A Tail Between Two Friends
As Bunnie stared into the dark forest, she couldn't help but feel alone. The friends surrounding her and the creatures around and inside the Great Forest couldn't help her feel a bit empty inside. It was a cool night, with the fog just grazing over the midst of the trees. The moon was just barely peering in between a few puffy clouds. Although you could hear the noise from the inner forest, it was quiet among the huts. Knothole had become a place of silence and grievance. All her friends were in their own hut; warm and tucked away for the night.
Bunnie wasn't feeling warm; actually, she was ice cold inside. A condition that was most concerning for the little rabbit.
As she was resting against a tree along the outer edge of Knothole, she couldn't help but think what else was out there. Sure there have been Freedom Fighters that they have encountered, but was there another place that could be safer? A place where you could live without being among all this pain and loss? She kicked herself for being so selfish in a time where her friends were hurting so very much.
"Stupid rabbit, ya can't do nuthin' right." Bunnie muttered under her breath.
"By rabbit, you better not be talking about my Bun-bun."
The voice came behind her, and Bunnie was taken aback. But she didn't even have to turn her head. There was only one Freedom Fighter that called her by that name, and she felt somewhat annoyed by the presence.
"Hey there Sugar-hog, what are you doing out so late?"
"I should be asking you the same thing! It's freaky out here at night, what makes you want to sit out here?" Sonic looks around in concern and begins to walk a little closer to her.
"I jus' wish that I could have done somethin' more. I feel like everyone thinks I should have been more careful with em."
Sonic sits next Bunnie at the base of the tree trunk. They sit in silence as they become one with their own thoughts. The cold breeze brushes against the two of them and they shudder in unison. She puts her head on his shoulder and soaks in the silence. To be honest, the silence didn't bother Bunnie at all.
"You know it could have happened to any of us; Sal, Rote, Ant, me.. Don't feel as if you are responsible. Tails is a big guy, I'm sure he will be fine. We will find him."
She acknowledges him, but does not reply. Every time a close friend made an attempt to comfort her, she feels more and more annoyed, but Sonic is just trying to help, and she knows that he means well. In all honesty, she didn't want to speak right now. She wanted to drift away into a slumber with the silence and cool air.
Sonic's heat from his body, however, was very comforting. The fur along his shoulder and neck became too overwhelming to Bunnie, and she really didn't want to move from this spot. Between the chilling breeze, warm touch of their bodies entwined, and the sweet scent of Sonic's aroma, she felt a supple warmness in her body. She didn't want to move.
"We gotta get to bed Bun. It's going to be a long day tomorrow finding Tails and I want to be alert for them stupid metal heads!"
He punches the air frantically as if he is busting open a few Swat-Bots's heads, and then jumps up immediately, leaving Bunnie to fall over instantaneously.
"Thanks fo' the warnin' Sugar-hog.." barked Bunnie as she lifted her head off the dew filled grass.
As quickly as the feeling had begun, it was gone. She had felt something with Sonic that she had never felt before. A sudden closeness that had made her blood thicken, heart pump, and hair stand on end. She knew these feelings were not right; she wasn't suppose to have these emotions towards Sonic, but she couldn't help it.
"Can we stay up a lil' bit more, ya think? Want tah take a walk jus' a bit farther into the forest?"
She peered up at him as he stood above her. He looked so tall and sleek in the moonlight. Darkness filled his face as the moon was shining brightly behind him. The small ray of light was shining ever so slightly on her left cheek and drifted up to her lazy ear that bends down upon the side of her face. Bunnies eye sparkled in the moonlight; her green emerald eyes looking up at the black shadow, pleading.
"Okay, but we can't be long too long, sound good Bun-bun?"
"Sounds jus' dandy."
She got on her metal knees, and Sonic came to help her up. The sudden warmth from his hand made her not want to let go. She held on for a few seconds waiting for Sonic to pull away; he didn't. They began walking, hand in hand, until they couldn't see Knothole behind them anymore. As the trees became more dense, so did the darkness until they found themselves walking in near pitch black. They kept walking, without any acknowledgment of where they were headed. The silence wasn't awkward and was actually more appeasing than the nonchalant conversation. The birds sang in the background, mixed with the sounds of crickets and other animals, began to become quite musical. The beat and whistles could not be ignored in the dense forest as they found themselves in an open grass filled area. Bunnie turned to Sonic and looked deeply into his eyes.
"Dance with me?"
"..um, yes, yes." Choked out the blue hedgehog.
They swayed to the gentle music that was being created just for them. Feeling the warmth against his chest to her cheek was like a dream come true. She couldn't help but think about what he was feeling inside right now. Was he happy? Does he feel like he is betraying Sally? She didn't really care, and she knew Sally wouldn't mind if she knew what Bunnie was going through. Tonight she just wanted to feel wanted. Tonight, she wanted to think about herself. She needed to please herself.
"What are ya thinkin' bout?" Bunnie asked without lifting her head from his chest.
"Honestly?"
"Honestly."
With the slightest pause.
"Tails." Said the hedgehog.
Bunnie could feel as the tear began dripping down her cheek. This feeling wasn't something she was proud of, but she just needed to let her emotions go. She tried to hide it, but she could sense Sonic squeeze her waist just a little bit feeling of warmth was all around her as she was still pressed up against his chest. She could feel the warmth on every part of her body except one; and she knew that area could not possibly be quenched of its thirst. Not tonight. Not tomorrow. Not ever.
"What's wrong Bun-bun, are you crying?" He began to wipe the tears off her cheek, which only made the waterworks come down even harder.
"Don't worry, we will find Tails. I know that big guy has heart and there is nothin' that Ro-butt-nik can do to stop him!"
Bunnie laughed a little. Partly from the slang that she was ever-so-used-to that came out of Sonic's mouth; but partly because she knew she was pathetic. She was coming very close to ruining a friendship, a bond, that was between her and the hedgehog.
"See? I knew I could cheer ya up. Just needed to find the right thing to say."
She looked directly up at Sonic, even though they couldn't see each other in the complete blackness of the night; she knew he was there, looking right back at her. Her fiery cheek had now abandon his warm chest, and was exposed to the bitter wind.
"I love you Sugar-hog."
"Bunnie, you know I love you"
At that moment, Bunnie felt a little better. The feeling of emptiness deep inside her was slowly being filled. She realized that she just needed her friends in this rough two friends stood their in silence for a few more minutes, until finally they started to make their journey back to the huts of Knothole in order to get some much needed rest. Tomorrow was going to be a big day for the Freedom Fighters.