In the dense forest not far from Rex Farm, three Pokémon were being chased by a Mightyena. Fortunately, they cooperated well enough to avoid being defeated despite their injuries.
These three Pokémon were the Teddiursa, Exeggcute, and Bounsweet that Rex had previously encountered in the outskirts of Mauville City. He had even received a Charcoal item from them as a gift. At that time, Rex had invited the three little ones to settle at Rex Farm, but they had declined, unwilling to leave their current environment.
Unfortunately, a tyrannical Crawdaunt recently appeared in the lake near their home, making their lives increasingly difficult. Crawdaunt, an amphibious and aggressive Pokémon, drove out all other Water-type Pokémon from the lake and expanded its territory to include the surrounding land. This forced the three Pokémon to constantly evade Crawdaunt, severely limiting their ability to find food.
They had considered resisting, but after witnessing a powerful Lotad being easily defeated and brutally killed by Crawdaunt, they huddled together in their tree hollow, trembling with fear. Finally, Teddiursa, as the leader, made a difficult decision: to migrate towards the direction Rex had mentioned.
Regretting not following Rex to his farm earlier, they set out on their arduous journey from Mauville City to Fallarbor Town. For the small Pokémon, the journey was fraught with danger as they carefully traversed territories of stronger Pokémon. Some Pokémon, like the Mightyena now chasing them, fiercely defended their territory.
This Mightyena, exiled from its pack after losing a leadership challenge, had become a lone wolf. To ensure its safety, it drove out any intruders, displaying its most ferocious side to deter any potential threats.
Teddiursa and its companions inadvertently passed near Mightyena's den, provoking its furious pursuit. Teddiursa's determination and fearless stance intimidated Mightyena, making it wary of a desperate counterattack that could leave it vulnerable to other Pokémon.
With both sides hesitant, Teddiursa led its companions in a fighting retreat, eventually reaching the edge of Mightyena's territory. After Teddiursa endured a fierce swipe from Mightyena, they managed to escape, though all were gravely injured. Teddiursa, in particular, was bleeding from deep claw wounds on its back.
Afraid that Mightyena might continue the chase, they pressed on, seeking a safe place to rest. Despite their pain, luck was on their side, and they found a hidden tree hollow where they could hide. Teddiursa collapsed from exhaustion and pain, losing consciousness.
Seeing this, Exeggcute and Bounsweet were filled with sorrow, calling out to Teddiursa in vain. Teddiursa was their leader and protector, and without immediate treatment, its life was in danger. After a heated discussion, they decided Bounsweet would continue towards Rex Farm to seek Rex's help, while Exeggcute stayed to protect Teddiursa from further harm.
Bounsweet knew the chances of finding Rex were slim, but it was their only hope. Despite its own injuries, Bounsweet set off alone, determined to save Teddiursa. Meanwhile, two Pokémon from Rex Farm were heading in their direction.
Combusken and Carbink, having completed their daily training, were exploring the Orange Forest. With Combusken's increased strength and the boost from the Charcoal it carried, its Fire-type moves were formidable. Carbink's strong defenses made them an unstoppable duo in the forest's outskirts.
Unlike Teddiursa and its companions, who were cautious and fearful, Combusken and Carbink roamed confidently. Combusken led the way, strutting boldly, with Carbink following closely. Many Pokémon attempted to drive them away from their territories but were easily defeated by Combusken.
Suddenly, during their aimless wandering, Combusken noticed some unusual sounds in the distance. Intrigued, it ran towards the source, leaving Carbink to follow at its own pace. Reaching the area quickly, Combusken perched on a tree branch to observe the situation quietly.
(End of chapter)