Upon hearing his name, Zenith looked up at Apex in confusion.
“Pex? W-Why are you crying?”
Apex didn’t respond, merely gripping onto him tightly. “‘Nithy!”
Zenith hugged back, giggling softly. “I’m happy to see you too...”
“What? What’s going– Zenith!” Hunter had woken up from all the noise.
“H-Hun’er, go ge’ Cilia!” Apex commanded, and Hunter raced off, just as frantic to get his brother medical attention.
“Wait, what? What happened?” Zenith looked at Apex, who blushed as he stared at him. “‘Pex?”
“You… the Roc… i’ a’tacked you… you go’ knocked ou’.” Apex told him. “Don’ you ‘member?”
“Now I do…” Zenith winced in pain, looking at his back with a frown.
Hunter rushed back in, Cilia at his side. Apex sat up, watching as Cilia moved to examine Zenith.
“How do you feel?” Cilia asked
“I feel pain…” Zenith groaned.
“Yes, I expected as much. Here, take these.” Cilia gave him some poppy seeds, then waited until he ate them to begin examining his injuries. “They’re still very raw, but they don’t look infected. What do you remember?”
“Being attacked by a Roc… it scooped me up and I heard Hunty shouting for me… then something happened and suddenly I was falling… I hit something hard and… the next memory I have is feeling Apex hugging me just now…”
“Well, you’ve been asleep for about three days.” Cilia told him. “Your wounds will still need time to heal, however, so I’m afraid you must stay in bed and rest for the time being.”
“Great…” Zenith muttered. Cilia nodded, then turned to Hunter.
“I’ll stop by daily to give him herbs to prevent infection, and reapply the poultice on his wounds. You'll probably need to check in on him every so often through the day–”
“I can do tha’ so Hun’er can pa’rol.” Apex offered up, and Hunter smiled at him gratefully.
“That's settled then. All in all... well, we should thank the ancestors Zenith wasn’t hurt any more badly than this or he might be far worse off.” Cilia said, and Zenith grunted, rolling over to face away from them. “I’ll be back tomorrow, Zenith, make sure to get some rest.”
“Fine.” Zenith grunted.
“I’ll go update Pharynx and Thorax.” Hunter said, reaching to rub Zenith's head gently before leaving with Cilia. Zenith just sighed softly. Apex looked over at him.
“‘Nithy? Whas’ wrong?”
Zenith sighed again and buried his face in his pillow. “I just… ‘Pex, do you really think the ancestors... you know, guide us?”
“Well, I guess so. Why?”
“I mean… I don’t.”
“Wha’? Bu’ ‘Nithy, they do guide us! Withou’ them you could’a been hur’ way worse!”
“If they really guided us then why did they let me get hurt in the first place?” Zenith asked.
“U-Uh, well… I mean, Uncle Pharynx says tha’ if no one e’er go’ hur’ no one would learn an’thing.”
“And what exactly was I supposed to be learning when the ancestors let me get attacked by a Roc?”
“Um… I… uh…”
“That’s right. Nothing.” Zenith mashed his face into the pillow. “The ancestors aren’t real, they don’t guide us!”
“‘Nithy, don’ say tha’!”
“But it’s true! If they were guiding us they wouldn’t let me get hurt! They wouldn’t have made Chrysalis our Queen! They wouldn’t have sent us into war with the ponies!”
“N-‘Nithy, things jus’ happen some’imes tha’ hafta happen, e’en if we don’ un’ers’and the reason.”
“Oh yeah, I’m sure.” Zenith scoffed.
Apex looked at him, then leaned down to nuzzle him. Zenith nuzzled back, though more hesitantly.
“We’re s’ill frien’s, righ’?”
“Of course.” Zenith nuzzled him gently. “Just because the ancestors have turned their backs on me doesn’t mean I have to turn my back on you.”
Apex gave him a small smile, knowing he probably wasn't going to be able to convince him. Instead of trying to argue further, he just hugged his friend before jumping down onto the ground.
“‘M gonna go, Pharynx-dominus pro’ably has some pa’rols for me t’do.” Apex told him.
“Okay, have fun.” Zenith sighed.
Apex waved before leaving the room, then galloping down the hall. He found the changeling he was looking for leaving the Hive. Not Pharynx, but Hunter. Apex ran over to his fellow warrior.
“Hun’er!” He called before he could leave, and the older changeling turned.
“Oh, hey Apex-legatus. Don’t worry, I already told Thorax and Pharynx–”
“No, ‘m no’ here for tha’.” Apex said, stopping. “I was wonderin’... when the Roc a’acked…”
“Yes…?”
“Did Zenith figh’ back?”
“Of course, he was struggling, but he dropped his crossbow when it grabbed him. That’s why I was the only one who could fire at it.”
“Oh…”
“Why do you ask?”
“N-No reason.” Apex looked around. “Where ‘re you goin’ an’way?”
“Solo patrol.” Hunter replied, adjusting his crossbow.
“You’e taken a lo’ of those since ‘Nithy go’ hur’.”
“Yeah, well…” Hunter sighed and leaned down to him. “That’s because I’m looking for the Roc.”
“By you’self? Tha’ doesn’ sound like a good idea.” Apex gave him a concerned look, doing his best to mimic his father. Hunter sighed.
“I know, I know. But look what it did to Zenith. I’m not going to sit back and let it attack more innocent creatures.” Hunter said, turning away. “I’ve got to go, I’m heading back to the spot it attacked to track it.”
“Okay… good luck.”
“Thanks, I’ll need it.” Hunter said, walking off.
Apex sighed, then walked slowly back inside the Hive, heading for the throne room. He trotted into the open area, padding over to Thorax’s throne and hopping up beside his father figure, nestling in against the alpha changeling’s side. He curled up and closed his eyes, feeling Thorax rub his head gently.
“Hi sweetie. Everything okay? I heard Zenith was awake.”
“Yeah…”
“Is something wrong?”
Apex sighed and rolled onto his back, stretching out and yawning. “Zenith, he… he thinks tha’ ‘cause the ances’ors didn’ p‘tect him from the Roc tha’ they don’ exis’ an’more.”
“He does?”
“Mhm… I wanna help him bu’ I don’ know how.” Apex said. Thorax gave his belly a gentle rub, making him giggle.
“Well, I know you want to help, Apex, but remember, it’s okay if Zenith doesn’t believe in the ancestors.”
“I’ is?” Apex asked, opening his eyes.
“Of course! Not everyone believes in the same things, and that’s okay.” Thorax nuzzled him. “What is important is that you support them in whatever decision they make.”
“But ‘Nithy on’y thinks like that ‘cause of the Roc a’ack.”
“Well, maybe he did have doubts about the ancestors all along, and it just took him getting proof, which for him was the attack, to say it out loud.” Thorax suggested.
“He jus’ seemed so unhappy… I don’ wan’ him to be unhappy.”
“I know sweetie. But you have to respect his opinion. Even though he seems unhappy, that might just be because he’s hurt.”
“I guess so… thanks Papa Thorax…” Apex yawned, and felt Thorax lifting him up as his eyes closed.
“It’s no problem, my little warrior.” Thorax smiled and laid Apex down between his forelegs, holding him close. “How about you take a nap? You seem tired.”
“O-Okay…” Apex yawned and rested his head on Thorax’s chest. “Papa Thorax? Do you think ‘Nithy will cheer up if I brough’ him some flowers?”
“Heh, I’m sure he’d love that sweetie.” Thorax giggled, kissing his forehead. “You can pick some from the fields and bring them to him tomorrow.”
Apex smiled softly and snuggled close, yawning. “Okay Papa Thorax.”
“Rest well sweetie, don’t worry, I’ll wake you for dinner.”
“Thanks Papa Thorax.” Apex rubbed his eyes, yawning. He cuddled against Thorax, resting his head on his chest. “Flowers for ‘Nithy…”
Thorax chuckled and stroked the nymph’s muzzle gently with a hoof, soothing him as he fell asleep. Apex smiled in his sleep, dreaming of playing with Zenith, knowing that he had an idea to tell Zenith how he felt. There was no way this wouldn’t work.