Chapter 4
Spike attempted to cover his face with his paws from the sunlight, maybe everyone else was up, but so what? He wasn’t a wolf like everyone else; what could he do? “Spike if you don’t wake up I’ll personally escort you to-” Before Comet Tail could finish, Spike bolted up.
“Happy?”
“No, but it might help me get happy.”
“Good.” He started to walk out of the den, “So why do you need me up so early?”
“We’re gonna search for Twilight.”
“Again? We already know that humans took her.”
“Yes, so I’m gonna have to go to their ‘town’.”
“WHAT?!?!”
“Look, I doubt you’ll understand, but I took a promise that I’d take care of her and protect her if necessary. That’s the whole point of being mates.”
“You’re going to get yourself killed.”
“Well, if I do it trying to get my Twilight back, then that’s perfectly fine with me. If you don’t wanna come, then you don’t need to come, I just…” Comet sighed, “You get the idea.”
“I’m going with you, I just wasn’t sure if you’d make it since you’re not as stealthy as me.”
“Please… I’m a wolf. We have our ways.”
“Still, it’s common knowledge cats are stealthier.”
“Please,” Comet rolled his eyes, “But let’s get going.”
“Let’s.”
“No you don’t,” A male voice called out.
Comet looked to his side and saw: “Shining…”
“As the alpha protector, I can’t let you go. However...as your...brother-in-law, I need to go with you.”
“Look, Shining, I really appreciate it, but just the two of us will have a hard time moving through the town unnoticed. Add another big, alpha wolf and we’ll be seen instantly!”
“But she’s MY sister!”
“Well she’s MY mate! I made a promise.”
Spike roared, “GUYS! Really? You’re fighting again?”
Both wolves shot each other glares.
“Let’s just go. I’m not even going to try to deal with this one.”
Both wolves huffed, and followed Spike.
******
Bright Eyes looked at herself in the stream. Just last night, she was trying to bring order to a pack that could not control themselves upon the recent news, but now… Bright Eyes carefully rest her head in the water, letting it flow over her muzzle. ‘I wish you were here Lancer,’ she thought.
Just then, she saw someone else’s reflection in the water. Bright Eyes sat up to see Eclipse.
“Oh, Eclipse.” She immediately bowed out of instinct.
“Bright Eyes, please don’t do that,” Eclipse said, “There’s no need for it.”
“Oh, right.” Bright Eyes immediately stood up.
“Bright Eyes… do you need to talk about what happened last night?”
“I already told everyone.”
“I didn’t mean tell me about it, I meant talk, it might feel good to get it off your chest.”
“Oh, right. I wanted to talk with Zecora about it, but it would just feel… weird.”
Eclipse chuckled, “Yeah, I know how that is.”
“But then talking to you would be just as weird…”
“Oh...I’m sorry,” Eclipse lightly blushed.
“It’s okay. Just… Something I need to get used to I guess.”
“Yeah…”
“It’s just happening all so fast. First Luna becomes Nightmare Moon, Twilight’s taken by humans, then Lancer and Celestia and are taken out by Nightmare Moon, and now…”
“I know, it was hard for me too after I became Luna’s mate.”
“I know.”
“To know that...monster has her is unbearable,” Eclipse bared his teeth.
“And then what she did to Lancer puts us in the same den.”
“Yeah.”
“But I can’t tell you enough that I wasn’t born as a leader. I was just thinking the ones we lost, knowing how they would react if they saw the madness that was going on inside that den.”
“Bright Eyes, it’s not that you can give orders that makes you a leader, it’s what you do with that power that counts.”
“I know, ‘with great power comes great responsibility.’ I heard that line before.
“I believe you’ll make a suitable replacement for Luna.”
“But I ca-”
“It’s not permanent, it’s just until we can change her back.”
Bright Eyes blushed. “Oh. Right.”
“ECLIPSE!”
Eclipse turned to the source of the voice. It was Kimono. “Kimono? What happened,” Eclipse inquired.
"Zecora and Minty have gone missing!”
Bright Eyes and Eclipse gave a distressed “What?!” in unison.
“Minty wasn’t feeling so well emotionally and ran away from us. Zecora went after her to try to comfort her, but when I went to look for them, they were nowhere to be found.”
"Great..." Bright Eyes muttered.
"Gather everyone up," Eclipse sighed, "I'll need Cadence to try and use a shield spell."
“Got it.” With that, Kimono darted off.
“Eclipse… I’m not going to sit here while everyone vanishes from our lives.”
"And you think I will? I need all the Alphas, if we're going to stop her we need to stop her with everyone available."
“I know. Just consider that sentence as my acceptance into that position.”
"Fine, but you'll need to stay here, I can't have the pack without a strong leader if we're..."
“I know. Right now, my mind is set on one thing and one thing alone: to free Luna and destroy Nightmare Moon.”
"All I want is my mate and my son's death avenged."
“Why do you think I’d add Nightmare Moon’s death to my list?”
"Who's going to lead the pack if we're gone?"
“I guess Eclipse, then Shining Armor and Cadence, and end with Wisteria. I hope they have good betas selected.”
"I'm going to need them all, which is why you need to stay."
“Got it.”
"Then let's go."
The two raced back toward the territory.
*****
Firefly and Wind Whistler, meanwhile, were now soaring toward an odd structure. "Think there's anything in there?" Wind Whistler asked.
"Only one way to find out," Firefly smirked. She increased her speed as she sped towards the structure. She attempted a double inside-out loop, but she lost control and spiraled downward, falling into a well.
“Firefly!” Wind Whistler dove down to the bottom of the well, but froze when she saw water. She took a deep breath, and dove into the water. The only problem is that everything was pitch black down there, and Firefly was nowhere to be found. Wind Whistler was underwater for almost a whole minute before she emerged. She breathed heavily as she frantically looked around. She didn’t notice the bubbles that were forming from behind her before Firefly emerged coughing violently. Wind Whistler used her wings to propel herself forward towards Firefly. She grabbed Firefly’s neck and tried to swim upward, but unfortunately, she wasn’t the strongest wolf in the pack, and Firefly was, making her heavier. ‘C’mon!’ Wind Whistler thought, ‘Why’s she out?’
Wind Whistler looked up. There was only a small bit of light that was allowed inside the well because the well was so deep. It doesn’t help that they can’t fly since they need to be out of the water in order to do that. Wind Whistler had no choice. She lifted her head and let out a long, loud howl.
******
Twilight’s ears perked up. “Wind Whistler?”
"Who," Megan asked.
"A member of my pack! Maybe I can get home!"
"Twilight, you remember our talk, don't you?"
Twilight gave a light growl, "But maybe I can be with Comet..."
Megan rubbed her head, "I tell ya what, how bout I go and see?"
"Fine, but I'm going with you."
"No! You need to rest."
"But how will you know it's Wind Whistler?"
Megan paused for a long time, before, "Fine! But you're staying IN the car."
Twilight huffed, "Fine… but if Comet's there, I don't think I can help myself…”
“You’ll have to try.”
Twilight sighed, "I'll try, but I have to ask; what’s a car?”
*****
Celestia, Lancer, and Lightning were getting tired from their escape. They all laid down to rest knowing that they were far enough away from the territory. They would have been home by now, but Lancer got mixed up in the confusion and took them in the wrong direction by mistake.
"We can't rest for long, Nightmare Moon will realize that we are no longer in her prison,” Celestia said.
“I’m surprised that she doesn’t know right now,” Lancer replied. “After all, it was Mom who set us free.”
"That's why we have to keep going."
"Well, we would be home by now if SOMEONE didn't get us lost," Lightning said.
Lancer growled, "For the..." He stops to count with his paws. "Tenth time... It was an accident and I am sorry that happened. Move on!"
Lightning rolled his eyes, “Whatever… Hey, why don't you fly up there and find out where we are?"
"Because if I do that, I'll risk giving away our position, and that's the last thing we need right now."
“Well, can’t you teleport us home?”
"Long range teleportation has unpredictable effects, plus I need to know exactly where we are."
“But it’s better than being LOST.”
"Would you rather be inside-out?"
Lightning grunted, then. “Couldn’t we dig?”
"Now THAT is the most absurd idea I have ever heard."
“Well, we’re wolves, aren’t we? And wolves are canines, and canines are known for being good diggers."
"But it does nothing to help us navigate!"
"ENOUGH! BOTH OF YOU!" Celestia was on her last nerve. “THIS ISN’T HELPING ANYONE!!”
They both stared at her in awkward silence.
Celestia took a deep breath, “I’m sorry, but with everything going on I’m…”
“I’m sorry, Aunt Celestia,” Lancer lowered his head and tail.
“It’s fine, Lancer, I’m just...stressed.”
Lancer gave his Aunt a gentle nuzzle, hoping to comfort her. Celestia started to smile as she nuzzled back.
"Um...can we get going now?" Lightning pleaded.
Suddenly, they heard a howl. They all perked their ears up and listened for it. Lancer looked at Celestia. "Is that..."
"Wind Whistler," Celestia confirmed. "She's in trouble."
"Now we really have a reason to get going," Lightning pointed out.
With that, all three wolves took off.
*****
Megan led Twilight and Fluttershy (who came to give Twilight some company) to her car, a blue station wagon, and opened the back door, letting them in, before Megan got in the driver's seat.
"What is this thing?" Twilight asked.
"Megan's car." Fluttershy replied.
"This thing?"
Fluttershy nodded and pulled the door closed behind her with her jaw while Megan started the car. Twilight jumped at the car’s engine began its work. "What was that?!"
"The engine; it makes the car move."
"Oh...okay."
Megan looked back to Fluttershy and Twilight, "Do you want the windows down?"
"Yes please." Fluttershy replied.
Megan pressed a button and the glass panels next to the two wolves slid away. "...What on Earth?"
“I was lowering the windows,” Megan answered.
"...Oh..."
Fluttershy rest her head on the place the window had been. Twilight did the same, while watching the car drive past the trees. She lifted her head and yawned, but as she did, a strange thing filled her body, it felt… good... She left her mouth open and-"Wow!"
Fluttershy gave Twilight a look, "What?"
"RHAS IS AMAHIN!!" Twilight replied...but it was difficult with her mouth hanging open.
Megan giggled. “I see you discovered why dogs like to stick their heads out of the window.”
“Huh?”
"Well, a lot of dogs like hanging their head out the window."
“Ah.”