Chapter 33- Another Addition 

The two echidnas were now walking through some forest. The rays of the sun overhead cast down rays of light through the light canopy. To Sotsu’s surprise there was a good amount of woods, even though he had been told by that troop that the whole area was suppose to be city ruins. Hopefully he hadn’t taken a wrong turn.

"It’s tranquil… I like that," Sotsu said rater suddenly.

"It’s nice to be here in such a natural place," Gray replied, his voice actually hinted with a little emotion.

"Ghost! God damn you Ghost where is he?" the two turned to the shouting to see a fox charging them.

The fox plowed right into Sotsu and tackled him to the ground, grabbing him by the collar she shook him shouting at him at the top of her lungs.

"Where is he? God dammit tell me…" she stopped abruptly as she recoiled from Sotsu.

"You’re not Ghost!" she scrambled back, blushing slightly from embarrassment of her mistake. 

"No… I’m not," Sotsu said rather blankly as he stood up brushing off his coat. 

The fox had golden fur, she wore baggy brown pants and a green and white sweater, her outfit was completed with large brown shoes, her bushy tails hung behind her in a rather sullen manner. 

"Ah… I’m sorry for the mistake. My name’s Carmen, I’ve been looking for my brother Magus for the past two days," the fox extended a hand out to Sotsu. 

"I’m Sotsu, and this is Gray," Sotsu said shaking her small hand, then she changed for Gray, who merely stood silently but shook her hand.

"If you want us to we can help you find your brother," Sotsu offered, figuring he might as well do something on the way to heading down to San Jose to confront Abet.

"You would?" Carmen looked up into Sotsu’s eyes, here deep blue eyes glistened with hope.

"Er... sure," the black echidna said shrugging his shoulders, Gray shot an irritated glare in his direction.

"Great! So… um… I guess I should show you two to my cabin, and explain my situation," Carmen explained as she gestured for the two to follow her. 

The two were led a short ways before reaching a small wooden cabin on a clearing, it was fairly nice looking, though it showed it’s age.

"You two live out here… alone?" Sotsu questioned as they were led to the door. 

"Yes… our parents… disappeared a few years ago. I think they had abandoned us," Carmen replied, her voice sounding pinched with pain.

"Oh… I’m sorry," Sotsu said lightly, not having meant to bring up a painful subject.

"No… don’t worry about it," the fox said waving one hand about, then opening the door for the two to enter. 

Sotsu and Gray entered to what seemed to serve as a living room, kitchen and dining room. There were two other doors, Sotsu guessed one was the restroom and the other was the bedroom. The kitchen counters were cluttered with an assortment of pots and pans, the dining table with plates and silverware. 

"You’ll have to forgive me about the living conditions. My brother and his friends never clean up after themselves. If you want… you can take a seat there," Carmen said, gesturing to a pile of folded blankets that seemed to serve as a seating assemble in which a small black radio sat in the middle of. Sotsu winced slightly hearing Carmen speaking in a rather ashamed tone.

"Don’t worry about me, at the time I think it’s important that we devise a plan," Sotsu said, nodding toward Gray. 

"Yes. It’d be better that we search while it’s still light out. And I think we should only have about three hours then before it begins to get dark," the cyber-echidna explained. 

"Alright then how about this," the vixen began as she turned toward the pair.

"We all split up, then we search until it begins to get dark. Then we’ll meet back here and I’ll cook you guys some dinner."

"Sounds good to me," Sotsu replied with a smile.

"Alright then let’s get searching," Gray said as he shifted Spitfire’s position onto his shoulders.

Sotsu was now deep into the forest, it had been half an hour since he had left the cabin in search for the fox’s little brother, Magus. 

"Magus! Magus where are you?" Sotsu called out as he slowly trekked about the area. The black echidna groaned slightly as he looked about. He had seen no sign of anyone having even been this way. 

He stopped for a second and reached for one of his pouches, he opened it and drew the photo of Skara. He unfolded it and starred into the depths of the echidna’s jade eyes. 

"Where are you Skara?" Sotsu questioned softly to the picture. He let out a slight sigh then folded the picture back up and placed it back inside it’s rightful pocket; then began searching again. 

Gray had gone the other direction then Sotsu. He also had been calling out for Magus and had as much like as the black echidna with finding the boy. He now sighed deeply and took a seat on a fallen log, he placed both hands atop Spitfire’s recoil arm and leaned slightly into it. He sat there in deep thought for a few long moments. The sound of a slight breeze was all that was heard. 

"How much longer is this gonna last?" the echidna asked himself, then something caught his attention as he heard the rustling of bushes not too far away. 

Carmen had been searching about the closer perimeter of the house, mostly to make sure she’d catch Magus if the he decides to come back. She had also been calling out the boy’s name. Then she was interrupting as she heard a cry from Gray, followed by several loud guns shots that echoed throughout the forest. Both her and Sotsu began to run to where they assumed they’d find Gray. 

The two ran as fast as they could and eventually reached the echidna, both were panting and exhausted from the run. They entered the area to see their echidna friend shooting at a squirrel with his pistol, shouting profanities at the thing as it ran about avoiding the shots.

"Gray what the hell are you doing!?" Sotsu shouted, not sure weather to laugh or punch his bodyguard.

"The thing attacked me when I came near a bush! It bit me damnit!" Gray shouted angrily as he popped off more shots at the animal. 

"Gray stop it!" Carmen demanded as she pulled the pistol from Gray’s hands, the squirrel then made it’s escape. 

"Ah… look it got away!" Gray whined giving the fox an exasperated look.

"Listen to her Gray will ya’. We agreed to find her brother not to go hunting," Sotsu argued with the other echidna.

"Yeah yeah fine sorry," Gray grumbled.

"Ok then. Promise no more shooting at innocent animals," Carmen told Gray.

"Innocent? The thing freakin’ attacked…," Gray began but was interrupted.

"Agree or you don’t get your pistol back," Carmen returned, holding the pistol away from the echidna in a demanding fashion. 

"Oh… ok," Gray mumbled with his face downward, looking like a child who had just been scolded.

"Good," the fox returned in a pleased tone, holding the large pistol out.

Sotsu chuckled a little at seeing his murderous bodyguard acting so juvenile toward their host. Gray took up the pistol and hoisteled it, giving Sotsu a menacing glare that quickly silenced the black echidna. 

The three then went back to their routine until the sun began to set into the far distance. They retired to the cabin where Carmen cooked up some canned chicken soup. The three now ate silently, they sat on the folded blankets in a circle. 

"It must be lonely out here," Sotsu said, trying to break the thick silence.

"It is… sometimes. But my brother and … and his friends keep me company," Carmen replied. 

"Did you check with his friends about his whereabouts?" Gray asked after taking a sip from his soup. 

"Yes… they have all seemed to have left, or something," the fox replied, a very worried look held in his face, her blue eyes looking deep into her bowl. 

"We’ll find them don’t worry," Sotsu assured, trying to give the fox an equally assured look.

"I hope so…" Carmen replied, her voice trailing off. 

The three sat there finishing off the last bit of their soup. Gray and Sotsu helped Carmen out with cleaning up a little, then they retired for the night. Sotsu slept on one of the wooden chairs at the dining table with his feet perched up onto the table, Gray wrapped himself tightly in the blankets and curled up near the back wall, and Carmen went to sleep in the bedroom. The night quickly passed by and the sun’s rays broke through the window above the kitchen sink, waking Sotsu from his sleep. 

Sotsu slowly lifted one eye and gazed out the window at the trees that lined the perimeter of the clearing. Then he yawned soundly as he stretched his arms above his head , only to find himself over-tilting the chair and falling to the wooden floor with a clatter. 

Gray shot awake, at the sound and turned to see an up-turned Sotsu who’s torso was up-side down while his legs were still half-way on the table.

"What the hell are you doing Sotsu?" Gray asked groggily, still wrapped tightly in the blankets. 

"Ouchies," Sotsu squeaked out as he felt his back pop. 

There was a few silent moments before Carmen finally opened the bedroom door and slowly in a half-asleep manner stalked toward the kitchen sink. 

"Hello Sotsu," she said in a rather dead manner when she passed by the dining table.

"Ouchies," Sotsu repeated in a pained voice.

Carmen washed her face in the sink to try and wash away the grogginess. Sotsu righted himself and cracked his back a few times, then walked over to the wrapped up form of Gray who was soundly asleep near the back wall.

"Come on Gray, wake up," Sotsu said toward the curled up cyber-echidna.

"Go away," Gray groaned before rolling over so his back was toward Sotsu.

"Hmmm," Sotsu sounded in frustration toward his bodyguard.

"Stand aside Sotsu," Carmen said dully as she pushed the black echidna away, then sent a swift kick to Gray’s backside, sending the poor echidna bolting upright and rubbing the sore spot.

"What the hell was that for?!" Gray shouted eyeing the fox who was returning the angered gaze.

"Because you weren’t waking up! Now we’d better get going! I wanna find Magus today!" Carmen explained sternly, her fists clenched tight and her eyes bloodshot with anger.

"Oh… yeah," the cyber-echidna half-chuckled now remembering why they were here, Sotsu let out a groan of irritation.

"Alright then how about his? You see Gray and I are heading down to San Jose. Maybe you could some with us, perhaps we’ll find your brother on the way," Sotsu offered with a light-hearted smile.

"What are you crazy? It’s too dangerous!" Gray shot back.

"I’ll go," Carmen replied happily, causing the two echidna’s to pause.

"You will?" Gray asked in surprise.

"Sure. It’s that well… I think Magus may have went off to find our parents… he can take care of himself so it’s no big worry. So… I’ll go," the fox answered firmly. 

"Alright then… get whatever you need and we’ll get going," Sotsu said cheerfully.

After Carmen had gathered a few items the three set off south, for San Jose. It was a long journey that would take a few days of hard-pressed travel. Who knows what dangerous, adventures or other obstacles and events might lie between them and their destination. All they know for sure is that with one more friend on their side, they’ve even the odds out a little more. 

Carmen and Gray are copyright of me.

Ghost and Magus are copyright of my nephew who passed the rights to me.

-Nicholas D. Wolfwood-