Warrior Eevees #2: Pearl's Shadow

10- The Pearl Flower

Another sunrise. Another sunset. Another day of searching. Pearl spent every moment searching for Diver or hunting, when she wasn't sleeping fitfully. Geyser called her over to speak with her at dawn, watching the rainclouds collect in the sky. Normally, the Lake Tribe would celebrate rain, fresh water poured into their streams and rivers and lake. Today, the lack of sunlight made Pearl feel more drained than ever.

She sat heavily next to Geyser and bit back tears. She had planned to tell him about what Shore had said but had not gone through with this, as he seemed so stressed. Silent, too, was taking part in the search, overland and under the careful eye of Pebble, so Pearl had not gotten to talk to him. Instead, she tried to put it out of her mind, no matter how desperately she wished to confide in her friends.

"Do you think it's time we asked the Forest Tribe?" Geyser lowered his voice and leaned close to Pearl, so the rest of the Tribe couldn't see.

"Ask them if they know where he is, or ask if they have him?" Pearl asked, kneading the mud with her paws.

She didn't put it past the Forest Tribe to have taken Diver. She could easily imagine Hollyhock, the young, fearsome leader of the Forest Tribe deciding to leverage something like that across the Lake Tribe for hunting rights on the forest-side shore of the river, something they often pushed for. But a direct accusation could lead to battle, battle when the Lake Tribe was already missing their leader.

"I want to ask if they have him," Geyser's claws plowed into the mud, like he had no idea why Pearl might be nervous. "But... I'm not sure we're in any position to..."

He didn't finish his sentence. Pearl knew what he had been about to say: Win a fight with the Forest Tribe. But maybe he didn't want to admit it. Pearl butted her head against his shoulder reassuringly. Now was not the time to burden him with her personal worries about her sister. Now-

"Do you hear that?" Geyser sprang to his paws.

Pearl pricked up her ears, and instantly knew what he was talking about- Someone was swimming through the lake toward the village, and swimming very fast. Pearl arched her back, but it was only Fish, who burst out of the lake with Mist and Shell at his side. Shell grasped a bundle of lakeweed in his jaws, his lips drawn back in distaste.

"Fish, what's wrong?" Geyser rushed forward to meet him.

"I... Are the kittens out?"

"No, they're still asleep, why-"

Shell dropped the lakeweed, and Pearl was unable to repress a screech of horror. Concealed within the draping stems was a round blue shape that reeked of blood and death. Diver's severed head lay at their paws, his sunken blue eyes stretched wide with terror, his flesh bloated as if his head had been underwater for a long time.

"It washed up on the lakeshore overnight," Fish's voice swelled with disgust.

Geyser stared down at it. Pearl could see his pelt trembling. But then he seemed to shake himself and swallowed.

"Go find Rapids, she would know the most about things like this," Geyser instructed. "And Reed- He's the eldest member of the Tribe, so the next ceremonies will be his duty."

Next ceremonies? Pearl's numb brain seemed to suddenly reawaken. Yes, there would be Diver's Last Ceremony, and then... The election of the new leader of the Lake Tribe.

Oh Arceus, I'm not sure I'm ready to move on so quickly!

But there was no second option. The Lake Tribe couldn't go without a leader any longer than it already had. And, with a stab of fear, Pearl thought she might already know who that would be.