//------------------------------//
// Beginning of a New Life 
// Story: The Changeling King 
// by th3l0stch1ld 
//------------------------------//

	Amor awoke the next day, Chrysalis wrapped around him.  He didn’t want to wake her, so he laid there, waiting and thinking.  Did I do the right thing?  Is she going to be okay?  Maybe she was better off before I tried to help her.  Maybe I just made it worse.  Before another thought could go through his head, Chrysalis began to stir.  She rolled over and her hoof lifted off of Amor.  Before she could roll back over, Amor slowly tried to get out of bed.
“Don’t go yet.”
Amor looked out of the corner of his eye to see Chrysalis watching him.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning, Amor.”  She lazily propped herself up on her front leg.  “I…never thanked you…for yesterday.”
“You don’t need to.  Remember what I said?  Well, I did what I thought was right.”
“Thank you.”
Amor grinned before standing.  He walked over to the other side of the bed and aided Chrysalis up.  While Amor made his way down the stairs, Chrysalis went across the hall to wake Purity.  The first thing Amor did, was walk straight to the throne room, where Celestia was waiting
“It is done.”
“How did it go?”
“She was willing, but her emotions took over at first.  She’s calmed down, though”
At that, Chrysalis and Purity entered the room.  Chrysalis walked before the throne and bowed before Celestia.
“Princess, I would like to…apologize for the pain I have caused you and your people.  I wasn’t in my right mind.”
“Apology accepted.”  Celestia smiled.  “I am glad to see you have regained your senses.”
“Yes, me too.  I am truly sorry.”
“It is okay, Chrysalis, you may go.”
With Amor’s help, Chrysalis rose to her feet and left the room, Purity following close behind.  Amor looked back at Celestia.
“With your permission, I would like to bring the changelings to the spot for the hive and begin construction.”
“Of course.”
“I may also need a few guards while we are building.  Avispa and Escara are going to be needed at the time.”
“Alright, how many?”
Amor thought a moment.  “Two would be fine.”
“Okay, two guards.  Anything else?”
“No, we should be back by nightfall.  Any later, we may be in trouble.”
“The guards will be waiting at the balcony, you may go.”
Amor walked into the former dungeon once again and found all the changelings, along with Chrysalis and Purity.  Amor stood at the entrance, standing tall.
“Good morning everyone!”  All the changelings turned to see the king standing in the room.  “Today, we are going to start building the new hive.  We are leaving in ten minutes, so get ready.  We meet at the balcony.”  At the call, all the changelings started out the door.  Amor stopped Chrysalis.
“Chrysalis, I would prefer it if you stay here with Purity and Sheol.”
“I want to help.”
“I know, but I’d prefer it if you stayed here since you’re still hurt.”
Chrysalis hesitated a minute, an irritated look on her face.  Finally, she agreed.  “Alright, I’ll stay.”
“Thank you, follow me.”
Amor walked to the crowd of changelings, spotting one with a young hatchling on her back.  Amor approached her calmly and tapped her on the shoulder to get her attention.
“Cielo, I think it would be a better idea to leave Sheol here with Chrysalis and Purity.”
“Thank goodness.  I was hoping I wouldn’t have to bring him.  It would be hard to work and watch him at the same time.”
“Good, now follow me for a moment.”  Amor led Cielo to Chrysalis, where she put Sheol on the queen’s back.
“Please take good care of him.”
“I will.”
After the two children were left with the queen, the group of twenty changelings and two royal guards were off to the cliffside.  When they reached it, Amor gave the order.
“You know what you must do.  Dig deep into the rock wall, start with the base by hollowing out the main chamber, then if we have time, build your houses.  You may go.”  The changelings started together, using their magic to burrow deep into the cliff.  Amor helped all he could, digging deep into the cliff.  Rock was destroyed, walls were reinforced.  The two guards stood ready at the entrance to the cave.  After a long day of digging and reinforcing, the team was done for now.  They returned to Canterlot, Sheol was reunited with his mother for the day, they got there rest, and were back to work the next day, with some setbacks in their work.
“Alright everyone, back to work.”  The group headed into the cave, Amor following.  Suddenly, they heard a thunderous growl, and a foul smell filled the air.  The changelings who were already in the cave fled, running in a panic.  Amor stopped one of them, slightly irritated and confused.  “What happened?”
“A timberwolf moved into the cave overnight.  We can’t fight it like this!”
Amor looked around at the changelings in panic.  Amor stood tall, took a deep breath, and quieted the panic.
“QUIET!”  Every changeling stopped in their tracks and looked at him.  “Gather up and take to the air.  Wait here.”
Amor walked to the mouth of the cave.  The smell got worse as he closed in, and when he reached the mouth, a deep growl once again.  Timberwolves don’t usually travel alone.  It must be an outcast.  So…  Amor braced himself.  This transformation would take a lot of energy.  He gritted his teeth, dug his hooves deep into the dirt, and began to transform.  His horn hummed and an emerald flame began at his hooves.  It traveled up his body, as it passed his holy legs turned to wooden claws, four times bigger than his legs and twice as big as a normal timberwolf.  His eyes began to glow green, his fangs turned into two foot splinters, his head turned to a wooden log.  When the flame reached the tip of his head, it burned out.  The king, once a six foot changeling, was now a twenty-four foot tall timberwolf alpha male.  He entered the cave, finding a single wolf inside.  It let out a heavy growl.  Amor did the same, and a thunderous boom filled the air, the ground nearly shaking.  The timberwolf began to wimper, cowering in the corner.  Amor let out a bloodcurdling snarl, spit flying.  The wolf yelped, and took off out of the cave, its tail between its legs.  Amor walked out the cave, watching the wolf disappear through the woods.  Once he was sure it was gone, he changed back to his normal self, now feeling smaller than ever.  
“I think I sold that quite well.  Alright, back to work!  We need to work on the entrance today.  Half of you work on the interior, the rest are out here.”  At the command, the changelings broke into two groups.  Half buzzed into the cave, the rest began making a cocoon-like entrance to the hive.