“Ah!” I hollered. “Help me, please! He’s eatin’ me!”
Jynx chortled, rolling her eyes.
“You laugh while a vicious beast devours me? What a horrible wife Ah have,” I said. “You know what? Go ahead and eat me.”
The ‘vicious beast’ giggled as he chewed on my shoulder.
Finally, Jynx took pity on me and picked the monster up. “You can eat daddy later. We have to go pick up your big brother.”
“Bi bwuda!” Razor cheered.
“Yes, big brother, very good,” Jynx cooed as she nuzzled him.
I was rather surprised when he first started piecing together words, but Jynx said it was pretty normal for ponies. No one knew when tigerian cubs typically started talking (or really anything about them), but Razor is half pony so it wasn’t really a surprise.
She placed him on her back and I handed him his little bunny plush which he immediately cuddled. With him in place and occupied, we left the house and started back toward the hospital.
The mood of the town was still pretty low, but it was improving. The burned buildings that could be salvaged were already being repaired. Thankfully, those who lost their homes were being provided for by the Emergency Engineer Corp. The EEC had some very interesting portable shelters that were pretty much just small houses without indoor plumbing that could be deployed in ten minutes.
Luckily most buildings escaped with little to no damage. My own house only had one corner catch. It meant I didn’t really have a usable kitchen at the moment, but I was lucky. The neighbor lost half their house, including their pet hamster.
As we walked, we saw ponies going back to their everyday life. At least, they were trying to. Ponies were resilient, though. They would recover and you wouldn’t even think anything happened. Well, if you ignored the full regiment of the Equestrian Guard now stationed here.
“Stop it,” Jynx said.
“Huh?”
“I know your ‘what could I have done better’ face.”
“There’s nothin’ wrong with askin’ what Ah could’ve done better,” I insisted. “Ah’m not beating myself up over it. Ah just want to make sure we’re ready in case they come back.”
“You think they will?” Jynx asked.
“They were after Midnight, and didn’t get him,” I pointed out. “Ah think they’re with that mare. The one from the Crystal Spire.”
“You think that’s why she was at the orphanage?” Jynx asked.
“Ah don’t think it’s a coincidence she took Midnight when she tried buggin’ out,” I said. “Why else would she have been attacking an orphanage?”
“But why would she be after Midnight?” Jynx asked.
“Ah’m not sure, but if what Applebloom said is true, Ah think Midnight does,” I said.
“Don’t you dare go interrogating him,” Jynx demanded.
I gave her a flat look. “Really? You think Ah would?”
Jynx sighed. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’m just worried about him.”
“You think Ah’m not?” I asked. “Ah’m terrified for him. That’s why Ah gotta ask him about it. Ah need to know why they want him.”
“Just make sure you’re gentle with him,” Jynx asked. “If he knew, there’s a reason he didn’t say anything.”
“Ah know.”
As we approached the hospital, I only grew more worried. I wasn’t sure what would be worse, if he didn’t know anything about it or if he did. The former meant we were still in the dark, but the latter meant he purposely kept it from us, and I doubted he would’ve done so without a good reason.
As we went inside, we noticed how crowded it was. Most of the ponies that were admitted were only being kept overnight, so their families were all here, like us, waiting for them to be released.
We went up to the second floor and down the hall to Midnight’s room. Midnight was lying in bed, reading a book as we walked in.
“Hey, Ah’m told a badass is in this room,” I said.
“Dad , mom!” he said with a smile. “Thank the gods. It’s so dull here. Can we go home now?”
Jynx and I shared a look before Jynx closed the door.
“Not just yet,” I said. “We need to ask you about something, first.”
“O-oh...” Midnight said, wincing.
“Applebloom told us what happened,” Jynx said.
“And their leader said they were here for you,” I continued. “Ah don’t want to pressure you into tellin’ us somethin’ you really don’t want to, but we really need to know if you might know why. Is there somethin’ particularly special about you you haven’t told us about? Something that helped you protect Applebloom?”
Midnight sniffed as tears welled up in his eyes. “I’m sorry. I made a promise that I wouldn’t tell anyone. I... I promised my mother... before she died.”
“Oh...” Jynx and I said.
“But...” Midnight continued. “I think she would understand. I... I’m a druid.”
Jynx gasped.
I was just confused. “Ah’m guessing you aren't talkin' about the O&O class?”
It was Jynx that answered. “The druids were said to be earth ponies that had powerful nature magic. While all earth ponies have magic that helps plants grow, it’s a passive ability. Sure, one can kind of direct it by showing greater affection to a plant, they can’t really control it. Druids’ magic, however, is said to be just as active as a unicorn's. They can actually control plants. Is that accurate?”
Midnight shifted uncomfortably before saying, “I can also talk to animals... and kinda control them... or influence them? Like, I can’t force them to do stuff, only make them want to do it.”
“That wasn’t in any of the reports I’ve read,” Jynx said.
“But would that be a reason for those guys to be after him?” I asked.
Jynx thought for a moment before shaking her head. “None that I can think of. Unless they’re trying to grow some kind of plants somewhere it can’t normally grow, that need special conditions, or that take an incredibly long time.”
“Did your mother ever tell you why you shouldn’t tell anyone?” I asked Midnight.
Midnight thought for a moment before replying, “She just said people might want to hurt me because of it.”
“I guess I’ll have to do some research,” Jynx said. “Maybe there’s some link between druids and the Cult of Chronos.”
“We should ask the princess,” I suggested. “Ah mean, she’s been around for a while, and Chronos is her father. Maybe she knows somethin’?”
“Maybe. I’ll ask Twilight to send her a message,” Jynx said. “For now, let’s get out of here.”
“How’s Applebloom doing?” Midnight asked as we helped him to his hooves. “Was she hurt?”
“She wasn’t injured. Ah’ll tell you about it later,” I said.
Jynx and I walked through the park with Razor in a carrier on Jynx’s back. Midnight, as soon as we told him what she did, went to find Applebloom. I hoped he would be able to help her come to terms with what she did.
A part of me was worried about Midnight going off alone. After all, that Blue Moon guy was after him. It only made sense that he would try again. Yet, for some reason, I felt he wouldn’t. Maybe it was because we had backup from a whole regiment.
Regardless, I was more concerned about what that attack meant. We had thought the Cult of Kronos was small, only a dozen or so members. The fact that they sent a small army at us proved otherwise. No one had a clue how big they actually were, and that had me worried.
“Ah’m goin’ to have to go huntin’ tonight,” I said.
Jynx sighed. “Alright. I guess we’re having an impromptu date night?”
I was going to go the previous evening while Jynx was in Canterlot, as she hates the smell that clings to me afterward. Fluttershy actually likes it, much to her embarrassment.
“Ah suppose,” I said. “Sorry Ah couldn’t do it while you were gone.”
“It’s not like you knew an army of werewolves would just attack,” she said. “I swear, if I ever get my hooves on that Blue Balls wolf, I’ll violate every law I can think of on him.”
“You aren’t the only one,” I growled, feeling my anger rise.
A pressure appeared on my neck, as little Razor put his little forepaws around me.
I stopped, reaching up and pulling him around front so I could hug him properly. “How did you get out?”
“He’s a sneaky little one,” Jynx said. “I didn’t even feel him move.”
I looked down at him. I knew he didn’t know what was going on, but he could tell I was upset.
I held him closer and gave him a kiss on the forehead. “Thanks, little buddy.”
We walked on, talking about little things, but mostly just enjoying each other’s company. Razor didn’t make it ten minutes before falling asleep. Jynx offered to take him, but I wanted to hold him for a while.
I didn’t know why, but I was feeling especially affectionate toward him. I just wanted to hold my son and forget about the world.
“If you’re going hunting, you should probably go soon,” Jynx said.
“Huh?” I looked around and noticed the sun approaching the horizon. “Oh, wow. Ah didn’t even realize it’s gotten so late.”
She chuckled. “Well, I would have said something, but you looked like you were enjoying your dad time.”
I put Razor back in his carrier on Jynx’s back and gave him another kiss. “Ah’ll see you tomorrow, buddy.” Then I gave Jynx a kiss on the lips. “Same to you. Have fun with your study date.”
“Have fun smelling like death,” Jynx teased.
I laughed, checking my belts to make sure I already had whatever spells I’d need and headed off toward the Everfree.
As I walked, I heard the flutter of small wings and a slight weight on my back. I looked to see Poe perched between my shoulders.
“Where the hell have you been?” I asked.
“None ya,” he cawed.
I shook my head. “Who taught you that one?”
His vocabulary seemed to be getting pretty big. He knew about a dozen words and phrases. Ravens were smart, anyway, but Poe was certainly above average. Of course, most animals kept as pets by races that had magic were smarter than their Earth counterparts, and ravens on Earth were already really smart and could pick up a decent vocabulary. It made me wonder what he was getting up to when he would disappear.
“You been plotin’ against me?” I said with a grin.
“No comment,” he cawed.
That made me laugh. “Well let me get mah insurance in order, first.”
We entered the forest with about two hours before dark. It wasn’t much time, but if I failed, I would just try again in the morning.
“Can you go look for somethin’? A deer would be nice,” I asked my bird buddy.
He cawed and flew off. Meanwhile, I would look myself. I took in the scents of the forest. I could smell the various smells that always accompanied the forest. I even smelled the faint smell of Fluttershy left behind by her animals. I smelled Zecora, though it was faint.
I should talk to her more often. I’ve barely interacted with her, at all, I thought to myself.
I had to put it on my to-do list.
“Caw caw!” Poe called as he returned, circling overhead twice before flying off again.
I followed after, wondering what he found. I was hoping for something big enough that it would feed me for a while. I was so lost in thought, I nearly missed that he had stopped and found a perch.
A gold equine perch, laying in a tree.
“Hello, again.”
I felt an icy chill shoot down my spine. Every time I met this ‘mare’ bad things happened. This time, though, was different. Every other time she always had a smug, teasing, almost flirtatious smirk.
This time, though, her expression was blank.
“Hello,” I returned. “To what do Ah owe this visit?”
She looked at me, almost somber in her expression. “The Cult of Kronos has succeeded.”
That icy chill in my spine sank to my gut. “Wh-what? What do you mean?”
“They acquired what they were seeking in that last attack,” she said.
“But... Midnight. They didn’t get him,” I said, confused.
She sighed. “No, but they got his blood, and that’s all they need for the next step in their plan.”
“His blood? How..." I shook my head. "Never mind that. There has to be a way to stop them. What’s their next step? Are they releasin’ Kronos?”
“No. They can not yet release their master, but they can begin the process,” she explained. “As for stopping them... there is a slim possibility, but it will not be easy.”
“What do Ah gotta do?”
She looked off into the horizon, a far off gaze as if she were looking past the world. “You must leave from here and go south. Follow your instincts and you will find an ancient temple of Kronos. That is where the ritual will be performed. You must leave now. You do not have time to tell your friends or family. There is a small observation post not too far from the temple you’ll pass. You can leave a message with them to warn Celestia of what’s happening. Go, now.”
I didn’t - couldn’t - hesitate. I turned toward the south, and ran.
As the form of the tigerian faded through the trees, the ‘mare’ turned to the raven on her back.
“Go, tell your master that it is almost time. In three days, Shirotora will be dead.”
With that, the raven nodded and flew away.