casual reminder that i do what I want
i will not apologize that life has been rough and i won't explain
anyways
have fun with this one
i sure did
It was difficult to say exactly when the stalkers started chasing them. Well, perhaps chase was the wrong word - follow seemed to be a better description. The night sky had invited lots of nighttime sounds, but the crunching of leaves under heavy paws seemed to echo true through the sickly air. Shadow didn't seem to mind much. Low grumblings and the occasional growl seemed to be his only reaction to the deadly creatures haunting their footsteps.
Silver was too frightened to make a peep. It wasn't like Shadow's indifference helped his anxiety either. Only a maniac would look into the red eyes of a stalker and scoff. Funnily enough, the ravenous beasts didn't make an aggressive move towards them. Silver only gripped tighter, dragging his tiny claws into the thick leather.
Eventually, the decaying woods gave way to a jaw dropping sight. A deep trench ploughed its way through the earth, letting huge vines twist their way across the abyss. The massive roots gave homes to countless plants and animals; illuminated by softly glowing lights in the creases of the curled vines. Shimmering specks of warm light fell across the thick branches, leading fireflies in their dances and glowbirds in their songs. Bushes and trees hung over the edge of the cliffsides, lending their bioluminescent light to the natural bridges that spanned the gap. The twinkling lights and countless plants could easily compare to the night sky.
"A-are those stars?" Silver asked, jaw dropping at the beautiful sight. The hoglet's eyes sparkled. This place was beautiful. Silver could only guess twisted canyon was the perfect name for this magical place.
"No." Shadow deadpanned. "The bioluminescent flora that thrives in this region only survives due to the inordinate amount of Chaos and Gaia energy that flows through this canyon on a daily basis."
The silence in the air was deafening.
"...What?" Silver asked, thoroughly confused. Shadow used awfully big words for a hoglet like him to understand…
"My apologies." Shadow apologized with embarrassment lingering in his voice. "I should probably explai-"
A deafening roar echoed through the woods, sending Silver into the throes of anxiety. He had nearly forgotten about the stalkers. With a small squeak, the hoglet clamped even tighter onto the sturdy build of the adult.
"Shadowww!" Silver whimpered, squeezing his large golden eyes shut.
"Calm down." Shadow sighed. "I have this under control."
"How is this under control!" Silver whimpered, briefly gazing at the drooling beasts before retreating back into the previous position.
"They know who I am." Shadow calmly stated, turning to look at the nearest monster. "They are wise enough to stay back."
The growling stalker shuffled backwards under the hedgehog's gaze, raising a snarl loud enough to make young Silver flinch. More eyes shone in the dark, neither blinking nor moving as they stared the duo down. Trembles began to rack the small child.
"L-lets go already!" Silver hiccuped, trying his best to stay quiet and calm under the fierce glare of the predatory animals. "I...I don't want…."
"You wont." Shadow said, calmly turning around and walking towards the glowing canyon. "They know who's strongest here."
"B...but...there are so many!" Silver hoarsely choked out.
"Number is irrelevant to strength." Shadow stated. The hedgehog didn't even blink at the aggressive bark that echoed through the air. Snapping teeth and drooling mouths quietly stalked after the nonchalant male. Silver felt his body tremble harder and harder, baby claws digging deep into the leather as he pulled himself closer to the adult.
"I...i'm scared!" He whimpered, tears beginning to glob in his eyes. "Please….I don't want to die…"
"Hold on tight." Shadow commanded. With a quick movement, Silver found himself airborne as the ranger leapt high into the air. Golden eyes opened wide in shock as the ground disappeared underneath him, giving way to the deep and glowing trench underneath. It was a miracle the hoglet didn't faint. The sight of the sheer depth of the trench made him dizzy enough, and it didn't help that the bottom was nowhere to be seen. Glowing plants and twisting vines were the only thing he could see as Shadow dove downwards, spinning in a nosedive as the beasts howled and roared angrily overhead.
High pitched screams echoed through the trench as Silver held on for dear life, crying out as they fell faster and faster. Shadow only streamlined himself, calculating his descent with thoughts faster than Silver could even process. Leather clad hands extended outwards, reaching for something the hoglet couldn't see…
Breath left Silver as Shadow jolted to the right. Young lungs tried and failed to keep up with the pace as the ranger spiraled around and around, hands clung tight to a glowing vine and foot placed accurately on its descending rope. Silver coughed and wheezed as they spun slower and slower, fall breaking under Shadow's iron grasp. Eventually, the duo slid to a stop, dangling in midair with only a plant to keep them from plummeting further with blinking specks raining around them like a dandelion blown in the wind.
Silver could only wheeze as he stared into the reflections on the ranger's right shoulder guard. The glowing plants and twinkling specks held a distorted view on the metal plating, yet… the canyon still looked so beautiful…
"Catch your breath." Shadow assured, adjusting his foot on the glowing vine. Golden eyes looked up, taking in all the colors of the twisted canyon. Floating specks shone in gold and blue, dancing around in the air and flying away at the slightest breath. Vines and plants shone in blues and greens, illuminating the stone trench with their twisting tendrils and glowing leaves. Looking at the vine Shadow held revealed specks. Silver reached up and touched it, causing it to break off and float away. So that's how the vines glowed….
"Woah…" Silver gasped, eyes dilating under the beautiful sight all around him.
"Feel better?" Shadow asked, looking over his shoulder at the amazed hoglet. "Good. hold on"
Momentum picked up again as the ranger swung the vine back and forth, going further and further backwards until the steel-toed boots touched the canyon wall. His left hand shot out, grabbing the wall and pulling himself against it. With his right hand and leg wrapped around the vine, Shadow began to bob his head, looking around for something Silver couldn't see.
It wasn't like Silver cared, the hoglet was too amazed by the botanical wonder to notice Shadow sliding up and down the vine to adjust himself. Without warning, the adult pushed off the wall; swinging a long distance before letting go of the vine. Silver didn't even have time to scream before the adult let out a long whistle. Animals and birds burst out of a hole in the opposite wall as the duo rapidly approached it. Before long, the plants and stone consumed them, Shadow turning on his side as he slid down a tunnel. Silver squeaked as plants rushed around him, nicking his face and flapping in his eyes.
"We're here." Shadow announced, sliding to a halt in a small cave-like area. It was fairly dark, with the only light source being a few plants and their bioluminescent leaves. Silver found himself swept off of the ranger's back and placed onto the floor. The hoglet only sat as Shadow moved around the room. It was difficult to see what was going on before light burst into the room. Gloved hands pulled aside a curtain of vines, letting the natural light of the canyon to flood into the room. Bats and lemurs bolted out of their spots, scared by both the light and the two visitors.
"Be careful not to fall." Shadow blandly sighed, pulling the other bunch of plants away. "It would be wisest to stay away from the edge.
Shadow was right. The room only really had 3 natural walls with the fourth open to the canyon. If Silver were to wander too close to the edge of the cliff, he would surely fall to his death. The hoglet shuddered
The adult now occupied himself with knocking around on the walls. Golden eyes peered curiously at the elder, wondering what the heck the ranger would be doing banging around like that. With a satisfied grunt, Shadow felt around a crack, digging his fingers inside and eventually giving a mighty pull. The stone gave way to some sort of hole, which the adult reached in and pulled out a box with a curious logo on it.
"Lets get you fixed up."