The Story Of Zolziac

by Trainboy

3: Journey to Canterlot

Zolziac woke up the next day under a tree. He then had a terrible thought. He had no idea where Celestia actually lived. He had heard she was the "Alpha" of the ponies in Equestria, but he didn't know where she, or his grandmother, was. Suddenly, the tree behind him shook with a loud crack. Apples then toppled down and landed directly on Zolziac's head.

"Ow... ah..ow ow!" he said, rather loudly. Suddenly the falling apples stopped.

"That's better" said Zolziac, starting to relax again. He had to think about where an alpha would be. Suddenly he heard a voice.

"Alright put 'em up!" and out from behind a tree came an orange pony. She was wearing a cowgirl hat and a saddle bag with apples in it.

Zolziac jumped on the spot. Hackles raised and teeth bared, he growled menacingly at the pony. Who, in return, had her hooves in a sort of, boxing position. Zolziac had to look deadly and try not to look confused.

"Alright Wolfy!" she shouted "Tahme for you te get outta here! Stealin' mah apples!"

"Why on earth would i want to steal these itty bitty things?" Zolziac asked. The pony screamed and hid behind a tree.

"You... you can talk?" she asked.

Zolziac suddenly had a terrible feeling. He had broken a pack law, to never speak to a pony. He lay helplessly on the floor.

"Yes" he said simply "But i'd appreciate it if you didn't tell my alpha about this. It's a pack law not to talk to a pony"

The orange pony was still a little shaken up that this animal was sentient. But she plucked up courage and introduced herself.

"Howdy doo" she smiled "I'm Applejack. You are?"

"Umm" Zolziac paused "I'm Zolziac."

"Zolziac? huh" Applejack said.

Zolziac had only been on this farm for about ten minutes and already he had been taken inside and sat down on a carpet that said 'Winona' Applejack had made a mug of cider and was sat down in an armchair.

"So whatcha runnin' from Zolziac?" Applejack asked.

"Oh i'm not running from anything" Zolziac said "I'm trying to find a pony. You see, my grandmother is a tame wolf. I'm trying to find the pony who tamed her so i can meet my grandmother as well."

"Who maght that pony be?" she asked, taking a drink of cider.

"Celestia?" Zolziac answered.

Applejack spat out all the cider she'd just drunk. She wiped her lip before looking down at Zolziac.

"Celestia has a relation to your granny?" she asked.

"Yes" said Zolziac "Do you know where i could find her?"

"Oh ah know better than that sugarcube." Applejack said "Ah know somepony who could take you to her"

The barn had been quiet for several hours. Zolziac rested on the rug. Applejack had gone to get a pony called Twilight, so she had asked him to stay on the rug while she went into town to find her.

Suddenly the barn door opened, and Applejack strode in with a purple pony. Zolziac looked up.

"Afternoon" said the purple one.

"Hello" Zolziac said cautiously.

"So you're Zolziac" she said "I'm Twilight Sparkle."

"Hello" Zolziac said after another pause.

"So i hear you're from a pack in the Everfree forest. You're looking for Celestia" Twilight continued. "I know that she's in Canterlot, you can catch the train there"

"The what?" Zolziac asked

"Sure" Applejack smiled "Ah bet Locopony will be happeh te have ye on his train"

Zolziac was still confused.

"Hang on" he said "Celestia, Canterlot? Train?"

"Erm" said Twilight "It's a mode of transportation we use"

"The train?"

"Yes"

"Okay and Canterlot?"

"It's sort of, the territory of Equestria" Twilight explained "It's where Celestia, Luna and, presumably, your grandmother lives"

Zolziac thought for a moment.

"Or i could just walk there and save all the confusion" Zolziac offered. Twilight laughed.

"That would be best" she smiled "Can you read a map?"

"Uhhhh. A what?" Zolziac asked.

"Nevermind" smiled Twilight "I can just show you the way"

"You'd do that for me?" Zolziac asked.

"Of course" said Twilight "Or Fluttershy would"

"I would what?"

Everyone looked as Fluttershy's head appeared around the door.

"Ah Fluttershy" said Twilight "How would you like to show this wolf to Canterlot"

Fluttershy looked at Zolziac.

"Oh, a wolf?" she squealed quietly. Zolziac looked confused as she stroked his fur.

"But i'm not the tame one" Zolziac said "I'm looking for my grandmother. She's the tame one."

Twilight and Applejack laughed.

"You'll show him where to find his granny wontcha" smiled Applejack.

"Oh of course" Fluttershy smiled.

Zolziac paused. He wasn't so sure about having the company of a pony he barely knew. Especially one who had introduced herself by, of all things, attempting to tame him. Zolziac realized that the tame world was going to be a harder place to be wild in than he'd first thought. All the same, he was glad when Applejack and Twilight waved them off as he and Fluttershy made their way to, what was it called? a station.

Zolziac knew, that if it was this easy to be tame here, he must have to put up a real fight once they got to Canterlot. For if this Celestia could tame his grandmother, that mean't she also had the power to tame him as well. All in all, he had a lot to think about when he sat in the compartment of a... Carriage.

"Are you okay?" came the quiet voice of Fluttershy.

Zolziac was brought back down to earth with an unpleasant bump.

"Y... yes thanks" he stuttered

"You don't seem so okay" Fluttershy continued "Come on, i'm an expert with the animals, i bet i can find out what's wrong just by looking at your face"

Zolziac grinned. When he was younger, he used to do this to the rest of the pups. He was the only one in the pack who knew how to pull a completely emotionless face. This was going to be fun.

"You're a little worried because there's a law in the pack which says you can't become tame, and since your grandmother is in fact tame, you're worried about meeting Celestia, the pony who tamed her" Fluttershy finished with a squee.

Zolziac's jaw dropped. This was impossible.

"How on earth..." Zolziac began.

"I have other friends who are wolves" Fluttershy said.

"Yeh?" grinned Zolziac "Like who? I may know them"

"His name was... Croitas i believe" Fluttershy said.

Zolziac stopped.

"Do you know him?" Fluttershy continued.

"You could say i've seen him before" Zolziac said slowly

Fluttershy looked puzzled.

"You say that as if you saw something terrible happen to him" Fluttershy said

"That's because..." said Zolziac "I did"

He told Fluttershy all about what he had seen that fateful night. The pack's snarling, Croitas' cries for help and the snapping of the neck. By the end, Fluttershy was hiding behind her mane.

"No wonder you don't want to become tame" she whispered.

"It isn't that bad" Zolziac smiled "Shamak knows how loyal i am. He trusts me"

Still, both were silent as they stepped off the carriage and onto the Canterlot platform.