//------------------------------// // Chapter 17 - Pony: Trust and Betrayl // Story: World of Ponies: The Pony-Human War // by ShadowWalking18 //------------------------------// Scootaloo Scootaloo was scooting across the floor, her legs pushing her forward as she just went in random directions in the room that she and Tiara was confined to. "Ugh, I'm so bored!" She said for the tenth time. "Will you stop whining." Tiara groaned, looking up from the part of the floor she lay on. Scootaloo stuck her tongue out at the filly and continued her scooting. She wished that Castus or Valen would get back. Maybe they could go explore the forest so. Or maybe he could show off some of his magic. Or at least talk with her, frankly she would take anything to end her boredom. She stopped though when she began hearing the sounds of a commotion on the other side of the root door. Her ears swiveled toward the direction, and even Tiara stood up to look toward the door. Scootaloo got up and dusted herself off, looked to the door expecting Castus or Valen. Either would have been nice to see again. But as the voices grew closer, Scootaloo saw a group of humans getting closer and carrying something. She felt a bit afraid, not seeing Castus or Valen in the group, and she backed up near Tiara. Tiara gripped her hoof and they both watched as the party of humans. The humans got to the roots, and began shouting, some turning to try and pull the roots away. The roots didn't budge, and finally two humans came forward with axes and began hacking at the roots. That was when the roots started attacking the humans, wrapping at their limbs and yanking them off their feet. The humans didn't stop, more starting to hack and slash at the wild roots, and finally cutting them to pieces to make a hole big enough to get in. "Their gonna kills us!" Tiara shouted, clinging to Scootaloo tightly. Scootaloo could only wrap her arms around Tiara as well, and watch as the humans came into the room, and immediately headed to the bed and placed whatever they were carrying down on it. Some of the humans turned and glared at them, but one that Scootaloo recognized pushed the humans away and began shouting something to them. The humans nodded and ran out of the room, ducking under some remaining root pieces. Scootaloo looked to the bed, seeing a few remaining humans kneeling beside it distraught and she gasped when she saw who was laying on the bed. "Castus!" She shouted and rushed over. "Scootaloo no!" Tiara called, afraid. Scootaloo ignored her as she rushed to her friend, but shouted as a human turned and grabbed her by her hoof ad hauled her off the ground and pulled a dagger. The human pointed the dagger at her throat and shouted something at her. Scootaloo could only stare in fear, before the older human gripped the humans arm and twisted it to make him drop her. The older humans shouted some things to the human with the dagger and the human sheathed the blade and looked at the ground ashamed, before nodding and leaving. Tiara rushed over and helped Scootaloo to her hooves, and tried to pull her back, but Scootaloo resisted and looked up at the human who saved her and he looked down at her. The older human looked at her for a moment, before looking sadly at Castus. Scootaloo also looked at him, and felt her chest tighten. He looked pale and he was shivering. His face was supporting a large bruise now on the left side. "What happened to him?" She said, forgetting that they couldn't understand her. The human didn't answer, turning as more humans approached. Scootaloo turned, and was forced to step back and stand with Tiara as a number of human males and females started coming into the room. Each had baskets or leather bags filled with stuff or planets and the like. The new humans, which Scootaloo thought were healers like Zecora, began crowding around Castus, pushing the other humans away. Some began crushing up plants in a bowl with a stone tool, and others began a fire to heat some water. Others began cutting off his shirt with knives and gently removing it; revealing the large bruise around his shoulder, where his arm was angled in an awkward way. "His shoulders broken." Scootaloo said, placing a hoof to her mouth. "How can you know that?" Tiara asked. "My mom is a nurse. She sometimes took me to work and I saw a few injuries like it. He needs a hospital." Scootaloo said, watching as the human healers started working. The boiled plants in water, or made Castus chew on herbs. Others began soaking bandages in strange liquids before working to tie it around his shoulder, moving it so his arm lay on his chest. Castus screamed though at the movement of his arm, and the humans were forced to hold him down as they tied his arm and shoulder. Castus continued to struggle, and Scootaloo rushed over to place a hoof on his head. The humans all looked at her, but Castus focused on her and said something in the human language. He looked at her with wide eyes that seemed to have trouble focusing, and seemed hazy. "Castus, please you need to stay still. They are trying to help you." She said. Though she did wonder how well these humans did know about medicine. They didn't have the magical potions like Zecora; maybe she could go get her. 'No, I wouldn't even get out of this room if I tried.' She thought with a frown. Castus didn't respond, only nodding, but his face contorted with pain as the humans finally finished binding him up and stepping back. Castus looked around at them all confused, before his eyes shut and his head went limp, his body continuing to twitch and shudder. Scootaloo frowned, and had to fight back tears. What had happened to Castus to cause him this much pain? She gently stroked his head, before stepping back as some of the human healers stepped up and began making Castus drink some of their herbal mixtures. Finally the healers stopped and said some things to the older human before leaving. The older human looked at her and Tiara before pointing to Castus and then pointing at his eyes. Scotaloo blinked, but nodded. She felt sure he was asking her to watch Castus. The older human nodded and left, leaving her and Tiara alone with Castus. Tiara and Scootaloo were silent, before Tiara said, "What happened to him?" Scootaloo frowned, "I don't know. But I hope he is going to be alright." But the way Castus body twitched and shivered, she didn't know if that was the case. She had to find a way to get him to Zecora, or to get Zecora here. But how? Stonewall In the days since the destruction of the camps, Stonewall had managed to bring together the regiments into a singular army, and had even managed to scrounge up supplies to feed and cloth and shelter his soldiers. He and his troops owed a great deal of debt to the local nearby villages, who many had been willing to just give food and blankets and any supplies they needed. And now it seemed kindness like that was in danger. When Princess Luna herself, along with the entire Equestrian army, had arrived, Stonewall had felt relief in seeing his princess. In fact Princess Luna and her forces had brought tons of supplies to make up for his own current reserves. But with relief came bad news as well. Their prince Blueblood, though at times an insufferable idiot, had been captured by the enemy and from the anger in Princess Luna's face when she spoke of the message that the human leader Castus had sent them, Stonewall felt partially responsible for the prince's current predicament. 'I should have tried to reason with him. The boy can be annoying, but he doesn't deserve that.' He thought. It had been the move to then return to the human camp, though it was suspected that they would have moved by now it would have been possible to track them. It was this move that showed just how powerful Luna was. Like her sister, Luna had powerful magics that even the most skilled unicorn battle mage could only dream of. She alone managed to power a powerful teleportation circle that had brought their entire force into the human camp area. What they had found was nothing but the burnt remains of old tents, and the remains of a large pyre, and the burnt bodies of the ponies who had died when the attack had been routed. But there was no sign of the humans, or any path they had taken. They had vanished. Or teleported. Unfortunately the attempts to track the residue was impossible, as Gleaming Light explained, for the human magic had a far shorter half life residue then unicorn magic. They could attempt to sense a direction, but they would be unable to pinpoint an exact location, and the greater the distance the harder it would be. "However I do think in time we can change this. The spell is after all still in its youngest stage." Gleaming Light said. "Very well. This is very impressive work Gleaming Light. You and your apprentice should be proud, this is a spell not even I or my sister knew." Luna had said when Gleaming Light explained the spell. Still all it meant to Stonewall was that they would have to spend who knew how long tracking them down the normal way, in this cursed winter that didn't seem intent on ending. This all changed however when a fast flier arrived with a message from Canterlot. To the surprise of all, the humans were somehow in Equestria, and attacking settlements. Reports and rumors of destroyed grain silos and fires spreading through small villages and towns were. Worse were the reports of a number of deaths already, which had many soldiers worrying for loved ones and family. It was so then that the army would head back into Equestria, but to move such a vast force in time to stop any more attacks, they would have to use the rail systems. The closest town with a working railway was many miles away, but Luna had ordered all the fliers to fly ahead, leaving the rest of the army to catch up. Hopefully the Pegasus units would be enough to stamp out any further attacks, or at least keep them busy till the main force finally arrived. Either way, Stonewall found it all left him in a sour mood. It might have completely consumed him if not for his....nightly companion. Scarlet Rose was a mare of sheer insatiability. She had a way of making him feel like a young stallion again, her rose like scent nearly intoxicating. He certainly didn't understand what the young mare officer saw in an old pony like himself, but she seemed intent on sticking around him. Yet, something felt...off. It must have been a night or so ago, after a particularly rough bout of passion with the mare that left him so exhausted and drained he had fallen asleep in her arms immediately after. He had felt a slight stirring of the bed that roused him slightly from his slumber. The night had been dark, but he thought he had seen the outline of Scarlet Rose leaving his tent, clad in only a robe. But he had fallen back to sleep before he could make much of it. In fact, the memory was so fuzzy he had previously written it off as just a weird dream. But he learned now that this was not the case, as he felt that same stirring of the bed and covers once more tonight. He opened his eyes only a little, and once more saw the faint black outline of Scarlet Rose leaving the tent. Curious, Stonewall pulled himself from his bed, his body giving some protest after the excessive work out it had had not a little time ago. He breathed through it all and dressed himself before walking out of his tent. In the distance he saw the outline of a pony, Scarlet Rose, heading away from the camp. Stonewall was confused, and rather suspicious. He wrapped his cloak tight about him and began to follow. Whatever it was Scarlet was doing, he was going to find out. Scootaloo Scootaloo watched as once more the human healers did whatever they were doing to try and help Castus, but as it had been for the past three days, nothing seemed to wake him up. And his body continued to shiver, and at times he changed from cold to a high temperature. By the door she saw humans looking in, all with hopeful looks that Castus would get up. She then looked up at Valen, who stood by the wall with her and Tiara. He had a look of fear and worry, as he looked at the still body of Castus. He fingered something constantly around his neck that he never took his hand off of. Beside him, Tiara stood next to him, leaning close to him and looking at a human near the door. Scootaloo looked, and saw that familiar human that had drawn a knife on them when they first met Valen. Like always he seemed more focus on them, his hand on his knife. Scootaloo leaned closer to Valen as well, finding his presence comforting under that hateful glare. Valen noticed this, looking at her and Tiara before looking over at the human. Scootaloo watched as the two looked stares, before the human turned away and looked at Castus. The glare went soft, and had a look of worry now. Scootaloo felt Valen patting her head, and she batted his hand away, though she smiled slightly. He did the same to Tiara, though she merely stood there, her ears flat in contentment, leaning against Valen. Finally, the human healers stepped back, and spoke with the older human before leaving. The human watched them go, before looking back at Castus. He didn't seem any better, still laying silent and shivering. Scootaloo couldn't tell, but she thought he also looked paler. The older human placed his hand on Castus head, and mouthed said something before looking to Valen and saying something to him. Valen responded, nodding. The older human nodded back, then nodded to her and Tiara lightly before turning to leave. As the human left, the sound of some rough words and the sudden scampering of dozens of feet could be heard for a moment. Finally the room was silent, and Valen walked over to Castus bed side. The sudden movement nearly caused Tiara to trip over herself, as she had been leaning heavily against him. Scootaloo chuckled a bit at her near stumble and ran off to join Valen. Partly to be next to him before Tiara got there and tried to hog him. Mostly to check on Castus herself. When she got there, her momentary joy was lost to sadness. Castus still lay still, shivering and his face looked paler now. Dark rings under his eyes, like he hadn't slept in days. She blinked her eyes to keep back some tears that started to appear. Valen started to say something, the hand which he gripped something being placed on Castus chest. Valen said something else and opened his hand, and placed a glittering amulet upon Castus chest. Scootaloo got a good look at the amulet then. It was beautiful, unlike anything she had seen. It was shaped like a tree and had six small different colored gems in its branches. All this held by a simple silver chain. It looked....like the Tree of Harmony. But before Scootaloo could wonder how or where it came from, the amulet suddenly glowed brightly, as did Castus body. "Ahh, whats happening?" Tiara said as she covered her eyes. "I don't know." Scootaloo said, also covering her eyes. The glow was so bright that it was hard to look at safely. When the light finally subsided, a low groan made everyone look once more at Castus. Castus groaned, and slowly his eyes opened as his good hand laid ontop of the amulet. He looked around, eyes half open and slightly glazed. He shook his head to regain focus. "Where.....am I?" He asked. "Castus!" Scootaloo shouted, and leaped to wrap her hooves around him. "Ow! Shoulder!" Castus yelped. "Ah, I'm sorry!" Scootaloo said, stepping back, "I just...you're okay again." Castus gently rubbed his bandaged shoulder, and Scootaloo smiled as he looked at them all, then her again. "I...how did...I get here?" Castus asked. Valen said something, which made Castus look at him with wide eyes. He said something to Valen, who responded, and Castus stood up shouting something that Scootaloo was sure was a swear word. But his legs nearly gave out under him, and if not for Valen he would have fallen onto the floor. "Castus, you have to lay still...I don't know what weird magic that amulet did, but you need to take it easy." Scootaloo said. "Amulet?" Castus said, confused before opening his hand to see the amulet Valen had placed on him, "Oh...it helped heal me? Why?" The last bit seemed more a question to himself, but Scootaloo shrugged, "Uh, cause its magic." Castus looked at her, then smiled, "Yes...I guess it is. But I can't take it easy. I need to get to the other hunters." "Hey uh, not that I really care, but you can't even stand." Tiara said, gripping Valen's arm with her hooves. Scootaloo glared and grabbed Valen's other arm in hers. This only seemed to make Valen go very still and look between them confused. Castus also seemed confused, looking between them all. He chuckled once before saying, "I don't have a choice....something is....I don't know yet...but something is wrong with everything. And I can't leave my warriors out there, they don't have the supplies for it. They could be freezing while I lay here. I need to go to them, but I need your help." "Our help? But why can't you just use your magic to heal you?" Scootaloo asked. Castus shook his head, "If I tried to heal myself now....I may end up doing more harm then good. I need outside help, and you know the only person would could give that. Zecora." Scootaloo blinked, "Zecora? Well that does make sense, but why would your magic hurt you if you tried to heal yourself?" "Maybe your not so good at is as you think?" Tiara said with a smirk. "Hey! Leave him alone." Scootaloo said. Tiara opened her mouth to say something, but stopped when Valen gave her a look. She wilted slightly under that look, but seemed to perk up when Valen patted her head. 'Gosh, why does he coddle her like that.' Scootaloo thought bitterly. Tiara needed to be knocked down a peg or two. "Well...she is partly right. I am not the best healer. But more importantly, Zecora is the only pony who might aid in my recovery...or maybe she can't. I won't know till I see her. I need you all to help me get to her; for I can't make the journey myself." "But what about your other warriors?" Tiara asked, "W-why do we need to go out in the woods?" "One, you three will be enough. Valen is a competent warrior. Scootaloo knows the way, and I doubt you want to be left alone here. Right?" Castus said. Tiara gulped, shaking her head. She leaned closer to Valen, and Scootaloo responded in kind. The two of the glared at each other a moment, before looking back at Castus. Castus just smiled before his face too a serious expression, "Besides...a smaller group won't attract a lot of attention. Besides, I can't think of any other I would trust my life with." Castus placed his hand on her head, petting her and Scootaloo smiled, before brushing his hand away, "Aww come on Cast, lay off the sappy stuff. If you really are set on this, I'll help. It will be cool to go exploring." "What? I...oh fine! As long as Valen is with us." Tiara said, before mumbling the last bit to herself. Castus nodded, gripping Valen's shoulder and lifting himself up. Valen placed Castus good arm around his shoulders to steady him, as Castus spoke to him in the human tongue. The two engaged in a momentary conversation, before Valen nodded and began helping Castus out the door. Tiara and Scootaloo followed. Stonewall Stonewall crouched behind a tree, looking down into the clearing where Scarlet Rose finally stopped. He had been following her for a time, and she had come far from the camp. He watched her, eyes wide when she cast off her cloak and stood naked in the night air. Stonewall went to move out and confront her on this strange ritual, when movement from above caught his eyes and he kept to his cover. From the darkness in the sky, flew down a figure cloaked in darkness. "The Equestrian Army gathers. The humans run wild in the Equestrian Heart. The Consort moves now on the Queens orders. Be sure that the Equestrians are in position when the forces arrive." The figure said. Scarlet Rose bowed, "It shouldn't be hard. My sisters are all in place in the ranks. The Equestrians will be weakened when the final battle comes. Though this winter will make it hard to move quickly." The figure nodded, "The Windigos are strong. Funny that the ponies forget. I will send word to the Consort. We will try to give you time. But do not dawdle. Failure here will mean punishment by the Queen." Scarlet Rose nodded, "I understand. I will return and see that the last bits are in place. I have my fangs deep in one of the commanding officers of the army. It should not be difficult." "Good. Oh and....dispose of the....spy." The figure said, flying off on buzzing wings. 'Faust!' Stonewall thought, he had been discovered? How? He went to make a break for it, but turned and stared directly into the red glowing eyes of a changeling. The changeling stood as tall as him, though wore nothing like armor or clothes. Its body was covered in black chitin and had membrane bug like wings. Its arms were shaped like razor sharp blades and it slashed at him. Stonewall yelped, and back stepped, turning to make a run in the other direction. But before he could move, something grabbed him by the jaw, making it impossible to scream or talk. He grabbed the arm holding him, and saw it was connected to Scarlet Rose. "Oh darling....why didn't you stay in bed." Scarlet Rose said, and with ease lifted him up into the air with her hoof. Stonewall grunted, and tried to struggle against the grip. But Scarlet's grip was like iron, and he could not break free. Scarlet Rose looked at him with humor and boredom. "Oh dear...still I guess this was inevitable. Its better to get this business done now. A shame really, but I found you delicious." Scarlet rubbed her belly with her free hoof before bringing it up. With a flash of red flare, her hoof transformed into a black chitin like blade. The blade arm of a changeling. Stonewall struggled harder, but stopped as he felt the sharp blade pierce through him. His eyes widened as he felt pain course through his body. He heard the wet sounds as the blade broke through the other side of his body. He stared at Scarlet Rose, as his vision started to get fuzzy. Her whole body was engulfed in red flame, and before him stood a changeling. He had been sleeping with a changeling!? Even as he bleed out, Stonewall felt dirty and violated. "Oh don't worry dear. No one will miss you. My sister here will take your place perfectly." Scarlet Rose said. From the darkness, stepped a changeling who the assumed HIS form. The other Stonewall smiled and waved at him. Stonewall was finding it harder to grip Scarlets arm, as his own went limp to his sides. He shivered as his vision went nearly dark. Scarlet smiled, and with a quick motion, pulled her sword arm out of his chest. "Ugh." Stonewall gasped, as Scarlet let him go and he fell to the snow, blood splattering on the white. The last thing he saw, was Scarlets hoof, crashing down on his skull.