None of them had really trusted the bridge. Wood and rope, swaying wildly in the stiff wind, and strung high over a deep, broad fold in the land - too steep to be properly called a valley, but grassed all the way down. Not a rocky crevasse but definitely a dangerous ravine.

None of them had trusted it but they'd all been confident of crossing it. Sonic running effortlessly on the swaying, twisting deck, shifting his balance with every step. Knuckles gliding, a hand on Sonic's shoulder, riding in his slipstream. Tails flying watchfully above and behind them, hand already half outstretched, just in case.

And they were right not to trust it because let go it did and with them still yards from the end. Sonic leapt for the edge and landed in a roll, Knuckles just missed it.

Tails was still airborne and Sonic after a glance back at him was more concerned about Knuckles who had hit the side of the ravine fists first and dug in but met grassy earth instead of solid rock and was sliding rapidly out of reach, clawing for a grip.

"Tails, a little help!" Sonic yelled but was drowned out by a a shrill, ear-splitting whine. He and Knuckles both froze for a second from the sheer startle factor, so unexpected all the way out here. Sonic looked up eyes seeking for Tails first, the source of the blast second.

Tails was still several yards out over the ravine, having dodged perhaps and now Sonic registered what they'd been too focussed on the state of the bridge to look at before. The unnaturally new clean, lines of the stone pillars supporting this end of the bridge. Now sporting a laser lens apiece and swivelling to take aim again.

"Tails!" Sonic yelled but this time the fox wasn't quite quick enough and the blast sent him spinning with a shriek of his own. Tumbling, falling.

"No!" Sonic yelled, already running by time the shout left his mouth. He flung himself over the curve of the ravine, which was steep, so steep he was barely keeping contact with it, wasn't 100% sure if this was still running not falling, not flailing, but it wasn't sheer, not quite, and if he could run the loops of Green Hill he could run this and he wasn't prepared to even give a moment's headroom to the notion that he couldn't, that Tails was unreachable, lost, fallen.

Somewhere above and behind him, Knuckles was swearing a blue streak having presumably lost his own grip, but he could glide and Tails wasn't flying which meant he couldn't, which meant...

Sonic cut himself off and ran. No thought for that. That wasn't an option. He thought only of the contact of his sneakers with the ground, for as long as there was contact he could still do this, could outrun even gravity, could outrun thought and fear. He listened to the wind and the slap of his feet against the slippery ground and nothing else.

He looked up, across the ravine, and there was Tails, curled into a horrified cringe of a ball, not even screaming now. That panicked posture might make this bit easier but there were seconds and he wasn't even really sure it would work. He ran on, no longer looking where he was going, not looking at the upcoming valley floor, looking only at Tails, at the angle, at what he needed to do.

Lower, there were seconds, fewer seconds...

Sonic jumped, threw everything he had into converting his downwards momentum, redirecting it, shedding speed and energy. He cannoned into Tails, sending the both of them spinning wildly before they hammered into the boggy ground. Mud and water and reedy grass flew in all directions.

It took him a moment to realise he'd stopped moving. His head was still reeling but he was sitting upright, past his waist in a muddy furrow slowly turning into a puddle. Tails half on, half off his lap and clinging to him for all he was worth.

"Tails," Sonic said. "Are you okay?"

Tails nodded into his shoulder, breathing in huge sobbing gasps, but didn't let go. Sonic didn't try to make him. Truth be told he felt in distinct need of a hug and a moment to catch his breath as well. He wrapped his arms around Tails and squeezed back.

"It's okay," he said. "I gotcha."

"I know." Tails' voice was very small, muffled against Sonic's fur but he slackened his grip by a fraction. "Where's Knuckles?"

Sonic looked up. "Coming now."

The echidna's gliding descent was erratic and Sonic frowned. Was he injured after all? The wind rattled his own quills and damp as they were both he and Tails shivered. It was the wind giving Knuckles difficulties then? Whipping up the valley, curling over the top, updraughts and downdraughts. As Sonic watched a gust caught him and he had to kick away from the side, dropping several yards before steadying.

He landed on hands and knees and half ran, half limped over to them. He was wide-eyed and tense.

"I tried to come after you. The wind..." He shook his head. "I thought I was going to find the pair of you down here-"

"It's okay," Sonic said, cutting him off and trying to get back to his feet but hampered by Tails still wrapped arms and legs around him. "We're okay."

Knuckles got an arm under his shoulder and pulled them both up without apparent effort. He squeezed his eyes shut a moment and when he opened then his expression was more composed.

"Good."