for testimony had passed. The Elders had turned away from the stage far below, deliberating with each other in voices too low to hear. Eleanor clutched tightly to Puck, gazing up at the Elders with pleading eyes. They had to believe her. They had to.

She could hear the clacking of talons against stone behind her, but she refused to turn around. Her heart pulsed with betrayal and her anger grew. Krawth was a deceiver. She wouldn't be intimidated by someone like him.

The crowd shifted uneasily, arguments breaking out in bursts of murmured voices.

Above them all, the fairy court maintained an eerie vigil, their aura emanating steadily. Eleanor's eyes swept the rows and steps where the fairies stood, but she couldn't see Atlas anymore. Where had he gone? She thought he'd been right next to the three Kirlia.

The Elders drew apart, signaling a verdict and an expectant hush swept over the crowd. When the elder Noctowl finally spoke, his voice rang with authority.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

"The Laws of the Valley have been broken—"

Cheers broke out from Krawth's supporters. Eleanor felt her stomach drop, settling somewhere near her feet. The Elder Gallade silenced the crowd once more and Noctowl continued, louder and sterner than before.

"The Laws have been broken, but it remains unclear how or why. Both sides have been heard, both sides have spoken. The truth is clouded and so we will await deeper council. The Highhoof approaches with his herd."

Murmurs rippled over the crowd.

Noctowl raised his wings, calling for silence.

"In six days time the Keeper of the Meadows descends upon the Valley, and the Foaling begins. We call upon the residents of the Valley to await the Highhoof's arrival, and with him his Alpha Mare. Through their wisdom the truth will become known. This is our judgement: We await the ruling of the Highhoof."

Krawth's screech split the air. Purple energy crackled around him as he launched into flight.

"You doom us all! You should have cast her from the Valley when you had the chance!" His wings scattered shadows as he vanished into the gathering storm.

"Is it over?" Puck's voice was wrecked. Fear still pulsed from his end of the bond.

Before Eleanor could answer, Atlas emerged from the front rows, squirming onto the stage with urgency. He must have been forcing his way through the crowd to reach the stage while the Elders were speaking. Eleanor fell to her knees, throwing her arms wide to cling to Atlas. Tears began gathering in her eyes and her throat squeezed hot and tight.

The crowd began to disperse in clusters, some celebrating, others muttering darkly about human influence. The divide between them felt as sharp as a knife's edge.

Atlas pressed his face into Eleanor's shoulder, his usual detachment completely gone. His entire body trembled against her chest. Eleanor squished Puck between them in a desperate embrace, tears falling freely to dampen Atlas's dusty carapace.

"I thought—" Atlas's words were choked with emotion. "I thought I wouldn't make it in time."

Puck untangled himself from Eleanor's collar and wrapped his tiny arms around Atlas's head. The three of them huddled together on the ancient stone, sharing warmth and comfort as the amphitheater slowly emptied.

"How did you convince them to come?" Eleanor's voice was raw from crying. She gestured to the lingering ring of fairies that stood at the top of the theatre.

"Don't worry about that." Atlas's words came out muffled against her dress.

No denial? No philosophical comment about the Universe providing help? Eleanor felt a sense of foreboding at Atlas's non-answer.

"Atlas—" She stopped when she felt tears falling across her arm.

Was…was Atlas crying?

Eleanor gulped down the rest of her questions. With shaking hands she leaned down, squeezing him tighter.

"You saved us," she whispered gratefully.

"The fair folk saved you. I just..." Atlas pulled back slightly, his usual calm struggling to reassert itself. "I just pointed them in the right direction."

Thunder rolled overhead, making them all flinch. Between one flash of lightning and the next, the fae court disappeared without a sound. Eleanor blinked twice, thinking it a trick of the light, but the faeries were truly gone.

The stage felt cold and dreary without their pulsing power. Shadows lengthened between the weathered columns as storm clouds continued to gather.

"We should go home," Puck whispered, his wings drooping with exhaustion.

Eleanor nodded but made no move to stand. Her legs felt weak, drained by the intensity of everything that had happened. She kept one arm wrapped around Atlas while the other cradled Puck close to her heart.

In six days, the Highhoof would arrive.

The clouds above them finally broke as the first raindrops began to fall.

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Grass whispered against Eleanor's ankles as she settled onto the cool earth beside Atlas. Sunlight spilled across Skystone Meadow, turning the space into a sea of waving green that gently rolled in the wind. The sweet scent of ripening berries drifted on the breeze.

Puck's usual pink glow flickered and dimmed as shadows darted between the ancient oaks at the meadow's edge. He huddled closer to Eleanor's shoulder, his wings barely moving.

Around the meadow, just beyond the tree line, countless fairies held careful watch. Eleanor and Puck had been allowed to return home, but they were still murder suspects. The fae court had been keeping silent watch over them, a stifling presence whether they were eating or sleeping.

Puck had been a mess of nerves, twitching and jumping at any little noise. Eleanor was trying her best to be strong for him, but it was claustrophobic to know they were always under surveillance. She shifted uncomfortably, trying to be patient.

"The Highhoof's arrival changes everything!" Lyrii bounced on her branch, tail twitching with excitement. "The whole Valley comes alive during the Foaling. You'll see. The Highhoof will set all this mess to rights, yes, yes! Why, even the most private residents bow to the leadership of the Highhoof's herd."

"What makes the Highhoof so special?" Eleanor traced her fingers through the soft grass, watching Puck's light pulse weakly. "Can't he just be tricked by Krawth too?" Anxiety filled her at the thought.

"Oh no, there's no chance of that happening, not to Gallivan." Lyrii's whiskers quivered. "It's a bit hard to explain, but the Highhoof and his Alpha Mare have ways of peering beyond words, to the truth inside someone." She rested a small paw against her forehead, tapping it meaningfully.

"They can read minds?" Eleanor considered this, eyebrows raising in disbelief.

Lyrii shrugged.

"The Highhoof is the most powerful traveler in these lands. He and his herd rule over the valley every year. If there's ever anything that needs judgement, it's usually up to him and his mate. We'll be expected to greet them when they arrive."

"The Universe guides each creature to their proper place in the dance." Atlas rolled onto his back, blinking lazily at the sky.

"Dance?" Eleanor leaned forward.

"The social dance." Atlas yawned. "The Highhoof maintains balance through wisdom, not violence. His presence reminds us all of our roles."

A shadow passed over them. Puck pressed himself flat against Eleanor's neck, his glow dimming to barely a spark.

"The Valley hasn't always been peaceful," Lyrii's voice softened. "Before we had a Highhoof, there were... conflicts. It wasn't often, but there were some Pokemon that couldn't respect the claim that the Ones Who Watch hold over this territory, and they hunted without care for the consequences.

"The Ones Who Watch were riled, growing angry and vengeful, viewing it as a threat against their claim. Their methods to reassert dominance threatened the stability of the whole Valley. Gallivan is a direct descendant of the very first Highhoof that stepped forward to end those conflicts.

"Before we had a Highhoof, The Ones Who Watch prowled the lands, meting out harsh judgements. But ever since the Highhoof established the Laws of the Valley, we've lived in peace and comfort. And the Valley has been all the better for it! Having the Highhoof step up to lead us changed everything."

"How did the first Highhoof do it?" Eleanor asked, reaching up to gently stroke Puck's trembling wings.

"By listening," Atlas murmured. "By understanding that every voice matters, even the quietest ones."

Branches rustled at the meadow's edge. Puck's light flickered out completely.

"The Highhoof's word is final," Lyrii added. "When he speaks, the Valley listens. Even the most stubborn hearts bend to his wisdom."

Lyrii's tail swished as she continued, her words tumbling out faster.

"The herd always arrives just as the summer berries ripen. First come the scouts. They arrived two nights ago, which is how the Elders knew of the Highhoof's approach! Then Gallivan leads the main herd through the mountain passes. The foals are born right here in the Valley, in the northern meadows."

"The Universe guides them along ancient paths." Atlas rolled onto his side, mandibles clicking softly. "The same routes their ancestors walked since the Valley's birth."

"And the celebrations!" Lyrii bounced. "Every resident brings gifts for the new foals. Even the most reclusive come down from their dens to welcome them."

Eleanor felt Puck press closer against her neck, his wings barely moving. His glow had faded to such a dim pink she could hardly see it. Through their bond, she sensed his growing unease.

"The herd's presence strengthens us all," Atlas mused. "Their bonds with the outside world flow through the Valley like a river, nourishing everything they touch. Nothing Withers here because of their blessings. So it's been for time beyond memory."

Leaves rustled in the ancient oaks. Puck's light flickered once, then nearly vanished.

"They winter in the south, venturing out to graze further from these mountain ranges" Lyrii continued, whiskers twitching. "But always return when the mountain snows melt. The whole Valley comes alive with their energy, yes yes! The way they move together, like one great flowing creature!" Her eyes seemed to sparkle as she looked off in the distance, lost in the beautiful memory.

"The dance of the herd," Atlas finished sleepily. "Each step perfectly placed, guided by wisdom passed down through generations."

Eleanor stroked Puck's trembling wings, trying to project calm through their bond. His distress bled through despite her efforts, a cold knot of fear that seemed to grow with each rustle of leaves above them.

Five more days until the Highhoof's arrival.

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Atlas dragged a massive leaf laden with berries near their log and canvas home. His usual lazy demeanor had shifted — movements precise, purposeful. Eleanor noticed how he positioned himself between her and the meadow's edge.

"We should weave thicker walls," Atlas announced. "Make this place properly cozy."

"Why's that?" Puck's glow flickered from anxious yellow to a tentative pink.

"Gets cold in the winter." Atlas nudged the berry pile closer. "We might as well prepare."

Eleanor picked at the food, the usually sweet berries tasting dull on her tongue. Further away from their shelter, shadows shifted between the trees. Countless eyes reflected the dying light.

"What if they don't believe us when the Highhoof comes?" Puck's light dimmed to a deep purple.

"Truth flows like water," Atlas murmured. "It finds its own path."

Eleanor wrapped her arms around herself, watching fairy lights dance at the edge of her vision. "I'm scared too, Puck."

"The Universe guided us together," Atlas settled beside them, his bulk providing a shield from watching eyes. "It won't abandon us now."

Puck's glow shifted between worried yellow and desperate purple. "But what if—"

"Then we face it together," Atlas's voice carried unusual firmness. "All of us."

The fairy lights seemed to press closer as darkness fell. Eleanor felt Puck trembling against her neck, his light barely visible now.

"Tell me more about these walls," Eleanor whispered, desperate to focus on something else.

Atlas's mandibles clicked thoughtfully. "We'll weave them tight enough to block the wind, loose enough to let in light..."

Three more days until the Highhoof's arrival.

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Eleanor had received word from her friends at the Waterfall pool that she was dearly missed and needed to visit. Eleanor couldn't imagine trying to walk that path again, not anytime soon. Between her fresh night terrors involving the dead Magikarp and her daytime stress of the ever present fae watchers, Eleanor felt too wound up to leave her quiet meadow.

She made excuses to the water Pokemon, sent messages about her inability to come.

That morning she'd been warned that her friends were going to visit her instead. She hadn't thought it was possible for the fish to leave the pond, but seeing the large bird descend, their methods became clear. The pelican-like Elder (that Eleanor learned was called a 'Pelipper') swooped down from the morning sky, its massive bill cradling precious cargo.

Eleanor and Puck moved to greet Finn and Dunn as they emerged from the protective pouch of the bird's beak, water droplets sparkling in the air.

"The pool's never been clearer!" Finn flopped excitedly. "Your naming ceremonies worked! We've pushed the Hollows back to the deepest trenches."

"That's wonderful news." Eleanor managed a smile, though her hands twisted in her dress.

"The younger fish are organizing exploration parties." Dunn's blue whiskers waved with enthusiasm. "They're mapping the underground rivers. Did you know there's a whole network of caves down there?"

Puck's glow shifted between happy pink and worried yellow. "Have any of them... recognized the Magikarp we found?"

The Pelipper's wings drooped slightly. The fish's excitement dimmed.

"No one's claimed kin to them. It's strange. Best we can guess is the poor 'mon was a Hollow without any connection to the remaining Magikarp we've rescued. It's not likely, but it's not impossible that there was a lone Hollow down there that we missed."

"Maybe they came through the underground rivers?" Eleanor suggested.

"Impossible without being noticed," Finn shook his head. "The pool communities are very close-knit."

Atlas ambled over, mandibles clicking thoughtfully. "Mysteries often reveal themselves in their own time."

They had time for a few more words, before the Elder shifted, indicating that visiting time was up.

The Pelipper carefully nodded to the three of them, closing her bill gently. Eleanor watched her take off, the morning sun catching her wings. Despite the good news, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

One more day until the Highhoof's arrival.

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Eleanor traced patterns in the pre-dawn darkness, her fingertip following the rough wool of her blanket. Sleep was impossible. Each time she closed her eyes, images of the murdered Magikarp flashed through her mind, followed by Krawth's accusations echoing in her ears.

Puck's soft glow pulsed nearby — pink, then yellow, then back to pink —betraying his own restlessness. Atlas remained still, but his mandibles twitched at every sound.

Eleanor turned on her bed for the hundredth time, trying to get comfortable. She happened to look in Atlas's direction and caught his eyes, full of exasperation. She shrugged helplessly. It was judgement day, what did he expect?

She sat up with a sigh, running fingers through her braids and shaking them loose. Once her hair was free, she combed it with her fingers, working out the tangles. The work was calming, meditative.

Once it was as neat as she could make it, she went through the methodical process of braiding it again. She'd learned months ago that braids had more purpose than just looking pretty. Braids kept hair out of the way while you worked, and kept it clean and free of debris when you traveled through the brush. It made a lot of sense to her that her ancestors had worn braids as often as they did.

Her hands stilled, as her mind caught on a thought.

She'd learned this all months ago.

"What is it?" Atlas's voice was soft, but full of concern. He sat up, alert.

Eleanor gazed unseeingly at the door-flap. She'd been living in the wild for months.

"It's just…I'm ten years old now."

Atlas paused, tilting his head curiously. "Oh?"

Eleanor nodded.

She shakily finished the braid, unable to meet his gaze. At her side Puck was lifting up from his grassy nest.

"…I guess I just… forgot until now. My birthday, its near the end of Spring. I'm…I'm ten years old."

"We should have a party!" Puck was trying desperately to sound cheerful, but she could feel his anxiety pulsing through their bond.

He'd been so diminished after a week under guard. She wasn't sure what it was about the fairies that bothered Puck so much, but it seemed like the same thing that happened to her every time she stepped into water.

Eleanor shrugged, unable to put into words how little she felt like partying.

"Maybe."

"Tonight." Atlas said firmly. "We'll gather everyone in the meadow and invite the Highhoof and all our friends. It'll be a great celebration."

He sounded so sure, so confident about how today would end. Eleanor gave him a watery smile and together the three left the small home, emerging into the pre-dawn meadow. By unspoken agreement they wandered over to the Skystone and perched there, watching the sun rise over the Valley.

The sky lightened degree by degree. First came the deep purple, bleeding into indigo. Then rose-gold threads wove through gathering clouds, painting them in shades of amber and pearl.

A cool breeze carried the scent of morning dew and blooming flowers. The meadow grass whispered secrets Eleanor couldn't quite catch. Even the ever-present fairy watchers seemed to hold their breath as dawn approached.

Wingbeats cut through the morning silence.

The Elder Noctowl's massive form blocked out the emerging sun for a moment as he landed on the Skystone. Lyrii darted through the grass moments later, her blue and white fur crackling with nervous energy.

"It's time," Lyrii announced, her usual rapid-fire speech slowed to match the somber mood.

The fae court emerged from their positions around the meadow. Their alien and glowing forms caught the dawn light, scattering rainbow fragments across the dewy grass. They moved with fluid grace, forming an honor guard around Eleanor and her companions.

Eleanor stood, smoothing her dress with trembling hands. Atlas pressed close to her left side while Puck hovered near her right shoulder. Together, they stepped forward to meet their escort.

Eleanor's feet traced familiar stones as they walked the northern path. The same route that had led her and Puck into paradise now carried them toward judgment. Back then, the path had seemed endless. Now it felt far too short.

Atlas trudged beside her while Puck drifted overhead, all three surrounded by their fairy escort. The morning sun cast long shadows through the ancient trees, painting everything in shades of gold and emerald. Eleanor's heart ached at the beauty around her. Would this be her last morning in paradise?

Sooner than she liked, the trees began to thin. A few more moments would see them emerging into the very same clearing that Eleanor and Puck had stumbled upon the day they'd arrived. Up ahead was the mountain path that led away from the Valley, this place Eleanor had come to call home. She could hear the babbling brook even now.

They crested a small rise and Eleanor's breath caught. Hundreds of Pokémon lined the mountain path, creating a living corridor that stretched up toward the ridge. Some perched in trees, others hovered on wings or floated through invisible powers. All eyes turned toward the mountain's crown.

A hush fell over the gathered crowd.

There, silhouetted against the morning sky, stood two massive figures. The rising sun caught their outlines, setting them ablaze with golden light. The larger of the two, a brown draft horse of impossible size, held himself with the quiet dignity of royalty. His coat gleamed like polished bronze, his mane and tail flowing like liquid metal in the wind.

Beside him stood a unicorn unlike any Eleanor could've ever imagined. Her coat shimmered with all the colors of the moon, her horn catching the light like a prism. When she moved, the very air seemed to dance around her, carrying the impression of a halo of morning frost.

The gathered Pokémon bowed their heads in reverence as the Highhoof and the Alpha Mare began their descent. Each step they took rang with purpose, every movement measured and graceful despite their enormous size. Eleanor felt very small and very young as they approached the valley — yet something in their presence filled her with a strange calm.

Her eyes grew wider the nearer they came.

They had appeared massive when standing on the ridge, but Eleanor began to realize they were even larger than they'd first seemed at a distance. Each one stood well over fifteen feet tall, the weight of their massive hooves shaking the ground with their approach.

These two Pokemon were the largest Eleanor had ever seen. There was no contest. They made everyone around them look like toy animals by comparison.

As they began to descend, more horses crested the ridge behind them. More and more and more, until the whole mountain path was covered in hundreds, then thousands of horses. Every color, every shape, were found amongst the herd. Most were the size of normal horses, with a few that were smaller.

None were the size of the Highhoof or his mate.

It was one of the most incredible sights Eleanor had ever seen and she stared, completely forgetting her anxiety in the face of such a spectacle.

Some of the horses were made of living fire, and blazed proudly against the rocky ridge. Some were unicorns, with flowing manes and pristine pelts that sparkled and shined in the morning sun. Some were more solid, like ponies or donkeys, with beautiful earthen coats and large, honest eyes.

For the first time all week, Eleanor felt true hope.

Unicorns. Actual unicorns!

She'd read about them in books. They were creatures linked to purity and truth. That's what Lyrii must have meant by 'looking inside someone'! This giant unicorn would be able to look at Eleanor and know that she was innocent!

Eleanor felt giddy with relief. She hadn't committed the crime, and surely the Alpha Mare would see that. These two were the true rulers of paradise, and in their eyes she would find justice.

The herd flowed down the mountainside like a living river, their hooves striking sparks from stone in an ancient rhythm. Sunlight caught their coats — pearl and amber, obsidian and gold — creating a tapestry of motion that took Eleanor's breath away. The very air seemed to shimmer around them, carrying the scent of summer storms and wild places.

A shadow cut through the dawn.

Krawth burst from the tree line, his wings beating furiously against the morning air. Dark energy crackled around him like negative lightning, his feathers standing on end. His eyes blazed with desperate fury as he dove straight for Eleanor.

"She murdered one of our own!" His voice cracked through the peace like breaking glass. "The human must not escape judgment!"

The gathered Pokemon recoiled from his presence. Where moments before there had been reverence, now discord rippled through the crowd. Krawth's power pulsed outward in waves of darkness, spreading confusion and anger in its wake.

Eleanor stumbled backward as Krawth swooped past, his wing nearly catching her face. Atlas pressed against her legs while Puck's glow shifted to sickly yellow. The fairy guard tensed, their own light swelling in response to Krawth's shadows.

The Highhoof's front hoof struck the ground once.

The sound rang out like a gong, cutting through Krawth's influence. The dark energy dispersed like smoke in a strong wind. Krawth wheeled around for another pass, but pulled up short as he met the Highhoof's steady gaze.

Those ancient eyes held wisdom beyond measure, and in their depths, Eleanor glimpsed something that made her shiver — not just power, but absolute authority. This was a being who had watched history pass like leaves on the wind.

Krawth hung suspended in the air, caught between his desperate need to act and the overwhelming presence before him.

The Alpha Mare's horn blazed with sudden light.

Krawth's wings locked mid-beat as her power seized him. His beak gaped in a silent scream as rainbow light poured from his eyes and mouth. The unicorn's mental probe tore through his mind like a blade parting silk. Eleanor had imagined a subtle kind of examination, but the unicorn's display of power sent shivers down her spine.

"The truth reveals itself." The Alpha Mare's voice rang across the gathering, musical yet terrible. "This one's mind holds dark purpose. The Magikarp's death stains his wings, not the child's."

Krawth thrashed against her hold, dark energy crackling uselessly against her prismatic barrier. The gathered Pokémon drew back, their previous anger transforming to horror as some watched the bird with shock, while others eyed him with dark anger.

"He killed to frame the human," she continued, each word falling like crystal shards. "His heart holds nothing but hatred and fear."

The Highhoof's massive form tensed. The ground beneath his hooves cracked, power rippling outward in concentric circles. Small stones rose into the air, suspended by his energy. The very earth seemed to hold its breath, waiting for his judgment.

"Krawth." Gallivan's voice rolled like distant thunder. "You have broken our most sacred law. You have brought death to this paradise."

The floating rocks began to spin, faster and faster, creating a vortex of stone and dust around the massive horse. The air grew thick with power, pressing down on everyone present. Eleanor felt it like a physical weight on her shoulders.

"For this crime, there can be only one sentence." The Highhoof's voice was solid as the mountain itself. "Exile."

The word struck like a physical blow. The spinning stones exploded outward, missing everyone but Krawth. The bird's dark energy shattered under the assault, leaving him exposed and trembling in the Alpha Mare's grip.

"No! Mercy, please! I beg you Highhoof, please!" Krawth's voice dripped with agony, his face twisting in panic. "I acted only to protect that which we all love! She taints it! She'll lead the other humans here! We risk paradise for one child—"

"ENOUGH!" The very earth seemed to retreat from Gallivan's roar.

He reared off the ground, stretching his massive form high into the air. Twenty feet, twenty five, taller, until his gigantic body seemed to block out the morning light. Everyone drew back in fright at his display.

Everyone except poor Krawth, who watched helplessly from within the unicorn's invisible grasp.

Gallivan fell back down, hooves meeting the earth like meteors from the heavens. Pillars of stone rose around him, cracks webbed beneath his massive feet. The mountain rumbled behind him. He lowered his head in challenge, currents of steam erupting from his nostrils in a powerful snort that made him look like a dragon breathing smoke.

"Fear has clouded your judgment," the Alpha Mare interjected softly. "You chose a path. And you chose poorly. Now you must travel it, Krawth of the Valley."

Krawth's face twisted in despair and tears began to run down his ebony feathers. Short, whimpering breaths escaped him as he squirmed in her unseen hold. Her colorful horn began to glow and the bonds around him seemed to tighten even further.

"Krawth of the Valley, no longer!" Gallivan pawed the ground, snorting. "You will leave. You may never return! So sayeth the Highhoof."

"So sayeth the Highhoof," echoed the crowd, voices joining and repeating the mantra.

Eleanor could scarcely breathe.

That was it?

But it had all happened so fast! She thought it would be like the great stone theatre. She'd been prepared to give a speech to these majestic equines. She'd even begun practicing it, going over the details in her head as they approached.

The Alpha Mare tossed her beautiful mane and finally Krawth fell from her grip. He collapsed into a jumble of feathers at their feet, crying too hard to fly.

"I c-can't go," he begged. "Please, mercy, please. I was trying to help the Valley."

"Oath breaker—" Gallivan raised a leg the size of an oak tree and looked prepared to squish the bird where he lay, but the Alpha Mare stepped between them, giving Gallivan a gentle look.

The Highhoof set his foot back down, snorting and tossing his head.

The unicorn turned and looked down at Krawth with open scorn.

"Perhaps you did. But anyone who defies the Ones Who Watch by hunting in their territory risks drawing the wrath of Legends. You would save us from one danger only to doom us all with the next. You are a coward and a fool. Go forth into the world beyond, where the only danger you might pose is to yourself."

The Alpha Mare walked by him dismissively, swishing her glorious tail as she passed.

"Lady Sylfira, please—" Krawth stretched one wing out, as if he intended to brush it along her pristine leg in supplication.

Gallivan roared.

Eleanor cowered on the ground, covering her ears. Puck zipped into the collar of her shirt, his fear singing through the bond.

Pokemon all around fluttered and fell prostrate at the sheer, powerful presence of Gallivan's anger. It was like the very air became heavy, like gravity increased and pulled everything downward beneath his might.

The Highhoof charged.

It was like an earthquake and an avalanche rolled into one. Krawth looked up into the massive horse's eyes and saw death. He burst into the air, wings beating desperately for escape. Krawth's will to live gave him unnatural speed and he rocketed upwards, quickly shrinking into the sky.

Gallivan turned toward the mountain path behind him, mouth frothing as he champed his teeth in fury. The cliffs above rumbled ominously, until a massive piece of the ridge lifted into the air, as if scooped by an invisible hand. He stomped a hoof the size of a wagon wheel, knocking more Pokemon over as the ground shook violently.

The large piece of ridgeline broke apart in the air, now suspended in many house-sized chunks.

He pawed again and it broke again. And again.

Hovering above the clearing were thousands of rocks, many the size of small cars.

Gallivan reared a final time and met the earth with a thundering crash. At once the rocks began to speed away as if fired from a giant cannon. The missiles traveled so fast Eleanor's ears popped as the negative pressure of their escape seemed to suck the atmosphere from the clearing below.

The rocks sliced through the sky, chasing Krawth's fleeing form with breathtaking speed. If even a single one struck him he would surely die.

Eleanor craned her neck, trying to see the result. The rocks sailed impossibly far, chasing after the bird until everything was almost over the mountain, miles away. She couldn't tell if Krawth got away, but after several tense seconds of silence, the earth shattering impacts began.

BOOM

BOOM

BOOM

Hundreds upon hundreds of rocks traveling at lethal speed struck the mountainside in a cataclysmic barrage. Plumes of smoke and dust rose in the far off distance, and eventually a rumble grew. Several Pokemon turned and watched as the mountain far above the valley began to shift and slip, as a rockslide was triggered by the destructive blasts.

The noise was like a train crash, violent and deafening.

Tossing his corded, black mane, Gallivan turned with regal purpose and began to walk further into the Valley once more. Sylfira smiled, reaching out to brush their noses together, then falling into stride with him. Together they approached the waiting line of Elders where Eleanor stood. They were the only two that seemed unbothered by the ongoing destruction of the peak behind them.

It took a long minute for the noise to die down, but eventually the rockfall in the distance ebbed, then settled completely. Silence reigned over the clearing once more.

Eleanor stood shakily, feeling utterly insignificant in the presence of the Highhoof and his mate. She had to crane her neck back to even see their faces, and all she could think was how easy it would be for them to squish her like a bug.

She was about to take a step back, fear finally winning out, when a strange rhythmic sound distracted her. She turned her head in disbelief to see Atlas clacking his mandibles.

It sounded like applause.

Slowly at first, then quickly building, other Pokemon joined in. Some clapped hands, some stomped feet, until the whole forest seemed to shake with cheering and praise.

Tears welled up in Eleanor's eyes as she laughed, the sound bubbling up from deep inside like a spring finally breaking free. Puck zipped from her collar and spun through the air in dizzying loops, his pink glow so bright it left trails in the morning light.

"See?" Atlas bumped against her leg. "It's a pretty great universe, sometimes."

"You wonderful, lazy bug." Eleanor dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around his pudgy form, not caring that she was probably squeezing too tight. "You never doubted for a second, did you?"

"Why would I?" Atlas clicked his mandibles contentedly. "Truth always rises, like logs placed in water."

Pokemon crowded around them now, offering apologies and congratulations in equal measure. The wooloo herd pressed close, their wool tickling Eleanor's arms as they bleated happy greetings. Lyrii darted between legs and tails, electricity crackling in her joy.

"I knew it! I knew you'd be cleared!" Lyrii bounced from foot to foot. "Oh, we should have a party! The biggest party ever!"

The fairy guard that had watched them all week drifted forward, their previous stern expressions melting into gentle smiles. One particularly small mushroom sprite presented Eleanor with a crown of morning glories, placing it carefully on her head.

Puck landed on her shoulder, his glow shifting through happy colors like a rainbow.

"We're okay," he whispered. "It's over, it's really over."

Eleanor reached up to touch the delicate crown, heart so full it felt like it might burst. The morning sun painted everything in gold, and the air itself seemed to sparkle with joy. All around them, the valley sang with life and renewal.

The Highhoof had arrived.