Cry of the Cat
Danged Spell was in the head mare’s office. There was a look of disappointment on Princess Celestia’s face, and yet, the face of guilt as well. As for Danged Spell, all he had was a look of impatience.
Celestia took a seat and said “You know why you’re here, correct?”
“You basically wanted to humiliate me more?” Danged Spell said in a deadpan tone.
“No,” Celestia said as her voice led to disappointment. “I’m aware that you’ve been giving Wanda a hard time in class.”
“What’s so great about that monkey?” Danged Spell replied.
“That monkey is an individual with magic unlike anything you’ve seen,” Celestia replied as her tone was cold. “And she’s also my daughter. I’ve chosen to raise her so that she will realize her place here in Equestria. But that being said, you really need to choose your words carefully around her.”
“Why so?” Danged Spell asked, still unappreciative of Celestia scolding. “She’s just a little snowflake.”
“Everyone in Equestria is a snowflake, Danged Spell,” Celestia replied. “There are ponies and other creatures who are easily hurt by a poor choice of words. Even though your attitude shows that you don’t care for it, I expect you to be on your best behavior and to not use those kinds of words around Wanda. Understood?”
Reluctant, Danged Spell lets out a sigh before saying “Yeah. I will.”
But as Danged Spell got out of his seat and was about to walk off, Celestia said to him “I’m not done with you yet, young stallion.”
Danged Spell turned to face Celestia and said “And why is that?”
Celestia walks towards him and says “To give you an apology.”
Danged Spell’s attitude turned to both confusion and shock. He stared at Princess Celestia and said “Why are you apologizing to me?”
“As I stated, There are ponies and other creatures who are easily hurt by a poor choice of words,” Celestia stated as her face turned to self-shame. “Sadly, I stand as an example of one doing the hurting early in class. When I heard you mocking Wanda, I wanted to teach you a lesson by utilizing those same words that your parents used to rile you up. But...as you can tell...I overdid it.”
“I know you did,” Danged Spell said. “My mom and dad only tease me about it, even though I hate being called that.”
“I unintentionally humiliated you in class, and that was not a way to teach you a lesson,” Celestia continued. “As you proved a poor student in your first class, I proved a poor teacher. I’m terribly sorry.”
“Apology...accepted.” Danged Spell said, as his mood started to become a bit optimistic.
“Let’s just call this even, okay?” Celestia said as she rubbed on Danged Spell’s head. “Now run along. I have to talk to another student.”
Danged Spell’s mood had brightened up a bit. He shook his head to fix up his mane before walking towards the door. As he was about to walk out, Starlight Glimmer walks in with a somber look on her face.
“You alright?” Danged Spell asked Starlight. But the little filly could do nothing but walk past Danged Spell.
“It’s a long story,” Celestia said to Danged Spell before the latter walked out the door with a slight sigh.
Starlight Glimmer got up on the chair and looked at Princess Celestia. She was afraid, as if she got in trouble. But for some reason, Celestia wasn’t upset. But she was also concerned about the look on her face. And she knew exactly what to say.
“Starlight Glimmer,” Princess Celestia said to Starlight. “I was made aware of your depression early ago in class.”
“Y..yes your majesty,” Starlight said as she turned her head away in shame.
“There’s nothing wrong with that,” Princess Celestia said as she brushed her wing on Starlight’s cheek to remove a tear. “In fact, as soon as I got into this room, I got a letter from your parents, and I just learned of a tragic fate. You lost your uncle, didn’t you?”
Starlight eyes started to water up. She tried to hold it in. But all she could do was cry. Her tears flowed like waterfalls as she cried. Celestia got out of her seat and walked up to Starlight Glimmer before comforting her with a hug.
“It’s okay,” Princess Celestia said as she continued to comfort Starlight, allowing her to cry, even as some of those tears got into her mane.
“I,” Starlight said as she could barely get the words out of her mouth. “I just miss him so much. He was my favorite...uncle. Mommy’s gonna...miss him.”
As Starlight wiped the tears from her eyes, she looked up at Celestia, who was also shedding some tears.
“Tell you what,” Celestia said as a few tear drops dropped from her eyes. “I’ve asked a couple of your classmates to help cheer you up. I’m also gonna let you skip the next class so you can take some time to grieve. I’ll let the other teachers know about this.”
“Thank you….Princess,” Starlight said as she got out of her chair.
Outside, as Starlight opened the door, she noticed Danged Spell was waiting for her. But the look on his face had changed. Instead of having a disgruntled look that he had early ago, his face has changed to a more sombering tone. As Starlight walked off, Danged Spell walked with her.
“I heard what Celestia said to you,” Danged Spell said. “And I’m sorry for your loss.”
Starlight just looked down, tears flowing from her eyes. The fact that her own uncle was dead left her depressed. While she did cry her eyes out in Celestia’s office, it was not enough to help her out.
Danged Spell looked at Starlight with concern in his face. He thought to himself “It must be really hard to lose a family member. What would happen to me if I lost my mom? My dad? My baby sister? Or all of them? I would be totally devastated.”
As Danged Spell walked with Starlight down the hall, Wanda, Sunset, Twilight, Sunburst and Moondancer watched from a distance. Early ago, they saw an arrogant Danged Spell taunt Wanda in class, only to be given a taste of his own medicine by Princess Celestia. But his mood had changed after overhearing Starlight’s meeting with Celestia, and Sunset Shimmer was the first to notice.
“Danged Spell...is it?” Sunset asked as Danged Spell was walking on by.
“Yes?” Danged Spell asked as he and Starlight paused.
“I take it my mommy was…” Sunset asked before being interrupted.
“No,” Danged Spell replied. “But that’s not why my mood’s gone south.”
Danged Spell stepped aside as Wanda, Sunset, Twilight, Sunburst and Moondancer saw the tears in Starlight’s eyes. Starlight tried to hold it in, but she couldn’t hold back her tears.
“MY UNCLE DIED!” Starlight yelled as she ran off crying.
Danged Spell turned his head back towards the gang and said “That’s why.”
Moondancer walked up to Danged Spell, still untrusting of the colt. She said to him “Please tell me you’re serious. Especially after the stunt you pulled on Wanda.”
“I am serious,” Danged Spell said. “I know you don’t trust me after my stunt, and you’re right that I may pull it again. But right now, overhearing the fact that Starlight lost her uncle was more than enough to bring down my mood. More than anything Celestia said to me.”
“And why is that?” Moondancer asked.
“Because I’ve been to too many funerals in my life,” Danged Spell replied as tears flowed from his eyes. “Both of my grandpas, my uncle on my mom’s side, and an aunt on her side as well. Do you need more proof of that?”
Sunset ran up to Danged Spell and said “It’s okay, Danged Spell. You don’t need to get worked up.”
Danged Spell breathed heavily as tears continued to flow through his eyes. He set his head down and said “Sorry. Too many bad memories. Having lost three relatives before coming to this school, I don’t want to lose anymore. Not even my own parents.”
As Danged Spell turned and started to walk off, Sunset turned towards Moondancer. Sunset was concerned for both Danged Spell and Starlight. But Moondancer wasn’t trusting the hot-headed colt.
“He can be real stubborn at times,” Moondancer said to Sunset.
“Yeah,” Sunset replied. “But at the same time, he sounds like he needs something to fill the gap in his heart. Perhaps a friend would be needed to keep him in check.”
“I’ll do it,” Wanda cheered as she skipped towards Sunset and Moondancer.
“Are you crazy, Wanda?” Moondancer asked as she was concerned for her well-being. “Did you see what he said to you?”
“But mommy told me that I need to make friends,” Wanda replied. “And even if he was a big bully, I should be his friend.” Both Moondancer and Sunset could not believe a word that Wanda just said.
“I dunno who’s more naive,” Moondancer said. “Danged Spell, or your sister.”
“Let’s not be judgemental,” Sunset said to Moondancer.
As Danged Spell was slumping down towards the exit, he noticed Starlight was running frantically towards him before tripping and falling onto her face, slipping slowly towards the older colt before coming to a stop. Judging by the look on her face, something has completely spooked the twin-tailed filly.
“What happened to you?” Danged Spell asked as his tone was of concern.
“Crows….” Starlight cried as she covered her head. “Some wanted to eat me. I also heard a cat cry as crows were attacking it.”
“A cat?” The words of Starlight Glimmer got the attention of Danged Spell. But it also got the attention of Wanda, Sunset SHimmer, Twilight Sparkle, Moondancer, and Sunburst.
“We gotta do something,” Wanda yelled as she ran down the hallway, past Danged Spell and Starlight Glimmer.”
“Wanda,” Sunset yelled as she ran towards Wanda. “Wait up. You don’t wanna get seriously hurt.”
Danged Spell turned towards the rest of the group and said “I don’t care if you trust me or not. We gotta do something about those crows, for the sake of that cat that Starlight was talking about.”
Wanda and Sunset were able to run outside the building, where they saw a baby cat, one with light blue/white fur, a blue mane, and magenta eyes, run for her life. Behind her, was a flock of crows, chasing her like she was an appetizer.
“That baby cat is gonna get killed,” Sunset said with fear in her eyes.
“Not on my watch,” Wanda yelled. Without a second thought, her insect wings sprouted on her back, and she took off flying.
“Wanda, get back here,” Sunset said. But it was too late.
Wanda flew up to the crows as they were pecking at the baby cat. The birds were relentless as the Baby Cat struggled to keep running from those crazed ravens. The Baby Cat suddenly tripped and fell onto her belly. She turned around and saw those crows flying towards her. She let out a shrieking meow as those crows continued to peck at her.
“GET AWAY FROM THAT CAT,” Wanda yelled as a pulse of magic emits from her body. The pulse hits the crows and startled them. They turned towards Wanda and began to dive right to the young girl. Normally, this is where one would run away. But Wanda was already fired up from the mere sight of a Baby Cat being picked on, and she was more than ready to cut loose.
Back at the entrance of the building, Sunset was still shocked by Wanda’s recklessness as Danged Spell, Twilight, Moondancer and Sunburst ran outside with Starlight hiding behind the doorway.
“What happened?” Moondancer asked.
“It’s Wanda,” Sunset said to Moondancer. “She went after the crows that were picking on a Baby Cat.”
Sunburst turned to Starlight and said “Guess you weren’t kidding when you said that there were crows picking on a Baby Cat.” But all Starlight could do was hide behind the doorway, hoping not to be spotted by the crows. Twilight stood by the twin-tailed filly as Starlight hid underneath.
“It’s okay, Starlight,” Twilight said as she reached her hoof out. I’m here to protect you from those bad birds.”
Starlight looked at Twilight’s hoof and Sunburst as well, who was giving her an assuring nod. Starlight reached out to grab Twilight’s hoof,
Suddenly, Starlight hears what sounds like the call of crows directly behind her. She turns her head and sees a flock of crows flying towards her. Somehow, they got through an open window and were flying into the school. They were in a dead aim towards Starlight and the group.
“AHHHHHHHHHHH!” Starlight screamed as she made a run for it, bolting out the doorway and into the open field of the school.
“Starlight, come back,” Twilight yelled. She turned her head and saw the crows flying towards them.
“I got this,” Danged Spell said as he ran up in front of the crows that were flying towards the group.
Danged Spell stared at the crows as they inched closer and closer. Moondancer, Sunburst, Twilight and Sunset couldn’t do anything, but stare in fear as those crows came closer and closer to them. But Danged Spell was undeterred. He instead closed his eyes and charged up the magic in his horn.
“Spell, are you crazy?” Sunburst said. “You’ll get yourself pecked, badly.”
“Well that’s the thing,” Danged Spell said as he opened his eyes. “I’ve been pecked before and I’m not gonna let it happen again.”
As the crows homed in on the group, Danged Spell unleashed a magical pulse from his horn. The pulse was enough to addle the crows, causing them to fly in the opposite direction and back out the window from where they came from. Everyone else was shocked at what Danged Spell just did.
“Did you just see that?” Twilight said as she was amazed by Danged Spell’s magic.
“No time to explain,” Danged Spell said as he turned his head towards a scared Starlight Glimmer, who was hiding behind a nearby tree. Everyone else did the same thing, watching as Starlight was shaking with fear.
“Starlight,” Sunburst yelled. “It’s okay. Danged Spell drove off the crows.”
But as Starlight continued to hide behind the tree, still shaken from nearly being pecked by a flock of crows, something startled her. Wanda flew past her, holding the Baby Cat in her arms. Right behind Wanda was a flock of crows chasing her. Those crows were enough to cause Starlight to hide behind the tree.
“Get away you mean ol magpies,” Wanda yelled as she struggled to hang onto the Baby Cat. Those crows were catching up to the man’s cub, willing to peck at both her and the little tabby. One of them pulled on Wanda’s wings, causing her to scream and lose control of her flight.
“WANDA!” Sunset yelled as she was helpless to watch Wanda fall down and crash nearby. She shrieked as those crows were flying towards Wanda, ready to peck at her. Nearby, Starlight could do nothing, but hide behind the tree.
But suddenly, Starlight felt a painful tap on her back. She turned around and saw a crow squawking mad at her and continued to peck at her backside. Freaking out, Starlight ran from the tree and towards the group, crying her eyes out.
Sunburst saw Starlight running towards them and yelled out “Starlight, over here.” He wasted no time raising his hooves into the air as Starlight tackled Sunburst to the ground and held onto him for dear safety.
“She’s alright,” Danged Spell said to Sunset Shimmer. “Let’s do this.”
Danged Spell and Sunset Shimmer both cast a barrier spell, blocking out the crows from getting inside with the intent to peck at them.
“Is she alright?” Sunset said as Starlight held onto Sunburst for dear life.
“She’s been hurt,” Twilight said as she looked at the peck wounds on Starlight’s backside.
Sunset turns back to focusing on the barrier and said to herself “Wanda, please be okay.”
Wanda was still trying to recover from losing her flight. She looked down and saw the baby cat crying in pain. She had suffered badly from the fall. Wanda then looked up and saw the crows were flying towards her, with the intent on pecking her with their razor sharp beaks.
Wanda's eyes turned into determination when she yelled out "GET AWAY FROM US!" Without a second thought, a burst of a mystical green magic emits from her like a powerful barrier. The crows who got caught in the radius of the magic barrier were knocked back by the force. The flash of the barrier caught the attention of the unicorns.
“What in the world?” Sunburst said as he saw the flash of magic nearby. But as this flash dissipated, the crows that were on the verge of pecking Wanda were flying off. The magic that Wanda let loose was enough to drive them away.
“I think she’s got things under control,” Sunset said as she and Danged Spell began to lower the magic barrier.
As Wanda was getting up, she saw the crows flying away, scared off by her use of magic. It was a relief to her, as she was nearly pecked by those ravenous birds. She got up onto her two feet, all while holding onto the Baby Cat. It was good that she made it unscathed. But as she looked at the Baby Cat, it appears the tabby was not only scared, but seriously hurt. The fall that Wanda suffered also bruised the kitten, and all she could do was cry in pain.
“Oh no,” Wanda said as the Baby Cat cried in pain. “What am I going to do?”
As Wanda looked at the Baby Cat with worry on her face, the unicorns ran up to Wanda, surprised by her use of magic. Even Sunset Shimmer, who knew Wanda since she was a baby, was surprised by her skill.
“That….was….AWESOME!” Danged Spell said to Wanda, impressed by her skills in magic. “I never knew you to be skilled in that level of magic.”
“Wait,” Sunset said to Danged Spell as her focus is on the Baby Cat that Wanda was holding onto. “Something’s wrong with the kitty Wanda rescued.”
Starlight, still in pain from the peck she got from a random crow, slowly walked up to the Baby Cat in Wanda’s arms. As she reached out to check the kitten’s health, Moondancer walked up to Starlight and touched her hoof.
“Careful,” Moondancer said to Starlight. “You’ve already suffered from those crows.”
“I know,” Starlight said. “But I feel sad for this cat.”
“What is going on here?” That voice came from Princess Celestia as everyone turned their heads towards her. She had come out from the school building, concerned about the safety of the students.
Wanda approached Princess Celestia holding the Baby Cat. She said “Mommy, something’s wrong with this kitten. It was hurt by a bunch of bad crows.”
Celestia looked at the Baby Cat, and noticed that she was in bad shape. Not only was the Baby Cat bruised badly, but she was crying her eyes out from the bad experience. And that was enough to trouble the Prime Princess of Equestria.
“Wanda,” Princess Celestia said. “I want you and the others to come with me to the nursing facility. We’re going to fix her up and make her better.”
“Will she be alright?” Twilight said to Princess Celestia.
“I hope so,” Celestia said to Twilight. “And I’m glad you all were able to come to its defense. Now come, there is no time to waste.”
Without a second thought, Wanda held onto the Baby Cat and she followed Celestia back into the school building. Following her was Sunset Shimmer, Twilight Sparkle, Moondancer, Danged Spell, Sunburst and a badly injured Starlight Glimmer. Moondancer walked alongside Starlight as she was still in pain from that attack by a crow.
No doubt about it. All six unicorn kids, the man’s cub, and even Princess Celestia now had their focus on the fate of the Baby Cat.
To be continued in…
Heal the Wounded