Sonic had never known his real parents. For as long as he could remember— which wasn't that long— the only parental figure he'd ever known was Longclaw.

She was like a mother to him. She looked out for him, fed him, comforted him if he had nightmares, and showered him with all the motherly love he could've asked for. She was the reason he didn't miss or even think much of his real, biological parents.

Besides giving him a bedtime and simple rules around the treehouse they lived in, Longclaw's main rule had always been "Stay hidden." He was not to go outside without permission, and he was certainly not to show off his super speed outside, ever.

Did he ever listen? Nope. How could he? He'd always loved to run, it was his favorite thing to do. He always felt like he was bursting with energy, and the only way he could use it was by running. Besides that, it was fun! He never truly understood why she wanted him to suppress such an important part of him.

Now, as Sonic found himself standing alone in the dark woods of another planet— panting with fear, having just been grasping at the golden remains of a portal ring— everything in him regretted not listening to Longclaw.

It had all happened so fast, and not in a way he liked at all. One minute he'd been happily zipping around the island, excited to give his foster mother a pretty flower he'd found. The next minute, echidna warriors were after him with weapons and a net.

They'd shot Longclaw down as she'd tried to fly him to safety.

Then she was giving him a little bag of rings, telling him to leave, to never stop running.

A sad smile. "Goodbye, Sonic."

The echidnas charging towards her at full force. Then darkness as the portal closed.

Now . . . here he was. Scared. Shaken. Cold. In shock. In a strange place.

And so, so alone.

Sonic stared for a moment at the ground, still panting. He couldn't believe he hadn't made it back to the portal in time to save her.

It had to be the one time he hadn't run fast enough.

Sniffling, fighting the tears that threatened to come, he backtracked his way through the dark to find the bag of rings she had given him. They would be his most prized possession, she'd told him. As he crouched down to pick up the bag, he found a single feather stuck to the side.

Once again, the bag slipped from his grasp as he stared at the feather, the truth finally beginning to register.

She's gone.

And Sonic stopped fighting the tears. He slung the bag over his shoulder, clutched that one feather to his chest, and cried. He cried to himself as he wandered through the woods, lost and scared and alone. The one person who could've comforted him— the only person he even knew— was gone. Worse than that, it was his fault. He had disobeyed Longclaw, and it had gotten her killed.

Stay hidden.

He would obey her now. He'd promise, if she were still there to hear him.

Finally, he dried his own tears. It would be okay. All he had to do now was . . . was . . .

. . . everything.

He had to find a safe place to sleep. He had to find something to eat that wouldn't make him sick. He had to find clean water. And above it all, he had to do it without being discovered.

He took a long breath, then tried to smile. Longclaw always told him it was a trick to make his brain think he was happy, and thus would make him feel better.

It only kind of worked, but it was enough to give him the confidence he needed. Should he have had any confidence or smiles in that moment? No. He was a grand total of 2 and a half years old. He'd never taken care of himself before. But he could run faster than anybody; how hard could it be?

Plus, he could do things he remembered Longclaw doing.

He would be okay.