//------------------------------// // Trouble on the horizon // Story: Pawprints and hourglasses // by RustyKat //------------------------------// The days seemed to go by fast in this household. It wasn't long before Rusty had begun to walk by herself.... and get into trouble. Rhinestone flinched as he felt Rusty's sharp but tiny fangs bite into his tail for the 10th time. Why is my tail the best thing to chew on!? He gingerly removed her off of his tail, and went back to the book he was reading. Adorable mischievous little pup..... He wished Crystal was awake from her nap, but she was fast asleep on the couch. Finding herself bored, Rusty bounded around the room to explore some more. It wasn't long before she found something more interesting to play with. A single ball of yarn sat in the wicker sewing basket of Crystal's, a red ball of yarn to be exact. Rusty batted it with a paw, and cocked her head. The sound of it bouncing and the rough texture intrigued her, and soon, she was batting it again, and found herself playing with it. Her tail wagged softly as she played, and Rhinestone gave a long sigh. Not again........ Rusty gave puppy growls and wrestled the yarn ball as she pounced and played with the yarn ball. However, somehow she managed to get herself tangled up, and she gave a small cry of distress, which sounded like a squeak. Rhinestone quickly put his book down, and untangled Rusty with an amused chuckle. She is so cute.... yet so curious. It so happened that he let his Pegasus form slip, as he ended up with claws instead of hooves to help with the tricky yarn. Rusty's eyes widened either in amazement or fear as she looked upon Rhinestone with her red and blue eyes. What was he? Rusty wondered in her tiny head. Could he be what Crystal had described as those creatures with claws and paws, and ran on all fours like a pony, but much furrier, known as a wolf? Or was he something else entirely? Rhinestone watched Rusty's mind swim with confusion, and he flattened his ears. She was going to find out eventually...... Might as well get her used to my half- dragon form. He came out of his thoughts to find Rusty trying to stalk on his tail, trying to be as silent as she could. A very short attention span though.... He shifted to his half-dragon form. The tail became much ropier, and thicker. The soft pony fur was replaced with soft yet hard, dense armor-like scales, and the characteristic white, softly curved horns of a dragon showed at the back of his head. Dark blue soft spines raced down his back, ending only halfway down the back. The sharp black claws tapped gently to get little Rusty's attention. Rusty was utterly surprised. She flattened her ears, and muttered the only word she knew at this point. "Woof." Rhinestone chuckled. "Aren't you so adorable." Rusty reached out a paw, and touched Rhinestone's half fur-scales curiously. It was nothing like she had ever seen before, and it mystified her greatly. Rhinestone watched quietly, as she made an attempt to climb on his back with her already sharp black claws, but she failed miserably, and vocalized this with a soft cry. Crystal, of course, woke with a start. "We're surrounded!" she cried, only to flatten her ears. "It was only a dream Crystal." stated Rhinestone, as he gingerly helped Rusty to his back. I sure hope it is.... she seems to see things in her dreams others can't....... He didn't know that crystal was completely right. Seven changelings waited in the bushes, waiting for the sun to set, so that their black armor would give them an added advantage. They were prepared for Rhinestone and crystal to leave early, or to go somewhere separately. A secret plan was made telepathically from the lead changeling. The leader was a bit darker from the others, if not two shades darker, and he had dark green compound eyes. The color matched his dense shell where his wings lay on top, and he waited patiently, like a tiger waits for it's prey. Finally, the chance came for the changelings. "Hun, I'll be right back. I'm gong to get something from the river for Rusty. I think it would be about time she has tasted what a fish tastes like." They heard Crystal get to her paws, and the door open, then shut behind Crystal, before she begun her trek to the river. Goodness I hope she'll be safe. Rhinestone mused, as he found Rusty playing with his tail. Once again, he felt her sharp fangs in his tail, and he sighed. I'v got to remind myself to get her a chew toy. I'm not sure how much more my poor tail can take of this. The changelings waited until crystal was out of the sight of the other ponies as 4 silently followed her. The other three quietly waited, concealed near the house. Crystal finally reached the river, a cool soft river in the everfree. It was a soft blue, glittering with the little sunlight that reached it. They watched as Crystal tested the water timidly with a paw, before she waited, staring at the water for what seemed ages, before she shot out a paw faster than lightning, catching a small purple fish on the bank. A quick bite silenced the fish's flopping efforts to return to the water, and she used her magic to teleport it home. She wasn't skilled enough in magic to teleport anything bigger, so she sighed, and had started to turn back the way she came, when a sudden soft sound reached her ears, a rustling of a bush. She suddenly froze, eyes darting around for any sign for what may of caused the sound. She sniffed the air, an caught the faint scent of changeling. I knew it! I'm surrounded! She braced herself for the immediate attack. Meanwhile, at home, Rhinestone saw the fish teleport in, landing gently next to him. Well, she got the fish. The new object caught Rusty's attention like a magnet, and she twitched an ear in curiosity. She crouched down and began to stalk it, but when it didn't move, she approached it slowly. when she reached the fish, she sat down, and gave the fish a curious lick, only to realize it tasted funny.... in a good way. Without thinking, she swallowed the fish whole, and began to wash her paws. She learns fast... just the way Crystal eats it. The ambush was quick, the changelings breaking their cover quickly. Outnumbering Crystal, they tried to avoid her furious paws. However, one changeling was hit hard, knocking him down. He got back to his hooves, only for the changeling to knock into him as Crystal flung a changeling away from her with her magic. A changeling knocked Crystal off balance from behind, and while she tried hard to escape, she couldn't. "Should of come with your husband." buzzed an ominous tone of the leader, as he lit his horn. "We have use for you..." Crystal growled low and deep, but it did her no good. A shooting pain burst into her skull, as her vision went dark, and she knew no more, as the changeling knocked her out.