//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Some Welcoming Party // Story: Lycanthropony // by Amazing Ups //------------------------------// Blurry thoughts clouded my mind, flying this way and that way in my head. Every time I tried to catch hold of one, it flew farther from my grasp, and I would reach out even further, but in the end I was alone and cold, a prisoner of my own subconscious. I tried to focus on my happy place, tried to go to that Zen-like state. I tried to grab at it furiously, wanting some sort of help, some sort of release… Boop. I suddenly found myself wide-awake, staring straight into the eyes of a dirty, scraggly looking young colt, just about my age. His bright green eyes burned into mine, and his brown coat and spiky yellow mane were full of tangles. I pulled back my hoof, as his disgruntled face told me nose touching was not the way to start off a friendship in his book. I looked around hazily, trying to figure out where I was as the pony eyed me suspiciously. I sprang from the ground, looking around manically. I absorbed my surroundings, my eyes flitting all around the small forest clearing I found myself in. The sunshine filtered through the trees in a marvelous way, high in the sky. Judging from the sun’s position in the sky it was around mid-afternoon. All the while the strange pony looked rather taken aback at me. He inhaled deeply, as if to call out an alarm. “Moon Catcher, you better come check this out!” I slammed my hoof over his mouth. “Shhhh!!” I motioned for him to zip it. What was he thinking, yelling like that in the middle of the Everfree Forest? He could get us both killed! He obviously didn’t think so. He pushed me off of him and shouted, “Get off me you freak!” I changed my attitude immediately. “Okay, okay, please be quiet, I can’t let anyone find…” “Lux?” A delicate voice resonated from within the brush. “What’s the matter?” A beautiful maroon and black mare stepped from out of the bushes, a basket full of some sort of berries balanced perfectly on her back. “Oh my.” She frowned a little. “Lux, who’s your…your friend?” She asked nervously. “She’s not…an outsider is she?” “I don’t think so. She looks like one though.” He gave me a few sniffs. “Something about her scent. We should report her to the elders immediately.” “No, Lux!” The supposed “Moon Catcher” said. “They might kill her! You know how they can be about anything they find even remotely threatening!” The whole time while the two ponies argued, I stood back in confusion, thinking to myself. What happened last night? Who were these mysterious ponies? And what did they mean by “outsider?” The two had calmed down a bit. Their bantering reached a standstill. The older pony asked a question aimed at no one in particular. “Well if we don’t know her, and she’s not an outsider, then where could she have come from?” “That’s for the elders to decide.” A deep voice rumbled from somewhere behind me. Next think I knew, I was unconscious once again. *** “Hey. Shortstuff. Wake up.” I opened my eyes reluctantly. I found myself bound at the hooves, being dragged by the mysterious deep voice I had earlier. Surprisingly, its embodiment was small in stature, but obviously strong enough to carry me. He had a tan colored coat, splattered by brown spots that matched his mane. His brown eyes had a sort of ferocious, fiery passion about them. It looked like our journey had taken most of the day. The sun hung low in the sky, painting the horizon vivid colors of pink and As we trailed along, I noticed I was being taken through a village of sorts. Ponies of all shapes and sizes went about their business, but many stopped and stared at me. Little fillies and colts ogled me as I went by, and so did the older ponies. It was safe to assume I was an “outsider” at this point. As my captor began to slow down, I heard the rush of running water nearby. I looked up from wear I laid, the back of some strange pony, to see I was in a truly beautiful place. Willow trees hung down everywhere, water trickled down the rock face surrounding the enclosed pool of water, and lily pads sat in full bloom. I was so thirsty… My thoughts were interrupted by the same harsh voice that shook me so roughly a few minutes ago. “Master Viridian.” He bowed deeply, and threw me out in front of him. I rolled towards the edge of the water, and looked around. As far as I could see, we were the only ponies around. “Master Viridian,” he said again, “I’m terribly sorry, but this is a problem of utmost importance.” I scoured the area for signs of life. All I could see were some turtles, storks, and frogs. Was this “Master” behind one of the many waterfalls perhaps? Then I gasped as I saw two of the animals, a frog and a stork, morph into ponies before my very eyes. That’s…that’s impossible! “Silence, youngling.” The frog-pony, his fur patterns matching the colors of his skin just moments before. “Master Viridian is deep within meditation, and cannot be bothered now.” “I am truly sorry for breaking your concentration, Master Azul, but as I was patrolling the farthest of our land’s borders this morning I found this…outsider.” He spat out the word with contempt. Master Azul, the frog-pony elder, stayed cool and collected. He raised his eyes with interest. The stork-pony looked rather flustered. “It must be dealt with immediately!” He shouted. “Calm yourself, Master Albus.” Master Azul said. “This is a delicate situation. We must handle it so.” He placed his eyes on me. “This outsider…it was alone?” “No. I found it with Moon Catcher and her brother Lux.” “Were you following her again?” Master Albus interjected. My captor flushed ever so slightly red. “I believed her and Lux to be up to no good. Their gathering trips have been very lengthy of late, and I suspect they had something to do with this outsider…” “Don’t be ridiculous. What motive have they to bring an outsider here? My question is, how did it find us…we are well hidden within the Everfree. Why, something like this hasn’t happened in hundreds of years. No, not since the very first-“ Master Azul stopped his train of thought. “You child. How did you get here?” I shook wear I laid on the ground, frightened by the sudden attention. “I-I don’t remember…” The sun was going down, reflecting its final ray’s off the water and into my eyes. I felt blinded, confused. “Untie her at once. Think child. What happened to you last night?” Master Azul’s eyes searched me for answers, as if he stared hard enough I would spill the contents of my mind. “Relax. Think back. Yesterday was what they call Heart’s Warming Eve where you come from, was it not?” “Um..I don’t…” I rubbed the spots wear my hooves had been tied together. I was so tired, so thirsty. “And it was the night of the full moon, was it not?” Master Albus inquired. “I can’t..” “Was it not?” “Please leave me alone…” “ANSWER THEM, OUTSIDER!” The same harsh voice pierced my yet ears again. “Stop yelling at me.” My timidity morphed into ire. Master Azul looked rather embarrassed. “I’m sorry child, our friend here can get rather passionate sometimes-” “WHO SENT YOU?!” The pony slapped the back of my head, as if to knock the knowledge out of me by force. My head burned with confusion, sadness, and fear, but most of all, anger. I turned around to face him, contempt in my eyes. Though short in stature, he was still slightly taller than me. He used that to his advantage. The moon was just now appearing over the sky, shining down into the enclosure that I stood in oh so defiantly. It shined just the same as the night before. Just as brightly. Just as boldly. Just as fully. “I will ask you once more. Why. Are. You. Here.” I smiled with my dagger-like teeth that sprouted from my mouth. The memories of last night filled my head. The feral instincts took over my body once more. I let loose with the wolf inside me once again, preparing to maul every last one of these poor saps; But before I could tear into the arrogant pony before me, a hoof from behind hit me in just the right spot, and I fell to the ground, motionless. Master Azul frowned, looked down on me, and let out a sigh. “Perhaps some questions are best left unanswered.”