• Published 19th Jul 2014
  • 8,306 Views, 245 Comments

The Wolf's War - Blazing47s



When a huge black wolf mysteriously appears in Equestria, he brings with him an evil that nopony could have seen coming. After befriending the mane six, the black wolf must stop the approaching tide of evil before it is too late.

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Grave News *Revised*

Fluttershy could not have been happier. As she stood at the bottom of the staircase, a huge smile lit up her face at the scene in front of her. Link, by far the largest mass in the room, was lying on his stomach, as flat to the floor as he could get. He opened his eyes as Fluttershy stepped into the room, blinking in greeting, offering a sheepish smile that flashed his canines. Flutteshy noticed the ruffled look of his coat, grinning wider.

Applebloom’s head was propped up onto Link’s ribs, her hind legs trailing out in front of her her. The yellow filly’s bow had been discarded sometime in the fray, and it was lying in a crumpled pile next to her. Applebloom was snoring, her mouth open and a bit of saliva leaking from the corner of her mouth. Sweetie Belle was nearby, lying on the couch that had been pushed to one side of the room, fast asleep, her hair a complete mess that would have mortified her older sister. Scootaloo, last of all, was draped over Link’s back like a blanket, her head on one side and her hind legs on the other. She was snoring as well, louder than Applebloom by a large margin.

“Got a little played-out?” Fluttershy asked Link quietly as she floated off the ground, flapping over and righting a lamp that was lying on the floor. Link huffed in answer, grinning again, not at all sheepish of his state. “Oh, that’s just wonderful,” Fluttershy cooed, leaning in to one of the sleeping fillies, a loving expression on her face.

Link huffed again, thumping his tail once. “Oh, I suppose,” Fluttershy answered. “Though they do look really comfortable,” She teased. The giant wolf merely stared at her, one eyebrow cocked, and Fluttershy could almost feel the force his smirk. Shaking her head slightly and smiling, Fluttershy gently scooped up the sleeping Applebloom, depositing her on the couch next to Sweetie Belle. She did the same to Scootaloo, and left the three sleeping together on the plush cousins.

Link, glad to be free, stood and stretched, shaking his head to try and smooth his mane. He did the same with the rest of his body, more careful this time of the furniture. Turning to the yellow Pegasus when he was done, Link wagged his tail in silent communication.

Fluttershy looked at the clock on the wall. “It is almost time for Twilight’s meeting isn’t it? I didn’t realize I had slept in that long . . .” Fluttershy mused, continuing to fix of the room that had been thrown into disarray. Link padded over, nudging her side with his, wagging his tail again.

“Oh, okay, we can leave a bit early.” Fluttershy consented, and Link’s eyes lit up in triumph. “I’was never one to complain about being outside for too long.” Fluttershy looked over at the three snoring fillies on her couch. “But what about them?” Right at that moment, Angel made the unfortunate decision to hop into the room, wondering if the battle that the living room had turned into was over, and he could actually get around the hosue. Seeing that the coast was clear, he started to hop lazily over to his flap in the front door, but he froze when Fluttershy called his name.

“Angel,” Fluttershy beckoned him over. “Would you watch them while we are gone?” She asked politely. Angel raised one eyebrow, jabbering something at her in his own tongue.

“What’s in it for you?” Fluttershy thought, tapping a hoof on her chin. “I’ll make you a full carrot meal when I get home,” She offered. Angel shook his head, beginning to turn. “With a dessert?” Fluttershy said, and the bunny froze, considering it. With a grudging nod, he turned around and offered his paw. Fluttershy shook it with her hoof, and Angel hopped over to the small end table, taking up a post there.

“Come get me if anything happens,” Fluttershy said, and Angel gave a lazy salute with one paw.

With a doggish smile, Link padded over to the door and opened it with his mouth, vanishing outside. Fluttershy followed, shutting the door behind her. Angel watched as they left, and as soon as the door closed, grabbed a small pillow from the couch and fluffed it, placing it down and promptly falling asleep.

Traveling into town with Fluttershy was a slow process, as Link found out. She made it a point to stop and talk to every animal they met on the path, from soft greetings to full conversations. Link didn’t care much. The warm sun felt good on his face and back, and it was a relief to be walking around again after being somewhat trapped inside the cottage for the last day. The green leaves of the forest were swaying in a light breeze, and Link tilted his face into it, chuffing happily. The cloudless blue sky had no trace of the storm that had happened yesterday, just a pristine expanse with the beaming yellow sun. This had Link, and most of the other animals in a good and apparently chatty mood, as Fluttershy stopped to talk to another bird that came flitting across the dirt path.

“Oh hello there!” She smiled. “How are the chicks?” The pegasus listened to the tweets that the small red bird gave in response, before beaming. “Oh, that’s just wonderful. Give your wife my congratulations, would you?” The red bird nodded before flying off. Fluttershy watched him vanish into the trees, before something fuzzy pressed against the side of her face, forcing one eye closed. She looked over with her other, to see Link’s face right next to hers, his nose pushing gently on her cheek, blue eyes alight. She giggled, and swatted it away. “You seem excited for this,” she noted as Link bounded into step next to her as she started walking again. “You’re acting like Winona before she gets a treat.” Link flattened his ears sheepishly, but couldn’t help his emotions, as his lolling tongue indicated. Being in nature to Link was like being in water to fish; keep him cooped up for too long and he got restless. He was born to be outside. Sure, he had dealt with extended periods of time inside, but that didn’t mean he liked it.

Fluttershy nodded, somehow picking up his thoughts. “Today is lovely,” she agreed. “It’s no wonder you wanted to be outside.” The yellow pony paused to wave at a passing squirrel before continuing to walk. Link wagged his tail in response, looking at the squirrel that Fluttershy had greeted. His stomach let out a low rumble, loud enough for Fluttershy to hear.

“Oh my goodness!” Fluttershy gasped. “I forgot to feed you breakfast this morning! You must be famished!” Link nodded, his stomach growling again. “I’ll be right back,” The pegasus took to the air with a few beats of her wings. “I’ll grab a fish from the house, you just wait right here.” With that, she flew back towards the cottage at a decent pace. Link sat down in the center of the path with a huff, his bulk sending up a puff of dust. He sniffed the air, before a violent sneeze sent his head whirling. What was that smell?

“Oh my! What a coincidence to see you here!” The voice was accompanied by a bright flash that left Link’s vision with spots. Shaking his head to clear it, he blinked in confusion at what had appeared in front of him. A snake like creature, with large yellow and red eyes, stared down at him from atop a floating carpet, hovering a few feet off the ground. The creature seemed to be a bunch of different animals smashed together, with a lion paw but a lizard leg. The whole thing reeked of chaos, making Link recoil. He flashed to a fighting position, his legs bent and his teeth bared in a snarl. The creature continued talking, regardless. “It is a lovely day for a walk, quite beautiful, wouldn’t you say,” Discord mused, glancing down at the wolf. Link let out a rather aggressive bark, sending a cautious glare at him. “Oh, no need to be so angry,” Discord said, snapping his fingers.

With another flash, a metal muzzle appeared on Link’s face, clamping his jaws shut. Link’s blue eyes flashed dangerously, as a yellow light lit up his front left paw. The sound of tearing metal rent the air as he forced his mouth back open, shattering the muzzle into numerous pieces, which dissolved into the air. Discord smirked.

“It seems the dog has a bite,” He teased, snapping his fingers, vanishing his flying carpet. He floated down to Link’s level, holding his gaze, before doing a mock bow. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Discord, god of chaos and disharmony, bla bla bla.” He waved his lion paw in a circle. Link opened his mouth to respond with another bark, but a finger on his lips paused him. Discord’s hand had floated off of his body, and tapped Link’s lips again, before flying back over and reattaching with a loud pop. “Don’t bother,” Discord laughed, before becoming suddenly serious. “I know who you are, Vessel of Courage.” This gave Link pause. He tilted his head to the side in confusion, his stance relaxing a bit. Discord, much like Fluttershy, read his body language before responding.

“How?” He tapped his chin. “Well, I have visited your dimension before, a long while back. Started with an H, I think,” He muttered. “Anyway, nice place, got to meet with your three goddesses actually. Lovely ladies." He leaned in to Link, as if whispering a secret. “They didn’t like me very much.” He straightened. “But I got a good idea of the way things worked there.”

Link shook his head, letting out a huff. He looked back down the path, but only saw a small yellow speck in the distance. He turned back to Discord. “Why am I here?” Discord asked, and a small halo appeared over his head. He gave Link his most innocent expression, but was only met by the stony face of the wolf. “I only wanted to talk. Can’t I get to know one of Fluttershy’s new friends?” Link raised a single eyebrow. You didn’t need to be Fluttershy to understand the clear “No” he was giving Discord.

The god sighed, straightening a top hat that had just appeared on the top of his head. “I can tell when I’m not wanted,” He told Link. “So I'll make this quick." The god was suddenly very serious, face set as if in stone, his eyes glowing dangerously."Fluttershy is very, very important to me. If something happens to her, I will personally hold you responsible." ANd with that, Discord was back to his old cheery self. "Just know, that I will be watching.” There was another white flash, and Discord was sitting on a purple lawn chair that appeared to have a pair of rockets on the back. “Ta ta!” Discord waved, before speeding off backwards, even though the rockets were facing the other direction.

The encounter left Link more than a bit confused, but his thoughts were interrupted when a panting Fluttershy landed next to him. “Here . . . it is,” She placed a big fish that she had been holding in her hooves on the ground next to Link. “I flew as fast . . . as I could.” She landed back on the ground, her face streaked with sweat. Link rubbed his side against hers, not minding the dampness, to show how grateful he was, and the yellow pegasus found herself blushing. She waited as the wolf devoured the fish, licking his chops after he had finished. Noticing his confused air, Fluttershy frowned. “Is something wrong?” Link shook his head, but Fluttershy quirked her mouth in disbelief. She decided not to pry, and started slowly down the path once more. Link fell back into step, the two having a seemingly one sided conversation as they made their way towards the distant Ponyville.

-----

Tartarus, Zant found, was a big place. The caverns and floating cages went back endlessly, probably more literally than figuratively. There was no variation - the same metal and rock and blackness greeted Zant at every turn. He was starting to understand how this place might be so great after all, especially after being trapped here for millennia, as many of the beings in the back reaches of the infinity had been. As Zant got farther and farther away from The Gates, the spaces got less occupied as the amount of empty cages increased. The creatures became more evil the longer he walked, as if someone had shoved the worst into the back corner that stank of evil and hatred and had immediately forgotten about them.

Zant’s mistress had given him exact and complete instructions about the specific thing he was supposed to find, but he found it hard to not stop and stare at some of the stranger creatures, and even to talk to some of the more sociable. The feeling of malevolence in the air had intensified until it was almost tangible, pressing in like a smothering blanket on Zant’s skin. He had been walking for hours now, but he knew he must be close. When he finally reached his destiantion, he almost skipped right past, but he caught the barest glint of shaping and bending sinew out of the corner of his eye. Stopping abuptly, he turned and hopped the small distance to another floating platform. The cage on this one was huge, nearly the size of a two story building. There was only a small strip of rock around the outside for Zant to balance on, the black void yawning below. The occupant of the giant space was not that big, in stark contrast to the mass of flesh that had caught Zan’t eye only a moment ago. A black rodent, maybe six inches tall, sat upon a small stone seat in the center, beady red eyes gazing off in the direction away from Zant. Its small nose twitched, as if the rat was in deep thought. Zant tapped lightly on the cage bars with a hand, the magic of the bars spitting sparks at his touch.

The rat turned, eyes lighting up. The voice that came out of its mouth was deep and sinister. “Oh hello,” The rat was suddenly floating a few inches away from the bars. There had been no flash, no sign of the transportation to give Zant warning. He took a step back out of reflex. The smile on the rodent widened uintil its maw was stretching almost ot the back of its neck. Saliva dripped off of rows of wicked teeth. “What would bring something like you to my modest abode? I haven't had visitors In a very long time.”

“I am Zant,” Zant answered. “I am here to make a deal of behalf of my mistress.”

“I am Mind Walker,” The rat answered, and with an almost disappointed sigh continued. “And I am afraid I must refuse.” The rat bared its teeth in a hiss. “Now leave.” With another instantaneous teleportation, Mind Walker was sitting back in the same position as before, completely ignoring Zant.

“You would be able to escape this cage,” Zant called, confident still that he would get what he came for.

“Even if I could,” The rat was once again in his face. “I only deal with the top man, it’s my,” The rat twirled a paw. “Policy, shall we say. Now you, you are just,” With a swirl of black smoke, a giant Zant stood in the cage. The mouth opened jerkily, and its eyes flashed red as Mind Walker’s voice issued through. “A puppet,” The Zant floated a couple inches off the ground, turning to wood instantly, hanging as if by invisible wires. “With a master at the strings,” With another swirl of black smoke, the rat was back, waving an un-amused paw. “I thought I told you to leave.”

Before Zant could formulate a response, his vision cut to black. His hearing vanished, along with every other sense. HIs mistress must have been watching him closely, to take control at such short notice. He could feel his own jaw moving, formulating words independent of the body it belonged to. After a minute or so, Zant blinked as his senses were abruptly flipped back on. Whatever his mistress had said clearly had had an effect on Mind Walker, as the rat was sitting on the ground, looking up at Zant, as if waiting. Surprised by this sudden flip in personality, it took Zant a bit to remember what he had come here to say.

“I am glad you have seen my side of things,” Zant said.

The rat nodded. “I was . . . persuaded,” Mind Walker said, hesitating. “Your mistress is a persuasive one. Something I don’t remember from when I was still walking around on my own two paws or what have you, but we were able to come to a mutual agreement.”

“The task for you is simple, then.” Zant pulled something out of his pocket, twirling it in his fingers. “There is a wolf I need you to find and kill.”

“A wolf?” Mind Walker asked with a snort. “That’s it? I am tempted to feel insulted.”

“A very, very special wolf, one that must be disposed of.” Zant smiled, running his tongue over his teeth. “I want you to bring me his head in a weeks’ time.”

“How am I supposed to find this “special” wolf?”

Zant revealed the object in his hand. A small black stone, diamond in shape. Small red cracks ran through the rock, and the thing hummed with a subtle but powerful magic. “This stone,” He held it up to the flying bat that was suddenly at eye level, inspecting the object with far too many eyes. “Is directly linked to the wolf, both his spirit and form.”

Mind Walker nodded, a rat again. “I understand. I trust that you will uphold your end of the bargain? I’m not one to cross in such matters.” The rat’s eye had a deadly glint.

“Free reign over the entire dimension once the task is done, yes? All the food you could want and more. I assume my mistress promised something along those lines.”

“You have yourself a deal.” Mind Walker replied. “I assume you have a way to get me out of this place?”

Zant nodded. With a shout and a fling of his arm, the door to the cage ripped off and went spiraling into the dark abyss. The magic seal on the cage screamed as it was broken, the power disintegrating in a flash of white light. Mind Walker, now a large flying creature with six wings and four hanging arms, flew out next to Zant, sighing in relief at his escape. His sigh turned into a screech of pain as Zant touched a small white gem to the side of his wing.

Mind walked reeled sideways, before flashing into Zant’s face with a scream of fury, A huge mouth on its torso gaping in front of his mask.

Zant held up the white stone, now with a swirling mist of red in the center. “I wouldn't do that if I were you.” Mid walked hovered back a few feet, hissing and spitting saliva in anger. “Just a bit of . . . insurance,” Zant pacified. “I must be sure of your return. If you do not bring me the wolf’s head by the end of the next week,” Zant pocketed the small gem. “I will destroy the gem, and you along with it.”

Mind Reader said nothing, still pulsating in anger.

“Now, this way please,” Zant said, smiling and holding out an arm. “I have a perfect vessel waiting just for you at The Gates."

-----

“It . . . doesn’t look as bad as I was expecting.”

“Of course not darling. Those mares work wonders!”

Fact examined himself in the full size mirror on the wall of the hair stylist’s room. He barely recognized himself to coin the cliché term, even if it was more false than not, but he did look different. His tan coat held a shine that it had never held before that made his cutie mark stand out boldly. His mane and tail had been cropped short, but not too short, and the three colors Rarity had mentioned really did weave together in a shining pattern. The shorter hairstyle accented his muscular physic and sharp framed glasses, and brought out the already piercing green of his eyes, something that had been commented on by the spa staff and the hair stylist. Like he had said, it didn’t look half bad.

“You look simply fetching, Fact!” Rarity fawned. She took the moment to discretely examine at his flank. He looked back at her right at that moment, raising an eyebrow. Rarity’s face lit up red, and she choked on her next words. Thankfully, Fact decided not to comment, and Rarity continued, forcing down the flush in her face. “How do you feel?”

“Different,” He settled with. The one word answer was all that was needed. He was the same, yet the new look made him feel simply . . . different.

“And that’s . . .” Rarity let the last word drift.

Fact shrugged. “Good, I suppose.”

Rarity stomped a hoof on the ground in delight. “Wonderful! Then I can say that this trip was a complete success.” She tilted her head to the side, examining her own mane in the mirror. She liked the new way it sparkled after the treatment, it had been seeming a bit dull lately. But as she well knew there was nothing a good spa trip can’t fix.

“Could I get that tour of the town now?” Fact asked, turning away from the mirror and pushing his glasses up on his muzzle with a hoof.

“Of course!” Rarity replied "How time just slips away at the spa. Onwards!" After a minute at the front desk, figuring out payment and the like, the two made their way outside into the sunshine. Despite it only being 10:12 according to Fact’s internal clock, the sun was bright and the spring day was already warming up to a comfortable temperature. The hair stylist’s shop was one of the many buildings ringing the town square, outside of the erected stalls. Fact spotted Applejack and a large red stallion at the Apple family booth. Rarity waved energetically, trotting over. Fact followed, once again peering around to let his mind soak in all the details.

“Howdy there Rarity, Fact,” Applejack tipped her hat upwards so she could see better. “Long time no see,” she teased.

“Oh, of course,” Rarity played along, but Fact could see her vibrating with excitement, probably to show him off to her friend. He shrugged, looking over to the stallion as the two mares made small talk.

“Greetings,” Fact held out a hoof.

The red stallion bumped Fact’s hoof with his own. Fact could see family resemblance between Applejack and this pony, with the hair color and the apple themed cutie mark. There was a spark of intelligence in his large eyes, one that Fact immediately respected. When he spoke, his voice was deep and thoughtful, with an accent similar to that of his sister’s. “Howdy, name's Macintosh, but call me Big Mac. Everypony does.”

Fact nodded, and went to say more when he found his head yanked to one side by pale blue magic. He immediately went to cast a counter attack spell, his eyes flashing, but stopped when he saw who was moving his head. “Doesn’t he look marvelous?” Rarity asked Applejack, dancing happily on the tips of her hooves. She was keeping Fact’s head at the strange angle to his body, which he hurriedly corrected by shuffling to one side.

“Hello,” he greeted lamely.

“You certainly look different,” Applejack answered, looking him over. Rarity huffed and Fact hled down a smile while the white mare grumbled something under her breath. “The shorter hair looks good on ya’, I’ll say that much.” The orange mare nodded, and Rarity beamed.

“I’m so glad you think so! I took him to the spa, and it worked magic, like usual,” Rarity flipped her curly mane over one shoulder proudly.

“O' course,” Applejack rolled her eyes slightly. “Like usual.”

“Though I still have not gotten that tour I was promised,” Fact spoke up.

“Oh, we’re getting there darling.” Rarity hushed him. “Anyway,” She turned her attention back to Applejack. “We were thinking of stopping by at Twilight’s afterward, for the meeting. Would you like to join us on the walk?”

“Sure,” Applejack answered. “I have to finish up here, but I’ll grab Pinkie and Dusk on the way over.” She asked, and Fact perked up, interested.

“Does somepony need to grab Fluttershy and Link?” Applejack asked.

“I’ll ask Spike to do it,” Rarity waved a hoof. Fact couldn’t help but think that her dismissive tone of voice towards this “Spike” was a bit rude. He felt bad for whoever this stallion was if Rarity used him in such a way, but he kept his thoughts private.

“It’s all set then,” Applejack shooed them away. “Y'all better get back to that tour, and I’ve got apples to sell.”

“Of course,” Rarity turned, finally releasing her magical grip on Fact. “This way!” She sang. Shaking his head, Fact followed.

-----

“I just gotta’ go take a dump,” The blue pegasus guard stood, laying his hoof of cards down on the small stump that his tent had been using as a table. “I fold anyhow.” The orange unicorn across from the pegasus let out a whoop.

“Another one down!” He cheered. “It’s only us now, Hammer.” The unicorn narrowed his eyes at the huge brown earth pony sitting as the third member of the circle, who grunted, shifting on the ground.

“Be careful.” the earth pony warned simply, eyeing the pegasus out of the corner of his eyes, before laying a card down on the stump. The unicorn stuck his tongue out as he squinted at his cards.

“I’ll only be a couple yards away, I’ll be fine,” Steel Wind snorted, trotting away from the barely smoldering campfire towards the tree line of the forest. As he passed a tent of female bat pony guards, he flashed his trademark smile, his handsome features only increased in his guard armor. One of the Night Pegasi mares sighed and rolled her eyes, and the other one waved lazily at him, yawning a bit. Steel continued on, smirking, but it vanished when he neared to sentry who stood near the edge of the forest. It was a earth pony guard Steel didn't know personally, but the pony's grim expression and stiff stnace let Steel knew he had to be a bit serious. "Going to take a leak real quick," He called as he neared. The senrty eyed him, but said nothing. Steel trotted past the sentry, quickening his pace once into the forest proper. He swallowed as the black wall of trees loomed upward, obscuring his view of both the camp and sentry, but his bowels and sense of privacy drove him onward.

The Everfree somehow absorbed the light out of the bright morning, making it seem menacing, with dancing and flitting shadows. Steel swore as he pricked the bottom of a front hoof on the thorns of one of the black trees. He cursed himself for taking off his metal shoes. “Hate this forest,” Steel grumbled under his breath, smacking a branch aside with his wing. Thankfully he had decided to keep his wing blades on, and the thorns only glanced off of the light and sharp metal around each feather. Finding a good spot behind a large tree, Steel adjusted his armor and did his business. He finished quickly, and was starting to walk back to camp when something shiny in the undergrowth caught his eye. He brushed aside the thorny twigs on the ground, before grabbing the curious object in his hoof and holding it up to eye level.

It was a black, smooth stone, with red lines twisting inside it, and it seemed to be slightly glowing. He held it farther upwards to try and get a better look at it, and it rolled on his hoof, directly onto the small prick, which was bleeding only slightly. The small stone seemed to soak in the small dot of blood on the fur, pulsing darkly. At the same time, he felt a tug on his mind, and he nearly fainted as something slithered into his conscience, his vision turning grey and his thoughts scattering. He faintly heard the sound of deep laughter.

Author's Note:

Here you go! The first June chapter done, just like I promised. Comment if you find any errors, you all know the drill at this point.
But on to more exciting news! My second ever fanfic has been posted! It is called "A Soldier's Rest" by yours truly, and I hope you will all go check it out! It is another cross over fic, my specialty.