The End of the Free Room and Board Dream

Misdreavus drifted toward the Sandshrew that had bared its claws. "Dream, dream."

But the Sandshrew immediately used Sand Attack, kicking up a cloud of dust before retreating with its companions.

Dian watched the Sandshrew and fell into thought.

These Sandshrew seemed extraordinarily wary, and they appeared to be afraid of outsiders.

If it had been Tails, he would have pounced and taken a swipe first. Sandshrew were timid by nature, but this went beyond ordinary timidity.

Besides, as far as he knew, Sandshrew were not suited to moving around at night. Most hid in sand pits after dark. Yet when he looked around, he found this place much damper than the desert outside. It did not seem like somewhere Sandshrew would choose to live.

They needed to eat Sour Berries too, but guarding them was not in their nature. And there was a pond here...

After a moment's thought, Dian said tentatively, "The Drapion outside is gone."

"Shrew?!"

The lead Sandshrew reacted at once. It curled into a ball and rolled fiercely forward.

Soon, a loud cry rang out. "Shrew! Shrew!!"

The other Sandshrew rolled after it. Only the smallest one looked timidly at Dian and the others before slowly running into the darkness.

"I see."

Yue Jifei looked calm. "Something touching, and something despicable. I have mixed feelings."

Dian smiled. He was not quite so sentimental. In a sense, this had been a fragile ecological cycle, and they had broken it.

If he was right, the Drapion ruled this Oasis, while the Sandshrew were laborers it had forced to tend the Sour Berry trees.

The "hostage" was probably the young Sandshrew. If the others had been determined to roll away, Drapion likely could not have stopped them all. It did not need to. It only had to keep hold