Chapter Twelve
The sound of shuffling drifted in and out of Arric's mind and he thought he heard voices mumbling as he faded in and out of consciousness. Arric strained to hear the voice more clearly, the throbbing in his head made his body feel heavy and his eyes refused to open. He felt something wet dripping into his mouth and struggled to take in the cool liquid being fed to him. It tasted bitter and he coughed, spluttering and choking himself awake, the world around him slowly spun to a stop, becoming clearer as he could finally open his eyes. The world was blurry and bright, he squeezed his eyes shut to get them used to the light, opening them slowly, letting his surroundings come into focus.
Something cold pressed against his leg, the dull ache ebbing slowly to the beat of his heart but the cool press made it bearable. He felt small hands working on his leg, soft and warm. They disappeared and returned shortly, massaging a warm liquid into his skin that smelled like herbs grown in the fields. The dull pain in his leg now only ebbed when he moved and Arric felt a sigh of relief escape his lips as he sat watching the sky.
Pulling himself to his elbows, Arric peered at the Eevee who was working on his leg. He was small and Arric felt tears well up in his eyes as he recognised the satchel at the Eevees feet. The Eevee turned towards him, his bright eyes full of concern and relief as a small, tired smile spread over his face.
"Q- Quin?" Arric managed to croak.
Quin chuckled, letting out a sharp yelp as Arric wrapped his arms around him, pulling him down to his chest and burying his face into his shoulders. Quin hesitated for a moment before returning the embrace, a small smile forming on his lips as he felt Arric chest shudder with sobs, a mourning wail muffled into his shoulder. He patted his friends back soothingly in comfortable silence as he let Arric calm himself, pulling back to attend to his leg when Arric slumped back to the ground. Quin glanced over at him. Arric stared up at the sky, his eyes looked sunken in and pale, his lips cracked and bleeding but most of all he looked haunted like there was something on his mind that tormented him. He broke his stare and set himself back to working on Arric's leg. It did not look broken but it did not look good either. It was swollen, red and angry and Quin knew the ointment he had rubbed on would only help ease the pain. He needed to get Arric back to the others.
"I thought no one was ever going to find me."
Arric's voice was barely a whisper but it rang loud in the silence. Quin turned to face Arric, finding him watching him. His eyes were wide in fear, bags sat under them, his fur matted and flecked with blood.
"I was afraid that I was going to be left alone again."
Quin shuffled next to him, helping Arric to sit up, the Eevee leant against him, his breathing ragged with the occasional hiccup of a sob. Quin watched him carefully, he looked so defeated and it scared him. This Eevee had dashed into a blazing workshop, pulled him from being swept away, took on a Tribe Leader to help Bree and had always been there for him and now he looked like he was giving up. Arric drew his chin to his knees, wrapping his arms around his legs and tucking his tail firmly against him. He looked ahead of him but his gaze was somewhere else.
"Before Madame Lea found me, I had been wandering the forests for days. I was only young and I don't remember much but I remember the loneliness." Arric whispered to himself. "I called for my mother and father over and over but no one answered. The days I spent searching for them and the nights I spent holed up under some tree roots hoping the monsters in the dark wouldn't get me."
Quin laid a hand on his shoulder and felt him relax under his touch. Arric placed his own hand over his, squeezing it softly. The two sat in silence for a moment before Arric let out a snort.
"They could have at least told me why they didn't want me. It would have saved me a lot of time searching." He buried his head in his hands, "And a lot of heartache."
Quin stood and dusted himself off, grabbing each of the small pots on the ground and placed them carefully into his satchel, pulling the flap over to close it. Hauling it over his shoulder, he held out a hand for Arric. Arric gazed at his hand for a moment, a smile spread across his lips as he placed his hand in his, using Quin to help him up, leaning on him for support. Quin turned to him, looking up at his friend.
"I can't tell you why they abandoned you but I'm sure you're better off without them."
Arric nodded, is face relaxing and the life slowly flickered behind the tiredness in them. Quin helped Arric over to the wall of the ravine where he had climbed down to get to him. It was by chance that he had heard him on his search and he was more surprised to find the Eevee on his back in the bottom of a ravine. He grasped the rope he had used to slide down the wall, turning to Arric and proceeded to tie the rope around his waist.
"This i- is going to be a bit of work but you're going to have to trust me."
Arric looked up to the top of the wall and then back down to Quin, a determined look had fired up onto his face. He clasped the rope in both hands, setting the paw of his good leg up on the wall.
"Let's get out of this damned ravine."
It took the pair several tries to get Arric up and over the top of the wall. Arric slipped several times, cursing every time his bad leg slipped, the pain making him slow and hesitant to haul himself up. Quin pushed from underneath, using shoulders as a seat for Arric. Together they heaved themselves over the ledge, flopping into a pile at the edge, panting furiously to catch their breath.
"We, we did it, Quin. We made it." Arric panted.
Quin swallowed, desperate to catch his breath and his chest and muscles burned. "Yes. We. Did."
Arric chuckled and clasped the Eevee on the shoulder, giving him a small shake of encouragement. Quin rolled to his feet, padding over to a tree and reached for the fruit that hung from the lowest branches. He tugged a few free and took a bite out of one as he dropped next to Arric, passing him one. Arric's mouth watered as he tore into the fruit, juice dripped off his chin. He devoured three more, taking the canteen of water Quin offered him, gulping down the water greedily, smacking his lips as he finished. He wiped his mouth as he passed the canteen back to Quin and the two stood, Quin letting Arric lean on him for support as Quin led him from the ravine.
"Where are the others?" Arric questioned after they had walked for a few hours.
"After we separated, I headed straight for the Sylveon territory. Many of the Jolteon had gone after you and the others. I was fortunate to slip away easily. It didn't take long until I made it home and told Master Hiro what had happened." He adjusted Arric's arm around his shoulder and continued, "I- I don't really know where Tak and the others got away but Master Hiro left for the Espeon territory, instructing me to search for you and the others. It turns out that Tak took them to Umbreon territory and well I kept searching for you on my way to Umbreon territory to meet with them."
Arric growled at the thought of the Jolteon chasing them. He suddenly felt vulnerable leaning on Quin and shifted to start walking on his own, his eyes darting through the trees. Quin glanced around them nervously, shifting on one foot to the other.
"Master Hiro told me that the Jolteon have been forbidden to join the Evolution Ritual and even come near the other territories until a meeting between the tribe leaders have been made. We should be safe right?"
Arric swept his gaze over the shadows between the trees. His skin crawled at the thought of being watched and his tail twitched uneasily at every sound. There was no way he could protect Quin or even run away at this point but Eeveelutions have been loyal so far. He gave a final sweep of the area before leaning on Quin again and the two continued forward through the trees. It was agonisingly slow with Arric having to stop to readjust his position on Quin or to wait for his leg to stop pounding. The light was beginning to fade into the darkness around them, the shadows growing taller, creeping closer to the Eevee until eventually they had been swallowed by the cover of night. The moon rose above them and Arric almost stumbled over a tree root beneath him when he looked up at it.
"The moon is almost full! How long have I been down in that ravine?"
Quin shuffled next to him uncomfortably. The weight of Arric plus the hours of walking was starting to take a toll on him. By the looks of the area he was sure they were close to the Espeon territory.
"Uh, I think a week maybe more. I had not started searching for you until a few days after we escaped from Jolteon territory."
Quin pushed forward, pulling Arric after him, increasing his pace just fast enough not to make Arric stumble but soon Arric was hopping next to him as the next wave of pain shot through him. Quin moved to slow down but Arric shook his head, surging forward.
"I don't want to sleep on the ground again tonight. It's not much further right?"
Quin nodded cautiously. In truth, he had no idea. Everything looked the same at night and it was not like they had not gotten lost before. If only the others were here, Tak would be able to support Arric and he could concentrate on finding the right way. Under Arric he could barely see in front of him. Arric towered over him like everyone else and his fur covered most of his face as he gripped him to stop Arric from falling.
The moon had reached its full height into the sky when Arric finally stopped, hopping to rest on a stump, groaning as he stretched out his leg to try and rub out the pain. Quin knelt beside him, pulling out his pot of ointment, working it over the swollen part of the leg. Arric hissed at him through gritted teeth and Quin held his leg firm as he threatened to pull away. Arric gripped the stump with white knuckles as Quin worked, letting the ointment seep into his skin and soon the pain ebbed away for him to relax.
"You need to rest Arric." Quin spoke quietly.
"I know that!" Arric snapped. He winced at Quin's wide eyes and his face softened, "I'm sorry. This is all taking its toll on me."
They sat quietly listening to the night around them. Quin packed up the ointment into his satchel, slinging it over his shoulder before speaking, "What do you dream of?"
Arric looked at him, "What?"
"Your dreams, well nightmares." Quin pressed, "Hannah told me she found you curled up in corner one morning absolutely terrified. Tak told me he would watch you toss and turn in your sleep, crying out and I've seen the way you zone out with that haunted look in your eyes."
Arric stared at him in the darkness. The moon shone brightly down on him, he looked even smaller in the night. Like a shadow himself, a ghost who could slip away in an instant and leave him alone in the night. He looked to the ground, the memories of his dreams swirling around in the back of his mind, reaching for the surface.
"It's always shrouded in a mist. It used to be just nothing for ages and no matter how far you walked, no matter which way you went, there was nothing." Arric's voice trembled, "Then things started to appear. Entities. A volcano, a waterfall, a tree, a sphere of ice and one of electricity. One after another they slowly appeared. That isn't the problem though. I can't reach any of them. I run to the tree but I never reach it, I thirst for the water but can never reach it to drink. I've tried to believe me."
Quin watched him silently, willing him to continue. Arric twisted his hands as his eyes searched the ground absentmindedly, lost in thought.
"Every time I'm there I feel like I'm supposed to do something, to know something but I can't remember. I don't know what to do, what it wants from me. I scream and my voice goes unheard and every time. Every damn time something tried to hurt me." Arric swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry, "The mist tries to suffocate me, the ice sphere freezes me alive and the creature, this creature hunts me. It taunts me in the darkness, lashes out at me and no matter how hard I ran, it always catches me. It feels so real."
None of them spoke for a long time, the silence growing until Arric pushed himself up, his fists balled.
"I'm sick of not knowing. My dreams, this real meaning behind the Evolution Ritual, Master Volke and these secrets that the tribe leaders continue to keep from us." Arric hobbled over to Quin, stretching an arm around his shoulder, walking alongside him.
The pair walked on in silence, the stars beginning to fade in the sky as it began to grow lighter as the dawn approached. The air had grown cold and the pair huddled for warmth, the ground slick with morning dew as the sun poked its head over the horizon announcing the new day. It was like the forest itself was waking up around them. Birds sang merrily in the trees above them, peering down at them from their perches. Quin surveyed the area carefully, trying to remember any landmarks that he might tell him the way. He had never been to the Espeon territory himself but Master Hiro had told him the way. In fact, they should have reached the territory by now but there was no indication that they had reached it. Where was their village? Why had no one come to greet them and where were the others?
Slowing their pace they came to a small clearing. The trees encircled them, light shone down through the canopy above them and they had come to a complete stop at the edge of the trees.
"Technically we should be in the Espeon territory."
Arric looked over the clearing. It was large enough for a small crowd but nowhere near large enough to hold a whole village.
"I don't understand." Arric said confused.
They stepped out into the clearing, eyes darting back and forth for any sign of an Espeon, Master Hiro or their friends. Arric's fur stood on end and he felt on edge. Something did not add up and he was tired of games.
"Can't anything be easy for once?" He grumbled under his breath.
"That makes two of us Arric my boy."
Quin jumped and spun around, nearly throwing Arric to the ground with the force. A large Sylveon stood before them. His lazy smile sat upon his white-furred face, his pink hair cut short. He stood poised with a regal look, his back straight and his eyes sparkled with amusement as he watched the Eevee before him. At his chin a large furred bow sat, neatly trimmed with two long streamers like ribbons gracefully trailed from behind it. At the base of his ear stood another furred bow with another two ribbons, they lazily floated around him. His long slender legs were socked with pink fur and his short tail twitched with excitement.
"Master Hiro!" Quin squeaked.
The Sylveon gave a flashy show of a bow to the two of them, lifting his head to look at them, his bright blue eyes resting on Arric, a charming smirk placed on his lips, "In the flesh."
Quin quivered with excitement at the sight of his tribe leader. He knew this was the right way and he was able to lead Arric there safely. Everything should be alright now. Arric looked over the tribe leader carefully as he straightened his posture and fiddled with the end of one of his ribbons, suddenly looking bored.
"Where is the Espeon village?"
Master Hiro's eyes lit up and he clasped his hands together, his voice soothe with an air of grace, "Oh it is most splendid my boy! Come! Let me show you both, come along!"
With a skip, the tribe leader headed off past them, leaving Quin to help Arric stumble after them, "Master Quin, please! Arric is injured, you have to slow down!"
The Sylveon paused, looking over his shoulder at them, looking as if he had just noticed that the two of them had suddenly appeared before them. He looked down at Arric and tilted his head.
"Oh yes, so he is. Well no matter, we won't be going far." He waved his hand dismissively and carried on to the other side of the clearing, standing to the side as he waited for the two Eevee to catch up. Arric and Quin were out of breath by the time they reached Hiro and he watched them as they hunched over to catch their breath. With a flourish of his hands, he motioned to a large tree that stood out amongst the others. It was slightly off colour, with the other trees trunks being dark brown. This one was slightly paler, its branches gnarled and its bark looked much smoother.
Arric and Quin looked at each other confused. Hiro chuckled to himself and rapped on the tree with his knuckles and waited. Arric watched in awe as the bark began to shimmer and distort with a purple light and from it outstepped an Espeon. Her long legs slipped from the inside the tree into the forest with ease, her eyes shined as bright as the dark red jewel on her forehead. Her pale purple fur was so short that it looked as if it were non-existent at all. She stood next to Hiro, greeting him with a short nod before turning her attention to the small Eevee before her. Hiro sidled over to stand behind them, grasping the outside of their shoulders, making Arric wince as he pulled them to him.
"You see Estella. I told you my little Quin could find him. So clever and with just enough time to spare don't you think?"
The Espeon said nothing as she closed the gap between them. Her paws were delicate and tiny compared to Hiros and it was if she walked on air, no sound coming from her steps. She eyed the two before falling to one knee to examine Arric's leg. A look of worry crossing her eyes as she brushed Arric's leg gently with her fingertips. Her touch was cool and Arric did not dare move.
"You were injured?"
Her lips moved as she spoke but her voice snaked through his mind, touching every nerve in his brain, setting his mind on fire.
"I fell down a ravine when I was trying to escape the Jolteon."
Hiro clicked his tongue, "Volke has a few things to answer for."
Estella returned to the trunk of the large tree and motioned for them to follow.
"Come, let's get you both safe and settled."
Without another word, she stepped towards the tree and slipped through the shimmering image. Hiro clapped them on the shoulder and pushed them forward, Quin taking a tentative step first and slipping into the tree before Arric. Arric hesitated, looking back at Hiro who nodded with encouragement, a much too broad smile on his face. Arric gulped and looked at the violet shimmering portal before him, closed his eyes and stepped through.