//------------------------------//
// The legend of the Shadowfire 
// Story: A Filly and Her Wolf 
// by Teotle 
//------------------------------//

Twilight, her friends, and the princesses were taking Teotle to see Zecora. Celestia insisted that the fillies stay with Spike at the library while they get Teotle checked out. Nyx protested and wanted to come with them, but Twilight reassured her that they would only make sure he's ok. Eventually Nyx agreed and stayed put.

Teotle walked further up to where Luna was and asked, "What's it like to be a Princess?"

Luna looked down at the wolf and answered, "It can sometimes be a bit too much for one pony to be. It's nearly impossible to go about your day without ponies bowing and trying to look their best for just a casual meeting."

Teotle frowned and simply said, "Oh"

"But it does have its perks." Luna said with a grin. "You get no disrespect, you have ponies who love you and..."

"Love?"Asked Teotle, tilting his head, as if he didn't know the term.

"Yes, Love." Replied Luna, looking at Teotle with disbelief. "Do you not know what love is?"

Teotle said, "Not really."

Luna looked back at her sister for support but she only shook her head. She looked back at Teotle and said, "Well, love is something you feel toward someone who you care about. You'd do anything for them, protect them with everything you have."

Teotle smiled and said, "Like friends?"

"Yes, exactly." Said Luna. "It also includes family."

Teotle looked at the ground and said, "I don't have a family anymore."

"Why not?" Asked Luna, raising an eyebrow.

Teotle looked back at her and was about to speak, but before he could say anything, Twilight pointed a hoof forward and said, "We're here."

Twilight was pointing at Zecora's Tree house. When she walked over and knocked on the front door, there was no answer. She tried again, but still, nopony answered.

Before Twilight could knock a third time, they heard a voice speak in rhyme, saying, "Sometimes when there is no answer from the door, you must look back to where you were before." 

Everypony turned around to find Zecora standing behind them, holding a basket of indigenous herbs and flowers from the Everfree Forest for one of her special recipes.

Zecora looked at the princesses and said, "I am humbled that so many friends have come visiting me, prey tell, what may I do for thee?"

Twilight shoved Teoltle forward and answered, "We need you to take a look at him."

Zecora's eyes lit up. She walked over to him and said, "Do my eyes play a trick on me, or is that a wolf I see?"

The cub extended a paw and said, "My name is Teotle."

Zecora hesitated, she didn't know what to expect, but she didn't want to be rude. So she shook his paw.

She then asked, "I need to know, from where did he go?"

Applejack answered, "Me and Twilight found him in the forest. We were on a camping trip up the mountains."

Then Twilight continued, "He was caught my a bear trap. It was enchanted by a very powerful magic."

Zecora looked at Teotles leg and asked, "How was he set free, was his real leg the fee?"

"He chewed it off when he heard rustling in the bushes." Applejack said. "We think he was trying to protect us."

"Zecora asked Teotle, "Is this true, what you did, of your leg, you got rid?"

Teotle nodded. Zecora then led everypony inside her house. She had her pot cooking a green glowing stew. wooden masks, potions, and decorations from Zecora's homeland surrounded the room.

Zecora placed the basket on the floor and began to stir the pot. "Is there more to see?" She asked. "What else have you not told me?"

Twilight showed Zecora the X-rays of Teotle's inscribed bones. She stopped stirring the pot and went to one of he shelves. She picked up a black colored potion and a scroll of the shelf. She laid the potion on the ground next to the pot and opened up the scroll.

"The inscriptions speak, of a dark magic, only one would seek."

"Who would want to use this magic on a baby wolf?" Asked Fluttershy.

"One who goes by a forgotten name, a tyrant known as Shadowflame." Zecora answered.

"The one from Rainbowdash's campfire story?" Asked Rarity.

Zecora answered, "The story that wasn't so merry, was never told just to be scary."

"What does that mean?" Asked Twilight. "Is he Shadowflame?"

"Not quite, allow me to bring the answer into the light." Said Zecora. "When his rein of terror over the wolves was at it's end, he found a way to defend. He took on six of their finest woman, and set in motion, plan to protect his dominion."

"How does having six wives save his rein?" Asked Rainbowdash.

"The wives bore offspring, to resurrect the fallen king." Zecora answered. "Shadowflame's children each represents, what is fortold, the seven deadly elements."

"I know those elements" Celestia began. "Pride, lust, gluttony, envy, greed, sloth, and wrath."

"Very good, I'm glad you understood." Said Zecora.

"So, are we to suspect that Teotle is one of these children?" Asked Luna.

"Don't make the time to decide so slim, why not ask him?"

Every pony looked to face Teotle, who was wondering the room, looking at all the decorations. He looked back at them and smiled.

"I like this place." He said.

Twilight walked up to him and asked, "Teotle, did you hear what we were just talking about?"

Teotle said, "Sure, I was listening."

Twilight then asked, "Well, so you know about shadowflame?"

"Yes." Said Teotle. "Mom and the Sisters of The Shadow talked about him a lot."

"Sisters of The Shadow?" Asked Celestia.

Teotle put one paw over his mouth, realizing too late that he brought up a sensitive topic.

He frowned and said, "They are the stewards left in charge of my homeland. They told me and my six siblings that we were meant to fight until only one was left."

"Fight who?" Asked Pinkepie.

Teotle looked at her and said, "Each other."

Everypony was silent. What did he mean, they had to fight each other until only one was left? Did he mean to the death? Why would they fight?

Zecora then said, "It is foretold, that the child remaining will have much power to hold. Shadowflame lives in each heart, and will keep them alive until they fulfill their part. The role they play is a universal hack, the forging of a vessel to bring their father back."