//------------------------------// // Impulsive Incidents // Story: Ponies and Grey Wardens: The Equestrian Age // by Icecane //------------------------------// With a small stride, Anders walked the long distance out of Ponyville. Humble homes occasionally caught his eye, the equine denizens inside giving a small smile or wave of the hoof if they spotted the human. Since the mess with the ursa, the ponies of Ponyville no longer looked at the bipedal newcomers strangely, realizing that they meant no harm. The more the Grey Warden thought about it, the more he realized he kind of liked the attention. Sure, there was fame to be had back in Ferelden. After all, he had helped to save Amaranthine from the invasion of darkspawn that had threatened them. But even being a hero didn't help most people who only saw a mage outside of the tower when they looked at him, despite being a Grey Warden. At least the ponies didn't have any aversion to him, even if he wasn't technically magically gifted at the moment. Pushing his own musing aside however, Anders turned his gaze forward as the passing houses ended and he was exiting the quaint town. Only a few times did his straight sights falter as his eyes drifted down to the bag at his side. It didn't take the mage very long to spot where he was headed, seeing the small cottage set just on the edge of the Everfree forest. The home seemed to always move with life, whether it was from a flock of birds flying around the many feeders that were hung outside, or the scampering critters who jumped in and out of several burrows set into the ground. Anders could even spot a modest chicken coop, with several of the white feathered poultry pecking at the ground aimlessly. As his distance from the house began to shorten, the mage was unable to keep his eyes from looking suspiciously toward the forest. The dark depths within the trees seemed to always move and shift, as though the emptiness was alive, ready to swallow up anyone foolish enough to go near it. Though Anders knew he was being overly paranoid, it didn't stop his cautious stares. Having seen what had happened to his commander, he knew he wouldn't stand a chance against any malicious creatures in his current state. Standing just before the small door leading into the cottage, Anders could hear a faint humming from within. It was from a soft, feminine voice that sang absently. Pausing to take a steady breath to ready himself, the Grey Warden lightly knocked on the door. Immediately, the humming was stunted, being replaced with a sharp, squeaking yelp that sounded as though a large mouse had its tail stepped on. There was a long silence as the mage simply stood there, judging whether or not he he had just done something wrong without knowing it. Just as he was about to try knocking again, a quiet, mewling voice whispered from behind the door. “Wh-who is it?” she asked. Though the one speaking must have been just behind the door, she was barely audible, making Anders' stay silent for several moments as he made sure he had heard the question correctly. “Uh... I'm one of those visiting Wardens,” Anders replied. “You're Fluttershy, right? I came by because I wanted to talk to you about something.” Another pause was developed as the mage continued to stare at the door patiently. After several moments of no response, the door slowly creaked open just enough to allow a small glimpse at the yellow-coated, pink-maned pegasus Fluttershy. The mare looked up at the human as timidly as one might expect, tilting her head just so to allow her mane to fall in front of her face, hiding most of it. Feeling that things were beginning to get awkward, and having no idea why, Anders decided to speak as it looked like Fluttershy wasn't about to any time soon. “Well...” he murmured, “hi, I guess. If you didn't already know, my name is Anders. I'm one of the humans are are apart of our group.” Still not vocally replying, Fluttershy managed a simple nod, still wary of the strange creature at her doorstep. “Now that that whole ursa nonsense is finished, and our dear commander isn't dead or anything, I just thought I should stop by to say thank you.” Her worry and aversion lessening, Fluttershy's expression slowly shifted to one of curiosity, bringing her to opening her door slightly more and shifting her mane as to not obscure her gaze. “Thank me?” she asked, her voice still soft and hard to hear. “What did I do?” Smiling, Anders reached into his bag and held up the fluffy white form of Ser Pounce-a-lot. The feline meowed pleasantly as it looked around, seeing yet another new place in its own adventure in Equestria. “I saw how you saved my cat's life when we were attacked by that ursa creature. It really means a lot to me and I just wanted to thank you, maybe let him try and show his thanks too.” A light gasp escaped the pegasus as her door opened to its fullest. Fluttershy stepped out of her home, eyes riveted onto the cat in Anders' arms. Her wings beginning to flap, she hovered in place and held out her forelegs. Seeing what she wanted, Anders carefully handed over the white cat and Fluttershy was immediately enraptured by it. The quiet mare cradled the loveable cat and nuzzled her cheek against him affectionately. Ser Pounce-a-lot returned the affection just as quickly, rubbing against the pony and purring with joy. “Oh, he is so cute,” Fluttershy cooed, unable to take her eyes away from the creature. “What's his name?” “Ser Pounce-a-lot,” Anders said proudly, “the bravest Grey Warden feline in Ferelden!” Still enthralled by the cat's cuteness, Fluttershy turned herself in midair and slowly flew back inside her house. “Come in,” she urged invitingly, “I have some cream that I'm sure he'll love.” Accepting the gesture, the Warden mage followed the fluttering pegasus, politely closing the door behind him. Fluttershy's cottage was a cozy little home. Plush carpeting was stretched out over portions of the floor, with several pieces of furniture that all had fluffy pillows stacked on them. Even more houses and baskets were inside then there were out, either hanging on the walls, from the ceiling, or sitting on the ground. The occupants of those very homes were seen clearly as well. Animals of all colors, sizes and species scurried about as they sensed the strange creature coming into their owner's home. They ranged from many different kinds of animals, from typical pets one might have in their home, to creatures who clearly lived in forests or fields. Many of the animals Anders didn't even know what to call, having seen none of them before. The sight of them actually made the mage a bit more hesitant to fully enter the home, but after taking a few subtle whiffs of the air, he was shocked to find that the air inside the cottage seemed even cleaner than the air outside. He could even swear that everything looked sparkling, cleaned to perfection without the slightest trace of filth. It made him think that the pegasus was some kind of witch, having no idea how she could keep so many animals from making a mess. Fluttershy was too busy to notice the human's curious glances about her house. With Ser Pounce-a-lot held safely in one foreleg, the pegasus continued to hover as she picked up a small saucer with her mouth, laid it on the floor, and dipped a glass bottle of cream into the dish. Immediately, the white cat jumped from the pegasus' hold and began to lap up the delicious meal. Fluttershy watched happily, her face beaming with joy from simply seeing the cat enjoying her treat. “So... you like animals?” Fluttershy asked, sitting down on the floor beside the hungry feline. Anders nodded as he sat down as well, eying his furry companion merrily. “Well,” he murmured, “I mostly like cats. It's just that, years ago, one of my only friends was this mouser in the mage tower where I lived. I was always being locked up as punishment for causing trouble.” He held out his hand and began tapping his fingers as he thought aloud. “Setting the Knight-Commander's robes on fire... Repeatedly crying 'demon!' throughout all hours of the night... There was the time I made this one templar's ale boil right before he drank it... And there's all the times I tried to escape from the tower... Heh. I was always alone when they did it, but the tower's mouser was able to get in. Oh, he was such good company when I was alone.” Politely nodding her head, Fluttershy listened to what the human was saying. Though she wasn't fully aware of what she was being told, the animal caretaker was able to get the gist of it all. She especially took notice to how the mage held similarities to herself. For a long time, she couldn't say she had very many pony friends. But she was able to see the unconditional love that animals could bring, just like Anders seemed to have with his feline friend. “Ser Pounce-a-lot was actually a gift from my commander,” Anders continued, his eyes drifting toward his favorite animal. Ser Pounce-a-lot had quickly licked the saucer dry, meowing with satisfaction before it lazily walked toward Fluttershy, rubbing against her affectionately before he climbed onto Anders' lap and curled up into a white ball of fluff. “The poor little guy was homeless at the time, so I decided to take care of him.” The mage began to stroke the cat's fur gingerly, eliciting a purr that was eager for him to continue. “I had first thought to simply watch over him until we could find him a home, but I quickly grew to love him. He's a bit of a lazy cat though, but he is wonderful company when we aren't off protecting Ferelden.” After Anders was done speaking, there was a noticeable change in Fluttershy's mood. She no longer looked meek or timid, giving a warm smile as she sat with the human without looking the least bit nervous or uncomfortable. It made their conversing all the better as she began to talk about her own affinity for critters of all sizes and species. It almost seemed funny to the mage, a talking animal taking care of other animals. It forced him to remind himself that humans didn't exist in this world, making his Ferelden perspectives practically useless. Seeing that the imposing creature was no threat, the many animals in Fluttershy's cottage began to poke their heads out of their hiding places. Many curious eyes were on him, watching his movements carefully. Several of the larger animals even took the chance to approach him, sniffing him several times before they lost their apprehension and went off on their merry way. Looking at many of the different animals, there was one in particular that made Anders' drifting gaze linger. A small white rabbit was standing on the top of the couch. The creature didn't hold any cautious fear in him at all, simply standing there with his paws crossed and eyes narrowed in a look of pure vigilance. It reminded the mage of the commander's mabari, seeing as the beast never liked him. He assumed it was because he most likely smelled of cat all the time, but it never made him dislike the creature any less, certain that the hound would try and devour his beloved cat if given the chance. Noticing where Ander's gaze was focused, Fluttershy smiled and said, “That's Angel, he's one of the first animals I've ever taken care of.” Seeing that his caretaker's attention was on him, the rabbit jumped down from the couch and ran up to the yellow pegasus, never letting the human out of its sight. “I found him when he was just a baby, he had gotten stuck in a nasty thorn bush.” Angelsmiled, hugging the mare with its forepaws. “He is a cute little thing,” Anders said with a grin. Extending a hand, the mage went to scratch the rabbit's cheek with his finger. Just as his finger was close enough, Angel snapped at him, causing him to retract his hand back quickly, narrowly avoiding his finger from coming in contact with the creature's big buck teeth. “Angel Bunny,” Fluttershy scolded, looking down on her pet with a mild expression of agitated disappointment. “You should be nice to our guest, he was just trying to be nice.” Though her attempts were admirable enough, the pegasus' soft voice did little to provide an authoritative tone for the rabbit. All that came from it was the creature's continued expression of ire toward the human, making him fold his small paws and take several steps away from him. The small bit of commotion also had an effect on Ser Pounce-a-lot. Waking from his short nape, the furry feline climbed down from his owner's lap, looking about aimlessly until his eyes fell on the nearby rabbit. Seeing that he was in his sights, Angel backed away slowly, swinging his paws down as though he was going to karate chop the approaching animals. Despite the obvious signs that Angel didn't want the him near him however, Ser Pounce-a-lot heeded nothing and instead leaned back and pounced on the rabbit. Even though Anders had never seen his feline friend catch a single mouse before, he was surprised to see such skill in the attack as the white-furred cat landed atop the fleeing Angel, with the perfection of a well-trained predator. Pinning down Angel with his greater size, Ser Pounce-a-lot purred happily as he playfully nuzzled against the rabbit. Angel showed complete shock to the action, momentarily fearing that he was done for. Picking himself up off of the ground, the white rabbit smiled before he looked around the room, making sure no one was watching them. Then, long-eared creature leaned forward and wrapped his forepaws around the cat's neck and gave him warm hug. “Aw,” Anders said with an air of amusement. “I think Angel made a new friend.” Realizing that the human and Fluttershy were both watching him, Angel quickly released his hold on Ser Pounce-a-lot, causing the cat to meow softly and push against the rabbit playfully. Having been discovered though, an embarrassed Angel quickly bolted off, hopping away with an amazing speed. Both Fluttershy and Anders began to laugh at the display, while Ser Pounce-a-lot looked between the pony and human in clueless confusion. There was little about his current situation that the Warden-Commander could say he liked. Being stuck in bed as he was barely able to move, let alone carry one with his day, wasn't something he was particularly fond of. Alistair had at least taken the time to explain to him what happened during his ordeal. Having it explained to him what changelings were, about their queen, as well as his own condition when he was found, the commander was able to slowly regain bits and pieces of his memory of the event. Queen Chrysalis was one, her ebony lips always crooked into devilish smiles, her sultry voice forcing itself through his head, nearly being strangled by her snake-like tongue. It all made him shudder as he recalled his treatment. But even with his understanding as to what happened, there was something that was still bothering him about it. He had apparently been put under a spell when his friends had found him, making him unaware as to what was happening, even when Chrysalis realized that they were coming to save him and fled before they entered the cavern system where he was kept. There was just something about it all that didn't sit right with him, as though his mind was trying to tell him something that it just didn't understand. But the longer he realized he couldn't place it, the easier it was to shrug away. Even with his ordeal being over, the commander was still troubled with his own injuries. His muscles were as stiff as stones, making any movement a strain for him. Simply moving his right arm was an impossibility, always sending stabs of painful agony through the wounds on his chest. Thankfully, Twilight was eager to help him in anyway she could. Sadly, it was one of the biggest reasons he was having trouble. Though Twilight's intentions were good, she was far too dedicated than the Warden wanted. Waiting on him hoof and hoof, she did everything she could for the human from fluffing his pillows to incessantly asking him if everything was to his liking. It made things especially bad for him as he realized he was taking the mare's bed, as a replacement for the one Spike burned hadn't been acquired. It reminded the Warden-Commander on his childhood years back at his father's estate. There were so many servants ready to tend to his every need, even walking him from place to place if he had the mind to demand it. Such treatment was never to his liking, always fighting for his independence and thanking the Maker when he was finally able to obtain it when he reached the age of manhood. Now, it all seemed to come back to him in full force as Twilight played the part of servant. “You really don't need to be doing all of this,” the commander said for what felt like the thousandth time. “Go and have fun with your friends or something, I'll be fine right here.” Twilight simply shook her head, for what also felt like the thousandth time. “You're still hurt,” she said definitively, her eyes lowering with sadness. “You wouldn't even be like this if it wasn't for me. It shouldn't have been so easy for the changelings to capture you. It's... it's all my fault.” The Warden looked concerned as he laid eyes on the mare. It hadn't occurred to him that she was blaming herself for what had happened. Laying a comforting hand on her, the commander firmly said, “Twilight, what happened wasn't your fault. It wasn't anyone's. I don't blame you, neither should you blame yourself.” A small smile grew onto his face. “What matters is that you managed to find me. You showed bravery and rescued me from those creatures. For that, I can't thank you enough.” They remained silent as the commander's words took hold, a small smile developing on the scholar's face. The quiet stillness around them was soon broken however, as a loud, gurgling growl emanated from the Warden's chest. His face quickly flushed with embarrassment as he looked down at his stomach. “Oh,” Twilight said, suppressing giggle, “I guess you're getting hungry.” Realizing that he hadn't eaten anything for a while, the commander had no other choice but to nod, causing the mare to smile excitedly as she turned away and began to trot down the stairs. “I have just the thing to try, and I know you'll like it.” Being left alone, the solitude allowed the commander a moment of peace and quiet without Twilight fussing over him. Though, it immediately hit him how little there was to do but stare at the wall in his current condition. As he looked around aimlessly, the Warden began to absently tug on the pair of pants he was wearing. Having woken up in them, it had surprised him at first until it was explained that they had been put on him in his unconscious state. Rarity had made them, to replace his garments that had been shredded by the changelings. He hadn't yet seen the shirt, but the pants themselves were a faded purple shade in color that were a little baggy on him as she didn't have his correct measurements. And though they weren't padded like his old clothes, the fabric was thick and very strong. The commander was rather thankful for them, not wanting to have to walk around in his undergarments until they managed to get back to Ferelden. While his eyes began to drift about the room once again, the forlorn basket that Spike slept in caught his attention. It had seemed peculiar when he had first realized that he hadn't seen the scaly infant since he had regained consciousness. When asked, Twilight said she had sent him off to help Rarity in her boutique while he recovered. Though the Warden was quick to say that he didn't mind if the little fire starter was nearby, having assumed that being cooked alive wouldn't happen again, the scholar laughed it off and said that it was more of a treat for Spike than anything else. As the commander learned, the purple dragon enjoyed assisting the alabaster unicorn whenever he could. The Warden-Commander's internal musings were soon stopped as Twilight returned. Levitating in her magical grasp was a small bowl, a thick, brown colored liquid shifting inside. To the Warden, it looked like a stew that had all of the actual food taken out, leaving nothing but broth. Despite the sight of it looking unappetizing, Twilight held a cheerful expression as she sat at the human's side. Things quickly made the commander begin to question why such a soup was an ideal meal for someone in his position. There seemed to be a guarantee of a mess with his one arm and upright sitting position. Things soon became clear however as the spoon that was halfway submerged in the liquid was picked up by Twilight's magic, dipped into the soup, and carefully floated toward the human. She was planning on feeding it to him. “Now just hold on,” the Warden-Commander objected, making the mare eye him with confusion. “Okay, you helping me out here and there while I'm like this is one thing, but this is ridiculous. There's no way you're feeding me like some inept infant.” Twilight eyed the bowl she was levitating a gave a simple nod. “Okay, here,” she said, placing the bowl of soup in his good hand and watching him expectantly. Holding onto the liquid meal, the commander began to ponder how he would accomplish this with only one hand. He was tempted to simply tilt the bowl and drink from it like that, but seeing the steam bellowing up from the surface, it was quickly decided that he didn't want to take the chance of spilling any of the hot liquid onto his wounded chest. Placing the bowl on his lap, the commander took the spoon in his left hand. Though he was right handed, it didn't seem like too hard of a task to simply change things up for once. That train of thought derailed rather quickly however, as he lifted his unsteady arm up to bring the spoon to his lips. The soup he had managed to scoop up in the spoon was already falling from the edges, landing back into the bowl with miniature splashes. By the time he managed to get the spoon to his mouth, it was empty except for a few meager drops. Seeing Twilight still eying him with expectation, the Warden-Commander dropped the spoon into his bowl and huffed indignantly. “Fine, I guess you can help,” he muttered, already feeling like a child. Twilight simply nodded once again and took the spoon back in her levitating grasp. Dipping the utensil down into the soup once again, she carefully brought it up to the human's mouth, where he accepted it and first tasted the broth that the unicorn had made. To the Warden's shock, he felt as though he had just taken a spoonful of an actual lamb stew. From the tender meat to the scrumptious potatoes and varied vegetables, it all fell onto his taste buds as he eagerly swallowed the soup down. “Mm,” he managed to murmur, having realized how long it had been since he had a meaty taste in his mouth. The delighted surprise quickly shifted however, as he eyed the pony feeding him. Thoughts on Twilight preparing such a meal, getting the ingredients ready, including the lamb. A moment of horror crossed his face as he asked, “Twilight... did you actually... cook meat?” The mare tilted her head slightly in confusion before realization hit her and she shook her head with a merry laugh. “Of course not,” she said through her joy. “I figured you might be wanting something like that though so I made this special soup for you.” Dipping the spoon back into the soup, she brought it to her own mouth and tasted it, showing her own delighted expression to the taste. “It's a magical dish. The taste becomes whatever the person eating it is craving at the time. It's actually something that's used for pregnant mares a lot, it helps with the cravings. Slightly ignoring the fact that he was eating a delicacy for expecting mothers, the commander was surprised that the scholar would go through so much trouble just to give him a taste he had been missing for so long. It was almost sweet, in an animal helping to feed him another animal kind of way. Regardless of the meaning however, the Warden-Commander did complain in the slightest as Twilight continued to feed him the specially made meal. Nearly every drop of it was savored, missing out on only a few that managed to escape his maw and slide down his chin, which were quickly wiped away by his free hand as to not provoke Twilight into pushing a rag into his face. Soon enough, the bowl was emptied and the commander's hunger was sated. A satisfied smack of his lips was followed as he patted his stomach, feeling it warmed from the inside due to the hot meal. “That was delicious, thank you so much, Twilight,” he said graciously. “I'm just glad you liked it,” the lavender-coated mare replied. Setting the bowl aside on a nearby table, Twilight's eyes began to trail aimlessly about the room. It seemed as though she was looking everywhere but where the human was seated, biting her lower lip to fight back the urge to talk. After what seemed like a tense moment of silence, she looked the commander in the eyes and said, “I... I have something I want to give you.” The Warden looked at her with surprise, the statement seemingly appearing out of nowhere. But there was no time for him to speak as Twilight trotted toward the other side of her bed, lowering her head down beneath it. “I was planning on giving it to you sooner but... you went off into the forest and then... the changelings,” she murmured aloud from underneath the bed. Within moments, Twilight returned to the surface, a small box floating along with her. Not saying a word, the mare set it down on the commander's lap, watching him with baited breath as he eyed it in a mixed expression of curiosity and confusion. Acting on the curiosity, it was easy for the Warden to remove the lid of the box, to see what was inside. He became wide-eyed at what he saw, barely believing what he was seeing. Wordlessly, he reached inside of the box and held up the item for both himself and Twilight to see. It was a pendent, made from a light metal that the Warden couldn't place. The pendent's shape was what fully caught his eye, being of two gryphons with their wings flared out. It was almost a perfect match to to the symbol on his armor, the symbol of the Commander of the Grey. A strong chain encircled it, making it clear that it was to be worn around the neck. “I made it with an enchantment,” Twilight said, breaking the silence that was between them both. “I remembered that you were having trouble sleeping. Wearing that will help calm your thoughts when you sleep, giving you a more peaceful rest.” The Warden was speechless, unable to say a word as he stared at the pendent in his hand. Realizing that he wouldn't be able to put it on himself, Twilight took the time to levitate it up and put it around his neck. She had to lean forward slightly, pressing herself against his good shoulder as she made sure the chain was fastened correctly, but the pendent was a perfect fit. Still, little was said from the commander as he continued to stare at the gift. In all honesty, he couldn't remember the last time someone had ever given him something like this. He had been one to give gifts before. Sometimes a flower or a pair of boots to his companions when he encountered the items, but he had never received anything from them. Perhaps a grateful villager would give him something after he helped them in some way, but they were always rewards. All that he could think of was the ring that Morrigan had given him. Even then, the Warden wasn't going to fool himself into thinking that the sentiment wasn't somewhat tainted by the witch's main goal, her reason for wanting him protected since the beginning of their journey together. “Twilight I... I don't know what to say,” The commander said in a hushed tone. A surprise to Twilight came when the Warden leaned forward toward her, wrapping his useable arm around her and holding her in a warm embrace. “Just... thank you.” Twilight felt her entire body heat up from the comforting hug, returning the affection as best as she could as they remained like that for several moments. It almost made her want to cry when they finally broke apart, but they didn't separate very far. Their eyes met and stayed locked onto one another, both faces smiling warmly. To Twilight, just seeing the Warden there, safe and sound, filled her heart with a wondrous joy. It was something that the scholar couldn't explain. Yet the longer she stared into the commander's eyes, the more she realized that she didn't care to figure it out. Such a carefree feeling made it seem all the more natural as she absentmindedly leaned her head forward. Her common sense thrown to the wayside, the young scholar saw nothing else, thought of nothing else except for the commander and the ever-decresing distance between them. All that was happening seemed to be second nature to her, even as she cleared the final gap between them both, pressing her lips against his. The commander's eyes widened as he felt the tender kiss of Twilight. Surprise and confusion flowed through him in tidal waves within that single moment. But, as he felt the soft touch of the mare's lavender lips against his own, those feelings easily dissipated. Eyelids drooping to a soft, half-lidded gaze, the Warden's eyes flushed with a dull shade of green. As if suddenly compelled to, finding a previously inert sensation of longing, the human cupped the mare's cheek in his hand and returned the loving gesture. Their lips remained entwined for several moments. Twilight felt lost in the action, never wanting to part. But soon enough, her senses caught back up with her, crashing into her emotion-addled mind like a train. She pulled back, breaking the kiss and backpedaling several steps as she stared wide-eyed at the human. A sharp gasp escaped her as she noticed the fading tint of green in the Warden's eyes, how his pleasant expression of bliss shifted to surprised shock over what had just occurred. An expression of pure horror was written on the scholar's face as she slowly backed away, her heart thrashing into her chest, feeling as though it would burst in any moment. “I-I'm sorry,” she stammered out, tears welling in her eyes.. “I-I-I didn't- I didn't mean to- I'm sorry!” A bright light emanated from her horn, the coming spell consuming it completely. “Twilight, wait,” the Warden-Commander tried saying, but it was too late. In one blinding flash of magenta light, Twilight was gone. Even as the commander moved to stop the unicorn, he was stopped himself as the sudden motion tore into his chest, his wounds burning like fire. The agony was too much, immobilizing the human and preventing him from doing a thing as the panicked Twilight disappeared.