Alright, i have been slowly gathering a pile of prodigy artwork and am almost ready to post another concept sheet on AO3
However i dont have enough for the batch and wanted to see if anyone here wants to see any scene or object illustrated
i opened this offer up to the AO3 crowd and told them they'd be competing for slots with you guys so if you have any suggestions, please tell me!
i'll leave this offer open for the next few chapters and once ive completed the sheet, ill post it on AO3 and give you all a heads up here (:
"-nd make sure they get plenty of sunlight. The more light they get, the faster the symptoms will leave."
Silver groaned, shuffling about in his curled state at the sound of Shadow's voice. As he wiggled his feet, he noticed his spines were slightly confined by pressure on two sides of his ball. Frowning, the hoglet flexed his quills a bit.
"Plenty of light, plenty of water, anything else I should know, Hero?"
Silver hadn't heard that voice before. Pausing his movements, he pricked his ears to hear what was going on.
"They will be extremely lethargic for the next few weeks; nausea and vomiting will also follow the sicker ones for a bit, but with the proper sun exposure - they will recover."
Shadow was giving someone medical directions. Things must be safe if Shadow was talking to a villager. Fully awakened from his sleep, Silver decided to uncurl from his ball. It was best to get the day going after all. Who knows how long he had been sleeping. Unfurling his body, Silver greeted the world.
"If you feel likeeee-" Shadow exhaled the last word in a strained grunt, rapidly adjusting his arms to catch the hoglet before he hit the ground. "-adding some penicillin to the water, it won't hurt them. However it will only slightly boost the chances of a faster recovery."
Silver found himself dangling by his waist, arms swinging and legs kicking from the awkward position. Shadow must have been holding the curled hoglet against his hip like a bundle of sticks; for the ranger's right arm had snapped under the child in a very unprofessional manner. Feeling goofy from his unnatural position, Silver began swinging his arms in amusement. Small giggles erupted from his mouth as he wiggled his legs about, boots catching in the ranger's cloak and creating a funny flapping sound.
"If antibiotics work, it must be a bacterial infection?"
"It's more of an immunosuppressant." Shadow grunted, flipping the squirming child over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "The fog attacks the white blood cells and leaves the rest of the body vulnerable to mental manipulation."
"Woah!" Silver squealed, feeling a little dizzy from the sudden swinging motion. "Shadow!"
"I see." The village doctor responded. "So the best thing to do is wait it out with light exposure?"
"Yes."
Silver could only giggle as Shadow adjusted his cargo with a bounce of his shoulder. Kicking his legs, the energetic child attempted to swing some more - finding the way the ranger held him to be highly entertaining. Up and down he wiggled his limbs, see-sawing his body until the ebony hedgehog re-adjusted him once more.
"Do you have any more questions, doctor?" Shadow responded, not reacting to the unruly child on his arm.
"Other than what sick creature would do this to a living being, no. I do not."
"Shadow!" Silver shrieked, belly shaking from laughter and delight. "Put me down!"
"That is a question I do not have a proper answer to." Shadow spoke. "If that is your final question, then I shall prepare to head on my way."
"Thank you, sir."
As Shadow turned to walk down the dirt path, the energetic hoglet found himself waved around from the ranger's movements. Peals of laughter erupted from Silver's mouth as the ranger began his trek back to the main road - footsteps bouncing the child up and down much to his delight.
"Are we leaving?" Silver grinned, head wobbling as the uneven terrain shook his body. Feeling excited, he began to shake his legs once more.
"Don't kick me in the face." Shadow hissed, swatting at the hoglet's boots. "We will be leaving, yes."
Can I say goodbye to Skip and Aster first?" Silver asked, teeth bearing in a cheerful smile.
Shadow remained silent for a few moments, continuing his path until another sigh escaped his mouth.
"Sure." The ranger conceded, grabbing the hoglet's waist and lifting him to the ground. "Just make it fast, it will be a four month journey back home."
Legs wobbly from the awkward position, Silver found himself sitting on the ground before his feet could fully pick up his weight. Planting his hands on the ground, the hoglet pushed himself to a standing position - large eyes fixed on the older hedgehog who continued walking down the dirt path.
"Where are you going?" Silver called.
"To the gate." Shadow responded, not turning to look at the small hoglet. "Finish whatever business you have here, and meet me there when you are done."
With a nod of his head, Silver turned and bolted through a patch of browned grass to another well worn trail. Having spent a day with the two other children, the hoglet was well aware of the location of each of their houses. Aster lived closest; granting Silver an almost straight shot through a field to the Elder's dwelling.
Not caring that there was bits of hay clinging to his fur, Silver clambered over the fence and onto the crunchy path below. A small smile crossed his lips as he continued onwards to the wooden abode. As he bolted up the stairs to the porch, a satisfying thump thump thump echoed underneath his feet. Smiling even wider, he lifted his fist and knocked on the door.
A few seconds passed before the door swung open, an older teenager poking his head out. For a moment, the green eyes scanned the horizon before falling down on the tiny hoglet upon the doormat. A moody frown crossed the chestnut-furred face.
"What is it, kid?" He sighed, opening the door slightly wider and placing a hand on his hip.
"Is Aster here?" Silver asked, eyes wide and beaming.
"Mom?" The teen called, leaning into the house and shouting into another room.
"No!" Came the distant response.
"Aster's grounded." The young bear answered, turning back to Silver. "You'll have to leave a message."
"Grounded?" Silver asked, tilting his head in confusion. "What's that?"
"He got in trouble." The teen laughed, shaking his head in disappointment. "Dad took his privileges away."
"Priv'la jes?" Silver questioned.
"He doesn't get to have fun."
"Oh."
Silver found himself tapping his foot. If Aster wasn't allowed to come talk, then what kind of message should he leave? There was so much and so little to be said.
"Well, I'm leaving." Silver finally spoke, looking the bear in the eyes. "Can you tell him I said goodbye?"
"Sure." The bear shrugged. "I'll tell him that."
"Thank you!" Silver smiled, eyes beaming as he turned and ran off the porch.
For some reason, the hedgehog didn't feel bothered by not being able to say his farewells. It wasn't like he didn't care about Aster never seeing him again, it was more like…a non-issue. He didn't care enough about the other child to feel overwhelmingly sad about it at all. In fact, a small smile still crossed his lips as he crossed the cobbled main road. Hopefully Skip was still home. Weaving between some barren trees, Silver found his way back to the small hut he had been staying in.
"Prodigy!"
Silver turned his head at the sound of his hostess's voice. She had been tending the garden in front of her kitchen window when the ivory hedgehog arrived. Dropping her tools, she gathered her skirt and stepped over the fence.
"I was worried!" She gasped, walking over to Silver and dropping to his level. "You weren't here when I awoke this morning, I figured you must've run out again - you have to stop doing this to me!"
"I had to help Shadow…" Silver explained, crossing his hands behind his back and toeing the dirt in front of him. "He wasn't coming back fast…"
"Oh…Silver…" She cooed, reaching up and brushing stray bits of hay out of his fur. "You really can't stay away from him long, can you…"
Silver only shook his head. Shadow had been the most consistent caretaker in his life aside from Fliss. Throughout the last six months, the ebony hedgehog had been tending his wounds, guiding his powers, and giving him a safe and secure place to sleep. Without Shadow, Silver would have died in the woods alone - perhaps even succumbed to his untrained abilities. It was a pure miracle that he hadn't killed either himself or others in his outbursts. The ranger had taught him so much. There was no way Silver could ever see him being away from the adult's side. Shadow had brought so much security to the hoglet's life. A full belly and an education were but a passing dream back in the orphanage, but now it was pure reality.
"I can see you really care for him." The woman smiled, shaking her head. "A child's love is not easily bought."
"I came to say goodbye." Silver spoke, large gold eyes looking into the woman's soft face. "Is Skip here?"
"Skip is too sick to be around anyone but the doctor." The mother sighed, looking away briefly. "He has been placed in the barn with the others."
"Oh…"
"But… I will tell him when he wakes that you said goodbye." She continued.
With a nod of his head, Silver stood up straight. Right before he turned to leave, the dog snapped her fingers. As she stood from her crouched position, she turned towards her house.
"He did ask me to do one thing though." She spoke, walking into her house. "Right before he was taken back."
Silver held his hands to his chest, feeling anxious and excited at the same time. Sounds of shuffling and rattling floated out the window as the wirey women dug through a box in the sleeping room. After a few moments, she re-emerged, hands clasped over her chest in a graceful manner.
"He told me you didn't know how to play." She spoke, a soft smile crossing her lips. "So he asked me to give you this.
As she held out her hands, Silver also extended his - feeling a hard object drop onto his palms. Looking down revealed the wooden hedgehog in all of its crudely carved glory. Gold eyes dilated as he turned it in his hands, feeling its quills and limbs with his fingers.
"He said you enjoyed playing with it." The mother smiled. "Far more than he ever did."
"Thank you…" Silver smiled. "I'll always love it."
"Take one of these for the road." The woman offered, handing a long and orange vegetable to the hoglet as he stowed the toy in his pouch. "As a snack."
Silver flung himself at her skirt, hugging her legs as she brushed his quills in response. For a moment, he remained. He hadn't felt a motherly touch like hers since Fliss. As much as he knew he couldn't stay, he wanted to remain a little while longer while he could.
"Thanks for everything!" Silver chirped, letting go and jogging down the dirt trail.
As he bolted, he turned back and waved - watching her hands wave back until a building blocked his view of her. The sound of boots hitting cobble filled Silver's ears as he met the main road. Turning this way and that, Silver tried to orient himself to the gate. Which direction was it again…? There. Shadow's hooded figure was small from perspective, but he was there - standing in front of the logged structure. Smiling, Silver picked up his pace - ready to properly be at his guardian's side once again.
There was someone else at the gate, speaking to the elder hedgehog. Squinting, the ivory hoglet tried to make out who it was. As he drew closer, gold eyes identified the figure as the blacksmith. The two adults were speaking and nodding to each other, unknown words and untold expressions barely visible to the hoglet's senses from across the distance. Right as Silver found himself within range, the blacksmith ducked his head and turned - walking past the jogging hoglet with a smile.
"What was that?" Silver asked, seizing Shadow's cloak as he slowed to a halt at the adult's side.
"The blacksmith was unable to locate you." The ranger answered. "He has been trying to give you your claw for a few days now."
Silver watched as the ebony hedgehog pulled the crystal growth behind his back, tying it to his belt with some spare cord. Silver didn't feel upset at all by the action. Although the claw was his, the crystal object was far too large to fit in his small bag - let alone be carried for a long distance. It seemed the best option to let Shadow hold onto it for now, at least until they got home.
"Have you completed your rounds?" Shadow asked, tugging his leather free of the hoglet's hands. "Have you said everything that needs to be said?"
"Yep." Silver responded, puffing up his chest with a smile.
"Good." Shadow nodded, turning his hooded head to gaze through the open gate and down the road. "Then let us be off."