Gabite led the way through the rocky terrain, with Su Feng and Xiao Da following closely.
"Mr. Su… Is it really safe to follow this Gabite?" Xiao Da whispered nervously, eyeing the Dragon-type's sharp claws.
"It'll be fine," Su Feng reassured her—and deliberately loud enough for Gabite to hear. "I trust him."
Xiao Da's worries weren't unfounded, but Su Feng had no choice. Xiao Di and Blaziken were likely deeper in Dragon territory, and the exit lay here too. Even if this was a trap, he'd walk into it. He'd promised Cheng Meng to bring Xiao Di back safely.
Catching up to Gabite, Su Feng patted his spiky shoulder. "How much longer to your settlement?"
Gabite flinched violently, swatting Su Feng's hand away. "Grr! (Don't touch me!)"
Su Feng stared at his unscathed hand, baffled. "…You okay?"
Three seconds later, Gabite seemed to regret his outburst. "Grr… (Sorry. Are you… hurt?)"
He inspected Su Feng's hand, stunned to find no cuts. How?! His rough skin had accidentally injured even fellow Dragons before—like the time he'd nicked Dragonite's daughter. It was why he avoided the clan for days at a time.
Su Feng smirked, piecing it together. This gruff Gabite was softer than he looked.
To break the tension, Su Feng struck up conversation. "Gabite, do you know how Forest Dwellers view your clan?"
Gabite nodded grimly. Hostility was mutual.
"They say your kind monopolized resources long ago. True?"
"Grr! (Ask them—did any Pokémon starve back then?!)" Gabite's claws twitched. "Grr. (The strong claim resources—that's the law of nature! We even shared food! Yet they vilify us!)"
Su Feng hummed. The "law of nature" made sense in the wild, but this sealed秘境 (realm) wasn't the wild. Trapped弱者 (the weak) had nowhere to flee, creating a ticking time bomb.
"Grr. (We honor our pact with the Forest Dwellers—no trespassing.)" Gabite added, chest puffed.
"Except when chasing Excadrill this morning," Su Feng deadpanned.
Gabite froze. "Grr…! (Th-That was… justified! He stole from us first!)"
Xiao Da stifled a laugh.
Flustered, Gabite changed the subject. "Grr? (How did you detect me earlier? Do you… have powers?)"
He'd tracked them through seismic vibrations—a Ground-type specialty—and stayed downwind to avoid Growlithe's nose. Yet Su Feng had somehow sensed him.
Su Feng shrugged. "Lucky guess."
[Livestream Chat]
[Gabite: secretly a cinnamon roll]
[His rough skin arc is giving me FEELS.]
[Tsundere Dragon confirmed!]
[Plot twist: Gabite just wants friends but can't hug anyone.]
Gabite huffed, stomping ahead. "Grr. (We're close. Stay alert.)"
As the path widened, a sprawling valley came into view—terraced stone dwellings carved into the mountainside. Dozens of Dragon-types lounged atop sun-warmed rocks: Fraxure napped in piles, Druddigon sparred, and an elderly Dragonite dozed under a berry tree.
But Su Feng's eyes locked onto a familiar figure near the center—a Blaziken, feathers singed but standing tall. Beside him sat Xiao Di, unharmed and chatting animatedly with a curious Goomy.
Relief flooded Su Feng. They'd made it.