Tails from echidna's tribe

Tails sat on the edge of the island, dangling his legs and rubbing his eyes. Looking down, all he could see were clouds, occasionally revealing a view of the ocean. It was late evening, almost midnight. Snow lay on the ground, making his legs feel a little numb. "Tails, don't sit on the ground, you'll freeze," he heard Knuckles say from behind him. He obeyed, stood up and walked over to the fire the echidna was about to light. "What are we doing here? I feel sleepy..." "You will. I'll let you sleep longer tomorrow, but for now we have to wait until midnight," Knuckles hit the rock with a stone, sparks flying onto the branches. "Why?" "You'll see." The fire flared up, Knuckles sat down on the log he had brought earlier, and called Tails over. Tails sat down on his lap and pulled the blanket tighter around him, tucking his legs up. Knuckles wrapped his arms around him and pulled the fox close. "Aren't you cold?" "I'll handle this. Echidnas can withstand the cold for a long time." Tails knew he was telling the truth, but he still unrolled the blanket and hugged Knuckles, sharing his warmth. "I'll keep you warm with me. My fur is warm." "That's nice," Knuckles smiled softly. They sat in silence for five minutes until Tails heard a noise far away from the island. "What was that bang?" "That's what means it's midnight. It's... I think it's called fireworks. Let's see," Knuckles stood up and walked to the edge. Tails looked down and saw colorful flashes, followed by a huge noise. "How beautiful! Even though it's really loud..." "You can't imagine how loud it would be if those flashes were nearby." "But what does it mean? What is this "fireworks" for?" "You see, once a year, like the day you arrived on the island, all the creatures celebrate the New Year. They believe that with the coming of the New Year, a miracle comes and wishes come true. It is also believed that how you spend this night is how the whole year will go." "Wow... So I can make a wish?" "Sure." "Oh, I don't even know what I can wish for... Do you have a wish?" "It came true a long time ago." "What was it?" "To not be alone one day. I don't know if I'll ever be able to see my kind again, but that didn't mean I could spend my whole life alone. Even if I am a hermit... But now I have you." Knuckles smiled again and nuzzled the top of Tails's head. Tails smiled and hugged the echidna tighter. Knuckles turned and walked back to the fire. "I have something for you." Tails watched expectantly as Knuckles pulled out something wrapped in leaves from behind a log. "Look," he also pulled out a necklace of small stones. "It's a tradition to give gifts on this night. I made this necklace from stones I found in the ruins. They're very valuable stones, worn to bring them good fortune." Tails held out his hand, and the string of blue stones fell into his palm, showing that they weren't the weight of a feather. The stones shimmered in the firelight. He put them around his neck and assessed them again. He looked at the echidna and smiled gratefully. "And one more thing... I made this for you too," he held out the package. Tails slowly unwrapped the package and saw a stuffed fox toy. His eyes widened in surprise. The toy's yellow fur shimmered with surprisingly soft red needles. There were two tails on the back, just like his own. "I made the frame out of my needles. And the fur... It'll remain a little secret. I figured you might need its company someday if I wasn't around." "It's wonderful!" Tails whispered in admiration. He jumped into Knuckles' arms and whispered, "Thank you so much!" "Happy New Year, Tails."