Chapter 4 Chase pt 1

His paws gently padded through the underbrush claws gently kicking up the leaves and turning the damp dirt beneath. He had slowed from his sprint to a gentle trot, his body too exhausted to go any further. His quills and fur were heavy and soaked to the very roots with rain water, the slight chill making him shiver. His red slit eyes looked around for a warm dry spot to rest until the down pour stopped, but everything was wet down below.

Looking upwards he selected a nice dry branch covered by another's thick leaves. With the last of his strength he climbed it's trunk claws digging into the bark as he made his way up. Panting from his efforts, Sonic curled in the thick fork of the branch his tail gently curling around to keep him from falling as he slowly drifted off.

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Tails cursed a under his breath as he struggled to put a spring in place for a third time, but again it bounced out again. "GOD DAMNIT!" He shouted before lashing out and swiping the machine part onto the floor. It fell with a loud metallic clatter breaking a chunk off. Tails held his head sighing and holding back tears. He just couldn't get his brother out of his head the shocked look he had when Cream flinched away and his glistening eyes as tears started to fall before he made his escape out the window.

Sighing to calm himself he once again picked up the part fixing the broken chunk before finally succeeding in putting in the spring. Don't worry Sonic I'm not going to give up. His ear flicked as he heard the door close interrupting him from his thoughts. Shadow and Knuckles came back with Blaze, Silver, Rouge and Amy following behind them. "So how are we going to do this?" Knuckles asked folding his arms.

Tails turned his chair around to face them "okay Shadow, Blaze, Rouge, and Amy you guys go search for Sonic. Knuckles and Silver I need you to stay here and help me with the cage and machine." Tails explained. Knuckles folded his arms "you sure this is going to work?" He asked looking at the half finished machine. Tails nodded "positive." He then got up running over to it "the machine will process all the ingredients for the cure, but the only problem is it may take a while I just hope Sonic's will power is strong enough to pull him through."

Knuckles sighed but cracked his knuckles "Well we'd better get to it then." He said

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Red eyes slowly opened its pupil contracting as the sun light entered. Sonic slowly stood leaping down from his high perch to stretch safely on the ground. He yawned fangs exposed and his tongue curling a little as he shook out his fur flinging lingering water off him. He winced as his stomach growled loudly having not eaten anything for 12 hours his system was empty. Which explained the slight weakness as his hand shook from his weight. He looked thin too his over driven metabolism already breaking down what little fat he had stored in his body.

Sniffing the air he caught the scent of rabbit an easy catch thanks to his speed. However just as he was about to pounce a stronger scent hit his nose. Sonic quickly got out of his stance as a raging moose came his way. He tried to dodge, but was just a second to late as one of its hooves came crashing into his side. Sonic yelped rolling on the ground from such a blow as he struggled to catch his breath.

He growled snarling at the animal as it stomped it's hooves on the ground, challenging him. His tail lashed as he gave low growls circling the large deer. The moose remained in its stance watching Sonic carefully as he circled, it huffed through it's large nostrils muzzles tensing. Suddenly Sonic lunged latching onto the moose's back and sinking his teeth into the nape of it's neck. The moose reared making a weird deep yell that sounded like a deformed bull as it bucked kicking out it's legs. Sonic's claws lost their grip and he flew off skidding on the ground to a stop. He got up quickly but not fast enough he yelled as the animal gave a good kick to his stomach. He tumbled on the ground slamming his head against the base of a tree.

'CRACK'

Sonic's didn't hear himself yelp. His ears were ringing and he felt warm liquid drip down the back of his head and onto his hand. His vision was blurry but his smell was never wrong...blood. Not just his own, he smelled the moose's blood too. His pupil contracted further and he growled getting up the smell of blood beginning to force him in a frenzy.

His throat began to burn and he winced his growl growing deeper. The burning intensified the outside of his throat beginning to glow a baby blue. Sonic snarled and without warning roared loudly at the animal. It was loud...louder than his Sonic boom with a force to exceed. His roar made the air bend around the waves glowing a light blue as it tore up the earth and blew full grown trees from their roots. The moose struggled to hold its ground, but Sonic's roar had more force than the worlds top recorded hurricane. The large deer went flying slamming into a boulder which somehow managed to withstand the hybrid's voice.

Sonic finally stopped panting a little from the exertion. Though when he approached the animal, time seemed to stand still as he stared into the eyes of the moose. It's soul reflected his own. Sonic looked up seeing it's foals a few yards away stiff legged and trembling, his eyes turned green and he looked back at the deer. Just like him it was only trying to protect those most dear to it. Sonic was immediatly over taken with sorrow and guilt. His roar having caused the moose to slam into the tree breaking it's spine in two, it couldn't walk...or even move for that matter. Only it's eyes watched the hybrid fearfully.

Sonic fell to his knees hanging his head. He was supposed to protect animals...not hurt and kill them. Tears formed in the hedgehog's eyes and his back shuddered as he cried. The moose's eye color changed from hazel brown to a light blue now holding a new expression, confusion yet also concern. Sonic looked into them tears running down his muzzle "I'm sorry." he weeped "I-I never wanted this to happen." The deer's eyes slackened already aware of what was to come.

Sonic knew the animal wouldn't survive anyway...so with much difficulty, he had to put it out of it's misery...and finish the kill. Sonic reluctantly placed his claws near the animal's throat. The moose closed it's eyes slowly as Sonic's claws pricked it's skin. "Please forgive me for this." Sonic whispered in it's ear before he drew his hand across cutting the animal's throat.

Sonic clenched his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut ears folding back as he struggled to avoid hearing the moose's gurgled breaths. A few seconds went by...and there was silence. Sonic dared to look and the sight only made him loose it. The animal was still and unmoving, but the fact that he killed it tore him apart. Sonic cried on the animal's body unable to hold in his sorrow. 'congratulations...your first murder' Sonic's eyes flicked red and roared into the air releasing the roar of death once more. His anger and frustration spent after just seconds of roaring he stopped. He sorrowfully stroked the moose's fur once before he stood, disgusted with himself he turned away walking deeper into the woods.

His turned red again and he started to trot as a haze glazed over them.

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