//------------------------------// // 5: The Flock & Return To The Pack // Story: The Story Of Zolziac // by Trainboy //------------------------------// Zolziac stared in bewilderment at the flock of sheep that stood before him. Anique ran past him and around the outside of the flock, she then ran through the middle, snapping at legs, and at last she got them in a small pen at the edge of the field. Zolziac's jaw dropped. "That... was... Amazing!" he cried "Yes, even at my age" Anique smiled "One can still herd sheep very well" Zolziac smiled. He was starting to think differently about the tame world. Anique made it out to be very nice indeed, he'd even had food brought to him earlier that morning. Anique had then mentioned that they get meals like this every day. He had been very snug and warm in front of the fireplace, and was now able to run and play outside. It really was the opposite of everything in the wild. "Come and meet them" Anique said. Zolziac paused "But what if they don't like me?" he asked "Nonsense" Anique smiled "They like anyone and everyone" "Even a wild wolf?" "Even a wild wolf" "Ok" Zolziac said "But don't blame me if they become panic stricken" They began to walk towards the grazing and gossiping flock. "All right you lot" said Anique "This is Zolziac, my grandson, he's come from far away to see the tame world" Zolziac waited with bated breath for the sheep to scream and run. But they didn't. On the contrary, they huddled around him, talked to him, greeted him, treated him well and said how nice he looked. Anique laughed at Zolziac's surprised expression. "Weren't expecting that were you?" she asked. Zolziac slowly shook his head, as more sheep came up to greet him. Eventually, Zolziac managed to calm the sheep down. He then asked Anique if he could go to the top of a nearby hill to think about the tame world. "Of course you can sweetheart" Anique smiled. Zolziac trotted off. Much later, when the sun was high in the sky, Zolziac was looking over the valley. He had even more advantages now. The sheep had been more friendly in the past hour than the Everfree pack had ever been. As he stood looking over the hills, he decided he would tell everyone about his experience in the tame world, when he got back to the pack. "You're going back?" Anique asked. "Yes" Zolziac replied "But i'll come back and visit, i promise." Anique agreed, and Zolziac set off back to the castle. "You're leaving us already?" Celestia asked. "I promise i'll come back and visit" Zolziac smiled "As much as possible" Applejack walked over and gave him a warm hug. "We know ya will" she smiled. Zolziac had never been hugged by a pony before. "One more time?" he asked. Applejack hugged him again. "Goodbye" Celestia said. "See you all later" Zolziac smiled. "You did WHAT?!" Shamak bellowed. "I only stayed there for a couple of days" Zolziac protested. "Just a couple of days is enough to make a wolf go Tame!" Shamak roared "You're lucky she didn't try to get you to do that... that" "Herding?" Zolziac offered. "You see!" Shamak pointed "He's even aware of the terminology these ponies use!" "It's just a little promise" Zolziac said "and i kind of enjoy their hugs" "Their what?" Shamak asked. By the time Zolziac explained to him what hugging was, his eyes were flaming. "You let them touch you?!" he bellowed. "Yeh, but i'm still wild aren't i?" Zolziac asked "Just" Shamak cut in "If you hadn't returned to us when you did..." he broke off. "But Shamak" said Zolziac "When i'm a Beta i can't wait to teach this kind of thing to the pups" "You will do nothing of the sort!" Shamak said hurriedly "In fact. I'm stopping you going to that school" "W... what?!" Zolziac said, shocked. "I can't risk my pack, being talked to about things that happen in the tame world" Shamak said angrily. "B... But sir..." Zolziac began. "Enough!" Shamak shouted "Get back to the den. We'll discuss matters further there." Zolziac was silent. Then he remembered. "Sir" he asked "How is Harinka?" "Harinka?" Shamak said "Oh... him... he's in the den waiting for you." Zolziac went to the den and saw the whole pack there. They all had worried expressions on their face. "Zolziac!" called a voice. It was Harinka. "I thought you'd been turned tame." "Okay listen up" said Shamak. Standing in front of everyone. "I want you all to know that Zolziac was in the school of Alpha's and Beta's, following his dream of becoming a Beta someday" Everyone looked at Zolziac, who hung his head low and didn't look at anyone. "However" Shamak continued "and i want this to go as a message to all students, Thanks to his recent association with the tame world..." He was cut off by a series of growls and snarls. "I have no choice..." he continued "To expel him from the school. He will remain a tail wolf until further notice." Zolziac sighed. Tail wolf was the lowest rank possible. Suddenly though, he remembered something from earlier. "But sir" he said "It was you who gave me the idea to go to the tame world" "What's this?" came a voice from the pack, and all turned their heads towards Shamak. "I never said you could go as long as that" he said "So in sight of this new evidence..." Zolziac continued, ignoring Shamak "I will continue to visit the tame world for years and years to come." "Zolziac" said Shamak "Why put yourself in that position. You're just asking for trouble." "I need you all to see how easy it is" Zolziac said "Or are you so afraid of all things tame?" Snarling and growling continued in the pack, until Shamak raised his paw. "Very well" he said "But i must warn you, break any pack law to do with the tame world and you will be expelled from this pack." Zolziac's heart sank. He had already broken the pack law about talking to ponies. But he stood proud and determined. "That was a close one" Harinka said after the meeting "You better watch yourself. Now he knows you're enthusiastic about the tame world, he'll try anything to get you expelled" "Don't worry" Zolziac smiled "I'm pretty sure he won't find any evidence"