A Dragon?

The sun began it climb over the distant horizon, driving away the darkness as it replaced it with bright light. It slowly crept into the field where a group of knights laid asleep. The light continued its path as it reached the first knight, a brown werehog with its sword placed underneath. It shivered slightly as the sun's light crawled over it before a purplish black light formed near its chest. Fur, feral teeth and monstrous claws retracted until they were nothing more than the hair, teeth, and nails of a human boy. His eyes lazily and painfully opened as he looked around the surrounding dazed. Realization suddenly struck him as he remembers exactly where he was. He stole a glance at his companions and noticed the campfire was out. Not in a way that the wind blew it out or the water, which was completely out of the question since he nor his friends were wet, but was placed out by someone. He then noticed something as he looked at the others yet again. "Tails, check." He mumbled as if taking names. The fox was leaned up against a tree, a peaceful expression on his face.

"Gawain, check." The echidna was also lying against a tree far away from him and the fox. Unlike the fox who slept peaceful and silently, he seemed to twist and turn as he slept, either snoring or mumbling words from his dream as he did so. He slightly snickered as he continued.

"Lancelot, check." The black and red hedgehog laid peacefully on a tree branch, a stern expression could still be seen even as he slept.

"Percival, check." The lavender cat lay closer to the extinguished fire than anybody else he could see. She, too, had a stern expression, basically having to knock out the dragon, Starkage, who lay closest to forest in his actual size, probably changed unconsciously, and her brother, Lamorak. The hawk lay near the tree that Lancelot occupied. The hedgehog was probably making sure the hawk didn't do anything before falling asleep.

"Starkage, check. Lamorak, check."

"Nate, check." The sudden voice startle the human ah turned to face the direction of the voice, which came from in front of him. Up in the tree, lying on a branch with its peach arms behind his quilled head was the blue hedgehog who was king of the kingdom, Sonic. Nate could conclude that he was awake before dawn. By the way he did his popular grin and how he looked wide-awake. "What's wrong, you look surprise."

"Sonic, why are you up so early." The hedgehog bore a confused look as he looked at Nate.

"What do you mean," he replied as he stood up, stretched himself while balancing on the branch, and leaping off before landing on the ground with a soft thud, "I always get up around that time with Percival for a run. Can't start the day without something to wake ya up, I say."

"Then why are you up and Percival isn't?" Nate asked.

"I went alone this time. The only reason she accompanies me is to make sure nothing happen to me." The blue hedgehog glanced at the cat as he leaned near Nate, as if making sure whatever he said next would only be between those two, "I mean we all know she likes me." The human chuckled before a morning yawn escaped his mouth. A look of shock appeared on his face, causing Sonic to burst into a quiet laugh before replying.

"Let's wake up the others before you fall asleep again."

"Couldn't we sleep for a little while more," the hawk complained as he followed the group sluggishly through the forest, "I mean, do we really need to start heading to the village this early."

"It would be best if we arrived at the village early. Who know if the Black Knight had decided to attack there yet?" Caliburn answered.

"Well I have to agree with beak-face here though, couldn't we have slept just a little while longer. I don't know about you, but dragons need their sleep, too ya know." The green dragon replied as a deep yawn escaped, helping his statement. His earthen sword dragged lazily onto the ground, its three sharp points leaving deep gashes in it.

"Oh, would you two stop complaining, you're not the only one who got up early ya know." Gawain shouted to the two knights, earning a grumbling response in return.

"We shouldn't be far from Nightmare's village." The blue hedgehog, who had token lead, replied, glancing downward at the map he held in his gloved hand as they continued their journey through the forest. "When we get there, you two can take an hour or two nap before we set off again." The bushes rustled nearby, causing the group to stop, frozen in place as they try to figure out who had done that.

"Maybe it was some animal." Lancelot replied. As soon as he said that a white bunny hopped out, its pink nose twitching slightly as it stared at the group. The group chuckled a bit before walking again.

"So who is Nightmare?" Tails asked his friend.

"You'll meet him soon." Sonic answered as he glanced at the fox before returning his attention to what was ahead and the map occasionally. "Let's just say, he'll remind you a lot more about Shadow." Another set of bushes stirred, their leaves rustling.

"Maybe it's another bunny." Starkage laughed to himself, but slightly choked as he saw a shadow appeared and disappeared as if it was a figment of an imagination. "Okay, did anyone else see that?"

"See what?" Gawain asked. The green dragon tail snaked on the ground at a panic pace, twitching slightly at any shadow or noises that weren't there.

"What's wrong dragon-breath, you seemed paranoid." Lamorak joked before the mysterious shadow appeared in their path. It stalked forward as it approached the group, as if they were its prey. When it was only a few feet away from Sonic, it stopped, allowing the hedgehog to see who it was, which he instantly recognized. Sonic smirked as he turned to Tails.

"Tails, this is Nightmare." The said person grunted before walking to them, allowing the others to also recognize the hedgehog. "Nightmare the dragon."

Nightmare: Why did you make me look creepy when they met me.

Me: (shrugs) I thought it would add a bit of horror and humor to the story.

Nightmare: (grunts in dislike) What about the part about me resembling Shadow a bit.

Me: ( points at him ) you have the same attitude as him.

Nightmare: (growls slightly) Do you want to keep that head of yours?

Me: (gulps in turn to you) R…R…

Nightmare: (sighs) Review people, and would someone give this dragon his medication.