//------------------------------// // Friends - Lost Cat // Story: Path of Kindness and Blood // by CommanderX5 //------------------------------// Path of Kindness and Blood - Chapter 3 Friends - Part 2 - Lost Cat Three and half a years before Nightmare Moon’s return “Umm… excuse me,” Fluttershy said, hovering in mid-air in front of a bee hive. Its inhabitants flew outside to greet her, “Would you mind if I took a little bit of honey from you?” She presented a half-empty jar she held between her hooves. After studying the bees’ movements, she smiled warmly. “Thank you.” She carefully moved her forehoof into a small hole which the bees had made for her, slowly adding more honey into the already half-filled jar, doing her best to not damage the hive. She took a quick glance upon the other hives attached to nearby trees. That’s three out of five, the bees are generous today. After closing the jar. She pointed towards a group small of trees in the distance. “The new flower field should be ready in a couple of days. Be patient, and you won’t need to compete with other hives for nectar.” After visiting one last hive, she flew towards a cave and landed quietly. Fluttershy placed the jar on the ground and took out Pinkie’s gift from her saddlebag. She took a deep breath and blew it. A roar echoed from the cave, and the earth trembled before bronze paws emerged from the darkness, followed by a large head. The bear stopped himself in front of the disguised thestral, towering over her in all his glory. “Hello, Harry,” she said, looking up at her large friend. “I have some fresh honey for you. It’s not much, but should last you a couple of days.” She opened the jar and presented it to the beast. He pounced on the jar, greedily scooping the honey with his large paws down to the last drop, before throwing it back to Fluttershy and massaging his stomach with satisfaction. With firm steps and the closed jar now safe in her saddlebag, she entered the cave, feeling relief as the solid stone blocked the sun’s rays. With each passing second, she could feel her strength returning. “Was it good?” she asked. The bear stopped licking his paws just long enough to give a roar of confirmation, and she stood to her rear hooves and stroke his large belly. “Who's a good bear? Yes you are, yes you are.” She spread her wings and flew up, now facing level to the beast. “Would you like to play, or maybe a massage?” The bear looked back at Fluttershy with a mix of worry and hesitation, before shaking his head. Noticing the disappointment on the thestral’s face, he raised his paw and pointed at his neck. “Are you sure?” Fluttershy asked. Her hesitation weakened when the large animal lowered himself and nodded. “If you don’t mind, I will gladly accept, thank you.” Fangs grew from her mouth and she pushed them into the bear’s neck, piercing through fur and skin before hitting the veins. Her eyes flashed red, as her magic kept the bear’s pain at bay. Several seconds passed before she pulled back and licked the wound to heal it. “Thank you. It was quite revitalizing,” Fluttershy said before wiping her face. Mmm… tasty. Not as good as Dash's blood, but I can drink in far greater amounts. Now that I think about it, Dash's blood always made me feel light like a hummingbird. I bet Harry's will keep me strong as a bear. Her attention shifted to an eagle flying towards the cave, her sharpened senses detecting him from a long distance. Several seconds passed before the large bird landed in front of her. “Is something wrong?” she asked, receiving a number of screeches in return. “Oh my.” She raised a forehoof up to her face, her wings flapping rapidly from anxiety. Suddenly, she felt two large paws holding her and heard a weak roar. Harry is right, I need to stay calm. She took three slow breaths. “Thank you for your blood and for calming me, but I need to go.” Not waiting to be released, she pushed the paws away with her strength and flew towards her cottage. “Stay close to me, Opal,” said a white mare with three diamonds for a Cutie Mark as she walked past the fence, stopping in front of the main entrance to Ponyville's park. Like always, she was fabulous in a stylish sea-blue saddlebag embroidered with a green version of her cutie mark, one red gem playing the role of a fastener. Finishing her set was a green hat with a long feather. She stopped to take a deep breath of the fresh air and admire the flora, before she walked forward, her attention focused on the leaves. “Hmm…” She rubbed her chin thoughtfully, before suddenly raising her foreleg as large smile grew on her lips. “Idea!” She knelt to her cat and pointed ahead. “Now, dear, go play with some of the other pets, you almost never leave that stuffy studio. Momma just got some inspiration for her next project.” Not wasting a moment, she stood up and opened her saddlebag, levitating her drawing pad to sketch a nearby tree. “A little green here, a bit of red there... Perfect! This will be ideal for my autumn line.” “Excuse me, miss.” “Not now, I am in the zone,” Rarity responded. “And your cat is provoking my dog.” Rarity lowered her drawing pad and looked up at the angered face of a stallion, who pointed to the cat hissing at three dogs at least twice her size, two earth ponies trying to restrain them. She smiled awkwardly towards the dog owner before walking towards her cat. “Now, now, Opal, is this how a ladycat should behave?” Annoyed at being ignored, she tried to grab Opal, only to feel her sharp claws on her legs. The moment she yelped and released her cat, she was tackled by one of the furious dogs. Her horn lit up and she managed to levitate the dog away. After massaging her forehead, she turned around to search for Opal, only to see her running from the dogs, their owners in close pursuit. “Opal, wait!” she shouted before galloping as fast as she could, trying to catch up with the faster and bigger earth ponies. *** “Where is she?” Rarity asked while breathing heavily. The dog owners just shrugged, escorting their pets back to the park. The young unicorn wiped sweat from her face and looked around, scanning the tree line. Upon noticing the nearby cottage, she walked towards it, ignoring her own scratched legs and the screeches of a falcon and an eagle coming from above her head. "I know she has something of a reputation, but that pony might be my best chance of finding Opal.” Finally reaching the wooden door, she raised her forehoof and knocked. “Is anypony home?” Not receiving any response, she tried yet again. “Who's there?” asked a muffled voice from behind the door. “My name is Rarity. I recently opened a local boutique, right near the center of the town, the best place in town for all your fashion needs. I am sure you have heard of me.” “Not really. My name’s Fluttershy, and I’m just an animal caretaker. How can I help you?” Rarity looked at the closed door with a hint of annoyance. Calm down. This is not time nor the place to get offended by ponies talking about your job. Priorities. “I heard that you are a very skilled animal expert. Approved by the local veterinarian and the Mayor themselves, no less. You see, darling, I have something of great importance on my hooves. I would even call it an emergency.” “An emergency? What kind?” “It is about my cat, Opalescence,” she said with a hint of worry as her ears drooped. “The poor dear is missing. I have searched all of Ponyville, asking left and right, but found nothing. It is like she just vanished! You are my last hope.” She looked around nervously before asking, “Would you mind if we discussed this inside?” “I’m afraid not. My dear critters made a bit of a mess, and I… I wouldn’t want anypony to see it.” The door opened just enough for the yellow pegasus to peek outside. “Can you tell me about your cat, any specific features?” Rarity levitated over a picture from her saddlebag. “Opal is a very elegant cat with a coat of puffy white fur. She should be wearing a collar studded with six blue gems. She tends to be grumpy from time to time, and is very aggressive towards strangers, but she’s my treasure.” She held her forelegs together in pleading gesture. “Have you seen her?” “I didn’t,” Fluttershy responded calmly, and Rarity’s face fell. “Can you tell me how long she’s been missing, and where you have last seen her? Maybe I can help with the search.” Rarity nodded, worry still clear on her face. “I took Opal on a walk to the park, before allowing her to play free while I studied my surroundings for inspiration. It only took a moment of distraction for my cat to get into an argument with a group of dogs. I tried to separate them, but…” She raised her foreleg, a patch of raw skin clearly visible against the white fur. “It ended up poorly.” Fluttershy looked at her horn before asking, “Wouldn’t it have been easier for you to use magic instead?” Rarity blushed and looked to the side. “I… I considered doing it after the fact, but by then, my poor cat was already out of reach, running from those savage beasts.” She looked back at the animal expert, who just rolled her eyes, and continued, “I joined the dog owners in an attempt to track down my cat, but we only found their dogs around here.” Rarity placed a dramatic forehoof on her head. “I fear for Opal’s safety. Who knows what kind of danger she may be in, even as we speak! She surely feels abandoned, lonely. And Opal is a lady, without our help she will surely starve!” “Wait a moment, something here doesn't add up,” Fluttershy interrupted. “Didn’t you say just a moment ago that you searched Ponyville, asking ponies left and right?” She pointed a forehoof accusingly at her. “Now I get the impression that this event took place less than half an hour ago, way too little time to even consider the danger of starvation.” Rarity cleared her throat with a cough and smiled awkwardly. “Well, maybe I am blowing things out of proportion, just a little, mind you, but that isn’t what is important right now.” She once again held her forehooves together in a pleading gesture. “I don’t have much experience with taking care of animals, and I lost Opal because I was careless. Can you help me find her? Please, please, pleeease!” She kept looking into the eyes of the yellow pegasus for a few seconds, who stared back at her while rubbing her chin thoughtfully. Please say yes, please say yes… Rarity’s ears drooped as she waited for answer, and her heart skipped a beat when Fluttershy finally opened her mouth. “I will do my best to help, but you need to follow my instructions to the letter.” Rarity nodded. “Return to Ponyville, in case Opal decided to come back. Ask others if they have seen her or not, and check your home just in case. Posters with your cat’s profile would certainly help. I will ask my critters and birds and search near the forest from air… is something wrong?” Rarity shook her head. “No, of course not, dear, it’s just that…” She searched for the right way to put it. “You sound so... mature. I would never have guessed that you are close to my age if I didn’t hear the rumors about you.” “Rumors?” “Yes. Rumors about a young scared mare who recently moved to Ponyville, and solved our problem with homeless animals. Who decided to shut herself from the world because of her shy nature, or, according to Pinkie Pie, personal embarrassing issues.” Rarity smiled weakly. “They say that you seem to be both similar and opposite to Pinkie Pie. You both accomplished so much while so young, but while Pinkie is energetic and always interacting with other ponies, you are calm and shy.” Rarity turned around and continued, “Ponies around here are very kind and understanding. They respect your privacy, but your attitude worries them. If there's anything I can do for you, please, don't be afraid to ask.” She ran towards Ponyville without waiting for a response, now deep in thought, What are you doing, Rarity? Your cat is in danger and you are wasting time with gossip! Priorities. *** Fluttershy slowly closed the door and looked at the gathered critters, her attention focused on the birds. “Have any of you seen a white cat running from dogs?” she asked. The falcon was the first one to step forward and report. “She escaped towards the Everfree Forest?” Fluttershy asked with worry before shooting the falcon a disappointed glare. “Why didn’t you inform me about this earlier? She may be in grave danger!” The large bird lowered his head and covered it with his wings in shame. “This calls for a search party,” Fluttershy said with a determined stomp before pointing at one of the smaller birds. “I’ll need the help of a few fruit bats.” She pointed at the falcon. “As for you, I need you and your eagle friend to assist me from the air. Can I count on you?” The large bird saluted and flew outside through the open window. Noticing the worried stares surrounding her, she lowered her tone and said calmly, “I need to go into that scary forest to search for a lost cat, but don’t worry about me.” She pressed her forehoof against her chest and added, “We’ll be fine.” She gestured with her foreleg for the animals to return to whatever they were doing as they followed her suggestion. Now no longer the center of attention, the disguised thestral put on her saddlebag and looked outside the window, her sharpened eyes focused on a white unicorn who at this point was nothing but a small blob in distance. Poor Rarity… I know how it feels to lose a pet. She looked at two bunnies eating their carrots next to the fireplace. I hope that Angel is alright, wherever he is. “Lord Arimaspi,” said a skeletal diamond dog, wearing a half-grey half-black plate armor and helmet. A round wooden shield was attached to his arm bone, and he carried a sharpened sword on his belt. He presented his lord with a white bunny and knelt. “I found this creature walking towards the palace, using dark magic to get rid of the gate guards.” “Dark magic?” said a hooded figure, only a dark staff visible in his reptilian hand. “Interesting.” He turned to the large beast sitting on a granite throne that dominated the room, decorated with onyx, skulls, and the weapons of his defeated enemies, hard, cloven hooves peeking out from his shaggy fur. Two curled horns rested atop his head, one single eye watching over the throne room. “My Lord, I believe this creature to be a special familiar.” The large beast lowered his head to take a closer look, his very sight causing the skeleton to tremble, though the bunny just started back at him with determination. “Familiar, you say?” He turned to his subject and said, “Speak, royal necromancer. What do you know of this creature?” The hooded figure approached the bunny. “Is your name Angel, by any chance?” Upon receiving a nod, he turned to his lord and spoke, “This pet was created by a unicorn thestral, a powerful mage indeed. Unlike other familiars that possess a bond with a single master, this one was created to serve generations of purebloods, providing flawless servitude despite changing owners.” “I see.” The necromancer stared at the bunny and asked, “Are you here to seek a new master?” The bunny nodded firmly before performing a half bow. With a weak smile, the necromancer looked up at his lord and spoke, “It seems Angel is seeking someone worth serving.” Seeing the bored reaction of his master, he amended, “Don’t let his appearance or name fool you, my lord. Little as he may be, he can be of use.” “Can he sneak into a well-guarded castle unnoticed?” Arimaspi asked, his strong voice echoing through the spacious room. The little bunny jumped onto the necromancer’s head and puffed his chest proudly. “Good, I shall put you to the test. If you pass my trials, you shall join me in my conquest of the Griffon Kingdom.” The bunny smiled devilishly as his paws started to pulsate with dark magic. His first step to power had been taken. Fluttershy’s worries over her dear missing pet were interrupted by a noise coming from a nearby bush. The large bear behind her growled at it aggressively. "Keep it together, Fluttershy, keep it together," she said to herself to calm her trembling legs. I think I’m deep enough into the Everfree Forest. No ponies or monster hunters should find me here. Her eyes flashed in red as she grit her teeth. Her ears and wings started turning into bat-like ones, two fangs grew from her teeth, and her pupils became thinner. The cutie mark of three butterflies was replaced by three bats. Once her transformation was complete, she took a fighting stance and hissed. “Come out, whoever you are!” Her wish was quickly granted as a creature made of wood and glowing in a green aura emerged. It took only a few seconds before a large wolf presented itself in all its glory. Fluttershy looked back at Harry, who was growling and seemed more than willing to charge at the predator. “Harry, stop,” she said before pressing herself against bear's belly, her hind legs sinking into the ground. She stopped her large friend in his tracks and spoke, “Where there’s one Timberwolf, there must be more. Please, don’t put yourself in danger.” Think, Fluttershy, what did Ditzy tell you about her encounters with creatures of the Everfree Forest? Maybe I can find a peaceful solution. She gritted her teeth and flapped her wings, putting all her strength into her muscles. The bear was quickly pushed back, his claws dragging on the ground before he was forced to sit. “Now wait here, Harry. I have this under control,” Fluttershy reassured him before turning towards the wolf, which now had two companions. She gulped. I hope. With the bear and a group of bats behind her at a safe distance, she landed in front of the three timberwolves and closed her wings, approaching slowly. “Hello. My name’s Fluttershy, and I’m looking for a lost cat. You haven’t happened to see any in the area, did you?” she asked, only to see the wolves licking their wooden muzzles with plant-like tongues, green liquid dripping from their mouths. As she scanned her assailants, Fluttershy failed to detect a heartbeat or breathing, but instead sensed magically enhanced water circling across the wood. Those beings seem to run on magic alone, using wood to form a body of some sort. They probably aren’t interested in meat, but in my magic. Maybe I can use this for my advantage. Her glare sharpened as she spread her wings threateningly. “Stay back. I’m not afraid of you!” The wolves took a step back, clearly surprised by the sudden disappearance of fear they sensed a moment ago. Their hesitation quickly turned into aggression as each of them growled. As two wolves started to circle around the thestral, the tallest one jumped at her. His teeth sank into the flesh of her raised foreleg. The blood splashed from Fluttershy’s leg, but she refused to scream, her eyes flashing in red as her blood bursted into the wooden creature and shattered it from the inside. Sensing that the two other wolves had jumped at her from both sides, Fluttershy flew to the one on her left and grabbed its mouth, using his body like a giant mace to slam the second one. Driven by instinct, she tackled both lying wolves, shattering them to pieces. I knew drinking bear's blood would increase my strength, while drinking a pegasus's blood would affect my agility, but I didn't expect this, she thought as the remains started glowing green. Stay calm, don’t let the instincts get the best of you. After taking a calming breath, Fluttershy’s commanded her own spilled blood to rain upon the wood fragments and absorb the green aura, which shrunk considerably. She looked around and saw that more wood fragments from all sides started to gather together, forming a wolf the size of a barn, large enough to barely be able to stand between the trees. It lowered its large head and growled loudly, pushing the calm thestral two meters back with strength of his roar, making the other animals hide quickly. Fluttershy keep starting at the towering beast fearlessly. “You three can cut the act, I know that your giant form is only for show.” The beast blinked as if in confusion as Fluttershy flew over and delivered a weak punch into the muzzle. The giant beast quickly turned into a large pile of wood, from which three puppies emerged and tried to flee. Not wasting a moment, she flew towards the wooden puppies and blocked their path, making them embrace each other and tremble in fear. “Please, don’t be afraid, I’m not going to harm you.” Fluttershy bent her legs and approached the trembling timberwolves, letting them sniff her forehoof. “I believe this belongs to you,” she added as a small blob of blood floated next to her head. “I borrowed your magic. If you promise to calm down and be nice, I will return it.” Upon receiving some hesitant nods as their gazes fixed at the floating blood, Fluttershy’s eyes flashed once again, and green smoke filled the little creatures. Fragments of wood levitated from the pile as the three timberwolves regained their original size, each still lowered to the ground and whimpering like scolded puppies. Fluttershy stroke each of their heads, while the bear and the bats went out from their hiding spot. “Now, as I was saying before, I’m looking for a lost cat.” She lowered her wounded foreleg, keeping it slightly above the ground. “It’s a white animal around this size. Have you seen her?” The wolves stood up to their full size and looked at each other before nodding in confirmation. Fluttershy smiled warmly, keeping her forelegs together as she pressed them against her own cheeks. “Splendid.” The blood returned into her wound and she licked it close. “Would you be so kind as to point out the way, please?”