Chapter 15: Starvation

Day 16

The next morning, the rain had stopped and the sun was slowly peeking through the clouds, shining it's warm rays through the trees of the rainforest, shining directly over the two hedgehogs cuddled in their shelter.

Shadow woke first, the sun's welcoming rays shining over his face. He blinked his eyes open and yawned, allowing the fresh oxygen to rush to his brain to assist in the awakening. The ebony felt a slight shift in his arms and he looked down, smiling warmly at the sight before him.

Sonic still slept, his face pressed against Shadow's dirty white chest fur, his arms brought up against his own chest as he relished in the warmth of the crimson streaked hedgehog's arms, which were still wrapped around him.

He looked so peaceful, as if he wasn't currently suffering being lost in the middle of the Amazon Rainforest. Shadow was almost sorry that he would now have to pull the young hedgehog out of his peaceful dreams, probably filled with adventures of beating Eggman and seeing his friends again. And Tails… oh how much Sonic must miss his little brother.

Maybe just a few more minutes.

Shadow smiled and snuggled his muzzle into Sonic's head, pulling him close. He had realized before that his behavior to the blue hedgehog had been changing drastically, finding himself happy to be around him. He remembered how Maria once told him about these warm fuzzy feelings that would corrupt his body once he met that 'special someone'. He had no idea what she was talking about at the time, but now he knew, and he honestly didn't mind it for some reason.

He had told Sonic before that this mission was completely platonic, but now… he wasn't so sure himself. And he loved it!

Just as Shadow was about to close his eyes again, a loud growl rumbled around them. His eyes snapped open and he shot up to attention, afraid that a jaguar or maybe even the Devil Dragon had found them. He searched around the camp, his eyes and ears scanning around them for any sign of danger. Of course, his rough movements had disturbed the sleeping hedgehog beside him, and Sonic yawned as he slowly woke up.

"Good morning." Sonic yawned sleepily, rubbing his eyes to clear the blurriness. Shadow jumped at the sound of Sonic's voice, and he turned to look back at him with guilt in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, did I disturb you?" He asked.

"A little, but it's ok." Sonic chuckled. "We gotta get up and get moving again anyway. I'm honestly surprised you didn't wake me earlier."

Shadow blushed and looked away, unsure if he should tell him the reason he didn't wake him or not. His ear twitched violently as he heard the same growl again, his head whipping around to track it.

"What's wrong, Shads?" Sonic asked as he warily watched the other hedgehog in front of him.

"... There's something here." Shadow answered quietly. "I keep hearing it growling. I'm not sure if it's a jaguar, or the Devil Dragon, but whatever it is, it's angry."

"Eh, yeah." Sonic blushed, rubbing his hand against the back of his neck. "I think I know what you're talking about."

Shadow looked back at his companion and raised an eyeridge at him. Why was he acting nervous all of a sudden? Suddenly, another growl rumbled and Sonic noticeably cringed. After that, it didn't take long for Shadow to realize what it was.

Of course! How could he be so stupid?!

"Sonic, when was the last time you've eaten?"

"Eh, about 2 days ago." Sonic sighed. "I was able to find a small pool in the river by the bank that had little fish trapped in it. There were only three of them and they were about the size of my hand, so that's all I've eaten."

Shadow nodded with a frown. If he only had a small meal like that only 2 days ago, then it was no wonder that the blue hedgehog was hungry. Shadow sighed and crawled out of the shelter, turning back around to help lift Sonic to his feet once he crawled out too.

"We need to get some food in you." He suggested, looking around.

"How? There's not much here."

Shadow ignored him and continued looking around, searching for fruits in the trees, or tracks on the ground.

At last, Shadow carefully lowered to the ground as he saw a muddy trail of mouse tracks. By the many footprints, he could tell that the mouse used this path often.

"We'll build a trap, like how the guides taught us." He told Sonic, who watched him curiously. "Then when the mouse comes by, we'll drop it on him and that'll be your meal. It's not much but it's at least something to help settle your stomach."

Sonic nodded. "Ok, let's do it then."

For the next few minutes, Sonic and Shadow spent them building the trap. They were hiding in the rain soaked ferns, hoping that it would disguise their scent, while Shadow held onto the string taken from the rope, tied to an overhanging rock that Shadow would drop onto the mouse once it walked by.

As they waited for the mouse, things got really quiet. A little too quiet. It made the hedgehogs feel uneasy, feeling as if the jungle was watching them, judging them. Sounds of animals and insects here and there erupted all around them, seemingly so loud in their ears.

Out in the jungle, the law was survival of the fittest, and it was obvious to the inhabitants that their Mobian visitors didn't belong.

The hissing, the screeching. The croaking, the rustling, and just the straight up judging! It was too much!

"SHUT UP!" Shadow screamed suddenly, ending all noise around them.

Shadow's outburst had startled Sonic, but he couldn't blame him, he was getting tired of the noise too. It was horrible, to think that the jungle knew that they didn't belong here. That they were lost and suffering, and that they were completely unprepared. Hell, they couldn't even build a simple trap.

"I'm sorry." Shadow quietly apologized, realizing that his outburst may have just scared off their prey.

"It's ok Shads, I don't blame you. I was getting tired of it too." Sonic sighed before standing up from their hiding place, reaching his hand out to the ebony. "Come on, let's get going. Karl said that most of the ferns are edible, so I'll just eat that instead."

Shadow sighed and nodded, dropping the trap before taking Sonic's hand and standing up.

"Ok, let's go then."

…

Day 19

For three days more, the hedgehogs continue to travel, stopping every 100 paces to add a new notch to their walking sticks. By this time, they have traveled only 25 miles, a mere quarter of the 100 miles they believe they need to go.

Sonic's mosquito bites had gotten worse and were starting to fester, running with pus and a clear fluid that could obviously cause infection. Shadow's bite on his leg hasn't gotten any better either. It was black and crusty with dry blood. Each step made the hedgehog cringe a little, the sheer signs of an infection. He hasn't started having any of the effects of blood poisoning yet, and neither has Sonic started having the effects of Malaria, but they both knew it wouldn't be long now.

Despite them being in the rainforest, proper drinking water was scarce, most water filled with mud, dirt, and silt, which could not be boiled for safety. In a attempt to stay hydrated, they had taken to trying to drink the water left on the leaves around them, but it's not enough. With the lack of water, they were becoming dehydrated and had also stopped urinating. But in all honesty, this was the least of their problems.

The two hadn't eaten in 5 days and were beginning to feel the effects of starvation. Like Sonic had suggested, they were eating the tips off of the ferns to satisfy their hunger, but it wasn't enough.

"Uuurrrgh!" Sonic couldn't help but groan, doubling over in pain as he clutched at his stomach, which was giving out another loud grumble of hunger.

"Are you ok, Sonic?" Shadow asked in a worried voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just really hungry." The blue blur answered, every word seeming to take away his breath. Seriously, at this point, he was starting to feel like the raincoat girl from Little Nightmares.

"Yeah, me too." Shadow nodded. "But don't worry. We'll find food soon."

"I hope you're right, Shads. My stomach literally feels like it's eating itself right now."

"Not uncommon but understandable. Your body is just trying to conserve its energy to keep it going. Once we find some food, you'll feel better."

Sonic said nothing afterwards, he had no energy to do so. Sonic was usually as healthy as a horse, but now, he was as sick as an old dog, barely able to stand on his own two feet. Seeing his blue counterpart struggling, Shadow stopped and went up to him. Without even a warning, he picked Sonic up bridal style and held him close to his chest. Sonic sighed with a content smile on his face, looking right up at Shadow. Shadow stared back, his eyes stinging with unshed tears as he stared at the weak hedgehog.

"Don't worry. I'll find you some food. I promise."

Then, like so many times before, Shadow wrapped his pinky around Sonic's, holding it tight. Sonic only smiled as he closed his eyes, feeling too weak at the moment to keep them open.

…

Hours passed and Shadow had still not found food. The hedgehog in his arms was withering in pain, his stomach growling louder than it had before.

He felt awful. Poor Sonic was suffering, while Shadow didn't really require food, but still got hungry often enough for him to eat normally. He could only imagine how much pain Sonic was going through right now, especially with his high metabolism.

"Come on, there's gotta be something around here." The ebony hedgehog hissed.

Walking a few more paces, Shadow looked over to his right and gasped. In front of him stood a beautiful sight. A miracle.

An aguaje palm tree!

"Sonic! Sonic wake up!" He cried happily, shaking the blue hedgehog awake.

"What is it?" He asked sleepily.

"Look, Sonic, look!"

Sonic frowned and looked over to what Shadow was staring at so excitedly, and he couldn't believe his eyes.

"Oh my gosh, the Miracle Fruit!" He cried out happily.

Unable to contain their excitement much longer, Shadow set Sonic down onto his own feet and they both dashed up to the tree. Laughing with tears of joy running down their faces, Sonic and Shadow began picking the berries from the tree and placing them in the tin cup they still had. Shadow took the butt of the machete and starting mashing the berries like they had done on that first day. Not long after, they had a wonderful purple mush in the cup, which Shadow helped Sonic devour in just a few gulps.

Oh it felt so good to Sonic to have his stomach full! Shadow was just as happy, proud to have been able to keep his promise.

They were laughing and crying, filled with joy with the berry pulp inside them. At some point, Sonic had actually started coughing, but neither one thought anything of it, both feeling too joyous with a full stomach.

That is, until Sonic's coughing got worse.

"Sonic, are you alright?" Shadow asked in a worried tone.

"No! *cough cough* Something's wrong! *cough cough hack*" Sonic coughed.

Suddenly, Sonic's coughing got even worse and he doubled over onto the ground, hacking his lungs dry.

"No! *cough cough* Oh please no! *cough hack cough* Dear sweet Chaos no!"

"Sonic, what's wrong?!"

But instead of an answer, a wretched sputtering sound came from the blue's lips, the sound of liquid hitting the grass. Shadow could only watch in horror as Sonic retched in front of him, the purple berry pulp he had just consumed spilling from behind his lips.

"Sonic!" He cried out once the blue hedgehog was done vomiting, slumping over himself on the ground. Shadow rushed across the grass to his companion, kneeling before him has he lifted Sonic's upper body, supporting his head with his hand. "What happened?!"

"... I'm sorry, Shadow." Sonic coughed. "I couldn't keep it down. My body is too weak. My stomach can't digest it. I'm just too weak."

"No." Shadow gasped, violently shaking his head. "No no, this can't be! You HAVE to keep it down! Maybe you just ate too fast. Let's just try again, but slower this time."

"Shadow…" Sonic whimpered, but the ebony hedgehog didn't hear him. Shadow stood up from the ground and went to the berries, making a new batch in the tin cup. He took the new berry mash and walked up to Sonic, placing the cup to his lips.

"Ok, go slow this time or you'll make yourself sick again. That's it, Sonic. Nice and slow."

Wanting to make Shadow happy, Sonic slowly drank the berry pulp once more. It took a few minutes for him to finish, but by the time he was done, night was starting to fall, and his stomach was full once again.

"How do you feel?" Shadow asked.

Sonic said nothing, his mouth and eyes squeezed shut, waiting for the inevitability that he knew was coming. Suddenly, he started coughing again. He wanted to keep it down this time, so he put his hands against his mouth, forcing his mouth to stay closed. However, it did little as spurts of purple came out from behind his hands, getting it all over his face and gloves.

Once again, Shadow felt awful. Sonic was getting vomit all over himself just to try to keep the mush down to make Shadow happy. He couldn't let this continue.

"Don't force yourself to hold it, Sonic." He whispered gently, carefully moving Sonic's hands away from his face. "You'll just make yourself more sick."

At that moment, Sonic gave up the fight and doubled over again, spewing the purple vomit across the ground again. By the time he was finished, he had tears in his eyes. He looked up at Shadow, letting those tears run freely.

"I'm sorry."

Shadow couldn't stand to see Sonic so upset. He cupped Sonic's cheeks and placed a kiss on his forehead like Sonic had done just 4 days ago, using his thumbs to wipe his tears away.

"Don't worry, we'll figure something out." He promised. "For now, let's just sleep."

And in the shadow of the aguaje tree, that's just what they did.