Chapter Six
Leaving the Vaporeon village behind, the six friends made their way from the coastline back towards the forests. With Hannah and Quin leading the way, Arric hung back with Tak and Bree. Grace trailed behind them, her eyes downcast to the forest floor and her usual bouncy step was replaced with a slow walk fast enough to keep up with the group but her usual vigour was gone. Arric glanced back several times to try and make conversation with her but apart from the occasional shake of her head, he got no other reply from her.
"Leave her be Arric." Bree put a hand on his arm as he attempted to talk to Grace again. "She needs to be in her own thoughts right now."
Arric stretched, intertwining his fingers behind his head as he looked up through the gaps in the trees. It was cool amongst the trees, the rays of light flickering through the leaves, giving them plenty of light to navigate. He breathed in deeply, taking in the scent of the earth and the mixture of the plants around him. He loved the forests of the large island they lived on. The majority of the land was covered in lush green forests, autumn turning the leaves shades of red and yellow until finally in winter the trees fully lost their leaves only to regrow them again in spring. The undergrowth varied, the Leafeon territory and the centre of the island were thicker and other parts close to the Flareon and Glaceon territory were sparse.
Arric let his gaze fall on Hannah walking in front of him with Quin. Her dark tresses fell around her shoulders, the one small braid near her ear and small feathers in her hair was the only thing that set her and Bree apart. He looked over at Bree, the words of Ilia drifting through his mind.
There was no pilgrimage when I was an Eevee.
Bree did not want to pledge Jolteon but Hannah was insistent that she did. Were they pure Jolteon as well? Were their family's views different than Graces? Arric quickened his pace to fall in step with Hannah, stepping carefully over the growing roots of the trees around him.
"Hey Hannah, can I ask you something?"
Hannah gave him a questioning look but nodded.
"Is it true that you and Bree are being pressured to pledge Jolteon?"
Hannah avoided Arric's gaze and fiddled with the small braid, her pace never faltered and it took a short time before she spoke again her voice quiet.
"It's not exactly like that. Master Volke is very persistent that we pledge Jolteon but pressuring us… It's just rumours." She twirled the braid around a finger as she continued, "It's just family stuff you know?"
Arric nodded, not satisfied but he did not want to question her further. He dropped back to the others, trying to avoid the questioning glance from Bree and Tak. Perhaps it was just like Grace's situation. Arric could not imagine what it was like to have the pressures of a pure line to live up to. He did not even know his parents, Vesper and Lea were all he knew and Vesper was sure to remind him every day how that had inconvenienced them so. As he grew up he had learned to accept that he would not have the answers to why he was abandoned where he was and why his parents did it. He had questioned Vesper and Lea many times over but they told him they only knew as much as he did.
Suddenly Quin let out a frustrated snort which stopped every by surprise. The small Eevee turned a small circle around him, taking in their surroundings before looking up. Arric followed his gaze and saw that night had fallen, the moons light was now poking through the treetops and Arric felt the air chill around them as the days' warmth slowly left. Quin snorted again and flumped his pack to the ground. He began to pull out a few things in preparation of camp. The others followed suit and Arric eyed Quin warily as he finished pulling out what he needed and set out to look for kindling for a fire. He quickly reappeared from the darkness and set up a campfire for Arric to light, to which he then set up a small pot to ready dinner for the group.
"Quin?" Tak asked him, "You alright there buddy?"
Growling Quin threw his hands up in defeat, "We're lost! Has no one noticed that for the past two hours we have been going around in circles?"
Shocked, Arric looked around the small clearing they were in and realised Quin was right. He had seen that small grove of trees and rock formations several times but he had been so deep in thought that he never took it in that they were going in circles. How could they miss that? Surely they would have met with someone from Leafeon earlier. Had any of them even been to the Leafeon territory before?
Grace stretched out her legs from where she sat and poked at the fire with a stick. The flames reflected in her eyes, the light dancing over her face until she looked up at them all.
"Well I for one am glad we stopped. My feet are killing me and I'm exhausted."
Hannah and Bree nodded in agreement and sat beside her, waiting for the pot to boil over. Tak shifted to a more comfortable position next to Arric, the bandages on his left side only covered his chest. His arms had been unwrapped for the day. His fur was beginning to grow back in tiny brown dots showing that not too much damage had been done to his skin.
Quin quickly whipped up a small dinner for the group as soon as the water in the pot boiled and they quickly settled in for the night. Each of them lost in their own thoughts yet all thinking the same thing. Arric was sure that they needed to just head east from the coastline to make it to the Leafeon territory. The forest was getting thicker as they walked and Leafeon were known to dwell in these parts so far east from the Vaporeon territory. How could they have not found the village yet?
"So what do we do now?" Arric asked, placing his bowl in his bag once he had rinsed it.
Tak shrugged, "Maybe it will be easier in the daylight?"
"Has anyone even been to the Leafeon village?" Quin questioned.
Silence overcame the camp. Quin suddenly jumped to his feet, beginning to pace. His hands waved as he spoke, his voice fast, his eyes growing wild in panic.
"That's it, we're done. We won't make it to the Leafeon village, or the Glaceon or even the Espeon village! We will never get to see them and then I'll have no choice but to pledge Sylveon!"
Bree stood up and tried to comfort him, taking his arms in her hands, shaking him gently, "Quin! Calm down, it's going to be okay. We will find the way in the morning, for now we can ju-"
"No we can't! I can't!" Quin wriggled out of her grip. His soft brown eyes filling with tears as he took in his friends. His hands balled into fists at his sides, trying hard not to shake. "You don't understand! We need to finish this pilgrimage! We are already behind because of me!"
His friends could not understand. They were all much bigger than he was. Smarter, talented and wanted. Even Arric had a choice and he had been abandoned as a child. But no, Quin was just a Sylveon Eevee. Everyone thought Sylveon where the most useless of the evolutions. Being Fairy type they were known to be aloof, ignorant and everyone thought they were nowhere near as powerful let alone useful as the others. No one wanted someone from Sylveon. He was an Eevee who was smaller than usual, terrified of everything and nearly killed his friends because of his stupid mistakes. Quin could not stand the look of pity they all gave him. Even now he could see in their eyes that they felt sorry for him, that he was weak.
Arric broke the silence, "So we are a little behind? We still have time, even if it's still a couple of days in each village, it's still enough."
Quin shook his head, "Not if we're lost. This is my fault. I asked Master Karn the way and I still got lost. Master Vesper was right, I'm nothing but a stupid. Useless. Eevee. I should just pick Sylveon and be over with it."
Everyone stared at him in silence. They were unsure of what to say to him. Of course they knew he was not useless. They never blamed him for his mistakes and all of them had heard of the way to the Leafeon territory but none of them actually knew where. Quin sniffed and wiped his eyes with the back of his hands, "Tomorrow I'll just head back to Sylveon territory and meet the rest of you at the Evolution Ritual. I won't ruin the pilgrimage anymore."
Grace stood. Her expression was cold as she strode over to him, grabbing his shoulders so hard it made him wince. Her eyes locked on his. Arric made a move to remove Grace but Tak grabbed his shoulder shaking his head.
"You will finish this pilgrimage! You are not useless. You are going to visit each village and you are going to realise deep down who you are meant to be, even if that is Sylveon, Umbreon or even Flareon."
Quins eyes searched hers and for a while they stood there, Grace glaring at him and Quin quivering under her. Slowly he nodded and she relaxed her grip on him, a warm smile spreading across her lips as she drew him in to a soft embrace. Hannah came over and put a hand on his shoulder. "We are in this together Quin. We don't blame you for your mistakes."
Bree spoke up, "Some of us may not know what we want to pledge but if you give up now, how are you ever going to know?"
Small soft sobs escaped Quin as he buried his face into the Graces embrace. She patted him gently, rubbing his back and tussling his ears until he broke apart and looked at his friends.
"Thank you guys." He sniffed.
"Your friends are right you know."
All six of them froze, panic rippling through them as they looked around trying to find the voice. Arric finally spotted a pair of bright green eyes belonging to a pale forest green Leafeon leaning against a tree in the shadows. Arric swore that the Leafeon was not there before but there she was, her dark green hair was dreadlocked like vines around her face, one full leaf rising from her forehead, reaching far over her head like a feather. Her leaf tipped ears twitched with amusement as she left her leaning post and stepped out into the firelight of the camp. Her tail fanned behind her like a broad leaf, the fine hairs tingling with the airs touch, sending her messages that no one else could hear.
"Madame Nia you could have announced yourself earlier." Tak pointed out.
The Leafeon smiled, spreading her arms wide and sweeping the tall Eevee into her arms for a hug, "My dearest nephew! How long have you known I was there?"
The group looked at Tak who had a sheepish look on his face. Pushing away from Nia he cleared his throat, "Long enough."
The Leafeon Tribe Leader pouted lightly, twirling around Tak, stepping across the grass like she was gliding, her footfalls silent, it looked like she was dancing in the moonlight.
"I didn't want to ruin the moment you were all having. Having secure emotional support is important on a pilgrimage like this."
Arric stepped forward, "How long has the pilgrimage tradition been around for?"
Nia stopped and looked at him, a flicker of something dark crossed her face so quickly Arric was not sure if he had even seen it at all but a coy smile played on her lips just as quickly as it passed, "Oh for the longest time my child. Don't worry yourself about the details. Just know that now is important, not silly stories of yesterday."
Arric wanted to question her further but Grace cut him off, "When do we leave for the village?"
Nia began to sway to a breeze no one else felt, her eyes sparkled in the night and she began to dance across the clearing towards the shadows, grasping on to one of the branches before glancing at the Eevees.
"Tomorrow morning I will come for you. No point floundering in the forest at night, I wouldn't want you trip and fall. The climb is a little tricky for those not used to it."
Before any of them could protest she stepped into the shadows, melting away into the darkness until there was nothing else. Tak grumbled to himself, "Madame Nia was always one for mystery and dramatics."
Hannah gave him a small nudge, "Auntie Nia huh?"
Tak growled at her, "Don't even start. She is my aunt yes but I've never called her Auntie Nia. Come on we should get some sleep. Knowing Madame Nia, we will be getting an early wake up call."
"Wait a minute." Arric suddenly realised, "If she is your aunt, then that means her sister pledged Umbreon."
The others looked at him in confusion. Tak nodded slowly, "Yeah my mother pledged Umbreon, so what?"
"Oh nothing, I just didn't realise families can pledge other bloodlines as much as I thought." Arric dismissed him with a shake of his head.
He was not ready to confide in his friends about his findings just yet. He needed more information otherwise Arric was sure they would not believe him. If most Eevee were pressured into pledging a certain evolution, then what made Nia and her sister pledge different evolutions?
Arric's head began to ache with all the questions and finally decided to climb into his sleeping blankets to get some sleep. He watched the moon drift across the sky slowly hoping that when he fell asleep his nightmare would return and it scared him to think that now, only after a few days ago he dreaded sleep, he was willing to navigate the fog and confront the creature of his dreams.
Arric awoke to someone shaking him. He groaned, rolling over to find Quin peering down at him. Arric realised he had slept the whole night dreamless and cursed to himself, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.
"It's time to go, Madame Nia is here to take us to Leafeon village."
Arric gathered his things in his pack and sauntered over to the group waiting for him, Nia giving him a refreshed smile tossed him an apple which almost hit him in the face.
"Don't forget breakfast dear Arric." Nia chimed.
Arric grumbled a thanks and bit into the apple. It was sweet and surprisingly fresh as if it were picked this morning. Nia clasped her hands together asking for their attention.
"Now my pets, follow me and stay close, the undergrowth is a bit thick."
With a bound she dashed into the trees, almost disappearing again, the outline of her shadowy form just visible enough for them to follow her through the trees. It was well over an hour before Nia stopped at small grove. The trees twined around each other like multiple arches, the undergrowth snaking its way between them that they looked like curtains.
With one hand Nia pulled back the undergrowth and ushered them through, following behind them letting it fall back as she stepped through. Arric looked around him and only saw more undergrowth and several very thick and large trees around them. He wondered how long they had to go before he heard Quin gasp in awe, pointing up. Arric followed his hand and let out his own breath of wonder.
High in the tree tops were wooden platforms attached to the large tree trunks. On the platforms were small buildings made of wood, vines and large leaves. Connecting all the platforms were long wooden bridges, held together with vines. Arric saw several Leafeon peer down at them from atop the platforms, their fur colours ranging from the bright greens to the darkest browns.
Nia smiled wide at the group, her eyes sparkling, "Welcome to my home."