//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2: A Ruff First Impression 
// Story: The Lone Wolf of Equestria 
// by JNKing 
//------------------------------//

Logan bit back a moan; pain rebounding through his body. His head throbbed like someone was pushing a burning torch to it, his right elbow felt frozen, and he could already feel the soreness of internal bleeding. To make matters worse, his jacket had tangled around his face; he couldn’t see anything. 
His one positive thought was that if he was still in pain, then that meant he was still alive. Despite the pain nearly making him black out, he tried to roll to his chest. He had to stop as his arm gave a very ominous cracking sound, and jolted him with pain like touching a live wire.
“Oh, Celestia!” a young female voice cried above him, “I think it’s still alive.”
Logan shivered; it didn’t sound like his pack, which had to mean the humans had caught up with him. There was no way he could fight like this: his jaw felt locked in place by his body, as if it thought that by keeping still, it could halt the amount of damage being done to it. This left him lying face down with his arms crossed over him, his nose pressed into the leather of his jacket, just waiting for them to do what they wanted.
Yet… nothing happened at first. No blows rained upon his battered body. No roars of ‘learning his place’ followed after him…
He fought against his locked body as he tried to look up. What were the humans waiting for?
“What should we do?” another voice asked, gruff but still young. That of a tomboy in her prime. “I mean, it looks like a Diamond Dog.”
Logan let out a growl that quickly turned into another keen. “Wolf…” he mumbled, his voice muffled by the jacket, “Not… Dog…”  
“Doesn’t matter; it still needs some ponies' help,” the southern one said, “We need Fluttershy; my family always went to her when Winona was hurt.”
“Alright; I’ll go get her,” the tomboy voice said, “You two stay here and guard him. I’ll be right back.”
“Got it.”
With a smattering of steps, the voices went quiet. Logan tried to relax his body, but growled when he felt something round touch his side.
“Do you think he’ll be alright, Apple Bloom?” the young voice asked. 
“I don’t know Sweetie Belle,” the southern voice - Apple Bloom? - replied, “I’ve heard that the Diamond Dogs were bad… but he looks like he’s really hurt. And… kinda young.”
“Right, I mean, he looks like a big old puppy.”
“Puppy of giant wolves, more like.” 
“Not… Pup,” Logan tried to say. With only another faint growl passing through his throat, he huffed and tried to lift his head. 
“He’s waking up!” 
“Ugh…” Logan muttered, as his head fell right back to earth, the jacket constraining him. His left arm cracked again, forcing him back down as he snarled in pain.
“Did… Winona ever make noises like that?” the Sweetie Belle voice asked.
“I don’t think so,” Apple Bloom replied.
Logan felt something prod his ribs. As pain rebounded as it touched him, he kicked out with his hind legs. 
“Get… off,” he mumbled thickly.
The two voices gasped. “Did he just… talk?” Sweetie Belle asked. 
“You can talk,” Logan snapped, “Why can’t I?” 
Apparently, enough of what he said got through the gag his jacket had become, because whatever was prodding his ribs left him alone. 
“Oh, boy,” Apple Bloom mumbled, “This just got a lot more complicated.” 
Sweetie Belle gasped in relief, “Well, Scootaloo’s back. She’s got Fluttershy.” 
“Thank Celestia. She’ll know what to do.”  
Logan’s eyes shut again as footsteps drew closer. His ears flicked as he picked up the sound of... 
Hoofsteps! How had he not recognized that clip-clop sound? It wasn't wolves, but it wasn't humans either, and right now, that small comfort made him sigh in relief.
“…we just found it lying there, all sprawled out with that weird black thing on its head,” the Scootaloo voice said.
“Don’t worry,” a quiet voice replied, “Just let me get a look at him.”
Logan felt a soft round object touch his head, working the jacket from his head. Unlike before, when it had sent pain spiraling through his body, this touch was softer, trying not to cause damage. 
“He talks, too,” Sweetie Belle announced.
There was a pause.
“He what?” the quiet voice replied.
“Aw, I missed it!” the tomboy – Scootaloo? - complained, “What did it say?” 
“First, he just said, ‘get off.’ Then when Sweetie Belle asked if he could talk, he said… uh… what did he say?”
“I think it was something like ‘ogham dog, Irwin eye.”  
Logan moaned; they hadn’t understood a word he said.
“What do you think, Fluttershy?” Scootaloo’s voice asked as the soft object prodded the wolf again, “Can you fix it?”
“Can you fix ‘him!’” the wolf snarled, though again, his voice was too muffled.
“Cart-when x-m?” Scootaloo asked, “Is that some sort of foreign language?”
“Sounds more like a band,” Apple Bloom replied.
Logan almost growled, though his growl changed to a yelp when Fluttershy pulled too hard on the jacket, and the zipper snagged his jaw.
Fluttershy gasped, releasing him. “He’s badly hurt. If he was just a normal dog, I’d be able to help him, but this weird bag on his head? And the talking…” He could almost hear her shaking her head, “We’ll need to get Twilight. She needs to know.” 
“Got it,” Scootaloo said before running off again.
The wolf felt the object touch him again. Knowing who was around him, he could realize now that it was a hoof.
“Listen,” Fluttershy said to him, “I’m not sure who you are or where you came from, but I’m going to try to help you, okay? You’re in safe hooves here.”
The wolf’s eyes fluttered open again just as she managed to move the jacket past his eyes. He managed to pull up his head… and found himself staring at a small, yellow furred horse with a pink mane and azure colored eyes. And… his eyes widened as he noticed wings on her side.
His ears flared up. “Wing…?” he stammered, “W-Wings… who…”
She shushed, smiling softly at him. “I’m Fluttershy. And I’m going to look out for you. I promise.” 
The wolf sat there for a second, staring at her wings. “Winged horses?” he mumbled, before his expression turned deadpan, “I’m going back to sleep,” he said tiredly. 
And that’s what he did. 

#

When the wolf regained his mind, the stench of a dozen disinfectants mixed with the collective musk of an entire animal kingdom greeted him. He didn’t move at first; just trying to see past the cloud of different scents to smell what was going on. 
“Is he gonna be alright, Doc?” a voice asked – southern like the Apple Bloom voice had been, but older. 
“I think so,” a prim and composed voice replied, “It’s certainly not a Diamond Dog, I can assure you of that. And it’s very young.” 
“Ugh, they know my age,” the wolf muttered, “Great.”
“The Crusaders were right!" another voice gasped, "He does talk.” 
“Of course, I talk,” the wolf growled, pulling himself up despite the throbbing in his body, “If those dumb apes can talk, why can’t…” then his eyes opened and showed him what the hospital scent had hidden from him. “I?” he finished awkwardly.
Seven equine mares stood around him, one wearing what looked like a lab coat. Logan recognized Fluttershy by her yellow fur, contrasting nicely with the others; pink, blue, white, purple, orange and tan. Three of them were still regular horses, but Fluttershy and the blue one had those strange feathery wings, and the purple and white mares had horns jutting from their heads. Logan was familiar with horses, but not those with wings or horns.
Fluttershy was the first to move, putting a hoof on the padded exam table he was on.
“Are you alright?” she asked softly.
The wolf tried to pull himself back up to his paws, but all he managed was rolling to his chest. “About as well as you’d expect,” he mumbled. 
“Well, don’t strain yourself,” Fluttershy advised, “You were really badly hurt.” 
“I’m fine,” the wolf mumbled, his legs trembling as he tried to rise. “I’ll be fine.”
Fluttershy still didn’t leave his side. The purple mare cleared her throat and stepped forward. 
“Sorry, if I could…” she stammered. Logan recognized her voice as the one that was shocked he could talk.
Logan gave her an analytical look. The horn was strange enough. But this one had an aura that caused the others to defer to her, even though none of them had spoken yet. But what really put Logan off was the light in her eyes. Curious; almost hungry for knowledge. To be fair, they seemed rather wary about him as well; he could see the tension in the orange and blue mares, like they would jump him the second he tried to hurt any pony. It was only due to a nod from them that the purple mare continued. 
“I mean… well, hello,” Twilight began hesitantly, “My name is Twilight Sparkle. My friend there is Fluttershy.”
“Yeah, she already told me that,” Logan replied. He glanced at the others. “Who’re these guys?”
Twilight tilted her head at his rather blunt reply, but went along with it.
“Well,” Twilight began, indicating the orange mare, “This is Applejack.”
“Hey-ya,” Applejack replied.
“Rainbow Dash,” Twilight continued, indicating the blue mare.
“Sup,” Rainbow Dash replied.
“Pinkie Pie,” Twilight indicated the pink mare.
“Howdy-do,” Pinkie Pie replied enthusiastically.
“And Rarity,” Twilight finished, indicating the white mare.
“Pleased to meet you,” she said.
Logan glanced at the doctor. “And her?” he asked. 
“Doctor Fauna,” the doctor replied. She gave a nervous chuckle. “I… hope you don’t mind being treated by a vet. Just… the whole ‘talking dog that’s not a Diamond Dog’ thing? It’s a little out of my pay grade, but…”
“Canines go to vets,” Logan noted, “Yeah…” He paused. “And… don’t call me a dog.” 
“Oh, okay,” Twilight said, “But then… who are you?” 
“Logan,” the wolf responded.
“Okay, Logan,” she nodded, “It’s nice to meet you.” 
“But what is he?” Rainbow Dash cut in, “I mean, if he isn’t a dog, and he’s not a Diamond Dog, then…” 
“Wolf,” Logan replied, “I’m, uh, I’m a wolf.” 
“A… wolf?” Twilight asked, “You mean like a timber wolf?”
“A Werewolf.”
“But you’re standing on four legs,” Pinkie Pie pointed out cheerily. “Unless…” she gasped, “Can you turn into a human?” 
Logan shifted. “No,” he said, shuddering, “Why would I want to turn into one of those things?” 
“Well, werewolves are supposed to be humans that can transform into wolves,” Twilight replied, tilting her head. “Does that… not apply to you? I mean, where are you from?” 
“Not here, that’s for sure,” Logan noted. 
Twilight’s ears flattened. “I can assume that,” she deadpanned.
“But then why’d you come here?” Rainbow Dash asked, “What do you want?”
“Rainbow Dash, please,” Fluttershy insisted, “He’s hurt.”
Logan gave Rainbow Dash an irritated glare and pulled himself up as far as his injuries allowed.
“I don’t want anything,” Logan growled, “I don’t even know how I got here.” His head turned away. “Last thing I remember is getting hit by a car.”
“A car?” Twilight asked, “You mean… those metal carriages that humans drive?”
Logan tensed up. “You guys have humans here?”
“Not here-here,” Pinkie Pie said, “But they come and go every once in a while.” 
“Getting hit by a car would explain the injuries,” Dr. Fauna noted. 
As in on cue, Logan shifted the wrong way, and his body screamed in pain. Despite the sting rebounding through his body, he gritted his teeth, choking on a moan of agony. He lowered his head and kept tense until it went away. The others flinched, some backing up while others moved forward in concern. 
“Are you alright?” Pinkie Pie asked, racing to his side.
“Fine,” Logan snarled, still trying to move his locked limbs.
“You can’t mean that,” Fluttershy said, glancing at Dr. Fauna.  
“He doesn’t,” the vet replied worriedly. She opened a manila folder. “You dislocated your right foreleg at the joint and had a minor concussion. We found multiple lacerations and bruises along your rib cage and back.”
“I remember those…” Logan muttered.
“And to top it all off, you’ve been in a coma for the past four days.”
Logan’s ears flicked as he stared at the doctor, his face a neutral mask. “Four. Days?” he asked. 
“Four days,” the doctor bit her lip and lifted up one of the pages. An uncertain look crossed her face as well, “Fluttershy and I spent most of that time patching you up. Frankly, I was flummoxed; your anatomy was so strange. Canine and yet… not canine at the same time. Fluttershy and I were essentially improvising.” She gave a small smile. “At least you weren’t a dragon this time,” she added with a pointed look at Twilight.
Logan glanced down at his body and gave a start.
“Where’s my jacket?” he asked.
“Your what?” the doctor asked.
Logan indicated his bare upper chest. “The leather jacket. The black thing I was wearing!”
“That was clothing?” Rarity asked with a shudder.
“Where is it?!” Logan barked, his voice cracking in a panic that made the doctor back up a bit. 
“It was tangled up around your head. We had to remove it when we examined you,” the doctor indicated a chair a few feet from the bed. “We put it over there.” 
Logan leaped off the bed, wincing as his paws landed on the ground.
“Easy…” Fluttershy whispered, but the wolf wasn’t listening to her. He was staring at what used to be a biker jacket with a fur collar, now torn into a mangled mess of dark fabric, shredded fur and leather. 
“What the hell happened?” Logan whimpered, looking on the verge of a breakdown. 
The doctor glanced uneasily at the clothing. “We… didn’t know it was a jacket. We thought it was some sort of bag over your head. Either way, we had to take it off to examine your injuries fully.” 
“And so, you shredded it?” Logan nearly sounded hysterical.
“No! We simply… untangled it. With a few bladed instruments.” Dr. Fauna winced at the look of horror and anger on the wolves’ face. “I’m really sorry, but we weren’t sure…”  
“What are you sorry for?” Rainbow Dash asked, “You saved his life.”   
“THAT WAS MY FATHERS…!” Logan screamed, before his injuries stopped him. His eyes darted back when Pinkie Pie got too close to the jacket, and she wisely backed off when he limped back to it. “It was the only thing I had left of him…” he muttered, his voice cracking.
Applejack instantly tensed up. “Oh, nelly…” she muttered. 
“Wait, he doesn’t mean…” Fluttershy asked, gasping as Applejack gave a nod. 
The mares all exchanged sympathetic looks as Logan brought one of the pieces up to his head. His eyes glanced in their direction, and he set the fur down like it was a shard of a jewel. 
“Well, is she right?” he growled, “Did it save my life?”
“Well… yes. I mean, I would try to keep weight off your left foreleg for a few days,” she stammered, indicating a leg Logan was already having trouble standing on, “The fracture isn’t one hundred percent healed. Your other legs are fine though; they didn’t get quite as banged up.” 
Logan gave a small nod. “Thanks,” he said, looking away before another thought made his ear flick. “What about my pack?”
“Your what now?” Twilight asked. 
“My pack,” Logan glanced in her direction, “A bunch of other wolves. Griffin, Mom, Carol… They were right there with me. They could be hurt.”
When only confused stares greeted him, Logan’s ears began to flatten. 
“Where are they?” he asked, his voice tense. 
“I’m sorry,” Fluttershy said, “But you were the only one that we found.”
Logan’s tail tucked. His eyes locked on a door, and he limped right for it.
“Hey, w-where’re you going?” Dr. Fauna asked.
“I gotta go find them,” Logan said, his voice desperate.
“Wait!” the doctor insisted, “You’re barely even walking! You should still at least stay the night; let your arm heal…” 
“We were running from some really bad people,” Logan insisted, “I gotta know that they’re okay.” Rainbow Dash stopped him from opening the door. 
“Okay, hold on… question,” she said, “Where would they be?"
“Well, they ain’t here,” Logan replied.
“Well then how did you end up here?” Fluttershy asked.
“A-And how do you think you’ll get back to them?” Twilight added.
Logan paused, but only for a second.
“Just give me an open area,” he said, grabbing for the door again, “Somewhere outside.” 
“What will that do?” Twilight demanded.
“What are you, a deductive?” Logan demanded. 
Rainbow Dash snickered as Twilight gave a confused tilt of her head. 
“I think he means ‘detective,’” Rarity noted. Logan groaned.
“Point is, are you going to keep asking, or can I show?” he rephrased. 
Twilight’s brow furrowed, but she finally sighed. Nodding to Dash, they let Logan limp out to the open. Logan ignored the adjacent buildings, with ponies glancing curiously at the rather large wolf that had just walked out. But Twilight’s curiosity shifted into horror when he lifted his snout up, and an eerie wolf howl sounded. As the eyes of other mares and stallions widened with the beginnings of fear, Twilight grabbed him in her magic aura, and yanking him back inside.
“What the heck?!” he demanded, “I was…”
“Do you have any idea how scared ponies are of timber wolves?” Twilight demanded, “As if that wasn’t enough, all the covering up Princess Celestia had to do won’t mean anything if…” 
“Covering up?” Logan demanded, his fur spiking, “Princess Celestia?” 
“The Sovereign Ruler of Equestria.” Twilight explained quickly, “She had to do some serious covering up when you appeared here. Howling like a timber wolf doesn’t help that.”
Logan’s ears had already been flattening in suspicion, but when Twilight brought up ‘covering up,' Logan’s hackles started to bare. 
“What do you mean ‘covering up?’” he growled softly. 
“She wasn’t sure if you were a Diamond Dog,” Twilight said, “Or something just as dangerous. She didn’t want knowledge about you to get out until we really knew what was going on. She thought it would be for the best if your existence was kept quiet.” 
Even as she spoke, a suspicious glare grew on Logan’s face. “Well, ain’t that thoughtful of her,” he said sarcastically.
Twilight frowned. “She didn’t have to do that, you know.”
“Then why’d she do it?” he growled, staring Twilight down. Rainbow Dash and Applejack gave worried looks, both already preparing to defend their friend. Logan noticed their stances and relaxed by a fraction, backing up from Twilight.
“I don’t need some royal’s help,” he snarled, trying to limp back outside, “I’ll find my pack on my own.”   
“Logan, wait,” Fluttershy exclaimed, “You’re still recovering. And besides that… how old are you? You can’t…”
“I’m not some just-born pup. Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do,” Logan snapped, though he visibly toned himself down when he locked eyes with Fluttershy. “I don’t trust royals. And this Celestia person is sounding like…”  
“Er, fella,” Applejack interrupted, a slightly annoyed look on her face, “I think you’d better call her ‘Princess Celestia,’ if ya don’t mind.” 
Logan’s face contorted into a mask of defiance. “She’s not my princess,” he growled. 
“Well, just outta plain respect,” Rainbow Dash reinforced.
“But I don’t respect her,” Logan replied.
Seven pairs of jaws slammed into the floor.
“A-Are you serious?” Twilight exclaimed, “Princess Celestia’s the ruler of Equestria. She’s the pagan Goddess of the sun, and…”
“Sounds like a hopped-up tyrant to me,” Logan replied, nearly sending Twilight into conniptions. He turned away, ignoring the livid gazes of Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow Dash. 
“Now-now, everyone wait,” Pinkie Pie said quickly, “Before we get to the yelling and the screaming, let’s remember; Logi hasn’t met Princess Celestia yet.”
Logan glanced back, his ears flicking in conflicting anger at her nickname, and appreciation for her support.
“And I’ll bet that when they meet,” Pinkie Pie said, “They’ll be the best of friends.”
Logan’s expression turned deadpan. “Don’t count on it,” he said instantly. 
“B-But why?” Twilight insisted, “She’s the kindest mare in Equestria. You can’t just…”
“I don’t know Celestia from a hole in the ground,” Logan shot back, “Unless she walks through this door and gives me something to respect— “
At that moment, he opened the door to the clinic, only to find Princess Celestia herself standing before her. 
“Oh my… Princess Celestia,” Twilight exclaimed, quickly bowing to her. The others did as well, though Logan stayed on his paws. Though, to be fair, the alicorn hadn’t acknowledged her student either. She kept her eyes locked on Logan’s, and for a minute, the wolf and the alicorn just examined each other. The wolf was slightly smaller than the mares, the alicorn dwarfing him in comparison. Yet the wolf still held himself with a defiant air that seemed to give him another foot in attitude. Despite his defiant air, his ears were flared up as he took in both wings and a horn on this new horse. 
Eventually, the silence was broken.
“So?” he said.
“So?” she parroted, “You are the result of the spell?”
Logan’s ears flattened, his eyes narrowing, “Listen, lady,” he growled, “When I passed out, my pack and I were being chased down by some really bad people. Now I’m here, my priceless jacket was shredded, and my pack is gone. You helping me with any of that, or no?”
The goddess simply turned back to the clinic he had come from and gave a slight nod. Rainbow Dash acted fast, grabbing Logan by the tail and dragging him back into the clinic, even as he started to fume in anger and confusion. As they made way, Celestia walked in and closed the door. She then turned back to the rest of them. 
“I want all of you to listen carefully,” she said, “What I am about to explain is not to leave this room.”
“We understand, Princess,” Twilight said. 
Logan’s eyes narrowed. “Where is this going?” he growled, “Where is my pack?” 
Celestia looked back at the wolf and sighed. “It’s come to my understanding that you are an intelligent creature. Am I correct?”
“That depends,” Logan noted, “Do I look like I want to be jerked around?” 
As Applejack and Twilight stared at Logan in shock and anger for his rather condescending answer, Celestia just smiled, amused. 
“Personally, I think you look like a Diamond Dog," Celestia replied, causing Logan to deflate with resignation, "But, hopefully, you’ll be able to take what I am about to say with a bit of the dignity and grace that they lack.” 
Logan growled, but said nothing. Celestia just turned to the others. 
“Now, before anything, you must understand that not even I am fully aware of what magic is capable of. I do not have total control over it, and like the best of us, I make mistakes.”
Logan tilted his head, intrigued at her admitting her mistakes, then noticed Twilight looking rather scandalized at the idea of her beloved teacher doing wrong. Logan nearly snickered, despite himself, until Celestia continued.  
“During an experiment, I stumbled upon something; a strong magical force that began sucking the magic out of the room. I do not understand its nature, nor what caused it to appear. It just did.” 
Logan’s eyes widened, while the other six listened with rapt attention. 
“I used all my power to stop the outflow and I succeeded… in a sense. The forces’ ‘pull,’ so to speak, became a ‘push,’ if you will, and all the magic it was absorbing released all over Equestria. I was unfortunately unaware of what the ramifications were at the moment.” 
“Oh, no,” Logan breathed before she could continue, “You created a portal between this place and wherever I was, and pulled me through, didn’t you?” 
The others looked at him with awe. “How did you…?” Twilight started to ask. 
“The people my pack were running from,” Logan stammered, “They were trying to make some sort of portal. They needed throw-away lives to use on it, and found us.” He started to glare around at them, “You guys said you knew humans? Were you in on this?” 
Fluttershy was thankfully the first to respond. 
“No,” she said firmly, “I don’t know what the people you were fighting were planning, but I promise you, we weren’t involved with any of their plans.” 
Logan stared into Fluttershy’s eyes, as if he was looking for dishonesty. Apparently, he didn’t find any, as he turned back to Celestia. 
“Then… where’s the way back?” he asked cautiously, “I need to get back to the others… unless they’re already here.” 
“No one else from your world is here,” Celestia replied, “I saw to that myself.” 
Logan’s ears flared. “What do you mean?” he asked, his voice quiet. The others chanced worried glances at him.
“You see, after you were pulled through, the portal on my end collapsed. And considering what little I saw, I don’t believe I’d open it again if I could.” 
“But…” Logan stammered, “My pack’s still back there. I need to get back to them.”  
“I’m sorry,” Celestia said, “But it’s too much of a risk.”
Logan’s eye twitched. “So… just let me…” he muttered, limping away from her, “Let me process this.” He turned back, “Because you messed around with magic and allowed those discount apes to complete their stupid project, I have to live the rest of my life away from the only people who ever cared about me?!”
Celestia kept a straight face. “Come now, it’s hardly that bad,” she commented, “You could have ended up somewhere worse.” 
Logan turned away at first, his head jerking in a strange nodding motion. 
“We’ve had plenty of visitors like you before,” Celestia continued, “And given time, you’d be more than capable of making a home for yourself here…”
Before she could even continue, the wolf spun around, and bit Celestia right in her smiling face.