//------------------------------//
// Chapter 20: Wild Encounters 
// Story: Of Men and Insects 
// by VeganSpyro97 
//------------------------------//

Allan peered into the glowing waters of the second portal as Twilight’s field equipment beeped and booped behind him, scanning it’s still surface, in an effort to better understand its intricacies. As Allan was the only one with any experience with these particular portals, Twilight explained that he was here as both a consultant, and as a piece of evidence.
The reason he was a piece of evidence was because of ‘thaumic trace theory’, as Twilight called it. Essentially, like radiation, powerful magic left behind bits and pieces of themselves on whatever they affected, with teleportation and transmutation both being two of the biggest examples. Because of their intimate interaction with an individual person or objects ‘thaumic field/signature’, they were particularly easy to detect.
As the portal in the Badlands had both teleported and transmuted Allan, he carried a pretty strong trace of it’s magic signature alongside his own. In fact, that was one of the reasons he couldn’t just go back to being human. If he did somehow manage to find a way to safely purge all changeling magic from his body without killing himself in the process, the magic still leftover from the portal would slowly kill him from overexposure to thaumic radiation as a creature who couldn’t handle it; A.K.A, a human.
The whole magic technobabble was something that Allan had been forced to listen to after Twilight had first examined him. Ugh. He was starting to sound like her…...not that that was a bad thing, sounding like one of the smartest people on Equus.
“See anything yet?” Twilight called from where she was reading and recording observations of her machines. She was using a complex looking device to alter the structure of the portal’s spell matrix, the thing that gave it shape and function, so that it would show what was on the other side of the portal, instead of just glow. So far, nothing had changed.
“Sorry! Nothing yet.” Allan replied. They’d been doing this for half an hour, after having recorded all the portals normal energy readings and physical characteristics. Fluttershy was busy following Starlight’s instructions as the two of them carefully took inventory of the groups food, and figuring out how long they could stay. As Allan lived off of emotions, they only needed enough food for seven, which suited Allan just fine. The last thing he needed was to have to empty his stomach of emotion gel halfway through a snowstorm.
“How about now?” Twilight asked, the beeping of her device gaining in pitch.
“Still nothing!”
“Ugh, I was sure I was onto something then…” Twilight muttered, adjusting the devices settings again.
While the four friends did their rationing and experimenting, Shining and the guides had gone to check the rest of the cave above. The last thing they needed was for something dangerous to be in here with them, so their caution was well justified.
“Anything?” Twilight sounded so hopeful. “Too bad it….hang on….try that!”
“I can see….something.” Allan told her, seeing her eyes light up. “Whatever it is you’re doing keep going!”
Clapping her hooves excitedly together, Twilight twisted a dial with her magic, and the portal quite suddenly decided that attempting to blind Allan with light would be fun.
“Ow! Ow ow ow ow!” Covering his eyes, Allan made sure to move back from the portal. He did not want to have to get used to living in yet another world and another body.
“Oohh… are you okay?”
“No, Starlight, I’m not. I think my eyes are bleeding. I can feel the blood running down my face!”
“Allan. That’s just tears. You’re fine.”
“Ah. I think my sight is clearing up a little.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Not that there’s much to see down here. Just grey, grey and more grey.”
Once the spots had stopped dancing in front of his eyes, Allan shook his head, and carefully picked himself up. Still blinking the tears away, Allan moved up to join Twilight in staring at the portal’s glowing, rippling surface, and at the image that danced there.
There were trees, tall, thick, and ever so old, covered with mosses and vines that dripped with condensed water, with long vines draping down from the branches on high. Smaller trees, large ferns and shrubs crowded around the trunks of their enormous cousins, desperately reaching for the sunlight that filtered down from above.
“It’s beautiful….” Twilight whispered, and Allan smiled wistfully.
“I’ve never seen a rainforest before….”
There was no partition, no divide, between the cavern and the jungle, save for a thin film of water that was almost like an illusion in its insubstantial quality. Allan refrained from reaching out to touch it, not wanting accidentally do….something.
“This is incredible! It’s an entirely new world! Just like in Starswirl’s notes!” Twilight exclaimed, happily scribbling down anything and everything she could lay her eyes on. The Alicorn was definitely going on an edu-craze.
Allan peered intently at the still image, trying to see anything that might help pinpoint where this place even was.
As if on que, a creature hopped into view, one that Allan recognized from years of childhood obsession.
It stood on two digitigrade legs that ended in birdlike, clawed feet, with a huge claw on the inner toe. It had a long tail, two small, clawed arms for grabbing and holding, and a small, narrow head, complete with a mouth lined with teeth, and a smattered covering of feathers that were useless for anything except display.
“A Velociraptor….” Allan breathed.
“A veloci-what?” Starlight asked,  before making her way over and peering through. “Aww… it’s cute!”
The creature was small, far smaller than it was often depicted, barely reaching halfway up Allans  foreleg.
“Velociraptor.” Allan reiterated. “Small, pre-historic reptile from Earth’s distant past. Thought to be the ancestor of modern bird species.”
“Well, it certainly moves and looks like one.” Fluttershy said, joining them. “Maybe it’s friendly?”
“I doubt it, Flutters.” Allan stated. “They come from a time of kill or be killed, and early mammals were often their prey…..but how is it there? They’ve been extinct on Earth for millennia.”
“Maybe they never died in this world?” Twilight suggested.
“You said that the similar magical signatures meant that this portal linked to my world. This has to be Earth.”
Starlight put her chin to her hoof, and pondered. “Could….could it be possible that these portals don’t just travel in space, but in time as well?”
“That would take more power than all the power on both Earth and Equus. No one could make even one, let alone two!”
Starlight frowned at him for that. “And yet, here they both are. Clearly, somepony made it work.”
Twilight and Fluttershy rolled their eyes. Of course there was going to be arguing. They couldn’t go anywhere without somepony arguing.
“Allan, Starlight.” Fluttershy spoke clearly after quickly clearing her throat.
“Stop.” Twilight finished. “Just stop.”
The no nonsense tone destroyed the will to bicker, leaving both of them ashamed and a little cowed by their friends.
In the portals image, the little velociraptor hopped around the jungle grove, before stopping and staring in their direction, staring. The ponies and changeling stared back, unsure if the raptor truly saw them. It cocked its head, clearly confused about something.
“Do you think it sees us?” Starlight dared whisper. The raptor turned it’s head, ever so slightly, to focus on her.
Allan swallowed. “Yes. I think it does.”
The raptors stare fixed on Allan.
“Should I close the portal?” Twilight questioned, still jotting down notes.
The raptor suddenly bolted towards them, letting out a screech.
“Shit, yes!” Allan yelped, before diving away from the portal.
A split second later, two things happened. There was a huge splash of water, and the portal shut off, as Twilight used her tuning device to limit the portal’s power.
Silence.
More silence.
“Is….everypony okay?”
“Yeah, I’m good.”
“I’m fine.”
“Um….yes.”
The four of them slowly but carefully made their way back to to the portal, and looked down at the raptor, lying unconscious beside it.
“It...it changed!”
It had indeed. The once bipedal creature was now built more like a feathery, reptilian dog, with a slightly larger cranium, shorter, thicker neck, and more compact body.
“I don’t understand. How did it change without a template? I needed one!”
“Perhaps it affects animals differently?” Fluttershy suggested. “I hope he’s okay.”
“Maybe. We should get it restrained before it recovers. Who knows how badly it’ll lash out when it wakes up?”
“Good idea.”

***************************


The day wore on, and still, the raptor peacefully slept, leaving the troupe to their own devices. Twilight went back to observing and testing the portal, while Allan and Fluttershy went up into the upper cavern for a break and snuggly time. Starlight was busying herself writing a letter to Trixie, in which she was deliberately mentioning Alan's desire to both forgive and apologize to her.
The guides and Shining were still on patrol, Allan and Flutters occasionally catching a glimpse of them around the edge of the caverns as they went about their self-imposed duty.
“Okay, so….what about Rainbow? What was she like growing up?” Allan asked, curious.
“Oh, not so different from now. Her confidence wasn’t always so good, and she still had a lot to learn, but, overall, she’s not changed all that much.”
“Figures.” Allan smirked. “She does strike me as the girl who never backed down.”
“I….have to admit….. I was always a little jealous of her…” Fluttershy confessed. “She was never afraid to do things she liked, or be the center of attention. I was never like that.”
Allan smiled. “Sounds like my sister.” He stretched his legs out in front of him. “And the pinkster?”
“Pinkie grew up on a rock farm. It was very…...dull, from what she’s told me.”
“A rock farm, huh? What do they do there, listen to rock music all the time?”
“Uh….no, they don’t. They grow and move rocks, constantly building them up by covering them in more and more layers of dirt that compact and harden until they become stone.”
“....Oh.”
“Pinkie started throwing parties to help keep spirits up after she saw Rainbow’s first sonic rainboom. It livened the place up, from what she’s told  me.”
“I bet it would.”
Allan was going to continue the conversation, but was interrupted by something that tried to shove itself underneath his foreleg. Startled, Allan looked down to see the transformed raptor, gazing up at him with enlarged, adorable eyes, like a puppy. It’s bindings had been carefully chewed off, the rope still hanging from one ankle as it stood beside him. It had been trying to snuggle up.
“ .....Aaaawwww…..” Allan raised his foreleg, allowing the new creature to wriggle its way next to him, pressing up against him. “The portal changed your behaviour, didn’t it? New world, new animal….” He murmured, while Fluttershy watched with a little smile.
“So… what do you want to do now?” She asked, taking the time to pet the raptor, which made a thrumming sound of contentment.
“Don’t wanna disturb the little guy.” Allan whispered. Being less than half their size, the raptor really was little. “So a nap sounds good about now.”
“Yeah…..” Fluttershy’s mouth opened to emit a soft, prolonged yawn. “That sounds….really good.”
Settling down together, the three of them fell asleep.

***********************


The sound of thundering hooves and raised, panicked voices woke Allan with a start, jumping to his hooves in readiness. His ears instantly swiveled to locate the source of the commotion. His head pivoted on his neck,  bringing Shining Armour and the guides into view as they charged away from something that barreled after them, claws and teeth gleaming in the dim light.
Fluttershy and the raptor jumped up to stand beside him, eyes wide and fearful as they took in the sight.
While it lumbered along on four limbs, the creature was large, and built like a tank, covered in thick muscles, and an even thicker fur hide. It was a nightmarish combination of polar bear skin, big cat body structure, and inhuman fury, bellowing in anger as it chased down the troupe of guides.
Allan was moving before he knew it, hooves clacking rapidly against rock and chipping ice. Fluttershy called out in alarm, and Twilight rushed up from down below, before taking one look at the beast and taking to the air, wings rapidly carrying her past Allan.
She opened with a beam of magic energy, sending the creature rocking back on its heels as the blast connected with it’s face.
A spray of blood hit the ice close to it, and upon seeing it, Allans senses returned. His hooves locked, and he skidded to a halt. What the hell was he doing? He didn’t know how to fight!! He watched as Twilight was joined in her defense against the creature by Shining, who pelted it with chunks of ice he tore from anywhere his magic could get a purchase on. Why had he charged into this?
Shining conjured a shield just in time to deflect a heavy blow from the things paw, and Allan heard a cracking like glass. A spiderweb of thin cracks snaked across the arcane barrier, and Shining was struggling to breathe and hold it up. Another blow sent the  unicorn flying.
Climber came in from the side, having managed to form a tiny, dark cloud that she batted with her hoof to produce a lightning bolt. The bolt slammed into the creature’s shoulder, leaving a blackened scorch mark, and the smell of burnt flesh. As she flew past, no doubt intending to circle back, the creature caught her with its unburned arm, and whisked her around, sending her smashing into Twilight mid-flight resulting in both going down in a heap.
Allan remained rooted to the spot, watching it all unfold, watching as the monster bore down on the Princess and Climber, as Shining cried out, trying to get it’s attention. The other guides had already passed him, and he heard no sign of them returning for their comrades.
Climber was unconscious, and Twilight had been stunned by the collision, lying pinned and helpless underneath Climber.
Every heartbeat felt like an eternity as the creature went to pounce on its prey. Allan could see the spittle clinging to its fangs, he could see the mad gleam in its sunken eyes. Fluttershy was screaming, somewhere close by. Shining weakly tried to stand, but his legs gave out before he could.
And then she was there. For a brief moment, he saw a strange, brown coated stallion rush in front of him, forelegs outstretched as he tried to protect something behind him. Then Fluttershy stood in his place, between Allan and the beast, her voice raised as she begged and commanded it to leave her friends alone.
It’s deep, orange eyes burned at his soul as it turned to face her. For a moment, it seemed almost calm. Then it reared up, claws raised to strike at her.
Allan finally moved. Fluttershy fell away from him. The claw descended.
The next thing Allan knew was that he was lying on the ice some distance away, a huge, blurred figure pounding towards him. He squinted at it, trying to understand what his groggy brain was telling him.
Shakily, he stood up, only to stumble and feel something rush past his head.
The ice beside him shattered, and he felt something wet and freezing splash him. Thrashing sounds and splintering, fracturing ice drove him to get up and away, towards the sounds of his friends calling to him urgently. His hooves slipped on the slick ice, and again, he felt something collide with the ground dangerously close to him.
Allans hooves left a myriad of cracks spreading out from each hoof-fall, while his heart attempted to emulate a jackhammer and drill its way out of his chest.
“Run, Allan!” Twilight cried, finally shaking off her daze and flying towards him. “Don’t stop!”
The sounds of thrashing and breaking ice had ceased, replaced once again by the thudding of heavy paws slamming into the more stable ice. Twilight soared past, and the thudding slowed for a moment, accompanied by the sound of magical blasts and small concussive impacts.
The paws started to gain again, with Twilight screaming at Allan to go faster. Shining Armour had managed to get Climber onto his back, and was carrying her away from the enraged beast as Allan charged past. The changelings focus returned, and he twisted his head around, only to see a deep, fleshy chasm, lined with teeth as it loomed closer. A constricted cry of alarm tore its way out from behind his teeth, and he instinctively kicked backwards with his rear left hoof, striking something solid with a resounding ‘thwack’.
An instant later, an enraged paw slapped into his rear, gouging into his chitin and making him howl in pain. His body collapsed, and the things jaws were only halted by a combination of Twilight’s magic and his own desperate strength. His forelegs fought a losing battle to keep it as far away from his face as he could, and the foul odor assaulting his nostrils made him cough and gag.
“Jesus! Ever heard of fucking breath mints?!” He managed to say, before narrowly avoiding losing a few inches of his muzzle to the things gnashing fangs.
“Allan!” Fluttershy’s terrified cry jerked the creature's gaze back to her, earning him a brief respite. He looked around in desperation, for something, anything he could use. His frantic search landed his sight on a bundle of cloth and leather that he recognized as Sure Hoof’s saddlebags. Poking out of it was the handle of something that Allan instantly recognized. A climbing axe.
His magic wrapped around the handle, pulling it free of the bags, before it reached his outstretched hoof.
While he still had no idea how gripping things with hooves actually worked, it didn’t matter. His hoof curled around the handle enough to get a firm grip, and, as the creature looked back at him, he swung it up with all his might, embedding it deeply in the things neck.
An agonized, gurgling bellow filled the cavern, and Allan pushed back against the creature as it reared up, trying to pry the weapon free of its shoulder and away from this insectoid pony that had so angered it. Allan's strength was enough to unbalance it, sending it toppling backwards, and the axe came free in Allan's hoof.
The creature swiped at him with razor sharp claws, narrowly missing, and Allan, fear and instinct driving him to protect himself, quickly swung the axe again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again. His breath came out in panicked half yells and jerky gasps with each swing.
“Allan! Allan! Stop! Stop!” Twilight was now there, wresting the axe from him, and grabbing him by the shoulders, and yelling into his face. “It’s dead! It’s dead! You’re okay! You’re alright! You’re okay…. You’re fine…. Relax….” She held his hooves in hers, and his mind began to slow down, and grow calm…...calmer. “It’s gone. It’s gone.”
She helped him to stand, which was difficult, as his rear right hoof couldn’t take the weight, leaving him to limp along, blood dripping from the gaping holes in his chitin. Fluttershy had vanished, and a hushed, uncomfortable silence filled the air.
Allan felt sick.

***********************


Anna Rois looked her boyfriend’s older sister in the eye as they sat in her apartment.
“Off? What do you mean, off?” She asked the older woman, voice tense.
“I mean, did you notice anything strange about Allan?”
“Besides the fact that he was hit by a damn car? No!” Anna snapped.
“I’m sorry, but I have to ask this stuff. It’s important...or, I think it might be.”
Anna set down her coffee mug, one of Allan’s favourites, and leaned back in her chair, an unsympathetic look on her face.
“No offense, but I think you just don’t want to face the facts. Allan's changed. He doesn’t even know that we’re….a thing, anymore, and that’s something I have to accept. You have to accept that that accident is making him all weird”
Katie’s own expression twisted into a scowl. “You think I don’t know that? Of course he’d be a little loopy! This is different! It’s been over a month! Has he even called you? Or Mike? Or Joshua? Or anyone?” Katie stood up, angrily. “My brother wouldn’t just abandon his friends!”
“He’s recovering from a horrible head injury!” Anna retorted. “He doesn’t need us hanging around him like vultures!”
Katie snarled, teeth clenched. “It’s not about what’s good for him, it’s about what he’d do! What he’d want! And why he’s not doing those things!” She stood, pivoting on her heels and storming to the apartment door. “Something is wrong in that hospital. And you’ll wish you listened to me when you realize I’m right.”
Katherine grabbed her jacket from where she had slung it over the back of her chair, and started for the door.
“Katherine!” Anna called.
Katherine ignored her, stormed over to the door, opened it, vanished into the hallway, and made for the stairs, leaving Anna alone, with fresh doubts lingering in her mind.

*********************


Anna looked at Allan as he sat in the hospital bed, looking back at her with a smile.
“I’m sorry that I haven’t called. The doctor’s didn’t want me to stress myself too much, and an overly emotional reunion would have been a bit much. It’s good of you to visit though. You gave me quite the surprise.”
She had come because Katherine’s warnings had not gone away, lingering in her mind like a bad smell, just begging for her to investigate. She didn’t fully understand what Katherine had been going on about, but she was certain that Allan's sibling was certain that the young man in the hospital bed wasn’t who he appeared to be. And if his sister, who had known him since birth, believed that….then perhaps there was something to it.
She stared at him, not sure if she should say anything, or if she should just come out and ask him. Of course, that would be stupid. When you doubt someone, you don’t just accuse them, then they just lie.
She had to admit, her own desire to reaffirm her relationship with Allan may have had something to do with her coming here. After all, if Katie was right, as unlikely as that would be, it would mean that the real Allan might be out there, and he’d still remember everything.
It was a stupid hope, one she both wanted to be true, and also dismiss.
“I-it’s okay. I know this is harder on you than it is on us. We just miss you.” She responded.
“That’s not really an excuse on my part.” Allan frowned. “Is….is something wrong?”
“What do you mean?”
“You seem a little… distant.”
Anna winced. “How… how much do you remember?”
“Um….a little, I think. Just images and feelings really. Why?”
“Do you….remember anything… about us?”
Allan grinned. “I remember that we’re best friends!”
Anna had to hold back her tears. She managed to force her sob to sound like a chuckle.
“Yeah...the best.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yes.” She looked at him, looked closely. He seemed to be just the same as she remembered, but…..Anna could see a glaring difference. A lack of conviction and authenticity, as if he was just pretending to care. That could easily be explained away by him being in recovery and worrying about his injuries...but there was just something...off with that.
Allan didn’t normally lie about his feelings. He might hold back to keep others from worrying, but he didn’t usually pretend everything was fine and dandy when they weren’t. And he didn’t outright lie to her face. She knew Allan. Knew his mannerisms, the contexts each one was used in. Years of friendship had showed her this young man in detail, and now that she looked at him….
The concern on his face seemed genuine to the outside viewer, but to Anna, she could see the disconnect. There was no actual feeling behind it. His eyes remained the same as they had before. Flat. Uninterested.
Katherine was right. This wasn’t Allan.

***********************


Anna walked briskly up the stairs to her apartment, her steps quick, and sure. She reached her door, twisted the handle, pushed, stepped inside, and swiftly closed it, and clicked the lock shut.
She let out a breath, before striding over to her phone, picking it up, and dialing in a number. The dial tone sounded a few times, before a familiar voice answered.
“Anna? Why are you calling me? I’m just about to go into class.”
“Sorry, Josh, but this is important.”
“More important than my degree in computer sciences?”
“It’s about Allan.”
“Oh…..”
“Yeah, oh. Me and Katherine have both talked with him, and we’re pretty sure something weird is going on. Get Mike and meet me at the old Asylum. I’ll bring Kathy.”
“The asylum? What the hell? Why would we go there?”
“Because as I was leaving the hospital, I realized one of the doctors was following me. It’s not just Allan. Something really bad is going on at that hospital.”
“You’re…...you’re joking me, right? Please tell me you were joking.”
She grimaced, went to the window, looked out of the window, and snapped a picture with her cell phone. Pulling up the image, and one she had taken earlier, she sent them to her friend.
“Call that joking?”
“.....Shit. I’ll get Mike. When should we be there?”
“Tonight. Soon as you can. I’ll try and lose lab coat out there before I come up, but I’ll be there quick. Don’t tell anyone but Mike, got it?”
“Y-yeah…..sure.”
“See you tonight.” She disconnected the call with the flick of a button, and stared at the car outside. She could still see Doctor Kim in the driver seat.

******************


Allan's hip was covered in his blood, which seeped from the cracks in his chitin like treacle. He supposed it was because his natural armour plating needed something stronger than an ordinary scab in order to mend, but it wasn’t setting quickly enough, hence the reason for Twilight using her magic to pick out any chitin shards that posed risk of further injury, and why ‘Shy was stood close by with bandages and cotton swabs.
Now that he had had time to get over his initial reaction to killing the creature, a vicious, pony-eating yeti by Twilight and Shining’s reckoning, he felt bizarrely calm. His panicked breathing had slowed back down to normal levels, and his thumping heart had returned to a steady pace. He was still asking questions as to why he had jumped into action as he had, but he was also fairly sure that killing a vicious, pony eating yeti in defence of himself and his friends in a life threatening situation had been justified. He still felt bad about taking that life, but the circumstances had been extreme, and extreme measures are applicable for extreme circumstances.
Fluttershy hadn’t spoken to him, and he wasn’t sure of her opinion on his actions. That concerned him. Deeply. In fact, it was the only part of this that had truly worried him at all. He knew how much he cared about her, and of all the ponies in Equestria, she was the one who’s opinion mattered most.
He found his gaze lingering on her as Twilight finished up her cleaning of his wounds, which were the most serious of the group. Shining had a concussion, and Climber had a fracture in her wings radius, which Sure Trails was busy making a splint for.
Allan watched as Safe trails used her magic to help with Shining’s concussion. Seeing the magic being used to treat an injury so easily made him appreciate it’s uses all the more. Perhaps he’d learn how to do that one day.
His decision to stay wasn’t one made lightly, and he thought about what he’d be leaving behind if none of them wanted to come to Equus with him when he returned. Mike. Josh. Anna. His Mum. His Dad. Katie. He’d be leaving them behind, and starting a new life here. True, he might be able to visit, but that still felt like a bad thing, rather than a good one. He’d still be leaving.
He shifted slightly, annoying Twilight as she wrestled with his side in order to bandage it up.
“Hey, no moving!” She commanded. “I’m having enough trouble trying to tie this off without you jogging me.”
“Sorry, Twi.” Allan gave an apologetic smile. “I’ll get you some ice cream later as an apology.”
Twilight raised her eyebrow and shook her head. “Your leg is half falling off, and you’re cracking jokes?”
“Eh, I can barely feel it.”
“That’s because you’re still feeling the adrenaline and the pain relieving spell I used. When it fades, you’re going to wish you had lost your leg.”
Allan grimaced. “Charming.”
“I’m serious. These claw marks reached were a pony’s bone would be. Much further and I’d be trying to glue your leg back together.”
“So I really don’t have an internal bone structure? Huh. Weird.”
Twilight tutted. “We already talked about it. How did you forget already? It was during one of our sessions!”
“It’s less, I forgot, and more, I’m still weirded out by not having bones anymore. Seriously, you’d freak out a little too if some of  your internal organs just vanished overnight.”
“It’s been almost two months.” Twilight deadpanned. “You should be over it by now.”
“Well excuse me, Princess.” Allan replied, snidely. “I’m still finding things out about the new me, so don’t think I’m getting ‘used’, to anything.”
Rolling her eyes, Twilight finished tying the bandage, before using her magic to quickly alter two chunks of ice into long, wooden sticks. Allan marveled at the ability to change objects from one thing to another. Getting another long bandage from her pack, she quickly wrapped the bandage around the sticks and  his leg, creating a makeshift brace to allow him to walk.
“There. That should hold for a day or two. I’ll refresh the transfiguration spell tonight, and again tomorrow morning. Don’t try anything too strenuous, and it should start healing up.”
“We could have used emotion gel.” Allan pouted. He’d been looking forward to testing the recipes Thorax had compiled for him.
“We already said it would take too long for you to produce enough.” Twilight cut him off.
“Testy today, aren’t we?”
“Yes. Because we just had to kill that yeti, and I still don’t understand why it attacked such a large group! Yetis don’t do that.” She stated firmly. “They hunt stragglers. Single out one victim, catch them, and run  off again. They don’t fight groups of ponies.”
Allan raised an eyebrow, gingerly standing up to test his leg. With the brace, it could take the weight, but he quickly realized Twilight was right. Once the spell wore off, he may end up howling in pain.
“So, now we try to find out why it did?” Allan suggested.
“Definitely.”

*******************