"Where the hell am I?"

I was sure that the trek from Ponyville to Canterlot would be an easy one, I mean you can see Canterlot from Ponyville, how the hell I ended up lost, I've yet to find out. The path had led me into a forest and then before I knew it, it disappeared from under my feet. Yes I literally walked off of a small cliff, and let me tell you, that's one of the most terrifying things that has ever happened to me and that's saying something considering I met Michael Jackson before he died. I ended up spreading my wings during the fall only to have one of them smashed against a rock that jutted out of the cliff side.

I awoke at the bottom of the cliff with a moan. I tried to move and felt a sharp pain from my back, it was my wing now horribly mutilated. I sighed and tried to pick myself up, my shell was still solid and as an insect horse thing I was guessing that I didn't have any bones to be broken. I blinked a few times and looked around me, trying to figure out where I might be. Turns out I didn't just walk off of a cliff, I walked right over the edge of a fissure. Yep here I am sitting in a fissure like an idiot with a broken wing. I looked through my saddlepack, which seemed remarkably unscathed, and found everything was still in good condition. The quilt must have helped with that, I'd have to remember to thank Braeburn for the quilt again.

"Hello!?" I shouted, I wasn't really expecting an answer but the echos off the wall offered me mild amusement. I began to walk along the bottom of the fissure, looking for any way I could climb out. After about an hour of searching I was able to find a way up, only to be greeted with a thick forest floor and no pathways to be found. I was utterly lost with no way to contact anyone. Turns out that's enough to make me realize how alone I am right now. I don't mean just physically alone either, The Changelings in my dream didn't seem to want me, the ponies of Appleloosa were all afraid of me, save Braeburn and the Sheriff. I was pretty sure the only reason the Sheriff wasn't afraid of me was because he knew he could smash me in the face if he needed too. Pinkie was a special exception, she was nice to everyone it didn't matter whether you were a pony or a dragon as long as you could smile she would be your friend.

I let out a sigh as I started walking through the jungle, as my broken wing brushed against the bark of a tree, I realized how stupid I was for not getting medical supplies. Turns out hiking in a forest when its the middle of the day can be really fucking hot, but hell that's been most of my life in Equestria so far. The only time I've been out of the heat was during the nights that could kill me, and when I jumped into the lake a few days ago. I realized that if Braeburn hadn't been there for me I probably would be dead right now, another thing to thank him for later. I was ripped away from my thoughts by the sound of crying, I didn't know what it was, but I knew that I needed to help it in some way or another. I galloped into the forest, ignoring any pain I felt from my broken wing.

In the center of a small clearing was a small cat like creature crying out. I burst through the underbrush and nearly lost my footing on the slick grass of the clearing. "What is this place?" I asked myself looking around the clearing that had no business being there. It seemed odd that a forest so thick wouldn't have covered the area yet, but what caught my attention next was the small cat. It wasn't just any house hold cat either it was a White Bengal Tiger! I trotted over to it and crouched down next to it, unsure of what to do.

It looked up at me with big crystal blue eyes, I wanted to hug it sooooooo bad at that point. Have you ever seen a tiger when it's just a kitten, they're the most adorable things you'll ever see. When it saw me, it looked to be afraid, and then it surprised me "d-dont hurt me, please". I nearly pissed myself when it talked. Judging from the voice the tiger was female, and the fact that her voice sounded like a professional voice actors from japan just made her all the more adorable.

"Who could ever hurt somepony as cute as you!" I said horrified by the very thought. I gave her a smile before slowly pulling out my saddlepack. "Now, tell me why your crying, are you hurt? perhaps your thirsty, or hungry?"  any pain I felt from my wing was now long gone from the thought of finding somepony to interact with, even if she was a tiger of very young age. Before any of you out there say 'oh he's totally a pedophile', your wrong when I see something small and cute that can't take care of it's self I feel the urge to support and cheer it on no matter the cost!(If you got the reference +10 points to you)

"you won't hurt me? but momma told me that changelings were dangerous" she looked at me with her big eyes, on the verge of tears. I nearly had a heart attack right there, If this kept going on I was sure I would die by the end of the day from all the adorableness smacking me in the face. But something she said interested me, apparently amongst tigers changelings were known, and for that matter they were known to be dangerous. Also if she has a mom why is she out here all alone? I was getting lost in my thoughts and didn't realize how long I was taking to respond. "Um Mr changeling?" she called out making me realize where I was again.

"dubah?" I blurted out before smacking myself in the face. Yeah real smooth, I was about to speak again when I noticed the tiger was now giggling to herself 'finally my stupidity has paid off!' I shouted in my head. I began to laugh with her before answering her earlier question "well yes, most changelings are very dangerous, but on the other hand I'm not most changelings huh?" I gave he a smile before starting to rummage through my pack.

"I guess not" She grew silent as she watched me dig through my pack. I started to notices waves of emotion flow from her, more specifically they were sweet and delicious, which for me meant they were of sadness, stress, or depression. I decided against asking her what was wrong until after I found what I was looking for. Finding it I pulled out a small bag of what looked like meat. It was actually a tofu ration from the camping shop I had stopped by earlier. Apparently they sold them for the more carnivorous visitors they might get. Of course buying at the time got me a strange look from the clerk.

"Here, you must be hungry" I said opening the pack for the young tiger. I wasn't sure if tofu would affect a tiger in any bad ways, considering that where I come from they only ate meat, but then again this was Equestria, who knows maybe tigers could eat tofu here. The tiger looked at the fake meat with a gleam in her eyes. I could tell from this that she hadn't eaten for a while and was in fact quite starved when I came around. She managed a give me a squeak of thanks before digging into the food. I laughed as she ate and soon I began to hum aloud. I didn't notice that I had started to slowly feed on the young tigers emotions until I had finished humming.

I looked down at the tiger, who looked back up at me with tears in her eyes. I panicked realizing what I had just done, "I-I'm sorry I didn't realize what I was doing" She interrupted me with a smile that stopped me in my tracks.

"It's alright I'm feeling better" She said looking at me with a smile "you remind me of my mother, she used to hum to me before she..." The tiger stopped and I felt another wave of despair fall from her. I stopped myself from feeding on this emotion, it was something I couldn't take as lightly as other stress.  "before she..." she tried to finish her sentence but started to cry. I quickly pulled out my quilt and laid it over top of the tiger before wrapping my hooves around her. I didn't need her to finish her words to know that her mother wouldn't be coming back for her.

"It's okay, you're not alone anymore" I said to the tiger who was now openly crying "I'll be here for you from now on". I knew what I was saying, I was essentially taking her under my care and making her my responsibility, but I couldn't just leave her all by herself. I don't know how long we lay in that clearing but I do know that by the time she was done crying, my quilt was near soaking and the night was near. I looked at the now sleeping tiger and smiled, I guess I could find a way out of the forest tomorrow morning. I wrapped the quilt around both of us before nodding off into sleep.

I awoke to something next to me moving, opening my eyes I found that a white tiger was looking at me with  daggers in her eyes. It didn't take me long to find out why, I quickly noticed that in my sleep I must have mistaken her as a stuffed animal and I was now clutching her in between my hooves. I quickly let go  and smiled sheepishly at her "Sorry" I looked around and realized it was still early morning and the air had yet to fully warm up.

"It's okay, but I swear if I catch you doing it again I'll bite you" the tiger had crawled out of the quilt and was now stretching. She gave me an annoyed glance before remembering the events from last night. I quickly noted how my heart felt weak before looking at her again and remembered why. She was now looking at me with a wide smile before saying "Thanks for staying with me last night, the last time someone hugged me was so long ago". I clutched at my chest as I felt another heart attack of cute coming over me.

"No problem, I only wish that I had remembered to ask your name" I was now returning the smile, I realized that I felt full, of course I must have feasted greedily during my sleep, I hope that it wouldn't bring up any bad side affects. "Ah but it's rude to ask for your name without introducing myself first" I gave the best bow I could in Equine form and introduced myself "I am Volo the Swift at your service" nice title right? yep took me all of 2 seconds to think of, I bet your all just jealous of my amazing naming abilities ha ha!

The tiger let out a little laugh before introducing herself in much the same fashion "Greetings Volo the Swift, I am Elly the magnificent!" oh? so the young one is fairly good in titles herself, that will be of great use in the future, I know it! (no it won't...) Shut up I'm having a moment here! (...Whatever).

"A Pleasure to meet you Elly, now come we have an adventure to go on, and time is of the essence!" I jumped up triumphantly with my saddlepack on my back, which was somehow already packed. Elly jumped up on my back and put her front paws on my head and joined in.

"Yes we must hurry, quick!" she said playfully. we stood there for a few seconds before I remembered that I had gotten lost when I had found Elly.

"You wouldn't happen to know the way to the closest path?" I asked still trying to sound triumphant, I must have looked like an Idiot because the next second she was rolling on the ground laughing. "What, I'm not that funny to laugh at am I?" I asked putting on a fake pout. Elly stopped laughing, looked up at me and started laughing again. Well at least I know I can make someone laugh. "Well then, since you find me so funny, how about this!" I leaped on top of the tiger and started tickling her sides making her squeal in protest before she started to laugh even harder. After of a few minutes I stopped and looked at her before laughing myself. She looked like a kitten who's fur had been affected by static electricity, it was sticking up everywhere.

She glared at me which cause me to laugh again. I stopped when she started to pressed her fur back down. She was a lot like a cat with how they acted. enough about that, I wonder if she does know where the road is "No but in all seriousness now, I was totally lost when I found you yesterday, do you know how to get back to the road?".

"Yes it's not far from here" She got back up and leaped on my back again. I didn't really mind, it was nice to have her company. "That-a-way!" She shouted pointing directly ahead. I laughed and started to walk the direction she pointed me in. At the edge of the clearing I pushed through a few bushed and found myself on the path. The whole time I was literally 10 steps away from the path and didn't even know it. I laughed to myself with a new understanding of why Elly was laughing so hard earlier, she must have realized the irony of the situation.

"Onwards!" I said happily walking down the path. Soon we found ourselves out of the forest and on the open fields of Equestria. Far to the left I could see the shining city of Canterlot. It seemed that I was on a different path because I noticed in the distance it snaked away from the capitol city. I pulled out and looked at the map and saw that I had just crossed through a small section of the Ever Free Forest. Huh it wasn't as bad as every pony makes it out to be. I glanced up at Elly who had her front paws on my head, I noticed she was looking at the new surrounds in both wonder and a bit of fear. "First time out of the forest?" I asked. She just gulped and nodded which made me laugh "Well don't worry too much about it, I'm here to protect you after all" I smiled at her and we started to gallop down the trail.

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All right finished chapter 5, I'm going to go ahead and put this story on Hiatus for a couple of days while I go and update my other story for a few chapters. If your interested in it here's the link to my story Chaos Shift. It's a bit different from this one and I don't use first person but I think you might find yourself enjoying it if you gave it a chance, if not then I'll see everyone in about a week :D. Thanks so much for sticking around to read my story for so long.

-BlindTeller

P.S. Thanks Thardoc for making my story easier for everyone to read.