“Silver,” A voice called to me from beyond my darkness, “Silver, wake up.”
With a groan of protest, I opened one eye and found somepony to be so close, our noses were practically touching. It took me a moment to realize who it was, and when I did, I jumped back in surprise.
“Sky Flare!?” I gasped, “W-what are you doing!? And how’d you get into my room!?”
She smirked at me and shook her head. “You didn’t answer when I knocked, so I tried the door and it was unlocked.”
“W-well…” I mumbled, “That still doesn’t explain why you’re here, or in my face.”
“You were talking in your sleep,” She said, “I thought you were talking to me at first, but I couldn’t make out what you were saying, so I woke you up.”
“Oh, alright…” I took a breath to calm my heart rate and sat up, “So… Why are you here?”
Sky Flare smiled at me and hopped up onto my bed and sat down. “I’ve thought a lot about this Guild idea of yours,” she said, “And spent most of the night talking it over with my parents.”
My brain clicked into gear at her words and I felt a pit grow in the bottom of my stomach from the anticipation I suddenly felt. “A-and…?” I asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.
She smirked at me and shrugged casually. “I’ll do it.” she said.
I felt a rush of joy at her words and couldn’t shake the grin I felt growing on my face.
“But.” Sky Flare added, and I groaned aloud.
‘There was that damn ‘but’ again,’ I thought, ‘Always and forever, anything good has to come with a ‘but’.’
“If I’m going to be helping you out with this, I have a few conditions.” She finished.
“Of course you do,” I sighed, “I’d expect nothing less.”
“And what’s that supposed to mean?” She snorted.
“Nothing Sky,” I chuckled, “What’s on your mind?”
She frowned at me for a moment, then shook her head and laid her list out for me.
“Well, first off,” she began, “I don’t know what you’re planning, but I’m assuming you’re going to have a chain of command of some sort. Unless something’s been written up with the Princesses, I hope you’ll think of me if you wind up needing a second in command.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but she cut me off and continued. “Secondly, if I’m going to be training whoever joins us, I expect you to keep your hooves out of my methods. You’re training me, and that’s fine, but when I’m training them, I’m in charge of the routine.”
I tried to speak again, but as before, she spoke over me. “Finally, and this is more my parents condition than mine, but if I don’t visit them at least once a month, my Dad is going to come by and tell everypony stories about you being drunk until I go agree to go home with him.”
I chuckled at her last condition and nodded my agreement. “Sky,” I said smiling, “I couldn’t think of anypony better suited to be my second in command than you. And I’d never dream of interfering with your training methods. I don’t know enough about Equestria’s tactics and techniques to offer any real advice anyways.” Then I laughed and added, “And you’re definitely going home every month without fail. I don’t think either of us could handle a visit from Breezy if he was coming to stir up trouble.”
Sky Flare laughed with me and nodded her agreement.
“So,” I said after our laughter had faded, “Are those all the conditions your service is gonna cost me?”
Sky Flare grinned at me dangerously and shrugged. “For now,” she said coyly, “Though I may come up with more down the road.”
I smirked. “I’m sure you will,” I said, “I’m sure you will.”
“I’ll also be keeping an eye on you and this magic bracelet of yours,” She warned, “Mostly at my Mom’s request. But she does have a point in how dangerous that type of magic can be.”
“Fair enough.” I said. Her conditions were perfectly acceptable to me, as was her concern over my bracelet. I was so happy to have her with me though, that I probably would have agreed to almost anything right then. I’d spent more time with her than anyone else in this entire world, and she was hands down my closest friend. Dawn was a close second, but that was mainly because she was in the same boat I was. We were both humans stuck here in this strange world, so that by default made us closer than most. But Sky Flare and I had a real connection now, forged through months of training and traveling together. I knew most of her likes and dislikes by heart. Her favorite foods and songs. Even her fears. I was grateful to have her by my side in this, and I couldn’t help but tell her exactly that.
“Thanks Sky,” I said softly, “It means a lot to know that you’ll be with me through this… More than I can say.”
“Aww,” Sky Flare teased, “Is the new Guild Master getting all sentimental on me now?”
I winced in mock pain at her words and shook my head. “Please, don’t call me that.” I laughed.
“No?” Sky Flare cooed, “Would you prefer I just call you master, then, hmm?”
“I’m no one’s master,” I said, though her words made me grin, “And even if I am the Guilds leader, I still just want to be called Silver.”
“Well tough,” Sky Flare stated, “Whether you like it or not, you need some sort of a title if we’re going to be official. You’re the leader of a Guild now, so at the very least that’s what I’m gonna refer to you as, Silver Wing, our Guild Leader. When we’re around others anyway.” She laughed, then eyed me cheshirely, “Or would you prefer I think up something grander, hmm?”
“Silver is just fine,” I said, waving a hoof tentatively, “Really.”
She chuckled at me, then hopped off my bed and started towards my door. “Well, Mr. Leader?” she called back to me, “You gonna stay in bed all day, or are we going to get this Guild started?”
I shook my head at her and crawled out of my bed. “I had planned to scout out the Inn in a bit,” I said, “Once Gale gets here anyway.”
“Gale?” Sky Flare repeated. She turned back to face me and continued. “You mean Gale Stormrider?”
I nodded. “One of Celestia’s conditions was that she put one of her Guards in the Guild to keep an eye on things and make sure I keep Equestria’s best interests at heart,” I explained, “Apparently, she picked Gale. He came by last night and told me himself. He should be showing up sometime this afternoon.”
“I didn’t think somepony like him would join us,” Sky Flare admitted, “I might just have him train our members instead.”
“No can do,” I teased, “One of your conditions was that you do the training, right? Can’t have my second in command go pawning off her responsibilities on the first day, now can I?”
She shook her head at me and chuckled. “Fine,” she said, “I’ll do my part.”
Before we could continue our banter, a knock came from the door.
“And that’s probably Gale now,” I said, “Time to get started.”
Sky Flare trotted over and opened the door, and sure enough, Gale stood on the other side. He had a pair of saddlebags on his back and a well-rested look to his posture.
“Good afternoon Sky Flare,” he said, “I hadn’t expected to see you here.”
“I could say the same to you Gale,” Sky Flare said, “Didn’t you have Black Mane’s routine to learn?”
Gale smirked at her and shrugged. “Didn’t you have students that needed to learn how to hover?” he countered.
Sky Flare snorted at Gale angrily, and for a moment, I thought she was going to deck him, but she burst out laughing instead and moved aside so he could enter my room.
“Good to see you still have some backbone,” she laughed, “This should be quite the interesting little undertaking.”
The way they acted made me think they were old friends, but Sky Flare had never really mentioned Gale before, or any of her friends really, so I couldn’t sure. Most likely they were just co-workers that had grown to know each other over the years of teaching at the Academy.
“Good morning Silver Wing.” Gale said as he noticed me coming up behind Sky Flare.
“Morning Gale,” I said, “Ready to brave the Everfree?”
“I am,” he said, “I have enough rations to keep us going for about a week, and some necessities like matches, paper, and a quill.”
“Perfect,” I said, “Let me grab my gear and we’ll be good to go.”
“I’ll go get my stuff from home and meet you at the palace gates,” Sky Flare said, “It won’t take me too long.”
“Alright,” I said, “See you there.” I watched her leave, then quickly gathered up my saddlebags. I hadn’t bothered to unpack any of my gear yet, so all my stuff from traveling with Sky Flare the last few months was still packed tight and ready to go. I noticed a pouch on the table by the door and found it to be full of gold coins.
‘These must be the bits Goldenrod said she’d deliver to hold me over,’ I thought, ‘I almost forgot about them.’ I tucked the pouch into one of my bags and slipped them over my back.
“It shouldn’t take us more than a day or two to get a feel for what we’ll need,” I said to Gale, “But be careful not to wander off when we reach the Inn. Let me secure the area first, alright?”
Gale eyed me oddly for a moment, then nodded. “Very well.” he said.
“Good,” I said, “Now then, let’s go wait for Sky Flare, then we can get going.”
Sky Flare was back before long, and together, the three of us took off for the Everfree Forest. I was still sore in spots, but after having a good night’s sleep I was feeling refreshed and alive again. My spirits were soaring even higher than I was, and I was sure that helped to dull the pain of my sore muscles and bones. I was taking the first steps towards making a place I could understand here in Equestria. Sky Flare was with me, and the day was bright and clear. It was shaping up to be a great day and I was grateful for it.
Since we all could fly, it didn’t take us long to reach the Everfree Forest, but it was nearly sunset by the time we caught sight of the abandoned Inn I had planned to make into our home. It was a little harder to find than I thought it would be. It was in a fairly sizable clearing, but in a forest as vast as this, it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Sky Flare had only found it the first time because of the smoke signal I had inadvertently made in lighting a fire to keep myself warm, but now all we had to go off of was her memory of its general location.
We landed on what used to be a stone path that was now overgrown with vines and vegetation and took in our surroundings.
Enormous trees bordered what used to be the Inn’s trimmed grounds, and a stonework fence could be made out here and there beneath the overgrowth. The air was heavy, but cool and the breeze made it almost seem like the forest was breathing around us.
I loved it, but I could tell Sky Flare and Gale were uneasy.
“Yeah…” Sky Flare sighed, “This was a great idea…”
“Oh hush,” I said, “It’ll be perfect. Just give it a chance.”
“It will be nightfall soon,” Gale said, “We should check the stability of the Inn before it gets dark. If we can’t find a suitable room within, we’ll have to head for Ponyville. Without proper defenses and lighting, it will be too dangerous to remain here after nightfall.”
“We’ll be fine,” I assured him, “Most of that place was made of stone, so it should be more stable than it looks. Besides, I have something in mind for the two of you that’ll keep you safe until I take care of our defense problem.”
Sky Flare eyed me seriously and asked, “And what might that be?”
I smiled at her and met her gaze. “You remember that huge Earth Pony we helped a few weeks ago?” I checked, “Clyde Blackcoat?”
Sky Flare nodded. “Yeah, what about him?”
“Well, we’re going to need a carpenter,” I said, “And he claimed to be one of the best. He also said he was looking for work, so I want the two of you to go track him down for me.”
“I’m not leaving you here alone!” Sky Flare snorted, “You almost died the last time you were here! Gale can go play seeker just fine on his own.”
“Gale doesn’t know what Clyde looks like, or where he was last seen,” I explained, “You do. And with how dense this forest is, he’ll need the two of you to get that wagon of his here.”
“He’s a giant of an Earth Pony,” Sky Flare protested, “I’m sure Gale can find him just fine.”
“Sky,” I said seriously, “I want the two of you to bring him here together. That way, if something bad happens, one of you should be able to take flight and come get me. I should have some more help by the time you get back.”
Sky Flare frowned at me, but Gale chimed in before she could protest further. “If those are your orders, I’ll do as you command,” he said, “But we should still check the condition of the Inn first, and wait to leave until morning.”
“Agreed.” I said, then I looked to Sky Flare and waited for her reply. She stared at me seriously for a moment and I couldn’t help but sigh at her. “Please, just trust me Sky,” I said softly, “I’ll be fine, and you know it.”
She frowned at me, then snorted in annoyance. “Whatever,” She said, “But you’d better be here when we get back. And in one piece! Alright?”
“Of course,” I said, “Now, let’s see what we’ve got to work with.”
We dropped our gear outside the entrance to the Inn and split up.
I had been too tired and injured to really take in all the details of this place the last time I was here, but it was in surprisingly good condition. There was dirt and vines and debris everywhere, but the walls and floor, and most of the ceiling were still intact. I wasn’t exactly sure how old this place was, but whoever had built it, had clearly used the best materials around. The wood had barely even begun to rot, except on the roof outside, and the walls were made of solid stone, so those were all fine. All this place really needed a was bath in some weed killer, a new coat of paint, and some simple repairs and it’d be good as new.
That was my hope anyway, but I wasn’t a building inspector, so I couldn’t be sure.
We managed to come up with a basic layout for the building just as the sun set. There looked to be two large gathering rooms. One which was connected to the kitchen and probably served as a dining hall, and the other housed the bar and fireplace I had lit when I first found my way here. There were nearly a dozen smaller rooms of various sizes and purpose all around the place, and another two dozen upstairs that we were sure used to serve as lodging for the Inn’s guests.
Most of the upstairs roof had been worn through by years of decay, but the floors beneath were in good condition. The kitchen was destroyed, but the cellar was seemingly untouched, as was what looked to be a large storeroom off the back of the kitchen.
We took up shelter in the cellar for the night, feeling that it was the safest out of all the rooms available to us. It only had one way in, and we sealed it shut as best we could.
I had wanted to go out and find the Timber Wolves that night, but I would have to be patient and wait until I was alone.
Sky Flare had voiced her desire to stay with me several more times that night, but I had gradually managed to convince her that I really did need her to take Gale and find Clyde. I did want her gone in case something went wrong, but I also genuinely needed her to find Clyde. She was the only one that knew what he looked like besides me, and where we had parted ways with him, so she was our best bet to track him down. And I really did want Gale to go with her, just in case something happened on her end and they ran into trouble along the way.
The cellar was cold and damp, but we lit a small fire and made our beds as best we could. I didn’t sleep much that night, as my mind wouldn’t stop racing over the possibilities of this place, and come the morning I felt exhausted. Thankfully, adrenaline and determination kept me going, and after sending Sky Flare and Gale off on their first mission, I headed out into the forest to find some wolves.
I was a little disappointed. I’d spent most of the morning now wandering through the Everfree and hadn’t seen a single living thing. No Timber Wolves, no birds, no rabbits, nothing. It was a little unnerving, but I knew there was life here. I just had to wait and let it find me.
Trying a different approach, I sat down in a soft patch of moss and began to wait. I knew it would take Sky Flare and Gale a few days to return with Clyde, so I didn’t have to hurry back to the Inn anytime soon. I kept my eyes open and my ears tuned to every sound around me and simply waited for something to find me.
Near dusk, I heard a rustle of leaves and looked for its source. Much to my surprise, a pony in a dull brown cloak stepped into view and looked at me with the same look of surprise that I looked at it.
“Oh ho, what’s this?” a deeper, but clearly feminine voice said, “A young pony lost and amiss?”
She spoke with an accent I couldn’t quite place, but she didn’t seem threatening. “I’m not lost,” I said, “Just enjoying the forest.”
“This forest, though inviting, will soon become frightening,” The pony said cryptically, “Once the sun falls to rest and the moon takes up watch, you’d best make haste home, or test your fate against wood and stone.”
I had a hard time understanding this ponies way of speaking, but I figured she was trying to warn me about something. “I appreciate the warning,” I said smiling, “But I can take care of myself. I know what’s out here, and it won’t be a problem.”
“Confidence from you I can most certainly feel,” she said shaking her head, “But once surrounded by wolves, only fear will you feel.”
I frowned at her then looked off into the forest. “We’ll see soon enough.” I snorted. Not hearing a reply, I looked back to where the cloaked pony had just been and was startled to find that she’d vanished.
‘Creepy cloaked pony, or creepy forest magic?’ I thought hesitantly. I listened for any sounds, but aside from the wind as it flowed through the trees, there was nothing. I was a little unnerved by whoever or whatever it was that had just tried to scare me off, but it seemed to be gone now, so I’d worry about it later. That being said though, I did head off further into the forest, away from where I had seen the cloaked figure pop out of the underbrush.
I made it back to the old Inn just as the sun set and flopped down on the front steps rather disheartened. I’d spent the whole day out in the forest, and not one wolf. Why couldn’t that have happened the night I snuck off from Ponyville? I frowned out at the trees and watched with some delight as fireflies started to flare up all around and begin their dance. They looked beautiful, and for a moment, I was a little sad that Sky Flare wasn’t here to enjoy them with me.
I watched the fireflies for over an hour before I got bored, then took to walking the grounds that would soon serve as my Guild. ‘There had to be some way to get the Timber Wolves attention,’ I thought, ‘Bait, or a call or something.’ I paused at that and looked into the darkened woods. “A call.” I said softly. They howled like wolves, so maybe they’d respond like wolves too. When a wolf pack hears a foreign wolf in its territory, they almost always go and investigate to keep their territory secure, so it seemed reasonable to think that Timber Wolves would reacted similarly.
I returned to the front of the Inn and cleared my throat. Taking a deep breath, I lifted my head high and let out the longest, loudest wolf howl I could manage. It was not a howl to be proud of, but I knew the sound would carry a decent distance.
Over the next few hours, I let out a half dozen more howls and simply waited to see if anything showed up.
As midnight neared, I sighed in defeat and started back towards the cellar. It seemed that my idea hadn’t worked, so I’d need to try something different, but not tonight. I stepped up to the entrance of the Inn, and the wind shifted, bringing with it a scent so foul and thick I took a step back in surprise. It was a horrible, vile smell and I grinned as I recognized it. “Timber Wolves,” I whispered, “At last.”
I gave a flap of my wings and flew up to the roof of the Inn. It was dark, but the moon was high now, so I could see fairly well in the overgrown clearing beneath me. I made sure not to focus on any specific point of the tree line, and instead allowed my vision to seek out any signs of movement. It took a few minutes, but eventually, a lone Timber Wolf stalked out into view. It was a spectacular creature to behold, both terrifying and captivating. Its eyes glowed a bright unnatural green and I could hear the creaking of wood and leaves as it moved.
“I’ve been waiting for you.” I called out to it.
The Timber Wolf growled low at me, and as it did, I caught sight of three more Timber Wolves emerging from the forest off to my left.
I was sure there were more, but for now, these would do. I leaped down off the rooftop and landed before the first Timber Wolf I had spotted. I could feel my heart racing and my adrenaline surging, but I was confident in the magic Perdias had given me. I’d been able to scare the Timber Wolves off before when I had no idea what I was doing, and my time in Ponyville recovering had taught me how to tame wild birds and insects. This was the final test. I knew I could scare them off if the worst happened, but if I was right, these wolves would become so much more by the end of the night. They’d be the front line of defense for the Guild. It’s unseen protectors in a forest of untamed wilderness and danger.
The Timber Wolf snarled at me, an eerie hollow sound from the depths of a nightmare.
Part of me wanted to run at the sound, but I forced myself to stand my ground and turned all my focus to my bracelet. If these wolves were anything like the wolves of my world, then they’d have a pack mentality to them. Which meant they followed the strongest, or biggest of them. That would be their leader, their Alpha. Focusing the magic of my bracelet, I projected the feel of power from it. I wanted these wolves to feel that I was bigger than them, stronger than them, more powerful in every way. I projected the feeling that I was their Alpha, that I was in charge, and that so long as they listened to me, nothing bad would happen to them.
The Timber Wolf before me growled and shook its head as the gemstone in my bracelet began to glow a blue gold color. It started to whimper and took a step back, before shaking its head more furiously, as if trying to shake my thoughts from its mind.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” I said softly, “But I will not have you and your friends hunting those that are going to be living here. I will take care of you, and your pack. All I ask in return is that you don’t hunt me or my friends, and you keep anything that isn’t a pony away from this clearing.”
I heard more wolves coming closer from behind me, seeming to try and flank me before they struck. I widened my magic and soon all the Timbers Wolves I could see were shaking their heads and protesting with hollowed whimpers and wood-like groans.
“I am your leader now,” I said sternly, “I’m not sure what you all eat, or what you do with your time, but I’ll learn. Just keep this place and my friends safe, and I’ll return the favor. I give you my word.” I willed my intentions to the wolves as strongly as I could manage and kept it up for quite some time.
The wolf before me let out a final groan of protest and dropped to a seated position before me. It lowered its head and almost seemed to sigh in defeat. The rest followed soon after and I calmed my projected feelings a little.
The Timber Wolf I had been paying the most attention to eyed me quizzically, then let out a long, low howl.
I wasn’t sure what that meant, but the rest of the Timber Wolves followed the howl with their own, then started towards me slowly. I tensed, but they didn’t seem at all threatening anymore. They stank to high heavens, and the sounds their bodies made as they moved sent chills up my spine, but the seemed more curious and playful than anything now.
The first of the Timber Wolves walked up to me slowly and sniffed at my bracelet. It took all I had not to back up and stay where I stood, but I knew my bracelet’s magic had a hold on them now, so I tried my best to remain calm.
The Timber Wolf moved to sniff at my vest and I nearly gagged at the intensity of its odor, but then it walked past me and just started to mill about the place. The other Timber Wolves followed a similar pattern, sniffing me in turn, then wandering off almost casually. Some even laid down and seemed to doze off.
I chuckled nervously and sat down amongst them. ‘I guess it worked,’ I thought, both relieved and stunned, ‘Thank you Karma for not trolling me with this bracelet. And thank you Perdias for giving me the magic to control these things.’ My heart was still racing, and I couldn’t bring myself to wholly relax just yet, but I was so pleased with myself I couldn’t help but grin like an idiot.
Experimentally, I reached out a hoof and touched the nearest Timber Wolf. It glanced back at me and let out a confused sounding murmur. “I suppose no one’s ever petted you before,” I said thoughtfully, “Well, don’t worry. It’s a sign of affection.” I tried to project what I saying to the wolf with my magic, so it knew I wasn’t trying to hurt it. It seemed to get the message and laid down beside me without further complaint.
Looking around, I counted thirteen Timber Wolves in all. I couldn’t be sure if there were more or not, or other packs elsewhere in the forest, but I was pretty sure I had all the wolves in this pack accounted for. ‘Thirteen,’ I thought, ‘Not a bad amount at all.’
I lasted about twenty minutes before I couldn’t stand the smell any more, then I rose to me feet and started for the forest to get some much-needed fresh air.
The Timber Wolves followed after me immediately and I groaned aloud. “You all stay here,” I said, “I… I need to get some air. Please, keep the Guild safe for me, but do not attack any Ponies that come by, alright?”
I tried to project the feeling that Sky Flare, Gale, and Clyde would be coming back, and that they were friends. The Timber Wolves looked around unsurely, then went back to lounging about the grounds.
“Okay…” I said slowly. ‘Since that seemed to have worked,’ I thought, ‘I need to figure out a way to get rid of this smell…’ It was horrible, and I couldn’t have everyone reeking like this whenever they went out into the world. It would ruin our chances before we ever got started.
I walked far enough away that I couldn’t smell the Timber Wolves anymore and took a deep breath to clear my nose out. “I wonder if Ponyville has any Pinesol…” I said thoughtfully, “Or maybe a perfume store?” I wasn’t sure what to do really, but I knew a bath wouldn’t fix a stench like that. I thought long and hard and decided that if I got some sort of a nice smelling oil or something strong like it, I could cover the wolves in it to make them more tolerable to be around.
I wanted to head to Ponyville right then, but it was too late now. Even if they had odor masking oils or perfumes, any shops that would sell them would be closed by now, so I’d have to wait until the morning.
Reluctantly, I headed back to the Inn. The growing smell of the Timber Wolves made my eyes water as I got closer, so I breathed through my mouth to lessen the scent as best I could.
The moment I set foot into the clearing, the Timber Wolves all growled in unison and took up defensive postures.
I froze at their reaction and felt my stomach tense. “It’s alright,” I said slowly, “It’s just me... Calmness you guys, calmness...”
The wolves quieted at my voice, then returned to doing nothing.
I let out a sigh of relief, then made may way cautiously to the cellar. I wasn’t about to try my luck sleeping out in the open while surrounded by a pack of Timber Wolves quite yet. It was nerve wracking enough to be so near to them while I was awake, and I didn’t blindly trust any magic with my life just yet.
I locked the cellar door as I had the night before and settled in till the morning. The smell of the Timber Wolves flowed into the room through the crack I had left in the door for air and I had a hell of a time sleeping because of it, but eventually, I managed to drift off for the night.
The sun had risen by the time I woke up the next day. The Timber Wolves were nowhere to be found, but I could still smell them, so I knew they had to be close.
“I’ll be back in a few hours,” I called out to them, “Try not to get into any trouble while I’m gone, alright?”
I heard a groan of wood and the rustle of leaves in response to my comment, but I couldn’t be sure if it was a reply, or simply the wind as it blew through the trees.
It was unsettling to know that there were so many Timber Wolves near, but I couldn’t actually see or hear any of them. Being made of the forest, they blended in with their surroundings remarkably well. It made me think of a chameleon in a way. All they’d have to do is stand still, and they’d be almost indistinguishable from any bush or shrub. During the daylight hours anyways. At night, their eyes glowed a bright green, so they were easier to spot, but even more unnerving to watch.
I took flight and soared high over the forest. I tried to memorize this particular patch of the Everfree and spot any landmarks I could use to find my way back easier in the future, but there really wasn’t anything different about this section of forest than another, except for the Inn and its overgrown clearing. I knew how to get here by following the edge of the forest and keeping an eye out for the clearing a few hundred feet in, but it was still easy to miss. I’d have to figure something out to make trips here easier, but what… A Flag pole maybe? A tower? I wasn’t sure what to use just yet, but it could wait until later. Right now, I had to fix the Timber Wolf problem.
I flew for Ponyville, and by midday, landed in the towns center. There were ponies all over, going about their daily routines, and not one had a frown on their faces. It really was a nice little town, but I didn’t have time to sight see this time.
“Now then,” I said to myself, “Perfume store… Or oils…” I looked around and couldn’t spot any shops that seemed likely to have what I needed at a glance, so I just picked the nearest one and took a look inside.
It was a general goods store of some sort, but it didn’t have what I needed, so I moved on. I had the same luck with the next store, and the next, and the one after that.
I sighed as I walked down the street and tried to find something that would have what I needed, but Ponyville seemed to be failing me.
“Silver Wing?” a voice called from nearby, “What are you doing here?”
I stopped and looked around for the source of the voice and found Princess Twilight to be coming towards me from ahead. She had a small, purple lizard looking creature walking beside her and I looked at it quizzically. It walked on two legs, and had a green fin of some sort on its head, and a small tail wiggled behind it. I had no idea what it was, but it definitely caught my interest.
“Uhh, Twilight?” the creature said nervously as I looked at him, “He’s staring at me…”
I was stunned that it could talk and shook my head as I realized how weird I must have just come off. “Sorry about that little… Lizard?” I said as tentatively as I could.
“I’m not a lizard!” The creature barked, “I’m a dragon!”
“A dragon?” I said, even more stunned now than I had been a moment before, “But you’re so small.”
“I’ll grow eventually!” the dragon barked, clearly offended by my comment.
Twilight chuckled at us and smiled at the dragon. “Silver Wing here has never seen a dragon before Spike, so you’ll have to forgive him for not knowing.”
The dragon crossed its arms and let out a huff.
“Sorry…” I said, looking to Twilight for help. When Celestia and Luna had warned me about dragons, I had expected them to be bigger, and dangerous. Not like this little irritable little lizard.
“It’s alright Silver Wing,” she smiled, “Spike can be a bit childish sometimes, can’t you Spike?”
The little dragon looked away from her and remained silent.
“So, what brings you to Ponyville?” Twilight asked me again, “I figured you’d be in the Everfree Forest for longer than a day.”
“How did you know I was in the Everfree Forest?” I asked, my surprise clear in my voice.
“Princess Celestia sent me a letter telling me all about what you were planning,” Twilight explained, “And how you were going to be renovating the old Serenity Inn to be your base of operations.”
‘Fast mail system.’ I thought, then I shook my head and explained. “That’s still the plan, yeah,” I said, “But right now, I’m looking for some supplies. Do you know of any place I can get some strong perfume, or scented oils by chance?”
“Perfume or oils?” Twilight repeated, “What do you need those for?”
“Uhh…” I faltered for a moment. I couldn’t tell her it was to rid the Timber Wolves of their foul scent, she’d go straight to Celestia with that information, so I had to come up with something and fast. “The Inn’s really old, and there’s a few areas around it that reek, so I need something to mask the smell.”
“Well, if it’s for something like that, Zecora should have exactly what you’d need,” Twilight said happily, “Follow me, I’ll take you to meet her.”
“That’d be great,” I said, “I looked around town, but I just couldn’t find anything that’d work.”
“If anypony would have something, it’d be Zecora,” Twilight said, “She’s got potions and remedies for just about anything.”
I followed Princess Twilight for a while, then noticed we were leaving Ponyville and tilted my head questioningly. “This Zecora,” I said, “She doesn’t live in Ponyville?”
“Oh, no,” Twilight said, “She actually lives in the Everfree Forest, just like you will be.”
“I thought ponies were terrified of the forest?” I said.
“Not all of them,” Twilight explained, “But most are, and refuse to come anywhere near it. But Zecora’s not a pony, she’s a Zebra. And she loves the forest.”
“A Zebra?” I said surprised, “You have those here?”
“Geez,” Spike snorted, “First he doesn’t know what a dragon looks like, now he’s acting like there are no Zebra’s in Equestria. Where’d you find this guy Twilight, another world?”
I fell silent and looked away awkwardly.
“Oh hush Spike,” Twilight said, “Not everypony knows everything. That doesn’t mean he’s from another world.” She glanced back at me and winked, then chuckled childishly.
I sighed at her and shook my head. ‘This was going to be a long trip.’ I thought.
We walked deep into the Everfree Forest, and for a while I almost thought Twilight was leading me back to my Guild, but we came to a large tree before I worked up the courage to open my mouth again.
The tree looked like someone had made it into a house of some sort. There was a door, a window, and all manner of tribal looking decorations hung around the place. It made me think of African tribes, but there were also hints at native American ties as well.
“Hey Zecora, are you home?” Twilight called.
A moment later, the door set in the tree swung open, and sure enough, a Zebra stepped out. This Zebra looked about how I had expected. White with black stripes, with a short mohawk like mane. But she also wore golden rings around her neck, and had a kind, inviting smile on her face.
“What’s this, what’s this?” She spoke in a familiar voice, “Princess Twilight has come, I trust nothing is amiss?”
“Wait, this is Zecora?” I gasped, “I ran into her yesterday in the forest!”
“Hmm?” Zecora glanced to me and chuckled, “Ah yes, I know you too, the Pegasus claiming to be enjoying the view.”
“You two have already met then?” Twilight said, “Great. Zecora, this is Silver Wing. He’s going to be living in the forest here too, so I guess he’s your new neighbor.”
“This forest is old, and fearsome and wild,” Zecora said seriously, “This is no place to call home, you foolish young child.”
“Hey, I can take care of myself.” I said.
“Princess Celestia and Luna have given Silver Wing the old Inn to the west of here Zecora,” Twilight explained, “We’re here because we need something to get rid of a bad smell.”
Zecora sighed and nodded her head. “I can make you a special brew, one that is sure to leave you smelling fresh and new.” She said.
“Well, it's not really for me,” I said, “But thanks. I'll need a fair bit though... Enough for about thirteen... Applications."
“A bigger pot I am sure to need,” Zecora said, “But I will fill your order, how dire is your need?”
“The sooner the better," I said, "And about how long will this last?”
“I can make much in very little time, and for six months you are sure to smell sublime.” Zecora said smiling.
“Five or six months?” I said surprised, “That's great. Is this stuff a spray on concoction, or do I have to let it soak in?"
"Swallow a cup, and the magic you'll feel, then to the world you will smell surreal," She answered, “But if a spot you chose to stain, then you need only have fear of the rain.”
“So…” I said slowly, trying to decrypt her unique way of speaking, “If I drink a cup of this stuff, I’ll smell good for six months. But if I pour it on something, I’ll last till I wash it off?”
Zecora smiled at me nodded. “Give me a moment, and your brew will be made. Please make yourself home, do not be afraid.”
She turned and disappeared back into her house and I trotted over to Twilight quickly. “Does she always talk like that?” I asked quietly.
Twilight chuckled at me. “It takes some getting used to, but Zecora’s a good friend. If you ever have any questions about the Everfree Forest, you should be sure to ask her first.”
“I’ll do that,” I said, “Though I may need a translator at this rate.”
Twilight chuckled at me and led me inside, with Spike close behind.
I watched as Zecora added herbs and powders to a large cauldron set in the middle of her home. The concoction bubbled away and the entire scene made me think of a witch’s hut, but the smell was fragrant and sweet, like a field of flowers in bloom.
It took barely an hour for whatever she was making to be done, then she poured the now pink liquid into thirteen small jars and tied them together for me to carry.
“Your brew has been made, thirteen doses in all,” She said, “Be sure to return for more in the fall.”
I laughed and nodded. “I will,” I said, “Now how many bits do I owe you?”
“A friend of Twilight need pay me no bits,” Zecora smiled, “Besides, that brew is mostly just sticks. A herb or two and berries for hue, but the rest you may consider a gift, from me unto you.”
“Well, thank you very much.” I said, bowing my head politely.
Zecora came closer and handed me the cord of jars. I took them with the magic of my bracelet and slung the string around my neck.
“Now this is quite neat, a Pegasus that takes without the use of its feet?” Zecora gasped, “How can this be, please you must tell me.”
I grinned at her and raised my left forelimb, showing my golden bracelet to her. “This is a magic bracelet a friend gave to me,” I explained, “It lets me use magic like a Unicorn can.”
“A legendary gift and one splendid to behold,” Zecora said as she eyed the gemstone of my bracelet, “But there is more to your magic than you have just told.”
I was momentarily caught off guard by her comment. Could she somehow tell that my bracelet could do more than just move things around now? But how? I hadn’t used Perdias’s magic recently, so it shouldn’t be giving off any of his power.
Zecora turned her gaze to me mine and looked at me curiously. “A strength too I sense, and a feeling unknown...” she said thoughtfully, “Your soul is not born of our Equestrian stone.”
I took a nervous step back and glanced to Twilight for help. I didn’t know how, but this Zebra could obviously sense more about me than anyone else I’d met so far, and I had no idea how to talk my way out of this.
“Uhh, he’s from outside of Equestria Zecora,” Twilight chimed in with a clearly nervous laugh, “But it’s not like he’s from another world or anything. I mean, that would just be silly to think, right?” She laughed again and glanced out a window quickly.
‘This is it,’ I thought, ‘Time to see how the world reacts to me being an alien...’
“Thanks for the potions Zecora,” Twilight said quickly, “But it’s getting late and we really need to be going now. But I’ll be back to visit again soon!”
I glanced at Twilight in surprise, then yelped as she abruptly took hold of my foreleg and pulled me closer to her. There was a blinding flash of purple light, then I found myself standing in the middle of the Everfree Forest.
“W-what?” I stammered. Neither Zecora or her hut where anywhere to be seen and I looked around in stunned confusion.
“Phew,” Twilight sighed, “That was a close one.”
“D-did you just teleport me?” I asked, though it was clear that she had. God it was a weird feeling. My whole body tingled and my stomach felt like I had just driven a car over an unexpected dip.
“Sorry about that, but I figured it was time we got out of there.” Twilight chuckled.
“Isn’t she going to think that was a little rude?” I asked.
“I hope not,” Twilight said, “But if she does, I’ll explain that Princess Celestia wants you to stay a secret. Zecora will understand.”
“Alright…” I said, then I noticed someone was missing, “Hey Twilight? Where’s your little dragon? Uhh, Spike?”
“Spike?” Twilight repeated, then she looked around and gasped, “Spike!”
There was another flash of purple around her and she vanished, leaving me standing alone in this unknown part of the forest. I wasn’t sure if I should wait there, or fly away, or what, but thankfully my course of action was chosen for me. Another flash of light brought Twilight back to where she had been standing a moment before, only now an irritated looking Spike stood beside her with his arms crossed.
“I’m sorry Spike,” Twilight apologized, “I really didn’t forget about you, honest.”
“Yeah, sure you didn’t.” Spike scoffed.
I felt bad for the little guy, but I also felt bad for Zecora. I did feel relieved though, now I wouldn’t have to answer any more questions, or try and get out explaining things.
“Well, thank you for the help, Twilight, but I need to get going,” I said, trying to politely excuse myself before anything else happened, “Sky Flare and Gale will be back soon, and I don’t want them to return to an empty Guild.”
“Oh, alright,” Twilight said, “But if you ever need anything else for your Guild, feel free to stop by. My friends and I can help out with just about any problem.”
“I’m sure you could, and I appreciate the offer, but I’m going to do what I can with my own two hands,” I said, then frowned at myself and spoke again, “Own two hooves I mean. Err, four…” I groaned and shook my head. “You know what I mean…”
Twilight chuckled at me and nodded. “I know what you mean,” she said, “Good luck Silver Wing, I look forward to seeing what you make that old Inn into.”
“As do I,” I said, “Take care.” I waved goodbye to them, then took flight.
I had to fly carefully to avoid smashing the jars around my neck together, and my sore muscles didn’t help much, but I managed to make it back to the Guild without too much difficulty.
I landed be the front of the Inn and looked around for the Timber Wolves. I still couldn’t see any of them, but I could smell them, so I knew they couldn’t be far.
“I’m back!” I called out to them, “Can you all come here for a second? I got snacks!” I waited for some sort of a response, but nothing happened. I frowned out at the woods and shrugged as an idea came to me. “They came last night when I howled, so…”
Taking a deep breath, I threw my head back and howled like I had last night. The response was nearly instantaneous. As my howl started to fade, a dozen more rose up in reply, and like a pack of wraiths, the Timber Wolves emerged from the forest and headed straight for me.
“Howl to summon,” I said to myself, “Noted.”
The Timber Wolves formed a loose circle around me and I laid the bottles down on the ground. Focusing on my bracelet, I tried to explain the purpose of these potions as simply as I could. “I need each of you to drink one of these bottles,” I said, “It’ll help with your… Smell.”
The Timber Wolves grumbled and looked around confused.
I sighed and pointed to the nearest and one. “You,” I said, “Just come here and drink this please.”
The wolf seemed to grumble a protest, but it came up to me and opened its mouth. Not wholly trusting its jaws or jagged teeth, I used the magic of my bracelet to drain the contents of one of Zecora’s potions into the Timber Wolfs mouth. It gulped the pink liquid down and shook its head in apparent disgust. I could hear a small rumble from within the creature, then it let out a thunderous belch and looked at me quizzically.
Cautiously, I leaned closer to the creature and sniffed. It was hard to detect through the stench of its friends, but I smelt something sweet and refreshing underneath the cloud of musk.
“Hey, it worked!” I said happily, “Perfect! Now then, who’s next?” I looked around, but none of the wolves seemed to volunteer. I shook my head and, as I had done with the first, pointed to the next in line and told it to come drink its dose.
It took a bit, but before long, all the Timber Wolves had drunk their potions down and the foul smell in the clearing vanished. In its place was a sweet, inviting fragrance like one would expect to smell when walking past a flower shop.
“Thanks all, that’ll make our lives together much easier,” I said, “Now, if possible, could you all try and hide yourselves when my friends come back? They will be scared of you at first, so I’ll need a bit of time to get them used to the idea of having you around.”
The Timber Wolves made a series of creaking moans and shuffled off into the forest.
I still couldn’t be sure just how much of what I said they actually understood, but they seemed to get most of it.
With their smell taken care of, all I could do now was wait for Sky Flare and Gale to return with Clyde. I wasn’t sure how long it would take them to get back, but I’d be here when they did.
I’d been alone now within the Everfree for over a week. I’d cleaned what I could out of the Inn, and even gotten the Timber Wolves to help by tearing roots and stumps out of the overgrown clearing for me. It was a far more pleasant scenario now that they smelled better, and I had always been a fan of my alone time, so I hadn’t gotten too lonely yet.
Twice I had been forced to head over to Ponyville to resupply and gather information on some berries and fruits that I had found. The Timber Wolves had led me to several berry bushes that grew near to the Inn, and the fruits I had gathered were easy enough to spot within the trees. But I had wanted to be certain they were edible before I started snacking on them. Apparently, they were both quite the delicacy, as so few dared enter into the forest to collect them. They were called, creatively enough, Everberries and Everfruit. Being items that came from the Everfree. They were quite tasty too, sweet and tangy with a juice that made ones’ tongue tingle.
The Timber Wolves had also been kind enough to lead me to a nearby stream that flowed with crisp, clean drinking water. All this time alone with them had helped me to get a better understanding of their mannerisms and body language. Their purpose in the forest was also becoming more clear to me as the time passed, and I found them ever more fascinating. While I couldn’t be sure if the stories of them eating the souls of ponies to create more Timber Wolves for their packs was true or not, I had found that they were omnivorous scavengers as well as fearsome hunters. They ate plants, roots, berries, and any wildlife they could catch. In fact, they seemed to eat just about anything they could sink their teeth into. They acted like janitors almost, cleaning up dead plants and animals from the forest and making it a part of themselves to keep the forest healthy. It was impressive to witness, almost like the forest itself had made them to be its keepers, and protectors. They did both tasks incredibly well, and I was truly grateful for the magic that let me avoid their wrath.
As time went on, I realized I didn’t actually need to will them to listen to me anymore. It seemed that my position as their Alpha had been drilled into their heads deep enough that I only needed to use my magic now when I wanted them to do something more complicated than ‘Go away’ or ‘Stay here.’ They listened about as well as my dogs back in my world did, only I could still make them listen with magic if I absolutely had to.
I began to admire these creatures and I felt certain that if it weren’t for their presence here, and the other creatures of this forest, it’s entirely probable that the Ponies of Equestria would have tamed and trimmed the Everfree back long ago. I had never been a fan of clearing away forests for profit or business. If you needed a tree or two to heat your home through the winter, that was one thing, but clear cutting something as magnificent as this forest for a mall or something like that just infuriated me to no ends.
I would not be like that. Yes, I would clear out the clearing where the Inn was built, and the path out of the forest that led to it, but nothing more that absolutely necessary. This forest would stay free, and like the wolves I had tamed, I would do what I could to help keep this place safe should the need arise.
It was just after dawn when the Timber Wolves let out a low growl and faded off into the forest without another sound. I was confused for a moment, and couldn’t understand why they had left, then I heard a voice calling out from the forest beyond the Inn.
“Silver!” Sky Flare’s familiar voice called, “Hey, Silver we’re back! You’d better not be dead!”
I chuckled at her words and flew over the Inn to greet her. “I’m here, I’m here,” I laughed, “Just like I said I’d be.”
I caught a sigh of relief escape her lips, then she smiled at me. “And we managed to track down Clyde Blackcoat.” she said. She gave a victorious shake of her head and gestured to the tree line behind her. “We’ve had a heck of a time trying to get that wagon of his through the forest,” she explained, “But we managed. Though it was not easy.”
I watched the tree’s and soon enough, the massive Earth Pony named Clyde Blackcoat emerged, with his wagon in tow behind him. He was enormous, with a jet-black coat of fur. His mane and tail were a dark grey in color, as was the fur on his hooves. A strip of the same dark grey ran down the front of his chest and clear across his belly.
Gale followed shortly after and he gave me a quick salute with his right wing when he saw me.
I returned the gesture and walked up to Clyde. Bowing my head politely, I smiled up at him. “Good to see you again Clyde,” I said, “I hope the trip here wasn’t too bad?” Looking up at the towering Earth Pony, he looked even bigger now than he had the last time I’d seen him. My head barely reached to the bottom of his shoulders, and he was wide enough I could have ducked and had him walk clean over me without issue. There wasn’t a single thing that was small about this Earth Pony, even his feet were huge. They were the size of dinner plates, and long hair grew from his ankles down to the ground around them.
Clyde looked down at me and laughed, a deep, rumbling sound. “Trip was fine.” He said. His voice was as deep as his laugh, but his face was soft and friendly. “Though my wagon’s none too pleased about all these roots.”
“Yeah…” I said apologetically, “We’ll be working on the path here soon enough.”
Clyde looked past me to the Inn and snorted. “That the place you’re planning on fixin’ up?” he asked.
I nodded. “I take it Sky Flare and Gale told you what we had planned?”
“They did,” he said, “Mind if I go take a look?”
“Knock yourself out.” I said. I used a wing as I would have used an arm and waved for him to go ahead.
He nodded to me, then slipped out of his Wagons harness and trotted off to take a closer look at the Inn.
“So, I take it he said he’d help us?” I asked Sky Flare.
“He did,” She answered, “And he’s even interested in joining us, though he wanted to see if you’re all talk or not first.”
“He wants to join us?” I said surprised, “That’d be great!”
“Yes and no,” Gale interjected, “He is interested in remaining here with us, but he has little desire to fight, or learn to fight for that matter.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“He means,” Sky Flare explained, “That Clyde will only join us if he can stick to the nonviolent missions. No bandits or beasts. He’ll fix up a fence or a house in a heartbeat though. Or haul a towns worth of supplies across Equestria.”
“That’s fine with me,” I said, “Not everyone’s cut out for fighting anyways. And we could definitely use a good handyman around the place.”
“I agree.” Gale said nodding. He looked around at the clearing and glanced at me curiously. “I see you’ve started clearing out the overgrowth without us? You’ve done quite a bit.”
I laughed and scratched the back of my head. “Well, you know,” I said, “It all needs to be done, so I figured I’d keep busy. Though I had a little help from some new friends.”
“New friends?” Sky Flare asked.
She eyed me seriously, but I just laughed it off. “Oh, you’ll meet them soon enough,” I said, “Maybe even tonight if you’re lucky.”
Sky Flare frowned at me, while Gale looked more curious than anything.
Clyde returned a few minutes later, nodding to himself as he came up to us. “You’re lucky this place’s made of stone,” he said, “And most of the woods been magically treated too. Roof, kitchen, and a few rooms are about all that needs any real fixin’. Rest is all just sweepin’, paintin’, and replacin’ the trimmings. Tables, doors, beds, those sorts of things.”
“That’s great news,” I said, “How much do you think it’d cost to do all that?”
“I’m not the best with numbers,” Clyde admitted, “But if you give me a few minutes, I’ll make you a list. But there’s something I want to discuss with you first.”
“Fire away.” I said.
“You get what I need, I’ll do the work for free,” he said, then he leaned closer to me and continued, “But I want something that may sound a little odd in return.”
“I’m listening.” I said, though I had a pretty good idea what he was going to ask thanks to my talk with Sky Flare and Gale a few minutes ago.
“As I’m sure you recall, it’s no easy thing, being a traveling worker,” Clyde explained, “Bandits, weather, and no work for weeks on end are a little more common than I’d like. But from what your friends have been telling me, you’ve solved that problem by making Ponies who need things fixed come to you. I don’t know how many more bandit raids I can handle, but I can’t just quit. It’s my callin’ to fix and build things. So, I’ll do you this work for free, if you’ll let me stay here and be a part of what you’re doing.”
I smiled up at him and didn’t waste a moment. “It would be my pleasure to have you as part of the Guild, Clyde Blackcoat,” I said, “Welcome aboard.”
Clyde grinned down at me, then much to my surprise, he leaned over and hugged me tightly. I was caught off guard by his hug, and for an instant, felt real fear as I thought he was going to pop my head clean off with his strength.
“You’ve no idea how happy this makes me,” Clyde said, “It’s been too long since I had a place to call home. If it’s no bother to you, you think I could build myself a little hut over yonder? The rooms inside that Inn aren’t really my size, if you catch my meaning.”
“I don’t think that’ll be a problem.” I said. I glanced over to Sky Flare and Gale to see if they had anything to add to the subject.
“So long as we get the Inn turned into a Guild first,” Sky Flare said, “Gotta get this place cleaned up before we plan any additions.”
“Wouldn’t have done it any other way,” Clyde said with a grin, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I got work to do.”
I stepped aside and let Clyde pass. He lumbered over to his wagon and slipped back into its harness, before hauling it closer to the Inn.
“You think Celestia will approve of him joining us?” I asked Gale. I couldn’t see any issue with it, but in the end, Gale did have the right to throw up a red flag if he felt the need.
“He seems like a decent enough Earth Pony,” Gale said, “I don’t foresee any problems. Not that I really see you doing anything against the Princesses. I’m really here more as a precaution than a serious judger of your actions. So long as you’re not doing anything that undermines Canterlot and its safety, there really isn’t much you could do to make me question your choices.”
“We’ll see about that one.” Sky Flare snorted.
“Sky…” I said, holding a hoof up to my chest in mock pain, “I’m hurt.”
“You’ll be hurting a lot more if you keep using that tone with me, Silver.” Sky Flare warned.
I laughed at her and shrugged off her threat. “Come on you two,” I chuckled, “Let’s go see how we can help. The sooner we turn this Inn into a Guild, the sooner we can get out there and start taking on missions!”
We worked through the day, clearing out debris and rotten boards. Clyde knew what he was doing, and he worked faster than I ever would have thought somepony of his size could. The rest of us did what we could, but we were more of a hindrance in some cases. But we could move stuff out of the Inn well enough. Rotten beds, doors, dressers, it all had to go and we were the only ones to do it. By the time evening rolled around, Clyde had compiled a list of everything he would need to do what we had asked of him, plus a few extra items Gale and Sky Flare assured me we’d need to make life in the Everfree more comfortable. I’d take this list back to Canterlot come the morning, but for now, I had something I needed to show Sky Flare. She was my closest friend, so if I could convince her I knew what I was doing, I knew she’d be able to help me convince the rest.
“You gonna tell me what this is about now?” Sky Flare asked me irritably, “We’ve been walking for ten minutes now.”
“I wanna get a little further from the others first,” I said, “Just trust me though, you’ll be impressed.”
I heard her sigh from behind me and sped up my pace. We were walking deep into the Everfree, using my bracelet as a light. I wanted to get far enough from the Guild that the others wouldn’t overhear us if Sky Flare got angry with me when I introduced her to the Timber Wolves. I was so nervous to do this. I felt sick to my stomach that she’d be against the idea, but I had to do this now, before the others found out by accident. With her on my side, we’d be able to convince the others that the Timber Wolves were safe to be around, but if I couldn’t convince her first, there’d be no chance.
“This should be far enough,” I said, after another couple of minutes, “It’s time I introduced you to our new friends.”
Sky Flare frowned at me and shook her head. “You’re talking about the Timber Wolves, aren’t you?” she said, “Silver, magic or not, they can’t be tamed and they can’t be trusted! They’re dangerous wild animals that hunt and kill Ponies like us!”
“They’re not though,” I said, “I’ve spent this last week with them Sky, and they’re not nearly as bad as everyone seems to think they are. They protect this forest, and clean up after it.”
“You what!?” she gasped, “Silver, they eat Ponies! And they’ll eat you too if you’re not careful!”
“Just trust me Sky,” I said, “Meet them. Spend a few minutes with them and see how they are. If you still think they can’t be trusted after that, then I’ll just focus on keeping them away from the Guild, not helping to protect it.”
“Helping to protect it?” Sky Flare said surprised, “Silver, I thought you said you could scare things off, not make them work for you.”
“They don’t really work for me…” I started, then I stopped. “I didn’t tell you the whole truth,” I admitted, “And I am sorry. But I wasn’t sure how your parents would react, and you didn’t exactly give me much of a chance to talk to you in private.”
“So, what does this magic you found actually do then?” Sky Flare asked.
“Long story short…” I said slowly, “It lets me control the Timber Wolves. I can scare them off, and insects and critters too, but I can also use it to control them.”
“How?” Sky Flare asked me seriously.
“I’m not really sure how to explain,” I said, “I’m not that good when it comes to magic…”
“You seem to have a better grasp on it than you let on,” she growled, “So try and impress me with a guess.”
“It projects instinctual suggestions,” I sighed, “But it doesn’t work on Ponies. And if all you see the Timber Wolves as is dangerous killers anyway, then what’s wrong with having them help Ponies out for a change? With this magic, we can use them to protect the Guild from the forest without having to destroy it in the process with fires and traps. They keep the forest out of the Guild, and we leave them alone in return. If we can just work together, we both get to live in peace.”
“It’s not peace if you’re controlling them Silver.” Sky Flare barked.
“But I’m not though!” I protested, “All I’ve done is made them think that I’m their leader, the Alpha wolf. They listen to me based off that hierarchy and go about their lives as they always have. The only difference is, that now they live around the perimeter of the Guild grounds to keep other more dangerous things away.”
“You made them think you’re a Timber Wolf?” she asked. She looked at me in a mix of confusion and shock, then shook the look from her face and glared at me. “And what about the rest of us?” she asked, “Did you make them think we’re all Timber Wolves too?”
“I did,” I said, “And if you’ll just meet them, you’ll see that you have nothing to fear anymore. They won’t harm us. They will act as the Guilds natural guardians and patrol the surrounding area without disturbing this forest like we would.”
“Why do you care so much about this place Silver?” She asked, “It’s just a forest.”
“Maybe to you, Sky…” I sighed, “But to me, it reminds me of home… A home I can’t get back to and might not ever be able to see again. I have to be here Sky, I… I need this place…” I could feel my emotions starting to get the better of me. The thought of her not accepting this place and telling the Princesses made tears start to well in the corners of my eyes. Not because I could get in trouble, I couldn’t care less about that right now. But because I could lose this place. It was the only thing even remotely like my world that I had found, or even heard of, and I just could not let go of it, no matter how dangerous a place it was.
“Please Sky Flare,” I said, trying not to choke on my own words, “I know you don’t understand this, but I need this place. It’s the only thing I have that feels like home!”
My vision blurred up on me and I was forced to sit down and wipe a foreleg across my face to clear the tears from my eyes.
I felt a warmth wrap itself around me and tensed. Opening my eyes, I found Sky Flares chest to be in front of me and realized that she was hugging me against herself.
I tried to speak, but I chocked on my own words and buried my face into the fluff of her chest in embarrassment.
She stroked my back softly and sighed above me. “You’re right Silver,” she whispered, “I don’t understand. It makes no sense to me why this place is so important to you, but if it means that much to you, then fine. You wanna stay here, we’ll figure it out. And if the Timber Wolves really can be used to protect us, well… That’s just one less thing we’ll have to worry about, right?”
I nodded against her and sighed. I grinned a little as I took in her scent. She smelled faintly like strawberries, and her fur was surprisingly soft, softer than any pillow or cloud I’d ever snuggled up to.
I wasn’t sure how long we stayed like that for, but eventually, Sky Flare shoved me off and looked away, seemingly embarrassed by our embrace. “A-anyways,” she said, straightening out her fur, “Where are these Timber Wolves you claim to have tamed, hmm?”
I smiled at her, a little saddened that she had moved away, then cleared my throat and stood up.
“Don’t laugh…” I said to her. I took a step back and let out a long howl.
“What are you…” she started to ask, then fell silent as a chorus of answering howls followed my own.
I moved closer to her, still not entirely certain how the Timber Wolves would react to her at first.
“Silver,” Sky Flare whispered to me, “A-are you sure about this?”
I could tell she was terrified, so I draped a wing over her to try and comfort her. “I’m positive,” I said, “They won’t hurt us.”
Before long, glowing green eyes could be seen passing behind the foliage around us. Low, hollow growls swam around us in the night, and the steady rhythmic creaking on wood rumbled like distant thunder.
“Come on out you guys,” I ordered, “Sky Flare’s one of us, so be nice.”
The sounds around us quieted and slowly, three of the Timber Wolves stalked into view. I made certain to project calming, safe feelings towards the wolves. I may not have need of Perdias’s magic when I was with them anymore, but I wanted there to be no chance of something going wrong with Sky Flare in the mix. The glow of my bracelet dimmed a little as it changed from a bright green to a darker golden blue color, but it still shed enough light for us to see our immediate area.
One of the Timber Wolves came up to us and sniffed, first at me, then at Sky Flare. She tried to take a frightened step back, so I gripped her tighter with my wing to hold her in place.
“This is Sky Flare,” I said softly, “She’s going to be an Alpha too. You’ll listen to her if I’m not around.” I projected that message to them all as strongly as I could and waited to see if they’d respond as I’d hoped.
As they had first done with me, the Timber Wolf sniffed at her a moment, then turned away and wandered off. The next Timber Wolf followed the same pattern as the first, then the next, until all thirteen had greeted her, accepted her, and left.
After the last Timber Wolf had wandered back off into the forest, Sky Flare collapsed to the ground.
“Are you alright?” I asked, kneeling down beside her.
“Swell,” she whispered, “Just swell.”
I stroked her back gently with a wing to try and calm her down and couldn’t help but feel a little bad about her reaction. Timber Wolves were like the boogeyman to Ponies. They appeared out of the forest like ghosts and dragged anything they could catch away, never to be seen or heard from again. To me they were just wolves made from sticks, but to her, they were the stuff of nightmares. A nightmare she had just faced head on, thirteen times in a row.
“Alright…” she said after a while, “I believe you. They didn’t attack us…”
“Told you.” I said, grinning as charmingly as I could.
“Yeah yeah,” she sighed, “Wipe that smug look off your face and help me up.”
I helped her back to her feet and chuckled a little as I found her legs to be shaking.
“Not a word, Silver Wing,” She growled at me, “Or I’ll show your Timber Wolves who the real Alpha is.”
“There’s the Sky Flare I know,” I chuckled, “Welcome back.”
“Oh shut up.” She snorted. She pushed herself away from me and looked off into the forest for a minute, then grinned back at me. “You know what,” she said with a growing smirk, “I know what we can call this Guild of yours now.”
“Oh?” I said, a little concerned by her look, “And what’s that…?”
“The Timber Wolves.” She said.
“The Timber Wolves?” I repeated, “Why that?”
“Well, we do need a name for one,” she explained, “We can’t just keep going around saying “The Guild” all the time. And for two, why not? You’ve literally got a pack of Timber Wolves serving as your guard dogs. They’re your pack, and so are we. So, it’s fitting, don’t you think?”
“The Timber Wolves?” I said thoughtfully. It did fit, and a Timber Wolf would make for one hell of a mascot. “Sure,” I nodded, “Let’s go with that. We’ll name the Guild the Timber Wolves.”
Sky Flare beamed. “Good,” she said, then grew thoughtful for a moment, “I have to say though, I’m surprised. Everything I’d read about Timber Wolves said that they stank horribly. But these ones smelled quite nice.”
I laughed and shook my head. “They smell nice now,” I said, “But it was terrible when I first ran into them.”
“What happened?” She asked, “You give them a bath or something?”
“More like a magic potion that took away their smell.” I laughed.
“Magic potion?” Sky Flare said, “You’ve been busy while we were gone.”
“You’ve no idea.” I chuckled.
Sky Flare smiled at me and nodded back towards the Guild. “Come on,” she said, “You can tell me about it later. For now, let’s go introduce the packs to each other. I can’t wait to see the look on Gale's face.”