Wretched Blessing

Chapter 3

        I woke up shivering. The walls were pressed all around me, frosty after having sapped the little warmth from my body and given it up to the cold air. They penned me in and kept me in a tight hold, wanting me to freeze from lack of movement, from lack of blood flowing throughout my limbs. I almost succumbed to the darkness waiting for me—the darkness in my head that was far blacker than what my eyes saw when I opened them.

        But then I realized I was still in the cave, alone. Mephiles had not found me.

        Had he been lying about knowing where I was? Had he wanted to make me feel hopeless to where I would do absolutely nothing and unknowingly give him the time to find me? Or was Mephiles just too far away and he had been traveling all this time and was still on his way now?

        It didn't matter. What mattered was that I was still alive, and I needed to keep myself that way. I didn't care if Mephiles found me. He'd surely see I was too weak to want to have around and he'd leave me be. At least, I hoped so. I couldn't bear the thought of that demon coercing me into doing something else that would ruin the chance of a normal future. I had already done enough by releasing him from that scepter, the damage had begun. Now what needed to happen was for the heroes—Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and the others—to somehow swoop in and save the day with me out of the way. I'd only mess things up.

        My (eye color) eyes groggily looked around the tiny crevice I had wedged myself into, seeking the light of day. It was there, but very faint. Being so far north, the sun wouldn't dare peek over the horizon for more than an hour or two before dipping down to warm the more southern continents. Holoska would stay cold and dark for the winter season, with these mountains I had hidden in growing more brutal. No doubt the snowstorm had not lessened throughout the time I had been asleep.

        Sucking in the freezing air, feeling frost particles attach to my throat and lungs and linger for too many moments, I numbly stood to my paws and stumbled toward the barely-visible glow of afternoon. I couldn't feel my body at all, and that worried me immensely. My heart beat faster after having slowed down from the cold, pumping blood to my legs. Still, I had no feeling, but that was because I needed to get moving. I needed to leave this cave and stretch my muscles, revive my body with sustenance.

        At some point, I would need to hunt. There were certainly no living plants growing on these mountains or any prey to catch, so I would have to trek down into the valley I had come from and search for scents and tracks in the snow. It would take a lot of energy, and I would have to climb up again, but if that was what I needed to do to stay hidden then there was no other choice.

        After squeezing out of the cave with difficulty, I flinched away from the snowflakes being blown into my face and unsteadily stretched my back legs. I growled apprehensively, not liking the sound of bones cracking and muscle fibers tearing. Quickly I stopped and sniffed at my legs, desperately hoping no damage had come to them. They probably had been starting to freeze. Fortunately, I was able to stay standing so they were still in working order. Once my limbs warmed up and I could feel again, I'd probably be sore.

        Taking some time to melt snow in my mouth to quench my thirst, as it was too cold for water to stay liquid, I then slowly began to make my way past jagged boulders and dizzying drop-offs to the valley below. My (animal) claws were splayed out, gripping the rocks and preventing the strong winds from pushing me over the side. By the time I would get to the valley, I knew I was going to be exhausted. But I would keep going. I would hunt, maybe find fresh water, and I would return to the cave.

        It's going to be a long day, I huffed to myself. Then I'll do it all over again. And again. And again. I'd better get used to it, this is my life now.