Ok so theres to slightly strange beginnings. Now on with the story. But first! Shadow and Silver wanna say hi!

Silver: Hi!

Shadow: Hmph.

Me: That's him being friendly guys!

Bloodstained Ivory

Chapter 1: A Start

"Silver?" Shadow was lying by the argent hedgehog. "Silver, are you all right?" The argent hedgehog was writhing in his sleep.

"Oh no..." the Silver hedgehog muttered. "Your death will be slow...guarateed..." Shadow's eyes widened. Silver was having another nightmare. Shadow knew that it was probably about his infection. Shadow tried to shake Silver awake. Silver groaned and his eyes opened slightly.

"Shadow..." he murmured. "Stay away from me..." he said, managing to open his eyes completely, as he stared at the ebony hedgehog. "I've almost killed you once...Please, I don't want to do it again..." Shadow embraced the ivory hedgehog.

"Oh Silver, will you ever learn? I don't think I'll be able to be at peace. The last time I let you out of my sight you died. I'll make sure that won't happen again. Even at the cost of my own life," he added a smile playing on his lips. Silver hugged him.

"I don't want to do that again though," he queried, caressing the fresh scar on Shadow's neck. Shadow looked at him lovingly.

"Oh don't worry. I did say at the cost of my life no?" he replied. Silver purred.

"Yes. Yes you did." She said, laying his upper body on Shadow's torso. Shadow wrapped an arm protectively around the slender waist of the younger hedgehog. They fell asleep in that position for the rest of the night.

The next morning, Silver was the first to wake up. He tried to go back to sleep, snuggleing into his soft pillow. His pillow shook slightly, and he grasped it, pulling it to his face. He heard a low chuckle, above him.

He opened his eyes to find himself looking at two ruby eyes that were tinged with bloodred.

"Morning, beautiful. Comfortable pillow?" asked Shadow smiling. Silver looked at his hands to find the 'pillow' to be Shadow's downy white tuft of chest fluff. He flushed bright pink.

"Oh oops..." he mumbled letting go of Shadow's chest fur. Shadow wrapped his arms around Silver.

"Oh, nothing wrong with that Silver, I'm not mad or anything," he said softly. Silver leaned up and planted a small kiss on Shadow's chin.

"I know. And thanks for last night," he said, brushing his lips softly over the large long scar across Shadow's neck. Shadow shuddered and moaned softly.

"Silver...stop...you know what happened the last time you did that..." Silver took his lips off Shadow's neck, a mock wounded expression on his face.

"Shadow, you really think I would..." Silver stopped, realizing that his mock hurt was a little more real than it seemed. Shadow laid a strong reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"No. Not of your own will. And even if it was of your own will, I would let you." Shadow stopped, realizing the truth, the meaning, and the value of his words. He got out of the bed. "But we can't just stay here contemplating for the whole day. Come on."

Silver got up. They both washed up before throwing on their capes, crowns, and weapons. They walked out of the room, and headed for the throne room. They passed by the infirmary, and went in to visit the two patients, just to find a third bed filled.

"Espio?" Silver asked in slight disbelief. Espio looked up at them, and dipped his head respectfully. Silver and Shadow walked up to his bed. Shadow saw something that looked irregular in the folds of fabric that covered him.

"Why don't you have your wooden leg?" he asked, pointing to the irregularity in the fabric. Espio looked down at it, then looked away.

"The infection came back. Tails needed to operate on it again." he said. Shadow could hear the loathing of his prone state in the magenta chameleon's voice. Silver spoke.

"What does Blaze have to say about this?" He could see a smile creeping onto the face of the purple reptile.

"She's furious. Said something about killing me if this happened one more time," he said. Silver grinned. Shadow smirked.

"That's my sister for you! Still, it's her way of worrying while maintaining a tough exterior, and trust me, that's not easy to do," he said glancing temporarily at Silver. Espio smiled. Shadow and Silver waved, and went to see Amy.

They could see that the young pink hedgehog didn't look any better. She wasn't awake, and was still hooked onto different machines that were working hard to keep her vitals at a normal state. But still, the two kings could see, she was in a terrible state.

Shadow had never been a friend to the pink hedgehog, more of an acquaintance really. But still. Shadow could not help but feel anger. She was not only younger than him, but she was a girl! He knew girls could be tough when they wanted to, but the ambush was not expected. They moved on to the third occuied bed.

The cobalt hedgehog sat on the bed, his head in his hands. His shoulders shook repetitively. Shadow had never before done this to anyone but Silver. His hand reached up and settled on the younger hedgehog's back.

Sonic started, and his head snapped up, his eyes resting on the two royals. He looked away. Shadow took his hand off his back.

"Tails told you." he stated. Sonic nodded slightly. He turned back to the two hedgehogs. His eyes were dry, but there were furrows running down his face, that suggested he had been crying earlier.

"My leg...It's gone..." Sonic stopped and put his head back in his hands. Shadow exchanged a look with Silver.

"Gone?" Silver asked softly. Sonic nodded.

"Gone. It was beaten so horribly, that it's beyong repair," he said, with some degree of difficulty. Shadow was enraged.

"What!" he yelled, startling both Sonic and Silver.

"Tails only told us it was broken," Silver said.

"Beyond repair," Sonic replied.

Silver, rubbed his shoulder. He shot him a glance that said, 'Be thankful you're alive. Life is precious.' Sonic nodded.

The two royals walked out of the infirmary, visibly shaken by what they had seen. They made their way to the throne room. They were met by Tails. As they took their places, Shadow turned to Tails.

"It's beyond repair. His infection is back. She's sleeping like the dead." Tails shot him a look due to the bluntness of the ebony king.

"Yes..." he said uncertainly. Shadow sighed. Silver placed a hands on his lap. Shadow put his hand atop of Silver's. He looked over at the argent hedgehog. Silver was smiling sadly at him.

"Hard times are coming Shadow. Blood wil be shed before it is over. Prepare yourself. You said it yourself. This is war." Shadow just stared at him before replying.

"Against who I know not. All that I'm sure of, is that we have more than one to fight." Silver reached an arm towards the ebony hedgehog, pulling him towards himself in a hug.

"All I ask, is that you fight alongside me." Shadow sighed again, remembering the last battle they had fought. The one where death had been inevitable.

"Always. I'm not letting you go again." Silver purred.

"I'm not letting you go again either," he said. They sat there quietly, staring at each other, inumerable thoughts running through their heads.

Unexpectedly, Silver leaned forward, as if to lock his lips with Shadow's but he then tilted his head, and inserted his small hedgehog fangs into the neck of the other.

Tails turned around at the small gasp that arose at his side. He turned tto see a horrific image playing in front of his eyes. Silver, teeth locked onto Shadow's neck, in a spot dangerously close to the largest artery in his neck. Shadow was trying to get the ivory hedgehog off of him, but with little avail.

Shadow just sat there, calmly looking at the argent hedgehog. Tails tried to walk over and get the light grey king off Shadow's neck. Shadow's arm sprang out, stopping Tails in his tracks. Tails felt like screaming, "How can you look so calm when someone's biting into your neck!"

Shadow saw Tails trying to get to Silver. He brought out an arm stopping the two-tailed kitsune in his tracks. He continued to stare at the younger hedgehog, despite the pain erupting from his neck. He arched his neck, resulting in the flesh beginning to again tear off.

His lips connected with the forehead of the ivory hedgehog. The young hedgehog stiffened, and Shadow felt the jaws of the other unhook from his neck. He saw the other's eyes clearing, as it was cloudy.

The argent hedgehog looked at the twice re-opened scar on the neck of the high king.

"Not again..." he murmured. "Not again..." Shadow patted his back.

"Here. Take it. I can't return it, and you need it," he said pointing to his neck, and refusing to prod out more of Silver's guilt. Silver looked at the wound on Shadow's neck.

Tentatively he leaned over to stroke it gently with his tongue. Shadow winced, then moaned. He didn't mean to, but it felt good. Good in a strange and painfully way, mind you, but good nonetheless. Shadow wrapped his arms around Silver, as the younger hedgehog washed off his neck.

Tails looked at the two, slightly embarrassed. He flew off to get his anisthetic, a needle, and some suture to close Shadow's twice re-opened neck. Thrice opened, twice re-opened. He felt slightly sick at the thought of what had re-opened it.

Shadow took his arms off Silver, and Silver took his tongue off Shadow's neck. Tails returned with his materials, and began to again work on Shadow's neck. Tails sighed.

"Please." was his only word. Silver looked at Shadow, a frightened, guilty, expression on his face.

"Shadow...twice! How can you live with that?" he asked. Shadow looked at him.

"Even if it killed me, I would still love you," he replied. Silver relaxed. His face still held that expression of fear. But that fear was of himself. And that was what terrified him the most. Shadow sat there expressionlessly.

He was thinking about all his problems now. A bloodthirsty lover. A threat of war. Dangerously ailed friends. He was never expecting so much responsiblilty in such a short time. He stared out one of the glass walls.

Although the sky was bright, there seemed to be a shadow of foreboding. Something would happen. Something big. And it wouldn't be good.

Ok. first chappie done. So this is pretty much a continuation, so it's carried off from my other fic Crimson Amber, and as you can see, no explaining done, so if this makes no sense at all, read Crimson Amber, then you'll get it. R&R!