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// 248 - Warm Welcome 
// Story: Putting on a Silver Robe and Wizard Hat 
// by David Silver 
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The bears stormed the room and moved to either side of the door they had battered aside casually. Their scimitars were held stiffly upright as they snapped to equally rigid attention. Behind them at a more sedate pace came the sound of two light paws and the click of metal against the stone floor.

An elderly feline came in, one hand on his cane, the other stroking his long beard. "I apologize for interrupting at such an unfortunate moment."

Silver craned his neck to see all that was happening as best he could. Nefertari hadn't moved and seemed in no hurry, leaving him pinned beneath her. "Hello?"

Nefer put a paw down on him, gently pressing. "I expected a far more... subtle... motion."

"The time for subtlety has passed." The elder cat raised a massive, but exquisitely groomed, brow. "Besides, how could I resist a chance to see not only the upstart prince of Equestria, but the flower of the jackals herself. I see you've changed your tune."

"Husband, this is The Elder." Nefer gestured at the older cat. "We know one another."

That explained, to Silver, why his battle-ready wife was not already leaping to battle the intruders. "Pleased to meet you, Elder."

"Oh, that name. You go right for the heart." He shook his head slowly. "You will refer to me as Mister, foreign prince. Still, a good meeting indeed, hm. If you have caught one such as her, you must have something going for you."

Nefertari scowled at him. "Elder, what is it you wish that a more polite invitation could not achieve?"

He gestured at Silver's prone form. "I wanted to see his reaction. Very calm. Did you warn him?"

Nefertari flashed a brilliant smile. "Not calm, just swift, and precise." She reached out a hand and brushed it against a bubble that had been unseen. Where she touched it, silvery magic sparkled around her fingers. "Your brutes would have been quite displeased had they attempted to attack. Shields are one of his specialties."

Silver sighed softly. "You are giving away the element of surprise, dear wife."

The elder let his cane fall against himself, freeing his two hands to come together in a soft clap. "Bravo. Now I am significantly less disappointed. Let us get to business." He turned and pulled the door shut before placing a paw against it. "We will not be bothered. Nefertari, it truly is good to see you once more. You have the same blessed timing you always have."

Nefertari lifted her shoulders softly. "I am where I need to be. We were called here for much the same reason I imagine you are happy to see us."

"Our words have not fallen on deaf ear." He grasped his cane and struck it against the ground. "Would that we could have greeted you more properly. Are the jackals still biting the bones they find in the sun-bleached sands?"

If looks could slay a person, Nefertari was performing an admirable attempt at homicide. "My people are well and doing as they have. Their status is not why we are here."

"I disagree." He stood straight up, both hands on the end of his cane. "Rumors spread. The siren call of the 'blessed land' is spreading through them, and the ponies are stupid enough to want them." His eyes fell to the pony present. "Is he part of that reason? No matter. It is unbalancing the power in the region. Shake any hive, and angry insects will rise in response."

Silver twitched an ear at the aged feline. "What sort of 'insects' are we worried about? And who are they going to sting, for that matter."

"An excellent question." He reached into the vest of one of the two silent bears and pulled free an envelope. "This is the insect." He tossed it lightly onto the bed, just short of the protective and unseen bubble. "As for whom it will sting, well... Once roused, who knows when its fury will be fully expended? People will suffer. Ponies are safe, at least those who remain home."

Silver could hear the unspoken finishing of that. Other ponies would be in danger, perhaps Saddle-Arabians and other allies as well. He took hold of the letter in his magic and slipped it past the bubble, allowing it in.

Nefertari snatched it as soon as it was past the bubble. "We will review this, later. Why have you not invited us to your home instead of this?"

"My home is... unavailable at this time." His face creased into its first true frown. "Already the stings land. Pacify them, if you please. The jackals will suffer, exposed in the sand." He raised a hand and snapped his fingers quite well for being covered in fur. "We go." The bears turned as one towards him. "Blessings on your efforts."

They strode out, the bears advancing ahead of the older cat. He was polite enough to close the door behind himself, leaving the couple on the bed they had begun on.

Nefertari squeezed her legs on either side of Silver. "We didn't finish."

Silver blinked at her. "You're kidding. My mood is a little shot."

Nefer rolled her eyes. "Very well, let us see what they've brought for us." She held the letter high and it vanished before appearing in the spectral grip of her assistant.

The spirit sneered at Nefertari. "You look downright depraved, letting that stallion have his way with you."

"He does nothing without my leave." She dismissively waved at the spirit. "Check that and be done with it."

The letter drifted down into Nefertari's grip. "Hmmph, she is growing tiresome." Nefer sliced open the envelope with a running of her claw along the edge. "We will need to have a... conversation."

"Don't hurt her." Silver tried to sit up, but Nefertari was making no move to dismount him. "Have you--"

Nefer cut off his words with a lone finger on his lips. "Reading time. Mmm. They're using an old and tired prophecy for an old and tired cause." She huffed softly. "When the jackals cross the sands and forsake their sun-blessed homes, that will be the end of an age, and a start of something vast and terrible. A royal crown, tangled where one jewel sufficed, shall reign across. A fire once contained will rage with unquenchable thirst."

Silver grasped his wife completely in his magic, squeezing her gently before he lifted her up and free of him. "I love you, but I'm sitting up now." He did so, setting her down beside himself. "That's vague, as prophecies tend to be. I can decipher a good bit of it though, I think?"

"As can I, but there are vague words used here." She tapped at the paper. "Let us put that aside, it will not help us." She leaned over against Silver, wrapping one arm around his equine bulk. "It seems a self-appointed 'priest of the apocalypse' has decided this is a clear sign of end times. That is nothing new. The support she has rallied is more worrying."

Silver canted his head to the left lightly. "So we should go see her?"

"You are charmingly naive, hmm. If she saw you, she would gladly put you to the blade. You are part of the source of her theoretical end-times, Hmm."

Silver frowned softly. "She could try."

Nefertari ran a hand down along Silver's side, scratching gently with her claw tips. "Now there is a fire I can admire, but let us not rush into a battle whose field we do not know. Hmm, now I am the cautious one? The fates are cruel." She bit at Silver's neck as if in revenge for the slight. "For now, we need to know more." She flicked the paper aside and it landed on the dresser despite being a tossed piece of paper. "But we have a clear task, and this pleases me."

Silver flinched at the nip, but smiled and reached a hoof about Nefer to return the hug given. "Much better than just wandering around, waiting. When do we get started?"

"Aren't we eager? Perish that thought. If you think we can hurry through this and go home, no." She kissed the tip of his nose. "We do this right. This is a battle that will not be won by direct force."

Silver perked an ear. "Is talking a 'direct force' now?"

"It is if you speak to the wrong person, such as the apocalypse crying priestess. There are better targets." Nefer stretched out across the bed. "If you will not do as a husband should, then we should retire. Tomorrow I will claim what is rightfully mine."

Silver laid beside her and drew up the covers with his magic. Soon they were pressed close. He enjoyed the company. As prickly as she could be, her body was quite soft, and she proved to even be affectionate and cuddly when it was time to be. He looked forward to sleeping with her in the most literal sense, as she made an excellent pillow.





Silver walked alongside his wife. "I haven't seen this part of the city yet." They were walking through narrow alleyways that bent like a sleeping snake rather than any proper straight lines. "Where are we going?"

"As I already told you, you will know when we get there." She ran a paw along the wall as she walked. "It is not an easily found place, even for one as I."

"If you gave me a hint, I could help find it." His horn was glowing a soft silver shade, his magic spread far in an unseen cloud to feel the area around himself. "Is it a secret d--" He felt his magic hit a seam in what looked to be smooth wall. "A secret door."

Nefertari spun towards him. "Hmm? You found it?"

Silver gave a soft tug and the door became far more visible, though it was more of a flat panel of the wall that swung outwards smoothly. "Ta da."

Nefer advanced on it. "This may not be the right one. I will check first." Her claws were out as far as they went, fingers tensed as if ready for combat, at least until she vanished.

Silver settled. Watching her slip into her fastest pace had ceased to bring wonder to him every time it happened. Of his wives... He aborted the thought. All of his wives were combat ready. He was one among many that could enter a violent situation if the situation demanded it. Like most of them, he simply preferred not to if there was a better option.

He felt a figure enter his magic cloud. It was small, feline, bipedal. Silver looked towards the kitten just as he stepped into view around a bend. "We meet again. Sorry for the rude reception my wife gave before.

The kitten looked surprised to see Silver. "O-oh, there was no... harm in it, sir. I-I'm... sorry, sir."

"Sorry? What for?" Silver's ears danced with curiosity. "We haven't been introduced. I am Silver Watch, nice to meet you."

The rough-dressed kitten took an unsure step closer. "You're nice. A lot nicer than the she-demon that was with you."

"My wife," reminded Silver with a quirk of a smile. "She can be like that. What brings you here?"

"Just a job, sir." He stepped closer. Silver could feel his little heart hastening. He was preparing for something. Something was wrong. "I'm sorry."

Silver didn't like it. He gathered some of his floating magic together around the boy and lifted him up suddenly under his arms. "I would rather be friends. What are you sorry for?"

He squeaked in alarm and flailed his little arms as best he could. "You shouldn't be here!" he hissed, little legs kicking. "Please go away, we'll both get in trouble."

Silver gently set him down, but kept his magic firm around the kitten, keeping him in place. "Were you going to attack me?"