Leaving the hospital, I had memorized most of the way out of Ponyville. Making my way down the street I passed by Twilights home and continued to walk till I was on the outskirts. The open meadow sprawled out and was cut abruptly cut by the edge of Everfree. The trail that leads into Everfree was not to badly hidden. I remembered enough that I was able to confidently find my way before the sun fully set. The welcoming lights of Zecora's cottage glinted through the forest as I walked towards it. Several sounds made me look over my shoulder during my walk but thankfully nothing appeared. Knocking on the door Zecora answered and smiled at me as she stepped aside to let me in.
"I was beginning to worry, that you would be staying at another's surely." she said as she closed the door behind me.
"Where would I stay? Pinkies?" I said in jest. Zecora nodded in agreement that staying with Pinkie was not ideal. I sat by the fireplace and saw the fire was getting low. I took a log and placed it on the fire.
"Zecora, I'm curious." I began and Zecora found her seat opposite me as she quietly listened.
"Where do you come from?" I asked looking at her as she smiled and leaned back slightly.
"That, Feather Beak is more than just some tale, to tell it in one go you would most likely bale." She said closing her eyes as she seems to reach back in her memories.
"What about your home town?" I asked a more simple question and she opened her eyes. What I thought was a hint of sorrow in her eyes came and went.
"Long ago decades is seems, I often visit it in my dreams. My village of Tatoui is something small, Poniville seems large compared to it all," she said with a small laugh. I simply sat there listening and enamored with her way of talking and weaving a story.
"It's a village in a place much like Everfree, lots of foliage and green. Known for our mixes and Brews, we were given much respect and always paid our dews." she said and looked to the fire calmly before looking back at me with a sigh.
"So you're from a small village that's much like a Everfree and well respected by other tribes of the area." I summarized and she nodded before I began to guess.
"Were you always really good at brewing potions?" I asked leaning forward. Zecora shook her head and looked to the corner where a decorated spear leaned against an ornate African mask and unstrung bow with a quiver of arrows hung from a branch.
"First I was a warrior of some renown, and many came to challenge but many I beat down." she said with a hint of pride before she fell back into her calm demeanor.
"Why are you here then?" I asked and I immediately knew it was something that was a sore subject with her.
"That is a tale for other time, but it's late so I think it's your bedtime." She said playfully and I rolled my eyes.
"Your not my mom," I said jokingly.
"Your mom I'm not you goof, but you will listen to me while under my roof." she said getting spare blankets and walking to me.
"Your wing is mended I see, looks like it was done by Minty Greene." she said lifting my wing to inspect it.
"You know him?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.
"In a town so small, it a wonder if anypony can not know all," she said releasing my wing and throwing a blanket on me blocking my vision. I pulled it over my head with a laugh and saw her sitting on her bed and a thought struck me. I've never really felt this secure in a home before and that was a sad thought.
"Hey, Zecora..." I began slowly and she looked up at me as she was removing one of her golden earrings.
"Minty Greene said I should talk about...my past to better get over it...what do you think?" I asked. Zecora placed her earring on the bedstand with a click before looking at me.
"If you ever feel the need to talk about things that hurt, I am always here for you to blurt." she said with a smile, I nodded and just the thought of someone that was willing to talk to me gave me a feeling of calm.
"Thanks, Zecora," I said before taking a pillow and putting it down and covering myself with a blanket. I turned towards the fire and felt the heat on my beak and my eyelids felt heavy. The last I saw was the flicking of the fire as it licked the logs and my dreams took me.
I woke with a start as the fireplace was nothing but ash that was smoldering. I sat up slowly rubbing away the sleep from my eyes and gave a yawn.
"Zecora?" I said sleepily and looked to her bed to see it empty. I frowned and stood up and looked around concerned.
"Zecora!" I said louder and received no response and I went to her front door and opened it and jogged out.
"Zecora!" I called out before I had a wave of the smell of cigarettes and spilled beer struck me like a punch and my eyes widened.
"No..." I said shaking my head and several branches creaked and snapped.
"Where are you boy!" Came a booming voice and I felt my legs turn to jelly with weights as my father stepped out into the yard in front of Zecoras cottage. He lumbered forward dragging something and he tossed it at me as it registered as Zecora. She looked asleep but my mind raced.
"You can't be here!" I screamed.
"You think this fucking pony is your new mom? Get fucking real you little shit," he said taking a step forward towards me. My heart pounded in my ears as I looked down at Zecora and my hands were human again.
"You can never get away from me. I own you." He said cruelly as I fell to my knees and put my head in my hands as my body convulsed involuntarily as I cried out and my eyes became swollen with tears as the world became a blur of colors. I lifted my eye up again and my hands had become claws again.
"You and your fuckin My little pony! Are you fuckin queer! I'm gonna beat the fag out of you!" he said lifting his arm and I simply saw there tears in my eyes resigned for to take my punishment.
"BEGONE EVIL NIGHTMARE!" A powerful voice pierced the air and I looked to my left and the Princess of the night stood by my side and her horn ablaze. My father looked at Luna and glared before dispersing into the air and I wiped my eyes.
"Are you alright little fledgling?" she asked looking down on me, as my tears refused to stop.
"Y-yes..." I said and my eyes suddenly felt heavy and I fell to the ground.
I opened my eyes and saw Zecora over me with a look of concern. My eyes began to water again and she pulled me into a hug as I began to weep.
"Now now Feather Beak, I'm here no need to speak." she said as she began to stroke my feathered back.
"I-I..." I began but the words died in my throat, choked off by my overwhelming urge to sob. Zecroa calmly looked after me until I was able to gain control of myself and I pulled back still sniffing.
"Sorry...was a nightmare," I said trying to shrug it off as something simple but failing terribly. It wasn't till then I saw that Zecora had several light cuts on her chest and legs. My eyes widened and I looked at my claws that had light traced of blood on my claws. My heart sank and I recoiled away from her in my own horror.
"Oh my god...Zecora I." I began to say and she held up a hoof and I fell silent.
"No need to worry little Feather, I have received worse than this in bad weather." she said with a casual wave of her hoof and stepped towards me and patted me on the shoulder.
"It's the morning and time to eat, I'll make one of my countries recipes my treat," she said tapping my shoulder and turning around to go to her kitchen and set up what looked like a frying pan. I was slow to follow but I did after a moment and at her sink that was a hand pump, I washed her blood from my claws.The sound of sizzling and soon a nice fragrance filled my nose chasing the smell of cigarettes that had purveyed from my nightmare that seemed so real. After a pregnant silence, Zecora spoke.
"What did you dream about, unless you don't want me to reach out." she asked and I was silent a moment.
"My father," I said simply and she nodded almost understandingly.
"I just want to forget him. He's not in my life anymore." I said frowning and my voice rising along with my blood. Zecora placed a plate in front of me, they looked deep-fried and that's all I could tell.
"What is this?" I asked unsurely.
"It is a recipe from Neigiria, black beans deep-fried in herbs and spices, take a bite you might be surprised," she said with a smile. I gingerly picked it up and a searing heat caused me to drop it.
"Ah, it's hot," I said before seeing her shake her head.
"Things cooked with flame tend to be hot unless your use to things being not?" she teased, I gave her a smiling glare and blew on the deep fried black beans. It was odd to have beans for breakfast but they weren't horrible.
"Good," I said and she nodded as she made her own plate and sat down. Breakfast passed silently and before I could say anything.
"Do you have a job to get to? I hope you're not late and you're already through," she said with a smile and my eyes widened and I looked at her clock and it said 7:30.
"I got to go! I'll be back after work." I said standing up as she stood up too and approached me and gave me a hug out of the blue.
"I'll be fine Zecora." I assured her and she pulled back tapping my beak gently.
"Feather Beak you are many things, fortunately, Fine is not one of them, unfortunately," she said and I gave her a grumbled look. She lifted my claw and placed several yellow coins in it.
"20 bits for lunch, you don't have money...call it a hunch," she said giving me a slight push towards the door. I owed her more than anything. I opened the door and looked back as she waved at me and I smiled and closed the door.
I ran through the forest quickly as my legs could carry me. My right was still in the sling but only slightly ached from the operation and I burst from the treeline to see Ponyville. So sleepy and peaceful looking I slowed my pace as I passed the first house that was on the outskirts. I passed by the golden oaks library and walked made my way to the carpentry shop just to see Sand Paper approaching the doors with a key ring levitating. But he looked a little off and I approached him from behind.
"Morning Sand Paper," I said and he jumped and turned around. His eye was slightly glazed. One could mistake it for sleepiness but I have seen that gaze before. and the smell on his breath confirmed it.
"Celestia, Boy you are like a ghost," he said with an alcoholic fueled breath that made my beak crinkle in disgust. A small chill passed through me.
"Come on we got work to do." he said as the sliding door opened up with a rattle.