It felt so good to eat meat again, especially since I had not eaten anything at all for at least two days.
"I can't tell my pony friends about this. I don't know if they would understand.", I said to Chrysalis.
"I think they would, there even have been stories about ponies in dire situations eating meat to survive. I believe it is accepted in emergency situations.", she replied.
We sat next to the fire, while the moon came out. I looked at it and remembered all the times I watched Luna raise it, I missed her so much.
"Maybe we should go to sleep.", I suggested.
"Can I have more power before we sleep, my body can use it to regenerate during the night.", she asked with a pleading voice.
"How much weaker is friendship than love, how long would it take to feed you with friendship?"
"About five times weaker. Only to provide for my on own needs, would only take about 15 minutes Friendship while hugging, since I don't have to store any for the hive. But because of my healing, I need double that amount."
"Are you trying to give me math problems?", I asked.
"So 30 minutes friendship hug or 6 minutes love?"
"More like 10 minutes love because of your stupid 'no touching' rule."
"You got pretty grabby back then. I think it is good to keep it like this.", I replied.
"I would like the friendship hug then.", she decided.
"Ok, but why? Isn't Love the tastiest for you?"
She looked a bit uncertain before she answered: "I never said that, love is the most powerful for us, that doesn't say anything about its taste. The tastes are just different, your friendship is..."
I sensed she wanted to tell more but had problems putting it in words. I gave her a few seconds before I encouraged her to go on.
"... it... it feels just different... better... because the emotion is aimed at me, not at someone else or a disguise I'm using, aimed at me... ", she only whispered the next part, but it was loud enough for me. "...it doesn't feel like stealing anymore."
I embraced her.
"Take as much as you want.", I told her. She leaned into it, hugged me back and closed her eyes while we still sat next to the fire.
...
After some minutes she started purring. It sounded a bit strange, considering her voice, but very pleasant.
"Sounds like a happy kitten to me.", I whispered to her.
She kept her eyes closed and whispered back: "Don't ruin this moment for me, I'm a mighty warrior, not a kitten."
"Then why are you purring?", I quietly asked back.
"It's my mighty 'purr of death', you should fear it...", she whispered.
Her breathing slowed down, and she relaxed more and more. Her body went limp, but her front feet stayed wrapped around me.
"Chrysalis...", I whispered.
Slow breathing was the only answer. I tried to carefully get out of her hug but realized quickly there was no chance getting out without waking her, so I slowly let our bodies slide to the ground.
'I slept worse.', was my last thought before I drifted into my own dream.
...
I woke up the next morning, her head rested on my upper body. I looked around. Only a little ember was all that was left of our fire yesterday. Some small animals used the opportunity of us sleeping to drink from the natural fountain. Chrysalis mumbled something in her sleep, but it sounded like a lot of hissing sounds mixed with growling, I guessed it must been in her own language.
Carefully I slightly lifted her head and freed myself. I stood up and walked over to the natural fountain, a small bunny dashed away. I drank plenty because I didn't know when I had the chance for it again, then I went to the bushes to get rid of the water I drank yesterday.
...
When I got back to Chrysalis she was already awake.
"Do you think we have a chance of getting to Canterlot by the end of the day?", I asked her.
"Hmmm... only if we find a way to cross the canyon instead of going all around it. I wish I had my wings back already."
We started walking at a good pace. I entertained her with human trivia while we progressed through the forest.
...
"What kind of ransom you were hoping to get?", I asked her out of the blue.
Her steps slowed down a little.
"Honestly, I only got you out of your cell to prevent me from starving, but as you brought it up later, I thought about getting enough gold for a little cottage."
"And then what?", I asked her.
"Well, I would choose some little town, far away from the hive, and walk in as a new unicorn. I would buy a little cottage and walk around at night getting some love just from being close to ponies houses. As I said before, I don't need much just to survive. I should be able to hide for at least 100 years this way. Maybe I would go to the griffon empire afterward."
I thought about that for a few minutes, as we wandered on.
"Maybe you should ask for forgiveness and mercy from the princesses instead.", I suggested.
She stopped walking and looked at me like I had punched her in the face.
"Surrender to the enemy?", her voice was full of disgust.
I laid my hand on her back.
"Are we still enemies? You said yourself you don't owe your hive anything since they left you to die."
"I can't imagine the princesses would be happy to see me.", she said and looked to the ground.
"You saved my life. That should be worth something to them, especially to Luna.", I encouraged her.
"After I have abducted you and got you in that situation."
"Well, maybe we should be a little creative when we are telling them about that.", I said pondering.
"I have been abducted by a changeling, but Chrysalis helped me to escape out of the hive after she nearly got killed by the hive queen herself...
How does that sound? Technically it is all true, no need for them to know you had been that changeling."
"Why are you doing this for me?", she asked.
"I have grown to like you and found your not a bad person... pony... creature. I believe Celestia will be smart enough to see you can be a valuable friend."
She came closer and whispered: "You're believing there is a chance for that?"
"I think so, and you wouldn't need to hide behind a disguise anymore.", I said with a warm smile.
She just stood there for a minute and thought about all that.
"Thank you for doing this for me.", she said while she pulled me into a hug. "I will try it... if everything fails, will you visit me in the dungeon?"
"I would come by every day and bring fun board games with me. I can't let my friend starve."
Her hug got a lot stronger, and I nearly had trouble breathing.
"Thank you.", she wispered again and gave me a little kiss on the cheek. "Thank you."