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There is no chance, no fate, no destiny, nor tragedy that can destroy the resolve of a determined spirit...

It is believed by the wise that in your most dire moments of decision, destiny will sing to you in a soft and fleeting voice, gently but surely steering you towards your fate, leading you to your soul mate, surrounding you with happiness, and filling you with peace.

Destiny's song...

It is indeed a precious and powerful thing that all living creatures need to survive, to truly exist in this world.

For some destiny's song comes naturally, without effort and softly falls into place. Others must spend their entire lives searching..... wondering what their purpose is, why they're here, and what they were meant to do.

Their troubled, deprived spirits yearned and begged for Destiny's sweet song to guide their restless souls, to save them from the empty purposelessness that was their lives.

But destiny cannot be controlled, as is its nature, and its absence slowly but surely twisted their paths, becoming shadowed and tainted with the darkest of evils.

Their true destinies lost forever...

It is these shadowed souls that sing their own haunting tune, seductively luring the pure of heart off their own rightful path, never to return, leaving others devastated and lost,scarred forever by evil's crooked claws.

Many have succumbed to the darkness. And many will inevitably continue to do so, as is the way of the world.

But then there are those who are born with spirits that shine so brightly, with a destiny so strong that they simply cannot be tainted.

Their shining lives become that of a legend. A beacon of hope, shaping and inspiring countless generations to come.

One such legendary spirit is that of a young Pokémon, a unique and wonderful spirit whose unwavering determination and life changing destiny shaped and changed the paths of countless lives around her. This is her legacy......
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A soft, serene, breeze born deep in rumpled white clouds blew softly over the region of Sinnoh.

It began very quietly, swirling and churning as it glided its way over the open plains of numerous cities, gently ruffling the hair and clothing of its many inhabitants before rushing onwards.

It began to howl with renewed fury as it broke free of the confinements of civilization and courageously fought its way up and down the jagged snow capped peaks of Sinnoh's Coronet mountains. Riling up blinding snow flurries and picking up a biting chill as it went, pushing its way over the peak and cascading downwards, rushing over the untamed wilderness that lied beyond.

It soon came to fly over the shimmering waters of Lake Valour, creating gentle, lapping waves as it whistled over the shining surface.

Breaking on the waves and quickly gliding its way up the golden sandy shore, the breeze soundlessly ghosted its way into the large, ancient trees that surrounded the area.

The blazing sun had just begun to dip low in the sky as the breeze flew its way into the small forest that lied discreetly off the coast of the lake.

To the humans that ruled the surrounding lands the forested area was small and insignificant. It had no name, and no importance. But to the Pokémon that lived there, it was a home like no other, precious and dear to them all.

It's strong, vibrant trees nourished by numerous winding streams gave them shelter and life.The abundant and fragrant meadows that covered its rolling green hills gave them plenty of room to raise their precious pups.
They frolicked in nature's simple beauty, simply enjoying the blessed home they'd been given.

Now, under the cover of the dusky and rapidly darkening sky, the breeze listed through that same nameless forest, washing through a quaint little meadow and toying with the velvety blossoms there, making them release a few colored petals before moving on, always moving onward.

It was slowly forced upwards by the sturdy, whispering trees that stood firm and solid, unwilling to part for its passage. Lonely and weakening it toiled onward until it came to rest on a seemingly solitary figure gliding silently through the cover of the trees. Her grace almost rivaling the wind itself.

It blew over her lithe vulpine form, ruffling her short ebony fur and dancing along her subtle young curves. It carried the mixed scents of its long journey over her quivering nose before passing completely over her and continuing on its seemingly endless pilgrimage, leaving her as she was before. Gliding swiftly along the forest floor like a shadow, silently and stoically reveling in the lively strength that flowed through her body and led her paws onward. Reveling in the prowess and confidence that came with the hunt....
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A cold breeze danced lightly across Night's body, toying with her black silken fur, making it wave wildly in the wind as she padded on through the gradually thinning forest.

She shivered in response to the cool air, her legs trembling ever so slightly as she continued to make her way forward, ignoring the intensely annoying cold ache that'd begun building in her paws for a while now.

"I've got to be pretty close by now...I mean I've been out since sun high for Arceus sake! And it's getting cold out here too..." she thought bitterly, her paws producing faint rustling sounds along the ground as the brittle leaves of autumn that were carelessly scattered about the forest floor broke apart beneath her .

The area around her was gradually getting more and more unfamiliar, hopefully she wouldn't get lost...

She peered around with interest at the beautiful golden oaks that surrounded her. The ancient and sturdy trees seemed to grow all throughout her territory, providing shade and granting a sense of deep security and safety. It was just how she liked it.

But as she traveled on they were becoming further and further apart, less concentrated here then the rest of her territory. The branches didn't interlock in a thick canopy and dapple the sunlight as they did closer to home, instead they sprouted up randomly here and there. Wan-ton. Giving the forest a more open feel to it. The growing lack of dense cover actually made her feel a little exposed. Nowhere to hide....

She paused, and shook herself, raising her head a little more confidently. What did SHE have to be afraid of? She was in her rightful territory!
Her tribe's territory. The Northern Tribe of Song to be more exact. Just saying it made her feel so, so fulfilled! She was a proud member of the Northern Tribe of Song.

"The best of all four tribes!" she thought smugly. Her chest fur puffing out a little as she walked, surveying the land around her with a renewed sense of pride.

It belonged to her, her mother and all of her tribe mates. They hunted its land, defended its outskirts, and had all grown up within its safe borders, peaceful and undisturbed. Simply living the natural life Arceus had intended for them.

Then again it wasn't just them here. There were others like them that lived in this area. Large groups of Pokémon that lived together as a single entity, working together to survive. They respected borders avoided violence, and there usually wasn't too much conflict between them.

Of course life here wasn't perfect, but it came pretty close.

The only consistent problem that arose here was territory disputes.

It was in each tribe's best interest not to lose their members in mindless, bloody battles over land. That's what was agreed upon. No invasions.

But even that common belief didn't keep one particular tribe, The Eastern Tribe of Stone , from periodically hunting on her tribe's territorial outskirts under the cover of night.

Just because their land was a little more barren then hers and couldn't seem to satisfy their greedy members did NOT give them the right to steal precious food.

The Tribes were pretty sizeable. And each one needed every piece of prey that roamed its lands to survive. The stealing of prey could soon prove deadly with the passing of time, which made the thievery of other tribes next to unforgivable.

The only Tribe that really respected the rules in her mind was the Western Tribe of Rain. They were respectable Pokémon.

The honest tribe, composed mostly of water types kept to their fish, hunting their rivers and no one else's.

That's why her tribe and theirs were allies of a sort. They were amicable with each other. Her good friend Brightfur,even lived there. And even though they were born in two different tribes she couldn't help but get along with the sweet natured Buizel. She was happy, kind and undeniably beautiful.

That's why whenever she had free time, she would often visit her. And her tribe would accept her presence with open arms.

But friends or not boundaries were respected. Her tribe's prey supply was plentiful, they had chosen a great stretch of land, encompassing most of the heavily wooded areas and the meadows within them. Food had always been available, but that might not last if The Eastern tribe kept up their dishonest pillaging.

Which is PRECISELY why she had to find something sizeable to bring back to the meadow. To feed her growing tribe. And no matter how cold it got, or how much her damned paws started aching! It would be worth the warm smiles and welcome barks of thanks she got when she returned with a warm meal. Especially from the expecting mother of Quick's kits.

Those kits were going to be so cute when they were born. Her heart warmed a little as she broke into a trot, her tails lowering behind her. Arceus, she loved new kits, so soft and innocent.

It was a shame they were going to be born into the difficulty of the Leafless Times or "winter" as her mother had once called it.It was so hard to get by. Prey was scarce, the days were short, ice and snow covered everything. It made it one hell of a chore to do anything or go anywhere, let alone raise a litter of kits.

She had only been through one winter before, but back then she had been too young to really be relied on to do anything of use.

She had spent that time in her mother's den nestled against her belly with her sister beside her. She had been safe and protected from the harsh, cold, world that her fluffy kit fur could not yet protect her from.

She had been safe from harm and had not had to worry about the issues that came with winter. Starvation. Frost. Disease.

Not to mention how desperate rival predators get.

"I still remember that starved Zangoose from last year...barged right into our camp and savaged Runningwind."

A shudder passed through her body, making her tails fluff up slightly as she casted nervous glances into the shadows around her, half expecting the hunger maddened beast to barge out at that very instant.

"It had all happened so fast that day...No one even saw it coming."

She had still been a relatively small Vulpix then. And come to think of it she hadn't grown much now. She still had the same strange bright orange eyes, soft black fur, steady wild muscles, and strong powerful paws that made her fast and agile.

But no matter how strong she was. She was still a Vulpix and she only came up to shoulder height on most Pokémon. If push came to shove she'd probably be hurt or worse......just like Runningwind. And it wasn't as though she was nearly as fast or as skilled as Runningwind either.

On the other hand, when she really thought about it, she didn't know who she felt worse for. Runningwind or the starving Zangoose. The injury that Runningwind had sustained from her run in with the Pokemon had not been fatal.

It was just that her legs and flanks had been so badly slashed and wounded by the beast's wild claws that she was unable to do much else besides lie still, tense with pain and nurse her wounds. Out here on her own, in the middle of the Leafless Times that would've been a sure death sentence. She'd even heard of Pokémon in full health who succumbed to the frigid cruelty of those times.

But within the safety of the tribe and with help and support from her tribe mates she had nothing to fear.

Prey was brought to her every day as was expected, more than capable fighters kept scavengers from harassing her while she recovered,and to top it off the sage or healer of the Tribe kept her nourished with herbs and special medicinal plants until she was back up to full strength. The reliable system of support her Tribe had set up guaranteed her survival.

The Zangoose, on the other hand, alone and terribly wounded from the attacks of her fellow kin would stand no chance. It was only a matter of time before a stronger more superior hunter finished it off...It was really quite sad...

Night couldn't even begin imagine how hard it had to be to survive in the wild without the support of her tribe.

She'd been within the trusting, bonded tribe environment since birth, and she couldn't imagine life any other way.

It only made sense that Pokémon banded together, especially in the face of the growing danger humans were beginning to pose.

Good thing it was too early for any of that madness. It was only the time of Leaf Dance... 'er what was it again?

Fall?

Her mother often insisted on teaching her human words "in case some day she needed them".

Like that would ever happen.

She had seen humans from far off before of course. But the prospect of getting close enough to communicate with one sickened her.

Humans never usually came around the forest in the fall anyway. When the days grew slightly chilled and the leaves began to change their brilliant hues from greens to reds the human's locked themselves up inside their dens. Far away from her.

She grinned as she padded onwards, the trees around her slowly giving way to thick copses of tall golden grasses and fragrant wildflowers as she moved farther into her territories outskirts.

Her mother had told her many stories about fall or, their own name for it, Leaf Dance when she was a tiny kit those many moons ago.

The thought of her days listening to stories in the safety of the tribe's nursery, nestled against her mother, father and sister, still brought a nostalgic and delightfully warming feeling along with it.

According to her mother's lovely tales, during the times of Leaf Dance the forest held a glorious celebration, honoring the wonderful, warm, and prosperous times of Leaf Full. The leaves, in preparation for this celebration changed their colors from greens to a beautiful array of fiery reds and dazzling goldens so that when the trees let them go dancing over the strong breezes they would look as beautiful as possible. They'd celebrate in the sky, twirling and swooping before they came to rest tiredly along the ground where they stayed.

Perfect for the antics and games of any Pokémon that could get their paws on them.

The thought alone of childhood games long since past, stirred up a playful urge that rose like the morning sun within her and without hesitation she hooked a leaf in her claws, tossing it into the air with a smooth and practiced motion before watching it flutter slowly back down to earth.

Her fiery orange eyes glinted with amusement as she batted the leaf along the ground, her tails wagging the whole time.

"This never gets old." she thought with glee as she pounced on the leaf, trapping it against the ground beneath her smooth ebony paws.

"I used to do this all day with Honey when we were kits."

Best. Game. Ever.

She hooked the rather abused leaf up into the air again, watching it intently as it floated for a moment before flexing her glinting black claws and slicing the golden leaf neatly in half with a precise and skilled flick of her paw.

"Absolutely Deadly." She thought with another grin, admiring the curved, darkened point of her claws.

"I swear Zangoose all around better watch out for me," she smirked, a tinge of arrogance puffing out her chest once again.

What could she say? She was a good fighter.

She had begun to move onwards again, attempting to refocus on her hunting goal when another strong breeze wafted through the area, softly rustling the bushes behind her.

A couple more browned leaves broke loose as a result of the wind's gentle teasings, and they went floating lazily through the air doing slow loops before coming to rest softly along the earth.

The whole moment would've been exceptionally peaceful if it hadn't been for the familiar scent the breeze brought along with it. That smell...

Muddled by the powerful scents of earth and frost it was hard to pick out exactly what it was but it was right on the edge of her mind.

Clean and floral, with an undeniable sweet tang to it...

Her muscles tensed in anticipation, freezing her in place. As soon as her quivering nose had registered the aroma it was already too late to retaliate, a flash of shining golden fur was all she saw before it made impact slamming her roughly onto her back, her field of vision rapidly changing from earth to sky as she was rolled over.

"What the?! Get o-"

In the same instant that she had been struck, her assailant's weight was off of her, the golden blur shooting off over the crest of the hill she was standing on and disappearing without a sound, leaving her to quickly scramble to her paws her heart pounding with adrenalin, mouth agape as she sprinted in pursuit with hardly a moment's hesitation.

Attack her and then run away would it? Coward!

"You're not getting away that easy!"

Her furious yowl echoed around her. The thrill of the chase flooding her body with burning energy as her paws dug into the earth, rocketing her forward.

She was never one for hesitation.

Impulsive.

Just how it ought to be.

She paused on the crest of the hill that marked the edge of her territory her eyes darting back and forth, raking the area for signs of her attacker.

At this point the thinning forest finally gave way to long, rolling, grass covered hills that stretched on past her forest, all the way to the horizon line.

She wasn't supposed to go into these golden hills. It was dangerous for a myriad of reasons, predators, rogues....humans.

Even now in the dim light of sunset she could see the pale unnatural glow of human territory on the horizon line in the far distance. A shiver of disgust lifted the fur along her spine.

If she ever ventured too close to that place she could be attacked, killed or even worse...captured.

Humans sometimes wanted nothing to do with wild Pokémon like herself and that was fortunate considering she wanted absolutely nothing to do with them, that life, or the Pokémon that followed them around like pathetic little slaves. She'd avoid them at all costs.

But as she looked down at the billowing fields of wild grass that coated those forbidden hills she knew she'd be breaking the rules today.

Because there, standing along the strip of earth right before the forbidden expanse of land began was her attacker.......and sister, Honey.

She had been proudly named after her golden tan fur, it was a shade brighter than that of a normal Vulpix, and it shimmered and glowed in the dim twilight.

Like her own, her sister's fur was silky and beautiful and it highlighted her striking orange eyes. The same eyes that trademarked their family's bloodline.

So there she was, lowered in a challenging crouch grinning at her. Mockingly.

Her small white fangs flashing in an amused smile as she stood staring her at her with that sly, accomplished look plastered all over her face, like she'd won or something.

Her little sister was so painfully naïve sometimes...

Without warning she took off down the hill, her ears flat and her six tails streaming behind her, a calculated attack plan already formulating in her mind.

The downwards incline of the hill worked to double the speed of her charge and soon she was practically flying over the earth in an outright charge.

Her sister's fiery gaze locked with her own and she watched as the golden Vulpix quickly lowered herself into a defensive crouch, preparing to pounce and meet her paw for paw in a tussel. This was definitely going to be fun.

The two vixens screeched in fury, springing at one another and colliding in midair with an audible thump that knocked a bit of air out of both of them before falling back to the earth, still entangled and rolling the rest of the way down the hill, locked together in a churning mass of silky fur.

Night's paws were flailing and her fangs flashed golden in the light of the setting sun as she desperately struggled for an advantage over her fierce younger sister who met each of her movements with a strike of her own, leaving them equally matched.

As they both neared the end of the hill's slope, and their rolling came to a stop, she pushed against the ground with a powerful kick of her hind paw rolling the both of them further until she was stationed on top, muscles toned by a life in the wilderness rippling with power as she nipped at her sister's ear, making her hiss and twist violently beneath her, the movements throwing her off balance causing her to fall messily onto her side.

Her golden sister was on her in the blink of an eye, quickly reversing their earlier positions with a yowl of triumph and pinning her roughly to the ground. She instantly felt a burning sting race across her muzzle and tear over her ears as her sister swiped her face with quick paws followed up with an equally quick series of cuffs around her ears that made her yowl. It hurt but she sure as hell was NOT going to give up!

Regardless of her determination, she was getting nowhere fast. No matter how much she thrashed she couldn't throw her sibling off.

"God she's gotten heavier! She never used to be able to pin me like this!"

She looked up at her sister's face, regarding the triumphant sneer with an intimidating growl. She still had a trick or two that could get her out of this...

She twisted again beneath her sister, this time pulling her hind paws up towards her belly and giving a single powerful kick.

She struck her sister squarely in the chest sending her flying off of her and rolling across the grass. She was up in an instant, a black blur, taking advantage of the opening and giving a powerful blow to her foe's side with one of her paws.

She didn't dare try to pin Honey again. She knew her sisters tricks, she would've pulled the same move she had just used on her.

Using the hind paws to kick an enemy off of oneself to avoid a fatal wound to the belly was a well practiced move in her tribe.

Instead she would settle for her swat to the side. It hurt just as much and it allowed her to dodge and retreat to a safe distance so she could contemplate her next move, which her trained mind decided in an instant.

In a true life or death situation there wouldn't be time to contemplate her actions, and there wasn't time now.
She turned on one paw and charged again, letting out a fierce battle howl as she sprinted.

She flattened herself to the ground as she neared her sister and let her paw flick out to the side as she charged by, attempting to knock her sister's paws out from beneath her, effectively tripping her.

But if she knew her sister's moves then Honey definitely knew hers as well. Because instead of jumping forward and into the trip she must've known was coming, she pranced to the side letting her fly by without landing a hit.

She angrily cursed under her breath, her missed hit leaving her vulnerable and blind to a counter attack she knew was coming.

Her fears were immediately validated as she heard her sister's claws tear into the earth, wheeling her around on her hind paws and pounding against the earth as she chased her down closing the distance between them in a couple short strides as she jumped onto her back harder than she thought she would, making her fall forward in surprise.

"Damn should've know that was coming!"

She knew she wasn't going to be able to turn around fast enough after her failed trip attempt to defend herself. And she knew that Honey would take the opening and pounce onto her back. What she didn't know was that Honey had perfected a skillful move and was planning on taking her down into a pin like this!

"Someone's gotten bold!"

She could immediately feel the immobilizing weight of Honey's paws on her shoulder blades making her gait falter and slow drastically. It very quickly became too much for her bear and her legs gave way beneath her making her fall helplessly beneath her sister's weight, leaving her open to take the painful, battering of her sister's hind paws as her flanks were kicked repeatedly, her ears stinging fiercely as well as they were bit at from her inferior position.

She growled from beneath her sister, her lip curling in a sharpened wince of in pain as she did so. Still she refused to cry out for mercy. She wouldn't lose! She did NOT lose!

If she could just get her paws beneath herself instead of splayed out in all directions like a damned dying Magikarp she could throw her off!

Her throat began to sting a little from the harsh chill in the air and her breath came in short pained bursts as she struggled to pull her herself together, one paw at a time.

Her fatigued muscles screamed in protest at their over-exertion but regardless she forced her limbs beneath herself.

Now how did she do the next part again? Arrowclaw had tried to teach her once. She thought hard and only after her legs threatened to give way once more did the adrenalin rush aid her panicked.

Without warning she went completely limp under Honey, quickly falling to the ground and making her sister yelp in surprise at the sudden lack of resistance.The submission threw her sister of balance as she knew it would, and once her opponent had faltered and fallen forwards she shot upwards again, the back of her head knocking her sister in the jaw and dazing her as she fell off of her back, hitting the ground with a hard thud. The breath audibly rushing from her lungs as she fell to the side.

She let out a howl of triumph her tongue lolling wildly from her muzzle as she quickly pinned her sister, placing a paw onto her golden furred neck and pressing into it, using her body weight to keep her smaller sibling from resisting any further.

They both paused tensely for a moment, her sister's fierce orange gaze locked with her own as they each awaited the sudden move from the other that would throw them back into a raging melee.

Hard panting was all that could be heard,both remaining still, their hot breath billowing in the air as the unused fire within them begged to be let loose.

Her sister was the first to break the challenging stare, looking away with an irritated huff, her hard panting signaling her exhaustion and defeat, making Night's heart swell with the thrill of victory.

"Fine you win, okay?" she growled between her pants, wriggling a little beneath her older sibling's heavy body until she removed her paws and rolled off of her.

"And for the love of Arceus lay off the berries!" her sister shot over her shoulder as she rose to her paws, "You practically crushed me under all that chub of yours. Have you been sneaking extra prey?" her sister teased, prodding her side curiously with her paw.

Of course there was nothing there but ruffled fur and lean muscle, it was obvious that her sister was dodging the fact that she lost. Once again proving that she was the best.

No matter, she was an expert gloater.

"That's right I do win, and no matter how many times you catch me off guard I'm still gonna win." She added.

"Again and again and ag-."

"Shut-up Night, honestly how old are you? You brag like a kit." her sister gave her an airy, half-hearted growl and aimed a swat towards her which she dodged neatly.

"You whine like a kit," she replied wittily, remaining far enough away that her sister couldn't swat her again for that last remark.

They'd been playing the whole play fight game for as long as she could remember and every time it seemed to end differently. One sister beating the other......she liked to think she won most often.

So she couldn't help but gloat. She knew Honey hated it but come on! Did she even see how well she pulled of that trick move at the end! That took skill.

She began prancing excited circles around her sister and watching with an amused grin as the smaller vixen actively ignored her antics, her ears flicking dismissively.

"Come on Honey be a good sport," she chided, nudging her sister's shoulder to get a rise out of her.

"Just admit I'm the all reigning champion and I'll leave you alone,"

Her sister simply rolled her eyes in exasperation, sighing loudly and giving her a sly smile before beginning to tsk in mock disappointment.

"Well did the all reigning champion remember to catch anything? Hmmm?" her sister questioned, the respondent blank look on her face validating her taunt and urging her onwards.

"Successful hunt you got going on here," her sister paused, circling a paw in the air and beckoning towards her.

"Loooks like you've caaaaught," she paused for effect looking her up and down as if trying to find something.

"Nothing!" she chirped in a cheery voice, wheeling around and setting off at a bright little victory trot. Her nose pointed skyward,tails bouncing high in the air.

She cringed inwardly, her mouth opening to retort but closing again in silent defeat. Honey was right, she had trekked all the way out here and hadn't found a single thing to bring home. She had her by the tails there.

"And what a great excuse I have." She thought shaking her head slightly.

" No-no I went hunting but I ended up screwing around with Honey. I got nothing, better luck next time,"

It wasn't as though the coldest, harshest, most barren time of the year was coming up either! Coming home without food at this time was unacceptable. She fought the urge to slap a paw to her face in irritation.

She really needed to grow up.

Of course if the tribe's rules weren't so damned strict she could stay out for a night-hunt, but seeing as she was "just a little-ole Vulpix" what could she possibly do to protect herself?

"Such a stupid, stupid rule."

Her pitch black fur made it nearly impossible to hunt in a forest composed of warm golden brown trees and brightly hued wildflowers.

Her entire environment made her stand out like a Skitty amongst Houndours.

But at night? Hell, she was invisible. A shadow amongst complete darkness. She could take down whatever she pleased.

She couldn't wait to evolve and kick those oppressive rules to the side.

"Hey! Now is really not the best time to space out!"

She nearly jumped out of her fur at the sudden outburst, tearing her from her thoughts as the mocking laughter of her sister washed over her, making her face flush with embarrassment.

"You weren't paying attention!" her sister barked giving her a swift reprimanding pat on the nose.

"I said, lucky for you I caught a Starly on my way out. We can share" she paused.

"You know, food?" She repeated without waiting for her response drawing her words out long and slow as if she was explaining an exceedingly complex topic to a simpleton.

"I found it around that rocky stream area that sort of borders the southern tribe's area." She said, regarding her with a flippant look in her eyes.

" I guess I can say we caught it together," her sister sighed dramatically, the puff of air making the fur tuft between her ears lift slightly.
"Really?"

"Yes really, you're welcome Night." She purred in that biting tone of hers, the gleam in her eyes letting her she was simply teasing.

She had to admit her little sister was a life saver sometimes. She still couldn't believe she'd come all the way out here and found absolutely nothing. That morning it had seemed like a great idea to explore and she had trekked all the way to the outskirts, obviously with Honey tracking her the whole time in hopes of playing.

Now it all seemed like a huge waste of energy.

"I caught it but it was awful slow for a bird."
She perked her ears realizing her sister had still been talking through her thoughts.

It didn't even have time to take off, so it wasn't that great" She mumbled scuffing her paws along the ground .

"Hey prey is prey," she purred moving close enough to allow their fur to affectionately brush together as they walked.

"It feeds the tribe whether what you catch is retarded or not," she added, eliciting a giggle from both of them.
A moment of silence passed between them. But it still didn't seem like she had thanked her enough for covering her failure.

"Thank you, Honey really," she mewed. Making sure her sister heeded her gratitude. She seriously didn't want to know what would've happened if she had returned home from an all day trip empty pawed.

"Don't worry about it," the younger vixen mumbled, grinning slightly and leaning into her fur.

"Let's just get back to the meadow before night fall," she suggested, peering at the rapidly dimming sky with a bit of concern.

"Not even freshly caught prey will save us if we break that rule," her sister mumbled, her even graceful strides speeding up a bit.

She nodded whole-heartedly, agreeing with a bemused bark, affection for her younger sibling warming her heart and putting a little prance in her step as she trotted onwards hurrying to beat the setting sun.
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They had made better time returning than she had expected, the trek through the forest seeming to only take moments before they were back amongst the fragrant wildflowers and tall grasses of their meadow home.

They had only stopped to retrieve the young Starly her sister had hunted earlier and she was pleased to see that it was pretty plump for this late in the winter.

She had offered to carry it as thanks for her sister's help, and both vixen's had returned just as the sun's golden glow dissipated and gave way to the royal purple hues of nightfall.

"Geeze we got lucky, huh?" the relieved mumble of her sister snapped her out of the empty minded traveling state that she'd been in for a while.

She simply nodded her reply, the feathery prey clasped in her jaws making it impossible for her to audibly respond as they drew closer to home.

Her spirits lifted slightly and her ears perked up as the familiar scents and sounds of her kin floated over to her, still quiet and slightly muffled by the tall grass that separated her from them. She couldn't wait to curl up in the warmth and safety of her den and rest her aching paws.

The pallid glow of the moon had finally overwhelmed the sun and was starting to cast a bright silver light on the meadow , making her black fur glow with soft light as she pushed her way through a particularly thick copse of sweet smelling wild grasses with Honey close behind, marking the start of their territory's inner sanctum and home.

The quiet mumbling of her had tribe begun to steadily grow louder, and as she paused and set the Starly down between two thick holly bushes to wait for the camp's guard to escort her in, a familiar scent and welcome sound washed over her. Making her lips lift in a dainty smile of anticipation.

She rapidly drew her tongue over her paw a couple times before brushing it over her muzzle and ears in a quick attempt to groom her fur back into a mildly presentable state.

Her sister wordlessly nosed down and licked a rogue clump of fur on her back smoothing it into submission before picking up the Starly and rising to her feet.

She would have to remember to thank her sister for that later. She had become so nervous at the moment that she couldn't keep her whiskers from twitching as the bushes before her parted to reveal the sleek, slender, snow-white form of Spirit, an Absol.

He was her closest childhood friend and had been a respected and loved member of the tribe for as long as she could remember.

"Oh hey Honey." He barked nodding in her sister's direction.

"Sup Flashy," he said with toothy grin, regarding his childhood nickname for her starkly bright orange eyes with a low chuckle.

It was supposedly her most noticeable trait, her deep black fur contrasted her orange eyes so strongly that they were often noticed before her odd fur.

She had a long luxurious ebony coat that covered her entire body in its deep black hue. Not a patch was left un-darkened, making her seem to melt into shadows save for her orange eyes. Her mother had the same fur. Long, soft and harshly black. Once she had been born her mother had felt it necessary to honor the beautiful fur they had been blessed with, and had named her Night.

Her black fur only did wonders to make her eyes stand out and she often had to be careful while hunting to narrow them, as their glow often attracted attention. According to her mother in the human world her appearance would've made her quite the rare sight.

Well in any other place but here in this forest.

When she had met Spirit those many moons ago as a young kit he had often gone on and on about how she should've been named after her flashy orange eyes instead of her night black fur. Hence the creation of the nickname, which she tolerated.

A Pokémon's odd appearance was often the main drive for their birth given name anyway.

The again around here, normal coloring was a little more odd then what was known as "shiny".

A word an old, ragged, city dwelling Pokémon once told her about. The forest she lived in was famous amongst "shiny" Pokémon. A kind of safe-house.

Human poachers had yet to discover it, unlike the famed well known and vast expanses of forest such as Eterna.

Unlike those exposed human stomping grounds, her forest was secluded and well hidden. There were so many like herself here, living in refuge from human dangers that she was accepted as a normal Pokémon.

That didn't mean though, that Pokémon with natural born colors weren't as respected or revered. Spirit was a shining example of that. The black and white coat that normally appeared on an Absol's body was just as nice on him...in her opinion of course.

Hell, who was she kidding?

He was beautiful, no, stunning in the moonlight. The pale glow seemed to reflect brightly off of his pelt and only made his ivory fur shimmer even more than it usually did. Outlining his powerful, wild, muscles which rippled with strength as he moved.

She realized with a start that she had been staring and quickly looked away .The warm feeling in the pit of her stomach she'd thought she'd come to recognize as nervousness flaring up again.

Her sister had a knowing smile painted across her muzzle, and simply nodded a farewell before padding forward with the Starly clasped in her jaws, probably to go tell her mother that they had returned.

"And to abandon me alone with him, thanks a lot,"

She fought the urge to rocket after her sister instead of smiling calmly at him and slowly walking alongside him back into to camp.

She couldn't explain what had happened that had changed the casual feelings of friendship into this roiling nervous mess she felt raging inside of her stomach.
All she knew was that time had passed. Her fur had grown sleeker and he had grown taller. They were older and responsible for so much more, and now whenever she looked into those, deep, handsome, red eyes of his she could barely catch her breath. She had no idea how he felt or if things had changed for him at all. When he talked to her he still had the same old goofy look on his face and the same loveable demeanor.

Maybe there was something wrong with her? Yeah that had to be it. Hormones or something. She was probably loosing it.

"So all day hunting trip huh?"

For what felt like the hundredth time today she was snapped out of her thoughts by the speech of another. By this time they had entered the inner circle of the camp and the shadowed forms of Pokémon moving about from den to den could be clearly seen.

"Oh, uh, yeah." She mumbled, trying to use the casual and friendly tone she used to be able to uphold with him.

"Not very successful though, didn't catch a thing," she added with an embarrassed chuckle.

"Oh?" he began.

"What about the Starly Honey had? I thought you caught that together?"

A moment of silence passed and she shot him a look, tipping her head to one side and narrowing her eyes.

"Really? You're gonna do that to me," she growled playfully a smile finally stretching her muzzle.

He looked back at her with a blank look tipping his head as well. Feigning confusion.

She could tell he was fighting to keep his composure. It didn't last.

He face cracked into a lopsided grin and he burst into a fit of laughter, tossing his head back to the sky, and sending plush white fur rippling down his form.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry I can't do it," he gasped a little, still laughing as he spoke.

"I really tried this time. I did!" she whined at him, nipping at his shoulder.
"Why do you hafta make fun of me all the time Spirit. You ought to grow up too," she chided, nudging him with her nose.

"Come on! Of course Honey caught the Starly Night!" he chortled with laughter his pointed tail waving excitedly through the air.

"You can't hunt for a paw-full of dirt Flashy!" he howled again, his fangs gleaming in the moonlight.

"You know it's not my fault!" she barked again and reared up on her hind paws so she could reach his nose and smack the grin of his face with her paw.

"So it's not your fault that the whole forest can see you coming, huh Flashy?" he grinned.

"Spirit, come on!" she whined giving him a pleading look.

"Right, right, fine." he sighed calming down and giving her a puppy-like grin, a few stray chuckles still shaking his chest a little more before they too died away. He was the only one that could get away with laughing at her hunting skills. Something about him made it hard for her to get mad.

"Really Spirit they always see me coming. It's my fur-" she began her well rehearsed speech. The one that explained away her lack of hunting success....ever.

"Hey hey you don't have to give me the speech," he said rolling his eyes and nodding to Darkthorn a passing Mightyena and tribe member who nodded back before slipping away into the shadows of his den.

"I always have to give the speech. Black fur doesn't camouflage in the day time," she whined again. Tugging his fur between her teeth to imply that his fur wasn't too great for hunting either.

He got her hint right away.

"But then again I have the natural colors of an Absol," he said in a thoughtful voice.

"I'm born knowing how to get around it,you on the other hand," he paused for a moment his gaze slowly traveling over her body, making her cheeks burn.

He chuckled again, leaning down towards her until his nose brushed softly against the plush fur around her ears.

"It's not your fault you have such beautiful fur," her murmured, his warm breath washing over her. "It's hard to overlook," he added in a voice that barely broke a whisper.

An instant before he drew away, his tongue flicked out and rasped across her ear forcing a gasp out of her that she had fought hard to keep in.

The feeling of his sudden nearness made excited shivers run through her body, raising the fur along her spine as her legs weakened and trembled beneath her.

That wonderful warm feeling was back, right in the pit of her stomach.

The sound caught in her throat like a dry berry as soon as she made it. She had let out a tiny murr of pleasure. Realizing what she'd done she whipped around her startled gaze locking with his.

His expression was fighting to remain casual but his ruby-red eyes were smoldering with an emotion she did not recognize. His expressive eyes betrayed him just as her murr of delight betrayed her.

The moment only lasted an instant before he had moved away and turned in the other direction, beginning to walk off, his warmth immediately gone, back behind the demeanor of a friend that she had come to expect.

"I'll see you later Flashy," he called, pausing to glance back at her over a snowy-furred shoulder and smiling evenly.

Confusion and disappointment washed over her. She really didn't want him to go. Not after ...that. "

"Whatever that was."

He met her stupefied silence with another one of his chuckles.

"You know I have guard duty right?" he said motioning towards the Holly Bushes that marked the camp entrance with his head-blade.

"The higher-ups are giving me some pretty heavy jobs now," he said with a proud wag of his tail.

"Oh, uh right guard duty," she replied brokenly, wagging her tails as well and trying to keep her voice from cracking. That was why he had been there to see her into the camp in the first place.

Duh.

Another one of those urges to slap her paw against her forehead hit her right then.

"You might wanna check in with your mother too, she was looking for you." He added nodding towards the leader's, and unfortunately for her, her mother's den before turning away and padding forward on silent paws.

His pointed tail waved a farewell motion through the air and disappeared behind the aromatic meadow grasses he pushed through on his way back to the camp's entrance, the grasses trembling and bending around him as they swallowed him up before stilling again, leaving no trace of his exit.

A heaving gasp of air tore free of her lungs as soon as he was out of sight, a sudden weight feeling as though it had just fallen off her chest. She even hadn't realized she'd been holding it in until now.

Sighing and rising to her paws she arched her back in a stretch and immediately shook out her silken fur in an attempt to let the chilled breeze wash against her skin and chase away the sudden heat that had taken hold of her body.

It didn't help much.

"Why does he do that to me? I feel so... so." She couldn't give it a real name. Love seemed like a bit much for a childhood friend...Right? She didn't love him did she?
All she knew was that she wanted to be near to him and feel his fur against hers, have his breath wash over her ears like that again.

"Oh, and I was not imagining that either!"

Overreaction and imagination.

That was a common excuse she'd been using to write off the heat, the shivers, the weakness, and that lovely way his very presence made her purr.

Her tails twitched with embarrassment as she realized with a start that the warmth had migrated between her legs.

Images of what she wished that friendly lick would've turned into began to run rampant in her mind as she forced her stiffened legs to move her towards her mother's den like he had suggested.

She seriously needed to get a grip on herself! This was becoming kind of pathetic. Swooning over him like this...

She forced her mind to quiet itself and attempted to focus on her late night tasks, as she listed them in her head. She had important things she needed to do. Emotional affairs could wait till later.

"I need to check in with mom, maybe grab a bite to eat, and then...then....well that's it really."

She realized with a start as she quietly dodged around her tribe mates on her way to her mother's den that she was pretty much free for the night.

"Huh, would you look at that. Free for the night."

That didn't happen often, if she wasn't hunting, she was practicing her fighting, if she wasn't practicing, she was carrying out the often mundane tasks necessary to maintain a tribe. Like cleaning dens or babysitting kits.

She was lucky if she could sneak away and goof off with Honey, Spirit or maybe even Brightfur if she felt like traveling all the way to the western territories, but more often than not she was stuck at home in the meadow, under the watchful gaze of her mother.

Being a Vulpix still in her mother's eyes she was expected to get helplessly hurt at any moment.

"We can't have a scraped paw now can we?" she thought with a roll of her eyes.

None of that obsessive protection was going to change until she evolved, received her honored full name, and gained the respect from her tribe mates she hoped she would soon deserve.

When she thought about it that's really what drove most of her tribe mates to fight harder, hunt better, and all around do as much as they could for the tribe. Of course it was because they all loved and cared for each other and were endlessly devoted to the tribe. That was the correct answer.
But if anyone was completely honest, there was no greater wish, no larger ambition than to be ceremoniously called upon by the tribe leader, have your accomplishments honored, and be given your full name. Nothing else could possibly compare.

She'd seen a couple naming ceremonies in her time. And each and every one of them had been completely awe inspiring. The entire tribe would gather around them, listening to all they've done with shining eyes and nods of reverence and approval.

If they were well liked the tribe often rang out with the chanting of the Pokémon's new name before breaking off into a victorious howl, the whole area filling with their melodious song.

Often Pokémon even evolved after the ceremony, the joy and honor they felt causing something within them to click and trigger the transformation.

Of course she wouldn't evolve until after she touched a Fire Stone. That was also something she wouldn't receive until her own ceremony. She would be presented with the powerful gem when she was given her name.

Such a ceremony took a lot of time and effort to achieve. The highest of high honors had to be moved towards one paw step at a time.

"And it all starts here," she thought coming to a halt before the looming shadow of the leader's den. It was basically a large pile of fallen boulders that had been hollowed out in the center to create a pleasantly roomy cave at the forefront of the meadow clearing.

Normally it was prohibited to enter the den of the leader, but it definitely wasn't prohibited to enter the den of one's mother and that's what Moonsong was to her.

"I never did see why it was that big of deal that I was the leader's daughter," she thought trotting into the rocky cave and squinting against the dim light.

"It's not like I get special privileges,"

A snort of sarcastic laughter broke free at that thought. Special privileges? Ha! If she tried to skip work because she was the leader's daughter she'd have her ears clawed off by an angry elder in an instant. What a dumb excuse!

"Something funny?"

The cool, even and familiar mew of her mother sounded in front of her. Coming from within one of the far shadowed corners of the cave, snapping her out of her inward joke. She shook her head once opening her mouth to reply but stopping short to cringe against the sudden burst of light that illuminated the cave, chasing away the inky darkness she'd become accustomed to.

The light, coming from a pile of dry grass her mother had lit blaze, allowed her to see more clearly and she dipped her head respectfully , a formality within her tribe.

Once she lifted her head she could see that her mother was curled up in a nest of ferns, the fur on her head and muzzle rumpled slightly as if she had been resting. She was watching her with an amused look, waiting for her to respond.

She had always been struck by her mother's beauty and she liked to think that she had inherited some of it from her as well since they were practically identical. Her mother's fur was a deep shade of ebony like her own, but it was longer and shiner. Not even a ragged life in the wild could seem to strip it of its healthy glow.

On top of that deep shade of midnight black were dashes of fiery orange that coated her paws and the tips of her tails matching the smoldering orange glow her eyes emanated.

All together her mother was positively stunning and while they looked similarly in regards to eye and coat color she couldn't ever see herself becoming that beautiful, even after she evolved.

Her mother rose to her feet and arched her back in a glorious feline stretch, her jaws parting in a fanged yawn as her plush black fur fell forwards making her top end appear extremely fluffy and inviting.

"Hello, my dear little one," she purred walking over to her on long slender legs, and nuzzling her muzzle.

"I missed you," she mewed quietly in response, feeling like a kit again as her mother licked the fur between her ears, washing her in the clean and comforting scent that reminded her of her childhood days in the nursery spent nestled against her mother's warm belly.

"You and Honey were gone all day." She said rather suddenly snapping her out of the warm thought.

"I had to convince your father not to go out looking for you two, you know" she added her mew growing firm and brisk. "You know how worried he gets,"

Damn ...she was in for a scolding. She repressed the urge to roll her eyes. Search for them? She and Honey went out all the time, what made today any different? She would just have to block it out like she always did.

Clear skies, rivers, shiny fishies, play-fighting, frolicking in the woods......

"You weren't even home to hear the bad news,"

"What. Bad news?" Her vulpine ears perked up. Now that piqued her interest.

"I thought Honey would've told you by now. I let her know as soon as I saw her a little bit ago."

"Let me know what!?"

The suspense was killing her, was someone hurt, were they out of food? Were humans spotted!

"It's nothing we can't handle," her mother sighed reading the excited look on her face.

"Judging by your reaction I might as well tell the whole tribe before ridiculous rumors begin to fly," she murmured, rising to her paws and making her way towards the cave's entrance.

She had sprinted out right on her mother's heels after that. A tribe meeting? They hadn't had one of those in a while. What could possibly be going on? She prayed to Arceus it wasn't humans, there was nothing that scared her more than their furless bodies, beady little eyes, and mindless Pokémon slaves.

Looking around her she could feel the tension and excitement pulsating through the clearing. Obviously word had already gotten out.

"To everyone except me. Fantastic!"

She caught sight of Honey and was about to run over to her and bury her in a frenzy of questions, but her pursuit was cut short by the powerful yet haunting sound of her mother's howl.

The howl that signaled meetings.

She turned to see her mother standing atop a pile of rocks, head tossed back, tails held spiraling in the air with her jaws parted in a howl, her black silhouette making her seem almost phantom-like as she stood above them.

It was that single long high pitched note that rang in her ears and made her pulse begin to pound with primal excitement as she moved towards the center of the meadow.

She lost all interest in Honey and instead moved to sit beside her tribe mates as they gathered around her, regarding her mother with looks of reverence, awe and unbridled curiosity.

Her mother held the note for what seemed like an eternity, her beautiful howl accenting the shining moon behind her perfectly and validating her right to hold the name Moonsong.
A title befitting such a harmonious queen.

The haunting tune tapered off and hung in the air for a moment more before ending, bathing the Pokémon below in deafening silence. A hush had befallen them all as they stared up at their leader their pelts all shining with the silver glow of lunar light as they awaited her announcement.

Spirit wordlessly padded up and sat beside her, the Absol's strong presence not doing much to calm her nerves.
Neither of them dared to whisper a greeting. Now was not the time to talk, both of them knew that.

The silence was so prominent that Night could hear her pulse pounding in her ears and she fought to calm herself as her mother began to speak, her bright orange eyes seeming to pierce holes in every one of them.

"Northern Tribe of Song!" she began, her bark ringing out across the meadow making some of the Pokémon flinch in surprise.

"I've called you together under the light of the moon to tell you of a happening that threatens the wellbeing of our tribe,"

Murmurs broke out across the clearing but they quickly fell back into silence as she continued.

"The Eastern Tribe of Stone has long since been a point of conflict for us. One we've dealt with for some time,"

The very mention of the tribe's name made Night bristle with anger and she exchanged a glance with Spirit seeing her own agitation reflected in his crimson eyes.

"Their constant thievery and trespassing on our land has long since put us at odds with them. And we've graciously given them chance after chance to cease their actions!"

Pokémon nodded in agreement. They had been exceptionally patient. Night could see where this was going. The Eastern Tribe, what had the dirty fleabags done now?

"But tonight they have tried my patience as a leader for the last time. They were scented on our side of the border once again, and this time they brought down a herd of Stantler within our lands!"

The meadow was suddenly afire with howls of rage and Pokémon bristling with fury. Lips curled in snarls of disgust and claws ripped into the soft meadow grasses beneath them. This was an outrage.

Stantler's were big, cherished, prey. Their antlers made them dangerous but if a skilled hunter brought them down they could feed the entire tribe for days. A Stantler was too valuable to lose. And the barks of protest that assaulted her ears let her know her tribe thought the same.

"Again?!"

"A Stantler? How dare they!"

"Who do they think they are!"

Her mother's black tails cut through the air, motioning for silence which she was met with immediately.

"We have insisted upon dealing with them peaceably, but I believe this is the end of that era!" she paused, her auburn gaze locking on the distant horizon.

"It is time for us to prove our right to own this meadow and hunt this forest!"

Yowls and barks of agreement met her statement, some Pokémon even rising to their paws in excitement.

"In three sun rises we will march into their camp and demand answers! If none can be given to excuse their heinous acts we have no choice but to fight for our land! I believe a greater problem may be at work, that is forcing them into our territory but even with this uncertainty action must be taken."

This was met with skeptical nods and scoffs of disbelief. They were all much more eager to believe their rivals were doing it out of pure spite and nothing else. But as Night looked into her mother's eyes she could see true concern hidden behind the battle-lust.

Is something really wrong here?

A tinge of doubt wormed its way into her heart and she paused for a moment focusing on her thoughts instead of the raging battle howls of her tribe mates.

What if...what if something bigger is causing this?

"We will give them a chance to explain, but explanation or not The Eastern Tribe of Stone must be reprimanded!" her mother's vengeful howl rang out to meet the outcries of rage and fury the meadow was now full of. It was time they paid.

Night's claws had unconsciously slid out during the speech and had dug furrows into the earth beneath her, the fur along her spine now beginning to bristle with rage and disbelief. Who was she kidding? They were trespassing because they were no-good thieves!

There was no excuse. She felt stupid for even contemplating it, and soon was once again caught up in the pure energy of the moment, the need to be one with her tribe burning away more logical suspicions. Punish them!

The need to protect their territory had her tribe completely riled. And they soon broke out into a chorus of howls that Night couldn't help but eagerly join. The blood raced through her veins and the back of her throat stung with the blistering inferno her body yearned to release. To bathe her unseen enemies in

Her mother was the only one who could give off such a display of pure power. She watched in awe as her mother tossed her head back to the sky and released a mighty jet of white hot flames, illuminating the whole meadow in a flash of golden red light. The inferno powered up into the sky seeming to scorch the moon above her for a moment before dissipating.

She stood there for a moment basking in the primal chaos of the moment, her tribe scattered beneath her howling their fury. With black fur churning and tails whipping wildly through the air she leapt down from her perch, the moon still glinting off of her black fur as she stalked through her tribe, her even powerful strides portraying just how much confidence she had in her choice. They parted and bowed to her as she passed by showing their support, their eyes bright and attentive.

Night did the same as her mother passed, bowing her head and smiling slightly as she felt one of her mother's tails trail over her flank only to pause there. She looked up to see her mother had halted her prideful walk to stand beside her.

She stared into her mother's blazing orange gaze, eyes so much like her own staring back at her.

"One day," she said, turning her head back up towards the perch she had just stood atop.

"All of this. Will be yours" She paused to heed the howls and chants of her tribe. Their voices all sung of her mother's greatness, chanting her precious name to the sky. Singing of Moonsong, the magnificent Ninetales that stood before her.

Her voice was eerie and rung with unseen wisdom.
"When the song of the moon has been sung. Your song, Night's song shall reign in its place,"

She left at this, not pausing to explain the gravity of what had been said. And deep down Night didn't want her too, at the moment there was no thought, no contemplation. Just acceptance, pure and instinctual acceptance.

Night turned her head to the sky, letting the moon bathe her in its glow, shutting out the chaotic noise of her tribe mates still thronging around her.

She could feel it. The burning energy that came with this life.Deep within her heart nothing felt more right.

Spirit's fur was pressing against hers and even Honey had quickly joined them pressing on her from the other side, the trio wordlessly supporting one another, feeling the burning energy flow between them.

THIS was what it meant to be wild. THIS is what it meant to truly be a Pokémon, to truly live!

She tossed her head back, a howl of pure fire pouring forth from her lungs and ringing out into the darkness adding her own notes to the song of her tribe.

With the feelings of power she felt now she knew she would fight till her last breath to protect her tribe, to protect her land and loved ones.

Nothing could ever make her stand down.
Whether it was a thieving tribe now or much greater threats to come she would meet them standing firm and strong, howling her fearlessness as she did now.
This was her way.

This was the way.

This was the way of the tribes.