Finally on the shore, Amy gathered around some fruit and Knuckles was able to eat and drink and even took a well need rest without a plant trying to eat him.
"Knuckles, how long was it since you last seen Sonic?" Amy asked as Knuckles rest in the bed of sand.
"Not sure exactly. I don't have a calendar to keep track so I wouldn't know." He said, picking off a grape from the vine.
"Who cares?" I growled.
"I do!" Amy said her head snapping up glaring at me.
"Okay!" Knuckles sat up. We both looked at him setting aside our evil staring contests.
"We need away to track down the emerald shards. That is IF the Master Emerald has healed that much." He said.
"What would help us do that?" Amy asked titling her head softly.
"Possibly a chaos emerald and Tails." Knuckles said leaning back and rubbed his now full stomach.
"Well, check chaos emerald off the list, I have mine." I said taking out the green emerald.
"Then hopefully Tails is still around to help." He said now looking sadly at his un-kept dreads.
We started a fire, small so it would give us warmth until it died out. But sleep didn't find me; I found comfort on a thick mossy tree branch. I took watch over Amy and Knuckles. Amy was still stuck on Sonic… how could she? He even abandoned her in this situation, what could she possibly be going for? His looks? Hmph, definably not his kindness and his uprising of becoming such a gentleman. I was lost in thought, staring into the green glow of the chaos emerald when movement was caught by the corner of my eye. It was only Amy sitting up.
She looked around watching the scruffy echidna sleeping for a moment and looked around traces of wild panic formed her face.
"Shadow?" I heard her whisper as she still searched around getting to her feet and started towards the trees.
I jumped down landing next to her answering, "Yes?"
"EEP!" She screamed and jumped back losing her balance tripping over some brush.
I moved away the leaves and vines from the little pit where she had fell into and found her entangled in vines.
"Sorry." I said holding down a hand for her. She took it and pulled herself up.
"What were you doing?" She asked aggravated.
"Helping you up." I replied with a small smile.
"No! I mean why were you up in the tree?" She said.
"Oh. I can't sleep, not tired… just thinking up here."
"You scared me."
"I can see." I smirked.
I mean I thought you left…" She sighed.
"No. I'm right here." I said leading her back to the now dead fire. She sat down in the sand, isning her dress as a cover. She took my hand and pulled me down so I sat next to her.
"I've had so many lonely nights…" She said. We both looked at each other her eyes held some sadness, maybe filtering memories.
"What happened to your Team?" I asked.
"Oh, Cream was with her mother last. And Big… well I don't know." She shrugged shaking her head
"Big? Who cares about Barney in cat form?" I teased.
"Shadow!" She gave me a push and giggled. "I can't wait to find everyone… and get out of this jungle." She said. I nodded as we took a moment of silence looking up at the sky, glittering with stars. The forest was still awake and buzzing with sounds, I was beginning to get relaxed. I sank into the sand feeling me tense muscles and neck begin to ease.
"You know, the night, before you arrived…" She trailed off looking at me. When I looked back waiting for her to finish she bowed her head and stood quite.
"N-never mind…"
"You okay?" I asked. She nodded and leaned against me.
"Yeah. There's just no way to thank you enough for coming back when you did."
"I don't need a thanks." I assured her finding myself smiling as her head rest on my arm.
"But…" She yawned deeply, "I think, you do." She was fighting her sleep.
"But I really don't." I whispered putting my arm around her as she shivered from a cold wind. I felt her get heavy as she let her weight fall as she relaxed into a sleep as she stayed leaning into me in my arms and I must have dozed off as well. When I opened my eyes it was bright daylight.
"Hey Shadow! Come on!" Knuckles called somewhere behind me. I had lied down at some point during the night but Knuckles voice had jolted me up and I looked around quickly.
"Shadow!" He called again. I turned around and found him perched on a branch.
"Where's Amy?" I asked streatching and got to my feet.
He had a smirk stretched on his muzzle and just looked at me.
"Well?" I naarowed my eyes at him impatient with the answer.
"She's in the "bathroom". I was up before both of you and caught the 'snuggle party'." He held back a chuckle.
"Sh0she was cold." I growled looking away feeling a bit awkward.
"Uh hu… okay." He said looking down as Amy came out from the thick bushes.
"Sorry. Good morning Shadow." She smiled. I nodded crossing my arms and kicked at the sand not going to spread any more curiosity for Knuckles. He already thought we were… snuggling…
"Last time I left Sonic, he had a chaos emerald." Knuckles said. Amy's ears perked to his name.
"So?" I wached her listen iintencly and bounce in place wanting to hear more, I crossed my arms and turned away.
"Soo, leave it to the Chaos emeralds, to connect with their same level wave of Chaos energy and they should find each other during a chaos control!" Knuckles explained jumping down from the branch.
"But we need Tails, not the Faker." I growled.
"Tails is never without Sonic. Shadow I know you don't like him, but if we find Sonic, we find Tails." Knuckles said stepping into my view copying my crossed arms.
"Fine." I sighed taking out the chaos emerald.
