Rouge and the Rogue (Knuxouge)

Forest Ambush

A strange wind caused the forest trees to rustle. Or was it a wind? Tails the fox looked up from his position on the ground.

"Guys, I told you not to fidget!" He hissed just loud enough so his comrades, perched on the trees' lower branches, could hear.

"You try balancing on a branch for hours," Sonic grumbled back. "When is that carriage supposed to arrive?"

"Any minute now!"

"That's what you said when we started!"

They stopped their petty squabble immediately once they heard a small "excuse me". They both turned their heads to pay full attention to the speaker, Cream the rabbit.

"I just flew up the road. I saw a carriage. It was big and fancy, fancier than the ones the tax collectors usually drive," Cream explained sweetly, flapping her ears to hover in place.

"Wonder how they got the funds for a fancier carriage? Thanks for the info Cream," Sonic smiled at the young girl, then said to his men, "in your places everyone! They'll be here soon!"

Another rustling in the trees let Sonic know that the ambush party was ready. Cream perched on a high branch, out of possible danger.

Sonic made sure to keep Cream out of danger. She was still a child after all. Life on the road with his band of rogues was hard enough for a grown man, never mind a little girl. Of course Cream still wanted to be helpful. So she got to be the lookout.

Soon the carriage and its entourage crested a hill and could be seen. All the Rogues hid in the shadows, barely daring to breathe.

The carriage was a stunning sight. It was a spotless white except where it was adorned with jewels of obnoxious color and size. This one was followed by three of the usual drab brown carriages. As it rumbled closer Tails tensed up. Once it was close enough he threw a big stick under the carriages' wheels, creating a horrid cracking sound, and before anyone could look at the sound's source Tails lay next to the road, holding his leg and groaning. He wailed in apparent pain as the startled driver of the fancy forefront vehicle stopped the carriage. The other carriages had to stop too, and a commotion rose. Several of the soldiers who had been riding in them wandered over to see what the holdup was.

This was the gang's aim. The soldiers would be caught by surprise outside of their little shelters. On the ground, Tails gave the signal, and the rest of the rogues fell in.

From all sides, dropping from trees, they surrounded the soldiers' party. The offense specialists— Sonic, Knuckles, Vector, and Blaze— rushed into the fighting, knocking out any soldiers they could reach. They worked quickly. The faster they got through them, the less soldiers they would have to deal with after the initial shock wore off. As the soldiers were preoccupied suddenly battling these assailants, the stealth team would infiltrate their carriages, searching for and stealing any loot they already had. This team included Tails, Espio, Silver, and Charmy.

Espio, Charmy, and Silver each searched one of the brown carriages, now devoid of soldiers. There was nothing in them yet.

"Looks like they haven't collected anything yet!" Espio exclaimed.

"What a waste of a good ambush," Charmy sighed in reply.

Silver stayed silent. His carriage didn't even have seats for the soldiers inside it. This must be their loot carrier. If he could mark this one, it would make for easier stealing in the future. Silver quickly found a sharp rock and used it to scratch a large X on the carriage's roof, then ran to rejoin the others.

Tails had gone to check the bejeweled one, but the door rushed open before he could even touch it. The soldiers around immediately stopped fighting, choosing instead to bow fervently to Princess Rouge as she descended from her comfortable carriage. The gang, shocked at the sudden cease, turned to look too.