A Shifter's Masks

by Wolf Paw

Prologue

Like all Apples before him, Macintosh Apple was born at home. Valencia Orange and her husband, along with Granny Smith all waited for the arrival of Mac. After 14 hours of hard labor, Johnathan Apple and Ginger Gold welcomed their first foal into the world.

Unlike most of the Apples before him, his first cries weren't celebrated. Johnathan Apple took one look at his son before quickly leaving. Ginger held her foal close, hugging him as she waited for her husband to return. Johnathan stepped back into the house nearly 20 minutes later, a small wooden box with a lid in his hoof. He sat down next to his crying wife, holding back tears himself as they waited.

You see, despite Mac's future nickname, he was anything but big. Even being a full term foal, he was just too small. So small that the first thing his father built for him was a coffin.

Valencia, Ginger's sister had, left and returned with a doctor. The doctor simply told them to cherish the moments they had left with him. The Orange's left the house with Granny Smith, giving the small family space.

Hours passed, and Macintosh clung to life. His tiny cries growing in pitch. They tried multiple times to try to get him to nurse, but he simply refused. So Ginger and Johnathan waited. Waited for their son to die or to live. They watched as Mac started to still and they feared his soul would leave him soon. Just as it seemed the foal was to die, his fur shimmered. Ginger and Johnathan watched in awe as their son's form shifted, and a small deer fawn blinked up at them. Mac struggled on thin split hoofed legs before stumbling over to Ginger and starting to nurse.

Mac's parents watched as their son nursed, switching from deer to foal and back. At one point, a puppy had flickered by as Macintosh shifted.

The two ponies didn't look a gift horse in the mouth. Strange powers or not, their son was alive.

---

Johnathan Apple and Ginger Gold sat on a picnic blanket and watched their children play in the grass of the clearing in the north part of the orchard. Johnathan Apple's mother Greeny 'Granny' Smith sat next to the two of them, holding her newest Grandchild. They watched as Macintosh chased Applejack, tagging her before turning and running. Applejack laughed as they played tag. Mac's form rippled and shimmered before being replaced by a young raccoon. The raccoon ran up the nearest tree, looking down at the orange filly. Applejack huffed at her brother turned raccoon.

"Ma! Mac's cheatin' again!"

Ginger covered her smile with her hoof.

"Macintosh, play fair."

The raccoon's image wavered and was replaced by the red colt lounging in the tree.

"It ain't cheatin', she's just jealous."

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

Granny Smith shifted Applebloom in her hooves before turning to her two other grandchildren.

"Quit yer fightin' and come sit down for lunch. Or neither of y'all will get any apple fritters."

Applejack quickly bound over, enticed by her favorite food. Macintosh stood up from his branch and launched himself off the end. Midair, a robin took his place and glided over to Johnathan. Johnathan looked at his son who had perched on his shoulder. Mac simply clicked his beak in a laugh. John shook his shoulder gently, dislodging his son. Mac fluttered over to Applebloom and looked down at her. Applebloom gurgled and waved her hooves at her brother.

"Mac, turn back and come eat."

Mac shifted again and sat down, grabbing a sandwich. Applejack giggled at him.

"Big Mac, you left the wings."

Mac glanced at his back, and sure enough, two large blue wings sat on his shoulder blades. He folded them against his back where the seems to fade away into his fur. The Apple family smiled as they continued their picnic.

---

Two weeks later, Mac found himself snout to snout with a timberwolf. Mac was currently a dog, standing less that a foot away. The timberwolf himself was obviously young, his bark was still a sapling tree green. Both of them were interested in each other. Mac had never seen a timberwolf in real life. He'd only ever seen pictures in books. The timberwolf had never seen a dog before, and he was curious about this strange creature. It looked like him, but instead of bark and branches, it was covered in fur.

Both of the young animals were unsure what to do, so Mac did what he'd seen dogs do before. He dropped his front legs and stuck his tail in the air, wagging it.

Play?

The timberwolf's tail started to wag as he did the playbow as well. Soon the two of them were running and chasing each other through the apple trees. The trees faded as they ran into the Everfree. The two played for hours and Mac learned through the timberwolf's limited speech that his name was Hawthorn. The sun started to set when the two canines collapsed, panting.

Mac started to say goodbye when he realized he didn't know which way was home.

Hawthorn?

Hawthorn stood up.

Yes?

Lost

Hawthorn looked around as well and his ears lowered and tail tucked.

Lost

---

The moon was high in the sky before they were found, but it was not by Macintosh's parents. A large timberwolf stepped out from behind a tree. Hawthorn saw it and bound over, whining happily.

Alpha! Alpha!

The alpha wolf just growled at the young pup. Two more timberwolves stepped into the moonlight.

Hawthorn bad.

Hawthorn whined.

Sorry

The adult wolves started to leave.

Alpha! Mac.

The large male turned.

Mac?

Mac!

Hawthorn gestured to Mac, who was shaking on his paws.

The alpha approached and sniffed Mac.

Mac lost?

Mac nodded.

Come

---

Macintosh spent the night with the pack, curled up in a large puppy pile. He was surprised on how comfy it was, but he had to go home soon. Bright and early the next morning, the Alpha took Mac home. They walked through the forest, headed for the farm. The tree became apple trees. Just as Mac was about to thank the alpha and say goodbye, a hoof hit the timberwolf in the side of the head. The wolf's head snapped to the side as Mac scurried back.

Macintosh's father and mother stood in front of him, 'protecting' him from the wild animal.

"Go Mac, run! Get Applejack and run!"

Mac looked behind him to see Applejack frozen in fear. Before Mac could do anything, the timberwolf stood back up and growled.

Ponies

The wolf and two ponies charged each other. Blood, fur, sap, and bark flew about. Mac back peddled from the fight, trying to avoid a stray blow.

Mom! Dad! Alpha! Please stop!

Mac barked at them. His parent's didn't understand and the wolf either didn't hear him or didn't care. Ginger was thrown back and her head hit a rock with a sickening crunch. She slumped over and didn't move. Johnathan stared wide-eyes at his wife. He screamed and started to punch the timberwolf without abandon. One of the wolf's teeth came loose. The alpha growled and leaped forward. His wooden jaws sunk into John's neck. Blood splattered as his body shook. John turned and looked at his children through his tears as the light in his eyes died.

Mac stood in shock next to Applejack, who was clinging to his scruff for dear life. The alpha turned to Mac.

Ponies dead. Mac safe

Mac's eyes started to fill with tears. He growled as he let his figure change. Big Mac stood over his sister, hooves even with his shoulders in a crouch. Mac bared his still canine teeth.

Pack! You killed pack!!

The timberwolf paused as he looked at Big Mac and then surveyed the damage he'd done. He hung his head, as he finially understood. Dog-pony's pack was dead, by his paws.

Sorry. Alpha sorry

The timberwolf turned and left, tail hung low. At the edge of the forest, Hawthorn whined as he watched his once new friend suffer. Hawthorn turned and followed his Alpha back into the Everfree.

Mac sobbed loudly as he hugged Applejack. His parents were dead. His parents were dead all thanks to that timberwolf. Big Mac paused and gasped through his tears. No, his parent's were dead thanks to him.

Applejack suddenly went limp in his hooves. He looked down at her ashen face.

"Applejack!!"

---

The funeral was a somber affair. It was raining as the two coffins were lowered into the ground. Granny Smith Stood next to Big Mac, Applebloom in her hooves. Applejack stood next to her, crying. After Applejack had passed out, he had run home with her. She was taken to the hospital while the police and morgue took his parents. Applejack had passed out from shock, and lost her memory. For something so tragic to happen in front of her, it only made since that as a defense she forgot it all. She just also happened to forget about Mac's powers.

Big Mac preferred it that way. The less ponies who knew, the better. Only Granny Smith and himself knew about them.

Dirt was tossed onto the graves by everypony there. Everypony but Mac. He just sat their, not saying a single word.

Comments

[JBL]

Interesting start so far. Keeping an eye on this one.

[Sprocket Jockey]

Interesting! Can't wait to see how all this pan's out!!! Awaiting update, captain!!!

[digital_light]

my eyes have been glued

[Phenrys]

I really like your premise. I also thoroughly enjoy your writing style. I hope that you will continue this story, especially as Big Mac is my favorite.

[Maskweaver]

I've been lookingfor a story such as this for months now. The structure and tone are well made for the theme to develop. The choice of character is appropriate, given there is so little in cannon development. I'll add this to my watchlist, eager to read more.

[LunaStorKat]

It's so sad! And sooo good! I can't wait to read the next part!