"Please, we're full.." Groaned a griffon as a treant forced another chunk of watermelon down his throat.
"You must eat a big breakfast before the next stage." Replied the treant, reaching for more fruits.
All around the prison cells, the same thing was going on. While the slaves begged for the treants to stop, the treants pushed onward until they were sure the slaves were stuffed.
"I think I preferred the starvation." said one of the cats with a groan.
While the non-ponies were fed against their will, the two ponies, Rain and Goldie were seated in a clean and nice smelling room being served a feast. Golden platters overflowing with fruits and vegetables were brought out, golden cups filled with sparkling juices were served while golden jugs followed them. Multiple treants stood in the room with them, some to guard, some to serve. On the opposite side of the table, Birch continued to interrogate the ponies.
"Tell me more about this 'Equestria' place." Birch asked.
"Oh, it's the kingdom to the north beyond the desert." Beyond the desert? The treants I sent out only ever reported on the oceans to the east and west.
"Is Equestria across the ocean?" He remembered the air ships Klugetown had going in and out the first time they were there.
"No, it's just a long ways away northward." She waved her hoof to signify how far away it is.
"Who is master of Equestria?" Who dares claim dominion over what is rightfully Sugar Hoof's land.
"Well, we don't call them masters, but Equestria is ruled by Princess Celestia and her sister, Princess Luna, if that's what you meant." Said Rain before drinking from a golden cup.
"Please, tell me about these princesses." Birch said, getting out paper and some paint.
Another load of soap and water fell onto me as I tried to scrub this flank tattoo off. I never expected the magic of this world to randomly give it's inhabitants tattoos, and no matter how hard I scrubbed, I couldn't get even a few specks of it off.
Magic couldn't get it off, hot soapy water couldn't get it off.
I picked up a knife that I had sharped before getting in here and began trying to scrape the tattoo off of my flanks to no avail.
I growled before throwing the knife in frustration and picking back up my wash cloth to continue scrubbing.
With multiple scrolls filled with knowledge about Equestria, the two alicorn sisters, and some pony anatomy and biology, Birch felt satisfied with what he has gained from the ponies.
Gesturing over to one of the treants, he said, "Fit the pony cells with proper bedding, ponies shouldn't be left to sleep on the floor like the others."
The treant being ordered, glared at Birch before looking down and saying, "Yes, Overseer."
Birch watched as he hurried off in the wrong direction, knowing full well that he was going to see the master instead of going to the store rooms to fetch the supplies for bedding. As the treants looked at Birch, some with glares, and some with loyalty, he stood up and spoke to them. "The master is a pony, much as these two ponies in this very room, does the master deserve to sleep on the floor?"
All replied no in their own ways, some even added the word 'overseer' to the end.
"Does the master deserve to be mistreated?"
A louder, more firm, no resounded through the room.
"Then fetch them some proper bedding, the master shall thank you in kind!"
Many of the treants fled the room to carry out their overseer's orders, with few remaining behind.
"I was chosen by the master with name and cloth to lead in all things below him, as much as you disagree, you will do as the master commands." Birch said, glaring at the few remaining, only one spoke back to him.
"All of us shall serve the master until the end of our days, there is no higher honor for us. Until the master declares you as overseer with more than giving you a name and some clothes, you are no higher in status than any of us." He said with a growl.
"Your concerns shall be reported, but you know the cost of disobedience."
"Disobedience to the master, not to you." The two grew closer as the ponies shrunk back in their seats.
"I only do the master's will!" Birch screamed.
"Heresy! We've all seen you with the master! You hold him as if you were his master!"
"I am his protector, his utmost guardian!"
"A protector could stand guard at the door, he wouldn't nuzzle the master in his sleep!"
"The night holds many threats that would wish harm upon him!"
"You think we don't watch you through the roots? You think we cannot tell when one of our own grows too fond of their master?!"
"Oh, what, you think I wish to be mated to the master? We lack such desires the second we're conjured!"
"Oh, I'm positive you love him, not as a mate of course, but as a father loves his son."
Birch remembered holding the master throughout the night, how soft and warm the master was, his cute little snores, how small he was considering how powerful he was. The way the master wrapped his small hooves around Birch's wooden form, maybe the other treant had a point.
"The master shall be made aware of this," Birch said slowly, "Now, get the ponies back to their cells, the non-ponies have likely finished being bathed and fed by now, the master will know what to do with them next."
The other treant nodded before turning to the ponies, "Come along, we must get you back to your cells."
The two ponies whispered about what they had just witnessed all the way back to their cells.
Far to the north, past the wall separating the desert and Southern Equestria, beyond the dark and dangerous Everfree Forest, the ancient and powerful solar princess, Princess Celestia had a dreadful nightmare. A colt of power so intense that even nature bowed to his will marched an army of living trees marked with the same magic found in timberwolves tore covered the world in an unnatural green.
She shot up in her bed, panting at her vision before she prepared a letter, ink, and quill.