"Wow, I've always dreamed of living in a forest like this," Blaze said, looking around in awe and wonder. "I can't believe I'm actually free."

"What's wrong, Blaze?" Silver asked. "I mean - you've never been in the country before?"

"As a princess, no, never," Blaze whispered.

"Aww, don't be such a...well...don't be such a grump all the time, Blaze. Seriously, cheer up. There's more to life than wishing you weren't something you are, or vice versa." Silver encouraged.

"Oh really? I never noticed," Blaze said, not convinced.

"Sure, you know - I used to be just like you," Silver said. "Well, almost."

"What?" Blaze asked. She thought she was the unluckiest person in the world, but yet this lowlife had the same experience.

"Well..I wasn't a noble like you were, but - but I was locked up in a cell all day and all night. I know how you feel," Silver said.

Blaze then decided to change the subject. "Uh...about the introductions..." she stammered.

"Didn't have time for a proper introduction," Silver said, reading Blaze's mind. "I'm Silver. 14 years old, and from...from I-don't-remember. I'm a hedgehog, even though I was bullied all my life. That's it, unless you want my favourite movies too."

"Oh..well..hi, Silver. I'm Blaze the Cat. Same age as you, and a cat Princess, though...I'd rather not be called a "princess"," Blaze introduced. "Bullied all your life? Why? You seem...well...friendly."

"Bullied for what? For my mind powers, dumbo!" Silver laughed. He demonstrated his telekenesis on a scrambling bunny by a large oak. In no time, the bunny was floating up, with some green light surrounding it.

"Wow...this is making me - speechless," Blaze said. "You're one of the special hedgehogs, born of that -"

"Forget the bloodlines," Silver laughed. "I can levitate too, and it's really handy when fighting off the bullies. Have you got any...well...powers?"

"Uh..." Blaze said, her shy personality getting the better of her. "I prefer not to disclose."

"Why? I mean, it's cool having powers," Silver said.

Blaze sighed and said, "Fine..fine..I'm...well...I've got pyrokenesis."

"Pyroke - what now?" Silver asked.

"I can shoot fireballs, cloak myself in fire, and that stuff. 'Nuff said," Blaze groaned.

"Fire, huh? Whoa - that's so cool!" Silver cried out.

"Not really," Blaze said.

"Aww..Blaze, cheer up!" Silver laughed.

Blaze couldn't help but smile a little.

Suddenly, a booming scream was heard. "The King! The Queen! Murdered on the Night of the Princess's escape!" It came from a near-by village.

"What?" Blaze asked. She made her way out of the dreamy forest, and to the village. "What did you say?" she asked the messenger.

The messenger ignored her, and continued shouting the bad news.

Blaze whispered, "I'm going out there."

"You can't!" Silver shouted, tugging at her arm. "You'll be caught!"

"I don't care! I need to know what happened!" Blaze shouted back.

"But - but," Silver said. He calmed down and said, "Whatever - have it your way. But not without a disguise."

So Blaze disguised herself as a villager, and travelled back to the castle on foot. What she saw was a horror to the eyes.

oo

The dead bodies of her parents lay on the ground, in the master room (which belonged to them.) It was a bloody sight, and blood was all over the two bodies. Tears welled up in Blaze's eyes,not of sorrow of joy, but of anger. "Who could've done this?" she asked.

An old elder near the doorway croaked, "Evil is the absence of good."

Blaze swung around, to see who spoke those words of wisdom.

"You fear, youngling," the elder said again.

"What's there to fear?" Blaze asked.

"The one who killed the King and Queen, young one," the elder laughed.

"I don't understand. I don't expect -" Blaze said.

"Me neither. But I wouldn't put it past them to do it to themselves," the elder joined in.

"Done what? Killed themselves?" Blaze asked, in horror.

"We have no proof. But whoever did it is evil," said the elderly hedgehog. "And there is one way to destroy evil. Only one way."

"And what's that?" Blaze asked, eyes wide and curious.

"The Flame-Stone," the elder said, with more wisdom than King Solomon, in Blaze's eyes. "Only one of the royal bloodline can touch it, but with the help of a companion. What a shame the King and Queen died, and the Princess missing."

Blaze's heart skipped a beat. "Where do you find this Flame-Stone?"

ooooooo

"Silver, I know where my adventure lies next," Blaze said, as she rubbed off her disguise. "I must find the Flame-Stone."

"But do you have any idea what danger lies ahead?" Silver asked.

"Maybe not," Blaze said, "But I would rather risk it, than let it ruin the lives of my people. And...I want to live to fulfill my father's dream - get married and carry on the generation..."

Tears welled up in her eyes, as she remembered the last words she had ever spoken to her parents.

Silver put a hand on her shoulder. "Then I'm coming with you," he said.

Blaze smiled, and said, "Let's do this." The two ran off, as they begun a new adventure - on the hunt for the long-lost -

Flame-Stone.