While fighting off some Black Worms, Holly is poisoned when she shoves Tiger out of the way of their poison spike. Tiger takes responsibility for it and goes off to find Natsumi berries to cure her, but is soon attacked and poisoned himself.
To make matters worse, the Black Worms revealed that they are working for Gray Wolf, Tiger's younger brother! Against all odds, Tiger makes it back with the berries in time to save Holly's life, but he can feel his brother's shadow behind him.
This episode contains examples of:
- A Day in the Limelight: While the other Searchers still appear, Tiger takes center stage in this episode, running off to find the cure on his own.
- Awful Truth: The fact that Gray Wolf, the brother Tiger lost to Moo, has become one of his Big Bad Four.
- Beware My Stinger Tail: The barbs on the Black Worms' tails are venomous, and can be shot out.
- Decoy Getaway: The Black Worm troops see Golem sitting by a campfire and attack... only to find it was just a bunch of rocks set up in his shape, buying the rebels vital time.
- Dub-Induced Plot Hole: Originally, Hare warns the group about the Black Worms' poison when they first ambush the heroes, leading to Genki's improvising some hand protection. This was cut from the English dub, leaving Genki's decision to wear his skates as gloves unexplained, and he only explains after Holly is poisoned, with Suezo accusing him of joking.
- Establishing Character Moment:
- In a scene cut from the dub, Gray Wolf and his Cabalos corner a pair of Scaled Hare siblings limping away from the village, giving Gray Wolf a chance to react to seeing another's Big Brother Instinct in play.
- Instead of the above, Gray Wolf's establishing character moment in the English dub is thinking about how the village was destroyed too easily and wishing for a Worthy Opponent.
- Find the Cure!: The central conflict of the episode.
- If You Kill Him, You Will Be Just Like Him!: One of the Black Worms is stunned during the ambush, and Tiger goes to kill him after the others flee. However, Holly stops him from acting, saying that killing indiscriminately will make them like their enemies.
- Improvised Weapon: During the Black Worms' ambush, Genki wears his rollerblades on his hands for extra protection.
- Ineffectual Loner: Holly gets shot in the first place because Tiger immediately tries to ditch the group after hearing about his brother, getting distracted enough that the Black Worm's able to get off a shot. Tiger then tries running off to find the cure alone, but Genki accompanies him, reminding him that they're supposed to be a team.
- Internal Reveal: Viewers already knew that Gray Wolf was one of the Big Bad Four, but none of the Searchers were aware of it... until now.
- Mr. Exposition: Hare's familiar enough with Black Worm poison that he knows how to make the antidote.
- No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Holly convinces Tiger not to kill the Black Worm that gets left behind, so the group decides to interrogate him instead. The Black Worm then manipulates everyone and tries to snipe Tiger when he turns to leave, with Holly getting hurt instead.
- Obfuscating Stupidity: The Black Worm that they capture and interrogate plays dumb at first, complete with Simpleton Voice.
- Race Against the Clock: Without the Natsumi berries to make a cure, Holly can only hold on for so long...
- Taking the Bullet: Holly shoves Tiger out of the way and ends up poisoned herself.
- This Is Something He's Got to Do Himself: Once he learns about Gray Wolf, Tiger immediately decides that he needs to handle this on his own, trying to leave the others behind.
- Villain Opening Scene: Gray Wolf and his Cabalos destroy another village.
- You Shall Not Pass!: When the Black Worm troops attack them, Genki decides to distract them so that Tiger can move on and find the berries.
