@-dark45- Here is the second part :-D

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[** Unknown time later **]

The young man wriggled, feeling his dreamless rest to be ending. That could be a problem as he felt really comfortable. His body was warm... and his stomach empty, rumbling like a raging storm. His eyes twitched for a few times before he forced himself to open them. He squinted and amber light in them slowly reacted on the blurry image in front of him.

His face was just a few inches in front of some mass. He reached to it, feeling its structure with his fingers. It was smooth and scaly. It moved, releasing a breath. He winked, tilting his head to see above himself, glancing into two bright lime eyes with the red sclera. The young man still needed five seconds to realize... he is in a deep dung.

His brain was forced into overdrive once more, his body started to tremble, and his eyes widen. The nagahog's head slightly moved down, making the young hedgehog to curl up in a defensive way. He shook like crazy. He felt his back has been touched... in a gentle way, a hand was sliding along his long quills. Caressing him and soothing his fear. His ears twitched as they were as well softly rubbed with a nagahog's cheek. It took a while, but the young man dared to come out if his defense, looking up.

Kind eyes met his own. There was no rage or hatred, just a... tameness. The wild guardian was gone. The hedgehog checked his body a bit more, noticing a probably a purple hue on its scaly skin. It looked strong and he saw muscles on its stomach.

A strong hand got beneath his butt, moving him slightly up as guardian's head went down, touching his fluffy chest. At first, it rubbed its head once or twice, stopping and then it rubbed wildly against it, making purr-like sounds. The medic was surprised and he didn't dare to move. He felt... weird... Two muscular hands wrapped around his waist while the long tail made sure he laid his head on it, wrapping around as well.

The creature was enjoying the softness of the fur. The almost cute moment was cut short as the hedgehog sneezed. He covered his running nose, shaking, but the guardian didn't seem to be angry. He instead wrapped his body around him more, keeping him warm. Two rumbling sounds could be heard and the young man made himself look even smaller. It was way past the lunch time!

The naga let him go, standing up, towering above him. He heard its hissing as it was flickering with the forked tongue. It moved to the river, inspecting the flow and then it moved around the cave in a search for something. Once it got close to a bigger cluster of glowing crystals, its skin was died in a shining light, giving it more beautiful feel.

It arched its back as it looked up and a small smile appeared on its face... it looked kinda creepy. It swiftly moved to the hedgehog, picking it with the tail, making him to yelp and even argue as it wanted to put him on its back.

"No!!"

The nagahog stopped. Turning its pointy ears toward him.

The silver hedgehog was nervous. "No," he repeated slowly and pointed it the naga's back. "Hurt. Pain."

It seemed the creature understood the meaning of his words as it tapped its back showing no sign of pain. The young man frowned a bit, wriggled out of the grasp and went to gather his now just slightly wet clothes.

As he got closer to the guardian, it lowered its body, curiously watching the other as he wrapped naga's back. The bandage was hardly hygienic but it could at least protect the wound from the reopening. "This is better," he commented his handy work.

The naga once more lifted him up, letting him wrap limbs around its body. He blushed a bit as he noticed he traced its chest, feeling the firmness of the muscles. He quickly retracted his eyes, focusing on taking his bag that was lifted for him. And he would swear the creature chuckled, noticing his embarrassment.

Then they moved a bit and the creature continued to adjust its position like it was looking for something on the ceiling. The young man had no idea what it was until a slight breeze hit his face. 'Is this an escape route?!' He squeezed the body tighter and a hand patted his head.

He gulped glancing down seeing the tail has been wrapped around the base and the body was bobbing. In the corner of his brain, he understood what the creature had on its mind. Clenching his teeth as the half-snake body abruptly leaped upward, latching its claws onto the wall near of a small opening in the ceiling. The end of the tail has been wrapped around the stalactite to prevent slipping down and lift some weight of the hands.

The creature took a breath or two, climbing inside, realizing it's quite a narrow passage. The progress was slow, but they were coming up, back to the surface. They could only hope it won't turn more narrow as now the sharp stones were scratching them all over.

"Uagh!" shouted the young hedgehog as his back quills got caught up, pulling him down. The creature slid a bit down, giving his companion a space to free himself. 'Dang it!' he cursed in his mind. The quills seemed to be stuck in some small gap or something. He reached for his bag, locating the needed tool and with it, he got free. "Thanks, we can go," he said to the guardian and they continued.

Suddenly the breeze got stronger indicating they are close to the surface. The nagahog sped up, finally feeling the fresh air in the face. The hedgehog crawled first, grabbing guardian's hand, helping it up... figuratively speaking, he had no strength in his body after the whole ordeal.

They were in the forest and the hole was covered up by branches and moss, they tore apart as they exited it. The horizon was brightly shining as the sun was either setting or rising. The guardian made a startled sound, reaching to man's back quills seeing them being chopped off.

"They were in a way," the young man silently and calmly explained. "So I cut them." The nagahog started to rub its face against the stumps. "They are just a quills, they will grow back." The forest creature made a happy sound, telling him it's glad.

Their rumbling stomachs again ruined the situation and the naga picked the hedgehog, carrying it. This time he wasn't afraid. He was sensing he is no longer in a danger. It took him to its nest made of branches high in the massive tree full of round fruit. Once he touched the ground, the guardian picked the big berries and the man was glad to eat them, stuffing his face and stomach. After the meal, he felt hot and really tired so he fell asleep.

[** A few days later **]

The young hedgehog murmured from his slumber. Feeling heavy and weak. What happened to him? Was he truly chased by a monster? Did he almost drown? He tilted his head from one side to another, slowly waking up. A dim light landed on his face. He rubbed his eyes seeing a vague figure. He squinted to focus on the details, finally seeing them.

"You..." he whispered, ending in strong and almost endless coughing. The naga helped him to sit up and brought him some water he took once the coughing calmed down a bit. He observed his body, seeing it's wrapped by huge leaves, he smelled them. "Is this...?" He examined himself even more. "This medicine... is used for lowering a fever and this one for healing cuts and bruises."

The guardian nodded its head, putting in his hand the fruit.

"You took care of me."

It moved behind him, wrapping him around and again making that purr-like sound. The hedgehog smiled. It was hard to believe it was now so friendly when it wanted to kill him just days ago.

"You understand my words, but can you talk?" he asked after a short while. The naga lifted its head only slightly, hissing. "I guess not. Well, my name is Silver the Hedgehog," he said with a smile.

"Siiii~" hissed the guardian. "Siii~vll~"

Silver was amazed, it tried to talk. "Yes, Sil... ver..." he syllabified his name and the guardian tried to repeat it.

"Sii~lll~"

He giggled a bit. "You are really trying. But, do you have a name too?"

It tilted its head, showing confusion.

"I guess not." It was hard to imagine someone would give it... hmm, him... as the silver hedgehog noticed... a name. But he decided to think about him as 'him'. "So, can I give you one?" He pondered for a while. "What about Mephiles?" He pointed at him. "Mep-hi-les," he pointed then at himself. "Sil-ver."

His now friend naga pointed at him. "Sii~ll~" Then it put the hand on his chest. "Ee~ss~"

"I guess that name is a bit too long for you, but I feel it suits you, so let's try it once more."

Like this, they spent the rest of the day along with eating and going down for Silver to release his lower part needs in a bush. Mephiles made sure to make him embarrassed as he curiously watched him doing his business. And Silver had no chance to shoo him away, gaining a chuckle each time he tried.

[** A week later **]

Silver was watching the sun rising. The illness was gone and he felt full of energy thanks to Mephiles' care. They talked... or tried to do so about herbs and the hedgehog managed to teach him a few words he pronounced more or less correctly. He loved spending the time together. He showed him the place with many herbs and he collected them, ready to make a medicine.

And that meant one thing... to leave the forest, returning to his hometown no less than three-day travel away from the mountain. It was making him sad, but he had to, to tell town people he is alright. He carefully put on himself the pants, the only part of his clothes that he could still wear. He packed the dried and fresh herbs into his patched bag, letting a heavy sigh escape his lips.

Such sad expression could hardly elude Mephiles' sensitive senses as he was immediately by his side, rubbing his head against the side. That earned him a nice scratching behind the ears he loved so much. They stayed like this for a while.

"I have to go," said Silver painfully and his tone made the other to lift his head. "I have to return home." He slowly continued. "But I'll return. I promise!" He hugged him. During that time a friendship developed between them.

Mephiles understood the meaning as tears appeared in the corner of his lime eyes.

"I'll return," he gently kissed him on the forehead and the naga helped him to get down. Mephiles made sure to accompany him till the border of his territory. And there he stared for a long time even when the hedgehog's body was no longer seen.

[** A year later **]

The evening was cold and dark. The spring was still hiding behind the cold breeze reminding the winter isn't ready to leave. The clouds above were heavy, warning the travelers it will definitely rain. One such traveler was walking thru the forest, hiding the body underneath the cape.

There was a big backpack on his back being full to the brim. It seemed it will burst if just slightly poked. It must have been heavy as its owner was loudly breathing with each step, but he refused to sit down, feeling he is getting close to the destination. The upcoming darkness covered the whole forest and the night creatures started to wake up.

One such forest inhabitant was watching this lone traveler with angry eyes. It hissed, swiftly overcoming the distance and wrapping its tail around the legs. It was Mephiles and the traveler only gasped, arching his back and making big circles with his hands as he was trying to gain the balance.

The hood slid down, revealing silver fur. "Mephiles!" he gasped. "You scared me." He shouted as he saved himself from a fall.

The stiffed guardian's face softened as tears were rolling down, hugging his lost friend. Silver patted his quills.

"I'm sorry. It took me so long to return, but this time... I won't leave."

The nagahog lifted him in the air, to drop him back down on the back, as he was surprised by the weight, resulting in hilarious situation a.k.a. over-turned turtle. The hedgehog was kicking with his limbs and Mephiles was too busy laughing to help him. It took few moments before the young man could stand on his own feet with his friend by his side... holding his hurting stomach.

"I'm glad you are alright," said the hedgehog after a while, noticing Mephiles is cuddling with his now almost fully grown quills. "You really like then, do you?"

"Silvel~"

"Come again?" he looked at him with wide eyes.

"Silvel~"

The said person smiled at him. "Yeah, that's me! Mep-hi-les."

"Mee~sss~"

"Haha, I guess it's still too hard for you."

Together they walked to Mephiles' home. At the base he left the enormous luggage, gaining a momentary feeling he can fly. Then he got up where his forest friend cuddled with his chest, finding his all the time favorite fluffy fur.

Before they drifted to a sleep, Silver ensured him he is settling down in this forest, living with him.