Chapter One

Crap, crap crap!

Arric sprinted through the underbrush. His heart pounded in his chest and his breathing was heavy but he pushed on. His pawed feet barely made a sound as they hit the forest floor, darting around trees and bushes, leaping over fallen trees and brushing away the low branches with his clawed fingers. Looking up he saw that the bright circle of the full moon starting to reach the highest point of the sky and cursed to himself again.

I can't be late, just a little further!

Dashing across a small stream, he made a quick left and bolted along a small forest path. It was well worn and he noticed that there were quite a few fresh tracks tonight. As he got closer to his destination he began to slow down until he was snaking his way through the trees, his dark brown fur making him almost invisible. The moon catching against his soft tan mane and tail tip as he slipped through the final overhanging branches and he stepped out in a large clearing. His long ears caught the sounds of the bustling bodies before him. Hundreds of Eeveelution occupied every corner of the clearing, their colourful coats catching the moonlight, the forehead gems of Espeon shining brightly.

At the head of the clearing on large plateau ledge, Arric spotted the Tribe Leaders casually chatting with one another or watching over the others in the clearing. Arric watched them carefully as he weaved through the crowd to find a spot to sit before the meeting started.

"Psst Arric!"

Ears twitching to his name, he turned his amber eyes and found a young Eevee like himself beckoning to him. He recognised her as Grace from the Vaporeon Tribe. Her soft brown fur matched his own but her tail seemed thinner than his and her eyes dazzled more brightly. He slipped over to her and noticed three other Eevee with him around the same age. Tak was an Eevee from the Umbreon Tribe, he stood leaning against a tree with his arms crossed across his chest, lazily looking out at the rest of the Eeveelutions. Hannah and Bree, the Jolteon Tribe twins, giggled and chatted amongst each other, pointing out to each other of the things that caught their attention. Arric let his gaze fall on the last and youngest of the six Eevee in the group, Quin. He was of the Sylveon Tribe and was always so quiet that Arric would barely notice he was there. Quin sat on the ground, his eyes darting to each of the Tribe Leaders as if he wasn't sure who he should be showing the most respect to.

"So you finally decided to show up huh?" Grace elbowed him in the side.

Arric pushed her away, "Yeah, yeah, I was busy."

Grace clicked her tongue and opened her mouth to say something but the clearing suddenly buzzed alive with energy as the Tribe Leaders all stood and faced towards the awaiting audience below. Everyone took a spot closest to them and a quiet fell over the clearing. The Espeon Tribe Leader, Estella, stood forward, her pinkish purple pelt looked almost white in the moonlight and the dark red gem on her forehead eerily glinted. Her double headed tail flicked gently back and forth behind her as she raised her arms up.

"Welcome all Tribe Members." Her voice echoed and yet it almost felt like she was also speaking in the back of Arrics mind.

Espeon always creeped him out like that. He knew it was how they communicated with one another but it always felt like they were keeping secrets.

"Tonight we welcome our Six Fledglings who will soon perform in the Evolution Ritual on the next full moon." Her eyes fell upon Arric and the other Eevees and they could not help but make their way into the centre of the clearing as if the Espeon Tribe Leader willed them. "Tell me young ones, what is your Tribe and what to you intend to pledge?"

Grace jumped forward with a bounce in her step, her bushy tail swishing with excitement. "I am Grace of the Vaporeon Tribe! I intend to pledge to Karn, the Vaproeon Tribe Leader!"

Excited chatter and cheers rippled among the Vaporeon members, their rubbery bare skin ranging from the brightest skies to the colour of the deep oceans. The Vaporeon Tribe Leader nodded from his place, a sharp smirk planted on his face. Estella nodded and pointed to Hannah and Bree, motioning for them to answer.

"I am Hannah, I come from the Jolteon Tribe. I plan to pledge myself to Volke of the Jolteon Tribe." She nodded towards the Jolteon Tribe Leader. Bree stood quietly beside her, forcing Hannah to nudge her, breaking her silence. "I am Bree of the Jolteon Tribe." She looked up at Volke before quickly looking down and mumbling, "I pledge to Volke of the Jolteon Tribe."

Murmurs harried their way across the clearing, Arric catching a few snippets here and there.

Grace shook her head softly, leaning towards Arric and murmured softly, "I hear Volk and Hannah are pressuring her to pledge Jolteon Tribe. I hear she wishes to pledge Vaporeon."

Arric shook his head, "No one should be harassed into their choice."

He gave Bree a sympathetic look before Estella cleared her throat, motioning for the clearing to quiet and for Tak to continue. Tak merely shrugged, his brown fur was slightly darker than the rest of them. "I'm Tak. Umbreon Tribe. I'm sticking with Lycia of Umbreon Tribe."

Lycia nodded curtly towards Tak but the rest of her gave away nothing else of her satisfaction. Her black fur shadowed her perfectly when the clouds covered the moon, only her bright yellow circles glowing dimly gave her away.

Estella dropped her eyes to Quin, who was sitting at the feet of the group looking completely terrified. A small moment passed but Quin did not move, frozen in place as all eyes were on him. Grace huffed to herself, before looping her arms under Quins and lifting him to his feet, pushing him forward. He looked sheepishly up at the Tribe Leaders.

"I am Quin of the Sylveon Tribe." He squeaked. Vesper snorted through his muzzle and Quin jumped wincing as he continued quickly, "And I wish to pledge myself to Karn, Vaporeon Tribe."

Karn raised an eyebrow but said nothing further and Estella motioned towards Arric and he felt the eyes of all the Eeveelutions upon him. Each Tribe Leader looked down on him and he felt a lump forming in his throat. Clearing it, he spoke.

"I am Arric, I have no Tribe. I was an orphan." He flicked his ears back as the murmurs began in the crowd. He paused, searching each of the Tribe Leaders. Estella, Volk, Lycia and Karn watched him closely. Vesper, the Flareon Tribe Leader scowled down at him, almost making him want to flinch back, while Hiro, the Sylveon Tribe Leader lazed over his seat, hardly paying any attention to the meeting at all. His eyes fell upon Nia and Avice, the Leafeon and Glaceon Tribe Leaders. They watched him curiously, Nia with a warm look and Avice with her usual cold glare.

"I have yet to decide who I am to pledge."

Vesper snorted his disgust and growled softly, his flame coloured mane blazing brightly in the moonlight. Estella ignored him and motioned towards the crowd once more for quiet.

"In sixty days the full moon will return and the decision shall be made. We await your decisions but until then, you are to live in each tribe for one week to inform yourselves better as is our custom."

She pauses, glancing at the other Leaders for protest and looking forward once more when none was taken.

"Now go, we will meet here again at the next full moon and by then." Estella looked directly at Arric, locking her azure eyes onto his and her next words he felt rumble loudly in his mind as well as in his ears, "I hope you have reach the right decision."