Chapter Twenty-Nine - Forward

(…)

Soft footsteps droned onward.

An hour seemed to pass as the origin marched past on the dirt road.

Hard, steel boots with leather backing paraded on with only their dull thuds for music.

Amid all the feet there were a few pairs that weren't the norm for the company.

One pair of rather dirty, red and white shoes pushed forward at a similar pace but broken step.

A light pair of yellow and orange shoes followed the first pair diligently, a soft skip just barely suppressed.

Orange and green shoes shuffled forward as well with another pair of orange and black ones bobbing behind them, reluctant to touch the ground.

"How much longer do we have to go?" Charmy asked looking around at the unchanging trees.

"Quiet! You asked to address an official and you will not do otherwise" A bat in slightly banged up armor answered immediately.

Marine pulled him along to stop him from fighting as the soldiers pushed onward.

"We are friends of Princess Blaze, please she can sort this all out" Tails pleaded with the knights but only got laughter as a response.

"Stop it lad, we are no fools, now shove it or we shove you" An Armadillo with a large spear said getting a round of laughter from his peers.

"Yeah, be glad we didn't leave the mutt of yours" A parrot squawked before the other's fell quiet.

The entire column stopped and the middle began to shift to the side.

A tall knight marched forward and the parrot began to tremble a bit.

"Calm down Lance, the queen ain't here..." he began as the knight loomed over him.

He looked at the parrot before removing his helmet and showing the head of a jaguar surrounded with a thick flowing lion's mane.

"But I am, and the Queen and I share the same stand, hybrids are anything but mutts" He breathed casting a glance at Usagi.

Marine and Charmy positioned themselves in front of Usagi's stretcher, currently being carried by two rather quiet knights.

The parrot glared at the jaguar-lion for a minute before turning from him.

"Jest!" the hybrid roared making the parrot cringe.

"Yes... sir..." He turned to his superior.

"Since you seem so interested in the hybrid's wellbeing, you can help carry his stretcher to camp. Oh and if you drop your end, you will be needing a stretcher, DISMISSED!" his deep roar made the parrot drop a few feathers before grudgingly taking the front end of the stretcher.

"Forward MARCH!" he bellowed and the company continued moving while the captain remained near the strange newcomers.

"Captain Lance, although you could easily be enemies... we help those in need, and your friend certainly had a number done on him..." He looked at the four conscious members.

"I'm Captain Marine of the Southern Seas!" Marine exclaimed while puffing out her chest.

"A captain without a ship, i'm afraid that is hard to believe" He laughed a bit.

"We wrecked, our engine was down and we got stuck in the Fields of Foam..." Marine lowered her head.

"Heh, that's one to be proud of..." the captain said lightly as they moved on.

"Take it that's what busted your friend?" he asked glancing back and shooting a look at Jest.

"He got it bad..." Charmy said shaking his head.

"Where are we going Mr. Lance?" Cream asked as they began to hear noises in the surrounding forest.

"To camp, i'm not high ranking enough to make the decisions, and anyway, the nearest medical center is a ways off."

"Is there anyway of getting a message to Princess Blaze, tell her it's from Tails, she would know us." Tails tried again.

A sharp growl came from Lance as he turned to Tails.

"Be quiet fool, I know not if you are lying but I know you're bad at it, get it right or just give it up."

Cream shivered a bit at his roar but didn't leave Tails side.

Tails cast his head down.

"Something is up... why don't they know Blaze..." He wondered as they walked.

In a moment the soldiers turned a bend in the road and everyone looked out to see a bustling encampment.

Lance looked at his soldiers for a minute before ordering, "FORWARD!"

(…)

Soft cries of welcome came as the soldiers returned to their camp.

A flushed raccoon approached them with a large scroll.

"Forward guard report?" He asked addressing Lance.

"We hit a snag, twelve more are out there completing the patrol, we encountered there five camping on the road, one is injured and needs medical help, they say they shipwrecked."

The raccoon spied them over his scroll and jotted something down quickly.

"We need to see Princess Blaze..." Tails tried a third time and got an odd look from the raccoon.

"He isn't to bright is he?" he asked Lance casting a glance at Tails for a second.

"The other's haven't tried to lie from what I can tell..." Lance cast his own glance at Tails before giving a short salute.

The business concluded, Usagi was taken to the medic huts with the other four forced to sit in the center of the camp.

"Something is going on... they should know Blaze, Marine, did something happen to Blaze?" Tails was still trying to figure things out.

"Uh... sorry mate, haven't heard word of the sheila in bout four years... been at see for nearly five now, in fact, last time I was on land for any long time was when I ran into a reef and had to fix the ship up..."

Tails' jaw dropped, "Usagi is unconscious, and the only one here willing to answer me doesn't know anything about what's going on... great..."

A small clamor came from a large tent a distance away.

"What now..." Charmy said turning in the direction of the noise.

Soldiers seemed to step back in large numbers as a liter bore forward with it's rider's covered in elaborate drapes.

The liter came to rest a short distance from the center of the camp with all four of them looking at it.

A soldier drew back the curtains to reveal it was empty.

Confusion shook the camp as everyone rushed back and forth.

"AHEM!" the shout came from up high.

Two figures descended from the sky in an odd aura.

"I told you all I hate that thing, I can walk very well" a voice sounded making Cream and Tails squint to see the figure.

"So you fly milady?" Asked a random soldier.

"As royal guard I do as she wishes, and if flight is what she wants she gets it" the second figure stepped forward blocking Tails and Cream's view.

"Now where are these suspects, I trust no harm came to them?" the voice came again.

Soldiers bustled out of the way and from around the liter and soon an elegantly clad knight pushed forward with his hand on the hilt of his sword.

From behind him a unmistakeable dress came into the view of Tails and Cream.

"BLAZE!" Marine yelled seeing the feline stepping forward.

She jumped up and was met with the Knight's arm outstretched.

Marine was lifted off the ground with a small yelp.

"It's ok Silver, let her down" Blaze said with a smile.

"eh, check out the blokes I dragged up in the seas!" Marine moved aside as Tails and Cream ran forward.

"Blaze!" Cream jumped elated seeing her old friend again.

Charmy buzzed around behind Marine, still keeping an eye on the odd knight.

The Knight removed his helmet to reveal he was a pale hedgehog with high rising quills.

"It's great to see you, but... I take it the Eggmans are at it again?" Blaze looked around hesitantly.

"No... we uh... oh boy... I'll explain later..." Tails scratched at his head.

"Is Sonic here too?" Blaze asked scanning the area.

"No... just us four..." Cream said motioning to Charmy, Cheese, Tails, and herself.

"We need to get home... and we were hoping you could help..." Tails looked at her hopefully.

"We can discuss this later then, you can explain and we can see about getting you home, but until then... being queen means I have other things I have to do to..." Blaze said looking around.

"Queen! So when I was asking to see Princess Blaze... no wonder they thought I was stupid..." Tails thought quickly.

"Blaze, the rest of the guard had returned, all is clear to the coast." Silver said looking over the report in his hand.

"I'm not sure if we should still be going... we haven't even heard anything of pirates and this feels odd..." Silver commented with a small shiver.

"Calm down, we just have to go ahead, the kingdom is at peace and if the pirates get going they will be harder to stop later." Blaze said as she began to head for the entrance to camp.

Charmy, Marine, Cream, Tails, and Silver all followed after Blaze.

"When did you become queen?" Cream asked following after her.

"About three years ago... and soon we will even have a king won't we Silver?" Blaze looked back at him.

Silver tried to hide his blush with his helmet.

Cream giggled a little.

"Blaze..." Silver began with his blush spreading to some of his quills.

"Do you always have to be so forward..."

(…)

HEY, look at that, the couple I mentioned in chapter one... and it only took me under thirty chapters...

Not much for romance here but the small touches were here and there if you look for them...

Anyway, let me say this now, NO NEW OC's WILL PLAY A MAJOR ROLL, THE FACT THAT TWO OF THEM HAD NAMES DOESN'T MEAN THEY ARE IMPORTANT...

Sorry about the caps lock but uh... I know that some people just can't stand when Oc's become more important then the other characters...

Meh... i'm dragging on...

I'll try to get the next chapter up soon... but NiGHTS Into Dreams just came and uh... well... I really want to say high to Jackle The Mantle...

(…)

Till Next Time.

- One Psychopathic Maniacal Fox