The chains clinked idly against the wall where the white wolf sat. Her snow-colored fur was stained with dirt and blood, and her haunted dark brown eyes stared vacantly at the wall, morosely counting bricks until the next torturer made their appearance. Her main restraint may have been a collar attached to the aforementioned chains, but she saw the shadows of guards outside. The various scars and cuts across her body were more than enough proof of what those ponies and others like them could do, and the wolf wisely stayed where she was.
But staying quiet and obedient could only work for so long, and in time, the cell door unlocked. The white wolf glanced up as her next tormentor entered: a purple unicorn, around the same size as the wolf. Her violent eyes were narrowed in an attempt to look intimidating, but she couldn’t hide the nervous swish of her sapphire blue tail, or the flash of doubt in her violent eyes.
The wolf sighed, and turned her head, waiting for the first blow to come.
“Do you know who I am?” the unicorn finally asked.
The wolf shifted. “Twilight?” she asked.
“Twilight Sparkle,” she corrected. “Personal student of Princess Celestia; Sol Invictus, Diarch and Ruler of Equestria. And I’m here on the authority of Princess Luna, Ruler of your Holy Moon and Lunar Diarch of Equestria.”
The wolf gave her a confused look. “I don’t worship the moon,” she said.
Twilight paused. “Y-You don’t?” she asked. She tilted her head. “Actually, what kind of religion do you…?”
A knock on the cell door made her jump, and she forced her face back into a grimace.
“I-I mean, likely story, for a murderer like you,” she said. “If it was up to the Princesses, you’d be banished to Tartarus for what you did.”
The wolf glared up at her, dark brown eyes narrowed. The unicorn sighed.
“But…” she admitted, pausing again. “There’s a lot we don’t know about you. So, you’re going to tell us.”
Shiva rolled her eyes and looked away. Twilight glanced nervously at the door before clearing her throat.
“First off,” she started. “Who are you?”
The wolf barely looked at her. “Shiva.”
A beat of silence followed.
“Shiva?” she asked.
“You expecting something else?” she asked. “White Fang, perhaps? Or Black Fang? Blood Drinker? Something evil so you can justify beating me?” She huffed. “No. Just Shiva. Or White Wolf if you want.”
Twilight looked back at the cell door again. The wolf wanted to laugh at the confusion in her eyes, but knew that would probably lead to another beating. So, she muffled her snort into another sigh, and glanced over at the wall.
“Do not play games with me, ‘Shiva!’” Twilight declared, hefting her horn at the wolf. “Answer my questions! Who are you…?”
“Answered that already,” Shiva muttered.
“…why are you here, and why did you murder innocent ponies?”
“Innocent?!”
Shiva looked up, her eyes turning black with rage. Her fur began to glow as well, though the collar glowed as well. Whatever power she had, it was sucked into the collar, leaving her helpless as two guards rushed in and blasted her with spells. The wolf hit the ground with a pained yelp.
“Stop!” Twilight yelled, waving a hoof at the guards.
They stopped firing, but still glowered at Shiva as she tried to pull herself up. Twilight gave her a pained look, once again twisting it into a grimace.
“A-As you can see,” she said, her voice failing at being intimidating. “You’re not going anywhere unless you cooperate.”
Shiva growled, shaking her head as Twilight positioned herself between her and the guards.
“Now, let’s try again,” she said. “Why are you here?”
Shiva glowered up at her. “You probably know as well as I do,” she said.
Twilight cocked an eyebrow, and motioned for her to continue. Shiva glared at the guards again, before reluctantly beginning her story.