ShadAmy- Fugitives

Chapter 7

Amy felt her heart drop. She was declared a traitor. It would of course only make sense, since she was seen with Shadow and then later disappeared with Shadow. But having confirmation hit her hard in the chest, and she found it hard to breathe.

Kazim watched her with sympathetic eyes. Amy tried not to notice.

Shadow was watching the lion. He found it hard to tear his eyes away. This must be the chief that Kazim mentioned.

The lion switched his gaze to Amy, and she stiffened. Every fiber of her being wanted to make a break for it. But she refused. She refused on the grounds that Shadow needed her. And on principle. She would not allow these cats to shake her, and to frighten her.

"Kazim informs me that you've simply been playing the role of the good doctor," the lion said to her.

That made Amy scowl. "Playing? I'm the best healer you can find around, this side of the ocean," she said.

Someone standing guard beside her and Shadow moved to hit her. "How dare you...!"

The lion lifted a paw to stop the guard. "Easy," he said softly. "I understand her offense."

The guard backed off, and everyone glared dangerously at her. Amy eyed them just as angrily. No one was going to treat her as the innocent victim. She was not going to be a damsel in distress.

Kazim smiled next to the chief. The lion looked over to Kazim and he hid it, with limited success. He returned his attention to Amy. "I can see why Kazim likes you."

Shadow tightened his grip on her hand for some reason.

The lion sighed. "Anyway, the point of bringing you here was not for small talk."

"And the actual point is?" Amy asked.

"I didn't say that I believed the two of you to be traitors. Only that I was informed that you were," the lion explained.

"So what?" Shadow interrupted. "We're supposed to convince you of our innocence? We are aren't apart of your kingdom. Your laws don't apply to us."

Amy saw in her peripheral vision, what she thought to be Moran and Ghawth moving silently though the trees. She tried to keep track of the their progress while also listening to the proceedings.

"You could be," the chief.

Amy snapped her eyes back to the lion. "What?"

"I'm prepared to offer the two of you asylum, if I'm convinced that your story proves genuine," he explained.

"Only asylum?" Shadow inquired.

The lion shrugged. "At least until I have the proper resources to launch an investigation into your government. Yes. You'll have the full protection of my tribe."

Shadow and Amy exchanged looks. The offer was amazing. It would be perfect for them to get rest, and not have to worry about being chased, either. The only issue was Shadows injury.

They turned back to the chief and bowed their heads.

Shadow then began to respectfully recite his tale. Even Amy hadn't heard the full story yet, and so she listened with rapt attention.

"I used to work at the palace. I was training to be a knight, and I was reaching graduation.

"I had noticed that every week a different trainee was gone for the day, and they'd return the next day completely different. We all had a lot of pride in the kingdom and what we were doing. But some of them started being a little too excited about it all. They became obnoxious and proud.

"Others didn't show back up to training again.

"I followed some of the higher ups as they were taking one of my close friends away from training. They took him into one of the lower dungeons, and at first I was very confused. He was one of the most honorable hedgehogs I'd ever known and he had no reason to be down there.

"I found out later, as I was hiding nearby, that it was so people couldn't hear the screams from above," Shadow said, looking down at the ground.

Amy shivered. The strong emotion in Shadows voice and face unsettled her. Whatever happened to his friend was not something he wanted to repeat.

He chewed on his lip, trying to find his next words. "I never saw Sonic again after that. I assumed he died. From the screams I heard that night it wouldn't surprise me.

"I was emotionally unstable after what I was able to find out about my friends fate. I began talking and asking around, fueled by a rage for revenge that clouded my judgement and made me clumsy.

"What I found, was that people were being tortured with a sickness. It causes hallucinations, fevers, and when someone knows how, immense pain. People that agreed to follow behind the kingdom and do their dirty deeds were allowed to return to their duty. They were constantly being watched, and if they were to behave, were promised that it wouldn't be used on them again."

Amy could understand why all those people came back irreversibly changed. She herself wouldn't know how she'd handle that kind of manipulation.

The entire tribe was listening intently. Whenever Shadow paused, a hush washed over the entire forest. It was a chilling thing to experience.

Kazim and the chief didn't take their eyes from Shadow. Amy kept stealing glances towards the forest.

"I requested an audience with the king, but was immediately blocked by his advisors. I was arrested immediately, and taken away where no one could find me," Shadow continued. He lifted his shirt so that everyone could see the wound with Amy's stitches.

"This was the extent of damage they managed to do before I was able to escape. And since, I've run into the healer Amy Rose," he said.

Then Shadow told them of all his hallucinations since then, his near death experiences, how Amy saved him, and how she offered to lend her aid.

Kazim and the chief were thinking quietly as Shadow finished his story. They looked at Amy, who was still looking at the forest every so often.

"Ms. Rose," the chief said, catching her attention. "Is there anything you'd like to add?"

The pink hedgehog looked between the chief and Kazim, then to Shadow. "No," she said finally. "What Shadow has said covers everything."

She refrained from telling them her suspicions. She wanted to talk to Shadow in depth before taking a course of action.

The lion nodded thoughtfully. Then he turned to Kazim and whispered a few words to him. Kazim disappeared as the lion looked back to the hedgehog captives. "I will deliberate with my advisors, and return with my decision."

Amy and Shadow bowed shallowly again, and watched as the deciders of their fate left to discuss. Amy stared hard at the forest while they were gone.

"What's wrong?" Shadow asked, tugging her hand to get her attention.

Amy shook her head, though her gaze remained fixed. "I'm not sure yet," she breathed.

Shadow stood awkwardly while they waited, as it seemed he wasn't going to be getting Amy's attention.

Amy gripped Shadows hand hard, and Shadow realized that Kazim and the chief returned.

They looked incredibly serious.

Just as Amy's breath started to pick up, they both smiled. The chief opened his arms in welcome. "My name is Satu, and I welcome you to our tribe."

The gathering erupted in cheers. There were several that Amy could tell that weren't happy with the decision, but most seemed to be overjoyed.

Shadow sighed in relief, and his shoulders slumped slightly. He was so tired. "We are safe, then," he said.

"Shadow get down!!!" Amy yelled, pushing her companion to the ground.

Amy and Shadow hit the ground together, and the cheering died down in confusion. Kazim rushed down to the two hedgehogs.

When he made it to ground level, he found Shadow holding his torn stitches and Amy lied on her side, completely motionless.