Sonic wondered why things had to be this way.
He paced drowsily on the steep and stony paths, upwards, towards the mountain forests and the cliffs, that he would otherwise jog through, in hurry and freedom. The start of autumn whacked him with unforgiving chills, a feeling of coolness coating him as he pulled tighter on the colorful sweater knitted by his mother last winter. His Sirwals pants made him look like a floating kite pulled by the currents to nowhere in the azure, wherever they wished him to go.
He was only 20 years old and his dreaded birthday was today. His mother and father had led him to the base of the mountain and then left, afraid to look back, fighting to choke their sobs. Not seeing his parents and his home for four years seemed like an impossible emotional wall to climb, but for now, he struggled to shed no tears. He wondered if they would still be there when he returned.
Would they be alive, still?
The thought terrified him, and he knew it would do so many nights after his flight. There weren't many times when Sonic felt dispirited, and as he tried to recall his past bitter moments, he never could find within himself a similar sentiment of such strange profoundness. Sonic felt estranged at the thought that he was going somewhere where he didn't belong. But perhaps the events of his life would take better turns once he proved to his Initiator how good of an innate fighter he was, he hoped. Sonic looked at his intricately decorated belt, observing how his father's scimitar sword lay quiet in it, providing no comfort against the morning blowing winds.
He was the only remaining younging of the tribe. Sonic knew that this meant that he would have to spend his time during the four years coming of age journey - the traditional Period - only with his tribe's Initiator. He wondered if that was a good thing or a bad one. Being lonely meant worrying less about getting along with others. On the other hand, being lonely meant - well - that you're lonely.
What if I don't get along at all with my Initiator? I'd have to spend four years with a person that hated my guts!
The thought made Sonic march forward in anticipation, his pace speeding up, his leather backpack ruffling the fur at his back. He wanted to see what kind of mobian this Initiator was. He wanted to be done and over with the introductions. He wished he could go straight to their heart, understand their wants, fulfill them, and make them be at peace with his company.
He exited the dense forest and entered a rocky ground, nearing the cliffs of the small mountain.
"You're extremely late!" said Shadow, frowning at the blue hedgehog.
He looked up to see a quaint ebony hedgehog, in traditional red and gold attire, belt decorated with a round of fangs and chains, and old scimitar fastened to his large backpack, dressed in a tunic and wearing Sirwals pants. The Initiator glared frustrated at him, scowling as if he smelled something rotten in the air. In that instant, Sonic knew he didn't start his journey with a nice first impression.
"S-sorry!" exclaimed Sonic, stammering.
They walked in silence on the beaten path by generations of tribes, in a steady rhythm, not too slow and not too fast. Sonic was perplexed.
No question asked? Not even ask my name?
He stared at the unnamed ebony hedgehog, waiting for some form of inquiry, a demand, anything but not the dense silence. Not knowing how to spark a conversation and afraid to start with small-talk, consider his previous short-lived interaction with him, he decided to scour for an atlas in his backpack. He soon found the book and looked through it.
It was a family hand-drawn manuscript of the journey, spreading against mountains, continents, and rivers. He sighed in the comfort that at least there were no seas or oceans on the way. He despised water.
"Do you not trust that I know the way, hedgehog?" asked Shadow, dryly. Sonic looked at him, startled. He didn't expect his Initiator to speak, ever.
Damn, why does this hedgehog get offended by everything I do.
"N-no! I was jus' looking to see what's ahead of us. I mean, better to plan, no?" asked Sonic, trying to strike a conversation.
"You should have looked before embarking, hedgehog. I don't think you understand how important this journey is for you. You do understand that this isn't a picnic trip, right?" inquired Shadow seriously.
"Y-yeah. I did look, but that doesn't mean I know everything by heart," responded Sonic, unsure if he was about to launch himself into a heated argument the very first day.
Shadow didn't say anything. Sonic looked down, wondering if it was usual for your Initiator to be bent on making your life as unpleasant as possible. He remembered the kindness of his parents, their image fading through his mind. He wanted to cry but managed to abstain. He missed them so much already.
Sonic looked up to see the sun at its summit. The heat was starting to bother him. They walked for hours, without saying anything, on the crisp cliffs of the low mountain, on its plateau. He felt a few pangs of hunger, but his tiredness dampened them down. His parents left him a few supplies from home, bread and cheese, as was the tradition. Gathering from the ebony's unrelenting marching, he deemed that now it was not the time for lunch.
Soon, the sun returned into the dense foliage of another thick forest as they climbed down the mountain on its other side.
The fauna was lush all around him. Animals screeches surrounded him like in a circus gone out of control. Sonic tried to distinguish them but couldn't. He curiously perked up his ears, listening closely for any hues in the naturally occurring performance. He wondered how could one side of the mountain be so tranquil and another so chaotic. His eyes opened wide to take in every aspect of the vividly colorful images, watching birds and small creatures such as meek monkeys, with childish interest. Because the tribe forbade the uninitiated Mobians to cross the mountain, Sonic felt a modest pride in trespassing older boundaries, like an adult drinking alcohol for the first time.
As they walked, something moved with them, a distinguished heavy sound of paws disturbing the leaves. Sonic, fully alert, tried to gather what it was, exactly, but couldn't, try as he might.
"Hey, I think there's a big animal following us. Or something like that. Don't ya hear it?" asked Sonic, slightly afraid of what might jump at them.
"It is impossible to determine with this ruckus, hedgehog. If there is, we shall strike back. I believe that a surprise attack from a beast is generally a great training and evaluation technique." responded Shadow.
"M-method? T-training? Shouldn't we, like, focus on surviving!?" asked Sonic, his fear starting to creep around him heavier. He already wanted home so badly.
Shadow chuckled.
"A beast cannot use weaponry, such as bows, swords, and arrows. I believe that if you cannot survive the ambush of a beast in this pathetic forest, you don't deserve to become an adult in the first place," responded Shadow, bored and composed as ever.
Damn, what the hell is his problem? Why does he have to be so unempathetic and constipated with me?
Shadow turned away from their path and stopped in a few places near the trees. He kneeled periodically to the trunks of the trees and collected a few mushrooms from here and there, putting them in his leather backpack.
" Hey, I'm jus' trying my best here. No need to go that harsh." responded Sonic, angered but still attempting his best to keep a friendly tone.
"I wasn't, hedgehog. I was merely pointing out that one's best might not be enough," said Shadow to himself.
Sonic didn't respond. Instead, he started copying Shadow's actions, observing mushrooms and collecting them. At some point, when ripping one from the ground, he felt a sharp slap on his hand and let the mushroom fall freely from it. He began rubbing his hand, looking at Shadow bitterly.
"What was that for-"
"That's Amanita phalloides, you idiot! Do you see how curved the cap is!?" asked Shadow, rhetorically, as he picked up the dropped mushroom and pointed at its cap. "You could kill your whole family and many more with this! Don't eat garbage you pick up from the ground unless you have my approval!" continued Shadow in a yell.
Shadow returned to his mushroom-collecting business as Sonic stood in place, his bitter frown still locked on the ebony hedgehog.
"Damn, I didn't know, okay?! Thanks for saving my life, I guess!" shouted Sonic back.
"Don't raise your voice at me, hedgehog!" answered Shadow sternly.
After a few moments, Shadow stopped, deeming that he had picked up enough mushrooms. He moved down the natural path, and Sonic followed, hating with deep passion the moment he turned 20.
Sonic froze at the sudden sight of the horrifying beast approaching him with what seemed like unquenchable rage, at bullet speed. It looked like a rabid bull but with three eyes instead of two and extremely sharp protruding fangs and claws instead of horns. The blue hedgehog leaped over it as the beast tried to pull him into his muzzle altogether, falling back into the ground, kneeling and panting.
This can't be happening! Not on my first day! No!
The beast tried to stab him once again, and Sonic quickly jumped another time, the heaviness of his baggage and clothes dragging him down, making his reactions sluggish. Sonic quickly looked around desperately and noticed that Shadow was nowhere in his sight.
What the heck?! Did that idiot flee and left me alone with this thing?!
Another stab. In this instance, Sonic had no time to react, but he managed to block the beasts' fang with his scimitar sword, the creature driving madly into it. Sonic's strength was being pushed to the extreme as the animal proved to be relentless, its grey fur rising further on its back.
Sonic felt blood on his arms and realized that the beast had already pushed his fangs a bit through his fur. Sonic dodged another hit using his sword, then hopped another time over it and threw his backpack on the ground in despair to make himself lighter. Suddenly, Shadow's words flashed inside his mind. He recalled how he said that those who had struggled with such an attack didn't deserve to become initiated. His face flushed red, of anger beneath his fur.
Right! I'll show that idiot hedgehog what I'm made of!
This time, as the beast turned, Sonic jumped with full force on its back, pushing his scimitar with all his might and mindless rage into the neck of the creature. He twisted his sword all around through the thick layer of skin until the animal collapsed dead on the ground. Sonic got up on his feet, already worn out from the unexpected fight and his fright. He gazed at the collapsed beast, and then he looked around. He scoured for the ebony hedgehog everywhere in his field of view. Nowhere.
Where the heck is he hiding?!
He looked at his bleeding hand and pulled it to his chest. The forest seemed quieter. Almost dead quiet when, out of nowhere, Sonic heard another sinister feral noise, and before its source approached, he was up in the air once again. He looked down to see what it was.
Another beast! Another one of those beasts!
Unknown how, Sonic feel on the ground, and before being able to catch his breath, the other beast jolted him up with its claws. Luckily, as through miracle, Sonic didn't suffer even a single scratch. When he found himself back on his feet, he realized that he was cornered by it. He knew he wouldn't be able to parry another hit, his limits exceeded, his powers depleted.
"Help! HELP ME!" shouted Sonic desperately, from the top of his lungs, but nobody answered.
He put his scimitar sword in front of his face as a shield, hoping that his death would be fast and that, as the tradition taught him, there will be an afterlife. As the creature marched into him, Sonic screeched in anticipation of the lethal pain. Everything came to a halt. No noise, no pain. Sonic stood with his eyes tightly closed, scimitar blocking his face, trembling in panic. Observing that nothing was happening, he opened his eyes to see the creature's head severed at his feet, as Shadow stood before it, his sword bloodied.
"Damn, you!" yelled Sonic, furious at the ebony hedgehog.
Shadow came up to him, calmly, his expression as composed and smooth as it was before.
"Where the heck have you-!"
"Sit down. Your hand is bleeding," demanded Shadow.
"Where have you been hiding! I almost died, and -!"
Shadow sat on the ground cross-legged. He took off his backpack and searched in it for something. After a while, Sonic complied and sat cross-legged in front of him, still furious, trying to calm his shivers. Finally, Shadow pulled a bottle of liquid and a fine piece of silk. Without any notice, he took Sonic's arm into his hand and dropped a bit of the liquid onto his wounded hand, washing away the blood. Sonic shrieked and clenched his fangs in discomfort at the shock.
"It's alcohol," said Shadow.
Sonic did not reply, and Shadow quickly bandaged his hand with the silk. He turned the material a few rounds around it, then tightly made a knot.
"Don't scream for help during a fight," uttered Shadow.
Upon hearing these words, Sonic made the ugly scowl he could muster.
"Look, what! My parents told me that you're here to train me and help me, to fight side by side with me, to show me things and places! But you act like I'm supposed to be all tough even if I just started today! Nothing makes sense, and you're treating me like a god damned-" Sonic's yell was interrupted.
"Ah! I apologize for the wording. I meant to say that there is no use in screaming for help. I am always here to protect you whenever I recognize that your life is in serious peril and will do so without hesitation. Otherwise, it's your journey. Mostly."
Sonic frowned vanished a bit, but his expression still carried on its bitter allure. Shadow let go of his arm. They stared at each other, still sitting on the ground.
"I want to stay like this a few minutes. I want to pick myself up a bit," spoke Sonic. Shadow said nothing and simply watched the blue hedgehog's reactions. Sonic broke the stare and looked down. "I suppose you - think I'm not proper for becoming an adult now." continued Sonic, disillusioned.
"How come, hedgehog?" asked Shadow.
Sonic looked at Shadow's face and realized that something had changed about him. The way he addressed the last question was smoother and warmer, and his features looked nicer and softer.
"Well, earlier you said-"
"Ah, that if you don't survive the ambush of such a beast, then you aren't deserving of such a title? I believe I explicitly spoke about a single beast, not two in a row. Moreover, I am not your judge of maturity. I am simply a safety net, enough to get someone young like you out of trouble, but not enough for sugar coating and do meaningless favors for them." explained Shadow.
Sonic sighed, somewhat relieved and at peace with Shadow's words, yet still, let down by himself. He expected his fighting skills to be enough for the whole journey, but this impression proved to be misguided, even on the first day.
"Well, we're having meat for dinner. Therefore, congratulations," said Shadow.
Sonic looked up at him, perplexed.
Are we really going to eat that?!
They severed off the beasts' calves and marched uphill, back on the plateau, as Shadow deemed that it would be very foolish to set up a tent in such a dangerous place. On their way, they collected as many creaks and branches as they could to make a small fire.
When they arrived with all of their goods, they quickly set up to make a tent and a fire with whatever they had. Sonic collected a few stones from the cliffs and fixed a small circle of them in the ground. Finally, he carefully placed the wood in a peculiar pyramid, the ticker wood in the middle and the other bits and pieces on the verge.
He took two rocks and rubbed them together until small sparks emerged from within their friction. The winds were oddly warm for a mountain autumn evening, but nevertheless, the spark did not have the strength to ignite the whole pile of wood. Finally, after minutes of struggle, a meek fire sprang up from the heap.
When Shadow finished fixing the tent into the ground, the thick cloth stuck with sharp knives in the arid ground, he went to attend the fire. He took out another piece of cloth from his backpack and waved with it over the smoke, as it caught traction, and with that, the whole pile was up in flames.
They cooked their meat on a metal beam Shadow unchained from his large backpack, adding the mushrooms on its edges. Sonic took out a beautifully sown blanket from his pack and placed it, at his legs, near the tent. He took the cheese and bread his parents left him and put them on it. The two hedgehogs then settled next to the blanked. While Sonic was staring at its black and blue geometrical patterns, Shadow pulled out a bottle, the same one he used to clean Sonic's wound. He gave it to Sonic, and he stared at it.
"Well? Take a sip, hedgehog," said Shadow.
Sonic did, and he growled instantly at the burn of alcohol flowing from his throat into his stomach. In a short time, a warm feeling spread from his stomach into his whole body, and he felt he was heating up. He enjoyed it. It relaxed him, made the company more pleasing. The tension of the day was wearing out.
"First time drinking, hedgehog?" asked Shadow.
"Yeah."
Shadow moved back to the beam and moved it, frying the meat's other side in the fire.
"And you like it?"
"I don't mind it. It tastes like fire but makes me feel solid," said Sonic, as he took another sip from it.
"Hey, enough!" jumped Shadow and pulled the bottle from his hand.
Sonic made the face as children do when a bigger child stole the treat from their hands.
The meal was ready, and they ate, Sonic digging through it with great desire, enjoying the beast's sweet and greasy taste in combination with the cheese. He spoke with his mouth full, the alcohol he just drank rooting well within his brain.
"To be honest, I didn't think it would taste so good!" yelled Sonic.
"Don't eat with air," spoke Shadow, as he took small bites from the calf.
"What?" asked Sonic, digging his whole muzzle in the treat.
"Don't speak while you eat. You'll get air spots in your stomach, and it will hurt."
When they finished eating, they sat one next to the other around the fire as the cold of the night approached. Sonic hung his arms over the flames from time to time to stop the chill's progression. Suddenly he started quivering, but not because of the cold.
"Cold?" asked Shadow.
"No," responded Sonic.
"Then why are you shivering?" asked Shadow, curious. Indeed, the tremble had a quaint aspect about it, appearing more like a cat's purr.
"I have a condition. It runs in the family," answered Sonic.
"Should I take it into account? Is this something that disables you, somehow?" asked Shadow seriously.
"No. It's not that bad."
"Alright."
Suddenly Shadow shifted from his position, and Sonic felt something warm behind him. A tender embrace, a patch of fur tousling the back of his neck. A belt decorated with fangs pushing against his. Shadow's pressed his chest against Sonic's back, and his arms lay relaxed around him. Sonic jumped, startled. He couldn't believe what had occurred so suddenly. Such a simple gesture of comfort, coming from Shadow, was unbelievable, considering how much he saw from him until now.
What?! What the heck is he doing, now!?
"Scuze' me, what - exactly - are you doing?" asked Sonic quietly and stammering.
"Conserving heat. Do you mind, hedgehog?" responded Shadow.
"N-no. I was just surprised. You seemed really distant earlier. You didn't strike me as a touchy-hugsy mobian."
Shadow said nothing.
"If you mind, hedgehog, tell me, and I'll go away," said Shadow, hushed.
"No! No, it's fine! It feels really nice. You're finally nice to me. I don't know what came up to you. Y-you can rest your head on my shoulder if you want. I-I'm really not a 'private space' kind of hedgehog."
Shadow complied, resting his muzzle on the hedgehog's shoulder and wrapping his hands around his chest. He stared at the fire as Sonic continued to tremble.
"Still cold, hedgehog? Comfortable enough?" asked Shadow.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I do this when I feel good or when I'm badly hurt. Sort of like a cat." explained Sonic.
"That's ridiculous and pathetic," spoke Shadow, hushed.
"Thanks! Hey, I didn't get your name?" asked Sonic from within Shadow's pull.
"I do not have one, hedgehog. You may choose to call me whatever you'd like, as long as it doesn't offend me."
"Really?! Didn't your parents give you one?"
"No."
"What kind of bad parents did you have, then?!" spoke Sonic, confused about this mobian's nature. Little about this mysterious person made any sense to Sonic. He knew that he was a good fighter after seeing how fast Shadow managed to decapitate such a strong beast. He also knew he was most of the time grumpy and badly behaved. Besides that, nothing much. Living with someone for four years that you know nothing about wasn't the best way to live, Sonic thought.
"Initiators don't have names," explained Shadow.
"Can I call you Shadow, then? Or Shads? Would you mind that? My name is Sonic, by the way! I'd say it's nice to meet you, but to be honest, it wasn't, haha!" proposed the blue hedgehog, grinning.
"You can call me that. It is an acceptable name." Shadow nodded.
"Great!" yelped Sonic.
After a few minutes of enjoyable tranquility passed, Sonic spoke again.
"How many past generations did you, well, whatever you do? Go on a trip with them for years."
"40" answered Shadow.
"Wow, that's a lot! Wait -" Sonic interrupted himself. Something didn't add up. Something was wrong. "40 times 4 makes 160. You - you're not kidding?! You can't be at least 160 years old! You look like a year older than me or something! A bit taller, but not much else! You're lying!" chuckled Sonic.
"I am 186 years old. Initiators don't age. They can die but not of old age. Didn't you know this, hedgehog?" asked Shadow nonchalantly.
"N-no... I don't believe this! Shadow, how is this possible!? My parents are 46 and- they're- like they have white patches of fur and worn out spikes! You can't expect me to believe that! We look about the same age!" yelled Sonic, perplexed and afraid of what he was hearing.
It can't be! A 186 years old mobian?! Surely he's making fun of me! It would be creepy if it were true, though. He's probably 30 or something.
"I don't expect you to believe everything I say. It doesn't matter, hedgehog, whether you believe it or not. It makes no difference." responded Shadow.
Sonic dropped the topic of the conversation. He enjoyed the warmth of the fire and Shadow's strange but well-received embrace. After a while, he could feel his eyes heavy. Perhaps it was the events of the day, or maybe the alcohol, that worn him out so much. He had almost fallen asleep when the ebony hedgehog abruptly jolted him awake by breaking the embrace.
Shadow stood on his two feet and moved towards the tent, making a gesture towards him, signaling to enter it.
"I suppose you don't want to sleep the night outside. You will freeze to death."
They lay down in the tent, back to back and at a certain distance. Once Sonic settled to sleep, his whole tiredness of the day vanished away, miraculously. His mind was restless. He thought of his parents, of the events of the day, reliving them. He imagined what his parents might be doing home, whether his father had gone fishing again, whether his mother was knitting or sewing, as she did in autumn and winter. He tossed and turned until he startled his tent-mate.
"I see you are restless. I suppose it's colder than the places you used to sleep in," spoke Shadow.
"It's not that. Temperature's fine," nodded Sonic.
"If you cannot sleep, you will be utterly useless tomorrow, hedgehog. You might as well fall ill!" exclaimed the ebony hedgehog.
"Hey, let me be! Your bragging won't make me fall asleep faster, mister Whatever. If you're so keen, why don't you sing me a lull or read me a story!?" yelled Sonic, jokingly.
"I'm not your mother. I did say I won't do you any meaningless favors," replied Shadow.
"Why aren't you asleep them? Doesn't the same apply to you, too!?" asked the blue hedgehog, ready to spark some flames.
"I don't require sleep," answered Shadow.
"Really?!"
"Initiators like me are designed to remain alert at all times, hedgehog. My body doesn't require it, although I can sleep, and sometimes I enjoy it when my mind does rest a bit. However, since you are new and inexperienced, I prefer to remain alert for the first few nights."
"Right. So, you're gonna watch me in your sleep! Not creepy at all..."
"I am not watching you, hedgehog. I am facing you with my back."
For a while, they didn't say anything. Sonic felt his eyes tired again, his eyelids heavy. His breath relaxed. Part of him did not want the next day to come. He knew the challenges he was going to encounter were going to keep getting worse. He wondered if he'll ever get used to his new lifestyle.
He didn't know what he thought about Shadow. His first impression was of a very cold hedgehog, somewhat uncaring, distant, and unfriendly. On the other hand, he recalled the tender moments of half an hour earlier.
Why did he do that? Did he want to see my reaction to something? Test something about me?
"Hey," said Sonic.
"Yes?" asked Shadow.
"What do you think about me, Shads? Like, what's your first impression?"
"Why are you asking, hedgehog?"
"Can't you just call me Sonic, for once?" requested Sonic.
"You're asking for too much already," said Shadow.
"You didn't answer my question."
"You didn't either."
"Hey, I asked first."
Shadow stood silent for a minute.
"I don't think anything of you," answered Shadow.
"Nothing at all?!"
"No. It is too early for an educated opinion regarding you."
"What about my fighting style?" asked Sonic.
"It is fine. You should work more on your endurance, but that is normal for someone who just started. Other than that, I have no further comments. Is this an acceptable answer? Did you get the validation you wished for?"
"Yeah, thanks. I'll try to work hard-"
"You're so ardent about being verified by others. What if I told you that I think you should have stayed in the village for your whole, without any permit to exit it, ever? Would you go back or try to prove me wrong?"
Shadow expected a fit of anger, a tantrum, a sob, anything, but not a loud chuckle from the blue hedgehog.
"Damn! Ahaha, you sure like playing mind games with your - whatever we are to you! You're making me laugh!" spoke Sonic, laughing noisily.
"What's so funny, hedgehog? You didn't answer my question."
"I'd do neither, I think! I wouldn't go back, but I wouldn't try to prove you wrong!" answered Sonic, still grinning.
"For now, I highly doubt it. Regardless, go to sleep, already!" spoke Shadow.
Sonic's laughter came to a halt after he felt pains in his stomach. Finally, he was fully exhausted, and his mind foggy. After about half an hour, he closed his eyes and fell into slumber.
He was in his parent's home. His mother was sewing quietly on her wooden recliner. The atmosphere had a damp and dark air to it, and it was snowing outside. His mother's expression shifted to one of worry then progressed into dread. Sonic came up to her and found himself smaller as if he was 12 years old, once again.
"Mom! What's up?! What's wrong?" yelled Sonic, his hands lying on her lap.
"That old hedgehog went fishing... But he should have been home by now. Sonic, my dear. We need to go and look for him. I'm afraid something terrible happened to him," responded his mother, trying to strangle her tears and not shed them in front of her son.
"C'mon, mom. Ya, know, he always does that! He met up with someone down the road, and they went drinking, as he usually does!"
"For a whole week, son?!" yelled his mother.
"A whole week?! How did I not find out about that!"
"Well, you were too busy playing around with that damned friend of yours!" shouted his mother, enraged.
"What friend?! Mom, what the hell are you talking about?!" shouted Sonic back.
"You know, Shadow! That idiot does nothing but loiters in the streets! Nothing useful ever comes out of him! Instead of taking care of us, you-"
"Already, stop it now! I'm going to search for him! And he's not my friend! He's -" Sonic tried to struggle to remember but couldn't.
Where have I been these days? If I've not been home, where have I been? Why did I leave them? Who's Shadow?
"I'll go with you, Sonic! I'm not leaving you alone to vanish as he does! There's something horrible out there!" she said, between sobs she couldn't push back anymore.
"No! I am going to find him, mother! You stay here! I'm not disappearing anywhere!" shouted Sonic, as he turned to the door and left, hearing nothing but his mother's screams and pleadings.
He moved through the dense snow and the whirls of strong wind to find a trace of fresh blood. His eyes opened wide at it, incredulous.
No! Maybe it's a wounded animal! That can't be...
He wished he didn't need to follow it, but Sonic did until he saw in the corner of his eyes his father's bloodied tunic.
"Dad! DAD! No, no, no!" screeched Sonic from the top of his lungs.
"Dad, no!" jolted Sonic awake and in a sitting position, as if hit by lightning and woken up from the dead. He felt tears stream down his muzzle and face. If he were to look into the mirror, he knew he would have looked like a sobbing mess. He looked at his furred hands and saw how badly they were still shaking.
"Sonic!? Sonic, what's up?! What happened?" asked Shadow, concerned. Upon hearing that voice, Sonic realized where he was, and next to who he was sleeping.
Damn. Damn no. I can't believe this crap. He'll see me for the mess I am. He'll make fun of me for the rest of my life. He'll jab me with this for four fucking years. Four long and painful years. I despise this idiot. So much.
He felt two sturdy hands around his shoulders and the ebony mobian's pull towards him to look at his face. Sonic turned his head away.
"Hey, will you look at me, hedgehog? What's wrong with you?" asked Shadow, eyes wide open, trying to meet the blue hedgehog's eyes.
"Just let me be! Go sleep, or do whatever you do, and leave alone!" said Sonic, still avoiding Shadow's eyes.
"Look, hedgehog, I know the longing for someone, especially for your parents can be-"
"Don't you dare, okay?! I don't wanna hear you say anything about them, okay! There's nothing funny-"
Sonic felt his head submerged into Shadow's tunic as he pulled him into a tight hug. He felt the same arms that pulled his shoulders bend into his back, and he began crying. He closed his eyes and wondered if he was still dreaming. He opened his eyes and looked between Shadow's arms as the tent's interior looked surreal, the cloth's geometrical patterns hypnotizing him. Rhombs, squares, and stylized mobian skulls.
"You're not going to progress anyhow if you don't cry it out, hedgehog..." spoke Shadow hushed but seriously.
Sonic sobbed as his chest ached. He felt a burning shame inside of him. After a few minutes, he stopped, and heavy tranquility pressed on his shoulders.
"I jus' hate myself," spoke Sonic, teary.
"Why?" asked Shadow, still embracing him.
"I... don't know. I miss my parents a lot, ya know. I feel guilty for leaving them alone. I - I feel weak outside of my village. Worthless." responded Sonic.
"And I suppose I'm not helping your cause, right?" asked Shadow.
"No. You're making everything worse! You're right about what you said earlier. I want to prove myself to-o you! My parents s-said, I should make ya proud, cause I'm the only child of this village and all. But all I do is be a wuss in front of you. I don't- think I'm fit for this. You probably already think - I'm such a disgrace, or a stupid kid!" spoke Sonic, choking.
"I never said that, Sonic. Let's clear a few things up, okay?" said Shadow as he broke the hug and pulled his shoulders once again. Sonic looked down, still refusing eye-to-eye contact. "Look at me, okay?"
"Okay," said Sonic as he turned to meet Shadow's face. He appeared frowny but in a different way, somewhat combining his trademark growl with a warm gaze.
"Look, you're going to meet a lot of people in your life, starting from today. I'm under the impression that you think that adult life in this world means being good at fighting and collecting edible mushrooms, but to be honest, most of the time you spend it's going to be about talking to other mobians. Lots of them, okay?" explained Shadow.
"Okay..."
"And they're going to be very different from you, just like myself. They might like you a lot or they might hate your guts, all for different reasons. But pleasing others is not the right way to live, hedgehog! You don't have to please anyone, alright! Not even myself! What your parents told you is wrong. I am here to protect you when required, teach you a few things about surviving on your own, and give access you certain liberties while making sure you don't stab yourself in the foot with your sword. Understand?"
"Y-yeah."
"Regardless, if you really want to satisfy me, I want you to stop giving a crap about what others think, including myself! I don't hate you, alright! I don't think missing someone is cowardly! Why the heck would I think that?!" yelled Shadow.
"It's - I just don't know what you think!" yelled Sonic back.
"Who gives a dog's crap! Just because your parents loved you, that doesn't mean everyone is going to behave the same. That is the lesson I am trying to teach you!" Shadow stopped to catch his breath and then continued. "Look, I deeply care about you and all of my initiates, including you! However, I lived for 186 years and going... I've seen you grow and wither away, under my eyes, all of you! How do you want me to behave but detached?!"
"You weren't kidding about that, weren't you?!"
"No, idiot!"
Sonic looked into his eyes, not knowing what to say. He felt a new sentiment grow inside his chest but didn't know how to name it. He wondered if he felt pity for the ebony hedgehog.
"Thanks. I mean it, thank you! You're right. I don't have to prove anything to anyone-"
"Great! Now go to sleep." interrupted Shadow, moving away from the hedgehog and laying down with his back turned. Sonic did the same, after clearing his face from tears with the sleeves of his sweater.
He tossed and turned again, sleep fading away. It must have been after midnight, Sonic thought.
"Hey, can you spoon me?" spoke Sonic, out of nowhere.
"What does that mean?" asked Shadow.
"You don't know?!"
"No."
"It's when you sleep with someone from behind," Sonic said, tired. After a while, he realized what he just uttered.
Okay. What the heck did I just say to Shadow?!
"I know you are curious about sex, and we all have needs, but if you're trying to seduce me, that's not the way to go," answered Shadow calmly.
"No! Shadow! I didn't mean that! I meant sleep! As in to hug someone while they sleep." elucidated Sonic, flustered, burning hot behind his fur.
"Ah, I see. Would it help you sleep better?"
"Yeah. It's also a bit cold, already, even in this thick tent."
Without saying anything, Shadow turned and moved towards Sonic, pulling his back in his chest. He placed his left arm underneath his head, letting his spikes fall freely on it and the other on Sonic's shoulder.
"Comfortable?" asked Shadow.
"Very."
"It's going to be alright. With your parents, I mean. They're old and wise enough to care for themselves, trust me, hedgehog. They're going to be very proud of you when you get back home," spoke Shadow, quietly and intimate.
"Shads?"
"Yes?"
"You're such a strange mobian," said Sonic as he took Shadow's arm and pulled it towards his chest, hugging it. Shadow didn't protest and began quietly patting his stomach. Sonic felt his warmth surround him, and his eyes felt heavy again.
"I've been told so. Go to sleep, Sonic. You'll have a tough and full day tomorrow."
"I think I like you... sometimes..."
"Go to sleep."