By the time we were were all ready and packed, it must have been around three in the morning. However, the sun was nowhere in sight: only the wind-whipped desert sands. Hunter Will was strangely quiet for most of the trip: perhaps sobering up was bringing his situation into the light.
I wish I could feel some empathy for him. I had never been that close to my two brothers, one older, and one younger. Both had left home as soon as they could, one venturing into the world of stock brokering, and the other venturing to the very edges of the world. Each felt equally as distant as the next. The last I had heard from one of them was a year before I left, and the other had no means of contacting us.
To pass the time, me and Deeja made occasional conversation. He didn't seem to like talking much about his past, though he did go into occasional detail about his home...
"Yeah, the Changeling Kingdom isn't really much of a 'Kingdom'. The last 'King' died off years ago. It's more of a matriarchy since Chrysalis took control. Or should I say... Queen Chrysalis," he muttered.
"Mmmmm - I heard about her attack on Canterlot..." I said.
"Yeah, that wasn't fun," he grunted.
I raised my eyebrows. "Wait - you were in it?!" I then coughed. "I mean - not that you wouldn't be. I'm sure you're a capable warrior and-"
He gave me a blank look.
"Shutting up," I squeaked.
However, he soon shot me a smirk. "It's alright, really," he comforted me, before clearing his throat. "But yeah - I was there. I wish I wasn't but I was. A lot of my people were opposed to the attack, but when we're near the queen, her directives kind of - um - what's that one word - that means like..."
I blinked.
"Oh yeah - override!" he beamed. "Her directives kind of overwhelm our free will. Only King class changelings can resist it. It- it wasn't like that before Chrysalis started hatching us... at least I don't think it was. Our history is kind of fuzzy, even without my crappy memory."
I glanced at him sympathetically. I wonder what it would be like - having your free will just stolen to you for 'your own good', I suppose it was.
"What was it like - the Battle of Canterlot?" I asked. "If you don't mind me saying..."
He sighed, glancing away from me. "It wasn't much of a battle. Two punches were thrown - we were first. We took them completely by surprise. The Royal Guard were completely overwhelmed: I don't think they were prepared for fighting changelings." He then winced. "I'd rather not talk about this anymore..."
"Mph," Hunter Will finally spoke, glancing at the two of us. "Hunter Will was in Canterlot with his brother when that happened. He was allowed to bring a guest to the wedding: this one pony named Fluttershy invited him. When they starting coming down, Hunter and my brother single-handedly helped keep the underbelly of the city clear: where many civilians were hiding. It was one hell of a fight!"
He slapped Deeja on the back, causing him to wince.
"You changelings are tricky little bastards: cowardly, even, in a way - but that made it even more fun!"
"Yeah," he muttered. "Fun..."
"I got a bit too caught up in the fight, though," Hunter sighed. "One of the changelings eventually got passed - and..." He winced. "After that, it... wasn't so fun."
A beat. Silence hung in the air for a second.
"Never learned her name," Hunter sighed.
"W-Who's name?" I asked.
Hunter gave a grunt. "Nopony - just this old mare. A changeling really messed her day up... went out of control when feeding on her... First time I've ever had the thought of killing something..."
Deeja's shifted in his seat uncomfortably at that, though it seemed to go unnoticed by Hunter.
I furrowed my brown, shaking my head. No, it couldn't have been... there's no way he'd do something like that... he's probably just uncomfortable about what his kin did.
"Sorry to hear that," I gulped.
He shrugged. "It was over a year ago. There's nothing I could have done. I lied earlier: I'm not that great at keeping people safe, just bashing skulls..."
"Hey-," Deeja said, patting him on his furry back. "I'm sure bashing skulls helps keep people safe too, right?"
"Mph," he grunted. "Not directly."
And naturally, at that, a sudden shriek came from the distant dunes. A shriek that sounded unnervingly familiar.
Our eyes widened in horror.
"Woah!" Deeja gasped. "Did anyone catch where it came from?"
"Y-Yeah, I did," I nodded. "B-But, it's really not our business, is it?"
You damned coward... helping whoever this was out could lead to a reward!
"Come on, Tinker! We should check it out: make sure whoever it is is alright!" Deeja called.
Hunter shook his head at that. "You two really don't know what you got yourselves into, do you? Hunter knows the borderlands, and if there's one thing I've learned: never trust a shriek. Half the time it's just a bandit trap."
Alright, maybe cowardice is the right call once and a while...
I simpered at Deeja. "We can't afford to be robbed... I'm sorry, Deeja..."
Another shriek echoed from the distance... followed by a distinctive metallic CLANG!
Deeja glanced at the two of us with a sarcastic smirk. "Still think it's a trap?"
"The chances of it just went down," Hunter muttered, before slamming a fist into his palm. "Come on! Let's go rock someone's day!"
"What about your brother, though?!" I gasped.
Like you're more concerned about him then your safety...
"It's what he would have wanted," the minatour nodded.
Deeja smiled slightly at him. "You're alright, Hunter."
"Can't say the same until I've seen you fight," Hunter snorted. "Tricks won't work when there aren't a damned million of you."
Deeja sighed slightly. "Alright... I take it back, then." He then turned to me. "Come on, Tinker! Are we going or what?!"
I closed my eyes at that, my thinking cap online and powered. The shriek was close by, probably about five hundred meters... whoever it came from seemed to be putting up a fight.
Screw it!
"Alright, let's go play the hero then," I sighed, before eeping slightly. "I mean - not that there's anything wrong with-"
"DRIVE!" Hunter snarled.
"Yes, sir," I squeaked, and with a few lever pulls we were in calvary-mode.
I sweated bullets as I listened for any signs that my walker was about to fall apart. I had never pushed it to emergency speeds before - not even in test runs. However, to my relief, it seemed to be alright.
After about only sixty seconds, we had dashed across two monstrous dunes, a faint green light now visible beyond. Then - we finally came upon it.
Woah...
CLING! CLANG! CLASH!
The very same three guards earlier hissed and clashed with a monster twice their size. It was like a giant lizard from hell, with razor sharp teeth and two, long spiked talons hanging off its back. Like two snakes lashing out against pray, they clashed and clanged and sparked against the trio's weapons: a sword, an ax, and a interesting-looking spear with a glowing tip: held by Necrospear. They hovered in the air, holding them with their teeth (and Necro his hooves) and looking for any opening they could to score a hit.
"Damn! A Felhound?!" Hunter grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Haven't seen one of them in years! Hunter's been waiting for a good fight!" He then glanced at Deeja. "Know any combat spells, changeling?"
"My name's Deeja," he muttered. "And yes - I know a stunning spell. I'd have to get close!"
CLANG! CRACK! 'AAAAUGHHHHH!.!.!'
As I gasped, one of the guards: Shadow Sentry was struck by a tendril in the wing. Like a wounded bird, he desperately began to flap, but was no opponent against gravity. The Felhound twisted towards him, snarling, before rushing forth, his maw gaping and ready for an easy meal-
Oh no oh no oh no!
I was biting my nails so much I was surprised I had any left.
"Stay away from him, you primordial prick!" Moon Dancer suddenly shouted, as both her and Necrospear landed in front of him. The Felhound let out a horrible howl, sending shivers down my spine, before rushing Moon Dancer with two talons...
"EEEEEEP!" she cried. One struck her chest plate, piercing it slightly but not puncturing, and the other her ax. Despite this, the force of this sent her careening into the sand, right next to Shadow Sentry. She let out another shriek as a feint cracking sound filled the air, coming from her front leg... "Sarge! Sarge - OOOOUCHIIIEEEE! CAN'T FLY! TOO MUCH PAIN!"
"Don't worry about it!" Necro shouted, sweat pouring down his face. "Move out of there: drag sentry if you can!"
At that, he twirled his spear, narrowing his eyes as the drooling beast before him. "Come at me, spawn of Tartarus!"
The beast did just that: charging towards him...
"Alright then! We've got the tactics down!" Hunter cackled. "Meat's on the menu tonight!"
At that, he leaped off my Crab Walker, before charging forth towards the Felhound, knocking a bolt into his crossbow as he thundered along.
"I-I don't eat meat," Deeja gulped, shivering as he turned at me. "Does this thing have any sort of weapons?"
"What?! No!" I cried. "I'd never get it passed the border if I did!"
I then raised an eyebrow. However... it may not be completely useless...
"Hang tight!" I grinned, before pushing two levers forward.
Deeja blinked. "W-Wah - WOAH!"
I rocketed down the slope of the dune towards the two downed guards, narrowing my eyes all the way.
I bet I look like a total badass right now!
"Woah! Where the heck did you come?!" Moon Dancer called, an exasperated expression on her. "By the way, you look like a total badass right now!"
YES!
"Ehehehe! Thanks!" I bounced, before trying my best to put on a serious expression. "Er - right - life or death situation, sorry. Deeja!"
He saluted me, smirking sarcastically. "Yes, ma'm?!"
"Help her get Shadow Sentry up here!" I ordered, before smirking sheepishly. "I mean - sorry, I didn't mean to sound so boss-"
"Righto!" he said, rolling his eyes he landed beside Shadow Sentry. Within a second, working with Moon Dancer, they pushed him up onto the main body of my walker.
However, at that, something finally seemed to strike Moon Walker. "Wait a minute - who are you?!"
His eyes widened. "Um," he gulped. "Nobody?"
"Whatever!" she sighed. "Let's just get Shadow to safety, okay?"
"Right!" I gulped, before turning my machine about, glancing over my shoulder as I did.
"WOOOOOO YEAHHHHH!" Hunter cackled, actually leaping into the air before sending an arrow the Felhound's way.
"SHREEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!.!.!
The Felhound took an arrow to the knee, collapsing on it. Enraged, it simultaneously tried to rise upon it (and failing) as it continued its tendril barrage on Necrospear.
CLANG! CRASH! CRACK!
He twirled his spear in a blur, blocking each tendril sent at him: nearly every second or so.
"Hunter Will?! What the hell are you- WOAH!" He gasped, ducking a tendril. "Well - whatever the reason it is your here, mind lending another bolt?!
"How many do you need?" Hunter shrugged.
CICK-CHUT!
He loaded another, before pulling back the handle on his crossbow, readying it to fire. As I watched in awe, he seemed to be trying to zone in on the creature's bobbing head, trashing about every which way.
"Wait! Hit the other knee! Immobilize him!" Necrospear called. "These things have skulls made of Mithril!"
"What?!" Hunter grunted. "Why do you-"
"Just trust me!"
I wonder what he has planned? I thought.
At that, Hunter took a deep breath. "Whatever," he shrugged.
He aimed his crossbow downward some, and after only a few seconds, his eyes widened. He fired simultaneously...
"Gotcha!" he smirked.
SHREEEEAAAAAAAAAAAA!.!.!
The beast screeched as an arrow embedded itself in the creature's other knee. This time, it moved no more, before collapsing downward on its front, its hind legs still bucking.
"Alright!" Necrospear said, gasping for air and looking as if he wanted to collapse. "He'll be back up in a second: you might need to hit its hind legs-"
"Not necessary," Deeja smiled, flying into the scene with his horn glowing green. A beam of the same color quickly cascaded forward from it, hitting the Felhound in the side.
However, this time, it didn't shriek. An electrical current ran through its body, and though still seemed awake, it actually began to sit down.
Deeja panted, hovering to the ground and rubbing his head. "O-Oh my..." he said, nearly puking. "I've never used so much energy before..."
"Whoever you are- you did good!" Necrospear called, looking at him with a look of approval.
"Please... just knock that thing out or something..."
"No need," Moon Dancer said, hobbling up to the scene (with my help), and nodding towards Necro. "Ready to sooth the savage beast?"
"Thought you'd never ask," Necrospear grinned. He then glanced at the three of us. "Cover your ears, alright?"
We did just that... and a strange humming sound filled the air. To my look of awe, the Felhound's pupil's actually began to dilate... and a placid air came about him. A second later, it lowered its vicious head to the ground, before actually beginning to snore.
I shook my head in disbelief. Did they just...?
"Woooo yeah!" Moon Dancer beamed. "We've got ourselves a new pet!"
"It's not a pet," Necrospear groaned.
Moon Dancer pouted. "Awwww - common! Can't we keep him?! He'll be our maskot! I'll walk him and feed him and-"
Suddenly, there was a loud groan. The group of us turned towards Deeja, who had collapsed to the ground.
"Oh no..." Moon Dancer gasped.
"Is he alright?!" Hunter Will grunted. "Don't tell him I said that..." he added.
"He must have used too much energy!" I cried.
I ran to his side, kneeling down by him. He was growing colder by the second: and there was only one thing that could help him...
Come on: I don't care who it is! Someone give him love!