"I don't understand!" Shadow growled, turning the map around in his hands. "It should be right here!"
Goldheart sighed softly, watching his captain fumble with the map. The night he showed the black hedgehog the map, Goldheart was happy to have gotten the burden off his chest. And when Shadow decided to look for the treasure the map led to, the blue hedgehog was excited and ready to uncover this mystery he's had all his life. But now? Goldheart sat on the beach, ears down as Shadow paced on the sand, fangs bared as he reread the map.
"Captain?" Goldheart asked meekly, setting the shovel he held to the side.
"Not now." The black hedgehog murmured, squinting at the parchment.
The blue hedgehog sighed, resting his head on his arm. Before long, he lay down and watched the clouds fly by in the sky. Goldheart didn't feel anything; not angry, but not really calm either. He was completely empty. And torn. He wanted to apologise to Shadow, but what was there to be sorry about? It wasn't Goldheart's fault that the map was a fraud.
Goldheart blinked softly, turning his head to the side. This island didn't have much except sand and two lonely palm trees that crossed over each other, struggling to hold themselves up. Emerald eyes glared at the trees as if they were to blame for this whole mess. But something clicked in his mind. The blue hedgehog sat up, his eyes scanning the trees up and down. The sun was directly overhead now, casting a dark shadow from the trees. And the way their crossing conveyed through to the shade was an epiphany for Goldheart. The intersection in the trees formed an "X" in the shadow.
"Shadow!" He yelled out, hoping to his feet. The black hedgehog turned to his first mate. Goldheart pointed to the trees and ran for them, pointing at the "X" on the ground made from their shadows. Ruby eyes widened, leather boots raced across the sand as Shadow realised the treasure was under their noses this entire time.
Goldheart grabbed his shovel and began digging directly under the palm trees. The excitement returned, and joy rushed through his system as he dug deeper. He was here; he was really here. And he was about to find the secret treasure.
The metal shove struck something in the sand. Both hedgehogs went silent, smiles breaking out on both muzzles. Shadow hopped into the hole Goldheart dug, moving the sand aside with the blue hedgehog. Their gloved hands felt the familiar texture of wood and two metal handles on the side. This was it. This was the chest.
Goldheart and Shadow pulled the chest out of the sand and brought it to the sunlit beach. The wood was rotting, the stench of the sea reaching the hedgehogs' noses. Holding their breath, they searched for the lock. Surprisingly, the lock was still intact; the rust paid it no mercy, yet it refused to let unworthy pirates get to the treasure inside. Goldheart chuckled. As if a rusty lock would keep from the treasure he had been searching for, for decades.
The blue hedgehog slammed the shovel into the lock, breaking it with a soft clank. Shadow pushed the lid open without hesitance, his eyes immediately looking inside. Goldheart followed soon after, and a bright smile appeared on his face.
Inside the chest was gold. Bagfuls of pure, untouched gold. But at the centre of it all was a shining diamond, its energy radiating through the air. Goldheart reached for it and brought it close to his face, gasping. It was beautiful.
Shadow smiled, watching his first mate in bliss. The blue hedgehog was certainly the happiest he has been for a long time. The black hedgehog nestled himself beside Goldheart, hugging him as they both watched the diamond glisten in the sunlight.
"I reckon." Goldheart whispered, even though there was not another soul on the island. "This ain't no ordinary diamond."
Shadow nodded, humming with agreement as he did so. Holding his partner close, Shadow sighed softly.
Something was waiting for them on the horizon.
Another "X" was waiting to be found.
