Beyond The Great Oak

First Chapter

The Harvest Of Fools

Young Green eyes open to the sky above. They glistening with the light of the warm autumn sun, framed nicely by the ripened wheat plants. The sky thankfully was not obscured by cloud, there was just small patches scattered her and there across the astral space, making the best out of the remnant of summer.

With his defeat to his awakened state, he rouses from the golden grass. The blades standing up to the top of his torso while he was still seated. He seems to be standing in a sizable field, stretching on acres of land, with trampled dirt trails here and there. The rim of the Great Forest surrounding the fields on all sides.

As the soreness in his tired limbs dissipates slowly, He rises to his full stature. A young anthropomorphic hedgehog, still constrained in his adolescent years. Age 11 is the better estimate. His various blue quills shooting out from behind his head and back. They were scruffy from his night on the dirt floor.

His mussel, torso and arms were kissed with bright beige tones, complementing the last of the summer. His form was adorned with weary garments, as you would expect from a peasant boy. Whether he was son of a farmer, worker or servant, even he didn't know.

Tucked around his neck is a large, brown neckerchief. It sits lazily on a dark, thin waist coat that was far too big a fit for his size. His hands wrapped in an off white fabric that irritated his skin on the paw pads. Strapped firmly to his torso was a old sac, which held nothing of value hiding in the wheat strands, one wouldn't be able to see the old shoes on his feet. The brilliant maroon faded with time. The leather was worn from use. The shiniest feature on it, a copper buckle was dulled with rust. Thanks to his night on the field, most of his fur and attire were stained the moist soil of the field.

And still through all of this, the child in him radiated as he looked at the world around him in awe.

The weariness couldn't stop him as he ran through wheat. The grassy strands swooning to his momentum, like the morning winds. Wheat grains would sprayed in all directions as he passed, confetti in his honor. Birds take flight, startled by the brash force prowled the fields.

He was caught up in his source pool of euphoria before he took notice of his silent company. Suspended in the air on a tall wooden pole. It looked to be a scarecrow. It's body was a combination dry branches, straw, 3 rusted metallic limbs and a ripe pumpkin for a head. The pumpkin head bore grotesque carvings that disturbingly resembled facial features. The rags it wore were tired and ripped.

A traditional aesthetic of what to expect of a scarecrow.

If not for it's subtle mobility it was displaying.

This wasn't an pseudo movements created by the push out the wind. It's movements were of a living being, a living person. An eerie disturbance of nature by any standard. The young vagabond never felt that. Rather, his face portrayed nothing but intrigue. The innocence reigning strong in his judgement.

He approached the strange creature eagerly, baring a great smile. It seemed to take notice of his presence. It's carved visage face him directly. The pumpkin head had it's head cocked to the side slightly, giving off interest in the boy's arrival. He stood with great assurance to the scarecrow.

"It's quite a pleasant day today. Isn't it?"

The Scarecrow lifts it's head to the new arrival, realizing that it had been acknowledged.

"It is. A truly wondrous day. The children will truly thrive this day in the coming harvest. A timely cortege where all can rejoice."

"Is that why you're wearing that costume?"

It's head tiled on it's side ever so slightly a sign of confusion.

"Costume, what ever do you mean young one? I'm a sentry of Knothole, guardian of the children. I bear the garments of my livelihood." There wasn't even offense in there voice, just genuine confusion.

"Oh sorry, my mistake, I never really met a living scarecrow before, I don't think."

Rather then just a side glance, the Scarecrow looked to the boy in fully. A little more interest invested in them.

"I've not seen you in the realm before boy. From where have you wandered?"

"I don't really know, I sorta just woke and now I'm here I guess. I don't even know where I am if I'm to be frank."

There was a pause, it was hard to tell that the scarecrow had entered a thoughtful trance, going over what she had just heard the hedgehog say.

"Souls that are brought to our fields seek fulfillment to the fields within them."

"Really? Well I feel quite happy as I am. I might be a little hungry though, I don't remember the last time that I got to eat."

"I guard the children of this harvest, here you will find nothing for you but on this eve we give to all what we have reaped in this Harvest's Ripe."

"Is that some kind of Festival?"

"It is the great harvest gathering where old and young are reunited and are replenished with bountiful harvest. Those of who dwell in the woodland and hold dear the bounty of the land, gather in the clearing of Knothole on the eve of Harvest's Ripe. We remember in thanks what has been provided for us and welcome the new young. Those who are on an aimless path may join also and find fulfillment among our kind."

"Sounds fun, where is Knothole anyway?"

One of the Scarecrow's mechanical limbs is raise to it's side. The rusted joints squeal audibly in it's rigid motions as it tries to point to it's finger to it's left. Following the directional gesture, the young hog follows it for his eyes to behold more fields with crop of various kind going further down this stretch of meadow, leading to another part of the forest. The trees stand at the edge in a way that allows you to see deep into the woodland, beckoning curious wanderers to venture inside.

If your eyes were truly trained, one can see animate shapes walking into those very woods, likely the villages that the sentry had been referring to.

He turns to the sentry with a grateful smile. Finally something interesting was going to happen around here.

"Thanks for the help, it was nice speaking with you. I'll see you around hopefully" He then starts to walk on the newly set course until he stops abruptly and turns to his new friend.

"Oh I didn't get you're name by the way."

The Scarecrow turns aware from his stare and contemplates the meadow with a yonder stare, taking longer it should to respond. He then sees the left mechanical limb lift up to reach of one of it's thick straw strands on it's head before it stops itself and went back to watching the meadow.

After that the Scarecrow only others the boy silence. It seems this companionship had ended. The young boy doesn't take it to heart, after all he may see her again at the festival. And so he went on as he did before...

A free spirit in his very own world.

The sun was still mounting the skies at this time of day, gracing the land with it's light. The land was mostly flat with crops powdered all over it's plains. Dotted about, some trees grow solitary from it's companions in the woods.

Because of most of the land was farm land, there were hardly any critters to be seen. They may have been hidden by the odd marches or pond or hidden in the small groves of the gigantic meadow but there was no way of knowing.

The Young Hedgehog boy was laying on the grass floor, shaded by an apple tree. Around him were several tried remains of a crab apple. He had been lucky to find it. Most of the apples that head fallen from the tree were ripe and not touched by rot.

He ate as many as he could stomach, or at least as many as his eyes wanted him to. He rested himself after being contempt with his meal, he pondered on his situation.

Here he was in this forest land, the realm he heard the scarecrow say. I truth he couldn't of any month beyond the moment he woke in that field. It did't bother him though. He was too observed in the prospect of discovery with being in a foreign land.

Places to roam and uncover with little consequence. After he'd been able to see the landmarks of places that he go and see from when was perched up on the tree. Now he was wanderer, where to next until he notices a a present next to him.

On a low branch of the apple tree, sat peacefully and looking over the meadow was a familiar scarecrow.

The same rusty metal hand and feet enveloped in the same tattered rages he had seen before. A ripe orange pumpkin for a head with gold straw coming out it's top. It stayed quiet for a while, appreciative of the silence.

"Aren't you a scar- I mean... a sentry for the field back there?"

"I'm a guardian of the children in this land. All are in my charge. So I will be where I need to be."

She said simply.

The hedgehog gave a light shrug and went back to his day dreaming. He then briefly remembered that his companion was a living scarecrow and that he was laying amongst a pile or apple cores. He gulped at the prospect.

"Umm, these apples... they're not like your children or anything like that are they?"

He swore he heard the scarecrow emit a hummed snigger.

"Our children our of the fields we reap. They rise from the fields in the harvest to come to their new home. The fruit crown in the plains out side of our crop are for everyone."

"Oh okay, that's good to here."

He sat up as a show of his full attention on her. She somehow looked majestic on her perch in the tree, like she trully belonged to this meadow.

"So how long have you lived here, in the meadow?"

"Since my first ripe to the harvest, I have seen the seasons change in this meadow many times."

"So a really long time then."

The scarecrow nods in response.

"So you've never been outside of here?"

Her gaze lifed as she was looking out, as if she could see beyond the meadow.

"There may have been a time but it is long passed since. I cannot recall. What of yourself, you are not from this region, have you seen places outside of this meadow?"

She was looking straight at him now. The hedgehog was a bit flustered now, he hadn't expected that question to arrive.

"I don't know, there isn't anywhere that comes to mind. Here is the only places that I know about."

"And what will you do now?"

He the stood up with exagerated gestures to the place around him.

"I wanna see everything. I wanna see all that's in the realm. More places, more villages, more people, all of it."

"Would you ever leave the meadow, if you were to see it all?"

He stopped his theatrics for a moment and turned back to her.

"Maybe, I'd have to at one point, but I'm sticking around here for now." Sonic let his response sink in before he spoke again.

"Well, I'm going to go and look around for now, You wanna come?"

He was waiting foe her to give a response but she just watched the scenery in silence. With one last whirl, Sonic tookoff on his own adventure once again.

"See you later then!"

By a river stream, the young scarecrow sentry was passing by, going to see the crops on the east side. By fates desire, they had encountered the blue hedgehog again. He seemed to be frowning stones into the river on the opposite side to her. Some of them would ricochet with a few bounce, others sank to join the river bed.

It took him a while to realize that he wasn't alone anymore and the smile on his mussel spread a great deal.

He gave an excited wave to them before running to nearby rocks on the river and skipping over them with ease.

"Hey there, were you getting bored without me."

"I am merely watching over the meadow as a sentry."

"Is that your way of saying that have to keep an eye on me so that I stay out of trouble?"

"Perhaps."

"Fair enough. If it's like that then why don't you come and ricochet with me. It's more fun than just looking at stuff. I've got a pile of good pebbles over there. You just got cross over here, it's easy."

And true to his words, he managed to skip over the three river stones like before,if not faster. He stood on the otherside, beckoning his friend over.

The pumpkin scarecrow didn't seem in any rush to attempt the same feat but she would humour the boy not the less. The stones were a bit too far apart to simply step on. She would have to take a leap. The first stne wasn't too bad, though she shakily tried to recover her balance on her rusty metal legs.

On her second leap, she aimed for the center of the rock, but her foot went to far to the side, clipping the edge of the rock. A slip, a trip and a dip with water splashing in all directions.

The scarecrow found it's self sitting in the water, with her hands on the water bed supporting her posture. The water went up to half way on her forearm. The water was seeping into her rag like cloths, soaking them and making them heavier.

The blue hedgehog had been hunched over in fit of laughter out of amusement and not mockery.

"Sorry, sorry about that. Are you okay?" He managed through hiccups of laughter. He offer his hand, indicating to the other to give him theirs, which they did. The Scarecrow was on there feet but not out of the water.

"Oh yes, I'm alright. The water is refreshing for my dry roots."

"Oh that's good, I guess. You don't want to get called though." He says while beckoning her out of the what."

What would be the near equivalent of a few hours had past in the day. The morning sky hung over the two companions who had decided that they may as well stay together as they would likely bump into each other again and again.

They were walking along a tired stone wall. The even stones had been fitted together to for some means of a barrier that ran along most of the dirt path.

The Scarecrow walked along it's side Even for something made of all rusty parts. It had a very smooth and relaxed stride. The hedgehog boy was walking the wall like a cat that never knew the meaning of imbalance as he walked confidently with his arms behind his head.

"So... If you don't mind me asking, I was never really sure if you were a girl or a boy. I don't mean any offence by that, It's just hard for me to tell and I was kinda curious. Do your people even have anything like girls and boys or is it just like the one thing?"

As the hedgehog kept ranting in his questions, the Scarecrow never said anything. They gave no sign of protest or complaint but they always seemed to shut up when ever their identity came into question.

until...

"I used to be Bunnie once." They said after a while.

To this, the hedgehog's snapped to them. Come to think of it, their hay mane did remind him of bunny ears with two chucks of hay big bigger than the others. There was also the delayed realization that they had just told them their name, at last. He couldn't help the triumphant smile that formed on his lips with the unexpected victory. Adding to his suspicions, when look at the way the scarecrow carried itself, they were a girl for sure. Their was one thing that she said that had him puzzled.

"How can somebody used to be something. Wen you start being a part of life, then you just are who you are, you know?"

At that, their started to be a slight air of amusement in Bunnie's speech.

"Well if that's the case then who have you always been?"

This time the hedgehog was stumped. His memory didn't go very far from today so he doesn't remember anyone ever say his name. There was one name that came in his mind that felt like his name, that felt right to him.

"Sonic, my name is Sonic."

"I've never heard such a perculiar name in this realm but it does seem fitting of you."

"Thank's I think."

Noon and eventualy come round. The two found themselves in one of the many fields in these plains. Sonic was looking atvthe corn in their cogs longingly. It may have been a few hours since his breakfast of apples but his metabolism wouldn't have him wait any longer. At this Bunnie brought a piece of corn to his face. His mouth watered and his eyes vissibly widdened. It wasn't the most appetizing corn he have seen, it was clear that it was a little to over ripe, not rotten but old. He took it in gratitude with a brief thank you and started eating at his prize. Soon he started sounds that were a mixture of groans and whines, catching the scarecrow's attention.

"What's wrong?" Sonic swears that she purposefully enphasied her words with a mock mothering tone, teasing him.

"The corn's too hard. It hurt my mouth. I think I'm bleeding. I want something else."

"Well you can't just waist it. The land works to povide for us and to bring us the children of the harvest. So you must eat in appreciation."

"But I don't like it like this."

"Tell you what. If you finish this then I swill make sure that you get the first bowl of my mothers stew."

"Is your mother in charge of the food for the festival then?"

"All have a part in commemorating the Harvest's Ripe with their tribute. Though my mother is a matron of the banquet and she is favoured foe her stew."

"Huh! You know I'm holding you to that right?"

The two friends who had spent the most of the morning together, found themselves sitting on small knoll at a quieter time in the meadow. The rested there, enjoying the early autumn breeze.

Bunny was seated on the grassy floor, looking out to the plains that are her home. Sonic was laying on his front right besides her, preoccupied with his own crafting. Both were enjoying the serene silence in each others company. That was until the scarecrow felt something being placed on her pumpkin of a head.

Looking at the corners of her vision, she could see flowers. She could see daisies of various tones, buttercups, purple wild flowers, blue bells and even a red poppy. Sonic had made her as flower crown.

"I thought they'd suit you. Girls like to be pretty right? And bunnies like flowers, I think."

"I am only a sentry now, Bunnie was from a time that has long passed and I am at piece with that."

"Well, you'll always be Bunnie to me or buns even."

"It'd probably be better if we stuck to Bunnie though."

"You truly are a babe to the realm. You're able to look at the world with such untainted and trusted outlook. It almost makes me en-"

"Thank you for having bee with me today."

"Anything for a friend Bunnie."

The afternoon moved slowly.

Sonic had taken himself away from Bunnie for a short while. She hadn't seen where he went or what his intentions were. There hadn't been a need to protective of the fields so the scarecrow took to familiarizing herself with the meadow in a way he would have never dared to before Sonic's arrival.

Her walk took her to a grove situated in a part of the landscape which descended or a steep slop. There was nothing nothing but the bird song to be heard in the vicinity, the sweet ambiance was welcome.

This was disturbed by a excitable shout heard nearby, causing the birds to end there song and for some of them to take off, away from any eminent danger. Bunnie recognized the voice but the blue hedgehog was nowhere to seen.

Then from the top of the slop, a blue form could be seen rolling down towards her. The giggling form was sniping down fast, almost a blur but it was undoubtedly Sonic.

Avoiding collision, Bunnie stood to the side, letting the literal ball of excitement roll by. It showed no sign of stopping or slowing down until it hit a tree with a winded huff. The previously round form uncoiling to reveal the blue hedgehog lying on his side by the tree trunk.

Once he'd recovered, he attempted to pull himself of the floor. This proved to be ineffective as he managed to stick his quills into the wood.

"Um... a little help here? please!" Said the hog with a whinny voice and a pathetic display of helplessness as he squirmed on the floor.

The only response Bunnie could give was laughter, genuine, happy, bewildered laughter. Laughter that became contagious for both parties and fond themselves laughing for a good few minutes. Then something else was heard that was off sounding among the laughing.

A small chirp, frantic and higher in then any of the birds could produce. Sonic looked to his side to find the source. There on the floor by his feet was a very small bird, a baby even. It's wings hadn't formed into reliable tools of flight and it was very small in size, showing us it's age. Looking up you can see the presumed mother bird flying above this scene, seeming to not know what to do for her child.

The blue hedgehog sprung into action. A wriggling himself off the tree with some effort, he carefully picked up the young bird with his gloved hand and started to climb the tree. It wasn't too tall, just enough to keep the nest out of reach. The reached to put the young bird in the nest only for his hand to be attached by an agitated mother bird. He pulled his hand away and leaped down to safety, the baby bird still cradled in his hand.

"She want let me near her nest, this little guy wont last long if he can't get back to his home." Sonic held the young bird close to his chest in sadness.

He then looked up to Bunnie, silently asking for her help. He gently put the bird in her only organic, branch like hand. She looked at it for a long while, almost unsure of what to do with it, with this life in her hands. Even the young hedgehog started to feel uneasy when he was watching this. It's almost liek she was actually contemplating to...

She started walking towards the tree, she was also scalling up the very same tree with the little bird secured in her qooden hand. When she approached the nest, although the mother bird was a little unsure of the situation before her, she was not so quick to attack this time. She stayed on a distant branch, watching this strange creature place her baby bird into the nest before flying over to reassure her crying chicks.

The two watched the nest with relief and then look to each other.

"You really are the guardian of this meadow. I can tell that you are a trully carrying person deep inside."

"I will do anything to carry out my duty to this land and protect the children of harvest. These however..."

She paused looking at the nest once again with Sonic following her gaze.

"These are not the children that I will guard."

It was a little shocking to hear say that when he had jist saved the little bird from a worse fate. Did she feel pressured by him to do so? He was about to ask what she meant wheb she turned away from him.

"I must go, the eve is soon to come and I must still help where I am needed for this Harvest's Ripe. I will see you in Knothole wont I?"

The hedgehog was a little slow to anwser, distracted by the conflicting words aboit the birds before he mustered his friendliest smile.

"Sure, I'll see you there later."

He waved he goodbye as she left the grove.

he was on his own again.

The afternoon was rolling along to the evening ever so slowly and yet the meadow seemed to be livelier than any other time of day. All manner of sounds could be heard from the song of bird, the scurrying of squirrels, to the gentle trotting of the deer still lingering in the vicinity.

Sonic was now spending it on his own. He knew that he would be seeing his friend in Knothole, he still wished that she would be there with him. Still, he managed to make the most of that time.

He had been running, playing with the small critters and anything he could find of interest. He'd made sure to explore the scope of the land and see everything the meadow held. Occasionally, he had also encounter for of the eccentric folk who were making there way to Knothole's clearing.

Some were farmers, some were wanderers from across the realm, there were even young children were fluttering through the meadow, inviting him to their games before disappearing again. All of them with the same destination intended.

They were all just like Bunnie the Scarecrow... sentry he had encountered that morning. Many of them being humble folk of the land, adorned in tattered rags, baring the various fruits of harvest as for heads, much large than what nature usually offers. All of them with the same disconcerting suggestions of a visage telling the boy that these creatures were true and alive.

All of them seemed to carry the same enthusiasm for Harvest's Ripe as Bunnie, Meaning that it was a legitimate celebration of the people, something else that will give the boy more entertainment in the realm.

In his constant roving through the meadow, he hadn't yet encountered an anthropomorphic character like himself. A curious observation that barely lasted with his mind on Harvest's Ripe.

As the sun was making it's way towards the horizon, the time finally came to join in the festivities. As the hues of the light turned golden in the setting of sun, the hedgehog was venturing through the forest in search of Knothole.

Hopefully he could have a warm meal with the village folk as he hadn't seen any food that day, save for the odd fruit that had from its perch or stray vegetables that had fallen from travelling carts. Raw vegetables were nothing compared to a warm heartfelt meal and did nothing for a young boy's metabolism.

The sounds of the forest were growing more quiet as he went further in. One indication that he may be nearing his intended destination. Despite the eerie silence, there was that unquenchable that he wasn't truly alone in these woods. A glance to his side confirmed that.

There standing by a tree a short distance from him was a slender figure or unreadable gender. There forest was completely encased in the shadows cast by the trees. It in't flinch when it realized that it's present was known. They were sharing a silent exchange or an uncomfortably long while.

Even a situation such as this which was deserving of suspicion didn't cause our little blue wonder's jovial attitude to deter. Again he offered a general smile to this new encounter.

"I'm Sonic, are you going to the Harvest Ripe festival too?"

That seemed to like a trigger to the shadowed stranger. They finally started to move, though the motion involved them going behind the tree and seemingly vanishing out of sight with no clear indication as to where they went.

Still he payed no mind to it and kept for his journey. As he went on, he cold here the sounds of folkish music playing in the distance. The unmistakable tone of stretched skin drums, the warm whistling of wooden pipes, the amicable strumming of tightly wound strings.

Tonight seemed promising, maybe he could even ask for a place to stay for the night, a bed off hay rather then a bed of soil before he drifted somewhere else in the realm.

Now he started seeing more of the legume headed folk in the woodland, all with a similar direction intended.

He was close.

On approach with the darkening forest, he started to see an orange glow in the some ways from where he stood, which was also the origin of the folk music, accompanied by barely audible hymns and laughter. Entering the clear, face was awe struck.

He had found knothole.

And what a sight.

The clearing was quite large. The trees were tall and strong, some even sitting on small cottage like houses. There were lanterns little with orange flames dotted around the village. The blue hedgehog was seeing the vegetable headed folk in abundance with giant heads of all kinds. There were Pumpkins and butterscotch heads, Onions and Apples, Potatoes and Beetroots and all manner of harvest foods.

The music was being played some of the villagers, a tribute to their festive atmosphere. He could the villagers, talking, drinking, eating, and dancing. Some of the smaller children were dancing around the center where a large wooden stood, impaling the ground. All who surrounded it had a stream of rope in hand connecting to the top.

The ambiance had the hedgehog right at home. He hadn't seen anything like it. More likely he had seen this sorts of festivities rather than the people themselves, but he couldn't think of when.

That thought quickly passed when he felt a cold, hard hand on his own. He turns to the source to see a source. A familiar Pumpkin wit his fullest attention.

"You made it. I thought the fields would be the last place I would see you." She'd admitted, Her demeanor was a little different than in their first first encounter.

She had a thin veil of gleefulness around her. Her posture had turned a little timid, even though this was the first time he had seen her on her own two legs. She seemed more approachable then before, more humane.

Sonic regarded her with the same innocent charisma as he had previously. Personally, he was happy to see her again too.

"It sounded like it would be fun. Besides it sounds really important to you guys so I had to check it out."

Bunnie didn't offer a reply after that. Rather she offered his hand a gentle squeeze and leading him in the animate crowd. The atmosphere, the music, the aura of the people and the golden moon that started to rise in the darkening sky. The ghost of festivity was rife in the town and had the hedgehog in his grasp. Soon he found himself twirl to it all, swooned by it all.

The two friendly encounters kept ahold of each others hands, through the madness. With nothing but laughter and euphoria felt in the moment.

Sonic could swear that the face carved on the pumpkin had shaped itself into and honest smile.

This was abruptly halted as the drum drone alone grabbing everyone's attention. The excitement was amped quite a bit. All eyes were trained on an entrance to the clearing where more of the legume folk came carrying what appeared to be a... giant acorn?

A crowd had formed an ail around this peculiar character. He was clearly an important figure to the people. He was a little different from the other villagers. Instead of having his 'mask' as just a head, his whole body was encased in a gigantic acorn with his four stick like limbs protruding from his main body. He was giving of a aura of authority and confidence, that was near condescending.

Our blue boy nearly missed Bunnie's hushed commentary of the situation.

"That is King Acorn, an ancient being that his come to our realm ions ago and has ruled our village since. He is said to have been born from the Great Oak at the edge of the forest and wondered the land before coming to our quaint little town.

He taught us the importance of giving thanks to the land of the realm and has brought us out of a dark era and given us his protection in our growth. It is by his existence that we have prospered this long and that we are able to celebrate Harvest's Ripe year after year."

The king's entourage took his excellency to the part of the clearing where the oldest tree stood with a throne awaiting him. Their he sat with the crowd in his grasp. Before hushing them with simple hand gestures.

"My dear friends,

we've come together once again on this Harvest's Ripe and to give thanks for what this land has given us and to celebrate the reunion of old and young and..."

The monarch pauses with a curious stares into the crowd. All eyes look on to his point of interest to find the blue wonder. Sonic is a little apprehensive over the sudden interest given to him by the villagers, but not fearful. He looks back to the king who visibly beckons him to towards the throne.

A short stride brings the hedgehog to the throne and he starts to feel quite small as he has a better idea of the size differences between him and the king, adding to the royal nature of the Great Acorn.

"Young man, I haven't cast my eyes on your like till this eve. How have you come to here of our Harvest's Ripe?"

He had everyone's fullest attentive. A little daunting but he spoke confidently never the less.

"Well I heard from some of your folks from around here and well, it sounded fun so I thought why not your... Kingsliness."

He meant no disrespect to that, he had never spoken to royalty before now. The Monarch nothing to that so the king continued.

"From where do you heir, beyond the Ancestral Oak maybe?"

"I guess. People have been saying that a lot. All I did was wake up in a wheat field this morning and that's about all I know."

"Well, all are welcome in our abode. We rejoice when our harvest is bountiful with new faces." As the elder Acorn spoke, he was bringing his hands on either side of the young hog, which despite there appearance, were still quite was a sort of indirect, casual embrace, an expression of gratitude to the boy's presence amidst the villagers. His baritone voice bellowed on as all eyes were to the throne.

"We have plenty to feed more mouths than we have. And do not threat, just because you have no where to go back to, it doesn't mean that you don't have a place to belong. We would be happy to have you among us."

Sonic hadn't expected such a cordial reception, from the king no less. He really did strike gold when coming to this place. He could see anything passed this morning or himself being any younger than he was now. This entire scenario was more than convenient, but welcome.

"Do partake in our festivities and consider yourself a part of this family."

That was taken as Sonic's queue to be free to go and just like before, Bunnie was found quickly by his side, more enthusiastic than before.

"Come on, you look famished, my mother's had the stew brewing for some time now."

After weaving ourselves through the animate crowd, we made our way to what could be described as a buffet table. It bore vegetables and fruits of every kind from there harvest but not that alone. There were other fruits of there labor present: such as flour, bread, even milk. It looked all so appetizing.

Right next to the food table. A middle aged women was stirring a giant, cauldron like pot, steaming greatly from it's time on the fire. The aroma was enticing and... meaty. An expected from a culture revolving around fruit and veg. Who was he to judge after the kindness they've shown.

She was, with an average figure. Most likely brought on by age. She wore rags like the other folk that were fashioned like a dress. Her head was that of a butternut squash with a similar harshly It wasn't a frown at least.

Right next to the cauldron, there were several stools. Sonic and Bunnie sat themselves on two of them, watching the stew boil away.

"It's always refreshing to have a nice face here. I see you've made yourself quite familiar with my eldest daughter. There aren't many in Knothole her age and much less who have earned her interest. You must be an interesting."

Her voice was matured and gentle, motherly even. There was no maliciousness in her voice. It was genuine, you'd expect the opposite when a mother see's her daughter being swooned by an unknown hedgehog was settled just by hearing her speak. Warm and sweat, respectively suiting.

"It's been quite a while since having travelers come to our home. I hear you've drifted without a place to settle."

Her voice was matured and gentle, motherly even. The hedgehog was settled just by hearing her speak. Bunnie had a good mum.

"Well that is the world going around, I don't really have anywhere I want to go so I'm here now I guess."

"Well you are more than welcome to make this your settlement, we always like to see our community grow, for the harvest to be plentiful."

"Are there no other travelers from outside of Knothole?" The blue boy inquired perplexed.

"We haven't had any come to our meadow for quite some time. Many have kept to themselves since there has been the talk of war coming to the realm. Still, when they are ready and when they find their way to our humble village, we will welcome them."

Before the boy had a chance to process what the cook had said, he had a clay bowl of stew placed on his lap, which he then secured with his hands.

It was warm to the touch.

"Now we'll leave that banter for a later time, right now you are nothing but pelt and bones. Eat your fill wee hoglet."

Without thinking, he eagerly took a bite of the brown, odorous mixture. He was to engrossed in his hunger to notice his friend looking to him with anticipation. Watch him attentively as he eats.

The mixture was thick and.. a little slimy. There were also chunks of meat in it, like he had suspect. It was chewy, not soft enough to chew away. It didn't even taste like it was cooked all the way, it was rare. There was only meat and soup. The soup was starting to have a sour after taste. And to the unexpected discomfort in his meal, his teeth have caught on something, something hard, to hard to be bone.

And with that, Sonic found himself coughing out the soup through his fingers. Sputtering it everywhere as he was wheezing for his breath. In that moment, everything seemed to stop around him: the friendly banter, the dancing, the laughter, the music, almost time itself.

Again he had managed to get everyone's attention tonight, but not in a way he'd wanted. All that was his concern presently was to regain his composure.

After his body had calmed himself, he looked at his soup with more caution. The meat was rare, in fact it was nearly raw. With a more careful inspection, he could see what looked like a whole eyeball floating in the soup, discolored by the soup and giving the him a deathly stare.

Already along with the nausea from the discussed in the food, he looked to his hand that was holding the hard nugget that had triggered this choking fit. To his horror, it was a tooth, a human molar that wasn't his own. The dread had completely set in his stomach.

Just then he realized that the festive atmosphere had completely died around him, adding to his discomfort. He looks to his side to see the youngest daughter who was unaffected by his brief episode. He watch with discussed as she eat her food.

The way the small, rough carving of her mouth ripped open to be as big as her face was fighting. Adding to the horror was the fact that she ate the same soup as his quite contently. As she ate, he managed to catch a glimpse of the inside of her mouth. Nothing but mangled flesh, gum and teeth which feed on the meat soup with ease.

"Is your meal alright my little hoglet. You shouldn't waist it after all, the young need their fill for a proper harvest."

He flinched when he heard her speak. almost unwilling to look at her. Her face still wore a gentle expression despite it all. A glance off the corner of his vision he saw Bunnie, the only one who wasn't eyeing the hedgehog. Her carved face was angled downward as if in disappointment or shame.

Every thing had become really uncomfortable the poor hog. It was clear that coming here had been a mistake. He needed to leave as soon as possible.

"I, uhh... just need to reveal myself briefly. Not a pretty sight for the ladies." How he managed that without stammering as he were now was astounding. He placed place the bowl hastily on the grassy floor and stood from his stool, ready to leave.

"There is an out house towards there." She points to her left. Sonic gives a curt nod before he scurries away, with a word to Bunnie.

As he is nearly out of the clearing, he stops at the Acorn King's next words.

"Do return soon my boy, we're all ecstatic for your 'integration' into our clan."

He managed to repress the shudder at the potential significance of those words, before he continued his escape.

After running for several minutes the hedgehog looked back, thankful that he wasn't followed. That did little to cure his ailment. He felt like he was going to vomit at any given moment. The bile wasn't leaving his stomach, it only came as strained heaving, which didn't help to repress the building panic.

He didn't hear the steady, swift steps in the overgrowth or the soft, shuddering breath of anticipation. He didn't see the hands coming from behind to cover his mouth and restraint his arms. His surprised yelp was completely muffled and only he only had the worst in mind.

Adding to the surprise was the feminine voice. It seemed to be a little over his age and intimidating in nature accompanied by a form grip.

"Unless you want them to come for you, you'll keep your lips sealed. Are we clear?"

He gave her a frantic nod of submission before she finally released him. After a short breather, the obscured stranger moved ahead of him.

"Come with me."

And so that both moved swiftly through the night forest.

After a while, the had come out of the forest into a part of the meadow that sonic didn't recognize. There they came to the remains of a village. Huts were crumbled, the place was deserted, anything with the subtle suggestion of civilization was destroyed. The only evidence present of farming was a small garden crop.

The unknown individual had started a small camp fire whilst the two settle in one of the better huts. Now he could get a better look of his host.

The stranger had been wearing a mixture of fur pelts and rags as a disguise. Discarding these, Sonic could see that the stranger was indeed a female chipmunk. Traditional light brown pelt with a deeper red on her main. Her eyes were a piercing blue that match her scowl, a face hardened by spite. Still, some how it was beautiful.

She caught him staring and he looked away almost immediately, stumbling in his mind for the right words.

"So... thanks for saving me back there. I really got myself deep into trouble back in Knothole?"

He tried to lace his voice with his usual charisma as a form of peace treaty.

"I hardly need another fool in there ranks. I've lost enough of my own to hat leeching tyrant. I thought I wouldn't have to worry with the war soon coming to the realm "

That was a harsher comment than he had expected. And she was directing it to him intentionally, as if he was to blame.

"You knew some of the villagers there?"

She took her time for her reply.

"They were from my village, friends and family. This place was our home." She motioned to the surrounding ruin. "We settled here a few years ago. My father was the chief of our village before we found out about the ancient being. My father had wanted to make an alliance with the Acorn only to end in failure."

Sonic at this point was struggling to find the right words to ask her as it was clear they were addressing a difficult subject for her.

"What did King Acorn do to your father?"

As the question slipped of his tongue, the chipmunk's eyebrows furrowed, disdain and anger clear on her face.

"He did what he does to any of the naive that come into his territory. One way or another, he will make them a part of his syndicate. If you didn't join his tribe to become one of his pawns then he would feed of of you. Thats what he did to my father. After that, the rest of our village become so scared of him that they joined his tribe without question."

Sonics ears lowered at the prospect. The vile soup being back on his mìnd.

"What happens to those who join him?"

As this conversion hoes deeper into the regions of discomfort, the boy thats notice of how damp is back feels and there was no rain from the skies that night.

"You saw the villagers didn't you? They used to be just like us. People of flesh and blood and fur. When joining him, he will put you inside of his fruits of labor, feeding his children whilst those trapped inside are mindless husks that are neither dead nor alive. Once done, they help the tyrant harvest other stupid wanderers who are unlucky enough to venture into his lands."

"You haven't been turned over yet. did he let you go?"

A sceptical laugh forced itself out of her at the question.

"Ha, hardly. I fought for my escape I onlybhad hate left to keep me from the Acorn's grip. Unlike those cowards that I used to friends, I retained our pride and I vow to bring down that disgusting pig of a king."

"How can someone even do that, Turn people into magical scarecrow people? Is he like a wizard or something?"

She wasn't fazed by his bewilderment.

"It's not so far fetched, it's just rare. That's the nature of things from or beyond the Great Oak, the 'Invaders'. When they come into the realm, they have a manner of influence over the things that take place here. He has settled himself in this meadow and has harvested the people as he see's fit."

"What do you think yourself about the 'Invaders'? I mean not all of them can be that bad right?"

There was a pause people she gave Sonic a bitter answer.

"I think that things that don't belong to this world should leave it well alone."

"How did you end up going to the village anyway?"

"Well, I sort of just woke up in one of their crop fields. One of them told me about the Harvest's Ripe so I went to find out it and now I'm here. That's all I know about myself really."

The girl looked at him, a hit of suspicion in her eyes. She didn't delve into the matter anymore and instead lay on her side with her back facing him. She used one of her fur pelts to shield herself from the cold.

"You can stay here for the night. As soon as the sun touches the horizon at dawn, you will leave this place and you are never to return."

"You never told me your name back then you know."

He thought she had fallen asleep.

"It's Sally."

After that there was only silence that followed, and the flickering of the flame.

Sonic couldn't get himself to sleep after the events of today. The golden harvest moon looming over his head, a reminder of the dark truths that lurked in woods behind him.

His mind was running, trying to make sense of everything that had happened today.

His mind also went to Bunnie. It might have been awkward start but they had hit it off really well. She had been so friendly to him and had shown more of her adventurous character as the night proceeded. She wasn't dead. She wasn't mindless or soulless. The real Bunnie must be trapped in her own body, like the others, after all they were under the Acorn King's control.

And then there's Sally. She had grown up all alone in bitterness with no one to confide in over this matter. No one to trust.

That was it.

He got up and decided to walk for a bit. It might be the middle of the night but it felt better to walk then to sit with his thoughts stewing. They night wind that swept the plains was as soothing as it was eerie to his ears. He had his arms wrapped around himself, giving him little warmth.

He looked to the thinker woodland which he and Sally had come out of early. It looked pitch black, he couldn't even make out the silhouette of an individual tree. In the isolating darkness,Sonic wasn't waiting for the hands that clamped over his mouth, grabbing him around his form and pulling him into the unknown.

When Sonic finally came to, He was less then happy with the scene. He was back in Knothole village. In no way did it feel like the welcoming hidden village he'd discovered in his first arrival, quite the opposite.

For one he was bond in layers of rope, to firm and to tight to free himself of it. He was sitting on a pile of... vegetables, free and ripe from their life in the crop fields. All of which had been placed around the pole where Sonic had seen young people dance around before.

That was only part it.

There in front off him, were the villagers he had seen when coming to the village the first time. Only rather than being stationed around the village, taking part in the festivities or being set up in various social circles, They all stood in line. One next to other, all in an arched line, curved around the place where Sonic was constrained.

Standing in front of them and facing Sonic directly was the Acorn King, stood at his fullest stature. No entourage or guards by his side, just him on his stick like legs.

Their carved orifices facing his direction. There forms were unmoving except for the rag like cloths swaying gently to the night wind. Like them, the atmosphere was still and dead.

Had they been waiting for him to return this whole time?

It had even come to the point where they decided to take action themselves.

Finally after the agonizing silence, the Acorn King addressed all that were in his present.

"Our partition, here at last, has returned to us. The child of this harvest will rise."

A collective murmured cheers spread through the congregation behind the king. The very person then addresses the hedgehog directly.

"Today is a wondrous day for you my boy. On this night, we commemorate you as a part of our family. It's been so long since e have welcomed a new arrival."

This was outrageous.

"What do you mean, part of the family? I never said I was staying here, I was just passing by to see the festival. Look I'm new so if this is some kind of weird tradition thing for your harvest... thing, can I please come down off of this, the rope is really uncomfortable."

"But child, we can't lose you to the forest again, the woods are not safe in the night. This is where you should be, safe and among your own. Wouldn't it make you happy to finally feel a part of the family?"

He couldn't help himself, knowing what he knew now, he had

"How can I be happy when you got me roped up here. You didn't even let them choose to stay here for the rest of their lives did you? You didn't let girls like Bunnie to choose their lives or the freedom that they are more than entitled to. In fact, I know a girl who's live you've destroyed with your sick ideals. How is that fair to anyone?"

Hearing her name being mentioned, Bunnie flinches while keeping her gaze downwards. With a careful sweep of the crowd, everyone seemed to be uneasy as the Acorn was slowly loosing his patience.

"It seems you've become quite familiar with some of your brethren already, perhaps too much so."

The King's tone was becoming sour by the minute as he wasn't getting his way.

"They know what I provide them, This place is sanctuary to all the children of the harvest. They live eternally in peace in these woods. You can have that life too my son, it is what you want isn't it."

Was it what he wanted. Whether it was his memories, the freedom to roam over an undiscovered land. To me meet new, nice people. People that could be friends and family. Still, was it worth it. Was it worth giving away his soul for even a fraction of those things.

No, it wasn't.

"I'd rather die then live a life as someones puppet. I'm leaving this place and you're not stopping me."

Before Sonic knew it, the Acorn King was more than uncomfortably close. Was it the close distance that gave the King a more abstract stature. The Acorn's form was consuming his entire vision, the cracked orifices of it's faces was leveled with Sonic's. The hedgehog could swear that he could a dangerous gleam of it's eyes somewhere behind does rugged holes, something venomous brewing behind them.

"It seems you misunderstand boy. It is a rarity for an outsider to traverse into the realm at the breach of the oak, one that I cannot afford. Besides, it is by my grace that you still dread these lands. You have taken of our food and hospitality, thus you must repay in your tribute boy, one way or another."

As those words were spoken, sonic noticed a buttercup pumpkin moving on the pile he was currently sitting on. by it's own means It was coming towards him purposefully, it was even climbing him. It plopped itself comfortably on his head and the apprehension at the pit of sonic's core curdled in his being like bile.

He felt tendrils snake around his form, some of them even piercing into his skin, worming their way through his body. The hedgehog couldn't even recoil from the sensation of his body being torn apart from the inside. Through his legs, his arms, his chest even his head.

As if to add to his panic, his limbs started to feel numb, his body heavy. He was the witness to his own crude metamorphosis. His limbs just minutes ago were a vibrant fawn were dueling, hardening like a branch right in front of his eyes.

His eyes stung with tears. How did such a perfect day turn to this. All he wanted was happiness. He didn't know how he how he entered such a place and he would never know. He didn't know whether to feel betrayed or foolish . Now there was the pain and his reluctance to accept the circumstances.

Time was slipping from his loosened grasp and then it was still.

He almost didn't here the sound of the sound of the air wiping past him or the wooden pole behind him being struck. He turned his head behind him slowing, seeing the same green buttercup pumpkin impaled thoroughly to the pole, remaining immobile. This of course didn't go unnoticed.

To this, all eyes were raised to the skies. Against the golden moon, long, thin silhouettes were seen, coming down fast in the clearing.

And hell rains down. Many villagers heads, skewered and planted to the ground. They no longer had an ounce of life in them. Nearly half of the villagers were stricken down. Those still standing were set in a panic. A sporadic circulation erupted in the crowd. Some fleeing the now war zone, some still stood at the side of their king.

Though unseen in the thicket of the woodland. The screams of the unfortunate were heard as they were ensnared by the tricks of the woods. The king was enraged, Calling out for the perpetrator to make themselves seen.

Sonic was so enthralled in commotion he never noticed has friend to be by his side, slashing at the rope that bound him.

"You need to leave this people."

Even with her words she'd spoken, Sonic couldn't believe it with all that he had just witnessed and with what Sally had told him. Bunnie had tarnished those odds and he was grateful for it.

"A free spirit like you shouldn't be in a place like this. You can't become like us and I won't let you die here."

With that the ties were undone and head was being pulled by the hand and led to the entrance of the clearing.

"If you go keep south from here, you will eventually come out of King Acorns meadow and you will no longer be pursued."

When Bunnie was about to release his hand, Sonic recaptured it with a firm, desperate grip.

"And you can come with me Bunnie. You're not like the others here, You can be free a live for yourself. You can be you again, before King Acorn took it all away."

"It's alright, I've been here too long to go back to whatever I was before and I've accepted that. You've shone me this meadow in a beautiful light that I'd forgotten about and I'm grateful for that. I can't let this place ruin you like it has done for us. You should go for from her... and live for me."

With that closing statement, She cupped his hand with hers with a gentle, affectionate squeeze.

There was no remorse, no regret, no sadness in her voice, she sounded more revealed ever what the chaos unleashed around them.

This small oasis of peace was quickly ruined by the King's arrival.

"I should've known that the arrival of another from the Great Oak would be the undoing of all I had worked to build in this place."

There in front of them stood the king, tall and angry.

Sonic back away slowly, not ready for the confrontation. Bunnie hadn't even flinched at the kings angry voice. She was however stood in a way that blocked the acorn from Sonic.

"You have ruined our ceremony and sent my children to the underworld. You must pay with your tribute, insolent child. You must feed us."

Before anymore was said. A strained cry erupted from the Acorn after the noise of impact on a solid object.

The next thing they knew, cracks resounded as the Acorn was ruptured by a long crack running down his body before gravity pulled the split sides apart. The limbs and orifices twitching with what ever life remained in him along with wheezed gasp coming out from him.

Horrified but relieved, the two friends straightened to look at their savior. Sally walked over to them, wearing the paints that Sonic had seen her with before and some messy tribal war paint that had a dangerous look in the glow of orange flame. She had her usual frown and furrowed brows on her face but she was a welcome sight non the less, until she raise her weapon, an rusty farming hoe.

Sonic stood in front of Bunnie defensively.

"Sally wait. Bunnie isn't like the others, She's managed to retain her true who she used to be before King Acorn got to her, so you don't have to fight anymore. I know what it looks bad but maybe we can find a way to turn her back to normal and then we can stay together, we don't have to be oppressed by anyone ever again."

"Sally."

Both Sonic's and Sally's head turn to Bunnie as she continued speaking.

"It's been so long but It's good to see you again. The Chief would have been happy see you grow so strong."

An amicable statement to which only Sally and Bunnie knew it's meaning. Sonic was a little surprised that the two had such familiarity with each other and he was completely caught of guard.

He was too slow to see the arm that grabbed at his neckerchief and pulled him of his balance.. The same hand going to wield it's hoe and prepare for a strike.

"The dead shouldn't speak for they know nothing of this world."

The hoe then struck it's intended target. It cleaved the pumpkin head clean of it's bunny, sending the pumpkin soaring and spinning to the side where it fell and started to rot quickly. Bunnie' headless body feel to it's knees and collapsed on her front, her movements stopping permanently after that. Nothing but brown, viscous blood was oozing from her neck.

A distraught scream came behind her as Sonic ran passed Sally, kneeling infront of his now dead friend. Rather then stay in mourning, he turned to Sally in anger.

"Why would you do that? She was going to help us, she was our friend-" But he was cut of by the hoe taunting him in his face.

"There is no sense in preserving what is long gone. This place has already been ruined by the things that don't belong in this place. I will not have my home be further tarnished by such likes. If you don't want to fall tonight then you will leave this place and never return, Invader."

This time her eyes met his with more hate and vengeance then he has ever seen in his life. There was no point to add to the blood shed, what was done was done. Rather than cause Sally more grief than she has already lived with, he stood on his feet and made for the woodland with a hasty pace.

He had a vague memory of the direction that him and Sally had walked. Other then that, there wasn't much to work with. The forest was near pitch black in the night, silhouettes of trees were all merged and lost in each other.

The moon didn't offer anything to illuminate his path. The only sounds to be heard were the odd hooting of an that was watching him from it's shadowy perch, the tall grass being crushed under his shoes and the night wind pushing through the leaves.

Eventually he came to the meadow again and the old village he and Sally had come to. With the desire of getting tonight out of his mind, he went into the darkness. He pushed on, out of the village, over the hilly fields and out of the meadow, never to return.

He was never aware of the predator behind him. The low, menacing growls of a beast, the sharping of his claws in the tender dirty, the hungry eyes that stalked him from afar and shone a vile haze under the harvest's moon.

Next Chapter

A Meal of Fishes