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“I should’ve been more straightforward on that,” she remarked as they fell into step together. “I’m Megan, or Meg as my friends call me.”

“Well, Megan, I’m Eli-” he started to introduce himself before stopping himself. “Just Eli.” He couldn’t risk giving his full name, what if someone heard or there were already word of him running away from the castle? He just had to go with that for now.

“Well, Just Eli,” Megan teased, “what brings you out here in our neck of the woods?”

“Was that a pun?” he grinned.

“Maybe,” she laughed.

Source, his heart was hurting! Whoever the man was, he was lucky to have her, even if he only knew her for a brief time.

“But still that doesn’t answer my question,” she grinned.

“Oh, uh, just...traveling,” he replied, quickly averting his gaze.

The path Megan took, wound its way along the stream which bubbled and gurgled over shining rocks and past large boulders covered with moss. Ferns sheltered in the shadows of a small waterfall which cascaded into a clear pool where fishes darted and shimmered among grasses that bent low, with the flow of the current. The leaves were starting to change, some had begun to fall creating a floating kaleidoscope of color that changed over the surface of the water. Dried grasses and reeds clung to the deeper areas of the pool.

Elias wondered if he should at least attempt to wash the mud off of himself, but he also knew that it would be rude to leave his companion waiting just so he could clean up. Then, he noticed the burrs caught in the fabric of his cloak and frowned. So much for royal finery out here in the wilderness, it would have to wait. Finding a village, a town, some sort of civilization was the priority, until now, the rest would have to wait.

“So, this is the Feral Forest; the name doesn’t exactly sound promising or safe...” he remarked, as he started picking at the stubborn burrs.

Megan hummed at that. “Well, this was the home for some feral nations. I recall rabbit warrens, badger sets, and the occasional wolf pack, but they actually migrated to the southern lands earlier than usual, I guess they wanted a head start considering Robotnik’s forces camped out near the border.”

“Ferals? Aren't they just a myth?” Elias asked incredulously. Sure there were mobinis, like Flickys and pets like Muttski, but could there actually be people that rejected that step in evolution? Savages as his father probably would call them?

Megan waved it off as she answered, “of course you would have problems believing in them!! Robotnik probably rounded them up next after the king got overthrown.” She turned to face him with a solemn expression, the prince nearly tripping over himself when they stopped walking. “Though there are a few; we just have to promise all our firstborns to the more vicious groups to make sure that they don't maul us to death when they return every spring.”

The two stared into each other's eyes, Elias felt afraid to look away, he was caught in the light of her sparkling spring green eyes. He noticed how they reminded him of new buds and young leaves just after the final frost had left and the days became warm. They were the halcyon days of his childhood, and he felt as if he could stare into her eyes for eternity.. He was snapped back to reality when she winked and smirked at him.

She was joking of course. Right?

“You’re joking right?”

“Well, the ‘giving up the firstborn’ part yes, but not the Ferals,” she replied as she turned her eyes back to the path. “Or Robotnik…” she added bitterly. The dark emotions flickered across her face briefly before Elias could see that warm smile again. “Well first thing once we reach Feral Forest is getting you a new outfit.”

He knew that was a given due to his situation, but he couldn't stop the words from coming out, “what’s wrong with what I'm wearing?”

Megan gave him a look that said, ‘you’re joking right?’ as she silently reached up and pinched the soft fabric of his shirt and felt it under her finger tips. “You’re wearing silk; unless you plan on freezing to death by the end of the week, you need wool.” She let go of the material as she started walking again. “Something tells me that you don't do much traveling.”

Elias’s cheeks turned red from the accurate statement she gave about how much experience in traveling he did as well as kicking himself. Of course he would forget to pack warmer clothes! But of course that was his fault in his haste to escape in the dead of night. “My, uh, family have been a bit overprotective as of late. Used to do a lot more exploring when I was a boy.”

“Uh huh.”

“No really!” he insisted. “One of the places I loved exploring was this one area of the Floating Island were these mushrooms everywhere! You could bounce around everywhere on the caps! And some nearly as tall as that tree over there!” He remembered that trip vividly because of the heart attack he nearly gave the unfortunate Brotherhood member that was tasked with watching him that day; the poor echidna turned around for one second and the next thing he saw was a seven year old Elias bouncing around on mushrooms without a care in the world. Of course, he just had to explain how he broke his arm to the other members by the end of that trip.

He suppressed a few giggles at the memory that bubbled up; he nearly forgot the look on one of his caretakers’ face when he saw the young squirrel bouncing along. As he glanced over at Megan, his heart swelled at the look of curiosity (and was that admiration?) that she gave him.

“You were on the Floating Island? But…how on Mobius did you get up there?” she asked, the ex-prince shrugging.

“Oh, I’m part flying squirrel, I got it from my father’s side of the family! One day, I was just on the ground and then a great big gust of wind blew me straight into the sky and straight to the island,” he explained, acting nonchalantly like it was just everyday knowledge. He held the look, enjoying the look of awe and bewilderment that Megan had on her face for a solid three seconds before playfully winking at her.

“You’re joking, right?” she asked as Elias continued on ahead. “Eli, please tell me that you’re joking.”

“Oh well, the flying squirrel part, I’m pretty positive that was a joke, but I did live up on the Floating Island for most of my life until quite recently!” he laughed, placing his hands behind his head.

Megan caught up to him, adjusting the basket in her arms as she looked at him in confusion. “So how did you end up there?” she quietly asked.

He nearly tripped over himself, his heart practically stopping at the question. What could he even say? He couldn’t tell the truth because that’ll lead into more questions like ‘why was his mother and him evacuated to Angel Island, when did this happen,’ and probably loads more that he didn’t want to answer.

Megan’s voice softened as she asked, “Eli?”

“I...don’t recall,” he answered, shrugging. “Too young to remember, unfortunately.”

“But how did you get down from there? Why would you want to leave?” she asked, Elias mentally kicking himself. Of course she would ask that and how was he going to answer that??

“Oh, uh,” he started to say, his brain scrambling for an answer. What would cause Eli the traveler to leave the Floating Island based on what he already slipped out already? “My….family got word that there were relatives living on the surface and thought it would be best that I would get to know them.” It wasn’t a lie per se, but it wasn’t the whole truth. He didn’t even know he had a sister or that his father was still alive until Geoffrey and his men came up to collect him. Geoffrey, hmmm, yeah, he elected to omit those details, and until he got to know Megan and the people here a bit more, maybe keeping things vague would be a good idea.

“I see…” Megan replied, her gaze resting on the basket of laundry in her arms. Her ears perked up as she looked up the path ahead. Elias’ ears swiveled up as well as he caught the sound, a voice calling towards them. He looked over at his traveling companion as she sighed in playful annoyance, catching a look of recognition lighting up in her eyes. “That would be my dad. He’s a worrywart sometimes.”

“Your…dad?” he repeated as Megan continued on towards the voice. He noticed that the path they were following was becoming more worn. Perhaps this was the way people walked to leave or enter the village. “I suppose that means that we’re close to Feral Forest?”

The grin on her face made his heart flip in his chest. She moved some of the low branches out of the way of the well-worn path to reveal a few wooden buildings close by and a wider path that he presumed lead into the village center. He could see a few far off buildings making him wonder how large it really was. “More like we’ve reached it.”

“Welcome to Feral Forest, Eli.”

Description
“I should’ve been more straightforward on that,” she remarked as they fell into step together. “I’m Megan, or Meg as my friends call me.”

“Well, Megan, I’m Eli-” he started to introduce himself before stopping himself. “Just Eli.” He couldn’t risk giving his full name, what if someone heard or there were already word of him running away from the castle? He just had to go with that for now.

“Well, Just Eli,” Megan teased, “what brings you out here in our neck of the woods?”

“Was that a pun?” he grinned.

“Maybe,” she laughed.

Source, his heart was hurting! Whoever the man was, he was lucky to have her, even if he only knew her for a brief time.

“But still that doesn’t answer my question,” she grinned.

“Oh, uh, just...traveling,” he replied, quickly averting his gaze.

The path Megan took, wound its way along the stream which bubbled and gurgled over shining rocks and past large boulders covered with moss. Ferns sheltered in the shadows of a small waterfall which cascaded into a clear pool where fishes darted and shimmered among grasses that bent low, with the flow of the current. The leaves were starting to change, some had begun to fall creating a floating kaleidoscope of color that changed over the surface of the water. Dried grasses and reeds clung to the deeper areas of the pool.

Elias wondered if he should at least attempt to wash the mud off of himself, but he also knew that it would be rude to leave his companion waiting just so he could clean up. Then, he noticed the burrs caught in the fabric of his cloak and frowned. So much for royal finery out here in the wilderness, it would have to wait. Finding a village, a town, some sort of civilization was the priority, until now, the rest would have to wait.

“So, this is the Feral Forest; the name doesn’t exactly sound promising or safe...” he remarked, as he started picking at the stubborn burrs.

Megan hummed at that. “Well, this was the home for some feral nations. I recall rabbit warrens, badger sets, and the occasional wolf pack, but they actually migrated to the southern lands earlier than usual, I guess they wanted a head start considering Robotnik’s forces camped out near the border.”

“Ferals? Aren't they just a myth?” Elias asked incredulously. Sure there were mobinis, like Flickys and pets like Muttski, but could there actually be people that rejected that step in evolution? Savages as his father probably would call them?

Megan waved it off as she answered, “of course you would have problems believing in them!! Robotnik probably rounded them up next after the king got overthrown.” She turned to face him with a solemn expression, the prince nearly tripping over himself when they stopped walking. “Though there are a few; we just have to promise all our firstborns to the more vicious groups to make sure that they don't maul us to death when they return every spring.”

The two stared into each other's eyes, Elias felt afraid to look away, he was caught in the light of her sparkling spring green eyes. He noticed how they reminded him of new buds and young leaves just after the final frost had left and the days became warm. They were the halcyon days of his childhood, and he felt as if he could stare into her eyes for eternity.. He was snapped back to reality when she winked and smirked at him.

She was joking of course. Right?

“You’re joking right?”

“Well, the ‘giving up the firstborn’ part yes, but not the Ferals,” she replied as she turned her eyes back to the path. “Or Robotnik…” she added bitterly. The dark emotions flickered across her face briefly before Elias could see that warm smile again. “Well first thing once we reach Feral Forest is getting you a new outfit.”

He knew that was a given due to his situation, but he couldn't stop the words from coming out, “what’s wrong with what I'm wearing?”

Megan gave him a look that said, ‘you’re joking right?’ as she silently reached up and pinched the soft fabric of his shirt and felt it under her finger tips. “You’re wearing silk; unless you plan on freezing to death by the end of the week, you need wool.” She let go of the material as she started walking again. “Something tells me that you don't do much traveling.”

Elias’s cheeks turned red from the accurate statement she gave about how much experience in traveling he did as well as kicking himself. Of course he would forget to pack warmer clothes! But of course that was his fault in his haste to escape in the dead of night. “My, uh, family have been a bit overprotective as of late. Used to do a lot more exploring when I was a boy.”

“Uh huh.”

“No really!” he insisted. “One of the places I loved exploring was this one area of the Floating Island were these mushrooms everywhere! You could bounce around everywhere on the caps! And some nearly as tall as that tree over there!” He remembered that trip vividly because of the heart attack he nearly gave the unfortunate Brotherhood member that was tasked with watching him that day; the poor echidna turned around for one second and the next thing he saw was a seven year old Elias bouncing around on mushrooms without a care in the world. Of course, he just had to explain how he broke his arm to the other members by the end of that trip.

He suppressed a few giggles at the memory that bubbled up; he nearly forgot the look on one of his caretakers’ face when he saw the young squirrel bouncing along. As he glanced over at Megan, his heart swelled at the look of curiosity (and was that admiration?) that she gave him.

“You were on the Floating Island? But…how on Mobius did you get up there?” she asked, the ex-prince shrugging.

“Oh, I’m part flying squirrel, I got it from my father’s side of the family! One day, I was just on the ground and then a great big gust of wind blew me straight into the sky and straight to the island,” he explained, acting nonchalantly like it was just everyday knowledge. He held the look, enjoying the look of awe and bewilderment that Megan had on her face for a solid three seconds before playfully winking at her.

“You’re joking, right?” she asked as Elias continued on ahead. “Eli, please tell me that you’re joking.”

“Oh well, the flying squirrel part, I’m pretty positive that was a joke, but I did live up on the Floating Island for most of my life until quite recently!” he laughed, placing his hands behind his head.

Megan caught up to him, adjusting the basket in her arms as she looked at him in confusion. “So how did you end up there?” she quietly asked.

He nearly tripped over himself, his heart practically stopping at the question. What could he even say? He couldn’t tell the truth because that’ll lead into more questions like ‘why was his mother and him evacuated to Angel Island, when did this happen,’ and probably loads more that he didn’t want to answer.

Megan’s voice softened as she asked, “Eli?”

“I...don’t recall,” he answered, shrugging. “Too young to remember, unfortunately.”

“But how did you get down from there? Why would you want to leave?” she asked, Elias mentally kicking himself. Of course she would ask that and how was he going to answer that??

“Oh, uh,” he started to say, his brain scrambling for an answer. What would cause Eli the traveler to leave the Floating Island based on what he already slipped out already? “My….family got word that there were relatives living on the surface and thought it would be best that I would get to know them.” It wasn’t a lie per se, but it wasn’t the whole truth. He didn’t even know he had a sister or that his father was still alive until Geoffrey and his men came up to collect him. Geoffrey, hmmm, yeah, he elected to omit those details, and until he got to know Megan and the people here a bit more, maybe keeping things vague would be a good idea.

“I see…” Megan replied, her gaze resting on the basket of laundry in her arms. Her ears perked up as she looked up the path ahead. Elias’ ears swiveled up as well as he caught the sound, a voice calling towards them. He looked over at his traveling companion as she sighed in playful annoyance, catching a look of recognition lighting up in her eyes. “That would be my dad. He’s a worrywart sometimes.”

“Your…dad?” he repeated as Megan continued on towards the voice. He noticed that the path they were following was becoming more worn. Perhaps this was the way people walked to leave or enter the village. “I suppose that means that we’re close to Feral Forest?”

The grin on her face made his heart flip in his chest. She moved some of the low branches out of the way of the well-worn path to reveal a few wooden buildings close by and a wider path that he presumed lead into the village center. He could see a few far off buildings making him wonder how large it really was. “More like we’ve reached it.”

“Welcome to Feral Forest, Eli.”