"No No No NO NO!"
Silver waved his hands about, trying and failing to grab the billowing smoke that poured from his firepit. Like an angry black pillar of fog and dust it rose, swaying in the wind and surrounding the hoglet in its suffocating grasp. Coughing through the haze, Silver stamped his boot into the already extinguished pit. If any embers were responsible for this mess, they had to be put out.
Water dripped from his black-linned eyes as he stumbled away from his failure of a fire. Pain tugged at his heart as he stared at his uncleaned catch next to the smoking logs, uncooked and uneaten. Wiping the dryness from his face, Silver began to grumble. He was hungry. Very hungry. Having seen the bottom of the meat barrel grow ever closer, the hoglet decided to risk a chance at hunting rabbit in the outer woods. For it to go this badly was…frustrating to say the least. Shadow had warned him of the smoke that soft wood creates. Thick, black, full of soot… Silver wished he'd paid more attention.
As the last of the thick smoke cleared the pit, the not quite so white hedgehog coughed. Watery eyes stared at the unlit logs with frustration once more. The rumbling in his belly urged him on as he cleared the unsavory wood. The hunted rabbit called for him, and by golly was he going to have it. It took him great restraint to not eat it raw on the spot. Having not had breakfast, the smell of the catch made his mind go feral with the mere idea of sinking his teeth into its savory flesh. He'd done it before. Snatching up mice and throwing them down the hatch was a skill of his, taught by hunger and the drive to survive.
But Shadow had taught him better. The chances of getting sick were far lower with cooked meat, and the elder hedgehog couldn't be caught dead handing him a raw piece of flesh. Hacking more sticks from a withering tree, Silver made sure the wood wasn't something that would smoke so much.
As the rabbit cooked over the fire, Silver wiped his face of the dark smog. What eye-watering nose-burning chaos that was. By Gaia he should have been more careful. Hopefully he had snuffed it out in time. That amount of smoke would rise high into the air. Very high. High enough for someone to see it.
At least the rabbit would taste good - did taste good. Picking the rabbit from his teeth, Silver let out a sigh. There was no decay sapping its energy and it had been feasting on the patch of blueleaf that Silver liked to pick from. Lovely meat, in fact. Full of nutrients and even a bit of fat.
Silver liked it when there was fat. It dripped from the meat, leaving a slightly soft and buttery taste behind as the prey cooked. The more the better. Once Shadow had caught a flicky that had no bones showing. Silver would always remember that lunch fond-
"I think it was coming from over here…"
Ivory ears perked high.
"Who in the world would be this close to the Gravity Fields?"
"I don't know… It might have been-"
Silver didn't even finish listening before he scrambled. Knife, tinderbox, twine, and compass were thrown onto his person as he scrambled for a nearby tree as fast as his little legs could carry him. The barren branches only served to stress him further as he scrambled higher and higher. Leaves were rare in this forest of stone trees. With his reflective white fur and large glassy eyes, his chances of hiding successfully weren't exactly…great.
"I smell smoke."
"Me too."
"Its coming from over there-"
Silver covered his mouth as he stared down at the unextinguished fire below. Shoot. Looking left and right, the hoglet debated his chances of making it down in time…
Right as he extended his hand to move the logs, a hooded figure emerged from the petrified trees. Kneeling, they brushed their cloak behind them, running leather gloved fingers along the ring of stones as two more emerged from the woods.
"Is it recent?"
"Very."
"Who could have lit it? I saw no one."
"It had to have been someone, look - the animal remains have been cleanly cut and eaten."
Silver wound his fingers around his mouth as he stared at the three travelers. Despite their heavy cloaks and disguised complexions, their hoods were not vibrant. One, clearly the leader, wore fabric stained a dull gray. His brown and black tail swished back and forth as he moved about the firepit - sniffing the air and feeling the ground in a very strange manner. Silver might have found the actions amusing even…had it not been for the heavy sword strapped to his back.
"Do you have a scent?"
The second figure approached the leader, squatting down next to the fire and poking at the rabbit pelt. She too wore a cloak - this time died a natural green with a bow slung across her chest.
"They're nearby…" The first one responded, standing from the ground. "They aren't far at all…"
Silver gulped.
"I think…"
The figure began to walk around, sniffing the air in deep breaths.
"Where?" The third figure asked, brushing away his brown leather cloak and reaching behind his back at an unknown object.
"I think…"
Around the fire, once or twice, the first figure walked, head raising higher and higher until…
Eye contact.
"Oh."
Silver jumped. Heart pounding and lungs speeding he leapt from his place in the branches and dove towards the ground. Claws scraped at the trunk as he slowed his descent - flaking off bits of stone and grinding his nails to a stub in a spectacular scrunch. Kicking off the tree, the hedgehog hit the ground with a running start.
"Hey wait-"
Silver could hear the footsteps of the three adults chasing after him as he bolted through the petrified woods. With no idea of how fast or how powerful the three were, the frightened hoglet picked up his speed - weaving through a dense area of trees in an attempt to lose his pursuers. However, despite his best efforts, the footsteps followed close behind. Breathing heavier, he bolted on.
He just had to make it to the Gravity Fields. He just had to make it to the fields. He just had to make it…
"Kid - slow down!"
The grey hooded adult leapt in front of him - arms stretched wide and fingers extended. Horrified, Silver screeched to a halt. His eyes could only stare at the figure's large hands. Reaching, grabbing, waving… Memories of the horrible Syndicate hoods filled his mind as he backed away from the adult. He could be kidnapped. Stolen. Forced to work against his will and taken far far away where Shadow would never find him… The hooded figure's sharp teeth glistened into a smile, sending shivers down Silver's spine.
"Easy, kid." The second hood spoke, appearing off to his side and extending her hand as well.
The third hood appeared, holding up his shield and smiling widely. Panicked, Silver looked around. The three adults had triangulated him in a dense pocket of wood with nowhere to run. Sweat began to drip down his fur as he twisted this way and that. Hands reached, weapons glistened, teeth shone… Silver heard his heartbeat in his ears as the three stepped closer and closer…
"Stay back!" Silver shouted, reaching to his belt and drawing his blade in a swooshing schring.
"Easy-"
Silver slammed his boot against the ground, watching as a rock bounced from its place in a crack. Hands glowing and brows furrowing, the hedgehog snatched the stone in his aura. With a wave of his hand the stone began to fly. Faster and faster it spun as the hedgehog set it in orbit around his trembling body. With one hand moving, the other gripped the sharp knife. He had to be careful not to hit himself as he assumed his stance. With another aggressive shout he slipped into a pose.
The rock shot towards one of the figures - slamming into the tree behind as he leapt out of the way
"Woah!"
"Stay back!"
The growl barely left the hoglet's bared teeth before the three crouched low. An ivory paw shot forwards as he grabbed the thrown stone once more, yanking it towards himself at an impressive speed and setting it in orbit once more - arcing to a different pose as it went.
"Easy kid-" The first figure calmly stated, raising his hands up. "We don't want any trouble…"
"You chased me!"
"It's all a misunderstanding!' The second figure chimed in, pulling down her hood to reveal her face. "We're sorry to scare you-"
Silver pointed his blade at her, backing away slightly before realizing the third was behind him.
"It's just alarming to see a kid alone in a dangerous place like this…" She reasoned.
Silver lowered his blade as he studied the grown rabbit. Her long red ears had been tied behind her head with a leather band, hardly noticeable until now. Carefully, she raised her hands, attempting her best to show Silver she meant no harm.
"You chased me." The hedgehog frowned, setting the stone on the ground with a wave and swinging his blade in her direction.
"We thought you were in trouble." The first figure piped up, lowering his hood to reveal a messy head of black and brown fur. "I'm sorry to scare you."
Silver pointed his blade at the dog.
"I'm Shepard - Ranger of the Apotos code." The dog explained. "You sent up a smoke signal - so we came to offer assistance."
"We come to aid whoever needs it." The third figure spoke, lowering his hood as well. "Haven't you met Rangers before?"
"No." Silver growled, turning to point his knife at the teen behind him. "How come I haven't seen you before?"
"We are traveling with our pack from Crescent City to Cliffside village." The rabbit answered. "Our route simply took us through here, and we broke off to investigate the smoke signal."
"I've never seen you before." Silver frowned, tightening his grip. "How do I know you're not gonna hurt me?"
"Our code forbids it." Shepard answered, gesturing calmly towards the hoglet. "We do not fight those who cannot fight themselves."
"Oh, you don't think I can fight?"
Raising his boot in the air, Silver slammed his heel on the stone - shattering it into splintering pieces. Sweeping his arms down and around, he snatched the shards in his mind. With a swipe and a swirl, the shattered stones began racing towards the lead Ranger one by one.
"Watch it!"
The third hood bolted in front of his leader with shield in hand - blocking the barrage of pebbles as the hoglet continued to pull through his punching stances at rapid-fire speed.
"Kid!" The rabbit called, waving her hands. "We don't mean to scare you!"
"Then why are you cornering me?!"
Back and forth his hands raced, flinging the bullet-sized shards towards the shield in the hopes the three would simply get the message.
"You are running towards the fields!" Shepard exclaimed, raising his hands in a pleading motion. "If you're caught in the pulls you'll be dead for sure-"
"I live in the Fields!" Silver shouted, dropping his hands and stomping his foot. Having run out of shards, he pointed his blade back at the grey hooded dog - growl in his throat and ears laid flat.
"Wait-" The rabbit called, pointing a finger at her leader. "Just wait a second."
Slowly she turned her head towards the angered hedgehog.
"Are…sorry, not to pry… but… are you The Prodigy?"
"Who else do you think would be around here?" Silver spat, waving his hands. "No one else is supposed to even be in this area! You're lucky Shadow's not here to see this - He'd kill you for sure."
"Lower your shield, Rake." Shepard commanded, gently placing his gloved paw on the rim and pushing it down. "There has been a misunderstanding."
"Apologies, young Prodigy." The rabbit breathed, placing her hands on her chest with a lowered head. "We're accustomed to such heroes being…well… grown."
"Well I'm not."
"We can see that." Shepard agreed, tail swishing nervously. "Forgive us."
With an angry puff, the hoglet sheathed his blade. These people had some nerve. First chasing him and then cornering him? What jerks. Complete inconsiderate jerks.
"I hope you can understand how alarming it is for us to see an unaccompanied child this close to the Gravity Fields…" Rake reasoned. "Had we known it was you, we would have left you alone."
"I'm not supposed to talk to strangers." Silver huffed, crossing his arms and turning his nose to the sky.
"That's understandable." The rabbit folded, raising her hands and taking a step back. "But we need to make sure you're ok."
"Where is the Hero?" Shepard asked, taking a step towards the young prodigy.
Silver only placed his hand on his blade, eyes squinting in a warning that he was not afraid to draw it.
"Shep- just hold on." The rabbit reasoned. "We've scared the daylights out of him, you have to calm it."
"Right…Sorry…" The dog responded. "It's just…we have business with him…"