The forest was alive with sound. Birds chirped in high-pitched melodies, a gentle breeze rustled through the leaves, and the faint gurgle of a nearby creek added a calming undertone. The late afternoon sunlight dappled the forest floor, breaking through the gaps in the towering trees.

Sonic zipped through the woods, leaving a streak of blue in his wake. He wasn’t running for any reason in particular—just feeling the wind in his quills and the soft give of the forest floor beneath his sneakers. This was one of his favorite spots to roam, far from the humdrum of the human world, where he could stretch his legs without worrying about being spotted.

He skidded to a stop atop a mossy rock, his ears twitching. Something wasn’t right. He could hear it—a faint, rhythmic thump coming from somewhere ahead. It wasn’t the sound of an animal; it was too deliberate.

Curious, Sonic crept forward, moving slower than usual. He pushed aside a branch, peering down into a small clearing by the creek. That’s when he saw them—a kid, crouched at the edge of the water. They had a stick in their hand and were poking at the mud, occasionally glancing around as though they were searching for something.

Sonic tilted his head, squinting. It wasn’t every day you saw a kid out here in the middle of nowhere, all by themselves. Something about the scene felt... odd. The kid didn’t seem scared, but still, this wasn’t exactly the place for a solo adventure.

The blue hedgehog leaned against a tree, crossing his arms. “You know,” he called out, his voice echoing slightly through the clearing, “this isn’t exactly a playground.”