//------------------------------// // Prologue: Before // Story: One Small Wolf // by The Werepony Lover //------------------------------// Harsh hoofbeats cantered about in the town square, different ponies tried to persuade others to buy their wares, standing in wooden stands. One bright pony stood out from the rest, black saddlebags with grey heart buttons slightly jingled with the sound of bits while the rest thumped with other items. She trotted to a specific orange ponies' stand, shuffling into the line while the country accented pony gave fresh-smelling fritters to a dark pinkish pony, the PonyVille teacher to be exact, Miss Cheerilee. "Next!" The country pony called, the white pegasus trotting up, hearing the scraping of claws of a griffin behind her. Her wings shuffled, blinking at the mares' kind, green eyes "What would'ja like, sugarcube?" She said, waiting a moment for her answer. "Five apple turnovers and a couple jars of apple jam please." She simply said, opening her bags. "That'll be ten bits." The trade mare pushed over the pastries and jars, taking the metal coins that clacked and rang with a joyous tone as they fell onto the table. "Thank you, Applejack." She said, gently setting the fragile glass jars next to the warm, triangular delights in her bags, moving to close the bags up. "No problem! Next!" Applejack called, light yellow tail swaying in the soft breeze that brushed against the square. The pegasus quickly trotted away, walking far away from the other ponies, mares and gentlecolts alike, she ducked her head when few called her out, trying to get her attention, hiding her soft, short muzzled face from the shouts. She soon reached away from the loud voices, and the clatter of the day. She trotted farther than any wise pony would go, past the quiet town, besides the quiet voices of late wakers, some out on the street, others just opening their windows to the soft, warm welcome of the sun. She quickly walked through the soft grasses of reaching forest, into the forest that the yellow, soft-voiced Fluttershy lived, though far away from the gentle mares' home. She came to a slow trot, avoiding oncoming brambles and thorns, the more, and hard-bearing the sun became, less and less leaves on the trees as the dark, seemingly dead branches as they spiked out every which way, like large, sharp thorns ready to fall. She soon reached a small, shabby, but warm thatch, her home. She trotted in, setting down the saddlebags as she laid on the cool, dirt floor, sighing with relief. A small fire was started near the corner, a hole made for it to escape, light, gray smoke escaped, far away from the sensitive Angel Bunny that lived with Fluttershy, who seemed always to be grumpy and want something, like a toddler. She slowly stood up, walking out, making sure that her little home was safe from any luring predators that would be attracted to the smoke. She soon moved out to a river, the only clear thing in what seemed the dark, and dead, dreary forest. She gazed in, her short, white fur, and similar mane with a green-mint colored streak running down the middle. Her hooves, a silvery-grey color with a short, fluffy end that only ones with a royal heritage had, which she assumed she had. Her muzzle, a strange, scrunched in and short type, unlike others, which had a slightly longer, more straight type, from not breaking it in multiple fights. Her eyes, a pale, milky blue, blurred around the pupils, shining in reflection of the sun. She blinked, gazing as her tail swung into her lap. That was the only thing unnatural. It seemed..connected to her main fur, the same, glossy color, but spikier and rougher, with dark, silver streaks. She raised a fore-leg, gazing at it. She had the same fluff around it, yet..it was a rounded, fluffy, and light paw. Both of them were, having short, but sharp, black claws at the end of three, large toes, a small dewclaw at the side facing towards her chest. She watched in the river as her snout changed from it's original, scrunched form, straightening out and forming a black, wet nose atop it, two canine, vampirish fangs stretched out from her lips, her jaws opening to reveal more canaric teeth than a ponies' flat molars. She stood up, much sleeker than before, filled with energy, and a craving..a craving for meat. She looked around, silently trotting towards her hut, pausing at a soft growl turning to see a timberwolf, crouching low, but letting out cautionary growls. Her pupils shifted from their round form to a smaller, more ovalish one, as she stepped forward, she gazed at the favoring paw, taking it with a fore paw. She had become a monster on the outside, but she still was a pony on the inside, looking at the paw with care, she placed it down, just a minor thorn injury, she turned around as the wolf ran away, heading to her home. As she entered inside, she came to an area where she pulled out preserved meat, a chicken, that was dying of a timberwolf attack, she put out of it's misery a while ago. Her teeth dug into the slightly dried, but flavorful meat, as she tugged chunks off, and slowly ate, protective of her food. Her ears pricked and tail moved with caution as she looked at the entrance, staying in that position until done. Her head lilted down as she finished and licked her red tinted lips, laying down and curling near the welcoming fire, head rested on her paws as her ears folded back, looking above at the coming, silver light. The grace of the moon covered the land, coating it in a light, iridescent glow. Her eyes watched as the crescent moved above, her tail twitching as it stopped. she stood up, gazing over her body. The sleek curves, the dog-ish tail, her claws, and finally..her cutie mark. It was a howling wolf with a song note behind it. The meaning of her name..Wolf Song.