The sun shined brightly over a small, yet vast island. The sky was clear, the river was fresh and clean, the grass was green and overall, very peaceful. Somewhere on that island a small blue creature, reminiscent of a hedgehog, sped across the island at full speed on the lush green grass, running across an unstable bridge that collapsed when the creature ran over it, and through huge loop-de-loop without hesitation. He wasn't scared at all, all because of his special power, his super speed.
Being born with such power was a thrill for him because he enjoyed running so fast that no-one could see him, and reach anything, anywhere within a blink of an eye.
Eventually after that run, the little hedgehog crossed a small wooden bridge, and finally arrived at his destination; a secret treehouse hidden within the trees. Curling himself into a ball, he rolled across the wooden floor and bumping into his guardian, whom was peacefully resting, waking her up in the process.
His guardian was in fact a big owl, she had purple-brown feathers on most of her body, while her face was covered in white feathers, with light brown feathers extended from her nose ridge and over her eyes, forming eyebrows and large mottled brown wings. Her eyes were bright blue coloured and had a short and curved black beak. She was Longclaw, the only person that the hedgehog had, his only friend, his mentor, his mother-figure. She was his only family that he knew and he wouldn't have it any other way.
Lying on the floor, the hedgehog laughed at her shocked expression, which quickly changed to that of an annoyed parent when she looked at him, "Sonic. How many times do I have to tell you not to do that?" she spoke calmly.
The little hedgehog, known as Sonic, chuckled as he sat up and looked directly at her with a smile, trying to act innocently, "Come on, Longclaw! It's not like I scared you THAT badly!" He held that pose for a few moments, but from Longclaw's gaze she was clearly not affected.
"It's not about scaring me, it's about you going out by yourself, again." Sonic's eyes widened. "Yeah, I know about that." she added, before sighing and continuing, "Sonic, I understand that it may be hard for you, but we need stay low, we can't let anybody find us here."
Sonic just groaned. Feeling like he was told off by his mother, which was technically right but she wasn't his actual mom, and while he did deep down know she was trying to protect him, but from what? They're on an island, far from any kind of tribe or people to get them.
"Come on! Who's going to go all to this little island to get little ol' me?" Sonic moaned.
Longclaw was beginning to be a little annoyed at Sonic's attitude towards the situation they were facing. "Sonic..." She began, before ultimately releasing another sigh, "We can't be too careful with what we have, we're lucky to even find this place and I can't let you run around freely. Someone could see you."
Sonic chuckled, standing up from the floor, "No one could even see me! I'm way too fast for them!" He motioned with his arms for exaggeration, "Besides, I wouldn't be able to find this for you." Sonic dug his hand into his quills, pulling out a beautiful, yellow Sunflower.
Longclaw's stare began to soften and her worries vanquished, she loved flowers and Sonic knew that, whenever she was angry or filled with worry flowers would usually calm her right down, and Sonic loved to bring them to her, sometimes used this tactic to get out of trouble, which at times wouldn't work. But this time, whether it was the flower itself or Sonic's little face, she let it go this time.
She let out a silent awe and shook her head with a playful smile. "What am I going to do with you?"
Reaching out for the flower, Longclaw's eyes looked at Sonic, but from the corner of her eyes, she noticed something off atop of the tree behind Sonic. Her eyes widen in realization that it was the 'tribe warriors' whom they ran from and now were aiming their arrows at the little hedgehog in front of her.
"Get down!" She screamed, diving for Sonic and slamming the door with her foot before the arrows could hit them.
Looking around she saw silhouettes more of these warriors running on tree branches through the window and then enter through the open windows equipped with spears and nets, intending to capture the terrified little hedgehog she was holding close to her. Not allowing this to happen, she stood up, placed Sonic in a small bag and spread-out wings to then dash right through one of the warriors and out the window into the sky.
Flying higher and higher she maneuvered her body dodging the arrows shot at her. However just at the peak of escape, an arrow pierced her side and the pain that coursed through her, left her unable fly and fell straight down to the ground, but held Sonic protectively before crashing on her other side. Sonic, meanwhile, was frightened to death, from these warriors who were trying to presumably trying to kill him arriving to their home, to flying away from them, Sonic couldn't catch a break, especially when he heard his mother-figure shouting after an arrow was shot at her.
After they crashed down back to the ground, Longclaw attempted to get up but winced from the intense pain in her side. Sonic was petrified as he watched his guardian struggle to even stand properly, he got out of his small bag tried with all his strength to help her up. "Come on! We need to go!" he pleaded.
However, she knew she couldn't go on anymore and even if she did, their pursuers would easily catch up to them. As much as she didn't want Sonic to be left alone, her top priority was to keep him safe, no matter the cost.
She stopped Sonic with a wing and moved him in front of her. "Listen carefully Sonic." she instructed, ignoring the pain from her side. "You have this great power unlike anything I've ever seen... but in turn, there are those who want your power for themselves... and would do anything to get it... even harming you. The only way for you to stay safe... is to stay hidden!"
Taking out a golden ring from her pouch and throwing it in the air, it turned into a warp portal with an image of the woods covered in a dark night projected in the center of the ring, the other side of where the portal led to. Longclaw looked back to Sonic pointing at the portal behind her.
"This world should be on the far side of the universe! You should be safe there!"
Sonic was filled alarm and worry even more than Longclaw, "But... What about you?" He looked to her for an answer, but from her somber face he could tell what she was going to say, "No... No! I don't want to go without you!" he cried, desperately shaking his head.
"You must!" She insisted, "I'll only slow you down."
She then took the pouch off from her belt and handed it over to the young hedgehog. "Take these rings! These rings are the most important things in your possessions! Don't ever lose them!"
"THERE THEY ARE!" They heard someone shout from behind them. Looking back their eyes widen from witnessing their pursuers running closer and closer towards them. "DON'T LET THEM GET AWAY!" Another one screamed. Realizing time is running out, Longclaw turned back to Sonic, who was barely able to move from his spot from fear looking in the direction of their pursuers.
She pulled her wing out to him and gently pushed him in front of the ring, "If you are ever discovered, use them!" she instructed further, "And never. Stop. Running!" she added before turning in the direction of their pursuers.
Sonic stood close to the warp ring, but hesitated to go on without his only guardian, he looked up to her silently begging for her to not leave him alone. This only made her give him a final push to safety.
"Now go!" she shouted.
Startled, Sonic closed his eyes and began running. As far and fast as he could to get away, he hopefully wished that Longclaw went along with him, but was only his hopes. He tried to not look back at the portal, however knowing his guardian could still be in that other world and be killed he couldn't not look back. The portal he came through was still open and the hedgehog saw Longclaw still on the other side of the portal, using her wings to shield out every part of the portal from the warriors that were closing in on the defenseless owl.
"Longclaw!" Unable to look at his only friend dying, young Sonic dropped his rings and began running back to her.
Hearing his cries, Longclaw turned her head around to glance back at the young hedgehog for one last with a somber expression.
"...Goodbye Sonic."
"No!" Sonic tried to move faster, tried desperately to reach her in time. "Nooooo!"
Just as he reached the portal, the ring disintegrated, only particles left that showed what the portal had looked like, before they too disappeared into thin air. Sonic stopped to catch his own breath, he couldn't believe it, Longclaw, his only guardian and his friend was gone, and he was too slow to help her, and the ring to her was also gone.
However, that's when he realized, 'The rings!'. Rushing back to his bag of rings, Sonic burrowed his hand into the sack and got out another small ring, thinking about the last location he was in, he pulled his hand and got ready to throw... but then stopped.
Longclaw's words returned to him, '...there are those who want your power for themselves... and would do anything to get it... even harming you. The only way for you to stay safe... is to stay hidden!', if he goes back there, he will be found and if he's found he'll be killed or caught, something what Longclaw tried desperately to prevent, if he disobeys everything she did for him would become pointless.
Sonic's arm slowly moved down and touched the ground, realizing that there truly was nothing he could do, it was always a lose-lose situation for everyone. That's when Sonic eyes finally began filling with tears, leaving small wet patches on the dirt. His mother-figure was gone, sacrificing her own life to save him and now he has to survive and live on his own on this world.
Alone...