This one's been redone as well - many minor things have been changed.

Time passed. Demi, at Mahk's insistence, named the silver kit Kasu after an Arcanine heroine in one of La'Shanke's stories. The young Eevee felt the name might give his foster sister good luck - something she would desperately need later on. Despite his initial misgivings, Mahk grew very fond of Kasu and followed La'Shanke's admonition to look after her to the letter.

Kasu herself grew up like all other Eevee - in the warm months, beside a great river in a lush forest; in the cold months, down south near an extinct volcano. She, like the others, gathered by La'Shanke each night for teaching and stories, went to her foster mother for support, and obeyed Rama's orders when they were given. Unlike the others, however, she underwent constant pressure to evolve.

When an Eevee reached its third year, he or she was presented at the annual evolution ceremony. They then made one of four choices - to go with two of the Flareons to the extinct volcano, where the very walls held the sediment that made up what humans called Fire Stones; to go with La'Shanke and one other Vaporeon to the otherwise forbidden river cavern, where the stalactites were formed of evolutionary rock, encased in shale; to follow one of the very few pack Jolteons up to the high north peaks, where lightning had struck so often that the rocks just below the surface, when dug up, would transform the Eevee digger; or to put off the decision for another year (in some cases, Eevee chose never to evolve, despite the fact that Eevee simply didn't live as long as evolved Eons). It was believed that Kasu's peculiar fur would disappear when she evolved, thus eliminating the worst danger to the pack.

Kasu, however, was stubborn. She loved her foster mother, and La'Shanke, and Mahk, but none of these could convince her to choose an evolutionary path. Demi cajoled; Mahk reasoned; Rama threatened; Kasu ignored. It wasn't that she didn't understand their reasoning. She simply didn't want to evolve into one of her choices, no matter how many times she was told they were her only options. She couldn't see any path for her in any of them.

La'Shanke kept her peace, and watched with interest. She had never forgotten the spirit, nor its assurance that the silver-furred Eevee would do well. She wasn't sure what it had in mind, but she would keep watch.

It was a peculiar sort of day. That was the only way Kasu could describe it. Perhaps because it was the day of the evolution ceremony? Probably.

She shook out her silver pelt, padding along the riverside under the cloudy sky. She liked being this far out from the main camp, especially on days like this. It gave her a respite from the constant pressure to choose an evolution. Ordinarily she'd be with Mahk, but he'd been nagging her about evolution along with the rest. Only Cheggah (ironically, Rama's son) respected her decision - or indecision, rather, but he was hanging out with Mahk that day, so she ignored them and went on her own.

She walked on, her thoughts often dark. Her pelt, which usually shone in the light, was as dull as the overcast sky, reflecting her mood.

A step sounded behind her.

"Good morning."

Kasu jumped slightly and turned to face La'Shanke.

"Oh! Uh... good morning."

La'Shanke smiled at the young Eevee.

"And where are your two companions? I gathered you, Mahk, and Cheggah were inseparable."

"Mahk's been bugging me about the ceremony this evening. I just wanted to be alone," Kasu said, a distinct bitter note reaching La'Shanke's ears. The aging Vaporeon gazed at the young Eevee with concern.

"So you still haven't chosen?"

Kasu deflated. "No."

"Hm." La'Shanke gazed off into the distance, her eyes almost trancelike. "I see. Well, don't go much further, kit. You're already a good way from the camp. I'm heading back."

"All right." Kasu watched the shaman turn and walk back, noticing the other's peculiar gait and wondering at it. Shaking her head to clear it, she continued walking in her original direction.

It wasn't any kind of sound or sight that alerted her. Rather, it was a certain sense of being watched. Kasu stopped, ears pricked, listening intently.

"You're a long way from home."

Kasu spun.

The spirit before her was hazy, indistinct, and deep in shadow. She didn't recognize it at all. All she saw was a pair of glowing red eyes.

She knew she should be terrified. But somehow she wasn't.

"Good morning," she said politely. "Do I know you?"

"I'm afraid not," the spirit said calmly. "I apologize for startling you, but I have a message for you."

Kasu tilted her head in confusion.

"Forgive me, but I'm not the pack shaman. I'm just the oddball." She grinned a little.

"I'm not looking for the shaman. What I have to say pertains to you and you alone." The red eyes gleamed momentarily.

"Oh... kay..." Kasu sat back on her haunches. "I'm listening."

"You must not choose to evolve tonight."

"Well, that's what I've been saying." Kasu grinned again. The spirit simply continued to stare at her, and she felt her smile slip.

"In fact, your days with this pack as an Eevee are run. You must leave. Tonight."

"What!"

"Whatever you have to do to get away, you must leave tonight to pursue your destiny."

"Destiny? What destiny?"

But the spirit had said its piece, and had no intention of saying more. It faded, leaving a confused silver Eevee in its wake.

Ordinarily, she would have gone straight to La'Shanke. For some reason, however, she chose not to. The young Eevee instead went to her brother.

Mahk and his best friend Cheggah had gone through the ceremony the year before. the two of them were lazily sprawled under a tree, both talking with serious looks on their faces. When they noticed Kasu approaching, they both went silent, a sure sign that their conversation had involved her somehow. She had a feeling she knew the exact subject.

"Hey, guys," she greeted them, plopping down beside her foster brother, carefully avoiding his spiny neck ruff. It was one of the hazards of living with a Jolteon.

"Hey, Kasu," Cheggah returned. His eyes, constantly twinkling with mirth, crinkled with the wideness of his smile. The huge son of Rama had followed his father's example and become a Flareon. Having no siblings of his own, he had always thought of Mahk and Kasu as his littermates and best friends.

Mahk only grunted his acknowledgement of his sister's presence, obviously preoccupied. Kasu felt a flash of annoyance.

"So, what are you two up to?" she asked.

"Chatting, lazing around, the works, " Cheggah replied, stretching to prove his point. "Where have you been? Out walking?"

"Yeah." Now was the time she should tell them about the spirit, but quite suddenly she realized she couldn't - or, rather, she wouldn't. Instead, she sat quietly as Cheggah detailed the things they had seen that morning, Mahk occasionally clarifying a point or two.

"Kasu, have you decided yet?" Mahk said suddenly, interrupting Cheggah's commentary. Kasu glared at her brother, blue eyes cold as ice.

"Yes." Now what had made her say that?

"Really?" Mahk looked surprised. "What did you decide?"

"It's a surprise," Kasu replied, deciding to go with it. "You'll see tomorrow."

"Ah." Mahk obviously felt he shouldn't press his luck with his sister.

Kasu spent the rest of the afternoon with her two friends, her mind filled with turmoil.

She had to move quickly. Almost as soon as the ceremony started she'd be missed; she thanked the fates that Mahk and Cheggah had not planned to go and watch. Demi was another matter. She would know instantly that Kasu was missing.

She was never sure why she followed the spirit's instructions. All she knew was that she did. She slipped away from the camp at dusk, heading west toward the edge of the forest, ignoring the ache in her heart whenever she thought of Demi, Cheggah, La'Shanke, or Mahk.

Apart from leaving her family, there was a certain happiness in being on her own. The moon was rising above the trees, copper and swollen, but beautiful all the same. The wind was light and ruffled her fur gently. In this light, her color was all but impossible to discern; an ordinary Eevee on an ordinary stroll.

The moon rose higher with every hour.

Several hours later, the moon was directly overhead, bright silver-white and gleaming, and the exhilaration of the adventure was starting to wear off. Kasu was tired, grumpy, and questioning her reasoning more and more. All that kept her going was a curious compulsion, pulling her steadily westward.

Over fallen trees and under bushes, over and over. She didn't notice the light before her until she was practically on top of it.

She stopped.

It was a curious sight. A fire burned extremely low in a clearing, flanked by two green structures. Kasu stared at these in surprise. She padded up to one, slowly stretching her nose out to touch one of them. It gave way before her, and, surprised, she jumped back.

What on earth...

She pawed the green thing, noting its yielding quality with fascination. She backed away from it, then noticed the triangular opening in the front of the curious object. Warily, she padded toward it, poking her nose just inside.

Nothing happened.

She stuck more of her muzzle inside.

Still nothing.

Emboldened by her success, she padded in. She immediately noticed the huge, warm lump lying on the ground. Something pink peeked out from the end closest to her - pink, with a terrible scent, and sporting little appendages that, now that she thought about it, looked a little like her toes. A paw? She reached out to touch it.

And promptly leaped back when the lump moved, snorting. She dashed out and cowered beside the green thing's other side.

Nothing came after her. In fact, the clearing hadn't changed, except that the fire had gone out. Warily, ready to jump at any moment, Kasu went back inside.

Apart from smelling something awful, the big lump seemed harmless. It was warm... and Kasu was very tired.

Carefully, one paw at a time, she got up on top of the lump. The stuff under her paws felt strange, not like the paw had felt. It was very squishy and slick, but after she curled up, it was very comfortable.

Within moments, she was asleep.

"OY! Mike, your damn Eevee is on me again!"

Kasu started and leaped up and away at the shout. From the light streaming in through the triangle opening, it was morning, and from the noise, Kasu's lump was alive.

She darted outside, tripping over a stick in the now-cool firepit. The two green structures were filled with noise now, and the one she'd spent the night in was moving slightly.

"Ow! Man, I have to get a taller tent! Why did you let me drink so much last night?"

Kasu didn't hear any more, because she was running as fast as possible away from there.

She got maybe three hundred feet before slamming into something about her size.

"Aaaaah!"

"Wha!"

Kasu scrambled to all fours as she stared at the 'mon before her. She had never seen a 'mon of his species before - bipedal, with purple skin and diamonds for eyes. The mouth was just a gash in the face, filled with sharp teeth. The other was staring at her as well.

"What the heck -"

Then there was noise behind them.

"Silver, you say? That's rare, it is."

"Think it's nearby?"

"It can't've got far. Man, how long do your headache meds take to work?"

"Stuff it."

"Uh-oh." Kasu cast about for an exit. "Uh..."

"Come this way," the purple 'mon said, gesturing to her. "Unless you want them to catch you."

Kasu made no objection. She followed him at a fast clip.

The button loves you. Night out.