Chapter 1

The next morning, Tails was awoken by the sunlight shining through his window, greeting his face with it's warm rays. Yawning, Tails sat up in his bed and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

A loud sound, like someone banging on a metal door, was suddenly heard from downstairs. Tails groaned, remembering what had happened last night with his most likely agitated charge. Stepping out of bed and pulling his shoes on, Tails ran down the stairs to the first floor before continuing down another flight of stairs to the basement, where a steel door stood tall and rusted. Tails unlocked the door and pulled it open, glaring at what stood behind it.

Behind the steel door, another door made of iron bars stood still locked, and behind that door was a rather agitated looking blue hedgehog, his arms crossed as he glared at the yellow fox.

"Sonic." Tails greeted with an unamused frown.

"Tails." Sonic greeted back in the same tone.

"Would you like to come out?"

"That would be appreciated, please."

"Well, then maybe you can find your own way out like you did last night, Mr. Houdini."

"Oh don't give me that, Tails!" Sonic growled. "It's not my fault my wolf wants to be free! And anyway, you're in trouble too! You stayed up late again! Did you think I wouldn't be able to smell the motor oil on you?"

"Well maybe if you would stop escaping the den I wouldn't have to stay up late just to make sure that you're safe!" Tails retorted back. "Do you even know how tiring it is to constantly be on the lookout for you every full moon just to make sure you don't escape and get shot at like the last time you escaped and wandered off?!"

Sonic cringed at that. He remembered very vividly the last time he wandered off free during a full moon, unable to transform back to his normal hedgehog form until the moon had gone down. He remembered how he had wandered onto a farmer's land and got shot in the hind leg, the farmer believing he was an actual timber wolf trying to steal his flock. Sonic remembered how he had to stay in bed for about a week for the bullet wound to heal, Tails having to come up with some fib to their friends about him being ill and contagious so that they wouldn't find out what he really is… a wolfblood.

"I'm sorry." Sonic sighed with his ears down. "I just can't help it. You know me, I don't like being locked up, even more so as a wolf. It's lonely in the den sometimes."

"I wish I could help you." Tails sighed sadly. "But, I'm not a wolfblood like you."

"I know… I'm the only one."

"As far as we know. Who knows, maybe there are more out there."

"If there were, I would've scented them by now." Sonic sighed and looked at the door. "Can I come out now?"

"Oh, right." Tails chuckled as he unlocked the iron door and let the hedgehog step out.

"By the way, did you have to smack me in the nose last night? That really hurt, you know." Sonic whined as he rubbed his nose for emphasis, even though it wasn't sore anymore.

"Well then maybe you shouldn't have snapped at me." Tails laughed before becoming serious. "Before the next full moon I am going to get new locks and I am going to fix those doors. I can't risk you getting out anymore, Sonic. You make me so worried. Next time, it might be a bullet right between the eyes rather than a leg."

Sonic sighed, knowing full well that Tails was right. He can't risk getting out and being shot again. Being locked up in the den was for his own safety and the safety of others.

"Ok," He nodded. "Ok, yeah. You're right. We can't risk it anymore."

"Glad you see it my way." Tails smiled, playfully punching Sonic in the shoulder. "Now come on. Amy wanted everybody to meet up with her today for some big surprise. Remember?"

"How can I forget?" Sonic rolled his eyes.

Last night before the moon rose, Amy had called everyone practically screaming that she had an exciting surprise for everyone. Sonic could've sworn he heard a deeper voice in the background, saying that they were going out and would be back later. It almost sounded familiar… like…

'But he's been missing since last year.' Sonic frowned to himself. 'He can't be back… can he?'