The trio of friends walked thought out the night sticking to the shadows as much as they could with ears alert for the sound of wing beats and the jiggle of armor. Alas what they had sacrificed for saving Hivie would count for nothing for as long they remained in Equestria Celestia and her guards would forever hunt them, setting their heavy hearts for betraying their home and breaking their oaths behind them Bright and Cloudy led the changeling mare to the nearby Everfree forest the one place in all of empire where they could linger for an time without fear of Celestia's ponies. The Badlands would only days away by train, hoof and wing couldn't led them there in preferable time no it would take weeks if they had to travel on wing and hoof. The closest train was the friendship express in the small town of Ponyville yet that town especially would tricky to enter for Celestia's spys were everywhere and the town was home to her personal student Twilight Sparkle the perhaps strongest mage in the whole empire outside of Celestia and her younger sister Luna. Bright and Cloudly didn't knew much about the lavender pony outside that fact she treated the word of Celestia like the command of an god, this notion told the two pegasi everything they needed to know if Twilight saw them then Celestia herself will come for them.
'' Hivie how much magic you have left'' asked Cloudy while Bright attempted to start an very much needed fire, the plunge in the lake may had cleansed them for the stink and filth of the sewers but the night was cold one if they remain soaked to the bone they may catch their deaths.
'' My reserves are extremely low, pretty soon I will need to locate an source of love or risk my life source being used as fuel for my magic'' said Hivie still trying to dry her insect-like wings to the best of her currant ability. ''If that happens...well...''
Bright rises an eyebrow at this '' Hivie what you mean by your life fueling your magic?''
''As you know we Changelings use love both as food source and fuel for our magic but once an changeling is completely of Love energy our magic immediately start using life energy to fuel the spells. We don't know why it happens but our scholars believe that it's an survival method so an changeling would always able to disguise them self.'' Explained Hivie ''Bright how much longer on that fire? my wings feel like they'll about to fall off, Changelings are not meant for the water in our natural forms.''
''Not much longer.........'' Bright tails off in thought ''.........how about me?''
''what about you Bright'' said Hivie cocking her head to the side not understanding what Bright just asked.
''use me as an source of love energy '' Bright words not only caused Hivie's eyes to widen but an poisonous green blush to grace her cheeks, as far she knew never before had any pony willing offered themselves to an changeling. the only time she knew that anypony willing offered to feed a Changeling was often their mate.... a pony offering by their own free will to feed a changeling was again something that never happen.
''WHAT!?!?!'' Shouts Cloudy before fainting causing his friends to deadpan
''Is he okay? I mean his doing that a lot perhaps we should take him to see the healer?'' said Hivie in half concern and half annoyance '' I fear that this might cause lasting damage....'' Hivie tailed off when she seen that look in Bright's eyes feeling herself blushing again she casted her eyes to the side in order not meet the blue pegasus in the eye ''Bright? why are you looking at me like that?''
''How about Hivie?'' Bright said finally getting the fire going, it's light giving the two much needed warm in the cold of the night ''use me as food source''
''A-a-are you s-sure about this Bright? said Hivie her blush threatening to because a permanent mark with how burn her cheeks were burning. the light from both the stars and the fire showed off the dark blue pegasus features such as his handsome looks and his big wings.'' I-I-I... this just doesn't happens....
''Yes I am, you need to feed and feed soon if we are going to get you home besides'' said Bright with a crooked smile ''how hard could it be?''
''Bright...'' whispered Hivie finally meeting his green eyes she give a audible gulp before give Bright an shaky yet gentle kiss on his lips. The action immediately took Bright by surprise but he couldn't bring himself to break the kiss...it felt right. He returns the kiss to the changeling mare he sacrificed every for just as eagerly, filling the night the sounds of passionate kisses.
Canterlot
''What do you mean it has escaped '' hissed Celestia though gritted teeth her hooves digging deeply into the metal of her throne.
An bloody bite covered Dusky Trails crowded at and his Princess' tone while Smokey wimped like an beaten dog. Only very rarely they had heard of Celestia ever using such an tone, the mere thought of Celestia ever using it was only a mere myth in the guard core yet it seems that just like her sister Luna existence myths are proven to be true.
'' The Changeling escaped during the prison break'' the maroon pegasus said meekly '' we are currently holding an investigation on finding out how it manage to escaped unnoticed.''
'' Escaped unnoticed? you mean to tell me that the most secured prison on this entire continent that was designed by myself to be inescapable suffered a prison break so devastated that two of the empire's greatest threats escape? the same prison that entire armies failed to crack? Hivie Tak' Mashar the changeling and Blade Edge the cannibal gentlepony escaped unnoticed! SgtMaj. Dusky, this is a grave failure of duty!'' snarls Celestia angrily the metal of her throne moaned in distress as her hooves crushed the hoofrests. '' You had failed me not once not twice but twelve times in a single day! Must I remind you the consequences of failing your princess! your goddess!''
Bowing until his nose kissed the marbled ground Dusky pleaded to his sun goddess for another chance to prove himself worthy enough to sever the Equestrian Empire to be her tool once again''
''Dusky come'' said Celestia her voice lowered
''What?'' squeaked dusky both unsure and fearfully, not knowing what had an mind as ancient and powerful as Celestia's had or rather could come up with. Out of one corner of his eye Smokey was actively looking for an escape route forgetting that the room their were in only opens from the inside and each door took teams of ponies to open, the only one that could open the door with ease was Celestia the very mare who glared at them both.
''Did I stuttered? I said come....come to me''
Reluctantly Dusky did as his ruler abide of him, his heart beating like a drum as he closed on the great white mare her eyes never betraying her thoughts or reasoning when he felt that he closed close enough he open his mouth to ask the mare what fore only to feeling slight burning sensations across his body before bursting into flame without a scream.
Smokey watched in horror as the stallion he long sought to steal the position of SgtMaj. burn away in magical fire so quickly he didn't had time to screamed or even smell the scent of burning flesh..... now the stallion thought about he couldn't smell or see any signs a of a fire in the first place the only thing he registered was Celestia's motherly smile.
'' Dusky Trails was a good servant but he had out grew his usefulness I just couldn't let him go he knew too much, his execution was bound to happen sooner or later. But now since you saw what just happen you only have two opinions one you will be heinously tortured to a very pain death or accepted my offer either way your life as you know it ends today'' said Celestia, the motherly smile she was framed for took a very unnerving and terrifying turn for the young stallion '' painful death or death later on.... your choice''
'' I'll take the offer my Princess '' gulped Smokey
Celestia's smile grows darker as her horn glows in golden light '' I was hoping that you would say that SgtMaj. Smokey..... we have work to do''
Then the pair disappear in the flash of a teleport.