12. The Changeling’s Cave
The next morning’s sun shone on a unique sight. Grata, Left Wing of the Imperial Throne, and Daring Do, world famous adventurer and Doctor of Antiquities, sleeping serenely snuggled close to a changeling laying quietly between them. The changeling was awake and smiling happily. Rahak was tending the fire to begin breakfast.
Quietly he said respectfully, “Mother of us all, how have you lived all of this time without any to love or draw love from?”
The changeling altered position enough to face him but stayed in close contact with the others. “I/we ate food. I/we might have stayed hidden but you found my/our trap. You not only left me/us the bunny, you said being hungry was not reason to take my/our dinner. I/we were hidden close and heard you.”
Rahak sighed, “I meant what have you done for love? I understand that your kind need love to live.”
The changeling did stir to point up, where Eagles were circling in the tricky air currents above. “I/we have been given some of the Eagle’s eggs. They trust me/us to care for their eggs and love them as I/we did for them. I/we raise them. They cannot be hive. Their love is a wild thing but it is true. They share love and bring food to show it. They come back when they go away.
“Not a Hive but love at least.”
Daring Do and Grata showed that they were awake and had been listening by gently covering the changeling with their wings.
Grata offered, “Would you like to stay and share our breakfast, mother of my kind?”
“I/we would be grateful. After it, I/we must go to tend my eggs. They must be turned and loved so that the Eagles to come will be strong and well formed.”
Rahak shared out dried meat, first softened by boiling, then toasted nicely for the three of them. Daring Do pulled out compressed alfalfa biscuits and soaked them first, then nibbled down the resulting cereal like result with gusto.
The changeling’s eyes teared slightly at the gesture of inclusion. Impulsively, she offered, “I/we wish that I/we had something to share back.” She hesitated before adding, “I/we must go to tend our eggs. The Eagles have trusted me/us with them and I/we must love them and turn them.”
Grata nodded, her crest showing understanding and agreement. “You must care for the eggs. May we come and help, or at least be close to you?”
The changeling hesitated again. “I/we fear it. I/we remember the unicorn’s attack. I/we have missed closeness of love/care too. I/we must go. I/we will return soon.” Shoulders shuddering, she turned and left the camp.
A few moments later, the changeling came back, weeping. “Come, please. I/we fear being alone again more. I/we will lead you to my/our cave.”
They set out through the brush. Soon they were following a trail that led from the rabbit warren towards the cliffside. A small curl of steam was all that betrayed the entrance, hidden in a fall of boulders.
It was warm inside. At the back of the cave was a small hot spring that kept the whole little cavern warm. Part way back was a sandy area. It had been meticulously scooped and shaped like a nest to hold the about twenty eggs inside it. Ten of them were of a different shape from the rest. Those were discolored and worn but they were the first that the changeling went to.
From her horn a pale green magic reached out, gently touching and seeming to enter each of the ten. Then she turned each one with the utmost care, using special hook like claws that sprang from her forehooves when needed.
That done, she turned to the other, smaller eggs of the Eagles. Each of them got the same apparent treatment. First the pale green magic that soaked directly into the eggs, then the gentle turning of them on the warm sand.
Daring Do not only watched in amazement, she took out a sketch book and rapidly drew the scene before her. She went to the back of the cave to examine the hot spring. Grata and Rahak followed.
As if their moving to the rear, out of sight, was a signal, there came the rattling rustle of big wings as three Eagles landed at the front of the cave entrance. Each one had a fish in its claws. They all laid their fish out neatly for the changeling.
Her green magic softly enfolded all three of the Eagles and herself for a few minutes. It was clear that the Eagles were luxuriating in the magical glow as much as the changeling was.
Daring do sketched the almost unbelievable scene swiftly and accurately. Then the changeling took the freshly caught fish and ate one, sharing it with the Eagle that brought it. She repeated that with each of the other two Eagles.
With a final stroke of green magic down their backs, the Eagles turned and spread their wings, sailing away to join their brethren in the sky.
Daring Do’s sharp, trained eyes had found a side chamber to the main cave. She was standing in the entrance, sketching madly. Inside were the bones of ancient history.
The delicate bones of gryphon-like chicks lay there, neatly placed by a loving changeling who cared for them even after death. Some, appearing by both placement and appearance, were pure hippogriff. Others had pony-like hindquarters with clawed paws instead of hooves. A few were nearly normal, only slightly deformed gryphon chicks.
Awed, Grata, crest raised in deepest respect, said, “Here is the history and origin of our race. In a way, I am saddened. I wish that we were more than the result of the aftermath of the disastrous ending of the Nighmare Wars. Not simply some random hybridization caused by the aftermath of the destruction of one and a half million living beings.”
Daring Do replied softly, “It was not random magic that created your kind. Random magic caused the pegasus/Eagle hybridization to hipporiff that was uniformly fatal.
“It was our friend, that changeling in the main room, tending stolen eggs and “loving” them with her magic that created your kind. Her magic penetrating the eggs and working to make the chicks live is what made your race.
“Whatever else comes of this, the news will lighten Princess Luna’s burden of guilt.”
Rahak was staring at the proof that his species was perhaps the youngest on the whole world of Equestria. Shaking his head, crest showing confusion, he asked, “How can this help Princess Luna?”
Daring Do simply pointed to him. “Look at your whole kind. Besides destruction, what she did, with the unseen help of a changeling egg-tender, created an entire race of beings possessing wisdom, honor, courage and greatness of heart.
“Some true goodness came of what she did, that day, over two thousand years ago.”