Work Text:
Alone. A word that is often associated with fear, lonliness, longing. A word used to describe a creeping unnerving feeling as your heart beats to the silence. A lack of company when needed.
But, alone isn't always such a bad thing.
Shadow the hedgehog stepped up to the cliff overlooking the forests that stretched out beyond the eye.
Alone. He knew all sides and meanings and hidden truths about the word. Expirianced them all first hand.
The setting sun glared in his vision, a bright orange cast over the sky like when you put thin fabric over your head as a child and watch in awe as the hue of the world changes.
Shadow sighed, the faint mist of his breath painting blurs in the sky as it darkened. The shuffling of leaves distantly below reached his ears. He smiled. A small smile. And walked over to the tree behind him, its leaves crunching under his shoes as he slid down the bark and sat at the base of it.
The wind blew and branches above him creaked, a smell of damp leaves, bonfires pumkins and the ever approaching winter infected the air. Shadow inhaled deeply, savouring the scent that only seemed to come out this time of year.
Autumn was by far shadows favourite season, he thought Maria would have liked it as well, though she probably would have prefered spring or summer.
Another gust of wind blew past his face, ruffling his quills.
The world was quiet and slightly damp from previous rainfall, but the presence of the air, the leaves, the scuttling rodents foraging for the last of their winter stash, it was enough to accompany him. His mind silent and body relaxed, he closes his eyes.
Alone. A word to some associated with freeing you from the grips of society, expectations, faces. A word that can be used to describe the release of pressure on your chest as the noise silences. An escape when company is too much.