It was a cool fall day in Ponyville, an icy breeze that hinted at a winter soon to come blew through the few remaining brightly colored leaves that remained on the twisted branches of trees that lay between the rustic buildings that populated the town.
Despite the cold, sweat beaded on Rainbow Dash's face as the chromatic pegasus hurtled through the air, wings straining for every bit of strength she could muster. Her surroundings blurred past her as the wind whipped through her namesake mane and tail. Just a little further and...yes!
A cool mist enveloped her hooves as she flared out her wings and alighted on a pearly whisp of cloud, breathing sharply. She tucked in her wings and sat, smirking as she gazed back the way she had come.
Only seconds later a white feathered gryphon with a brown coat joined her, sides heaving as she tucked in her wings and turned to sit next to Rainbow.
"Heh, looks like I win again, Gilda!" Rainbow chuckled, holding up her foreleg.
The gryphon rolled her eyes, but reached out a claw and made a fist to bump against the outstretched hoof. "Like I ever had a chance, Dash."
"Aw, this was just a warmup anyway, I bet you can at least tie me on the way back." Rainbow responded as she stood and flexed her wings in anticipation.
The retort Gilda was about to make was interrupted as her stomach let out a deep rumble, reminding her that it was well into the afternoon at this point and they had both missed lunch.
"Hold that thought, I'm gonna need to grab a bite before we do anymore."
"Yeahhh." Rainbow Dash sighed. "I suppose I could go for something myself. Mind if I join you this time?
"We've been over this before Dash, wouldn't want to make you all squeamish. I know how you ponies get around meat..."
"Pfft, you're talking to the bravest pegasus there is! Do you really think I'll be bothered by that? Besides, I'd rather hang out instead of breaking up our visits like this."
"No Dash, and that's final. I'll meet you back at your place in a bit." With that she dropped off the cloud and glided down into the town below.
"Hmmph, who does she even think I am?" Dash muttered. She was curious though. Where did Gilda even find meat around here? Hopefully she wasn't poaching any of Fluttershy's poor animals, or anypony else's pets for that matter. She thought Gilda had turned herself around after that first unpleasant visit, but she still wouldn't put it past her. Well, only one way to make sure. She thought, and jumped down to follow.
Scanning around as she glided, Rainbow soon spotted the fuzzy brown tip of Gilda's tail as it disappeared around a corner. "Gotcha."
Landing, Rainbow made sure to keep a bit of a distance, dodging behind crates and carts as she moved forward in bounds and dashes, doing her best to make sure she wasn't spotted. She grew more puzzled as Gilda turned onto another side street.
"Where is she going? There aren't any shops this way, and there's no way she's hunting anything in town..." Rainbow whispered to herself.
Turning yet another corner, her eyes widened as she saw Gilda trot into a house, right on the tail of an indigo coated earth pony with a frizzy purple mane. This was getting weirder by the minute. She didn't know the mare by name, but she did know that she was in the business of brewing various alcoholic drinks, and was quite good at it from the few samples she'd had. But that was a far cry from food, much less anything that would satisfy a gryphon's pallet.
Rainbow was almost tempted to follow them in, even though it meant being found out, and was even halfway to the door when she heard the lock click shut in front of her. This gave her pause as she was stopped in her tracks, but she would not be deterred.
The house had a window not too far from the door, and though it was a logos bit off the ground, it should look into the same room they had entered into. Walking over, she had to stand on her rear hooves, and pull herself up a bit with her forelegs, and she was able to just barely peek over the edge of the window sill. When she did, her breath caught at what she saw.
The mare had caught sight of Gilda at this point, and was slowly backing away when the gryphon shot forward and swept her forelegs up in her talons. As soon as she had them in her grasp, she clasped them together firmly and opened her beak wide, quickly stuffing them in.
“Wh..what are you doing!? Somepony h..mmph.” The mare started, but was silenced as Gilda freed a hand and wrapped it over the mare’s muzzle.
“Ah ah none of that. Food doesn’t talk.” Gilda grunted around the mares legs before pulling them deeper with her other hand.
The mare struggled, digging her rear legs into the floor in an attempt to pull herself free, but to no effect. The larger gryphon was clearly several times stronger, and the mare’s hooves simply slid along the floor as she was pulled forward, her eyes wide in panic.
“There’s no way she can possibl…” Rainbow’s mutters were stilled as the mare’s head was pulled in, and Gilda’s beak stretched even wider, easily accommodating it. She released her grip on the mare’s muzzle, but time only allowed for a brief gasp before her face was pressed into the waiting throat and engulfed with a wet ‘gulp.’
Rainbow knew she should do something. Smash through the window, run to get help, shout, anything! But she could only stare transfixed, as if some great force held her in place, trembling, and unable to tear her eyes from the impossible scene playing out in front of her.
The mare’s head had completely disappeared at this point, as well as her neck, and Gilda’s claws now rested firmly on the mare’s hindquarters. She gulped furiously as she pulled the mare in, her throat working one end, while her claws pulled from the other. In no time the mare was in up to her belly as the gryphon’s throat bulged out in a giant mass that moved slowly but steadily downward as the gulps continued.
Gilda had to lean forward as her beak continued working its way down the pony until it pressed against the floor with a soft ‘click.’
She leaned back again, tilting her head upward as a pair of hooves, and finally the last bit of frizzy purple tail disappeared inside, and she closed her beak firmly, resting a claw on her throat and tracing the last of the bulge as it travelled down and disappeared into her chest as her belly ballooned out obscenely beneath her, rounding out her sides as it wiggled and shook from the struggling form within.
She…she’s still alive in there!” Rainbow gasped. Suddenly aware of her outburst, she ducked down for a moment, ears flattened to her head and breathing heavily as she waited a few moments in fear she could’ve been heard. Taking a moment to pull herself together, she crept back up to sneak another peek.
Gilda was tenderly tracing circles on her swollen belly as she admired it. It swayed side to side slightly, and small bulges could be seen as various parts of the mare pressed against it.
She gave it a few gentle pats as she spoke to it in a hushed voice that Rainbow had to strain against the glass to hear.
“Heh, just where you ponies belong. You know, you should be happy to be my meal. If only you could see how well you’ve filled me out.”
At one point Rainbow could swear she was even able to make out the mare’s face when Gilda have a little stretch that caused her belly to tighten even more. The trapped mare’s mouth appeared open wide in a terrified scream that was hopelessly muffled by the taught layers of flesh around it.
That last sight seemed to spur her into action as Rainbow hopped down. She took a few unsteady steps before opening her wings and taking to the sky. Her mind raced faster than her body as she cleared the buildings and streaked into the open sky. Should she tell somepony? Who? Would they even believe her? How could her friend be so cruel? Sure, she had seen her be rude and yell at her and her friends before, but that was nothing compared to this!
Well, she knew the mare was still alive for now. But what could she possibly do to help her? Unfortunately it seemed her body had more direction than her thoughts as she found herself in the doorway of her cloud home. Unable to collect the roiling storm of thoughts in her head, she simply paced in circles around her living room. Could she have imagined the whole thing? It didn’t really seem possible, or even conceivable.
Her face paled when a knock came at the door. How long had she been lost in her thoughts? She pulled the door open and Gilda trotted in, looking a little weary, but her face lit up in a smile when she saw Rainbow.
“Yo, I think my eyes may have been a bit bigger than my stomach, mind if I crash on your couch for a bit?” Gilda asked bluntly.
Rainbow couldn’t help but sneak a glance as her friend looked at her expectantly. Her belly was a good bit smaller now, with no signs of the lumps and contours the mare inside had made earlier. Though it did still sway under the gryphon a bit, there wasn’t any real movement from within, and no noises other than a barely audible groaning and gurgling. Well, I guess that means it’s too late. Rainbow thought glumly.
“What’s a matter Dash? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
The question made Rainbow realize she’d been staring, and she looked up with a start.
“Oh! Uh…nothing. Be my guest.” She answered, waving a hoof toward the couch.
“Sorry if I’m not up for hanging, but I had a big lunch and kinda need a nap. You have anything good?” Gilda asked as she walked over and sprawled out on her side
“Eh, nothing special.” Rainbow answered, not able to come up with anything better. Of course she hadn’t eaten at all, but that was better left unsaid.
Not that her answer really mattered either way. It looked like the gryphon was already passed out cold, her sides rising and falling slowly with the long breaths of sleep.
“Big meal my flank.” Rainbow muttered under her breath. She’d swallowed a pony whole! But if this was the norm for her, than why had she never come back like this before? Mind racing, Dash thought back to all the other times Gilda had been in Ponyville. She usually went off to eat on her own, had she just never noticed? But…wait…
Thinking back she vaguely remembered a few missing foal reports that were put out roughly around those times.The very idea made her feel sick to her stomach. What Gilda had just done was terrible, but if she’d been eating children all this time? Rainbow shuddered again.
Only half aware of what she was doing, Rainbow silently wandered over to the couch. Gilda still appeared to be fast asleep. Good. Against her better judgement she thought there could still be a chance. Cautiously, she leaned in and pressed an ear against that bloated belly as it rose and fell softly.
When she did all she could hear were distinct gurgles and sloshes as the gryphon’s stomach broke down whatever was left of that poor mare. No, it couldn’t be possible!
Any reasonable part of her mind left when she reached up a hoof to touch that belly, hoping to feel anything at all that would give her hope, but she screamed the second her hoof touched it when it was suddenly grabbed in the iron grip of one of Gilda’s talons.
Rainbow was pulled roughly until she was face to face with the smiling gryphon.
“I knew you were there the whole time Dash. Shame, it was good while it lasted.”
Gilda opened her beak wide, and Rainbow Dash screamed again as she was shoved forward until the wet pulsing walls of Gilda’s throat filled her vision, and darkness surrounded her.