Encounters: Beastly (Sonic the Hedgehog AU)

The Aftershock

The good news was that Blaze had enough thought to pack bear spray in her to-go backpack. The even better news was that she had managed to reach for it by the time the damn beast charged them.

The bad news was that it charged because Sonic ran past her, dropping his backpack for lighter weight. The even more unfortunate news is that Blaze fumbled with the bear spray as fear made her wonder what it felt like to die of fright.

She wasn't sure if Sonic was the one screaming at the top of his lungs, or if that was her. Everything became a blur as the creature bounded towards her in the most unnatural state. It was worse than seeing a spider dash across the station floor.

As quickly as she could muster, she pointed the bear spray outwards and sprayed.

Another shrieking howl ripped from the beast's lungs. It shook her to the core as she felt the vibration, stumbling over her own boots as she turned and raced after Sonic. It all happened within seconds, so the blue hedgehog was still easily in sight.

"RUN!" she shouted it pointlessly at the already-running Mobian. She was no match in catching up, she realized, and it scared her. Who knows if the bear spray was going to affect the damn wolf for long?! She had to think fast.

She didn't have a gun. She didn't have much protection other than the bear spray. And she had just greatly pissed the creature off. Blaze didn't have to think logically - her mind raced a mile a second. Her heart pounded out of her chest and her breathing got so heavy that she wanted to hurl her guts out. Her stomach had dropped, and her tail was so rigid she wondered if she could even move it.

Still, she pushed her legs forward after Sonic, trying to forget the shrieks the wolf made behind her.

No. It's not a wolf. A wolf doesn't shriek like a damn Mobian - like us. It's not a wolf! It's not normal!

She became increasingly aware of every detail they had captured on the cameras - how fast it had moved beforehand especially. It was intelligent and fast. She didn't want to be around to know how quick it would be able to catch up to her and the cadet. Granted, it looked like Sonic was winning this race.

So much so that he disappeared from her view quickly.

"WAIT, SONIC!" She knew that sentence was pointless. No way in hell that Sonic was stopping even for a second. He was gone. His backpack was left with the wolf - creature - as it tried to clear its eyes from the bear spray. At least Blaze had aimed it right as she ran away.

She rounded a bend and came upon the three-forked trail.

Halting, Blaze tried catching her breath. Her ears were on high alert, trying to hear for the creature. But it was still shrieking behind her quite a ways. The shrieks were turning into grunts and groans. She hoped it would scratch its own eyes out.

"Sonic," she whispered, staring at the three forks. "Which way..." She knew where Sonic was headed just by looking at the ground momentarily. There, in the middle trail towards the tower, were his boot prints.

He was headed the wrong way.

The cat turned to her left, towards the trail that would take her up and towards Half Point, where Silver and Shadow would be. Where protection would be. Shadow had a firearm with him - she knew that much. She knew she would be safe with them, or at least that's what she had to think and hope. Sonic was faster than her - she'd never catch up to him and that gave the creature time to catch up to her. But if she took Half Point's trail, she'd reach Silver and Shadow even before Sonic reached the tower.

But a part of her told her to take the middle trail - she was a ranger. She was still Sonic's supervisor. She needed to know he was okay, despite all of this craziness. He was in danger as much as she was, and despite having left her in the dust, Blaze knew her duties compared to him. He was thinking of surviving solely on his own. He wasn't her. He wasn't a ranger. Blaze swallowed heavily as she moved her legs without another second's thought, a duty calling her in what she hoped was the right direction.