Warrior Eevees #1: The Storm of Fire

15- The Great Desert Battle

The territory of the Plains Tribe was dry and dusty, the soil loose and sinking between Emmy's toes as she sat in the center of their village. The dens that were buried in the earth were empty of most of the adults, only several Plains Tribe Eevees and their mothers remained below the ground. Stride paced the edge of village anxiously.

The Plains Tribe village was stuffed full of Pokémon as the Forest and Sky Tribes milled around their host's village. The sun was coasting down the sky now, and they were waiting for the Lake Tribe to get in position for their dusk attack. Emmy had spent the day with a Sky Tribe Espeon named Gleamruby, who was infuriating but very pleased to be instructing anyone in anything, and Emmy was hopefully prepared to use Psywave or Confusion in battle if she needed to.

Rogue's shadow passed over head, temporarily darkening the clearing before he moved off in another broad circle around the sky. He kept clenching and unclenching his talons, as anxious as anyone on the ground.

One of the Jolteon Emmy didn't know suddenly lifted his nose to the wind with a quiet cry that silenced the clearing. Emmy caught the scent as soon as he had spoken up, the smell of mud and water. The Lake Tribe was approaching.

It wasn't long before Pearl stepped through the grass, panting from the sun in her heavy pink pelt. Behind her streamed what must have been nearly the entire Lake Tribe, Vaporeon with fluked tails and raised fins. The crowd parted to let Pearl through to where Stride, Hollyhock, and Starset were gathered. The leaders turned away from the throng to whisper together. Emmy looked around the clearing for Sycamore, who had been sent to watch the border to report back when the Sand Tribe's evening border patrol had just passed by. That would be the easiest time to attack. But he had not yet returned, and with Rogue high above, Emmy kept her thoughts to herself.

In a single bound, Stride leapt atop a high hill of earth that appeared to be made from the dirt removed when digging out the dens, and he yowled for attention.

"Pokémon of all Tribes," he announced. "The time has come to end the Storm of Fire before it begins. As a group, we will cross the border. Once we are across, the Lake Tribe and the Forest Tribe will travel to the west and attack the Sand Tribe from that direction. The Sky Tribe will come with the Plains Tribe to attack from the east. Remember, our aim is not to kill or drive the Sand Tribe out, but to remind them that we are stronger than they are when we stand together. As a consequence, we will only battle until they surrender."

The silence that hovered over the clearing was deafening. Eyes were alight, hackles raised, lips drawn back. The Tribes were tense. Stride appeared unruffled, but Emmy could still see the gleam of nervousness in his eyes as he nodded to those gathered.

"Please find your Tribe's leader and prepare to move out."

Rogue swept low in the sky as Emmy trotted after Hollyhock and the Forest Tribe to walk clumsily beside her on his huge talons.

"How're you doing?" he whispered.

"I'm all right," Emmy said.

"I've known you a long time," he nudged her with his beak. "What's bothering you?"

Emmy shrugged. "It just feels too easy."

"Too easy?"

"Yeah. I mean... The Sand Tribe doesn't stand a chance against four other Tribes. I don't know, it just feels... a little off to me, you know?"

"What do you mean?" Rogue pressed. "Don't you want to stop the Storm of Fire?"

"Of course, I do," Emmy said. "It just... Like I said, it feels too easy."

She was relieved when Sycamore, along with Fern, met them on the way. Their coats ruffled along their spines, but their eyes were bright and certain.

"It's all clear," Sycamore reported. "Bright and Rush went to warn Stride."