//------------------------------// // Chapter 8:Are we There Yet // Story: Hearthfire The Sands Of Time // by Predman1227 //------------------------------// Chapter 8:Are we There Yet Theran Razorblade Theran was walking through the streets of Snow Rock city to his home after leading a mission to stop a Wolven skirmish at one of the near by villages. The Wolven were bold and they were getting bolder by attacking settlements so close to Snow Rock. At least there was a giant ice wall blocking the entrance to the city but would that be enough to stop the endless horde of Wolven Guard. During his mission as Arch mage to stop the Wolven attack a Wolven grunt managed to get a lucky claw in and leave a nasty gash on Theran’s right eye. One of Theran’s medics said if he didn’t see a doctor soon he might loss his eye to infection. Theran knew a doctor wouldn’t be able to do much at this point because his wound was already infected. He knew this because not only were Wolven claws crawling with bacteria but also his eye was swollen and he could fell it burn under his bandages. “At least…” Theran thought, “I’ll be able to see Ashtrid with my good eye.” After what felt like hours of walking through street after street of tall stone buildings did he finally reached his house. It was a tall two story home complete with two bed rooms a large living room a kitchen and generally big enough to have a family. “Home sweet home.” He said to himself. Theran used his magic to unlock the door and enter the house. The warmth within felt so good Theran sighed with relief as he walked in and closed the door behind him. “Ashtrid I’m home.” He called out but there was no reply. Not fussed about the lack of a reply Theran unbuttoned his winter coat and hung it up. He still had his shiny snow steel armour on with his Arch mage helmet still attached to his head. He pulled off the helmet and winced when it rubbed off his wound. “Ah fuckin little nagy helmet.” Theran swore under his breath. He turned it around and looked at the claw mark the Wolven had left him. Went right through the snow coloured metal and Theran just huffed as he put it down near his coat and went inside the living room. When he went in he didn’t see Ashtrid anywhere so he called out again. “Ashtrid where are ya!?” “I’m up here silly!” Ashtrid called from upstairs. Theran just huffed in amazement and climbed the stairs to the room Ashtrid was in. When he reached the top he could hear her moving stuff around on the other side of the door. “Is she really cleaning again?” Theran asked himself as he opened the door and there she was. She had her back to him as she sorted out the bed sheets with her magic. She had some winter clothing on. Her flank was covered with some thick fabric shorts, a brown fur robe on her back and chest and dark grey woolly leg warmers. Even with all that clothing on, did not hide the bump on her stomach. It had been four months since Theran’s promotion to Arch mage of Snow Rock and at some time within those months Ashtrid had gotten pregnant. It was completely unexpected and Theran hadn’t meant for it to happen as he freaked out at the time but Ashtrid was so overjoyed to hear she was going to be a mother and Theran was going to be a father. He was still getting used to the idea of actually being a father and in truth he was terrified of being a bad parent but Ashtrid told him his fear was normal. He really didn’t know anymore at this point. Ashtrid turned and smiled at him but when she saw the bloody bandages around his eye her smile vanished. “Oh by the earth god, Theran your eye!” For a pregnant mare she move with incredible speed and was fussing over him in seconds. “Oh you poor thing, what happened?” Theran had to put a hoof up to stop her from touching it and said in reassuring tone. “It’s fine Ash you don’t need to…” She pushed his hoof aside and looked him in his good eye. “By the blistering winds it is, let me see it.” Theran tried again to escape the fussing. “Ashtrid please don’t…” “Take it off!” Ashtrid demanded. “No!” Theran countered. “NOW!!!” She shouted stomping her hoof on the floor-boards. Theran was taken aback by her wrath and he gave in. “Ok take it easy, give me a second.” Theran undid the bandages and showed his horribly scared and swollen eye. Ashtrid’s eyes went wide with shock and she put her hoof to her mouth as she quietly gasped. Her shock turned to worry as she took a closer look at the nasty wound. “Oh Theran how did this happen?” She asked in a worried tone. Theran looked down at his chest plate and in frustration he said. “Dam Wolven cut right through my snow steel like it was made of butter.” He looked back up at Ashtrid and gave her a half smile. “Guess I should have been more carful huh?” Ashtrid put her hoof on the wound and Theran winced, as touch shot pain through it like fire. “Dam straight you should’ve been more carful, I didn’t make that armour for you to go out there and still get hurt. This crap isny cheap you know.” Ashtrid lectured and she made a “tuting” sound as she put her hoof on his right cheek. “Oh and its infected, come and sit down on the bed.” Theran rolled his eye as he let her hold his hoof and lead him to the bed. He sat on the edge and crossed his forelegs over his chest plate. “Why am I sitting here exactly?” Theran asked. Ashtrid stood in front of him and put a hoof on his mouth. “Hud yer wheesht and let me concentrate.” Her horn begun to glow bright blue with a hint of gold and Theran narrowed his good eye in confusion. “What are yo…” Theran’s question was cut off when the pressure in his right eye faded away. Slowly his eye started to open and the pain disappeared. Ashtrid had her eyes closed and her teeth clenched in consecration. When she was done a minute later she let out a breath and drooped her head in exhaustion. Theran blinked both his eyes in amazement and touched his right eye. The wound was completely healed and all that was left was a bump where his wound used to be. Ashtrid breathed heavily as she hung her head low and Theran felt like an idiot for letting her do that. He got up and helped her sit on the bed. He sat down in front of her and put his left hoof on her right cheek. “Where did you learn to do that?” Theran asked in astonishment. “I never knew you could do healing magic.” Ashtrid smiled at him with her eyes closed and she put her own hoof on his, holding it there on her cheek. She leaned her head into his hoof as she spoke in a peaceful tone. “Mmmm back when I was just a mare barely out of my teens I was a student of the Moon Sister order down in Moon town and they practised restoration magic.” She rubbed her cheek on Theran’s hoof, enjoying his warmth as she added. “You know I could have been a full fledged member there if I wanted to.” Theran was confused as he tilted his head and asked. “Why didn’t you?” Ashtrid took Theran’s hoof and held it in both heir’s, opened her eyes and looked at it. “There’s two reasons for that. One if I accepted I would have to live a life of solitude and dedicate every waking hour to the service of the Moon god.” She frowned and continued. “I would have been a powerful priestess with all the knowledge of the Moon goddess but I didn’t want that life, I wanted to live in a city with all the sounds and smells of an ever changing place and the sense of a real purpose.” She looked up and gazed into Theran’s eyes. “Second, if I did join them I would have never met you.” She turned his hoof and laid it on her belly. “And this would have never been our child.” Theran looked at the bump on her belly and smiled as he gently stroked the side of her stomach. Theran then asked happily. “What are we going to call him?” “Him? You mean her?” Ashtrid interjected. “Oh come on it’s a boy.” Theran debated. Ashtrid raised an eyebrow at that and asked almost in a challenging tone. “And what makes you so sure of that hmm?” Theran looked up to her and said with a cocky smile. “Its my daddy sense telling me.” Ashtrid bust out laughing so hard she rocked back and fourth on the edge of the bed as Theran just looked awkwardly from side to side. When she finally stopped said with a tear in her eye. “ Oh you may have several senses more than I do but a Daddy sense is not one of them.” Theran was not impressed as he frowned and pouted his lip. “Alright then what makes you so sure it’s a girl?” Ashtrid laughed again though this time it was just a chuckle. She did a half smile and raised her right eyebrow and said wittily. “It’s my Mummy sense.” She bust out laughing for a third time and now Theran really didn’t look impressed. He leaned back and crossed his forelegs. “Now you’re just making fun of me.” Ashtrid wiped the tears out of her eyes and let out a sigh of joy. “Sorry Theran I couldny help myself you’re just too easy.” She got off the bed and stood in front of Theran. She then gave him a hug and he hugged her back. It was a long loving hug, just them enjoying nothing more than their company. Theran enjoyed it even more as he felt her soft mane on his face and the smell of fresh flowers. He could have stayed like that for hours but Ashtrid was the first to break the silence as she asked. “Did anypony else get hurt in the mission?” “Yes…some worse than others.” Theran said in Ashtrid’s ear as they kept hugging. “Anypony I know?” Ashtrid asked. Theran let her go and they looked into each other’s eyes. “No, though Storm Runner was there.” Ashtrid seemed to brighten up at the mention of their dear family friend. “Oh he was, so soon…but wasn’t he injured two weeks ago by a Wolven stalker pack?” Theran scratched his chin as he spoke. “He was but that didny stop him from coming along with me and bash some Wolven skulls in. He’s still pissed off about losing his eye to that Wolven he keeps talking about but we’re going off topic.” He put a hoof on Ashtrid’s side and said lovingly. “Boy or girl, what are we going to call our baby?” Ashtrid smiled at him then kissed him on the cheek. “Its still going to be some time yet, we’ll think of a name later because…” She moved past Theran and to the door. She stopped at the door and looked over her shoulder at him. “I got some dinner to cook up and you got reports to write.” And without another word Ashtrid went through the door and went down stairs to make something to eat. Theran stood there for a moment, just him alone with his thoughts. Theran thought about what Storm would have said if he did lose his eye, the jokes they could have had. Theran shook his head and looked at a mirror beside the bed. He went over to it and looked into its reflective surface. All that was left of his wound was a fine red line that started at the top of his right eyebrow and went down onto his right cheek. He ran his hoof down the scar and half smiled, as he kind of liked it. “Theran.” A voice whispered. Theran flinched and looked over his shoulder. “Ash, was that you?” Nopony was there and Theran frowned in confusion. Theran shook his head and looked back at the mirror to find he was now staring at a black filly with big green eyes. “Theran are we there yet?” Theran blinked and shook his head. “Wh…what?” He mumbled as he looked around. He was walking on a road surrounded by snow with tall cliffs and mountains all around him. “Theran?” A little voice called from behind him. At that moment Theran remembered he was pulling a cart with Haze and Violet on it. How could he have forgotten that, after five hundred years was he finally losing his mind. He looked over his shoulder and saw Haze looking at him. She looked bored as she leaned on the side of the cart with her chin resting on her right foreleg while her left one hung over the side. Violet on the other hand was fast asleep, wrapped in layers of thick covers. “What is it?” Theran asked with a hint of annoyance. Haze lazily waved her dangling foreleg as she spoke. “Are we there yet?” Theran narrowed his eyes and gestured angrily with his head to the road ahead. “Dose it look like we’re there yet?” He asked Haze angrily, his expression hidden behind his helmet. Haze gestured with her left foreleg to the hills and said wirily. “You haven’t even told us where we’re going.” Theran just huffed as he looked back to the road in front of him and tried to remember the name of the place they were heading to. It has been so long he really couldn’t remember the last time he had been down here but the name was on the tip of his tong, he just needed to remember. They kept on going in silence for a time, Theran could feel his legs beginning to ace from all the pulling he has been doing for hours now and he was starting to get a little pissed off. They finally came to a three-way junction and Theran had to stop. There was a post but the signs on it had faded away and Theran felt his rage begin to boil. “Are we lost?” Haze asked and her question seemed to make him angrier. He looked over his shoulder at Haze and glared at her. “Yes, there I said it we’re completely lost.” Theran growled as he tried to control his anger. Haze looked a little shaken by his response but seemed to forget it when she asked “Shouldn’t we wake up Violet so she can help you?” Theran didn’t like the idea of waking her after what she’s been through but he didn’t really have an option. “Go on, wake her.” He groaned. Haze sat up and pocked Violet on the shoulder. “Violet, oh Violet we need your help.” Haze had such a cute voice but for some reason Violet wasn’t waking. “Violet?” Haze kept pocking her but she didn’t respond. Haze looked worried and stared at Theran. “She won’t wake up.” Theran used his back legs to pull the supports down from under the cart and unhook himself from it. He then quickly walked to the side of the cart and stood on his hind legs so he was looking over Violet. Haze looked on in worry as Theran checked Violet. “Is she ok?” Haze squeaked. “What’s wrong with her?” Violet was still breathing and Theran felt relief flood his tired mind. “She’s ok pip.” He reached over and pat Haze on the shoulder. “She is just sleeping.” Haze looked confused as her eyes shifted from Theran to Violet then back to Theran. “But why won’t she wake up?” Theran kept looking at Violet, she was so still if he didn’t know any better he would have thought she was dead. He put both of his fore hooves on the edge of the cart and tilted his head in thought. “I don’t know pip, my guess the withdrawal has taking more out of her than I thought.” “Then…then we need to find a doctor.” Haze suggested. “It’s not going to be that easy Haze.” Theran said in a low tone. Haze looked confused again. “Why not just read the map?” “I can’t.” Theran said in a lower tone. Haze was lost at this point as she waved her front hooves around in bewilderment. “575 years old and you can’t read a map, how dose that even make sense?” “I can read maps just not this one.” Theran pulled out his map from his saddle-bag and showed it to Haze. “Take a good look at this and tell me what you see.” Haze looked dumbstruck as she just stared blankly at the map. “Um…you do know I can’t read anything right?” It was Theran’s turn to look dumbstruck though Haze couldn’t see it do to his helmet. “Wait a minute you cany read but you can do math.” “Doesn’t mean I can read. You don’t need to be able to read to do math.” Haze complained. Theran just bonked his head with his hoof and then pointed at the map as his voice took on an angry tone. “Its in latten Haze I cany read latten and I cany just follow the land marks because its been years since I was last here.” He stuffed the map back in his bag and raised his voice as he looked up at the sky. “I cany remember damit I just…” Theran stopped his ranting when he saw a figure flying in the sky above. It was a Pegasus. “A Pegasus? Thank the gods HAY!” Theran started to shout and wave his forelegs above his head to try and get its attention but the Pegasus just kept on going. He needed to make it see them so he cast a light spell and cast it on and off. Sure enough the Pegasus saw them and changed coarse in there direction. Haze changed into her other self as the Pegasus came closer. Theran could make out some detail, as it got closer. It had a green coat and a dark blue mane with a white line through it. He also noted it had a red scarf. When the Pegasus was in real view Theran could now see it was a male and he stopped just above them. He looked a little nervous and Theran really couldn’t blame him. The Pegasus begun to speak in a fine English actsent as he asked. “Um can I help you my very armed and armoured friend, you are a friend right?” Theran went on all fours and walked in front of the cart. “Trust me mate if I wanted to hurt you it would have happened the moment you got within range.” The green Pegasus gulped as he hovered in the air. “Well that’s um…good to know I guess ha ha.” He really looked uncomfortable as he fiddled with his hooves. “Are you going to come down? My neck is hurting from looking up.” Theran pointed out and the Pegasus rubbed the back of his neck as he hovered down to the ground. “Sorry I didn’t mean to offend, my name is Scarf Ace.” He landed in front of Theran and extended his hoof. “Whom do I owe the pleasure to?” Theran took hold of Scarf’s hoof and gave it a quick shake. “Theran Razorblade.” Scarf looked a little worried when he heard Theran’s last name but it faded when he saw Haze. “And who’s this little one?” He moved past Theran and to the side Haze was on and peered up at her. Haze looked over the edge and looked down at Scarf. “Hi my name’s Summer Haze.” She extended her own hoof and he shook it with a smile on his face. “Nice to meet you Summer.” Theran narrowed his eyes when he saw a picture on his flank. It was a red scarf a lot like the one he was wiring, plain and simple and at that moment Theran knew what he was. “Hang on a second you’re a chosen aren’t you?” Scarf looked away from Haze and stared in confusion at Theran. “I beg your pardon?” Theran came up the side of the cart and face Scarf. He pointed at Scarf’s flank and said. “That image on your flank, you’re a Heart lander.” Scarf shifted his gold eyes to his flank then looked back at Theran. “You mean my cutie mark? A lot of ponies here have asked me about it and yes I’m from the Heart land as you ponies call it.” Theran looked at Scarf in puzzlement as he went it over in his mind. “A cute whaty what? Aaaaaaa never mind that’s not important right now.” He got on his back legs and pointed at Violet. “My other companion is very sick and she needs a doctor.” “You all look like you need a doctor.” Scarf pointed out as he looked at everyone. “But what can I do, I’m no a doctor?” Theran pulled out his map and showed it to Scarf. “We’re lost out here and I need you to show me where we are.” Scarf scrutinised the map and raised an eyebrow. “I can’t read this writing but I can see where we are.” Theran darted around and was right beside Scarf as he stared at the map. “Where, where are we?” Theran said in anticipation. “Here.” Scarf pointed at a spot on the map. “This road leads to a place ponies here call The Rest Pit, I was just there.” Theran jumped for joy and run around the cart on his back legs as he clutched his head. “HA HAAA now I remember OH that feels SO GOOD.” Theran took the map and looked at it one more time and then hovered it over his head as took hold of Scarf’s shoulders and gave him a good shake. “If I didny have a helmet on I would kiss you HA HAAA.” Scarf just looked at Theran in complete bewilderment. “Um…happy to help.” He said awkwardly. Theran went back to the front of the cart and hooked himself up. “Thanks again Ace now we gotta run.” Theran bolted from his spot and went speeding down the road. Haze had to hold on while Violet was completely safe in her layers of covers. “The settlement is the other way!” Scarf called after them and Theran made a sharp turn, almost sending Haze flying out the cart. Scarf was pointing with his hoof to the right and Theran went speeding past once more. “My bad!” Theran called back as he went speeding down the road and at the same time covering Scarf’s face in snow. “Happy to help.” He said with a pout as sat there for a moment then shook off the snow and went on his way, soring through the sky to where ever he wished. Summer Haze Haze literally had to hold on to the cart as Theran went into over drive and sped down the road. “Theran can you slow down!?” Haze yelled as she bobbed up and down. Theran didn’t stop running but he did slow down enough so Haze could move again in the cart. “Thanks, my butt was starting to hurt.” She said as she looked over the edge of the cart. The snow covered ground sped past her vision and she kinda enjoyed the way it looked. She also enjoyed the way the wind blew through her mane and how it bathed her face. Haze moved to the front of the cart and put her front hooves on the edge so she was semi-standing on her hind legs. She let herself turn back into her real form and let the wind blow over her wings. She then let out a loud. “Yawhooooooooooo!” As she enjoyed every second of the ride. All of it reminded her of the rides back in Canterlot when she was only five years old. Her mother always took her there when it was the weekend and how she enjoyed it. “This so cool, hay Violet don’t you thin…” Haze stopped herself when she looked at Violet and remembered she was still very ill. In all the sudden excitement she had forgotten and in that moment her joy faded. She sat back down and looked at the floor of the cart. Her memories of her mother were faint and her most resent ones brought her nothing but pain. She suddenly didn’t like the cold wind blowing on her so she went into her covers beside Violet, curled up into a ball and closed her eyes. She must have fallen asleep because the moment she opened her eyes again the cart had slowed and she could hear the sounds of other ponies. When she looked up she saw the tops of buildings and the ears of ponies passing by. At the moment Haze remembered she wasn’t in her pony form and she felt her heart skip a beat when a taller pony glanced at her. She quickly pulled her covers over her head and stayed that way till she got her heart rate under control. She felt so sick as she got a cold feeling in the pit of her stomach. She was physically shaking and she felt her terror increase when she peeked out from under her cover and call out to Theran in a hush voice. “Theran, Theran?” Haze saw Theran’s armoured flank and he wasn’t looking at her. Haze mustered up the courage to stand up with the covers over her and quickly reached out and pulled Theran’s wild red tail. Theran made a small grunt and he stopped the cart. He turned his head and shot her a glare. “What do you think you’re…” “I’m not in my pony form Theran.” Haze lifted the cover so Theran could see her and quickly put it back over her head. “What am I going to do?” Theran’s eyes went wide with shock but quickly looked away and stared walking again, pulling the cart behind him. Theran walked a bit more before he stopped the cart and put the legs down. He unhooked himself and spun around so he was facing her. He lifted the lip of the cover and glared at her. “Why didn’t you change the moment we saw the village, are you crazy?” Theran whispered in a harsh tone. Haze glanced from side to side and whispered. “I fell asleep and when I woke up we were already here.” “Cany you just change now.” Theran asked in a hush voice. Haze frowned at him and said sarcastically. “Oh sure I’ll just bust into green flame and let everypony see what I am.” Theran narrowed his eyes and glanced to his right. “We need to find the doctor here, so for now just stay in the covers.” “Hay you alright there mate?” A deep male voice came from behind Theran and Haze gasped and hid in her covers. Haze could hear Theran talking in his normal flat tone as he spoke to who ever it was. “Um yeah, say you diny know where we could fined a doctor around here do you?” The stranger chuckled and said cheerfully. “Ha you look like you came out of the ass end of a dragon mate but yeah I know where the doctor is, come on follow me.” Haze felt Theran hook himself up to the cart and start pulling again as the stranger started speaking again. “Can’t say I’ve seen you around here before mate. This you’re first time in Rest Pit?” Theran kept his tone flat as he answered. “No but it has been a long time since the last time I was.” “How long is a long time in your book mate?” The stranger asked. “Last time I was here was when I was a filly. And the place is still the same old shit hole I remember.” The stranger laughed and Haze heard a dung of metal, like a hoof tapping off armour. “You’re alright mate. I’m Nuts and Bolts by the way.” Theran made a huffing sound as he said. “Nuts and Bolts ay, not the name I would have given you.” “You can blame my mother for that one but everypony around here calls me Big B because I do all the heavy lifting.” Haze heard that metal dung sound again as Big B asked. “So what’s your name, bet it horrible?” Theran just chuckled and said. “Theran, Theran Razorblade.” “Oh well I take back what I said then.” Big B said glumly. Some how Haze could feel eyes on her and she cringed when Big B asked. “Who are those two in the back of your cart? One seems to be hiding.” Haze’s heart felt like a hammer in her chest and it didn’t go down when Theran said. “The one who’s hiding is my daughter, she’s kind of shy but she’ll show her face won’t she.” Haze knew she had to show her face now and ever so slowly she pocked her face out of the covers just enough so Big B could only see her eyes and nose. She now got a good look at Big B and man was he big. He was an Earth pony and he was a head taller than Theran and much thicker to. His coat was dark blue and his mane was short and an even darker blue. He had what looked like brown leather along his back, chest and flank. Then there were his eyes, they were a light pink and they were looking right at her. She gulped and said nervously. “H…h…Hi there um…I’m Summer Haze.” Big B just gave her a half smile and a nod then asked about Violet. “What’s wrong with this one, is she dead?” Theran shook his head and said with a hint of worry. “No but she is very ill and that’s why we need a doctor, so can we stop chatting and get there already.” Theran finished in an angry tone. Big B looked a little taken aback but he then just smiled and pointed at a small building at the end of the street. “The doctor’s is over there and I was done talking anyway, good day mate maybe I’ll see you later.” Theran mumbled something but Haze couldn’t make out what he said as she watched Big B move away and disappear in the crowed of other ponies passing by. She then angrily asked Theran. “Why did you do that?” Theran looked over his shoulder and looked at Haze. “What tell him to sod off?” “No, but why would yo…Aaa no I mean why did you tell me to show my face?” Haze’s head felt like it was spinning, she really didn’t like places full of ponies. “You still look normal enough to pass as a regular filly but that doesn’t matter we’re here now.” They stopped at the front of a small grey and green building and on it’s red door was a sign saying Doctor’s, rather simply but it got the message across. Theran unhooked himself and did the support legs thing again and looked over his shoulder at Haze. “Wait here with Violet while I get the doctor if he’s even here.” Theran then turned and went up some stone steps and knocked on the door. There was no answer so Theran knocked on the door again harder this time. When nopony came a minute later Theran looked like he was about to punch a hole through the door when it suddenly opened, and an old green Earth pony stallion with a bold head and grey beard came out with his hoof raised and shook it at Theran. His voice was strong but deep with sharpness that came with being a doctor “I already told you drugheads to FUCK OFF or I’ll…” He stopped when he got a good look at Theran and his eyes widened briefly then he coughed into his hoof and looked at Theran with a plain expression. “Oh sorry I thought you were one of those drugheads trying to get at my supplies again. So what can I do for you Mr…?” Theran rolled his eyes and said plainly. “My name is Theran and I need your help.” The old doctor stood on his hind legs, crossed his forelegs and leaned on his door-frame with the same expression. “Yeah and so dose everypony else in this bloody town. What makes you so special?” Theran looked as if he was about to punch the doctor but he just tapped his hoof on the stone step and explained. “I have a very ill mare that’s in need of your help and a filly that needs something for her injuries.” The doctor didn’t look convinced as he narrowed his golden eyes at Theran “Sounds like all the other times ponies have come asking for help only for me to find out they were lying.” Haze saw Theran’s eyes go wide then narrowed in anger as he stomped a hoof on the stone step and growled at the doctor. “Listen here I didny go through hell to get here just to be turned down by some grumpy old…” The doctor cut him with a sharp tone. “Sorry can’t help ya now sod off!” He slammed his door shut and Theran was taken aback. Theran then thumped the door and started shouting. “What kind of a FUCKING doctor are you, I got a filly out here and a mare that could die, are you really going to let that happen!?” The door suddenly swung open and the doctor was right in Theran’s face. “How ill is she?” The doctor growled. “Very.” Theran flat out answered. The doctor leaned in more and said almost in a hiss. “Then she is already dead.” He tried to slam the door again but Theran stopped him by jamming his armoured left foreleg in between the door and its frame. The impact of the door actually left an imprint of Theran’s arm in the door-frame and the doctor reopened the door and glared at Theran. Theran leaned in, looked the doctor in the eye and growled. “Not if I have anything to say about it.” Haze could see where this was going and she knew she had to get in the way. Without thinking she jumped out of the cart with the covers over her and landed hard enough to rattle the bones in her legs. She let out a little grunt of pain as her legs gave out and she fell on her belly with the covers completely over her. The slushy wet snow felt horrible on her fur and outer shell. She sneezed and the covers blew away from her head and landed back over her face so only her mussel was showing. “Haze!” Theran called out to her and heard him rush over felt him sit her up. He then lifted the covers off her face and looked at her. “What are you doing you silly child are you trying to hurt yourself?” Haze snorted and shook her head to clear her stuffy nose and winced when pain shot through her hoof. “I think I just did.” Haze admitted as she looked at her right hoof. There was weeping blood out of a cut on the tip of her hoof and it hurt when she touched it with other one. She heard the hooves of another pony and when she looked up she saw it was the doctor. She hid her own hooves in the covers as he stopped in front of her and Theran. He looked down on her and said. “And why did you go and do that little one? That fall is a little high for a filly.” Haze looked straight into his eyes and did not flinch. “You two would have fought and I don’t want that.” The doctor raised an eyebrow at that and asked. “And what is that you want?” Haze looked at the cart then back at the doctor. “I want you to help my friend and make her better.” The doctor stayed silent for a moment as he looked into her eyes then blinked and said. “Ok.” He looked at Theran who was completely dumbstruck and told him to. “Get the cart and pull it up to that door.” Theran still confused did as he was told while the doctor got Haze to stand up. “Come on, inside.” He walked into his house and Haze limped after him. The interior was dark and smelled of old furniture and just smelled old, like really old. The doctor was down in an open area big enough to fit the cart and around the room was medical equipment. The doctor opened the big door and let Theran in with the cart in tow. “You use magic?” The doctor asked Theran “Duh.” Was Theran’s reply as he hooked himself from the cart. Theran pulled the cart the rest of the way with his jaw to the middle of the room then gently levitated Violet with his magic. He looked at the doctor. “Set her down over there.” He said as he pointed to a bed near the wall and around medical stuff. Theran did so and with all the care he could muster he set her down on the bed. Theran then stood back as the doctor looked over Violet. He made little “Hmmmm” sounds as he examined the burns on Violet’s chest and the scar on her left cheek. “She has a fever.” He said as he held his hoof on her forehead and he looked at Theran. “What happened to her? She looks as if she’s been in a battle.” Theran stood in his spot away from the bed. “We…” “Its rude to talk with your helmet on.” The doctor pointed out as he tested Violet’s damaged left leg. Theran snorted and removed his helmet. The doctor could now see Theran wolf like features and Haze saw the doctor looking at Theran’s two long pointy koninis sticking out from under his lip. “She was injured by me then I saved her and now she needs you to possibly save her to.” The doctor looked a little surprised as he looked at Theran. “Wow you really are straight to the point aren’t you?” Theran just snorted and glanced at Haze for a moment then looked back at the doctor. The doctor pulled back Violet’s bandages, brushed through her fur with his hoof then stood back and looked at Theran. “Well all things considered none of her wounds are infected but she is out like a light and seems nonresponsive.” He shrugged then added. “Unless this is something you caused I don’t know what’s wrong with her.” He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. “Mind telling me what you saved her from because she looks a lot like a bandit?” Theran looked at Violet then back at the doctor. “She was but not of her own will. She was a slave to some local bandits and she was hooked on a drug known as pony’s chain.” Now the doctor look really surprised. “Did you say…pony chain?” Theran nodded and added. “That burn mark was from a shock spell to restart her heart after it stopped from the stress of the withdrawal.” The doctor now looked confused as he asked. “A shock spell…but how did you know that would work?” Theran shook his head. “I didn’t.” He then pointed at Haze. “She did.” The doctor looked at Haze in disbelief, his eyes wide with shock. “You…you did this? But you’re just a filly.” Haze frowned at him from her spot above the open area. “Why dose everypony keep saying that?” The doctor looked apologetic as he put a hoof to his chest. “I’m sorry, I just didn’t expect a filly to know more about science than I do is all.” Haze leaned on her right hoof and yelped when pain shot through it. “Ahhhhh that hurts.” “Let me take a look at that?” The doctor offered and Haze felt her heart begin to race again. “Oh no.” Haze thought, “He’s going to find out what I am if he sees my hoof.” She looked at Theran and he gave her a slight nod as he sat down and rested left hoof on the hilt of his sword. Haze was worried what Theran might do if… “Come on.” The doctor becond her to come down the wooden steps. “I won’t bite I promise.” Hesitantly she limped down the steps slowly till she reached the bottom and the doctor was now towering over her. He sat down and extended his hoof. “Can you take a look at my horn first?” Haze asked as away to stall the doctor from checking her hoof. The doctor sighed and got to taking off the bandages. When he finally took them off he winced when he saw her horn. “Ooo that looks uncomfortable.” He touched her horn and she yelped as it stung. “How did this happen?” Haze looked at Theran and he just nodded again for her to keep talking. “Well…the shock spell was too much for me so it shocked me as well.” “And how did you know it would work.” She looked up at him and he smiled. “Come on teach an old doctor some new tricks.” “Well…my Aunty is a nurse and she showed me how the heart works. It runs on a pulse and it takes one to start another.” The doctor seemed impressed as he ruffled her mane a little. “Sounds like she knows her stuff.” He leaned back and looked at her. “Its not as bad as it looks, should heal quick enough.” He extended his hoof again for her to give him her hoof. “Now lets see that hoof.” Haze glanced at Theran and again he nodded. She lifted her hoof with the cover still over it and the doctor frowned at her. “Come now stop being silly.” He cupped his left hoof under her hoof and with his right he pushed back the covers. The tip was only showing so she took a little comfort in that. The cut wasn’t that bad but it had cracked her hoof and it hurt to put weight on it. “Now that looks sore.” The doctor pointed out. “It is sore.” Haze moaned and she looked at Theran. He still looked calm but Haze could see his sword was out a little bit, enough for her to see the razor white edge of his blade. Haze slowly shook her head at him and the doctor saw her do this. “What’s the matter, why are you shaking your head?” He looked over his shoulder and looked at Theran who gave him a plain expression. At that moment the doctor’s hoof slipped and Haze jumped in pain, knocking the covers off her shoulders and down to her hips. When the doctor looked back his eyes went wide with shock, disbelief and confusion. “What…what’s wrong with your hooves and are those…wings?” Haze looked up at the doctor in shear terror as her breathing quickened and her heart hammered in her chest. She had no words as her stomach tided itself in a not and she looked at Theran who looked completely calm. She tried to speak but her words came out all jumbled. “I…please…I’m not…” The doctor looked lost in thought as he just stared at her. He then managed to get himself together and he said as he gulped. “You’re…you’re a…” “Changeling.” Theran suddenly spoke. Haze and the doctor looked at him in shock. “Well half really.” Theran stayed still but his blade was inching more out its sheath and Haze shook her head at him but he wasn’t looking at her, he was looking at the doctor. “But the question now is…” he put his right hoof on his sword hilt and gripped it. “What are you going to do now that you know?”