Chapter 1:
The small blue hedgehog hugged his knees as he sat against the base of a large tree. The sounds of the other creatures of the dark forest echoed around him, making him shiver in fear. The leaves of the trees above blocked out any moonlight available.
"P-Please… Someone… help me…" the small hedgehog whimpered, hiding his face in his knees.
"Excuse me…" A voice said through the darkness, causing the young hedgie to freeze in fear.
He looked up to see a pair of glowing red eyes peering at him through the bushes of leaves. They were so close, the smaller hedgehog backed away, almost trying to meld into the tree trunk behind him.
"You seem lost. Do you need help getting home?" the pair of eyes asked. "It's dangerous in these woods."
The smaller of the two hesitated.
"Here," The figure said. "My name is Shadow. What's your name?"
"S-Sonic…"
Shadow smiled even though it was hidden by the darkness.
"Let's get out of here. You're the prince of this castle nearby, right?" Shadow asked.
Sonic nodded as he stood up.
….
After they had been walking for a while, Sonic gasped and ran towards the gates of the castle.
"Momma! Momma! I'm home!" He called out and the gates started to open.
He ran into his mom's outstretched arms and cried into her shoulder as she gave him kisses and made sure he was ok.
"I'm sorry, momma! I got lost in the woods!"
"It's alright, sweetie. How did you get out?" his mother asked, holding her son at arms length.
"He helped me." Sonic said, turning to point towards where Shadow had been only to see he wasn't there.
"There's no one there, dear." his mother said.
"He's gone…" Sonic couldn't help but feel a little sad at the lose of his new friend.
He stared at the forest as rain slowly began to fall and his mother lead him inside.
10 years later.
Sonic sighed as he watched the forest pass through the window of the royal carriage.
"Thinkin' about that guy again?" his brother, Manic, asked. "From when we were kids?"
Sonic simply ignored his younger brother.
"You sure do think about him a lot. I'd say you love him." Manic teased.
"Leave him alone, Manic." Sonia, Sonic's sister said from her spot next to their mother. "Besides, I doubt that if Sonic did love the guy who saved him, it just be an imaginary man. Someone that so over thought about that becomes impossible to compare. Not to mention, from what Sonic told us, The only thing he remembers about his Savior are his red eyes that could glow in the darkness of the forest."
As Sonya had been talking, Sonic turned to look at her.
"Just because I think about someone doesn't mean I love them." he said, glaring at her slightly.
"Sonic, there's nothing wrong with it if you did." Queen Aleena spoke. "You're all my children and neither I, nor anyone, will judge you poorly for your choice in your life mate."
The three nodded before it grew silent.
"Mother, Sonia said. "Forgive me for mentioning this but we're going to the eastern kingdom for lunch but when was the last time King Doom did that with any of the other three kingdoms. I fear this could be a trap."
"I understand, my dear. I know how horrid of a leader King Doom is." Queen Aleena said, placing her hand on her daughter's shoulder. "I have thought of this as well and if it does become a trap, Sonic, I want you to take your siblings and run as fast as you can back to the castle."
"But what about you?" Manic asked, worry in his voice.
"Your brother can't carry all three of us. I'd rather know that you three are safe so I can somehow negotiate with them. King Doom isn't the type to simply kill me so if this is a trap, he must have a reason."
As their mother was talking the carriage finally got to the Eastern castle. With one final look at her children, Queen Aleena climbed out of the carriage. She walked towards the castle with her children behind her.