The moon was full tonight, and hung like a beacon over the forest. A crisp spring breeze cut through the prairie grass, a small hint of winter’s chill still doggedly clung to it; a reminder to those who endured it that it was still early in the season. Crickets chirped away in their nightly sonata, their song only slightly interrupted by sudden expanse of air and a crackle of light that expanded into a doorway.
Castus, stepped through the waygate, his bag over one shoulder. Looking down he carefully examined the bouquet in his other hand. The travel through the rift had seemingly done no harm to them and they smelled just as sweet as when he bought them not moments ago.
‘Posies.’ Castus smiled thoughtfully to himself. To even the most novice flower enthusiast the breed was simple, almost juvenile. “A step above dandelions.” The stuffy Canterlot flourish said, trying to bolstered her more exotic selection, eager to convince Castus to part with more of his bits.
He wouldn’t hear it though, he knew better. They were her favorite. A warm smile spread across his features hidden in the early twilight, as he found himself lost in thought to their recipient. ‘I could transmute rocks into gold, crush coal into diamonds, pull down the moon itself.’ He paused looking up the full heavenly pearl. ‘And yet, nothing lights up her face quite like posies.’ He chuckled to himself. ‘Well, almost, nothing.’ A blush crept across his face as he recalled ‘those’ nights, especially that first one. ‘She was so eager, and yet so nervous at the same time.’ Castus thought back to that night of exploration, awkwardness, ecstasy, and experimentation that culminated into one night he would never forget.
Shaking off the more lustful memories he had of her, his mind wandered to her other virtues. Kindness was a given, but it was more than that. It was her sheer gentle grace. She put her heart into everything she ever did, be it wrapping bandages or scrapping pens, everything was done because she cared so much. She was by no means a pushover either. When pushed she could display the fury of a hurricane and yet seldom did she ever raise her voice. Castus was loathed to admit that he had been on the receiving end, to which he would always, always, always, strive to return to her good graces.
Yet despite his own faults, which were many, somehow, she was with him. How he had gotten so lucky, he would never know. Considering they were born worlds apart, the odds were quite literally astronomical. Back on earth he had dated a little, but not one woman had made him feel the way he did for her.
The fact that they were different species was always something that had nagged on his mind... at first. He had seen how many had looked at them when they were together, and not just ponies. Some of his own people would whisper, raise eyebrows, or blatantly express their disappointment in how he was supposedly ‘wasting his chance for a true bloodline’.
In spite of all that though, when they were together, all that seemed to slip away. When he gazed into her eyes; those gentle pools of blue and green washed away any doubt, any fear, leaving behind something that was clean and pure. With her by his side he do could anything, even without the Wind, and he would do anything just to stay in those eyes, forever.
What she saw looking at him, he could only guess. Several months living in secret as a pet, followed by three years living in the wilderness had all but erased the look of “modern convenience” he had when he lived on Earth. Even now, living a more ‘civilized life’, he would scarce to recognize himself.
With a free hand, he scratched at the growing stubble on his face. ‘It's growing in nicer than I thought.” He mused to himself, another recent change she had suggested. He kept it trim but decided to grow it out a little further, one to look and feel more mature for the other diplomats, and two, because she said it felt good.
Not surprising, considering that her natural mate would have fur. As much as that should have bothered him it was greatly outweighed by the way it felt when she nuzzled a cheek against the growing hairs, sending a jolt of sensation through the fibers. Also, a small voice in the back of his mind couldn’t ignore the fact that he was a living a life as a powerful magus and would soon be sporting a pretty dope and deadly Kenobi beard.
Before he knew it, his thoughts had taken him through the clearing and up to the little cottage on the edge of the Everfree Forest. In his heart, this was home, and he had come to know its grooves and curves in the three years he returned here after the war.
‘Speaking of curves.’ He smirked slightly at his own lecherous thoughts as he stepped up to the door of the cottage. Castus noticed that it was very quiet. Now that was not surprising, since it was night time. But living in a cottage of animals, some nocturnal, always gave the cottage some activity even at night. Yet he couldn't hear anything, or see anything. More so, he didn't hear or smell anything coming from the cottage, though Fluttershy normally was cooking dinner at this time when he got home late.
That should have been the first sign that something was off, but Castus merely shrugged and carefully pushed the door open. He figured that Fluttershy must have fallen asleep, and so he did his best to not make much noise so as to avoid waking her up.
What he saw when he entered the cottage, sent a shiver of fear up his spine.
The interior was trashed, the couch up turned and chairs tossed about. The interior was also empty of any animals. Not a sound. Castus pulled on the Wind and prepared a spell, fearing an intruder.
'Fluttershy!' He thought, worried. Though he kept himself from shouting out, instead using the enhanced senses from holding the Wind to listen for the intruder. And if they had hurt Fluttershy in any way or form...
Well there wouldn't be enough left of the body to even identify it as a living thing when he was through with them.
The sound of small pattering feet caused him to turn and prepare to blast a stun blast of lightning, but he saw nothing in his vision. Then he felt something clinging to his leg, and shivering. He looked down and saw Angel, the small rabbit clinging desperately to his leg and shaking with the terror of the ages.
"Angel? What happened here?" He whispered, and used the Wind to coax the rabbits mind.
Angel was an odd bunny, in fact most of the animals Fluttershy had were odd. A lot more complex in thought, so using the Wind on their minds required a more complex weaving. But the fear in the rabbit made things easier, and at the same time a lot harder to get a fix on what the rabbit was trying to tell him.
Mental feelings of fear and terror. Of animals fleeing in the night to get away and hide in secret dens. Loyalty to Fluttershy, yet terror at the prospect of staying. That was the most Castus could get out of the rabbit, the emotions so strong he had to let go of the spell.
So someone or something had broken in. Well, Castus would deal with it with extreme prejudice.
Then he heard a sound. Pots and pans clattering and a low hiss and the sound of something getting crunched. It was coming from the kitchen. Castus turned toward the kitchen door, and slowly crept towards the opening, preparing a spell. He leaned against the wall, listening to the noise.
'Three. Two. One.' He thought, stepping into the kitchen with a turn and prepared to face down the intruder.
Nothing. The kitchen was empty. He walked around, stepping over upturned stools and tossed about kitchen utensils and pots. He also noticed the dried up husks of apples.
There was the sound again, the low hiss. God it was behind him!
Castus turned quickly, a sudden sight of a shadowy figure coming into view and acting on instinct, he fired a bolt of lightning. Just enough voltage to knock whoever, or whatever, it was unconscious. The bolt shot out, illuminating the room in a flash, but the figure was quicker and the bolt struck the floor, before leaving a slight smoldering point on the ground. Castus ran, turning back to the living room.
Nothing.
Now Castus was starting to grow scared. Fluttershy was gone, possible captured or hurt. The cottage was trashed, and there was SOMETHING in it with him. Something that, he felt was stalking him.
Wait. If something was here with him, why didn't he just seek out its mind.
'God I'm an idiot.' He thought. He had been so worried that he had forgotten a most basic spell. Calming himself he used the Wind to seek out the presences around him.
There was Angel, hiding now and still scared, but now he felt the presence of another mind. Feral. Wild. Cunning. Watching. Castus probed the mind, but before he could get anything out of it, maybe coax himself into its mind and exert control over it, he was immediately assaulted by a flood of highly potent emotions and feelings.
Hunger. Desire. Frustration. The thrill of the hunt. The sheer intensity of the emotions caused Castus to release the spell and the Wind or risk being overtaken by it. He gasped, rubbing his head.
The sound of something walking on the ceiling, a low hiss, made his heart stop as he felt that something was watching him from above.
He turned, grabbing the Wind now with a need to defend himself. And what he saw, not only scared the life out of him, it made go still in shock.
It was Fluttershy, or it looked like Fluttershy. The mare was naked, shreds of clothing hanging from her body as if torn at and ripped apart. Her wings and ears looked more like bat wings and ears, or Thestral wings and ears. And jutting just slightly from her mouth were the prick point tips of fangs, a piece of cloth hanging from one of them.
"Fluttershy!?" He gasped.
Fluttershy hissed and swooped at him. Castus rolled away and Fluttershy flew past him and down the hall.
Castus got to his feet, and pulled on the Wind. He didn't want to, but whatever was going on with Fluttershy he would need to subdue her. He didn't want to hurt her, but this was something he had no idea of. He had to get her to Twilight. Or a doctor. Or....something.
"Fluttershy?" Castus said, carefully as he walked toward the hall. All while looking around himself, up and down and to the sides and more so behind him. His heart was racing.
"Babe?" He said, peeking around the hall. Nothing. He walked down, into the kitchen, again found nothing. Then he heard a sound from above.
She was upstairs in the bedroom.
"Fluttershy? Just come out. Okay." He called, as he headed toward the stairs and began to climb them. He pushed the door open slowly, peeking inside through a small crack.
On the bed, he saw a mound hiding under the covers. Castus slowly opened the door fully and stepped through, and gently tiptoed toward the bed.
'Easy. Easy.' He thought, reaching toward the covers.
He yanked the covers off, and was greeted by the sight of the pillows, piled up under the covers.
A low hiss behind him, and the sudden wet feeling of something licking up the back of his neck, sending a shiver down his spine.
Castus slowly turned his head, and stared into the red slitted eyes of Fluttershy. Or was it Flutterbat? She stared at him with a hungry look, and the smirk slowly going across her face, fangs sparkling in the moonlight. Her breathing quick and deep.
"Clever girl." Castus said, before Fluttershy pounced at him, yanking his body onto the bed. Fangs biting his neck as her hooves tore at his clothes.
Outside the cottage, the sounds of ripping cloth and hisses of deep passion could be heard, followed by moments of screaming pain and the heavy noises of uncontrollable passion. All under the low glow of the full moon above.