Chapter 10: Lost and Found

It was a long journey but eventually the carriage stopped, and they threw Shadow out and into the desert.

"Find your way to the palace out here on your own," the guard said, laughing as the carriage left.

Shadow growled as he stood, coughing up blood. The desert was massive, and he had nothing to wear. He hissed in pain as he walked across the desert, finally collapsing with exhaustion. Shadow was nowhere near the palace yet. Just as he thought he was going to die, he heard the sounds of a carriage coming towards him. He thought it was the guards returning to finish him off, but when he looked up, he saw Sonic rolling out to meet him.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked the Pharaoh.

"I told the guards to take you to the palace, but someone told me that they wouldn't. Guess she was right" Sonic said, as Cream came out from the carriage.

"What the hell is she doing here?" Shadow shouted. "Go away, both of you! I can handle this..." He began to cough violently. "On my own! I don't need you two around, not after you exiled me!"

"I didn't have a choice. The people would have destroyed everything! This was the only way. And you be grateful. You'd be dead right now if she hadn't helped."

Shadow glared at him. "Just leave me alone, Sonic."

He walked away. Sonic sighed as Cream helped him back in the carriage, and they rode off.

"Why does he have to be so stubborn?" Cream exploded suddenly, making Sonic jump.

The Pharaoh shrugged and they rode back to Upper Egypt. Meanwhile, Shadow was still trudging along in the desert, breathing heavily and coughing. Hours passed, and he reached a town. Someone saw the bloodied and hurt hedgehog, and rushed over to him.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Shadow looked up to see a two-tailed fox looking down at him. He coughed as blood came from his mouth and he shook his head. "No, I'm not okay."

The fox looked at him with concern, and picked him up. "What happened? You looked like someone tried to kill you and didn't do a good job at it. You're coming with me" the fox said firmly, helping Shadow towards the town. It took a while, but the fox eventually reached his house. He looked at Shadow, who looked at him as well. The hedgehog coughed up blood and held his chest in pain. "Okay seriously what happened?" the fox asked.

"It's a a long story," Shadow said. "I'm a slave of the Pharaoh. A week ago, I killed some of his guards. One of them poisoned me, and I don't have long to live. The Pharaoh exiled me to Lower Egypt also."

The fox gasped. "So you're Shadow!" he exclaimed.

"You know of me? H...how?"

"News travels fast, you would not believe. But don't panic, I won't tell anyone, and I won't hurt you. To be honest, I think those guards deserved it," the fox said.

"What is your...name?" Shadow asked, coughing violently. He clutched his chest in pain as his breathing staggered.

The fox helped him inside and sat him down. "It's Tails and let me get the first aid," he said, running off.

Shadow nodded and continued to cough. He fell to the floor, blood coming from his mouth. The pain in his body was getting worse. Tails hurried back and started to cover up Shadow's wounds.

"Why are you doing this?" Shadow asked. "I don't deserve kindness."

"Many people don't deserve stuff. Yet they get it. I think you do deserve kindness, after all that you've been through" Tails replied, smiling.

Shadow shrugged. "Whatever."

Tails smiled and continued to clean his wounds.

Meanwhile, at the palace, Cream was really worried about Shadow. She sighed, wondering how he was doing. Hopefully, he was alive.

Sonic came in at that point. "Still thinking about Shadow?" He asked.

"I just wonder if he's okay. I didn't want it to come to this," she said, sadly.

"He can take care of himself. Someone is bound to find Shadow and help him."

Cream sighed, and got up. "So what now?" she asked.

The Pharaoh thought about it. "I will continue to treat you as a slave, and you'll continue doing the work I want you to do. We no longer talk about Shadow, is that understood? I usually go up to my other palace once a month, so maybe I'll see him in a week."

"Understood," she said, in a very quiet voice.

Sonic nodded and walked off.