The Knight and The Caretaker (Sonic x Lancelot)

The Bandits

Lancelot

My horse trod onto the dirt road of the forest, the iron horseshoes clicking against the ground.

I listened to the sounds of the woods around me.
It was calming.
My mother would bring me and Maria to this beautiful flower field when we were kids, and we would make flower crowns and bracelets while she would weave baskets.

I chuckled remembering how Maria would pretend to be a dragon and roll around in the flowers when she was "defeated".

I missed that.

Then a sound that was irregular to the forests came to my senses.

It was talking? More like shouting when I got closer.
I loosed the reins and got my horse to go faster. Then when I was close enough I stopped to listen to the conversation.
I hopped off my horse and started towards a small group of mobians on the side of the road.

It was a group of bandits, surrounding two kids. A fox, with two tails, probably around 13 or 14 and a rabbit probably around 11 or 10.

"Please sir! My brother needs the money!" Said a small cream rabbit girl, trying to grab a small pouch that the raccoon bandit held just out of her reach.

"Leave us alone! This is the third time this week! What do you want?!?" Demanded the fox who was clinging onto his pack as one of them tried to pull it away.

"We just wanna send the message that the forest is our territory, ya hear? Now send that back to that annoying caretaker of yours and maybe we'll stop taking all the money you've got!" Laughed a horned lizard one.

"We've lived here for years! We can't just- AGH."

The skunk yanked away the fox's pack, and the contents spilled all over the ground.
It was mostly herbs and medicinal remedies and some wood crafting tools.

"Ack, Eve's medicine!" Said the fox, trying to collect up the bottles again.

"Oooh, sounds important! Wonder what would happen if I just..." The lizard said, pressing his boot against one of the bottles threatening to shatter it.

I had seen enough.

"Step away from the children and return their money this instant." I snarled, walking over menacingly.

The bandits attention was to me and I saw the raccoon's pupils shrink back in fear.

"Who's this hunk of metal? Some fancy knight?" Asked the skunk.

"Oh yeah, what are you gonna do if we don't?" Chuckled the lizard.

"Mates. That's Sir Lancelot. Ya know, the crazy knight who killed people when he was a kid?" Said the raccoon.

The other two stiffened.

"Correct, now I think it would be of your best interest to return their money and leave them be, before I must use physical force." I threatened.

"Come on, these kids ain't worth it!" Said the raccoon, dropping the money bag and running.

"Ugh, whatever!" Said the lizard following after.
The skunk scampered quickly after her mates and they disappeared into the woods.

I sighed and then walked over to the children, helping them pick up their things.

"Thank you so much sir, those bandit have been bothering us for two weeks, taking our money and going through our stuff!" Huffed the fox, as I put the bottles back into his pack.
"I'm just glad they haven't attacked our home yet."

"They're probably too afraid of big brother!" Said the bunny, collecting the coins that spilled from the bag onto the ground. "But thanks so much Sir Knight!"

"You're welcome, It's very dishonorable to steal from children and you are lucky I was out on patrol at the time." I said, picking up the herbs that were tied together with twine. "And it's Sir Lancelot, your names are?"

"Oh wow! You're the Lancelot? Of like the round table? That's awesome! But anyways, I'm Miles, but everyone calls me Tails because of my two tails." The fox said.

"You're the young carpenter and blacksmith in the marketplace of Camelot, I think I've seen you there before..." I hum.

"Yep! He's really good at blacksmithing! And I'm his sister, Cream! I like to help out in the shop!" Said the bunny.

"It is an honor to meet you two." I said, helping them both up onto their feet once we had picked up their spilled items.

I looked down the road, my eyes narrowing.
"I know bandits, and if I leave you alone they will just come back. I shall escort you back to your home, it is on this road, am I correct?" I asked.

"Oh yeah! That would be great! We live a lot more further down the road!" Said Tails, pointing down the road.

"Understood, come, you two will be able to fit on my horse." I said, pulling them over to my horse.

"Woah! Your horse is so pretty Sir Lancelot! What's their name?" Asked Cream, as I picked her up and helped her on.

"Well, I suppose I never have him a name...you may name him if you like." I said.

"Hmmm, Onyx!" She said, as I helped Tails on.

"Then Onyx it shall be." I said, as I then got on with the two children behind me.

"Now tell me where to turn and we'll get there quickly." I said.

"Got it! There's gonna be a fork in the road up ahead and so we want to turn right. Then there will be a crystal, light catcher on a tree at least 18 feet ahead and then the turn to our home will be right around the tree!" Said Tails.

"Understood, now lets go." I said, flicking the stirrups.

Onyx started to move down the path, and I looked at the kids behind me.
They both looked so happy and innocent, having the time of their lives.

Now one thought was in my head.

Why were these two kids living out in the middle of nowhere?