(Haha, watch this five-year-old die.
It was a genocide, think it was easy? /lh)

It had been half a year since the Dingos first attacked Angel Island, and hope was fading fast.

The Dingo Clan had better weapons, better gear, and despite the Echidna Tribe's extensive knowledge of the island, they weren't winning. They hadn't been able to drive them off of the island.

Knuckles' hope had fallen when South Falls village was taken. And that was on,y a few minutes ago.

The girl in his arms was bleeding. A lot. Her blood stained her dress and Knuckles' own clothes. Her gray eyes stared off into the distance, half-lidded and dull. Like she was dead already.

But he wouldn't let that happen. He couldn't. He'd known this girl since birth, and she was only five. He couldn't let anything kill her so quickly.

He had to get back to the sanctuary, but the words he heard in the burning village echoed in his mind.

"If we told you where they were hiding, you told us you'd let her live!" It had been Safia's mother that said that.

Her parents had given up the location of the sanctuary to keep their daughter safe, but the Dingos hadn't bothered to uphold their end of the deal. They still attacked the child. They were nothing but monsters.

Still, if he reached the sanctuary before them, maybe - just maybe - he could warn them and get Safia to safety. Maybe this didn't have to end as cruelly as was planned.

And he did.

He reached the sanctuary. And he wasn't too late. Yet.

The adults took Safia from his arms, despite his fear, and started to dress the wounds. As Knuckles hesitantly stepped away, a quiet voice escaped the girl, with her vision still fixed on him.

"Wait..."

It was a scared, confused plea. She wanted him to stay.

"Son of Locke, we need you to leave." One of the elders said, trying to usher him away. Maybe to give the healers room to breathe. Maybe to keep him from watching the inevitable.

"Wait..." The voice was just a little louder. A frightened whisper.

Knuckles didn't move. He couldn't.

The elder turned him away and led him off.

"Wait...!"

Maybe she knew what was to come. Maybe she just wanted him to hug her. Maybe she just wanted him to hold her hand as everything passed.

But that was the last thing he heard her say.

And he would never know.