//------------------------------// // Bonus Deleted Scenes (non-canon to the story): Seven Days to the Wolves // Story: Essenza di Amore // by Cerulean Voice //------------------------------// The first thing Kavi knew was darkness. Compared to the Crystal Pendant’s shimmering atmosphere, her surroundings seemed pitch-black in the early hours of the morning. Only the moonlight shining in through the doorway told Kavi where she was. She groaned, blinked furiously, and rubbed her eyes before looking around. Everything was as it had been before she fell asleep. All of Eva’s… no, Prismia’s things were arranged about the place in the same way. The rain pounded just as loud as when she’d laid her head down. The shadows seemed the same, yet the air was completely still. “You…” Kavi spun around at the voice. A wizened, grizzled old pony sat on the mattress, rocking back and forth in a foetal position, her horn glowing feebly. “My power,” she croaked, her voice harsh and dual-toned again. “You took it all away. I… I have nothing left now.” She caressed the Crystal Pendant, no longer shining but a dull, dark blue. “Prismia.” Kavi trotted next to the elderly mare and stared her in the eye. “You didn’t have to deceive us and try to take everything from us. You could have stayed in the village—made friends with us all. You might have come to love somepony, or even be loved in return.” She sighed, eyeing the pendant. “I’m sorry about your past. I have no idea what it must have been like for you. Even so, you had no right to steal emotions from other ponies. Just because you suffered, doesn’t mean everypony else has to.” “But… it was the only way.” Prismia buried her wrinkled face into her hooves. “I was never loved. I… I wanted it so much. When I found the Crystal Pendant twelve years ago, it was like a dream come true. Suddenly I had it—I had a way to acquire love. I kept using it, and… the more I took, the more I craved. I never wanted it to stop…” Prismia burst into tears and covered her face with her hooves, sobs wracking her aged body. Kavi watched in silence as Prismia’s long-bottled and hoarded pain flowed down her cheeks. “Take it off.” Prismia lowered her hooves enough for the top of her eyes to look up at Kavi. “W-what?” “Take it off,” Kavi repeated. She held out a hoof. “Give me the pendant. You’ve done far too many terrible things with it. Now, take it off and be free. Be your own pony, and stop letting it control you.” Prismia sniffled, rubbed a leg across her nose, and nodded. Encased in a rainbow, the Crystal Pendant floated up from her neck. Instead of placing it in Kavi’s outstretched hoof, however, she slipped it over Kavi’s head. “H-here. You s-should wear it. You have s-so much more love in your h-heart than I.” As Prismia’s aura faded, Kavi looked down at her chest. The ring of amethysts seemed to shrink around her neck while the sapphire itself sat upon her breast. She touched it—it was cool, soothing against the heat in her chest, like the Snowflow’s caress against her coat on a hot summer’s day. It felt like she’d reclaimed a long-lost piece of herself. As she turned the Crystal Pendant over in her hoof, it vibrated violently; startled, Kavi dropped it. Floating in midair, the pendant emitted a shrill hiss; Kavi and Prismia both cringed and brought their hooves to their ears. Green and black smoke poured from the sapphire’s centre, filling the dwelling. The fog swirled and contorted, its edges solidifying into something vaguely pony-shaped. Four misshapen hooves thudded into the floor. A section of green cloud sharpened into a pair of translucent wings from its back. A stringy, tattered teal tail burst from its rear. Crowned by a twisted horn, a head atop a slender neck sprouted from the body and rose until it towered over Kavi and Prismia. A pallid mane draped down over its face and down its back. Sharp fangs lined the too-wide mouth, a short nose poked out, and bottomless eyes of the deepest emerald green filled most of its new face. With a menacing hiss, the monster bared its fangs. Before Kavi had a chance to react, it lunged for her throat. As it closed to within a foot of her face, the Crystal Pendant gleamed to life and created a blue barrier between Kavi and the monster. It slammed its legs against the shield three times, hissing as the contact left fresh, glowing blue scorch marks on its solid black coat. The smell of singed flesh filled the cottage as the burns seared holes into the monster’s body at each point of contact. The monster retreated, flicking its tongue out at Kavi. Green flames engulfed it, and suddenly Kaviyayu found herself face to face with… herself. When the monster spoke, it was with Kavi’s own young, high voice, although its chosen words would never have left the original’s lips. “You! When I come for you next time, I will tear the flesh from your bones. I will split your chest apart and feast on your heart. And I’ll do it slowly, painfully, keeping you alive long enough to know the last thing passing through your mind is your own hooves when I rend them asunder and slam them through your face!” The monster turned to Prismia, licking its lips. Another flash of green flame later, a second Prismia leered at the first. Its voice changed again to mimic the elderly mare. “As for you… for too long I’ve put up with your minimal nourishment. You never could satisfy my demands for love. Now, with her in possession of the pendant, you are worthless to me. At last, I am finally free to go forth and take my own share. Equestria’s love will be all mine!” Its horn flashed once, green flames wrapping around the monster’s body as it cackled madly. With a sudden crack, the creature vanished, leaving only a small scorch mark on the floor. Kavi swallowed hard and looked down at the sapphire that had just saved her life. It was still cool against her chest, a comforting, welcome presence. “That thing… What was it?” Prismia sat wide-eyed, trembling as though the ground shook beneath her. “Never did I imagine such a beast lived inside the pendant... such a hideous, terrifying monster... Did you notice how it sizzled when it slammed against the shield?” “Yes. But I wonder why it lived inside the pendant for so long when you wore it. Does that mean it can’t return to its home now that I’m wearing it?” “That would be my best guess.” Prismia coughed and lay back down on the mattress. “When I… when I took your love while under that creature’s influence, it was the purest strain I had ever tasted, far stronger and more satisfying than anypony else’s before.” “But… I don’t understand.” Kavi sat and shook her head. “Why am I so special? I’m just a filly.” “Don’t you ever believe that for a second, Kaviyayu,” Prismia said sharply. She continued to cough. “You have been raised in the most loving and isolated environment I have ever come across. Little wonder the Crystal Pendant hugs you so tightly. Even...” She looked down at the ground. “Even without it around my neck, I can still sense the power within you.” Kavi fondled the pendant once more. In the dark twilight hours, from somewhere not so far away, a petrifying sound reached Kavi’s ears. It lingered for a few seconds as she stepped outside the cottage to investigate. Ears perked, she peered over the edge of the ridge at the dark wood below. A second call answered; then another, and another. A long cacophony swept over the land, more and more howls adding to create a chilling chorus. “Oh!” She turned on the spot and flapped hard, soaring through the doorway back into the cottage. “Prismia!” She skidded to a stop before the mattress that the old pony still lay upon. “Prismia, the vargar are on the move! My father warned us they were getting closer, but I thought we would have more time!” Prismia remained motionless, her eyes bloodshot and downcast. “Come on! We have to get back to Zahara and help my family—all of them!” Prismia lifted her head a few inches, then let it fall again. “Please, you have to help me! I can’t fly fast enough to get home in time and warn them! Everypony will be asleep, and… and I don’t want to think about that right now, but come on, please!” Kavi jumped onto the mattress and grasped Prismia’s shoulders, shaking her hard. The mare’s head lolled back and forth with the motion. Kavi opened her wings and beat them hard, straining, but Prismia’s adult weight was too much for her. “I can be of no use to you, Kaviyayu,” Prismia murmured. “I have no power left. All of the stolen love was returned to its owners. I should stay here in my solitude, where I cannot hurt anypony ever again. My actions are unforgivable.” She leaned back and curled into a ball again as Kavi released her shoulders. Kavi took a step back. “I know you’ve done a lot of bad things to a lot of good ponies.” She shook her head, mane waving from side to side. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t start doing good things now! I’m sure my family will appreciate it if we help them together then explain what happened with that… that thing and the pendant before.” “I doubt it.” “Come on! Don’t give up like that!” Kavi jumped up onto the mattress again and pressed her face close to Prismia’s. “I know the truth now. It wasn’t you doing all those bad things! Yes, you craved love, and you let the pendant take hold of you, but you’re not a bad pony—you never were. You just made a bad choice and let the spell take over you. But when I wear this pendant... I can feel it inside me: the love for my family, and for all the good things in this world that I don’t even know about yet. There’s a power inside me, just sitting there, waiting to be brought out.” More howling flowed in through the doors over the endless tapping of rain. Kavi whipped her head around, her eyes wide as she backed away, panting and shaking. “This is really it then?” she asked, returning her gaze to Prismia. “You’re just going to stay here and mope. You won’t even think about trying to make things right?” No response, save for a deep sigh. Kavi bowed her head and trotted to the door. The rain poured heavier now; a beaded curtain of water flowed down over the space. She faltered at the door, the wind spraying her with a fine mist as she closed her eyes. Sighing, she spread her wings. “For what it’s worth, even if you won’t help me now… I forgive you, Prismia. The question is, can you forgive yourself?” Kavi took a deep breath and plunged through the curtain into the cold, wet night. While her initial adrenaline rush was enough to get her off the cliffside and into the air, Kavi’s lack of sleep began to creep up on her. The hot, comfortable bath felt like a distant memory as she struggled to keep her tired wings beating. Rain raced down from the sky, doing its best to force her to the ground. Flashes of lightning frequently blinded her, forcing her to slow down every time to blink the spots from her eyes. Every blast of thunder that followed set her heart racing faster. What am I doing? I’ll never make it in this storm! Kavi gritted her teeth against the pain in her overworked wings. She tried switching to a glide, only to find herself rapidly losing altitude under the heavy rain. She gasped and flapped harder until a sharp pang ran through her sides. Oh no, I can’t get a stitch now! Taking shallow breaths, Kavi searched the darkened canopy below for a place to land. Between the pouring rain, clouds covering the moon, and erratic wind gusts, she struggled to make out any decent landing place. Her head flew from left to right. Come on, come on… There! Kavi aimed toward the centre of a great oak with a gaping hole between branches. Fighting the pain in her side, she dropped slowly, resorting again to taking short, sharp gasps. Just as she neared the top of the tree, a sudden gust threw her off-balance. With a cry of alarm, Kavi tumbled through the air and crashed into the top of the tree. Unable to right herself, she plummeted toward the ground, smashing through thin limbs and bouncing off thicker branches while yelping with every impact. She reached for a branch about five metres above the ground with her flailing forelegs; failing to grasp it properly, her hooves slid over the slick wood and she fell the rest of the way, flapping her wings errantly. She slammed into the hard ground, the impact bringing a thunderclap with it. Kavi screamed into the night, tears leaping from her eyes as heat seared through her left wing. She tried to move, only for a jolt of lightning to run through her nerves in the wing’s main joint. With another anguished cry, she rolled onto her side and clutched at her abdomen, sobbing in the mud. Rain continued to fall around her—lightened somewhat by the trees above—and more lightning flashed. When the fire in her nerves burned down to embers, she scrunched up her eyes and tried taking deep, slow breaths. Careful not to move her wing, she curled up into a ball and lay still. She looked around for any familiar section of the wood, but every move made her head swim; she could barely make out which way ‘up’ was. Delirious and discombobulated, Kavi wept as the cold rain soaked her to the bone. She shivered in the dark as another howl, much louder, pierced the haze of her mind. Please... no... The nearby shrubbery rustled. Kavi whipped her head around, but the rustling stopped. Another rustle, from another direction; again, the sound faded when she lay eyes upon the bush making the noise. She shook her head, still whimpering as more pain flowed through her shattered wing. For the third time, her surroundings rustled. For a moment, she dared to hope it was all in her imagination, but her hopes were dashed against the jagged rocks of reality; a flash of lightning revealed three vargar staring at her, their teeth bared in eager, hungry leers. All three towered over Kavi, their furry, streamlined bodies showed off lean yet defined muscles from their wide shoulders to their giant paws. Yellow eyes gleamed in the dark like lanterns. Six-inch fangs protruded from the front of their mouths. Three bushy tails swished with anticipation as the mutant canines growled low to each other. As they slowly split apart from each other, Kavi scrambled backward against the giant oak's trunk. Fear and adrenaline flowed through her, breath accelerating, heart threatening to burst through her chest. Her wing hung limp at her side, pain shunted to priority two as she stared certain death in the face. Trapped against the tree, Kavi cradled her useless wing. Her whimpering resumed, eyes darting back and forth between each predator. No... it can't end like this. I have to get home! I want to go home! “Somepony, help!” she cried, knowing full well it would fall upon deaf ears. Her shout gave the vargar pause for barely a moment; then, they closed in further. She could smell their rotten breath, could see the saliva dripping from their tongues. She raised her forelegs in front of her face and turned away. “Mother!” She squeezed her eyes shut and leaned into the oaken trunk. She heard a collective snarl, expecting it to be the last thing she ever heard before her own screams inevitably mingled in a macabre harmony with the sounds of tearing flesh and cracking bone. Instead, all she heard was a strange thwing and three yelps. A flash of blue, gone quick as it came. Instead of the life-ending fangs at her throat, she felt only the tree trunk at her back. Slowly, daring to hope against hope, she lowered her hooves and creaked open a single eye. The vargar lay sprawled in a heap a few metres away. Still shaking, Kavi looked at her would-be predators. She tilted her head in confusion, heart hammering, before a faint glimmer below her line of sight caught her eye. The Crystal Pendant pulsed with a gentle glow, the sapphire shining in the centre. Before she could ponder the pendant further, a loud snarl startled her. She snapped her head up and gasped as the lead vargr shook himself off and leapt at her once more. She screamed, reflexively lifting her forelegs to shield her face again. Once more, a thwing and a flash of blue. Eyes open the second time, she saw the outline of a magical barrier, not unlike the one that protected her from the shadow monster in Prismia's hut. It filled her vision for an instant, vanishing after it sent the varg flying back against his fellows. Is it... protecting me? Again and again, the pack leapt at her; again and again, they were thrown backward by a persistent barrier of blue light. Kavi stared down at the pendant around her neck, gleaming and flickering as the barrier twinged repeatedly, repelling every one of the vargar’s attempts. "I... I don't understand," she whispered. "I don't have a horn... I'm not casting any spells..." An ear-splitting howl made her look up again. The three vargar slowly approached her then stopped. The leader raised and tentatively reached out with a taloned paw. As it closed to within six inches of Kavi's face, the blue barrier thwinged again, bouncing the paw away. Cheated out of his easy morsel, the leader snorted, turned his tail, and fled. The other two hesitated just a moment before following him into the darkness. In the moment that Kavi finally took a deep breath and exhaled, all of her senses returned at once. The dark, blurry outline of the woods around her took shape, lit by the pendant’s soft glow. The sounds of rain, wind, and thunder roared in her ears. The taste of acid and sweet potatoes filled her throat as she leaned her head forward and retched. The stabbing pain in her wing burned hot again. Wiping her mouth clear of excess ex-dinner, Kavi closed her eyes and felt the world start to spin. She collapsed to the ground, landing hard on her uninjured side, gasping through the searing haze of pain and nausea. Her head swam. “Mother… Father… Kara… Avran… I’m so sorry.” Everything faded to black. For how long she lay in the empty abyss, Kavi knew not. All was bliss, all was warm, all was fine. As such, she objected to the feel of something shaking her shoulder. The pain, the nausea, the chill in her bones—all returned in full force as somepony sought to drag her from the comfort of unconsciousness. With a long, low groan, Kavi shifted her body and lifted her head. Her eyes fluttered open, meeting with a familiar white coat. “Pr... Pris… mia?” The albino's body swam into view, sharpening with every passing second. “Praise the Sun. You're awake.” Prismia knelt down, placed a hoof on Kavi's left shoulder, and breathed a sigh of relief. “When I saw you lying on the ground like this, I... well, I feared the worst.” “Prismia…” Kavi made to stand, but yelled and fell back down as the pain returned. “Argh... you came back... but why? You said—” a coughing fit wracked her body “—you said you were done. I thought I’d never... see you again.” Prismia bowed her head. “Nor I you, young one. Though in fact, I am surprised that you have a chance to see anypony again at all. Such injuries, and in this storm—it is a miracle that you still draw breath. You look like you have seen the face of Death... and defied it.” “The vargar!” Kavi sat bolt upright, her eyes wider than the moon above. Her wing panged again, forcing her to bring up a leg to cradle it. She noted that the rain had finally stopped, and that she had been moved and laid at the base of a larger willow tree. The night seemed lighter, like the Sun was sitting below the horizon, just waiting to rise. It’s almost sunrise... “My family! Oh, no! They won’t have a chance! There’s a lot more vargar than the group that attacked me. What if they’re—” two hooves flew up to her mouth, the wing forgotten “—Prismia, please! You have to help them now. I’ll do anything for you if you at least try!” “Kavi, I—” “Please!” “Kaviyayu! Listen to me.” Prismia rubbed Kavi’s shoulder as the filly fell silent. “Have no fear for your family. They will be fine. You and I are going to help them… together.” “Really?” Kavi’s face lit up, only to fall again. “Oh, but I won’t be very useful at all. You should go alone. I’ll only hold you—argh!—back.” She rubbed her wing, every pang bringing forth a wince. “See? My wing is useless now. I broke it when I fell out of that tree in the storm. I can’t fly. I can barely walk.” “Kavi…” Prismia looked her firm in the eyes. “I am not leaving you behind. I will take you home. My actions might not earn your family’s forgiveness, but… at least my conscience will be clear. I see that now, and I am prepared to do what is right.” “Prismia… what happened? Why the change of heart?” Prismia smiled and looked over her shoulder. “I… thought about all those things you said. The more I contemplated your words—” she coughed and cleared her throat “—the more I realised… I want this. I want to be loved, for real, and to try and earn it. As I walked outside to think, I saw a flash of blue coming from far away, and then another, and another. I remembered how the same thing happened when that beast attacked you earlier. And then, the flashing stopped.” She swept a hoof across her face. “If I was ever going to learn about real love, I knew I had to protect you.” Kavi sat mute for but a second before she nodded. “Okay. So what do we do?” “Grab onto me, and I will do what I should have done hours ago.” As Kavi wrapped her forelegs around Prismia’s neck, the mare closed her eyes. Her horn shone with rainbow light; the two disappeared with a bright flash. Home. We made it. Kavi took a deep breath and released Prismia’s neck. Swaying from instant travel disorientation, she stumbled to her hooves. After wobbling around, she planted herself into the ground, legs spread apart evenly. She looked around, her heart leaping for joy at the sight of familiar buildings. So far, all seemed quiet and normal. “Mother! Father! Everypony, wake up!” she cried, bounding toward her house, ignoring the constant stabbing pain at her side. Wind rustled in the trees. Birds chirped in the surrounding woodland. The distant sound of the flowing river reached the village square. But not a single pony was awake. “Kavi...” She paused and looked over her shoulder, a hoof still in the air. She retraced her steps and dropped to the ground next to Prismia, who was lying on her side. Her eyes were closed, her breath coming in slow, soft pants. “Prismia, what’s wrong? You need to get up!” Kavi said, lightly shaking her. “Kavi… it is… all up to you now,” Prismia murmured. “I have… no strength left. I used what remained… getting us here. It was… no small distance.” “But…” Kavi stepped back, eyes shining. “I need you. The village needs you!” “No, Kavi.” Prismia groaned and coughed, shifting on the ground. She opened an eye. “I have played my part. Now it is time… for you to play yours. They come quickly. They are… not far away. Wake as many as you can. I just… I need to rest.” Her eye closed, and she lay still, her barrel gently rising and falling. Scrunching up her eyes, Kavi fought back the tide behind them. With a shake of her head, she took a deep breath and galloped back toward her home. Her wing drooped by her side, making her wince with every step. Gritting her teeth, she trod up the steps. As she reached the doorway, her heart leapt into her throat; Kartanya stepped outside, rubbing her own eyes. “Was it really a dream? It felt so real…” “Kara!” Kara yelped and jumped into the air. She landed slightly off-balance, then turned to meet Kavi. “Kavi?” Kara rubbed her eyes once again for good measure. “You came back! Where were you? What happened last night? What happened to your wing?” She closed the gap between them, mouth open as she reached out to touch the useless appendage. “Kara, no!” Kavi pulled back, wincing and shaking her head. “Please don’t—it really hurts. But forget about that for now, okay? You have to help me wake everypony up, now! Do whatever it takes—just make them get up!” “Kavi, what—” “Now, Kara!” Kavi yelled. “The vargar are—” A single echoing howl interrupted them. Both sisters froze as the howl was answered by a chorus of others. “Kavi… get inside, now,” Kara said slowly. Kavi shook her head again. “No! We have to warn everypony. We’re all in terrible danger!” “No, I will not let you face those things. They would… with your wing...” “I’ve already faced off against three of them, Kara. This—” she pointed to the pendant “—will protect me. I mean it, you have to trust me,” she insisted as Kara narrowed her eyes. “There’s no time to explain, okay? Just wake everypony up as fast as you can. I’m going to start at the other end of the village.” “No!” Kara shouted. “You were gone all night, you left us worried to death about you, and now you—” The howls drew closer, prompting both of them to look around. “I’m sorry, all right?” Kavi stamped a hoof, her eyes glistening. “But unless you help me out right now, there won’t be anypony left to apologise to!” Kara’s rebuttal died in her throat as her eyes flew up, staring at something over Kavi’s shoulder. She raised a shaking hoof. “Are… are they...?” Kavi spun around, covering her mouth with a hoof after a sharp inhale. Two pairs of gleaming yellow eyes blazed in the early morning gloom. Their owners padded into the square and looked around, converging near the fire pit. One of them spied a particularly vulnerable target and growled, drawing its fellow’s attention. Both of them slowly made for the motionless white pony. “Kara,” Kavi whispered. “Get inside, now, and wake everypony up, starting with Father.” “But what about—” “Please… Sister.” The word hung between them. Kara stared into Kavi’s eyes then looked down at the pendant. With a single nod, she stepped quietly back into the house. Kavi knew not whether it was desperation, fatigue, or any other reason that drove her forward. Whatever it was, she didn’t care as she galloped right into the vargar’s path. She slid to a stop in front of Prismia and lowered her stance as best she could, teeth still clenched against the constant pain. “You leave her alone,” she said to them as their mouths opened, jaws dripping with anticipation. “I won’t let you have her. She saved me and brought me back here to save everypony else.” The vargar snarled in response and leapt forward. The next second, both went flying into the trees as the Crystal Pendant flared to life once more. “Kaviyayu! You’re home!” Kavi looked back at her house. There on the patio stood her father, mother, and sister, all staring wide-eyed at her. They rushed over, surrounding her and flooding her with questions and admonitions. “We were so worried!” “We fell asleep waiting for you!” “Are you all right—is that a broken wing?” Kavi nodded her head quickly. “Yes, it is, but that’s the least of our worries right now—they’re here!” She pointed to the two bodies sprawled in a heap at the base of their tree. “And there’s more coming…” Stamska sprang into immediate action, his nostrils flaring. He stood tall and swept his gaze around the gloom. “I’ll wake everypony on the east side. Samanka, you take Kartanya and Avran with you to sweep the western dwellings. Quickly—they’re less than a kilometre from here!” As the mares and Avran nodded and galloped away, Stamska turned to Kavi. “You get inside the house. You’re injured, weak, and you look like you haven’t slept in days. You’ll be their first target.” “I’m not leaving.” Kavi cringed beneath her father’s glare. “Prismia needs me.” She stepped to the side, revealing the immobile body. Stamska’s glare hardened further. “What is that witch doing here? She betrayed us, imprisoned us… She tried to take everything from us, including you!” “I know what she did, Father,” Kavi said. “But things have changed since then. She’s the one who brought me back here. If it weren’t for her, you’d all… you’d…” They both looked around as one of the downed vargar rose to its feet and howled a long, high note. It growled at them as its partner slowly stood. In the distance, a return howl answered the first. “Half a kilometre,” Stamska said, his ears sky-high. “Argh, there’s no time to argue. Stay at my side, Kavi. I’ll protect you from these beasts.” “No, Father. It’s you who needs to keep close to me. I’m the protector here.” “What? You? But you’re—” “Just trust me, Daddy!” Kavi cried. “Stay next to me! I love you and Mother so much. I know that now. I don’t care if we’re blood or not—I won’t let anything happen to you!” With her words, the Crystal Pendant gleamed brighter and brighter, forcing Stamska to shield his eyes against the piercing blue. When he lowered his hoof, he gaped at the familiar jewellery around Kavi’s neck. “How did you get that? And what is it?” he asked. Kavi smiled at him. “A gift from her.” She pointed at Prismia. “This is our protection, Father. Just stay near me, and remember that I love you.” “I… I love you too, sweetheart.” As Stamska said the words, the pendant brought forth a glittering shield, encasing the three ponies. Kavi looked around at the barrier; unlike earlier, it did not simply vanish again but remained bright and solid. She reached out to touch its inner wall and smiled as her hoof met a welcoming warmth. “It’s protecting us all,” she said. Her eyes dropped down to her chest, the pendant gleaming bright. “Or… am I?” She jerked her hoof back just as the approaching pair of vargar snarled at her and lunged, although the barrier launched them into the air again. They crashed, yowling, in the fire pit as a stampede of ponies rushed past. “Stamska! Kaviyayu!” Samanka called. Avran, Kartanya, and half of Zahara joined them, most still confused and blinking sleep from their eyes. “Mother! Everypony, next to me, now! I’ll protect you.” The shield grew as ponies stared wide-eyed at the scene before them. Kartanya and Avran stepped up next to Kavi, Avran to her left side, while Kara sidled up on her right. Kavi smiled through her pain and closed her eyes. “I love you all so, so much. I’ll never scare you again, I promise.” “We love you too, my angel,” Samanka said, tears in her eyes. Avran and Kara both nuzzled her side. “We’re just glad to have you home again.” The shield expanded further; as more ponies came running, it continued to swell, a gigantic spherical blue orb of light that encapsulated everypony who added to the gathering. The loudest howl of the night greeted them. “Keep calm and stand your ground, everypony,” Stamska said, the fur bristling on his back. “Here they come.” *  *  *  *  * The Alpha vargr opened up his throat, piercing the early dawn with his howl. The scent of fear sent a ripple of euphoria through his body. He shivered with anticipation. An entire settlement to devour… Too long had it been since he and his pack had fed on more than miserable scraps of rabbit or pheasant. He had caught the scent days ago, a small herd of ponies. Of course, they had also caught his pack’s scent and fled, but no matter—the herd would surely lead them to more. Four days they had run, barely stopping, barely sleeping, lest they lose the pony smell. All were tired, and all were hungry. The Alpha’s stomach rumbled as his elongated fangs dripped saliva onto the ground. At last, it was time to feed, to gorge themselves. His mate joined his side, her eyes gleaming in the dark. She nuzzled him then repeated his howl. Seconds later, more howls filled the night. Something was wrong. The Alpha looked around at his pack. Sixteen sets of eyes, shining like fireflies, met his in the darkness. There should have been eighteen. He snorted. Of course. It was typical of the two youngest ones to desert the pack and strike off on their own. He would have to give them a stern reminder of his dominance after the frenzy was over. He howled again, and the pack rushed forward. Buildings came into view, lit by the low-hanging moon. The smell of flesh, pain, and sweat ran rampant through his nostrils. The fear in the air only heightened his anticipation. But what was that blue light ahead? That was unexpected, and it was growing brighter every second. The intoxicating fear began to lessen, the scent less enticing. Could the ponies be making it? The Alpha slowed his pace and stopped before the first house. He whipped his head around, growling, a signal for all to remain where they were. He pawed forward slowly, eyes closed and nostrils flaring as he inhaled the scent. There they were, all concentrated around the village centre. His lips stretched with glee. They had made this all too easy. In fact, this was better than catching them unaware in their beds. Foolish morsels. The pack could spread out and close in, pushing their prey together even tighter. None would escape. He barked once, and the pack immediately joined him. Shifting his head from side to side, he directed them all to spread out around the village. A perfect circle, a simultaneous convergence, and the feast would begin. He waited another minute, still keeping sight of the inexplicable blue glimmer as it continued to brighten. Whatever it was, it would not intimidate him. He howled a final time, and rounded the first building. *  *  *  *  * “Here they come.” Kavi looked at Stamska as he stared past her. She followed his wild stare, placing a hoof to her mouth as she saw what he saw. Unease and tension filtered through the herd, mares and stallion alike stiffening and looking from side to side as yellow eyes shone from Zahara’s boundary. The stench of wet, matted fur and decaying breath accompanied the nightmarish creatures as they moved into the light, fangs and talons at the ready. “Everypony, keep calm. Hold yourselves together, and remember your loved ones.” Kavi’s voice floated into the ears of all present. “Hold them. Kiss them. Comfort each other. Don’t let fear overcome your mind. Just keep your family near and dear to your heart and your mind. Never forget who you are, who we all are… and what we mean to each other.” Kavi looked at her mother, at Kara, at little Avran, and all around her. Somepony screamed as the first of the vargar leapt at the shield; its streamline body sailed through the air and collide with another, both sprawling on the ground. All at once, the entire pack rushed the shield. With every thwing, every impact, another vargr flew through the air and crashed in a heap of tangled legs. The shield flashed a brilliant white after each attempt before reverting to its cerulean blue. Ponies shivered and began to sob as vargr after vargr relentlessly launched themselves at the shield. “Keep calm!” Kavi shouted. “Just continue thinking loving thoughts, and we’ll be okay!” Gradually, the screams died down, even as the howling and snarling increased. The shield held firm against every blow. “You see? They can’t touch us if we stick together!” she said. “Don’t lose hope!” *  *  *  *  * The Alpha bared his teeth and let out a menacing stream of barks. This was not going to plan at all! That blue light was keeping them safe! It made no sense—the entire herd should have been easy picking! Blood should have drenched the ground by now, rattling death-throes filling the air with the intoxicating scent of fear! He side-stepped as one of his pack came at him, once again reflected off that incessant blue cover. He glared at the flashing points on the shield where every vargr impacted it and rebounded off into the sky, some landing on rooftops, some on each other, some in the upper levels of tree branches… He narrowed his eyes at a single point on the barrier. Looking closely at it, he noticed that the white flash it gave after impact lingered for a second before fading back to blue. A cruel leer stretched across his face. That was the solution—that was how he could break through. He howled, rousing the pack to gather behind him. Seconds passed while many of them halted in mid-lunge, bounding over next to and behind him. He waited until the other had recovered and also joined the main group. He gave two barks and motioned with a paw behind him. The pack reassembled themselves until all stood in single file behind the Alpha. He stared at the small filly with the broken wing and eyed the spot of blue around her neck. There was his target. She was the one responsible for this persistent, infuriating barrier. But not for long. He would rend her throat from her body himself. Slowly, he marched forward until he stood three body lengths from the filly. His leer widened further, his fangs bared as he stared his prey in the face. Yes, he would extinguish the light in those eyes soon enough. Pawing the ground, he bent his knees and jumped. *  *  *  *  * Kavi cringed, but held her ground as the largest vargr in the pack leapt at her, his fangs even longer than those she had survived earlier. Predictably, he crashed against the side of a nearby building, but quickly stood and shook himself off. Immediately after the leader jumped, the one in line behind imitated his attack then rebounded away in a different direction. Vargr after vargr lined up and attacked, barely a second passing between jumps. The shield gleamed brighter every time, almost to the point where it hurt Kavi to look at it. “What are they doing?” Kara asked, her voice raised over the constant thwings. “I don’t know!” Kavi answered. “It’s like they’re… they’re... “ She gasped. “Oh, no. No, no, no no no! They can’t!” “What, Kavi?” Samanka asked. “What is it?” “They’re… they’re trying to breach the shield.” Stamska pointed to the impact point where the vargar continued to throw themselves. “They’re concentrating their attacks… trying to crack it in one place, and one place only.” Before Kavi could respond, she felt movement at her hooves. Looking down, she saw Prismia stirring. Her eyelids fluttered open as she groaned and stretched out her legs. “By the Sun, what is going on?” “Prismia! You’re awake!” Keeping her focus on the pendant, Kavi brought a hoof down and grasped one of Prismia’s. The mare struggled to her hooves, overbalancing before righting herself. “Urgh… my horn feels like somepony is stomping on it.” She shook her head and sucked in a quick breath as she looked around. “Oh. I appear to have missed some things.” She recoiled as a vargr rebounded off the shield, inches from her face. Backing up quickly, she stopped next to Kavi. “I see you have discovered how to work the pendant.” “Yes, but…” Kavi’s voice faltered. “I-I’m unsure how much longer I can hold the shield. I can feel the pendant straining. What the vargar are doing... it seems to be wearing the barrier down. Look!” She pointed at the besieged section. After tens of relentless hits, small, fine cracks were beginning to spread outward from the point of impact. “Prismia… I can’t hold it forever. They will break through eventually.” Prismia closed her eyes and bowed her head while the vargar continued to bash themselves against the barrier. “What can we do?” Stamska said. Kavi and Prismia remained silent. Seconds passed. Avran whimpered and pressed in closer to Kavi’s side. Samanka wrapped a hoof around Kartanya and Stamska, who placed one gently upon Kavi’s back. All of them bowed their heads and concentrated. “Truly extraordinary, this,” Prismia said unexpectedly. “Even freed from the pendant’s magic, I can still feel its overwhelming power. Were you any other pony that I have ever known, Kavi, this shield—” she tapped the barrier “—would have fallen long ago. The love you feel for your family, the ones you hold most dear… it is surely unmatched by anypony in history.” “It’s not enough, though, is it?” Ice gripped Kavi’s heart; the shield flickered for the barest of moments. “We won’t hold…” A few more seconds passed. “There is one thing we can do,” Prismia whispered. Kavi looked up. “What?” Prismia smiled and brought her mouth to Kavi’s ear. “We could go on the offensive.” She eyed the pendant. “But I need your help. If you can trust me, like you once did—” she bit her lip and swallowed “—we can save us all… together.” The Alpha panted as he stood from his fourth flight of the evening. Bruised and battered, he shook off the ache in his back and walked gingerly toward the line again. No, this was definitely not going to plan at all! He licked his chops and growled. Every leap at the barrier amounted to another potential injury for he and his pack. What was with that thing, anyway? So far, it had staved off every hit. But surely it could not hold them for too much longer? He stalked toward the front of the line and looked at the chosen point. He smiled as he found what he was looking for. Excellent. So his plan was working. If they could keep pressing the attack, it would definitely not be long. He shot a cold stare at the pink morsel. She stared back, face set in grim determination. He could see it behind the hard glance; she was losing spirit. She seemed to be favouring her right side too… perhaps she was injured? He narrowed his eyes as a white pony at the pink one’s hooves shook her head, stretched, and stood. She brought her mouth to the pink one’s ears. Clearly, they were communicating. He snorted; it was probably about their inevitable defeat. Would they make a final stand when the shield fell? No matter. Even tired out from four days running, stomachs rumbling in protest, the pack would not stop until they took every last corpse. But wait. What was the white one doing? She lowered her horn—her horn?—to the gleaming blue stone on the pink one’s chest. The stone shone an even brighter blue for a moment as the white one’s horn took on its colour; then, both faded. The shield around the herd flicked and faded—not completely, but it was certainly noticeable. The Alpha grinned again in spite of his soreness. Oh well, that only meant they would feast sooner. He took a place behind three others, each lunging at the now-visible crack in turn. Every impact lengthened and widened the potential breach, each vargr being thrown shorter distances after their attempts. A gash finally opened up in the shield. Yes, there it was: the inviting hole through which they would finally obtain their hard-fought-for prizes. He lined himself up, backed up a few metres, and ran at top speed, fangs outstretched to tear that hole asunder… just as the white one sparked up her horn. “Now!” Kavi yelled. Prismia cast her magic as the vargr bounced off the shield for a final time. A deafening explosion rocked the village square. Cracks spread across the shield like a multi-layered spider’s web, before finally shattering and raining shards of blue down upon the ponies below. Mares screamed, foals cried, and stallions pawed the ground in preparation. Voices all around filled Kavi’s ears: parents comforting their foals, even as the vargar closed in for the kill; lovers kissing and embracing each other, expecting their ends to come swiftly; and general screaming. The vargar circled around, pressing in, ready to pounce— Pony and vargr alike averted their eyes as a brilliant rainbow flash lit up the entire square. The fire pit blazed into life, ponies next to it leaping back from its sudden heat washing over them. All present backed up, putting as much space as possible between themselves and the rapidly growing being of solid light in front of them. A ground-shaking roar shattered the sky above as dawn’s first light finally crested the horizon. Teeth as long as tree branches lined a gaping maw large enough to crush one of the village dwellings in a single bite. Blazing yellow eyes shone like the sun behind them. Red scales covered a serpentine body the size of a small mountain. Jagged spines ran the length of its back to its tail. The dragon roared again, shooting a jet of molten death at the vargar. Several of them yowled and barked as their coats were set ablaze. Others—having already suffered welts and blisters from close proximity—turned their tails and fled back north, heedless of their burning brethren. The smell of singed fur and burning flesh filled the atmosphere while hapless vargar dropped to the ground and desperately tried to roll out the flames. Ponies covered their ears while the dragon’s cry echoed over the land. It turned its head, the glow in its throat spilling forth for the second time, seeking further victims. A wheel of fire encircled everypony then spread outward, igniting what vargar had been foolish enough to not flee at their first opportunity. When the swirling vortex died down, none of the vargar remained. The dragon, its work done, let out a final roar before becoming a solid being of light again. The light shrank, down, down, until it faded, leaving a small pink shape. The flames in the fire pit spluttered and died. Kavi groaned and brought a hoof to her forehead before looking around. Everypony appeared to be safe and sound, if severely shaken. Ponies everywhere hugged each other tight, praising their good fortune; her own family all gathered around her, encasing her in a familial embrace. As the adrenaline wore off, the full scope of her experience caught up to her. She registered her aching muscles, her drooping eyes, the constant stabbing pain in her wing. “Heh… We did it… Prismia.” Her knees gave out. She hit the ground and closed her eyes. A strange sensation filled her from within, her chest heating up. She heard some cries of alarm, saw a bright flash through her closed eyelids, and then knew nothing more.