My changeling ears twitch as I hear ponies voices below me. I crouch down low, my belly touching the rough dirt beneath me, as a crawl up the cliff's edge. Making sure that there is nopony up here with me, I glance down at the scene below. At the base of the cliff, I can see three tents facing into one another, with a burnt down firepit in the center. Outside of the tents were five raiders, poking and prodding some chained up ponies. The chained ponies rose up one by one, there legs barely supporting the weight of their bodies. As the raiders woke them up, one of the chained ponies didn't get up. The raider next to him called for the others, as they lifted him onto his hooves. however , as soon as they get him up, the second they let go, his limp body slumped back onto the ground. Before I could even react, the raider pulled out a gun and blasted the enslaved pony’s head clean off, blood and gore spraying onto the ponies nearby. The other slaves began to scream and shout, until the raider fired another round into the air to silence them. The raider at the front yelled for the slaves to march, as the other raiders cleaned up the campsite. I looked more closely at the slaves, and saw how they walked together in a line. Their dark, hollow eyes stared into the dirt beneath them as the began to march, ribs showing, and many of them displayed various degrees of abuse and torture. I could feel the hopelessness and despair radiating from these ponies, as they solemnly walked along. I just can't let this go past me. I’ve only heard of what slavers do to their slaves, and it's just plain wrong. I don't care what the world thinks of me, monster or not, i'm saving these ponies. I begin to slink back down the cliff, preparing a plan of attack.

It's fool proof. All I have to do is lay low, hide behind a rock and wait until the raiders pass by. As soon as they do, i'll jump out, gut them one by one, and free the slaves.Once the slaves are free, they will feel so much love and gratitude towards me I won't have to eat for another week! It's a win win situation! I run down the hill and pass the raiders, crawling through a rut in the side of the road to keep myself hidden from them. Once i'm about 10 yards in front of the convoy, I prepare myself to pounce. I take the form of a dark brown and green pegasus, spreading out my new feathered wings and prepared for flight. This is going to be so perfect! I can save these slaves, and head on my way. As soon the as convoy is about to reach me, I jump from my hiding spot, propelling myself through the air and pouncing the raider in the front.

Fuck. fuck it all. Shove a fucking stick up my ass and call it a dick, this is fucking bullshit. I slowly tredge side by side with the other slaves, my hooves chained with the others, and my wings bound by ropes to my sides. As soon as I lept from my hiding place, the unicorn rider blasted some sort of paralyzing spell at me, dropping me hard mid flight. The raiders just kept laughing and laughing at me, as the slaves just shook their heads. The raiders bound me up, and stuck me in line with the others where the slave that got his head blasted once stood. As soon as the spell wore off, I was nothing more but a slave like the others, being forced to march along the dusty road leading to who knows where to be sold. The slavers (mostly the mares, but a stallion did as well) found my “clean pegasus body” as quite the prize, as they whispered all sorts of plans of torture and rape that they had planned for me. I march along, seething with rage, but every time I tried to make a move the unicorn raider zapped me with a spell that forces my body calm, threatening to shoot me if i didn't knock it off. As we marched along, my eyes kept darting back and forth, hoping to find something, anything that I could use to escape. The raiders flanked us on all sides, guns at the ready, constantly shoving and hitting slaves that they felt were too slow. I made sure to keep up a good pace to try and avoid being hit, but I was bashed by a floating gun to the back of the head anyway from time to time. I really, really hate slavers. I wasn't scared as much as I was infuriated, my my fire soon died as I realized that I was indeed enslaved. We marched until night, and kept on marching until we finally reached a small clearing to make camp.

“Set up the tents over there, get a fire pit here, and can somepony please find me some damn whisky?” the unicorn barked to the other raiders. The raiders quickly set up the tents and the fire pit as they were ordered, and once they were done they began to stare into the group of slaves greedily, a mare in particular staring directly at me, a wicked grin across her face. Nope nope nope, I am getting out of here, right, now. A mare with a dirty pink coat and curly blue hair is pulled out from the chains, two bucks dragging her away into the tent, laughing as a blood curtailing scream erupted from the mare’s lips. As soon as they enter the tent, however, all sounds coming from the mare cease, leaving us all in utter silence.

“what ‘s going on?” I whisper to the slave next to me.

“Quiet!” he hissed back, “don't let them hear you!”

But my curiosity was stronger than my fear. “Why can't I hear anything from the tent?”

“The tent is in a bubble of silence, now stop taking before they hear you!”.

Bubble of silence? What in equestria is that? As I look closer at the tent, however, I indeed did see a thin, shimmering bubble surrounding the tent, with a pinkish glow to it.I shuddered at the thought of what those stallions were doing to that poor mare, and what kind of torture that they had planned for me later on. I can’t believe that I got myself into such a mess. I could have been well on my way by now, if I just would have left the caravan alone. Sure, i was only saving the slaves for love and gratitude, but I was still saving them, so that would have counted for something, right? As the last light of day faded away, we were ordered to lay on the ground where we stood. I myself plopped down quickly, tired from the forced march from before. As I look at some of the slaves around me, I realized how tired they must be from walking like these for weeks on end, with little food, water, and sleep. As the ponies around me closed there eyes, a haunting realization dawned on me as I realized that some of these ponies’ eyes won't open in the morning to come. I needed to make my escape tonight, while the slavers slept, and try to save as many of the slaves That i could. I’m a creature that feeds on love, after all. But for now, I just need to wait.

****

Night.

Slaves and raiders alike are sleeping on the ground, the slaves huddled next to one another to keep eachother warm throughout the night. All except me. I've kept awake, watching, and plotting my revenge. I don't even care about freeing the slaves anymore, as long as I get to rip the throat out of the damn unicorn that got me in this mess, I'm happy. Lucky for me, the raiders all decided to get drunk tonight. All but one. One of the guards assigned to watch us for the night decided to take it easy one the booze, and Is the only radier not dead drunk and asleep. It's one of the male raiders, green, spiked hair, with an ugly red coat. I couldn't see what his cutie mark was from spot, but to be honest I couldn't care less. He was a dead pony walking, and won't be sitting in his chair with that stupid smug face much longer. As soon as he looked the other way, I put my plan into action.

Quickly I transformed into a foal, my hooves free from the chains, and I shook off the loose ropes that once bound my wings to my side. Once I was free, I undisguised myself, reverting back to my original changeling form, and lept onto the surprised raider, and bit down with my fangs right into his exposed throat. With a swift pull of my head, I ripped the throat out of the raider, blood spraying all over myself and the slaves around me. Although I was fast enough to take the raider out before he could even make a sound, the awakened slaves began to scream at the sight of me, my body silhouetted by light from the fire, a monster.

“Aahhh! It's a monster! Were all going to die!” screamed a more, loudly sobbing while straining against the chains that held her to the other slaves.

“No! It's not what it looks like! I'm trying to save you all!” I yell back. Well, I will save them, but not until after I get my revenge on a certain unicorn.

Speaking of which, said unicorn came out from the tent, two other raiders flanking her sides, weapons drawn, looking around for what was causing all the fuss. The unicorn raider spots me immediately, her eyes narrowing at the sight of me. She begins to cast a spell, her horn glowing with a pink aura. I push myself off from the dead raider, open my mouth, spitting green goop from the glands in my mouth onto the unicorn raider. The goop covered both her eyes and her horn, stopping her from casting any spell that she planned on using on me. I charge at her, and before she can do anything I ram my curved horn right into her chest, piercing her heart, killing her. However, in my rage, I forgot about the two raiders that were beside her, and are now flanking me. Before I could turn to engage them, however, the raider to my right drew his weapon up and fired 3 shots at me. Lucky for me, the weapon was in bad condition, and so was the radier after his long night of drinking. two of his shots sailed over my head, completely missing me. But his last shot found its mark, piercing me right in my side, burrowing itself into my chitin. I cry out with a hiss of agony, pulling my horn out from the unicorn with a wet popping noise, turning to the stallion who shot me, a look of fury in his eyes. I could sense the fear he had for me, a creature that he has never seen before, that has already killed two of his raider acomplences.

“Run, run while you still can.” I growl at him, a low buzz in my voice. He is visibly shaking now, his eyes wide with fear. But before either of us can make a move the air is suddenly filled with bullets, the sound of gunfire loud in my sensitive ears. I run behind the tent, trying to find some form of cover, as I lie on the ground with bullets passing over my head as they rip and tear through the tent, offering me no cover from the frenzy of gunfire. I look behind me out into the night, and see a hill about 6 yards away from where I currently was. I wanted to stay and fight, but i was outmanned and outgunned, and finally decided that it was time for me to flee. I run at full speed, using my insect wings to propel myself even faster as I run. I hear yelling behind me, as another flurry of bullets tears into the sky, this time, I take multiple hits before I finally reach the hill, and use it as cover as I keep running, off into the night.

As I run off into the direction of pull on my mind, I suddenly fall to the ground, unable to move.

“What the hell is going on?”

As my adrenaline rush from before finally wears off, I finally realize why I’m not able to move. I took multiple hits to my back and flank, green blood oozing from my wounds, the pain washing over me like a wave. The rush of pain is so sudden, that I can’t help but let loose a scream of anguish. I lie there on the ground, teeth clenched as i reach for a healing potion. My hoof only grabs empty air, however, as i remember that when the raiders confiscated my things when they captured me, i never got my stuff back. Shit. No healing potions, no guns, no nothing. I won't survive. I begin to hyperventilate, my panic rising as i'm about to scream once again. Then i fainted.

The female changeling is once again standing in front of me, staring at me. I hear a faint sigh come from her.

“Can. You. Hear. Me?” she said, her voice sounding prominent, but distant.

“Yeah, I can, but who are you?” wait a second. I can hear her! “ I can hear you! Yes! Finally!”

“You can? Thank the queen! Now get me out of here!”

“Where are you?” I ask.

“I’m in a cave in the mountains, you'll find me there. I need you to find me, soon!” as she said those last words, the female changeling began to fade back into the darkness.

“Wait! Don't go! Who are you? And why do I need to find you?!” before I could hear an answer, she faded completely away, and then I woke up.

As i laid there on the ground, I could hear the wind whistling past, howling and screeching as it blows. I open weakly open my eyes, and see nothing but dust and sand blowing around me, whipping past my wounded body. The pull on my mind is stronger then ever, my physical body being tugged along by an invisible string, towards the cliffs. Despite my grievous wounds, i get up on my hooves, and begin to run. kicking up dust behind me, I run like I never have before, my body broken and tired, running faster, further, and harder than i ever had in my entire life. The mountains looming ever closer, with tears in my eyes as dust clouds my vision. As the pull takes me ever closer, i can see a cave within the mountains, a small black hole within the rocks. With a last burst of energy, Pushing my broken and bruised body past its limits, I sprint towards the opening of the cave. Once I reach the cave, I slow myself down to a trot, constantly moving, as I know as soon as I stop that I will collapse. The cave is pitch black inside, and about 2 ponies wide. My changeling eyes begin to adjust, allowing me to see in the dark. At the end of the cave is a green glow, barely even noticeable within the darkness. As I get closer, I begin to see the object that is causing the glow. A changeling cocoon hangs from the roof of the cave, a figure of a pony inside. What is this doing here? Why am I being drawn to it? I walk closer to the cocoon, and jump back, startled to as what I saw inside. Another Changeling! Holy shit! Its another Changeling! I’m truly not the only one! At closer inspection, I notice that changeling is a female, in some sort of comatose state. What is she doing here? Is she the one from my dreams? I need some answers, and I want them now. I use my sharp, curved horn to cut open the cocoon, causing the other changeling to fall to the ground with a thud. The fluid from the cocoon spills onto the cave floor, washing past my hooves. I fill with joy at the sight of her breathing, as she opens her large, featureless blue eyes. However as I open my muzzle to speak, my adrenaline leaves my body causing me to collapse on the ground, feeling broken, and so, very, very tired. As my eyelids become too heavy to keep open, I close them, and faint, the other changeling staring at me intently.