Sonic tried to still the random tremors that shot down his limbs, knowing what they meant just as he knew his racing heart would do nothing but make the situation more dire. He needed suppressant. He needed it now.

"Sticks!" Sonic pounded on the badger's door harder. "C'mon I said the codeword and the backup codeword to make sure the first wasn't a trick. Lemme in!"

"Sonic?" Sticks opened her door just enough to poke her head out and looked around him suspiciously. "Who's with you?"

"No one, Sticks, it's just me. I need--"

"That's what someone who wasn't alone would want me to think so they could spring a trap!"

Sonic tilted his head in confusion at the badger, his tone tense and urgent. "What? No!"

Sticks narrowed her eyes in agitation, but then her nose twitched, and she pulled back in surprise. Sonic rolled his eyes in exasperation, sighing heavily. "That's what I'm here for."

Sticks disappeared inside, leaving her door open for Sonic to follow. He shut it carefully behind him, wanting this conversation as quiet and secure as possible. He shifted uncomfortably as he watched the badger search through her disorganized belongings. She flung scraps of fabric and odd bundles of greenery this way and that. The occasional sound of ceramic shattering made him flinch.

It made sense she wasn't prepared. He wasn't prepared either. He shouldn't have had to worry about this for another month at least. He was early. Well, rather, his heat was early.

He shifted nervously, emerald eyes glancing back toward the door. The others would be waiting for them. They were all supposed to meet at his shack so they could set out on this stupid mission to find Egghead. Why they couldn't just leave it alone, he had no idea, but Amy insisted the loony scientist had been too quiet for too long, and Eggman hadn't been at his base in weeks, if not a month. Tails had picked up a surge in chaos energy not terribly far away the day before, so that's where they'd decided to begin the search.

Sonic dodged a random pot his friend threw over her shoulder in her haste. "Sticks, I really--"

"I know, I know! I can smell ya from over here!"

"Here, I found--uh oh."

"Uh oh?" Sonic asked, panic rising in his voice. "Why 'uh oh'?!"

Sticks held up the jar she typically kept his mix in. There was barely a dusting of herbs in it. "I thought you weren't due for another five weeks!"

"One, are you charting me?? And two, yeah, I know, it's early. Like, really early."

Sticks frowned and moved toward her makeshift kitchen, setting her kettle on the stove. "I don't like that, Sonic. That's never happened before.... I suspect--"

"It's not aliens."

"Aliens!"

Sonic hung his head and groaned. "Just gimme the tea, Sticks."

The badger turned her attention to the kettle as its whistle let her know the water within was ready. She poured the meager contents of the jar into a diffuser and added boiling water. Steam rose from the mug as she handed it to Sonic who immediately began blowing, eager to get its contents into his system.

"I don't care what it's doing to my system as long as I'm not forced to shack up with some alpha and crank out kids for the rest of my life."

Sticks shrugged. "Seems kinda cushy to me."

"You'd lose your mind."

"What mind?"

"Exactly--" Sonic ears perked at the sound of voice approaching. "Shit! It's them!" He hurriedly began drinking his tea, not even caring that it immediately seared his tongue and throat. The relief was near immediate, and Sonic breathed in a deep sigh of relief before handing Sticks his empty mug. "Can you find more of those herbs where we're going?" he asked hurriedly.

Sticks barely managed a quick nod before the others were at the door.

"Sonic? Are you in there?" Amy called out. Sonic hesitantly sniffed his underarm and shook out his fur, hoping his true omega scent had dissipated enough that the others wouldn't detect the subtle scent of heat that had started to creep in.