Warrior Eevees #2: Pearl's Shadow

9- The Search

"Pearl, I need you again," Geyser's nose shoved into Pearl's shoulder, shaking her out of sleep.

Blinking her eyes, Pearl stood and shook out her fur. "Still no sign of him?"

"No," Geyser's tail swished across the floor of the den. "You're on Splash's patrol. He's waiting for you by the lake."

Pearl silently nodded and followed Geyser outside, stepping over the tails of sleeping Tribemates. Pale blue streaks of dawn pierced through the fading stars. In the moon cycle since she and Geyser had detected the strange scent on the Tribe's border, spring had truly begun to unfurl in the Lake Tribe's territory, leaving winter a bitter memory. The smell of new growth and the cold tinges of night lay thick on the air. Splash waited by the edge of the water with Floe, Pebble, Rapids, and -Pearl's heart dropped- Shore.

"I know you don't get along, but she's really the only other Vaporeon we can spare," Geyser whispered.

"It's okay," Pearl said. "You rest up."

"I can't," Geyser sighed. "Trust me, I've tried."

Pearl blinked at her friend. Ever since Diver had vanished on what should have been a routine hunt two days ago, Geyser had taken charge of the Tribe, and the weight of it was clearly getting to him. Pearl wouldn't be surprised if his muzzle went grey by the time they found the Tribe's leader again.

There was only one way to help: Find Diver. Pearl steeled herself and padded to join the patrol. Splash nodded to acknowledge her and stood, shaking out his fins.

"We're heading toward the western border," he announced. "We'll be diving through the rivers and ponds there. With all the mud from the snowmelt, he could be trapped underwater."

The other Pokémon on patrol nodded. They had all patrolled the western border a dozen times, looking for Diver, but there were only so many places in Lake Tribe territory he could have gone.

"We will be diving in pairs," he added as the patrol struck out across the lake. "To make sure it doesn't happen to anyone else. Floe, you'll be with me."

The Glaceon nodded. Without a Vaporeon's gills, this mission was particularly dangerous for her, but she never wavered in her resolve.

"Rapids, you will work with Pebble," Splash instructed.

It made sense. Rapids was a gentle molly, who worked well with Pebble's timidity. Pearl tried not to feel resentful of what she knew Splash would say next.

"You're with Pearl, Shore," Splash didn't look behind himself as he instructed the sisters, so he didn't see Pearl's fins flatten or Shore roll her eyes dramatically.

It'll be okay, Pearl desperately tried to reassure herself. Maybe we can even learn to work together doing this.

She was sure Shore wanted Diver back as much as the rest of the Tribe. The huge, sturdy Vaporeon had been leading the Tribe since before Pearl could remember- before Geyser could remember, even. His steady paw in guiding the Tribe was a reassurance Pearl had taken for granted until it was gone. It was like there was a hole in the Tribe, a hole through which all sorts of dangers could spring.

But Shore's face was more bored than anything else, her back fin breaking through the surface of the water instead of laying back with stress, unlike the rest of the patrol. But maybe it was all an act. Maybe that was just how Shore showed that she was stressed.

Regardless, Pearl kicked hard with her tail to glide next to Rapids in the chilly lake water. The Lake Tribe patrol followed the shore in unsteady silence before slipping into the mouth of a river, lowering their heads to beat against the current. Pearl ducked her nose underwater, trying to make herself more streamlined. These were the kinds of currents that Eevees were never allowed to brave. They had no gills and no waterproof coats to keep them from becoming sodden and by extension, cold and heavy. But Pearl was not an Eevee anymore, and stretched her legs further, forcing herself further upriver.