//------------------------------// // Hungry like the Wolf. // Story: What the Sun Can't See // by FFFX //------------------------------// What The Sun Can’t See -- Chapter 5: Hungry like the Wolf. -- The branches were placed down crossways, corded grass wound with stripped supple wood used to tie off the ends as Howls crouched over the pile as he deftly strung the thick branches together into a large cover for the cave entrance, the logs they were attached to framing the entrance to allow only a single wolf sized hole in the wooden wall, several more logs braced behind it to hold the wall up. A tune slipped from his lips as he worked, sealing the gaps in the wood with mud, sap and leaves, giving a bit of insulation and cover so that the flames within wouldn't reveal his location at night. Stepping back to admire his handiwork, Howls nodded to himself as he made his way to the small brook that ran just north of his cave to wash off the mud and sap that clung to his skin. His long legs bent as he ran the water over his limbs, then his ears perked up at the sound of hooves crushing grass and twigs, a gasp and a thud filling the air behind him as he spun on his heels, crouched low, arms spread and teeth bared. Applebloom stared up at the giant creature, its hairy body covered in scraps of cloth that looked like they had once been whole, but were now worn and torn by some outside force. In an instant the yeti shapeshifted, its body contorting down into the now familiar form of Howls-With-Laughter. “Mr. Howls! W-why were ya a yeti?!” The picnic basket she had brought still stood upright after being dropped, and now that his nose was once more that of a wolf, the heady scent of apple pie struck him, his stomach grumbling as the sweet smells sent his mouth to watering. Still, he managed to stop before just digging into the treat, his paw coming up as he let out a small cough. “Sorry Applebloom, didn’t mean to ignore you. What did you say?” Now that his full attention had returned, Howls glanced up and over Applebloom as he tried to spot Applejack following behind. When no one appeared, no sounds were heard, he glanced down at the tiny filly, one eyebrow rising. “Why were ya a yeti? Is that yer other form? How many others do ya have?” Howls held up a paw to forestall the torrent of questions that looked ready to spill from her. “Hold on, hold on. First, I have to know, is your sister with you?” Applebloom shook her head, the ribbon trailing behind with every movement of her mane. “I came by myself, I wanted ta give ya somethin fer helpin yesterday. I told my sis what happened, an she said ta invite ya over fer dinner, if ya wanted too. She was gunna come herself with the pie, but she was real busy on the farm today, so I figured why not bring it myself?” The words rushed out of her all at once, like they had been under pressure for a while. Howls grinned, a soft chuckle escaping. “That was very kind of you Applebloom. I would be happy to have dinner with you and your family. Should we bring the pie back then?” Applebloom shook her head, even as a smile plastered itself across her lips. “Naw, we’ve got lots of pie at home! You can leave it in yer cav...” She trailed off as she finally saw the construction that had taken place over the night and day. “Wow! Ya did all that by yerself? It takes Mac and AJ a couple a days ta get that much done when we had ta put up the new barn!” Her eyes locked onto his paws, the glimpse of his other form flashing across her mind. “You got hands in yer yeti shape, right?” “Yup. Useful little things aren't they?” He replied as he lifted the basket with his muzzle, leaving his mouth free. “Just one sec, I'm gonna put this away for later.” A quick push through the needles and he was in his cave, the entire space devoid of light, save for a few slivers from the spaces between the branches and the entrance. Note to self, cover those up before hitting the hay. A circle of stones were piled high in the center, a stack of wood in the far corner and a bed of leaves and grasses clumped a few feet from the fire pit, a weather beaten and threadbare black backpack tossed down next to the simple bed.          Nine fish were sitting under the crude smoker he had fashioned to retain their heat, and it was by this that he set the basket, quickly letting the branches that made up his door fall back into place behind him as he left to make sure Applebloom didn't catch the scent of cooked meat. “All set! Lets be off, shall we?” At her excited nod, the duo began the trek back through the forest, Howls sticking close by Applebloom’s side just in case, his ears constantly turning in search of danger. “Applebloom, I gotta ask, how did you find me here anyway? It’s not that deep into the forest I admit, but I’m pretty good at hiding. And that aside, why the hell did you come into this forest after what happened yesterday, alone?” She glanced up at him, her smile still in the megawatt range as she skipped at his side. “I just wandered around till I found ya! Lots of the trees were missin’ branches or cut down, so I just followed till I got to yer place. As fer alone, I'm an Apple, I ain't scared of some trees!” A grin tugged the corner of his lips up as he shot back “S’not the trees that you have to worry about. Timberwolves ring any bells?” She waved a hoof dismissively. “Bah, I can handle a few timberwolves! ‘Sides, they don’t come this close to the town.” She glanced at the sun, her eyes narrowed for a moment. “We got a few hours till dinner, but AJ should be at home, Granny went inta town ta get Mac outta the hospital.” The pair rather quickly left the forest behind, the walk filled with talk of ‘Can you tie knots really easily with them hands?’ and ‘How many can ya make in a minute?’ to which Howls tried to keep up, but eventually settled for answering a few questions when she had to stop for oxygen. Sweet Apple Acres was at last revealed to Howls in all its splendor, the rolling hills covered with the lush apple trees that rippled in the wind, the cherry red apples swaying amidst the green. For a moment Howls closed his eyes and raised his muzzle, breathing deep of the air, the clean, pure wind filling his lungs. He exhaled, a grin on his lips as he looked across the vast field. They have never used fossil fuels in the town. No cars, no airplanes, just trains that run on something magical and wagons. Damn, not a speck of pollution anywhere. The light nudge at his side brought him back as he looked to Applebloom, his ears falling back slightly as a flush heated up his chest. “Sorry, got a bit carried away by the view. Your home is beautiful, you know that?” She nodded, the smile nearly taking in her ears as she motioned for him to follow. “Come on! Wait till ya see the farm!” “Heh, never been on a farm before, most of the time I was living in the cities or out in the deep wild.” He replied, the earth warm beneath his paws as the pair crested the hill blocking the farm from view, finally letting him see it in the daylight. Man, that is a nice looking place. Not many defensible positions, but a good view of the area so sneaking in would be hard. Walls wouldn’t stop a single assault, but it has multiple entry and exits, so escape would be a valid option. Applebloom dashed ahead, giggling as she did so, glancing back at the wolf who was just shaking his head, his chest puffing with silent laughter as he walked after her, one eyebrow rising as he took note of her speed. Little lady can move when she wants too. She stopped at the door and wiped her hooves off before entering, holding the door open for him with a grin on her lips. Howls wiped off his paws as well before entering, the air inside much cooler than he had expected, the rooms filled with a mix of scents, the sort you only get from a home that had been lived in for years, each place marked with a distinct scent of who and where. A clang of metal on metal was heard from the kitchen, followed by a pained cry of “Dang it! Stupid pipes!” as Applejack stomped to her feet from under the cabinets as she tried to reattach the mangled pipes for the stove. “Consarn it all! I swear, these feather flip-” She stopped, cutting the curse off mid-oath as she caught sight of Applebloom. “Applebloom! Why didn’t ya say somethin? I thought ya were still out with the other girls?” Applebloom flushed slightly as she waved a hoof for Howls to come forward, which he did with only the slightest bit of hesitation. Okay, okay, play nice. If she can hit half as hard as her brother can, I think she could punt me back to the Everfree without breaking a sweat. Applejack met Howls gaze with her unblinking stare, her thoughts whirling. Well land sakes. I didn’t think she was gunna bring ‘em over. Can’t rightly say I’m happy ‘bout this, but he did save mah sis. Gotta give him a fair chance fer that at least. She held out a hoof to him, a tight, small smile on her lips. “Howdy there Howls. ‘Bloom here invited ya over fer dinner eh? Well...’Bloom, why dont’cha go get the food outa the fridge and put it on the counter.” Applebloom looked back and forth between the two, her eyes narrowed for a moment before she nodded, quietly making her way through the door on the far side of the kitchen. Once more the two locked gazes, Applejack lowering her voice for Howls alone to hear. “Can ya promise no funny business? I don’t want any trouble, ya hear?” Howls nodded. “I promise I will be on my best behavior, and I will do my best to not cause any trouble.” Applejack listened to his promise, a smile breaking out across her features as she watched his eyes for any sign of a lie, and failed to find any. “Well come on in then partner! I’ll show ya what an Apple family dinner is all about!” She stopped then, the stove’s awkward angle reminding her of the work to be done. “Or I would, but that there stove still needs to be put back inta place. Might have to hold off on the pies and fritters.” Applebloom returned then, a plastic bag clenched in her teeth as she plopped it down on the counter, her eyes latching onto the pair in front of the stove, but a smile spread as she listened. “Well, I can fix that pretty quick if you want.” Howls said as he pointed a paw at the tools. “Just give me a few minutes and I’ll put it all together.” Applejack glanced at him, obviously eyeing his paws as she said “You sure? I’ve been at this since I got back, an the thing still ain't wantin ta get back together.” “Yeah, but mister Howls has hands!” Applebloom piped up as she bounced to her sisters side. “I saw them myself!” Howls spoke up when he saw the confusion gathering on Applejacks face. “Oh! Right, you weren't there for that conversation. I’m a shapechanger, so I can get hands real easy.” Applejack stared at him, her mouth opening and closing several times as she tried to process this. Finally her thoughts got back on track, though it was only a bit. “Yer a changeling?” “What? No I’m not a fae, I am a garou.” “A fae? Garou? What in tarnation are those?” Rubbing his muzzle, Howls sat down and gave Applejack the cliff-notes version of his conversation in the kitchen. “Uh... right this is confusing. First of all, my changelings probably aren't the same as yours. Second, I'm neither my kind of changeling nor yours. Garou is what my people call themselves, we're..." The best fitting words felt alien on his tongue before he could even say them and knew that he needed an alternative. "Spirit Wolves, for lack of a better term... Blink Dogs, Okami, Wendigo, Yenaldooshi. Whatever sounds most familiar and is also a wolf in your crazy horse culture.” Applejack just nodded. “Wendigo is a spirit of Winter in our lore, a nasty critter that feeds on hate an fear an grows strong on it, but seein as yer not a pony or made outta ice, pretty sure yer not one’a them. Spirit Wolf sounds different, but I know the words. I’ll ask Twi about it, see if we got a good name fer yer people.” A small smile spread on her lips as she continued. “Anycase, I believe ya, so get ta changin and fix my stove.” “Uh...actually, could I do it in private?” He asked, scratching at his cheek with one toe as he spoke. “You’re used to this form, but the one with hands is going to be real strange. Just wait outside and I’ll have this whole thing fixed up, okay?” “I wasn’t scared when I saw it!” Applebloom piped up, one foreleg stomping the floor as she made her point heard. “Yer also the one that thought buckin a shadow alicorn was a good idea.” Applejack shot back as she wrapped a hoof around Appleblooms shoulder and ushered her out the door. Over her shoulder she said “Just holler if ya need any more tools.” As the door clicked shut, Applejack leveled a stare at her little sister as she said “You, little missy, got a lot of ’splaning to do.” “‘Bout what?” Applebloom replied, eyes wide as she did her best puppy dog eyes, her voice the very definition of innocence. Applejack didn’t buy it for a second. “You walkin inta the Everfree, alone. And while I get what you were tryin to do, buckin Cerberus was one of the most fool-hardy things I have ever heard of! I say again, I get what ya were aimin to do, but ya gotta stop hittin things that are way outta yer weight class!” Applebloom jabbed a hoof up at her sister as she shot back. “Yer one ta talk! Discord, Nightmare Moon, that insect lady at the weddin! Yer an Element, but all ya can do is tell when somepony’s lyin to ya! The rest at least got somethin goin fer them, magic or speed or Pinkie, but all you have is yer buckin, and ya still go in ta fight! How can ya do that and then turn around an say I can’t?” “Ya don’t understand. The girls an I are a team. I aint as fast, I aint got magic, and I aint Pinkie, but ya know what? Those things matter sure, but they aint the main reason. The girls an I? We make the Elements, and while I can’t do all the things they can, in the Elements, I can see the truth, of somepony or somethin, and bring it ta light. I don’t see lies sis, I see truth. So when I get ta buckin somepony, it’s cus I’m watchin’ their backs, and I know they’re watchin’ mine.” “An I was watchin’ Howls back! If it wern’t fer me, he mighta died!” Inside the kitchen, Howls listened to the sisters argument as he tightened down the connections. Well, I don’t think I would have died per say, but Applebloom did help with that attack of hers. Still, not going to speak up just yet, family affairs and all that jazz. But I will have to point out to AJ that she did help... if she doesn’t already know. Applejacks voice came through the door once more, the heat in her voice having cooled somewhat. “I get that, and I’m glad ya helped out. I just worry ‘bout ya Applebloom. Cerberus is..was, a good dog. Dangerous, but a good dog. An’ this Howls feller just killed ‘em, so part ah me worries ‘bout you hanging out with him.” “That weren’t Cerberus anymore.” Applebloom replied, her voice thick as she tried to work around the emotions that were welling up. “He was...he was wrong. Twisted up, inside an out. Fluttershy was bleedin’ and barely breathin, an everypony was scared and Mister Howls, he... he did somethin‘bout it! It wasn’t right, it wasn’t perfect, but he kept it from hurtin’ anypony else, includin’ me!” Applejack was silent for a long moment as she met her sisters gaze, at last sighing as she pulled Applebloom into a hug. “Alright, alright. I’ll talk with him some more, get a real feelin’ fer him, an’ we’ll go from there, okay?” She lightly rubbed her sisters mane, then remember what else had come up. “Oh! Before I forget, yer cousin Babs Seed is comin down ta visit tomorrow. Be sure ta show her around town.” Nodding in her sisters chest, Applebloom looked up, her mouth opening to speak, but was cut off by the loud bang that filled the house, a self-satisfied “Ha!” Coming from the kitchen. “Come on in, check it out!” Howls called out as he shifted back to his familiar Lupus form, a grin on his maw as his tail wagged back and forth. The door opened, the sisters greeted by the sight of their stove back in place, heat wafting from its interior as its coils glowed cherry red. Tilting her stetson back, Applejack gave a firm nod towards the repaired stove. “Well, that’ll do just fine there Howls. I can scrounge up a few bits fer yer time...” She trailed off as she began a mental tally. “How does ten bits sound?” She said as she held out a hoof to him. “Sounds like a deal to me.” He agreed as he reached out, only for his paw to get grabbed by Applebloom and nearly yanked off his feet as she began to pull him towards the door, her smile wide as she said “Come on! Tour of the house!” Applejack just smiled as she turned to the kitchen, setting out the pots and pans and closing the stove, listening as bits of the conversation between the two filtered down to her. Howls followed behind Applebloom as she showed him the living room that wrapped around the entire bottom floor of the home to meet up again with the kitchen, the back and side doors leading out to the tool barn and the backyard respectively. The upper floor was connected by the single stairwell in the main hallway and lead up to the bedrooms, four of which were in use, only the guest room left unused. Applebloom thrust open her door, chest puffed out as she waved a hoof for him to enter. “This here is my room, the best room in the whole house!” It was a simple room, light green painted wood with stylized patterns and flowers engraved into it, a large green armoire next to the door with more stylized apples on it, with a standing mirror dresser directly across from the bed and its, once again, stylized apple decor. It was a clean room, at least, and Applebloom instantly made a beeline for a small set of double doors carved into, what else, a apple shape and flung them open, grabbing several books and other odds and ends as she dumped them on the floor in the middle of the room. “Come on, I wanna show ya this stuff!” -- “This is totally unfair.” “Just stay in bed Dash.” Redheart replied, even though her eyes never left Big Mac’s body. “Not our fault earth ponies heal fast, you’ll be back to normal in a few weeks.” She ran a hoof down Big Mac’s side as she checked one last time for any abnormalities. “Nothing. The bones seem to be knit properly, so just take it easy for the next week and you’ll be back to normal. Light jobs only, no bucking, no hauling carts, anything like that.” Big Mac and Granny Smith nodded as they made their way out of the hospital, both stopping to cast long glances at the glowing red sign at the end of the hall, the ICU still occupied by Fluttershy as the doctors monitored her condition. Rarity emerged from the cafeteria then, a small cup of steaming coffee hovering before her as she noticed the pair, a shaky smile breaking across her lips as she walked over to the pair. “Hello,” She said, one hoof running through her frazzled mane and her slightly bloodshot eyes wandering a bit too much to be normal. “I am dreadfully sorry I did not come in to say hello to Dash and yourself, I just-” Granny Smith cut her off with a waved off, brushing her explanation away. “Dont’cha worry none, that there mare need’s a friend nearby, so ya just stay here for her, ya hear?” Big Macintosh simply nodded in agreement, one corner of his lips turning up in a small smile at Rarity’s light blush, but quickly vanished as he glanced around for the smaller white mare. “Sweetie not here?” He asked, his tail flicking to brush his side in a futile attempt at get at an itch under the bandages. “Oh no no, I didn’t want her around in case...” Rarity stopped herself from uttering the rest of the sentence aloud, breathing deep for a moment before she continued. “But the doctors say Fluttershy will make a full recovery, though she won't be flying for at least a week.” She glanced side to side before she leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Actually, I hate to impose, but would it be alright if Sweetie Belle stayed with your family for a few days? I don’t want to leave her alone, especially after such a traumatic sight as what... the worg did, but I do not wish to have her in the hospital either. I think a bit of time with friends and the outdoors would do her some good.” Granny Smith nodded once, her lips drawn tight. “Aye, giving the fillies somethin’ ta do would help. Mac an I’ll pick ‘er up on our way home, alrighty?” Rarity broke out into a dazzling smile as she nodded happily. “Oh thank you darlings! I’ll make it up to you, I promise.” She quickly wrote a note for Sweetie Belle and handed it to Granny Smith. “Just give her this so there’s no problem. Again, thank you so much.” Pleasantries aside, the pair made their way out of the hospital at last, Big Mac breathing deep of the air that no longer carried the faint scent of bleach. “Everythin’ okay at home?” He asked, his customary monosyllabic answers vanishing when alone with family. “You bet’cha,” Granny replied, her aging eyes twinkling as she seemed to have a bit more skip in her step. “The girls are workin, an Applebloom took a pie over ta the wolf as a thank ya. I’a gots a feeling he’ll be joinin us fer dinner tanight.” “What makes ya think that?” he replied, eyeing the ground for a suitable stem to replace his lost one. “Grandma’s intuition.” She said, a small grin quirking her lips. “Now come on sonny, lets get home fer dinner.” -- Rainbow Dash huffed as she watched the Apple pair leave the room, grumbling to herself as she reached for one of the Daring Do books, cracking it open when the door creaked behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, Dash grinned when she saw the tiny orange and purple haired filly giving her a small wave. “Hey kiddo, what brings you here?” She asked, a smirk on her lips as she returned the wave, a spark of pain flashing across her nerves as the muscles pulled around the broken shoulder blades. She failed to hide it properly. “I... I don’t know... nevermind.” Scootaloo began to turn around but Rainbow Dash could not ignore the panic on the young filly’s face, the bags under her eyes clear to anyone looking. So she threw her book, it crashed into the door and slammed it shut before the filly to could pass through and the book, Daring Do and the Serpent’s Trove hit the floor. “Liar.” Rainbow Dash puffed her cheeks. “Get over here you little squirt, and tell me what’s bothering you.” “Well...” Scootaloo awkwardly approached the bed and shuffled for a moment before she tossed the book back onto the bed. “You saw it right? The monster? The... monsters? It even beat you, aren’t you... scared?” Rainbow Dash averted her gaze as the filly somehow managed to take complete control of the conversation. “Well... a little. Not for the reasons you’d think though. Everyone has their fears I guess... even Daring Do is afraid of snakes. I’m...” She took a deep breath. “Well... when Erebus kicked me in the back I had never been more afraid than when I heard the sound of my own bones breaking. For a moment a possibility flashed into my head and I couldn’t make it go away until the doctors told me it was fine, but my fear is... what if I could never fly again?” Scootaloo kicked her feet. “But that could happen any time you fight monsters like that, right? So why do it?” “Same reason Daring Do went into the Serpent’s Trove. Not being afraid is called being stupid. Fear only wins when it rules you, overcoming fear, that is courage. Ponyville was in danger, and I couldn’t just let it go on like that.” Scootaloo nodded, her eyes watching the ground more than anything else as she thought about Dash’s words. “How do you learn courage then?” She asked, her voice soft. “I can get scared, been scared lots of times, but the fear I got from those monsters? It was... it was different. Colder, stronger, and I couldn’t move, no matter how I tried...” “It helps to have a reason, I think.” Rainbow sighed, then reached over to rub Scootaloo’s mane. “Next time you and the girls get into trouble, just look at them, then take a good look at yourself and ask ‘What would I do to keep them safe?’” Rainbow paused briefly as that sank it and horror dawned. Twilight Sparkle was going to murder her if she left Scootaloo with the lesson ‘risk your life for your friends’. “Not that you should go fighting elder gods of purest darkness just because your friends are in danger. Leave that to the adults.” Hopefully reckless wisdom tempered by obligatory (and self-preserving) caution would satisfy the librarian hero. Scootaloo nodded, a small, tired smile peeking at the corners of her lips. “Thanks Rainbow Dash.” Even as she said this, the lines in her face had not thinned, but they had not deepened either. “I’m gonna go home, get some sleep.” “You do that, squirt.” she said, gently pushing Scootaloo off the bed as she lay back down. “I’ll see ya tomorrow, alright?” “Yeah, see you later.” Scootaloo replied, her steps just a little lighter as she left the room. --- “Thank you sosososososososososososososososososo much! I really really really didn’t want to be home alone!” Sweetie Belle’s happy, high-pitched voice carried over the threshold of the home easily as she danced ahead of the returning pair. “Applebloom!” She called upstairs, her forelegs stopping on the lowermost step. “Sweetie?” shouted back Applebloom, surprise competing with mirth for room in her tone. “Hang on! I’ll be right down!” Muffled voices carried down to the stairwell, sharp tones and pleading, followed by the faint thumps of a heavy body walking down the stairs. Sweetie Belle stopped cold, frozen as she watched the strange sight before her. Applebloom was riding atop the worg, two dozen brightly colored ribbons all across his back, tail and head, and Applebloom’s giggling was infectious as the rest of the group got past the surprise of his appearance. Sweetie Belle alone was silent, the nausea in her stomach combining with the pounding at her temples, yet at the same moment her lips wanted to curl up, laughter bubbling in her chest, the sensations at odds. Yet as quickly as they struck her, the strange combination of emotions vanished, her insides settling down. Covering her mouth with a hoof as she snorted, Sweetie Belle could barely hold her laughter in at Howls expression, the half-lidded, tight lipped and stiff legged posture practically screaming his annoyance. Still, he stood there at the bottom of the stairs and said nothing, letting the ponies laugh, and even he was unable to keep his lips from twitching ever so slightly up. “Yeah yeah, its very funny.” Howls said as the group seemed to relax, an unseen tension falling from their backs. Granny and Big Mac made their way to the kitchen as Applebloom clambered off Howls back to give Sweetie a hug, the pair dashing back up to her room, hooves pounding the stairs in their haste. Which left Applejack and Howls alone in the hallway, though not for long as she motioned for him to head into the living room, then took a seat on one of the the divan’s that circled the fireplace, waving a hoof to the others. “Take a seat Howls, I wanna chat with ya.” Eyeing both the sofa and the pony, Howls lay down across from Applejack, one eyebrow rising in question. “So, what's on your mind?” “Well,” She began, a small smile on her lips. “I promised Applebloom I’d talk ta ya, and I mean ta keep that promise, so I figured we can get ta know each other.” “Alright.” He replied with a nod. “How about family then? You have any other family then these three?” Applejack’s smile nearly reached her her ears as she nodded. “One sec par’ner, lemme go get the album.” Standing and making her way to the bookshelf, she gripped a thick tome and hauled it over to the rug in front of the unused fireplace. “Cem’re, lemme show ya the family.” The book was opened as Howls lay down beside her, watching her hooves turn the pages as she began. “Welp, it all started when Granny and her folks found the Zap apples in the Everfree after talking ta the Princess…” Applejack got about halfway through the history of the Apples and the founding of Ponyville when Granny called from the other room. “Dinners up!” The pair made their way to the table after the fillies bounded down the stairs and and took their seats, both chatting a mile a minute about ideas to try tomorrow for their marks. Big Mac had just set the pot of buttered corn on the table as Granny turned off the stove, nodding to herself as she inspected the work before taking her own seat. Once everyone was seated, Applebloom stopped Sweetie Belle from snagging a cob for herself, then waited as the adults looked to Howls, a small smirk on Granny’s features as she said “Well now mister wolf, got anythin ta say fer the food here?” Howls looked around, confusion clear as he replied “Uh..You mean like saying grace? My parents never did that, plus I have no clue what would offend you, and I really don't want to do that.” Applejack smiled and nodded as she tilted her stetson back. “Ah, an here we were worried ‘bout offending ya by not sayin somethin!” Howls grinned in return as he said “Well, I got something, and since thats cleared up now I don't see a problem, eh?” Tapping his toes in thought, an idea sprung to mind. “Alright, I got one.” Glancing down at his paws, Howls just shrugged and closed his eyes, his head dipping an inch. “Corn and grain, meat and milk, upon my table before me. Gifts of life, bringing sustenance and strength, I am grateful for all I have, By the bounty of Gaia.” Applebloom spoke up after he finished, curiosity in her eyes as she said “What's Gaia? You mentioned it before.” The whole table looked at him then, mirroring Applebloom as they waited. “Ah, thats… complicated.” He replied, his tail stopping as his jaw opened and closed several times as he worked out a reply. “Gaia is the spirit of the world, not earth, but the world in its completeness. She is indeed the earth under your hooves, but she is equally the stone in your mountains, the water in your rivers, the breath in your lungs, and the life in your woods. She is the flames of extinction, but only because she is also the mother of all. Everything that she bears must one day return to her, but in turn they become a part of something new, the next generation. To understand Gaia is to look towards the future while revering the past.” Applejack seemed pensive for a moment. “That does sound a mite complicated. Gaia sounds like she’s really important.” Applebloom considered for a few moments. “So… she mus’ be super powerful, right? Like a Princess?” A paw rose and tilted side to side as he said “Eh...kinda? But at the same time, not at all. Just as Celestia cannot, at least to my knowledge, actually be the sun, neither can Gaia manifest as a single... pony. At least, again, to my knowledge. She is just too vast.” Arlen tapped his chin with a single claw for a moment. “It’s simply beyond her to look upon the individuals that walk over her. She cannot perceive any of us any more than you a single hair on your coat. She can acknowledge the whole but not the parts.” He stopped for a moment, a small, sad smile on his lips. “That’s kind of why my people were created. We keep her safe from things too small for her to notice, but nevertheless dangerous, like a tick… or a leech.” Granny Smith leaned forward a bit, her eyes surprisingly steady as she asked “I take that ta mean she’s got a lot of leeches on her?” A low growl rumbled in Howls chest at that. “More than I would like. Way more.” The rumble passed just as quickly as it had arrived, and he continued with a calmer tone. “My people also tend to view ourselves as her children, though one tribe takes that title to heart as their namesake.” Huh. Now that I think about it, the Childrens totem is Unicorn… Note to self, investigate that when I get home. Shaking a head, Howls said “Anyway, sorry for all that. Didn’t mean to go on a tangent.” “Actually, I would’nt mind hearin some more. Yer world sounds pretty interestin.” Applejack replied as she dropped a buttered cob onto her plate, licking her lips at the scent wafting from it. “But after dinner, ya know? But I do wanna hear ‘bout yer family, fairs fair an all since I told ya ‘bout mine.” “Yeah!” Sweetie Belle said, suddenly paying much more attention to the wolf. “You have any sisters?” Howls was silent for a long moment as he stared down at the plate, the heady scent of warm buttered corn filling his lungs, memories surfacing at the fillies innocent question. “My family…” The iron taste of hot blood flooded over his tongue, the slight tug of flesh parting under his claws, the crack of bone beneath his strike as he tore out half of the twisted lupine’s ribcage and the whole of it’s throat, screams resonating in his skull, rebounding over and over and over and over. Heat burned in his chest, lancing down into his limbs as the world slowed to a crawl, dyed red as the beat of his foes heart rang in his ears, a skull snapping underfoot, friend, foe, didn’t matter, just had to kill them. “Howls? Ya alright? Howls?” Applejack’s voice carved through the memories, snapping him back to the present, his head jerking up as he stared at her for a moment before nodding. “Yeah, sorry, just got a little lost in my head, ya know? Anyway, I’ll tell ya, but lets eat first.” It was rather awkward for Howls to get the corn down, but after watching the Apples for a moment to see how they did it, pressing their forelegs onto either side and holding it in place, he quickly began to scarf it down. After everyone had finished their first one, Applejack once more asked “So, yer family?” as she reached for another cob. Nodding, Howls leaned back from the table, his long tongue licking the butter off his muzzle as he did so. Tapping his jaw, Howls began after lining up his thoughts. “Family… well, I guess you could say I have siblings of sorts. Not by blood, but Thomas might as well be my brother. He’s a bit of a nice guy… too nice, in fact. He would like Equestria I think. His girl? Not so much, as she’s a bit…” Corpsy. “Difficult to get along with. No idea what he sees in her. Then there’s Siana, or just Sia for short, she’s like a little sister… sorta. I think she’s the Pinkie Pie of my group… only less confetti and more fire.” “Then there’s Sunny, and she’s a sorceress, a bit like Twilight only a little less…” Obsessive. Dorky. Boring. Serious. “Studious. It kind of comes more naturally to her I think. Also less sparkles and more fire. My group has a thing for fire now that I think about it.” “Other than them, Jay’s a bit like that sleazy uncle nobody talks about but secretly everybody loves. I think he swindled me out of all my money when I first met him. Not sure how. Helps me often enough that he can be forgiven for…” Being a thief. Being dead. “Stuff.” “The last two are basically the Team Mom and Dad. Zhan-Cheng is a Chinese wizard with an affinity for…” The lands of the dead. Because she’s dead. “Darker magic. Not evil necessarily, but colder. She likes to strike a balance though and watches out for us. Higgs would probably kill her if she didn’t, he’s a Gurahl, sorta like me, only a bear. He’s… unstoppable, to say the least.” Big Mac spoke up for the first time then, a small nod to Howls as he said, “Sounds like a good family. Odd, but good.” The rest of the Apples nodded, Applejack speaking up to say “Yeah, sound like ya care alot ‘bout them. But ya said siblings, what ‘bout yer folks?” Howls went still, just a split second as his entire body locked up before relaxing, his eyes darting to the fillies. “That’s not really a story fillies should hear, you know?” Both the girls opened their mouths to protest, only to be stopped cold by Granny’s stare. “Dont’cha go rootin ‘round in this younin’s past little fillies. A stallions got a right ta telling what he wants ta who he wants.” Howls nodded to Granny in thanks. “And speaking of Princesses, my world doesn't have any. At least not as you think of them.” Once more the eyes of every pony turned to him, questions burning in their eyes. He couldn't really hold back his grin. “Just as Gaia is the World Spirit, so too are there countless spirits that manage the world. Your pegasi control the weather, right? In my world it's the spirits job to manage themselves, so the people of the world don’t have to worry about it.” Applebloom seemed to be counting as she muttered under her breath. “But...everything? Every cloud? Every blade of grass?” “Yup.” He replied, pointing at the remains of the cob. “Even in that plant, there is a spirit. Don’t worry!” He said at the ponies horrified stares. “The vast majority of spirits are not killed if their purview is. The spirit of the corn lives on so you can make more corn, but the physical aspect is what you eat. Plus the majority of spirits are not really...awake. Some are, but they are the major players in the Umbra.” “Umbra?” Sweetie Belle asked after she gulped down the mouthful of corn. “Ah! Thats some serious cosmology stuff, and can wait for after dinner.” He replied, licking up a few stray kernels. “Cosmo-whatnow? What’s shadows gotta do with travelin’ an’ cities’?” Applejack’s ear twitched while she narrowed an eye incredulously.  “Cosmology, not cosmopolitan.” Howls said. “Still, I have to say, your vocabulary is surprisingly vast.” “An what’s that supposed ta mean? Ya thought I didn’t know any big words cuz I’m a farm pony?” She replied, both eyes narrowing now as her ears leaned back. “I’ll have ya know I spent a lotta time in Manehatten with them up an ups, learning that high falutin talk.” Howls quickly waved a paw to stave off her growing ire. “No no no! I just-I… uh… um… crap. I guess it did come out that way didn’t it?” Putting his paw down as he bent his head towards her, he said “Sorry. Really didn’t mean to insult you. Just sometimes...most of the time, my mouth runs roughshod over my brain, you know?” A small grin tweaked at the corner of Applejacks lips. “Yeah, Dash is the same way alotta the time. Just gotta let her know what’s what, an she gets it. Most of the time.” “Dash? The fast blue one?” He asked, his teeth carving furrows in the cobs side. “She was a bada- A real good fighter. Is she okay after Erebus smacked her one?” Big Mac spoke up at that. “Yeah. Doc’s say she’ll be fine inna few weeks. She’s mighty angry ‘bout it, but least she’ll still be able ta fly.” “Healin magic’s rare, rarer than gettin Zap Apples in a thunderstorm without knowin how.” Applejack replied as she wiped her hooves on the napkin. “Even the Princesses don’t have it. I think the closest we got is Zecora an’ her potions. Course, those only speed things along, an’ never work any better than healin normal anyway. Zebra's ain't no miracle workers after all." Nodding more to himself then to her, Howls resumed gnawing his cob to the stem. No healing magic? Strange…  I figured with so many unicorns around, they as a species would have figured something out ages ago. Still, if thats the case I can make a friend out of this Dash character by healing her wings. He glanced at his reflection in the water pitcher on the tables center, glaring at his own eye. Just have to get the stody old bastard to give the gift to me. “Ya alright there Howls?” Applejack asked, one eyebrow rising as she caught his glare at the water. “Ya don’t havta drink it if ya don’t wanna.” Flashing her a grin, Howls shook his head. “Nah, just thinking to myself is all. I might be able to help Dash, just have to wrangle up the mojo, ya know?” The rest of the dinner went quickly, the last of the corn scarfed down by the hungry ponies, while Howls regaled them with myths and legends from his people, of Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, of the Tuatha Dé Danann and their supposed descendents, the Fair Folk. He did not remember when he fell asleep, and when he awoke he found the night had left him and a pair of young fillies were curled up against his fur as he lay next to the fireplace. He remembered neither when they had fallen asleep beside him, nor the last time he had ever slept for the whole night through. Somehow, that thought left him more uneasy than he would have liked to admit. I...I don’t even remember the last time that happened. Somethings wrong, either with this place or with me. Even as the first light of dawn began to creep through the window, Howls carefully eased out from under the fillies, Sweetie-Belle giving out a soft yawn as she snuggled closer to Applebloom as Howls warmth vanished. Alright, I gotta admit they are pretty cute. Well, when they are not blasting me into a tree. Softly opening and closing the door behind him, Howls lopped off into the Everfree forest, a churning in his gut as he looked back over the peaceful apple orchards, the idyllic setting grating across his nerves, like sandpaper across a papercut. When the shadows came over him, the sudden change in atmosphere from the cultivated landscape of the town to the wilds of the Everfree came as a balm to his frayed nerves, and the lack of any new scents on his makeshift home brought the raised hairs on his back down a notch. Lets find a deer around here… --- Spike eyed the last spot on the shelf high above him as he glanced over at Twilight, her hooves pointing out the various magical formula that hovered in mid-air as she talked to the dark blue unicorn that sat across from her, a larger than average male with a open book and quill on his flanks. Rolling his eyes as he hauled the ladder across the floor, he made it half-way up before the door opened to admit the Crusaders into the library. “Hi Spike!” Sweetie-Belle cheerfully said as she made her way to the bottom of the ladder. “We were wondering if you had any books on worgs or stuff like them?” “Uh, yeah, I know we have at least one.” He replied as he shoved the book into place, then slid down the ladder, his claws deepening the grooves that had long ago been carved into its sides. Making sure not to disturb Twilight and her guest, he made his way to the same book Twilight had taken to Canterlot and held it out to the fillies. “Mordekaiser's Worgs and Wolfen, the best resource we have on carnivores.” “Thanks Spike!” Scootaloo happily piped up, the bags under her eyes having faded since yesterday. “This should help.” “What are you up to anyway? More cutie mark ideas?” He said as he slid the ladder back into its storage. “Yup!” Applebloom said, her eyes bright with ideas. “Mister Howls was tellin me an Sweetie  lot’s of stuff yesterday, so I figured why not try doin some stuff with worgs?” Spike arched a scaled eyebrow at that. “The giant, clawed and fanged, meat eating monster that killed Cerberus? Yeah. No way that could go wrong.” Applebloom stared at him for a moment. “Aren't dragons supposed ta be giant, clawed and fanged, meat eating monsters too?” Spikes eyes narrowed. “Touche.” “Hey!” She said as she jabbed a hoof at his chest. “I don't speak fancy, that was the cutie-pox! I talk normal now, so no usin them foreign words.” Spikes hand smacked his forehead. “Anyway…” Sweetie-Belle shot Spike a look of acknowledgment, the shared suffering of being the most cultured children in the town, and she came to his rescue in the moment of awkward silence. “We figured since we’ve tried a whole bunch of normal stuff, and no one else has had a worg related cutie mark, we might as well try a few things while he’s here.” Rubbing his chin in thought, Spike glanced over at the still talking pair of unicorns. Twi’s gonna be tied up with that stallion for a while, considering what they are working on, and all the books are in place… A grin slipped across his lips. “Can I come with you?” I can finally get to meet this worg face to face, and Twi and that unicorn are getting awfully friendly. I don’t want to be here for that. “I got nothing else to do, and I kinda want to meet him.” “Sure!” All three of the fillies said in unison before they turned on their hooves and darted out the door, Spike following behind as fast as his stumpy legs could carry him. --- Babs Seed sat on the bench at the train station as she waited for the Apples to show up, the train just now pulling out of the station, the wind blowing her forelock down across her eyes, which she blew back into place with an irritated breath. Just as she was going to grab her suitcase and head into town for directions when from around the corner trotted the Crusaders, Spike at their side, Applebloom all smiles as she shouted “Hey cuz! Sorry ‘bout bein late, had ta stop and get some things!” All four of the ponyville residents crowded around Babs in greeting, smiles so different from home for the young filly, full of happiness that reached their eyes, no malice hidden behind fake grins or mocking in their voices. Taking a deep breath, Babs forced a nod, her eyes flicking back and forth between the group that had surrounded her. “No prob, I'm cool. What things are ya wanting to do?” “It’s a surprise!” Applebloom shouted as she spun in place. “Follow us!” The girls and the dragon ran ahead of Babs, dust kicked up in their wake. Rolling her eyes, but unable to keep the hint of a smile from her lips, Babs grabbed her suitcase and followed after. --- Howls stomach rumbled as he stared at the herd of deer, the three eldest bucks watching him as he lounged in plain view, the memory of his first attack replying over and over in his mind as he tried to rationalize it. He watched the unsuspecting young buck from downwind, his form blurred by the brush as he waited for it to come closer to his kill-range, not wanting to have to deal with the other dozen larger bucks that grazed closer to the does and fawns. Not because they were dangerous, but because it would be a waste of good meat to have to injure them. The young buck took another step closer, and Howls struck. His body was a blur as he exploded out of the brush, its life saved only because it shouted “Holy forest fires!” Howls stopped in his tracks at that, his mind grinding to a halt as the deers words struck him. “Holy shit. They are sentient…” The deer rejoined its herd and ran into the forest, each echoing the cries of a predator in the forest. “Well. Now I can’t eat deer. Perfect “So,” he said out loud towards the three sentinels. “What else talks in this forest?” All three bucks shared a glance with one another before the eldest answered him. “Everything.” The moment’s pause was punctuated by the progressive reddening in Howls’ face in spite of his fur. “FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF-” --- As the group of fillies and dragonlings approached the Everfree, a cry rose up, scattering the birds that had been roosting in the still early morning light. “-UUUUUUUUUUUCK!” After a moment, Spike piped up. “Oh no, what if he ran into a dire duck?!” -- All three deer locked their eyes on him as they backed away, only one glancing at the doe’s in his herd. “Everything?” “What?” Howls replied, eyes narrowed in confusion. “Nevermind. We’re leaving now.” The eldest buck said as it and its fellows continued backing away, the rest of the herd already vanishing into the treeline once more. Howls sat there, his stomach still growling as he stared after the deer. Shitshitshit. Everything on this planet is sentient? Even the fish? Welp, that leaves me with exceedingly few options. Either I eat only veggies in homid, I kill innocent thinking creatures, or… yeah, not really seeing a third option here. So yeah… Damn it. Rolling onto his side to let the sunshine warm him, Howls scowled. I’m going to have to learn more about this world. Which means I need a zoologist, a scientist, or a library. Hm...I think Applebloom mentioned a library in the town, I could ask her where and get some boo-...Damn. I don't read their language. Clambering to his feet, he made his way back to his camp, stopping as the wind carried the familiar scents of the fillies, accompanied by another young filly, and a strange reptilian scent, one that nagged at the back of his mind as familiar. Purposefully breaking a twig to alert them to his presence, Howls grinned to himself as Sweetie-Belle and Applebloom ran up to him, while Scootaloo hesitated, staying near to the newest filly, and Howls finally placing that strange scent. Oooh yeah...the dragon. Huh..what was his..her? It’s name..S something… “Hey girls, what's up?” He gave them a closed lip smile, not wanting to flash his fangs at the new members. “This-” Sweetie-Belle zipped over to Babs and threw a foreleg over her shoulders. “Is Applebloom’s cousin from Manehatten, Babs Seed, and that’s-” “I’m Spike, we met that night, remember?” He said, arms crossing as he stared up at the garou. “Ah! That’s right, sorry, I had a lot on my mind then.” Giving the drake a small nod, he turned once more to face the fillies. “So yeah, again, what brings you lot out here to my humble abode?” --- Howls stared out across the lakes surface, blinking his eyes to clear the water from his vision as the fillies took turns scrubbing his back, dunking water over his head, or ramming the Brush of Hell across his ears. Beneath it all, Howls couldn't keep a simple fact from surfacing. He had really needed a bath. The sudden splash to his right caught his attention, Spikes voice raised in rage as he ran from the snapping beak of the massive duck that chased him, its quack cracking the air like a gunshot as its wings flared out to maintain its balance. “DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!” As the chaser and the chased approached, Howls raised his head, bared his fangs, and let out a snarl that brought the duck up short, its beady eyes appraising him before it turned and left, head held high. It was not retreating, it had simply grown bored of the game. “Dire ducks don’t like him, do they?” Howls asked, a slight hitch to his voice as the brush ran over an itch. “It’s mutual.” Spike growled as he slogged back towards the group, his eyes flashing over the flanks of the fillies. “No luck with washing either?” “No..” All four muttered at once, Babs tail flicking over her blank flank. “An no luck with brushin his coat, massaging-” Howls shuddered a bit at the memory of tiny hooves pounding on his spine like miniature jackhammers. “-An tryin ta brush his teeth made Scoot’s fly inta a tree!” Sweetie-Belle finished at last as she tossed the brush to the ground. “Hm..” Tapping his cheek for a second, the tip of his claw clacking on his scales, Spike eventually threw up his hands. “I don’t know, maybe its not being a veterinarian, or anything worg specific? I mean, really, working with worgs? Aside from Howls here, I’ve only heard of them when they attack ponies.” “Garou.” Howls glanced to Spike with one eye. “I’m a garou, not a worg.” “Oh, sorry.” Shrugging, Howls turned to face Spike fully. “No prob, but I was hoping to find out where to get some books on your language, as I can’t read.” “Cutie Mark Crusaders, Teachers!” All three shouted at once, forehooves gripping Howls with surprising power and hauling him out of the water, Babs raising an eyebrow at the display. “We can get books from the library and take you over to Ms. Cheerilee! She can help, its her special talent!” “Cheerilee is your teacher I gather?” He asked as he shook the water from his fur, spraying droplets everywhere. “Yup! Come on!” Without even waiting for permission, Applebloom hopped up onto Howls back, a soft grunt coming from him as he locked eyes with her over his shoulder. She just smiled back, all innocence and simply joy at getting a piggy back ride. Rolling his eyes as he straightened out, he saw the others staring at him, fear competing fun for room on their features. With an explosive sigh he nodded to them. “Fine, you can all ride on my back.” And so it was that the first good look the ponies got of Howls was with four fillies riding his back, and a baby dragon in between his ears as he made his way down mainstreet towards the library. As the newest form of transportation in Equestria brought his cargo through the streets, Howls saw the ponies stop and stare at the strange progression that passed by, their reactions generally falling into one of two categories. One the one hoof, most seemed amused, smiling at the strange, but still obviously bemused wolf ferrying the children around. The others just stared, eyes wide and mouth agape as their chests heaved from their rapid breathing before they took off towards the town hall, usually followed by the titter of the kids laughter. Putting the ones who ran out of mind, Howls and the kids stopped in front of the library, all his passengers disembarking from his back as he pushed the door open. And came nose to nose with one Twilight Sparkle. For a moment they stared at one another, glowing emerald meeting amethyst. Then her horn burst into light as her eyes narrowed to enraged slits, her head lowering to a goring angle, Howls lips peeling back from his fangs, his jaw parting as a snarl grew in his chest, Rage flooding into his limbs as he prepared to attack, only for Sweetie-Belle and Applebloom to rear up on their hind legs in front of both the potential combatants, their eyes wide at the idea of being between the two angry adults. Twilight was the first to calm herself, the light fading around her horn as her head came back to the normal level, though her eyes remained the razor slits that seemed to be trying to blast Howls back to the forest by sheer willpower alone. For a moment, Howls almost believed she could. Glancing down at the fillies that were in front of the wolf, her seething gaze cooled somewhat, the tiniest nod given to him, which he returned in kind, the fighter in him recognizing the temporary truce until innocents were no longer in the line of fire. Finding her voice as she looked over her shoulder to the blue unicorn still standing over by the book covered table, she said “Sorry Grimoire, could you give me a moment? I need to talk with them.” While pleasant, fire surged just under her words. Stepping outside as Howls backed up to give her room, she spoke more to the fillies than to him, her eyes flashing to Spike as she did so, the promise of chores without end in her gaze. “Hey girls, what can I help you with?” Spike spoke up before any of the girls could. “Twi, they are looking for primers on our language. They want to try being teachers for their cutie marks, and I figured no where better to find them than here.” Her chin lifted a fraction at that, a hint of pride flavoring her words. “Right, well ladies, why don’t you and Spike go find what you’re looking for? I’d like a few words with Howls in private.” Applebloom piped up, her hoof switching back and forth between the two. “Pinkie promise no fighting!” Twilight almost made a rather disgusting sneer at that, but held it at bay and instead gave an exasperated sigh. As if she would ever get into a fight with anypony. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." At their expectant looks, he grumbled out the same phrase. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." Arlen felt an itch along his spine... a familiar one. Was that some kind of Faerie Oath?  Seemingly satisfied with that, the girls followed Spike into the library, the door shutting behind them, leaving the two alone outside, the birds singing, the sun shining, the grass waving in the light breeze, and the air between the two carrying enough sparks to set ablaze the whole town. “So. I didn’t know you were the town librarian.” He said as he looked up at the tree, getting his first good look at it since the thunderstorm. “An oversight on my part, not figuring the local bookworm would be in the place with all the books.” “What are you doing with them?” She asked, all traces of warmth gone from her voice. “Somepony like you running around with fillies? You’re trying to get sympathy from the other residents, right? Showing them you’re not a bloodthirsty killer with no scruples?” The hair on the back of his neck bristled, but he turned away from her, his eyes traveling over the town, his voice level when he replied. “Actually, I had a lovely time last night with the Apples when Applebloom invited me over. Told them a lot of things, and today when Babs, thats Appleblooms cousin from Manehatten by the by, came to visit they figured hey? Why not use the one of a kind creature living nearby to experiment on to get their cutie marks?” “And the language primers?” She never took her eyes off him, a near invisible trace of light swirling around her horn as magic gathered, driven by her subconscious will. “Still wanting to learn our language after all?” He nodded, waving a paw idly in the direction of the schoolhouse. “Yeah, the girls are going to introduce me to their teacher Cheerilee for the actual learning bit. They just want to help and see if it triggers anything.” For a long moment they were quiet, the only sounds coming from inside as the children laughed at each other antics. Then she quietly said “I don’t trust you. And if you hurt those fillies I will make you hurt. I have never promised that to anypony before, so understand I do not make that kind of promise casually.” “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn.”  He said. Heh, can’t beat the classics. “But I have no intention of harming children, regardless of how you want to think of me.” “You will care if you keep ignoring me.” She whispered back, her voice seething as she took a step forward, her horn flaring for a heartbeat before it faded once more. A sigh slipped from her lips as she met his gaze. “But that aside, why are you really hanging out with them? I doubt it’s just to learn our text, as you speak it fine.” She waited for his reply, the silence stretching out for almost a full minute before he replied, his voice softer than she had ever heard it. “Honestly? It’s fun.” “Fun? How so?” A bit off put by his answer, she stepped closer to the wolf, that curious mind urging her on. He shrugged one furred shoulder before he answered. “I didn’t have much of a childhood, at least not like theirs. Usually I was on the move, or training or in home school. Not much free time, and sure as shit no other kids my own age to hang with.” He shot her a small grin. “It was nice, hanging out with such innocent kids. A real change of pace, you know?” A soft, short laugh escaped. “How pathetic is that?” His voice dropped even further, almost to the point where she could not hear it. “Big bad wolf huh?” He snorted. “My ass.” Shaking his head, he looked up to speak, only  “But-” The door slammed open behind Twilight, the fillies pouring out, several books shoved into their saddlebags as they bounced around the pair, nearly bodychecking Howls into getting a move on. Rolling his eyes as he began to move, he gave Twilight another small nod, which she returned before re-entering the library and resuming her conversation with the blue unicorn, the magical formula still hanging in the air, Grimoires smile causing the tiniest flush of heat across her cheeks. “I can’t even imagine why he wouldn’t pay attention to you. Everything you say is just so overwhelmingly interesting.” “Guess he’s an idiot.” Twilight mumbled, smiling in turn. “I don’t doubt it.” --- Miss. Cheerilee hummed a little tune to herself as she wiped down the blackboard, her warm eyes sweeping over the empty desks of her classroom, a bemused sigh slipping from her as she stared at the pile of papers she had to grade. A knock at the door stopped her before she could even begin, Scootaloo’s voice carrying through the door. “Miss. Cheerilee! We got a question for you!” Quietly laughing as she opened the door, she saw Scootaloo, Sweetie-Belle, Applebloom, a new brown filly she didn’t know standing at her door. And behind them were four clawed, brown fur coated legs that went up and up and up into the lean chest, which in turn flowed up into the fanged maw of a smiling worg, its eyes burning with a terrible light. A squeak escaped her clenched throat as her eyes rolled back in her head, and she hit the floor in a dead faint. “...And of course, she faints. Why did I expect anything else?”