Zaffre was trotting through ponyville, watching the skies being cleared by pegasi. He noticed that Rainbow Dash shot a malicious glance at him, but he didn’t mind; he still had more freedom that he would back at the hive. Most of Ponyville didn’t even know what he was, other than Twilight Sparkle and her closest friends, who kept him and Lancet under close watch, nopony stressed over what they were.
Still he wished he could keep a close watch on his brother. Not Lancet; he was all too fine in the caring hooves of Nurse Redheart; he was worried about Lime. It has been six days, and he still hasn’t heard a single word from Canterlot. Other than the papers mentioning the capture of a live changeling, and putting him on trial behind well fortified doors, every little rumor was well suppressed by the royal sisters.
Which meant that Lime could’ve been dead by now, and they just didn’t know it. Still, Thorax had enough knowledge about the laws of Equestria to somewhat disregard that possibility, but it was still a possibility.
He was so preoccupied with his own thoughts, that he noticed the mint colored mare in front of him too late.
“Hey, Zaffre!” Lyra shouted in the changeling’s face. “Are you walking in a dream?”
“What? Oh hey Lyra!” Thorax replied, quickly snapping out of his daydreaming. “No, I was just thinking about something!”
“You have a minute to talk?” Lyra asked.
“Sure, if you don’t mind walking.”
“So, what was on your mind?” the mare inquired, following the changeling. “Must be something heavy to pull your head that low!”
“Nah, it’s nothing too serious,” Zaffre replied casually. “It’s just personal, that’s all. So what did you wish to talk about?”
“Well, I wanted to ask about Lime’s sudden disappearance,” Lyra answered. “And ask about why I got two cupcakes with the word ‘sorry’ written on them. I ordered only one you know.”
“Lyra, you might not like my explanation.” Zaffre stopped for a second. “Sure you want to hear it?”
“All you do with this talk is make me more curious; of course I want to hear it that’s why I asked!”
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Thorax nodded slowly, starting to walk again. “When was the last time you saw Lime?”
“Right before the timberwolf attack,” Lyra said. “He ran off to help.”
“Any oddities you noticed about that attack?”
“Well, other than three changelings appearing, nothing,” Lyra pondered. “You don’t think the bugs grabbed Lime and ran away?”
“No, Lyra, I know they didn’t,” Zaffre replied. “Because my brothers and I were those bugs.”
The changeling turned onto his back and let out a yawn in his cold cell; he lost track of time a few days ago, and now fought boredom and insomnia. He tried to remain patient, but with a lack of knowing what time it is, one easily forgets how fast patience can run out. He let out another long yawn, when he heard some commotion in front of his cell’s door. He rolled onto his feet, and brushed some of the dirt off of his carapace to appear in a somewhat normal condition.
“I trust they treated thee well?” the princess of the moon asked stepping inside. “We apologize for the harsh conditions, but it would seem improper to treat a war criminal, especially one of a foreign nation that attacked us, differently.”
“I understand, your highness. I will wait patiently as long as I need to.”
“Thy hearing will be later; for now the council is trying to understand the matter of our little deal.” Luna explained. “It’s progressing slowly because we have royal duties to attend to; we try to make as much time for it as we can, but these are things we can’t ignore.”
“May I be so bold as to ask; do you have news of my brothers?”
“We have,” Luna stated, handing some scrolls to Lime. “They seem to have resumed their role as Zaffre and Silver Lancet, and are being watched closely by Twilight and her friends... well, most of her friends, except Fluttershy.”
“Twilight writes here that she tried to encourage her to meet any of my brothers,” Buzzer said, his eyes glued to the parchments in his hooves. “But seems like she refused so far. I hope she will make peace with them someday.”
“We are also here on more important and dire matters,” Luna continued, holding another scroll in her magic. “Take a look at this.”
“Several disturbances have been noticed in Cloudsdale, Tall Tale and Ponyville.” Lime summed up the contents of the scroll. “Connected to the timberwolf incident?”
“Investigations revealed that the event where thou exposed thineselves was caused by several small mistakes: the weather team dumped several clouds storm over the Everfree, creating a small storm and chasing the beasts to the border of the forest. A group of adventurous foals wandering close to the woods have somehow irritated the beasts to the point where they chased the ponies inside the village, causing the accident,” Luna explained. “These other incidents were way smaller, and consist mostly of thefts with the appearance of gallant heroes to the rescue, and the sightings of several way too generous ponies. Any thoughts on that?”
“Just one: the changelings are using bold tactics to gather love and call the attention of anyling who might be watching.” Lime replied. “Think of it as a way of sending a message to other changelings.”
“What is the message?”
“To put it in a nutshell? ‘Grab everything you can, and run. There is a storm coming, and everyling will be caught in it.’”
Lancet sat in Redheart’s office. He was tasked with sorting out the annoying paperwork, while the nurse was away treating patients. Shiftlight put down the quill for a second and massaged his forehead. He felt an urge to just pour all the ink on the stack of parchments, but his new job declared that he does this part too. Which of course made his head hurt. He mumbled some swears for himself, when he heard the door of the office open and close.
“Nurse Redheart is not here; and consulting hours are only in the afternoon!” He said, not even looking up.
“I saw the note,” the other replied. “I was looking for you though.”
Shiftlight looked up at the creature that disturbed him; a tall, light brown muscular unicorn with a mischievous grin. Squinting his eyes Lancet noticed several peculiarities on the pony: a scar on his left eye and one on his mouth, a crack on his horn, and several open wounds on his neck. He knew those wounds from somewhere, but he couldn’t connect the face to anypony he met.
“Do I know you?” He asked, slowly leaning a bit closer to the unicorn.
“Oh, even if you would know me, you wouldn’t know me, catch my drift?” the other replied.
Lancet silently listed all the ponies he remembered. The other let out a hearty laugh, and Shiftlight realized that he’s not looking at a pony.
“Knight Paladin Curelfang?” he asked shocked, as the unicorn slowly nodded with a smirk.
“Surprise soldiery” the other changeling replied. “The hive sends their regards.”
“Why are you here?”
“Why indeed I am!” Cruelfang replied dramatically. “The hive wants you back boys. And I intend on taking you back. But not today.”
Shiftlight stood there, watching in shock as the knight left the office, letting out a laugh. Lance knew, that his life of freedom was about to take a turn.
A very very dangerous turn.