Double-Dweeb: Thank you so much for the kind words! I enjoy writing this story and I absolutely will continue it. I tend not to finish many things I write for fear that I'm not passionate enough, but I can definitely feel the life in this one.

Guest: Thats means a lot to me. Thank you! If things go as planned, then there will be plenty more to read in the future. I appreciate the review! n_n

XI.

~At the Base of the Mountain~

The burning orange sky softly blurred into the familiar blue sky as the sun rose over the mountains in the distance. Tails flew through the cool morning air in search of any sign of civilization. None, however, was found. The fox returned to the ground and located his red protector.

"Knuckles, I couldn't find anything. No buildings in sight.

"Hm," Knuckles sounded disappointedly. "Hey Mavis! What about you? You find anything yet?"

"No!" Mavis shouted back. "Nothing for miles!"

"Damnit. I'm beginning to wonder if that guy pulled a fast one on us. I would love to know exactly what this place looked like."

"That would defeat the purpose of searching, Knuckles." Tails said all knowingly.

"Oh, yeah?" Knuckles challenged, grabbing Tails unexpectedly.

Tails didn't react quickly enough and found himself in a playful headlock with Knuckles' knuckles rubbing against his head.

Struggling, Tails cried in enjoyment, "Quit it Knuckles!"

Mavis scaled down the sizable tree and spotted the two in their play. He smiled and shook his head. "It seems as if tensions have eased a bit since we were captured."

Tails was still giggling and answered, "Yeah, Knuckles and I haven't traveled in years. I really missed it."

Mavis rose his eyebrows, "I see."

"Mavis, I forgot to ask you earlier, but how do you know me? I mean, about my past."

"Well, I was a soldier of the Old King's guard."

"Truly?"

"Yes. I've seen you many times. You've even led me into battle before. That's how I recognized you at the gate. As for becoming your escort that was upon my whim. I decided that I would tell you at some point, but we were captured."

Knuckles started walking towards the base of the mountain as he spoke, "But why were you taken away?"

Following, Mavis responded, "I do believe the king planned to kill me, but not because I was a follower of the old king. He couldn't have known. I think it was a wrong time, wrong place situation. He probably would have done that to any soldier unfortunate enough to escort the two of you."

Tails analyzed the situation for a moment then spoke, "So, is the king the one who wants you dead or the men controlling him? If it's the latter we have no real way to get to those people. I mean, the king looks even younger than me and I was only a few years old when the republic fell. How could he have possibly known about his father's death? You said that Sonic was his father? If so then where is Sally?"

"Thats a good question, Tails. One I intend to find out in time. But first we have to find this blasted village."

Mavis' ears perk up at the sound of footsteps in large number.

He looks behind him and sees nothing he wonders if he's going mad and asks, "Do you hear that?"

"I was wondering the same thing," Knuckles replied. "They sound like soldiers. We've got to find cover. No telling what their looking for."

Tails nods in agreement. He flies up to the to top of a tall tree, grabbing Knuckles along the way. Mavis follows by scaling the same tree bare handed. They look down at the forest below. A single Hedgehog clad in the all too familiar silver armor of the king. He spoke frantically, "I saw them in this area, sir I swear it!"

They observe as another five men weave through the brush to rendezvous with the soldier.

"Bah! Another waste of time, Corey. You keep seein' things, but there's never anythin' there."

"But, sir, I swear that there was someone here but a moment ago!"

"That's what you said last time! Next time be absolutely sure that you saw somethin'!"

"Y-yes, sir."

Without another word the party left as a cloud passed over the the sun. Just as soon as Knuckles' group felt secure enough to leave. Someone spoke behind them. Whether he was friend or foe would be soon discovered.

"You guys aren't very good at hiding are ya'?"

The voice startled the small fox making him lose his balance on the branch. He forgot about his flying ability and collided with the earth beneath. His resulting cry made a few of the soldiers from earlier turn around and spot him.

"Corey! There really is something there. It's the kid on the wanted poster!" the leader of the men yelled out. He started after the vulnerable fox, until his red sentinel dove from the trees in his defense. As Knuckles fell from the tree, he tackled one man on the way down. He took his sword and swung it around his body skillfully, warding the enemies away from him and Tails. One man ran wildly after Knuckles, his sword above his head and eyes closed in fear. Refusing to do anything fancy Knuckles simply kicked the man in the chest he was sent flying back into a tree. Mavis wasted no time retrieving one of the downed soldier's weapon and pointing it at the last soldier, the captain.

"Leave and we won't kill any of you." Mavis said calmly.

"Grr...fine." silently the captain grabbed Corey and the other soldier and dragged them away.

"Well that was unfortunate," a similar voice said.

Knuckles looked up and shook a fist and the skunk he spotted in the tree, "Hey! What's the big idea sneaking up on us like that!"

The skunk sat on the branch legs crossed, hands behind his head relaxed as ever. "Ah, Geez! Ya' don't have to yell!" He gracefully fell from the tree and landed in a crouched position. "Ya'know I coulda' killed ya' a while ago, but lucky for you there is no need for that."

The skunk's dialect was strange. His words were slurred and lazy, but it was also very calm and dynamic; he was not monotone as one would think.

"You think you could kill us, eh?" Knuckles said raising his new-found weapon.

"Calm down, would ya'? Besides I have the advantage anyway." the skunk said pulling a crossbow from his back. "Silent as a breath this one. Anyway I didn't come to threaten ya'. Follow me." He put the weapon away and dramatically dove into a bush. A cry came from the very same bush a moment later.

"Um, are you alright in there?" Mavis questioned.

"No….No, not at all. These are definitely rose bushes. Ah, a little help over 'ere?"

Tails, who had recovered from his previous, blunder rolls his eyes and flies over to the fallen skunk, trying to yank him from the thorny plants.

"Ah! Ow, ow, ow! Be easy while you're pullin' me out!" the skunk complained.

"Yeah, yeah," Tails ignored as he kept pulling until the skunk was free.

"Ah, finally! By the way name's Geoffrey St. John."

"Alright, St. John. Where are we headed exactly." Mavis inquired very skeptical of the stranger.

"To the place you've been lookin' for of course. Knothole!"

"Knothole?" Tails questioned. That sounds like the punchline to a bad sailor's joke.

"No, it's a small town who is in rebellion currently. King's been lookin' for us forever!"

"If you came to recruit us, why stalk us then?"

"Boss' orders. I had to find out if you were with the king or not. Someone caught you snooping and reported it to her."

"Wait, so-"

"Enough talk! We can explain once you're there."

"Fair enough," Knuckles stated. "But if this is a trick…."

"You'd probably be dead by now." Geoffrey continued. "We'd best be off! Plenty'o daylight to enjoy for later. Onwards!" Geoffrey moved forward especially carefully as to avoid any more rose bushes.

Treading lightly, Knuckles walks beside Mavis to get his opinion, "What do you think of this one?"

"A bit unstable if nothing else, but he seems trustworthy enough. I, personally, trust no one though."

"Good people die less that way."

Mavis smirked, "What do you make of this Knothole place as well?"

"Hm...I feel like I should know the name, but I'm certain I've never been there. I'm curious about this 'Boss' though."

"As am I,"

Acting as a tour guide, St. John was blabbering about nonsensical forest jargon and worthless information, "And on the left here. You'll see a few rocks...And I think that's a cricket. Or a grasshopper? I don't know."

Only Tails was listening, but he wasn't really learning much from the tour. Tails the last few days had been a little indifferent about their current situation. He wasn't sure if he should be happy about the new experience, homesick, or terrified of the future. He decided to just go with the flow. Almost a week in the brush did take its toll though. Tails is even more exhausted than even he himself realizes.

"Just through this mountain and we will be there." Geoffrey said while walking.

Tails looked confused, "What? Throught the mountain?"

"Yep! Sounds crazy until you get there, but I promise you will not be any less than amazed."

Geoffrey kept his word. As they approached the base of the mountain a small opening with a jagged cliff edge above it. As they entered the dark, cavernous, uneven opening. Their path ascended and winded until faint light could be seen at the end of that very same path. The sunlight stung their darkness adjusted eyes. Once they could see, though, the group gasped at the vastness of the inner mountain. It was wide and clear in the center as wide as a large city. Green sprouted from the center to the edges and all the way up the stone walls to the circular opening at the very top of the mountain that let in the sun and the rains.

"Hehe. Welcome to Knothole."

To be continued…

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