Several hours of aimless wandering later, the new part of the forest seemed to take pity on me: no hungry beasts disturbed me while I sat in the shadows, catching my breath and thinking about what had happened. My shoulder still throbbed - all that walking couldn't have helped it get much better - but at least the gash on my side had stopped bleeding. I wanted to be mad at the timberwolves for injuring me, but on the other hoof, I couldn’t really; the injuries were a small price to pay for saving me from something much, much worse.
Fearing I might find out the hard way what else lived in this forest, I decided to get going before another beast mistook me for lunch; but as soon as I got off the ground, a sharp pain stabbed through my side, and upon landing again, I realized the movement of my wing had opened the gash and caused it to bleed again. I couldn’t fly like that! Testing my shoulder, I determined walking would still be possible with care, but I better be careful not to run into trouble again - galloping was out of question for now!
It was slow progress, but at least it felt better than sitting on my haunches and hoping nothing would come get me. Having plenty of time to think, I came to realize that although the feelings of uneasiness and dread that had tormented me so much were still present, they had diminished significantly since my close encounter with the changelings and timberwolves. Was it possible I’d somehow predicted what would happen? Had I sensed the attackers before they’d had the chance to show themselves? If I’d listened to the whispers in the back of my mind, could I have avoided this mess?
Then I noticed movement in the bushes ahead of me. I couldn’t see what was there, so I lay on the ground to make myself harder to notice in the underbrush without risking the flash of shapeshifting magic in case whatever was out there happened to be facing my direction, freezing in place until I could determine whether or not it was safe to proceed.
A cloaked figure came out of the bushes, facing away from me. It was equine in size and posture, and though I couldn’t see its face, I did notice a lock of black-and-white mane protruding upright from under its hood. The figure picked a plant from the ground and put it in a saddlebag.
Just a pony collecting herbs, I concluded with relief and got up. If I stayed quiet, I could follow without being seen. The pony must know the way out of the forest, I told myself - this was my best bet for getting out quickly.
Everything was going fine until a twig cracked under my hoof.
“Oh dear! What is that sound I hear?” the figure started to turn.
I quickly transformed into a pony.
“Oh! You startled me good! Few a pony comes to this wood,” the figure now turned completely and removed its hood. A smiling face, striped black and white, looked back at me.
“I’m lost,” I tried to explain. “I’ve never seen anypony with stripes such as yours,” I added curiously.
“I’m a zebra from a faraway place, but I have lived here for great many days! To ponies of Ponyville I’m a close friend, and helping hooves to each other we often lend!”
She did seem genuinely friendly, unlike the two unicorns I’d met earlier!
“You have a nasty wound, I see,” her smile turned to concern. She was bound to notice sooner or later; even a disguise could only do so much to hide fresh injuries. “Pray tell, how did that come to be?”
“Timberwolves,” I said, hoping I wouldn’t have to go into detail.
“Then your luck is keeping well in check,” she marveled. “Most who meet timberwolves do not come back!”
I nodded gravely.
“Come with me! I have just the thing to heal that wound in a blink!”
“Oh… I wouldn’t want to trouble you…” I hesitated. Goodness knows I needed a healer, but I wasn’t entirely comfortable with letting myself get treated by a stranger of an unfamiliar species. What if she noticed something was wrong? If she really was friends with ponies, she could easily know about changelings!
“Don’t be shy - you’ll be alright,” she assured me.
I weighed my options. I could refuse and try my luck in the forest - a strategy which had nearly cost me my life so far, and injured like I was, my chances of escaping any future encounters were much lower. Or I could accept and get the help I needed. Sure, there was a risk of getting discovered in the process, but maybe she would be reasonable and willing to give me a chance to prove my good intentions! Even if that wouldn’t happen, did I really have that much to lose, considering the alternative? Besides, I reminded myself, finding a friend was the very reason why I’d escaped and gotten into all this mess in the first place!
“Okay, I’ll come with you,” I accepted her offer.
She led me through the forest to a hollowed-out tree decorated with masks and sculptures like I’d never seen before. I couldn’t help but stare in amazement.
“What are these?” I asked.
“They are mementoes of my old home,” she explained, pointing at two masks. “This one speaks ‘hello’, and this, ‘welcome’.”
“They’re beautiful!”
“You are very kind. Now do come in, if you don’t mind?”
Inside were shelves with countless pots and bottles, more decorations I assumed were from the zebra’s homeland, and a large cauldron that dominated the center of the room.
“This won’t take long. Please, make yourself at home,” she said.
I sat on a stool near a small table. The zebra went searching through the shelves, humming a calming tune as she did so - quite enjoyable, in fact. After a minute or two, she returned with a small jar.
“There - rub this ointment on that gash, and watch it disappear in a flash!” She removed the lid.
I studied the greenish substance precariously. Could this really help me?
Only one way to know.
I took some of the ointment on my hoof and rubbed it into the wound as instructed. Just a split second later it turned out the zebra was telling the truth! The wound was healing rapidly before my eyes, and in less than a minute, it was completely gone as if it had never existed!
But before I could thank her, I felt something else happening - the peculiar tingling sensation I’d felt in the wound as the ointment worked its magic was now getting stronger and washing all over my body. My eyes widened in horror as I realized what was about to happen - and I was powerless to stop it!
My disguise collapsed, revealing my true form.
“Oh no - what a tale of woe! I brought a changeling beast to my home!” the zebra recoiled in terror.
“Please, don’t be afraid! I don’t want to harm you!” I tried to calm her, but to no avail.
“No! Lies and deception are your way - if I let you, you’ll destroy me any day!”
“No - please believe me - I’m not like that!”
It was useless. Whatever I tried seemed to only frighten her more!
“Please, just get out of here,” she begged, “and I’ll tell nothing of you being near!”
I wanted to believe her, but could I?
“Worry not, my words are always true!” she was beside herself with fear by now - curled up on the floor and trembling. “Now, leave me and go, I beg of you!”
“I’m so sorry to have frightened you,” I apologized sadly and left.
She may or may not have been telling the truth when she said she wouldn’t warn anypony about me, but I simply couldn’t stay there and perpetuate her fear. I just wanted her to calm down, even if it meant her pony friends would learn about my presence. I’d have to worry more about my safety anyway now that Chrysalis’ forces were around, looking for me!
As night was falling, I came upon ruins of what might have long ago been an ancient castle, now overgrown with the forest’s vegetation. Having no better place to go, I picked a relatively well-preserved room, made sure I knew where to flee if something were to happen during the night, and curled up to sleep between piles of scattered books lying on the ground.
Just spotted this, looks like a really interesting concept! Will definitely be reading later tonight.
Zecora too? Wow, feel bad for that sweet little angel, wait, or is it changel? Anyway, great chapter, I have a small clip for this:
years later:
Zecora set down the newspaper titled Changeling alliance begins! and began to walk toward a stool in her hut, she began to picture a familiar pony turning changeling by the second, Zecora sighed, now if only she had given him a second chance, or, was it first chance? Had he actually done anything wrong?
I must say, I really like this story. Author is doing a good job at protraying a lost individual struggling to shake his races reputation.
Love it.
No, offense but after the episode that Zecora appeared in, her not giving Thorax a chance seems very hypocritical, despite his species. So, as much as I liked the chapters before this one, with Thorax is struggle to find friends I can’t say that I thought this chapter was very accurate. And seems that your having all these problems appear for plot sake.
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All I can say at this point is that this might have some relevance on the later chapters (the ointment is also a slight reference to an alternate timeline from Season 5 finale). As for hipocrisy, it might have simply been an initial reaction to being startled by something she hadn't expected, influenced by any prior experience of changelings she might have had since younger age. There's nothing to suggest whether or not she would stick to that opinion after the initial shock wears off and she has time to reflect on what had happened.
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It might not exactly be years. Take away the months-long hiatuses between seasons and the events of a season's premiere might as well have happened only days after the previos season's finale from the characters' point of view, plus the events of some episodes were happening simultaneously with those of another episode a couple of times, at least that we know of. So my headcanon here is that we're already at some point through Season 5, as will be seen in the next chapter.
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I personally think that days is being a bit too generous with time, I’d say seasons take place over months at most.
Also, I was going to make a comment that Zeil was in this story (like somebody’s gonna get the reference), but it turned out to have a different outcome.
Chrysalis invasion/Reclaiming really tainted all Changelings reputation good Cant be helped.
In my opinion, you misrepresented Zecora. She’s not a mare who will coward in fear when danger presents itself. She stays in the Everfree Forrest; perhaps the most dangerous place in all of Equestria! It takes courage to not only go into the forrest—knowing of the dangers within—but to live in it as well. I feel she would’ve, at the very least, heard the changling out, despite the Canterlot invasion prior. And for her not to give Thorax a chance to explain himself, while she, herself, was given one in ponyville? It doesn’t fit with her overall fearless and understanding demeanor.
She doesn’t rhyme enough either
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I know, I've been told. But so far, I haven't been able to think of how to rework this chapter without it affecting the sequels of this story, and until/unless I do, this will have to stay the way it is. I planned for Zecora's fear of changelings to stem from a changeling invasion of her village when she was a filly, not from the invasion of Canterlot, but yes, I agree that there's no way for the readers to know it as I never mentioned it in this story, and though I might get to it in a sequel, it won't be for another while until I write and publish it. I imagine it roughly like this: Zecora's panicked reaction was an instinctive response based on her aforementioned fillyhood trauma, and once she's calmed down a little, she would assess the situation more objectively and come to regret her outburst, but by then she would assume that Thorax is gone and wouldn't bother to find him (or maybe she tried to find him and failed). She would later learn from Spike and Mane Six that Thorax lives in the Crystal Empire and that he is indeed a good guy, and they would reunite at some point (probably after he becomes king), and then she'd apologize to him and explain herself.
As for not rhyming enough, English isn't my native language and this was the best I could do, at least at the time of writing the chapter. Whether or not I'd do a better job at it now than I did a year ago is open for debate. Of course, if you have any suggestions how to improve her dialogue, I'm all ears.
Well That didn't go too well at least Zecora let him go Still I really felt bad for him I know how long it takes to get to season 6 but it felt like a long time for him to get to the point
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Well, it was stated that it’s 1 year later..
That could have gone better.