Swiftclaw stood at the bottom of the stairs that led to the Castle of the Two Sisters. He heaved an uneasy sigh before he put on a determined expression and stepped up the stairs, and when he reached the top, he soon spotted the rest of his pack, lounging about. Some were even grumbling under their breath.
"King Warfang sure gave us an earful, today," said one of the wolves.
"Yeah, I'll say," agreed another. "I thought he was a grouch before."
"Hey, don't go sayin' that!" whispered a third wolf. "What if King Warfang hears you and-" He then noticed Swiftclaw approaching. "P-P-Prince Swiftclaw?!"
Soon after, the wolves began to gather around the prince, and among them was Stormhowl, who sighed in relief as he joined his fellow wolves.
"Prince Swiftclaw!" exclaimed one of the wolves. "Are you okay?!"
"We heard you got captured by the ponies!" added another.
"I'm fine," said Swiftclaw. "I swear, I'm fine."
"So what happened?" asked Stormhowl. "How did you get away?"
"Believe it or not," Swiftclaw began, "one of the ponies helped me: a Pegasus named Fluttershy."
The wolves gasped at this revelation.
"A pony helped a wolf?!" asked one of them.
"But why?" inquired another. "It doesn't make sense!"
"There must be some kind of catch," answered a third.
"Yeah!" added a fourth wolf. "What could a pony possibly have to gain from helping a wolf?"
"Nothing," Swiftclaw answered, "except...friendship."
"Friendship?" Stormhowl repeated before he scoffed. "Please. You know as well as the rest of us that wolves and ponies can never be friends!"
"Yeah, it's unheard of!" agreed another wolf.
"But it's true," Swiftclaw said. "When I was locked away, Fluttershy came and offered me water. When I growled at her, she didn't shrink back in fear of me, but instead came and sat with me. She spoke to me in a soft voice, and looked at me with these kind eyes, and before I realized it, I felt all my insecurities leave me. It almost felt like...like I was talking to Mother, again."
Stormhowl's eyes went wide while the other wolves felt their hearts sink. Some of them even whimpered sadly.
"...Queen Mooneyes was...very kind," said one of the wolves.
"Yeah...even King Warfang misses her, from time to time," added another wolf.
"...Even I tend to think about Mother, now and then," Stormhowl whispered.
"And this got me to thinking," said Swiftclaw, "instead of going around, killing innocent ponies...we should try and make peace with them."
"Make...peace?" Stormhowl repeated.
"Why would we do that?" asked another wolf.
"Because," Swiftclaw began, "the ponies aren't at all what Father says they are. They're not savages and they're not cruel. We might have more in common than we think they do! They can be understanding and compassionate, so if that's the case, why can't we live together with the ponies in peace?"
"Because it's impossible!!"
The wolves gasped as Warfang stepped out of the shadows, growling deeply in his throat. The wolves quickly bowed their heads while Stormhowl got out of his father's way. Warfang glowered down at Swiftclaw, who shrunk back with his tail between his legs, whimpering in fear.
"You have done nothing but continue to bring me shame," Warfang hissed. "Not only did you desert the pack, but you let yourself get captured by those inferior ponies!"
"But Father-" Swiftclaw started.
"Now, not only did you fall for their mind games," Warfang started, "but you also propose we make PEACE with those grass-chomping, pastel-coated, party-loving ponies?!"
"But Father I-" Swiftclaw began.
"NO!!" Warfang barked. "Don't you get it, you fool?! THAT'S how they get you!! They trick into trusting them, then make think you think that nothing can ever wrong, but then, one day, and before you realize it, they turn on you!!"
"Fluttershy's not like that!" Swiftclaw argued.
"Cut the crap, you naïve dumb-ass!!" Warfang roared. "Don't you get it?! She's just using you so she can save her own backside and her friends, as well!! She's just like every other pony in Equestria!!!"
"How the hell would you know that?!" Swiftclaw questioned. "YOU USED TO BE FRIENDS WITH PONIES, ONCE!!!!"
The wolves gasped in horror while Warfang froze, and as for Swiftclaw, he gritted his teeth in shock at his own words while Stormhowl nervously covered his eyes.
"...I thought I told you to NEVER bring that up with me, AGAIN," Warfang snarled.
"I...I'm sorry," Swiftclaw said, meekly.
"Oh, you're going to be sorry, all right!" Warfang shouted. "Once I'm done with you!!"
"He's dead..." whispered one of the wolves.
"Yeah," agreed another wolf. "The last time a wolf mentioned that around King Warfang, he's been walking around with just one leg, ever since!"
"You better come up with a good reason for why I shouldn't beat you half-to-death right now, Swiftclaw!!" Warfang growled.
"Please, Father, don't!" Swiftclaw stammered. "I...I..." He then gasped as an idea came to him. "I-I know where the Stone of Wishes is!!"
Warfang's eyes went wide while the wolves gasped in surprise, which then caused their leader to glare at them.
"Enough with all the gasping!" he ordered before he glared at Swiftclaw. "What do you mean, 'you know where the stone is'?"
"I...I found the filly who took it," Swiftclaw answered. "She's with Princess Twilight Sparkle. Fluttershy is actually friends with her, as well as a few ponies."
"...Go on," said Warfang with intrigue.
"...Their names are Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie," Swiftclaw continued, "and...from what I heard from the other ponies in Ponyville...those ponies, along with Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy, are actually the embodiments of the Elements of Harmony!"
Hearing that caused the wolves to murmur amongst themselves.
"...Hmm..." hummed Warfang, inquisitively before he grinned. "How curious." He then looked down at Swiftclaw. "Whether you know it or not, Swiftclaw...you actually had a brilliant idea, for once. For a while, you were more of a pony than a wolf...but it turns out you can be cunning when the situation calls for it."
"Uhh...th-thank you, Father," Swiftclaw smiled.
"And I think I know just how to lure those ponies here AND get the Stone of Wishes to boot," Warfang said as he turned and headed back inside the castle. "Come, wolves! It's time for us to discuss a strategy." He then chuckled darkly while the rest of the wolves followed. As they did, Stormhowl approached his younger brother and put his paw on his back.
"Well, Swiftclaw," Stormhowl began, "looks like you finally did it. You're finally starting to get through to Father!"
"...Yeah," Swiftclaw answered with a humorless chuckle. "I guess I am."
Stormhowl smiled before he headed inside the castle, as well...but Swiftclaw remained behind before he turned to look back at Ponyville with a worried expression.
"...But at what cost?" he asked before he followed his brother into the castle.
XXX
Fluttershy jolted up from her sleep with a gasp. After she took a look around and assured herself she was still in her cottage, she sighed as she laid her head down on her pillow. Soon after, Angel approached her and placed a gentle paw on her hoof while looking up at her in concern. Fluttershy only smiled before she pet the little bunny.
"I'm okay, Angel," she assured. "I promise."
Angel smiled in relief before he turned and hopped away to return to his slumber, but the moment his back was turned, Fluttershy looked outside the window, nervousness and worry etched on her face.
"...Swiftclaw..." she whispered.