B.C.E.

She backed up further, still saying nothing. Her tail was tucked back, the telltale sign that she wasn't just a hedgehog. She wanted the dog to wake up; she was nice. She was also the only thing keeping the girl nearby... Mercenaries... They were the reason she was alone now. Her mother had shoved her out the back and told her to run, so she had...

And when she'd returned, everything was gone. Their small town had been burned down, and her parents and younger brother had disappeared. She hated being alone...

Shadow plled a piece of bread out of his pocket he had been saving for later. Luckily he had the ability to teeport an could get extra food at mealtime.

"Are you hungry?" He asked, offering the food.

"I'm an outcast too."

She looked from the bread to his face and shot her tail out, grabbing it. Bread in hand, she shuffled back a bit more.

Kale frowned. "I- I think I hear something.""
"Do not leave me, little man! Help me out of this trap. While the girl is unconscious."
"What the hell do you want me to do?" Suddenly he spotted a large rock. "If I chipped away at the rock on your neck, do you think you could force yourself out?"
The large cat nodded and waited patiently as Kale chiseled away the rock that was constraining him. With a grunt, he completely freed his neck and wriggled out until he could use his arms to break himself the rest of the way out.
He growled, sniffing the air. "The half-breed... She is nearby. I cannot tell where, but... She is here."

Echo looked to where Shadow was. This wasnt a good situation. Mercenaries they could handle, afterall, there were only two of them. But with Shadow MIA and Sunny unconcious they needed a quick escape.

^
Shadow heard what he said and leaped at the Hedgecat, grabbing her arm while she ws eating.

"Chaos Control!" He shouted, they dissappeared.

&

Flash

Echo knew that light anywhere. He rushed to where Sunny was laying and pressed his hands against chest. He then put his muzzle to her neck and inhaled through his nose. Luckily she was just using her powers a moment before and he was barely able to absorb a little of her ability. He could only use a fraction of her power but it was better than nothing. He picked her up bridal style and began to run.

^

Shadow and Starlight appeared behind the orphanage.

Star fell back, terrified. "Don't hurt me," she whispered.

Shadow sighed.

"I brought you here so the mercenaries wouldn't hurt you. I promise. You're safe now." He inched slowly closer.

"Do you want any more food?" His hand reached into his pocket.

She shook her head. "N-no, thank you."

Kale whipped around. "You!" He dashed in front of him and stopped him, trying not to hurt him unless he needed to. "Leave the girl here. If you do, we won't hurt you. Otherwise I'd start running again."

Shadow stowed the bread.

"What's your name?"

%

"What happens to her if I drop her?" Echo asked, formulating a plan and praying to god the dog would wake up soon.

"If you drop her, we keep her locked up and you get away alive. If you don't, you most likely die." Anton had stalked up behind him, looming over his back ominously.
"But wait," Anton said. "There is a third option, little man. If you tell us where the half-breed 'hedgecat' is, we will spare you both."

"St-st-star." Her father had taught her to not give out her real name to pure breeds, but she couldn't think up a false one.

*

The dog was already awake, but had done nothing to show that she was. If this goddamn hedgehog tried to drop her, she'd kill him and the mercenaries. And if they even pretended to give away the hedgecat's location, she'd kill them all painfully!

Kale's ears flicked and flattened back. "Anton, she's awake... I think. I can't quite tell... But I swear she just moved a little." He turned back to the one between them. "Okay, new choices: One, you hand me the pup, two, you both die. Choose wisely. Oh, and pup, if you are awake don't think that little trick will work twice."

Echo looked st her and saw she really was awake.

"In that case........" He put her on the ground.

"Let's go!" He opened u a hole into the earth and he and Sunny dropped in. but he could onl make it go bout 8 or 9 feet deep.

"I need some help here!" He told Sunny.

&

Shadow nodded. "Are you injured?"

She grinned and closed over the top so the other two couldn't get in. A tunnel started to form. "You can do what I do?"

*

She shook her head. "What do you want?" she whispered.

Echo shook his head. "I absorbe other peoples' powers when they're used against me. But sometimes I can absorb a little from their breath when they've just been using it." He cupped his hands in front of her.

"Powers are like an aura of energy. All I do is copy the aura's unique type."

^

"Keep you alive for one." He said turning to the area behind them.

"They still might try to find you. You're welcome to stay here."

"Okay..." It was amazing to the pup, but she only adjusted the boyish cap on her head and started walking off. "Where did your friend take my friend?"

*

Her eyes rounded with shock. The only pure breed who'd ever been so nice was the pup... "I... I need to find my f-friend."

"Ground zero: The Orphanage." He said, walking with her down the tunnel.

"And he's my brother."

*

"Shit" He rubbed his head. There was no way of knowing if Echo was ok. He had to decide if he should stay or go.

"I see. I think we should wait here for her."

"All right. You think I'm going the right way?"

*

The hedgecat looked frightened, inching towards the forest again. "But it isn't safe..."

"Damn! She got away!"
"It is alright, Kale. We do not need her; we are here for the half-breed, remember?"
He grunted, frustrated. "Let's search the area. What buildings are there around here?"
"There is a small building somewhere around here, I believe. A general store, perhaps? But no, last I heard there were many children there. What sort of building would that be?"
"No idea..."

"Its safer than the forrest." He took her hand gently, not realising that was a bad idea.

$

"Yeah. The orphanage was directly behind us....too bad its pitch bla-" Almot prophetically he stumbled over a loose tone and fell right on top of sunny.

Her fur stood on end and she scrambled back, eyes going wide.

*

She let out a yip of surprise, then pushed him off. "Hey! Stop that!"

Shadow realised what he did. He blushed hard.

"Sorry." He said looking away shyly.

%

"I didn't mean too!" Echo said, trying to get to his feet, but he was having difficulty. He got up finally only to collapse on her again.

{they dont know it yet but the hole is soo deep that they're taking on water.}

The hedgecat frowned. "I... I just want m-my friend..."

*

With a grunt, the dog rolled over so that she was atop him. "Silly boy," she grumbled, getting to her feet. "Come on, let's keep going."

"Echo will take care of her." He assured her. He wasn't sure how to calm her down. She was an outcast though. And she's afraid.

"Do you remember me?" He asked. "When they found me and my brother, covered in blood and crying next to the Master Emerald." He fought back tears, making sure she didn't see. It still wasn't easy talking about it. But he had to try and make her trust him.

%

"Sunny was it?" He asked, getting to his feet. "I know you. You wander around the forrest looking for trouble. You're like me and Shadow." He looked down.

"I also know what an aquafer is. And it looks like we hit it." He moved his feet and they were now ankle deep in ground water.

"We better get moving! It'll rise to fill the cavity in the earth!" He started running awkwardly, using his hands to balance himself on the walls of the tunnel as it constructed itself before them.