Warrior Eevees #1: The Storm of Fire

23- The City Tribe

Emmy was stirred from her deep sleep by whispered voices. Sycamore and Krowcoat were still pressed against her, she could feel the rise and fall of their flanks. They were still asleep, and she didn't recognize the voices or the scents.

"I mean- This is our territory, right Duchess?"

"Does that mean we have to fight? Because the kids are going to be upset if I come home scratched up. I want to get brushed today, too, my coat is a total wreck, and the brush hurts when I'm scratched-"

"Shut up, Fluffy!"

"Don't tell me to shut up! Duchess, tell Pinkie to not tell me to shut up!"

Emmy's eyes slid open as the whispering escalated. Gathered in the ruined doorway of the building they were sheltering in were three of the most absurd-looking Eeveelutions she had ever seen. Her long studies in the human world let her know she was looking at Sylveon, the Fairy-Type Eeveelution. It was a domesticated species, as it could not evolve without human presence, and therefore didn't exist in the wild.

Because of this, she knew, features that humans found 'cute' were somewhat exaggerated. They had huge eyes and plush coats, small, short claws that couldn't scratch anyone by accident, and strange, ribbon-like feelers that they could use to manipulate objects. Emmy was aware that as Fairy-Types, they were surprisingly good in a fight, especially with special moves, but as for the three examples in the doorway, she didn't get the impression that any of them were hardened, battle-trained Pokémon. Two mollies and a tom, all with their fur bushed out in their best impression of a Pokémon that had seen combat but smelling strongly of coffee and perfume. Pet Pokémon, not that there was anything wrong with that. Emmy didn't feel in the least bit threatened.

She raised her head, and all three of them took several paw steps backward. Then, the one in the lead, a pale Sylveon with white stripes banding through the ends of her ribbons, stepped forward, lifted her chin, and flattened her soft pink ears.

"This is City Tribe territory!" she squeaked with some approximation of a threat. "Get off of it!"

"What's that?" Shine had come awake, her fur bristling already.

Shine's movement awoke Rush, who leapt to his paws in one movement. Sycamore and Crystal, too, were yawning and rousing themselves, and Aqua's long tail unwrapped itself from around his nose. Only Krowcoat remained asleep on the floor, though in daylight, the Umbreon was a heavy sleeper, and he had stayed up very late just staring at the sky through the broken roof.

The Sylveon took half a step back, alarm flashing in her blue eyes. The longhaired Sylveon tom beside her craned his head forward, his nostrils flaring as he tried to analyze the scents of the wild Eeveelutions. Then Rogue shifted from where he sat, and the little tom shrieked.

To her credit, the Sylveon leading the group remained in place, although her entire coat was fearfully bushed out and her ears were pinned to her neck.

"This is City Tribe territory!" she squeaked again. "Get off!"

"Make me!" Shine growled, dropping into a battle crouch and slinking toward the trio of Sylveon.

The second molly seemed oblivious to the rising tension.

"Are you real Tribe Eevees?" she asked excitedly.

"Sure," Shine snarled. "I'm real, I'm as real as sun and sand, you want me to prove it?"

"Back down, Shine," Aqua flicked his tail across his nose. "They're terrified."

Well, two of the three definitely were. Aqua dipped his head to them.

"My name is Aqua of the Lake Tribe," he introduced himself. "We're just passing through. We didn't realize we were trespassing, we'll be off your territory, soon."