The next morning, Nightshade awoke alone, odd considering he and Krystal usually slept together. With one swift motion, he rolled out of bed and used his magic to float his glasses onto his face. Then put on his shirt and headed to the bathroom. Figuring she'd just gotten up earlier, he rolled out of bed, making his way downstairs. He could hear a commotion coming from what he assumed to be the kitchen and picked up the pace. The moment he stepped into the kitchen, he swore his brain froze at the sight before him. Ace sat at the island table, his wings twitching every few seconds, Speed hoof-feeding him a stack of pancakes. Endie, however, just stood next to Ace, smiling. Krystal partially blocked his view of Ace as she brushed his mane.
"Care to explain just what in the exact fuck you're all doing?" All the mares flinched at Nightshade's voice, Krystal whirled around nervously.
Ace glanced at the greenish pegasus, "Oh, well, Speed and Endie were making breakfast and I came down to eat."
Ace gingerly rubbed part of his neck, he didn't seem like he was lying. Then again, I don't think he understands what lying actually is.
"Really now? Just breakfast?"
Speed feigned offense, "WHAT do you take me for, some kind of pervert?"
Nightshade glared at her.
"Yes."
Only now did Nightshade notice how disheveled Ace looked, mane an absolute mess where Krystal didn't comb. Even Ace's eyes looked different. Heterochromia. Nightshade could have sworn both of Ace's eyes were sky blue, but one was a faint blue and the other a muted red, almost wine color. They must have had cosmetic spells cast on him 24/7. Not only that, but his mood was significantly different from the day before.
"Yeah. So, what are we doing today?"
"You're interested?" Nightshade smiled, "Well, Fluttershy's got a Timberwolf problem. I have other odd jobs to do, but we need to check in with her first. You know what a timberwolf is, right?"
"Never heard of it, we have coyotes out where I live."
"Oh boy... I'll fill you in on the plan when we get to her cottage."
Within minutes, they stepped out of Pandora, Ace looking quite confused.
"No, I understand what fear ammonia is-"
Nightshade cut him off slightly annoyed, "Pheromones."
"That's what I said." He led the way up the front steps using his wings to emote his confusion which Nightshade began to notice, "I just don't understand why you need it and why you want me to douse myself with it. Isn't that going to make them want to- "
Nightshade knocked lightly, instead of the canary yellow pegasus who lived there a small white bunny opened the door with a scowl.
"We're here about the Timberwolves."
The rabbit looked at Ace skeptically.
"He's here to help, I think Fluttershy would like him. Hell, you'd like him. Is she in?"
The rabbit shook his head and pointed at the sun, then motioned east to west.
"Alright, tell her we'll be here around that time."
Ace scoffed, "Real funny. You want me to believe that you speak rabbit?"
"What?" Nightshade turned away as the bunny shut the door, "No, that would be ridiculous. Angel does sign language."
That left Ace with about a thousand more questions that Nightshade happily ignored as they stepped back into Pandora. Less than a minute later they walk back out, and it's dark, the moon shining brightly silhouetting the cottage.
"Alright then? You just give me a little spray on my hooves or something, right? A-after you spritz me with that stuff, what happens?"
"You let me worry about that. About spraying, you... There's no nice way to ask. Hold still."
After immobilizing Ace with magic and a minute of awkward apologies, they began their trek into the forest. Ace must have been over the shock because he was back to wowing at the simple sight of a forest at night, making bird calls back at owls, and most notably staring at the moon. Nightshade kept his eyes forward, as much as the moon begged for his gaze, he knew not to make that mistake.
"Ace?"
The pegasus reflexively twitched his wings, "You don't need me to bark and stuff, do you? I have dignity, you know."
"No, I need you to run ahead. If they smell me, they won't come out. Don't worry about them running away from you, I just need you to draw them as close as possible."
"How am I supposed to- "
Ace looked behind him and Nightshade was gone, no rustling of underbrush. Just gone. Ace pressed on, now slightly fearful. He didn't even know what these things were supposed to look like, he hoped they were like coyotes. Ace suddenly stopped as he noticed something, all the noise stopped. No crickets, the owls were now silent and all he could hear was his own trembling breath.
"Why did I agree to do this?"
Ace yelped as a strange creaking noise sounded behind him, and he curled into a ball, whatever it was he didn't want to see it. He tried to steady his breathing as it became apparent that there was more than one of these things, and they were getting closer. As Ace fainted, the last thing he heard was a deafening howl.