Chapter 2: To Protect
The creature's smile evaporated before Twilight could so much as lift her hoof from her face, replaced by a melancholy so intense that she could feel it, even through the blank mask in place to hide it. Noticing Twilight's gaze, it glanced away, murmuring something almost silently that Twilight's sensitive ears caught regardless.
“...no, Father, I'm not laughing...”
Before the unicorn could question this odd statement (forgetting, momentarily, that the creature would not understand such a question regardless,) a series of barks drew both individuals attention to the top of the ravine, where several more timberwolves lurked. The group glowered down at the trapped pair, eyes glimmering eerily with green light, before – to the surprise of both spectators – leaping down at them.
There was a brief instant where Twilight blinked in surprise before her horn flared and the timberwolves bounced off a dome of energy conjured at the last second. There several loud, disturbing snapping sounds as the wolves struck the shield, but they recovered quickly enough. Growling in pain, or irritation, they set to circling the barrier.
The creature – Twilight made a note to find out what it was called later – tilted its head inquisitively, tapping the magical shield with a curious, hesitant hand. Twilight hissed in pain at the contact, tired even before casting such a complex spell, and the creature noticed. It glanced between Twilight and the circling wolves, before nodding to itself. It stepped up to Twilight and placed a hand on her shoulder... then pushed her gently, but firmly, onto the ground, prompting her to drop the barrier in surprise. Seeing this, one of the wolves pounced forward at its now vulnerable prey.
The creature leaned over Twilight, wrapping itself around her protectively just as the wolf struck its target. It landed on the creature's back, hard claws digging into soft skin, before leaping off with blood trailing grimly behind it. Twilight cried out in surprise and horror, but the creature remained perfectly still, curled around Twilight like some kind of bizarre, living shield.
“It'll be alright,” It whispered soothingly. Another wolf struck, repeating its pack-mates previous display. “Life is precious, therefor you worth more than I.” More strikes, more blood. The creature remained stoically still, and Twilight's shocked self could do little more than continue to stare in horror through the gap in the creature's legs as more wolves charged forward, and more blood seeped to the ground. “It will be alright. I am alright.”
It didn't make sense.
The wolves attacked, and the creature resolutely ignored them. The creature bled, and bled, and bled, but held its posture and continued to whisper soothingly in Twilight's ears. The wolves attacked, and attacked, and attacked, and the creature did nothing but serve as a shield for them. Why? They would not give up until they had their prey. It made no sense, what was wrong with this-
The memory came to her quickly, words spoken not long ago at all echoing in her ears with perfect clarity, despite their alien origin. I'm sorry, was I not supposed to- Did I do something wrong? Something wrong. Did the creature... did it seriously think...? It didn't fight back, because it was worried Twilight would disapprove?
More blows. More blood.
Twilight had had enough. “Stupid!” She cried, despite the creature not being able to understand.
Another wolf leaped forward. Twilight caught it with her magic and tossed it aside, horn flaring. The wolf struck the ground with a painful thud, but Twilight stopped paying attention to it before then. Instead, she caught one of its pack-mates the same way and repeated the process, ignoring the pain in her skull as her tired body protested its abuse. She tried to stand, but the creature was utterly unyielding. Irritated, she picked it up and set it behind her, paying the expression of surprise no heed as she stood to her full height and tossed another timberwolf into the ground. Continuing her defense, Twilight found herself faced with a problem.
The timberwolves weren't staying down, and she was stretching the very last scraps of her reserves. Another leaped forward, but Twilight's horn failed to light up – her magic fizzled and died – leaving it free. She could do little more than watch helplessly as it closed in on her, face snarling and claws dripping with blood from its altercation with the creature. It was just close enough for her to smell its terrible breath when a pale, thin hand reached forward and swatted it aside with enough force to leave its head permanently twisted at a very odd angle before it dissolved into branches and smoke.
“I see... They have ceased to live.” Twilight blinked in confusion at the odd, serene statement uttered from the creature's lips. When the blink was over she started back in surprise upon seeing the creature was now standing directly in front of her, ravaged back facing her clearly. Another wolf charged, and the creature casually swatted it aside as well, with similar results its companion. The wolves backed off then, pacing back and forth restlessly as they realized the prey before them was not as defenseless as they had first thought. Now it had become a waiting game.
The creature moved first.
It was fast. Not as fast as Rainbow Dash, even on a bad day, but certainly faster than Twilight would have given its two odd, ungainly legs credit to be. It dashed recklessly forward, and the wolves moved in concert to respond. Two split off and made to circle behind their prey, while the remaining two charged straight forward.
The creature veered off to intercept the one that broke left...
.X.
I understood clearly, now. The wolves were a threat. I knew that before. But they were not 'innocent', as previously inferred. They were a threat. They were dangerous. The... unicorn... was their prey, and they were predators. The unicorn was willing to fight them, therefor they were acceptable targets – they had ceased to be worth saving. They were worthless.
And they were now dead.
They split up when I charged, as expected. This was within predicted behavior of a pack at hunt. The two outliers would either converge on me from behind or target the unicorn I was defending. The remaining ones would do the same if I were to target either of them. But leaving them alone to attack the defenseless being behind me was not an option, so I presented myself as vulnerable and targeted the outlier on the left.
It noticed my attention and broke off, expecting me to focus on chasing it while its pack-mates would attack me from behind. It did not expect to be caught before it could make two strides, and certainly did not expect being turned into ammunition to hit its companion targeting the unicorn. More's the pity. Both of them dissolved into smoke and twigs, leaving the two that were charging me from behind to focus on. They were almost on top of me.
The first, leaping forward to tackle me and – probably – rip out my throat, was dispatched with a simple chop to the side, hard enough to break its neck knock it out of the way. The remaining wolf, set on gaining hold of my leg, found itself flying into the distance from a powerful kick. That made four wolves. Five had engaged us – one was eliminated before the pack could break away – therefor all threats were accounted for and dealt with.
I was alone with the unicorn once more.
I paused, taking in for the first time the absurdity of that thought? Was I still in stasis, dreaming? It should not be possible for me to dream, but it should not be possible for me to feel, either. Or hallucinate... Or even become this confused and question this subject in the first place. To question is human instinct. It is in their nature. I... No. This was reality. I may deceive myself by dwelling in memories, but I cannot dream. I cannot dream. Cannot create, only replicate. I am observing something new. It must be real.
It has to be real. If it's not, then I... It is real.
It must be.
“Are...” The unicorn's voice brought me out of my musings. I returned my attention to her once more. She looked... concerned? Confused? Afraid? Her body language could point to all these things and more. If only I knew what she said... If she was even speaking, and I wasn't delu- oh, she was still speaking, wasn't she? Once, I would never have such a lapse in attention... but it was a consequence I could accept. For existing. For remembering. “...to a hospital.” She finished her sentence, though I couldn't understand it.
She look frustrated, upon realizing the same thing I presumed, and made to stand before wincing and falling to her feet again, shaking her head in dizziness. She. I've been saying that. Not 'it'. Why? No, focus. Focus on the unicorn. The forest is dangerous, can't not focus... can't not...?
Shaking my head, I made to assist her.
One step.
Two steps.
Thre-
Oblivion.