Misty's eyes slowly slid open, the dull glow of a small campfire illuminating her tired form. She felt warm and cozy, snuggled up in some warm blanket near the flickering flames. Her eyes began to close again before snapping open, the memory of earlier events filling her mind.
Looking back, Misty saw that the comfortable blanket she was covered with was a thick, white fur cloak. It was denser than any animal's hide she had ever seen, matted with blood and dirt in spots. Turning her head, she saw the creature that saved her sitting with his legs crossed in a way that made her a little squeamish, his metal, perpetually snarling face angled towards the ground.
Misty stared at the creature, examining his form as he presumably slept. The metal plates covering his body were well-worn, marks of cuts and dents covered almost every inch of the surface. The spots decorated with a fur similar to the cloak over her petite form was similarly messy with blood and grime.
"Rest" The creature said without raising his head, startling Misty, her breath catching in her throat.
"I- I-" Misty stuttered, unable to form a cohesive sentence.
"You are lucky to be alive right now" He said bluntly, reminding Misty of the mutilated corpses of her unit further in the woods.
"Rest" He repeated.
"Thank you" Misty finally said.
The creature remained silent, unmoving from its cross-legged position.
"W-who are you?" Misty asked, quickly following that question with another "Or what are you?"
The creature sighed and stood up, grabbing ahold of his axe, the worn weapon almost as large as she was.
"The fire is dying. I will fetch us more wood" He said plainly, ignoring Misty's interrogation.
"But-" Misty made to protest, but fell silent when the lifeless eyes of the wolf stared at her.
He didn't say another word before turning his back on Misty again and disappearing into the darkness of the Everfree Forest, leaving Misty alone in the clearing.
Misty's panic slowly grew, now abandoned by the dying fire. Her ears turned and perked to any and all sounds, all manner of nightmarish creatures forming in her imagination to every twig snapped or rustle of leaves. Misty pulled the heavy furs over her body tighter, covering her ears, trying to deafen the noises of the forest around her. She waited for what felt like hours, time slowly sliding by as she watched the flames die to embers, leaving all but the tip of her snout in darkness. Misty thought to call out to her unusual savior, but decided against drawing attention to herself, opting to lie there and wait, watching the embers pulse orange and red.
Finally, just as Misty thought she was once again alone in these forsaken woods, did the creature emerge from the woods. His arms laden with dead wood, his axe attached to his back, he made his way back to their small camp and added fuel to the fire. The old wood caught almost instantly, bringing back the light and warmth of before, Misty letting out a sigh of relief she didn't even realize she was holding.
"Vvulf" The creature said without warning, Misty's eyes growing wide with fear as she scanned the treeline.
"Wolf? Where?" She asked, her panicked look changing to one of confusion as she heard an amused snort from the creature.
"No, my name" He clarified, "It's Vvulf"
"Vvulf? Is there... Is there any more to your name?" Misty asked, wording the question as politely as she could, not wanting to offend the thing that saved her life.
"No" Vvulf replied bluntly, staring into the crackling fire.
The two of them sat there in silence, both just staring absentmindedly into the dancing flames. After a few moments of the awkward silence, Misty spoke up again, looking up at Vvulf cautiously.
"Vvulf?" Misty asked, Vvulf remaining silent, but perking his head up slightly.
"What are you?"
"Not your enemy" Vvulf answered with slight irritation.
Misty took that as the cue to stop interrogating Vvulf, lest his answer change. She opted to take Vvulf's advice and rest, her legs and hooves still ached from running away from the hydra. Misty slipped off into the land of sleep and dreams.
Misty ran for her life, the wicked cackle of demons behind her. She tried her hardest to escape the entities that were pursuing her, too terrified to even look back, but no matter how hard she tried to run she just couldn't move any faster than a sluggish wade. Looking down, Misty realized in horror that she was barrel deep in viscera, chunks of mutilated flesh and an ocean of blood threatened to consume her. The screams of pain and terror and grew louder and louder as the evil sounds of the creatures chasing her drew nearer, her hooves beginning to sink into the sea of gore below.
Misty let out a soundless scream as she sunk deeper and deeper into the mass of crimson, the sky soaked in the blood red hue as the fluid filler her lungs. She closed her eyes and cried, choking on the viscous flow filling every cavity in her tired body.
But just as she was about to fully give in to her fate, she felt herself being lifted upwards. The ground beneath her slowly rose up, bringing her out of the endless ocean of gore. Misty coughed up the crimson fluid in her lungs, vomiting it up onto the black platform below her.
Misty looked at her small standing of safety, realizing it to be the rough leather, she peered upwards. There above her, with her in his gigantic palm, was the snarling facade of Vvulf, staring down at her.
"Most interesting indeed" A familiar, female voice mused from behind Misty.
Misty turned to see none other than Princess Luna flapping her large wings lazily, hovering just past the gigantic metal claws of Vvulf.
"Your royal highness!" Misty exclaimed, quickly bowing her head in respect.
"At peace, Our little pony," Luna soothed, waving a hoof over Misty, all but the enlarged Vvulf disappearing into a still, black void.
"Tell me, what is this creature?" Luna asked, looking up and down the armored goliath with intrigue.
"He- He's uh..." Misty stuttered dumbly.
"Oh, a stallion?" Luna asked, her interest piqued.
"Doest this creature have a name, a title?"
"Vvulf" Misty replied mindlessly before quickly correcting herself, "His name is Vvulf, your majesty"
"An interesting name for an interesting creature" Luna hummed, flying up to float before Vvulf's permanently snarling facade.
"Prithee, what manner of beast is this 'Vvulf'?" Luna asked, looking down at Misty below.
"I... I don't know, your majesty" Misty admitted shyly.
"I see" Luna hummed.
"Perhaps We should ask him Ourselves. Pray tell, where art thou?"
"Somewhere near Ponyville in the Everfree Forest, your majesty" Misty replied, giving the princess of the night her location as best she could.
"We thank thee, Commander Glory," Luna said, flying down to float at eye-level with Misty.
"Remain with this 'Vvulf'. We shalt send an escort of soldiers once the morning arrives and We have convened with Our sister"
"Thank you, your majesty" Misty said with another bow.
"Now, Our little pony, rest in peaceful dreams" Luna said, her horn illuminating with a deep blue glow that grew to consume the entirety of Misty's dreamscape.
Misty's remainder of sleep went by peacefully, dreams of the sweet candies and hard ale she enjoyed back home coming along with other pleasant things. She enjoyed the respite after everything that had happened, happily losing herself in the moment and allowing the magic of Luna's dream altering spell to wash over her.
Misty's eyes cracked open, the beginning slivers of daylight dancing between the trees. She rubbed her eyes with a hoof, clearing the grime and sleep from them before sitting up, the heavy furs falling to drape over her withers.
"You're awake" Vvulf said, his back to Misty as he tightened a strap on his forearm.
"Good"
"You- You're still here" Misty said, almost in disbelief that he wasn't some figment of a dream.
"Yes" Vvulf replied, standing and walking back to his axe embedded in the dirt next to the now-dead fire.
Misty watched as Vvulf reached to his hip and pulled a rectangular stone from a small pouch she hadn't noticed earlier. Vvulf set to work, taking a cross-legged seat and pulling his axe from the earth, laying it across his lap. In long, slow strokes, Vvulf ran the stone along the edge of his axe, sharpening the rugged blade. Misty sat and watched, amazed by how easy he manipulated the small object in his talons, leagues more dexterously than any other creature and possibly even a magical grasp.
"Is there a settlement nearby?" Vvulf asked, getting Misty's attention.
"What?" Misty asked, having not payed attention to Vvulf's abrupt question.
"You weren't equipped like a traveling force, so you must've been on a patrol from a nearby settlement, yes?" Vvulf asked rhetorically in his gruff, monotone voice, while still continuing to sharpen his axe.
"Where is it, the settlement you came from?"
"Why do you need to know?" Misty asked, growing suspicious of her blunt companion's intent.
"To return you to your kind" Vvulf replied, checking the edge of his weapon with his thumb while holding it up to the wolf's snout to inspect it more closely.
"What?" Misty asked, confused as to why Vvulf wanted to escort her back
"Why?"
"Unimportant" Vvulf replied, attaching the sharpened axe to his back.
"Is it far?"
"N-no, not too far" Misty replied, standing and taking ahold of Vvulf's fur cloak he had lent her with her magic.
Vvulf snatched the cloak from Misty's magical grasp, the energy dissipating as the object was torn away.
"You're welcome" Misty said with a hint of sass, clearly upset slightly at Vvulf's behavior.
"Thank you" Vvulf replied, fastening the cloak to his shoulders using a pair of simple metal clasps.
"Now, lead the way"
Misty let out a sigh, but rose to the order nonetheless. It was slightly demeaning, a pony of her position being ordered around by this foreign creature like she was a cadet back in training. Misty ignored the thought as the idea of a hot bath and a hard drink came to mind back at the fort. With a slight pep in her trot, Misty lead the way back through the Everfree Forest, Vvulf following shortly behind her.
It didn't take Misty very long to get back to the fort, the stone keep visible through the trees as they grew nearer. The sun had risen into the sky completely, the light cutting through the usually ominous forest to create a pleasant scene.
"This is where I leave you" Vvulf said as they neared the clearing surrounding the fort.
"What?! Why?!" Misty exclaimed as Vvulf turned and began to walk back into the Everfree Forest.
"I have no place amongst your kind" Vvulf replied plainly, trudging off into the woods.
Vvulf stopped, feeling resistance on his left leg. Looking down, he could see the hooves of Misty wrapped around his armored calf.
"What is it?" Vvulf asked coldly, staring down at Misty, causing a shiver to run down her back.
"You've been requested for an audience with their royal majesties, Princess Luna and Princess Celestia" Misty replied professionally, staring up at the snarling wolf face confidently.
"I don't meddle in politics" Vvulf said, beginning to move with Misty still clinging to his leg.
"It's a royal summons, you have to answer it" Misty retorted, appalled at how disrespectful Vvulf was being.
"Why?" Vvulf asked plainly, his monotone voice and attitude beginning to irritate Misty.
"Because they are The Princesses, rightful rulers of Equestria" Misty explained, trying her best to not grind her teeth in frustration.
"I'm no citizen of theirs" Vvulf stated matter-of-factly.
"True, but thou'st are still within Our borders" A motherly voice mused.
Both Misty and Vvulf turned to face the speaker. There, escorted by their royal guards, stood both Princess Luna and Princess Celestia, the latter of which having spoken and now had a coy smile on her snout. Misty immediately released Vvulf and dropped into a low bow, her snout almost touching the dirt.
"Your Majesties" Misty greeted with the utmost respect.
"Greetings" Vvulf said as if he was speaking to a commoner, not the two ruling forces of the land.
"The disrespect of this creature-" One of the royal guards grumbled, but was stopped by a single raised hoof by Celestia.
"Come now," Celestia said with a kind expression, "He is not privy to our traditions, an honest mistake of a misinformed foreigner"
"Now, Sir knight Vvulf-" Luna began.
"I'm not" Vvulf interrupted, all but Celestia looking at him with a mortified expression.
"T-thou art not... what?" Luna asked, quickly composing herself after Vvulf's outburst.
"A knight" Vvulf replied plainly, standing and staring at the group of ponies.
"Then... Prithee, what art thou?" Luna asked, staring into the hollow eyes of the snarling wolf.
"I am who I am," Vvulf replied bluntly, "Nothing more, nothing less"
"At least thou art a humble... Male, might We presume?" Celestia guessed.
"Correct" Vvulf gave a curt not, Misty looking back and forth between the princesses and Vvulf, her jaw slack with disbelief.
"Then good Sir Vvulf, might thou join Us for a conversation?" Celestia requested politely.
"Aren't we conversing now?" Vvulf asked, rhetorically, causing Celestia to shake her head and smile to herself.
"Thou certainly art an interesting creature, Sir Vvulf" Celestia sighed, amused.
"Mightest We converse in private?"
Vvulf simply gave another curt nod. Celestia turned to the guards and gave them a calm nod, the golden-armored ponies giving a bow before stepping away, remaining close enough to come to their princesses' aid if need be.
"That wouldst include thou as well, Commander" Luna said to Misty, bringing the mare back to reality.
"Thou'st done well, Our condolences to the loss of thine ponies"
Both Luna and Celestia gave Misty a respectful bow of their heads, making the mare's cheeks flush red.
"Go and recover thineself, thou hast earned respite. Go and drink to their memories, may they never be forgotten" Celestia said in her motherly tone.
"By your orders, your majesties" Misty said with a relieved smile, giving them another deep bow before trotting off towards the fort, turning one last time to see Vvulf standing before the princesses before heading inside.
"Sir Vvulf," Luna started, Vvulf staring blankly at them with his snarling facade.
"Pray, do tell what creature thou art"
"It's unimportant" Vvulf replied bluntly.
Luna opened her mouth to object to Vvulf's refusal to answer her question, but the touch of Celestia's wing to her back calmed her temper.
"If thoust deem it so, then so it will be" Celestia said, looking to Luna as well.
"But on to an important matter, Sir Vvulf"
"What is it?" Vvulf asked, still giving not even a sliver of the royal treatment to the princesses.
"It is a matter of the kingdom, a matter of war, specifically" Celestia said grimly.
"I'm listening" Vvulf said, something in his voice and posture perking up at the mention of conflict.
Celestia and Luna felt a shiver run down their spine at the sudden interest this foreign creature showed at the mention of war, his well-worn axe and armor telling them he was no stranger to the violence of battle.
"We wouldst like to conscript thee to fight for Equestria and the ponies within" Luna explained, finally realizing the type of stallion this Vvulf was. He wanted the details in quick and simple order, he wasn't dumb, mind you, but just a stallion that wanted to get to the point.
"What's the pay?" Vvulf asked, crossing his arms over his wide, armored chest.
"300 crowns, with 100 crowns to be paid to thee on the fortnight and every fortnight thereafter" Celestia replied, taking after her sister and delivering the information Vvulf wanted quickly and clearly.
Luna shot a glance at her sister, a look of disbelief in her eyes. To pay a creature so eager for bloodshed twice that of their own soldiers? The idea was madness, but the knowing nod from Celestia calmed Luna's disapproval, clearly her sister had reason for such a bountiful pay.
"Are the terms to your approval?" Luna asked, turning back to look at Vvulf.
For a few moments, there was silence. The Princesses waited in well-contained suspense to their potential ally's answer. If he agreed to fight for their kingdom, perhaps they could still turn this war around. Or at the very least, save pony lives.
"Yes" Vvulf replied coldly, uncrossing his arms and stepping forward to loom over the princesses. The royal guards tensed, ready to go to their princesses' aid if need be.
"But you've bought a mercenary, not a citizen"
"We understand, Sir Vvulf" Celestia replied with a small nod, retaining her composure with the eyes of the wolf staring down at her.
"Good" Vvulf said, crossing his arms.
"Now tell me more of this war"