//------------------------------// // Out of the Frying Pan // Story: Canine Complications // by Wages of Sin //------------------------------// "Mmstress mmack eader, M'm cmmming!" The stallion's tail in her mouth obstructed her speech as she raced towards her pack leader. "Oh! Agh! Ooooh! Agh! Arghhhhhhh!!!" Twilight turned to see the strange mare from the hospital running towards her, dragging the strange screaming stallion by the tail. His head being dragged violently over the rocky path. When they caught up to Twilight, Screw Loose released the stallion's tail. "I told you, you crazy mare I was right behind you! You didn't have to drag me the whole bucking way!" he put a hoof to his head, "Dragging me all the way from the hospital! You could have killed me! Are you nuts!?!" "Woof!" "Never mind." The stallion went to stand over by Applejack, positioning himself so that both Twilight and Applejack stood in shielded him from the clearly disturbed mare. Twilight gawked at the mare “What are you doing out here! You need to be back at the hospital! If you're missing when they've settled down-" "Mistress, I brought you the stallion who submitted to you! He's not very fast though, maybe he needs... Where are we going mistress?" "Back to the hospital! Where else?" "NO! Please mistress! I'll be good! Don't make me go back there! It's so cramped! And the guards don't let me go outside when I need to p-" a paw to the mouth stopped the spew of unwanted explanations. "But you were saying how nice it was before, right? Don't you want that back?" Twilight goaded. The mare didn't bite "No, I may not have been suffering in that little pen, but it was boring, only walls to look at and only going outside when they wanted... But now I have a pack! A real pack! I'm not giving that up! Ever!" the mare's explanation was heartfelt, defensive, and almost tearful. Twilight couldn't stand to force the mare back into what she interpreted as (and basically was) a prison cell. "Ok, you can come along, but no running off! I need you to stay with us." she gestured to herself and Applejack. The mare nodded ecstatically, her tail flipping from side to side uncontrollably. "Yes Mistress! Oh thank you! Thank you!" the happy mare laid down and flipped onto her back. "Uh... Good girl?" taking a hint from how Twilight had seen Applejack play with Winona she used a paw to give the mare a belly rub. The mare growled contently at her mistress's touch. "I think it's safe ta' she likes it, but uh, Twi? Could you tell me wha-" Applejack stopped as she realized Twilight was completely engrossed in her current task, paying no mind to the world around them. "You like that don't you? What about this!" Twilight sat so she could use both paws on the mare. The growling intensified. Twilight was having fun with the mare... Until she heard voices and looked up to see the small audience the scene was attracting. "Mommy? Why is that doggie giving the lady a tummy rub? Shouldn't she be giving the doggie a tummy rub?" "Well my little muffin, I'd think you were right, but we shouldn't judge other ponies for what they enjoy. Sometimes ponies are just... different." The heat from Twilight' face could melt stone at five paces. "Let's leave them alone muffin, it's not nice to stare." the grey pegasus said as she carried the inquisitive little scamp away. Screw Loose was abruptly aware she was no longer having her belly rubbed and instead her mistress was staring at a pair of ponies walking away. She hadn't known her mistress long but she could detect her pack leader's tension. She decided that she'd do something special for her, but what would mistress wolf want? As she thought about this, the merry band finally made its way back on course for Zecora's hut, but before they reached the Everfree they encountered one last problem. Growewwwewwewwwwwl~~~ "Twi? Was that you or your stomach?" Once again back at Sugarcube Corner Mr. And Mrs. Cake delivered meals to Applejack, Catcher, and a purple wolf that sat at the table while a blue earth pony curled up under the wolf's chair. "Mommy, there's the doggy and lady again!" the little unicorn filly pointed the table out to her mother. "Yes dear, but it's not nice to point, remember?" "Yes mommy..." "It seems you got a fan Twi." Applejack whispered as she glanced over Twilight's shoulder to where the filly was trying (and failing) to look over the edge of her booth without being seen. Twilight turned, finding a filly's horn barely peeking over the edge of a nearby booth. "Cute little thing, maybe you should go over there and let her pet you." Twilight leveled a gaze that shivers up Applejack's spine. "Ok, so maybe not. At least after this we can finally go to see if Zecora can help." The glow. The glow was the enemy. The glow caused them to go hungry and their limbs to grow thin. The glow pushed them from their homes and made it hard to hunt. The glow was the enemy. --- "Sir!" a scout ran up to the tall leader of the Everfree Timberwolves, "There are ponies approaching!" "Do they have the glow?" he asked, instantly cautious of ponies that would willingly enter their territory. "No sir, they do not carry the glow, and they seem to be pups no less." "Pups wandering into the forest? Where are they now?" "Half way to the striped one's den sir." "Good, very good, follow me and we'll be eating well tonight!"