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// Chapter 2_The Amended Contract – Outsiders 
// Story: Kelly Mathews, Equestria's Landstalker 
// by Leafwebs 
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Chapter 2_The Amended Contract – Outsiders 

At the Sterling Willow Art Museum in Cantorlot an immaculately groomed white stallion with a blond mane strolls toward the avian wing. The stallion pauses briefly to admire a soapstone figurine of a unicorn artist sculpting a Bonsai tree from a block of stone.   A small smile crosses the stallion’s face as he ponders the artist’s subtle message.
With a small sigh Blue Blood turns away from the figurine and continues into the avian wing of the museum.  This part of museum was dedicated to the historical bird companions of the early unicorn tribes, from messenger familiars to grand fighting Rocs. Blue Blood even had an ancestor who pioneered the art of the messenger bird during the tribe’s wars.
In the replica talons of Midnight Gold, prized messenger familiar of Noble Blood; Blue Blood finds a fresh message scroll instead of the normal faux aged one. Illuminating the fake scroll with magic causes Blue Blood’s crest mark to appear marking it as a message for him. Unrolling it Blue Blood begins to read the invisible text as it slowly becomes visible.
 Apologies that I cannot tell you myself my Prince, but the witnesses I found have gone missing. The Picture runes from my interviews should be enough to contradict the cover stories pertaining to Iron Rail’s and Quarts Fur’s ware-abouts for the day in question.
Lastly the records of their stay have been erased from the manifests, but I included the ticket stub dropped by Iron Rail I recovered at the florist’s shop. A clue missed by the clean up team.
Good Luck my Prince.
Once Blue Blood finished silently reading the scroll it transforms into three enchanted picture scrolls and a ticket stub for a train. The scrolls detailed the witness testimonies and photo rune evidence that Blue Blood’s investigator had collected and would show that Iron Rail and Quarts Fur had been to Cantorlot.
The ticket stub that was provided was the oddity for the cultured unicorn. It was a premium round trip ticket marked with Iron Rail’s crest mark for Quarts Fur and information like her train number, departure times, and foreign noble visa number. This was a thing to be tracked at the highest levels of Equestria’s government, due to the more nationally disloyal noble’s secret dealings over the years.
‘Wait he said something about the manifests getting erased.’ Blue Blood thought fighting not to scowl as he readies a different scroll for opening.
Opening the scroll for a junior conductor by the name of Coal Furnace, Blue Blood quickly scans the runes and finds the image of the manifest Iron Rail’s sponsored ticket. It was confirmation of the ticket’s authenticity. The next rune image showed what should have been the same manifest with the ticket no longer registered there and even the passenger number was noticeably off.
Quickly closing the scroll and packing it away, Blue Blood returns to his scheduled routine of smirking at the art like the pretentious prick he was publicly believed to be. His investigator was compromised and Blue Blood needed to avoid extra attention.
After his hour at museum, Blue Blood took in his customary lunch before heading to the castle to see Princess Luna. 
Approaching Cantorlot castle Blue Blood rolled his eyes at the sight of Shining Armor and Nightlight two prominent nobles of House Sparkle.
“We’re going on ahead to prepare the surprise for your sister. You can make it to the celebration for the end of her community service, can you not?” Nightlight happily asks.
“I’ve saved up my leave just for this day dad. I wouldn’t miss it for the world when we welcome her home.” Shining Armor replies joyfully. “I’ll be arriving in style for the occasion, with Princess Luna’s permission even.”
Blue Blood groaned catching a disapproving look from the pair.
“I’ll be waiting for your entrance then son. The presence of more favorable company will be a most enjoyable.” Night light snorts with a glance at Blue Blood. “But for now I have a train to catch.”
Shining Armor watches Nightlight leave to meet his wife before turning to scowl at Blue Blood.
“Here to waste more of your princess’s time, my liege?” Shining Armor snorts derisively.
“A noble’s business is never a waste of time Captain. Expecting to recover the prestige of one’s House after what your little sis did…” Blue Blood starts only to get interrupted.
“You risk much prestige if you continue with your insults.” Shining Armor threatens.
“Insult you… My time is too precious for that, by your leave then, Captain?” Blue Blood sneers.
“Yeah get out of my sight I got a letter to send.” Shining Armor replies disgusted.
Entering the palace, Blue Blood was disturbed by how empty the audience hall was. Many faces ranging from allied and rival houses more dedicated than he were absent. Princess Luna in spite of her relaxed state was no doubt aware of the change in the court’s atmosphere and would be most curious as to why it is so.
“Auntie…umm pardon my rudeness, Princess Luna; may I have a moment of your time?” Blue Blood asks forcing himself to apologetically bow.
“Nephew I’m always worried when you address me by my proper title. This is not a good time to bring me ill news.” Princess Luna replies with a glare that betrays more concern than anger.
“You’re talking about the absent nobles I presume?” Blue Blood asks his ears drooping and brow furrowing.
“You are correct nephew and by the look of you your question is related somehow.” Princess Luna replies.
“A new business contact of mine Iron Rail went missing recently. He was colluding with the Diamond dog ‘Baroness of the Ore Veins’ Quarts Fur about a new line of modern trains.”  Blue Blood states calmly floating the scrolls from his investigator to Luna.  “The new line of engines would have incorporated my House’s name serving to advertise my generosity to the masses.”
“So it was an appeal to your vanity; quite clever.” Luna replies mockingly as she opens the first scroll. Blue Blood bites back the bile as Luna studies the evidence.
Elsewhere Twilight Sparkle hastily makes for the Ponyville train station with Spike and Pinkie at her side.
“Shinny’s letter said I should expect a surprise on the predawn train.” Twilight cheerfully pants.
“Can it really be that long already?” Pinkie asks smiling bouncing just at Twilights heels.
“Yep this is Twilight’s last day of community service.” Spike adds.
“I can read my BBBFF like a foal’s picture book. He really thinks I would forget the importance of today since I made some true friends and not catch his hint.” Twilight cheers her head held high. “My mom and dad are coming here and I won’t be stuck in one spot. It the freedom to show you Pinkie and the rest of the girls where I grew up and treat you all for a change.”
“Twi, you know the party planning is my thing. You want some pointers?” Pinkie adds with a giggle.
Twilight gives Pinkie an amused smirk before busting into brief laughter. She calms down upon reaching the platform of the train station and takes a seat.
“My world has been so small for so long when I left home and then I was forced to settle here. In that time, even when it was tough; my world started opening up. I met so many ponies who have become dear to me the same as if they had always been family.” Twilight coos thoughtfully. “Ponyville is a home to me as much as Cantorlot is for me.”
Twilight removes her brother’s scroll from her bag to double check the arrival time and number of the train for seventh time since first getting it. The letter was written all too merrily to hide the surprise of her parent’s arrival. Twilight rolled her eyes at face she was planning to put on to hide spoiled secret her brother let slip.
Relaxing her grasp on the scroll brought Twilight face to face with two of her other friends’ likely curtsey of Pinkie; of Rarity and Fluttershy. A short ways off was also one of the local folk heroes Derpy with a bundle of packages for the train.
Back at Cantorlot a rushed investigation was being conducted into the absent nobles. The scrolls from Blue Blood’s agent had prompted the night diarch to look more closely at the cover stories of unavailable pains in the necks she calls the court and holes started to form with each inquiry.
“I got a look at Stone Mill’s inventory report and noble Hollow Root has not picked up his usual coffee purchase. Stone Mill was adamant that no shipment would be accepted unless he inspected in pony. He’s said to be very particular about the blend.” A sandy brown unicorn mare clerk reports to Princess Luna. “If he had a trip planned he would never forget his precious coffee.”
“Thank you Ledger your dismissed.” Princess Luna replies turning to Blue Blood who was still talking to another of Luna’s assistants. The conversation ends with her nephew’s head drooping with disgust.
“Chalk up Gilded Lotus to our list of unbelievable ghost ponies, attending a phony festival in Trottingham for the glass artisans indeed.” Blue Blood snorts derisively. “The mayor assures the crown that no grand event is scheduled until winter wrap up.”
“There must be a pattern to their disappearances; maybe we need to focus on how they traveled not the where.” Princess Luna mutters as the doors fly open reveling guard captain Shining Armor.
Shining Armor wore an exhausted look of panic until he set eyes on Blue Blood and his face shifted to rage.
“Spoiled noble brat you’re still here wasting the Princess’s time.” Shining Armor furiously spat at Blue Blood.
“Manners Captain, something serious has been happening in this city under our noses and we have been investigating.” Blue Blood replies gesturing to a now agitated Luna.
“Investigation… what petty little concern of yours could be so important.” Shining Armor retorts stamping his hoof.
“Captain Shining Armor you will not conduct yourself in this fashion in my presence!” Princess Luna scolds making both stallions flinch and back up.
“Yes my Princes…”Shining replies tucking his tail.
“Why have you interrupted us?” Luna asks drawing nearer.
“Nightlight’s…  My father and mother’s train never arrived at Ponyville…” Shining Armor replies.
“Train…” Blue Blood’s face blanches with a cold clarity as he asks. “What was the train number Captain?”
Back in Ponyville Princess Trixie prepares to go to sleep after a mostly uneventful night only to receive a knock on her door.
“Trixie should… consider posting her office hours.” Trixie yawns turning to open her door and greet her late hour guests. Dread immediately filled her heart upon seeing a sobbing Twilight in the company of a worried Pinkie, Spike, and Derpy. “Derpy what… what happened?”
“The train Twilight’s parents were on didn’t show up and her brother was not on his train. She sent a scroll to her brother in Cantorlot, but got no reply back.” Derpy sullenly replies. “This is the day she has waited so long for and now she’s heartbroken.”
It didn’t dawn on Trixie at first what Derpy had meant about the day, but as she soaked in the scene before her of the distraught unicorn she finally realizes the importance this day held. As a gesture sympathy began to form on the Princess of Friendship tongue a scroll flashed into existence bearing the seal of the Princess Luna and Shining Armor.
Opening the scroll caused Trixie’s composer to crack.
Hail Trixie Lulamoon, Princess of Friendship and Hero of the Realm.
An issue of great concern has come up with the nobles of Cantorlot, and the daughter of two of our more prominent by the name of Twilight Sparkle is in your court’s care. We request that you keep an eye on her as our concerns here may take time to resolve and rash actions will not help matters. Instruct your guards to be extra alert for anything that does not fit Ponyville’s normal.
I will send for you all when I learn more.
Princess Luna
Trixie shivered afraid to look at the purple unicorn that just a moment ago stopped sobbing long enough to study the scroll’s seals. ‘What do I tell her?’
Three days later on a Cantorlot flats balcony overlooking the tracks, Prince Blue Blood adjusts his coal dust and grease stained Train Engineers attire. It had cost Blue Blood a pretty favor to get the uniform cleaners to smuggle him a genuine train pony’s dirty laundry, but it would help conceal the glamour he would use from the detection of the kidnappers.
‘Whoever is behind this will be sentenced to clean, mend, freshen every one of these work rags for the next decade for this embarrassment.’ Blue Blood half retched at the uniforms smell. ‘With a hoof brush and needle.’
The line Blue Blood was watching is one of the lesser used routes. Learning of the number his target used allowed him to track down witnesses to the extra traffic of the kidnappers. Shining Armor had demanded to run this part of the operation but Luna insisted he handle the protective custody of the witnesses considering how the others were taken as well.
The weather was also unpleasant with sporadic rain and smoke laced wind to further accost the blond mane stallion.
“Forget cleaning these rags, when I catch this noble snatching filth they will cater to the peasant workers daily grooming until they are invalids.” Blue Blood curses in a mutter levitating a mug of hot coco to his lips.
Finally the time for action was upon him as a train whistle sounded and the tell tale smoke from a steam engine became visible four blocks up the track from Blue Bloods balcony. Using a spyglass he confirmed that this train was his target and teleported aboard the caboose when it got close.
“What the hay….” Yells a gold furred earth stallion thug as he gets a hard right hook to back of his muzzle from the new intruder.
After binding, gagging, hiding the brute; Blue Blood assumes his form with the glamour hoping the smell and texture of the real uniform will discourage the use of any dispel magic. As Blue Blood made his way through the end train cars he found the doors to be locked securely even against magic.
After about the sixth door another pony, a straw yellow mare; waves to Blue Blood to which he simply nods back and turns as if on a patrol. Careful not give himself away with his ears or use of his horn, Blue Blood walks back to the caboose. The lack of any yelling or stampeding his way let him know he is safe.
The ride was quiet except for some light sobs that could be heard through the vents and pathetic thrashing of the bound thug. For nine hours Blue Blood waits taking the occasional sip of a special blend of coco and coffee to stay awake before the train whistle sounds to signal their imminent arrival. 
After knocking out the thug again and hiding him again, Blue Blood exits the caboose and teleports off the train as a village comes into view. Sneaking into a shrouded ally while galloping proved easy for Blue Blood with the noisy train pulling up to the station.  An idle shadow passes overhead as the stallion crouches behind a trash pile to look on.
From his vantage point, Blue Blood watched as the passengers were off loaded from the train on to the Maple Village station platform. The gait of the noble pony family that had just been herded off was stiff and clumsy possibly from being restrained hours prior to now. Several non-pony slurs caught his ear emanating from inside the train making Blue Blood’s fabled blood run cold.
“It’s worse than I thought…” Blue Blood mutters as he recollects which race each slur referred to. It was an epic disaster of international politics as ponies mingled with gryphon, changelings, and even a caribou serving as trophies to this gathering of kidnappers.
The scene before him only got worse when the family patriarch, Marble Tower; tried to fight back only to be held firmly by the town ponies while a slave spell collar was forced around his neck. This horrible sight caused the prince to notice that most of the ponies here were collared.
“I must warn Princess Luna…” Blue Blood mutters frightfully as realizes just how in over his head he was.
He so wanted to make a silent get-a-way, but as he prepared to teleport away something fell from above disturbing the trash pile. With a scream he was sent off course.
“A mere child’s doll leads to my ruin.” Blue Blood fumes as he hastily scribbles out a message to his aunt.
His ears detect a growing chorus of searching ponies, Blue Blood sighs in disgust as he was too sleep deprived to teleport again. Only one option remained open to him in the transfiguration spell that Blue Bloods former detective had used to conceal his findings for the prince to find.
This action would completely drain the prince and leave him helpless to the mob that would no doubt be attracted by it, but Blue Blood did it anyway and transformed his message into a rat with the instructions to head to Luna in Cantorlot.
The light from this spell brought the mob, Blue Blood dodges the first hoof haymaker only to trot into another pony’s attack and get knocked out.
As the rat made its way across country, Twilight Sparkle found sleep to be a scarce resource along with the desire to eat.  Driven by worry Twilight has attempted to sneak out of Ponyville no less than sixteen times causing Twilight’s friends to openly petition Princess Trixie and the other elements to help keep the distraught unicorn out of trouble.
“Out of my way Rain Drops, Rainbow had no right putting you up to this.” Twilight snarled her horn flaring at the Pegasus element bearer as Rainbow Dash tried to find an opening to grab her friend.
The realization that Twilight’s parents were missing had an instant impact on the unicorn. Had Spike, Pinkie, and Fluttershy been poor friends Twilight would have gone missing with the first sunrise.
“Not a chance. I’m not letting you lose me.” Rain Drops retorts her wings twitching.
“Darling you… can’t… search the entire country yourself.” Rarity pants out load arriving for the standoff.
“Not you too, the longer you keep me here the colder their trail gets.” Twilight counters preparing a teleport. “Sorry I have to do this.”
In a flash of light Twilight teleports to Ponyville’s west edge, but before she could celebrate her cleverness the gathering of friends and Element Bearers wink in to cut her off.
“For Celestia’s sake…” Twilight curses teleporting over to the south east only to get cut off again.
It dawns on her what was going on just in time for Princess Trixie to land right in front of the fuming unicorn.
“Cheap trick, Trixie; I’m surprised I fell for it!” Twilight snarls as all the rest of her friends and the Bearers surround her.
“On another night you would not have.” Trixie replies folding her wings and dimming her horn. “Why not give your brother a chance to find them?”
Before the standoff could get any worse four night guards leading two carriages landed next to the gathered ponies.
“By order of Princess Luna we have been directed to escort Twilight Sparkle and the Element Bearers to Cantorlot about matters of an important and personal nature.” The head lunar guard escort announces. “We will provide accommodation to your friends lady Twilight until matters between you and the crown are resolved if you desire moral support.”
Twilight’s ears folded back some but nodded in acceptance heading for one of the carriages with her friends and the Element Bearers taking the other.
At Cantorlot Princess Luna pondered her withering court’s latest interruption in the form of an odd rat. Having been discovered by a maid it was brought to the moon princess attention for it’s odd marking prompting Luna to send for several important ponies.
“Blue Blood you’re not one to send a messenger by whose association your ego would be mocked.” Princess Luna mutters scowling at a brown rat familiar with Blueblood’s mark on its belly held aloft in her magic. “Guard have the Bearers arrived?”
“Yes your majesty, everyone is waiting outside as per your orders.” The night guard earth pony answers saluting.
“Send them in, this will take but a moment.” Princess Luna adds transforming the rat into a stack of parchments.
Princess Luna as I’ve brought it to your attention, the reports of key noble leaders’ reasons for absence were indeed false. I believe I have tracked down our kidnappers operating out of a town called Maple Village. 
Watching the train lines I located the red steam engine and sunk aboard. I ditched the train just one mile out of its stop where the adults were offloaded with their families. Every adult is then fitted with a control collar. I don’t know what they do with the foals there were none in the crowd except for the ones from the train.
I’ve been discovered, after an object fell from a roof disturbing my hiding spot, I teleported away. Search parties of enslaved ponies are now checking the area for me so I must resort to this method of messenger. Hopefully it will remain beneath their interest.
Blue Blood
“Princess Luna, you sent for us.” Spoke a ragged looking Twilight Sparkle. “Did my mother and father send you that message?”
“Take it easy please Twilight you haven’t been sleeping well.” Ditzy remarks quietly moving to place wing over the unicorn mare.
“I’m sorry Miss Sparkle the answer is no.” Luna replies grimly. “The message was from my nephew Blue Blood. I regret to inform you that they have been taken hostage.”
Teary eyed Twilight Sparkle screams out distraught then collapses to the floor. Several minutes pass before Twilight sobs settle down enough for Luna to continue her explanation.
“I can only guess that this message is about two weeks old now due to Blue Blood turning it into a rat. This too is the last I’ve heard of my nephew in this since he began to question the other Noble Lords actions about two and a half weeks ago.” Luna speaks addressing the gathered ponies. “This development slipped past even my agents and I am profoundly sorry Twilight.”
“We need… to rescue them.” Twilight replies drying her eyes.
“This is an exceedingly dangerous task, so I will oversee this mission personally! A decoy train is waiting as we speak.” Luna remarks with determination. “I have called you all here because we will be doing this together. Even with my magic I cannot find and protect the hidden foals and their parents at the same time. One group will confront and distract the enslaved town ponies, while the other locates the children. Trixie your illusion craft will best camouflage the first group who will attempt to discover where the foals are trapped so my group can break them out. Once this is done shut down whatever magic is controlling the collars and free the parents.”
“You can count on Trixie and the other bearers for this task.” Trixie replies while the other bearer nod determined.
“What about me… I can help!” Twilight asks pleading.
“You will be with me, Miss Sparkle.”Luna replies.
The settlement of Maple Village was not on any map; however the rescued witnesses provided the directions needed to discover the illegal tracks that would take them to their destination.  Blue Blood’s message about the collars had given Trixie an advantage in planning her disguise spell. As the six were finalizing their cover stories Princess Luna enters the Bearer’s cabin.
“Trixie how goes your preparations?”  Luna asks.
“I’ve always been able to put on a top performance, but I’m worried about how our audience will react if this goes bad.” Trixie frowns. “A cursed monster is preferable to hostages when you have to fight against them.”
“You and your friends have pulled through for the citizens of Equestria time and time again, and I trust in your skills and instincts.” Luna replies softly. 
“Luna do you have any idea about how to help the children?” Cheerlilee asks.
“I’m counting on your group to find out where they will be held. Twilight has come up with a secure communications spell so we may talk with each other, but until we actually get a look at the village we have no way to do more.” Luna replies shaking her head.
“Is anything else on your mind?” Carrot Top asked curiously.
“Oddly enough there is.” Luna replies. “In my patrols of the dreamscape, I have encountered an odd creature suffering from similar circumstance to our own. I have never seen beings such as these but every fiber of my soul tells me she is in pain. She was kidnapped and fears deeply for her sister safety at the shadowy claw of another. I know not the identity of this foul beast but it is the dreamer’s impression that it seeks to separated these siblings and change them so they will never find each other.”
Luna takes a sip of water before continuing to tell her stunned audience.
“This is not just simple nightmares but a deep scarring trauma this being feels. I need to help her but her dreams have recently become shrouded from me, and I’m also thinking it must be connected with our current mission.” Luna adds scowling. “Since just a little while before I came to see you, I have became aware of a powerful dream ward’s magic getting stronger the closer we get. Be on your guard Bearers our conspirators are not the only threats hiding in this village.”
It was another hour down the line when a Lunar Guard posing as the engineer informed the groups of the first hints of Maple Village in the distance and stopped to let Luna’s group eight guards and Twilight off. Once the first team was off the train pulls into Maple Village train station.
From their cabin the six Element Bearer’s could see the townsponies drop what they were doing and begin gathering round the platform as their train slowed to a stop. The view was not the greatest, but it was still easy to estimate the crowd’s number to be around forty give or take.
“That’s a lot of ponies…” whispers Carrot Top turning her head from the cabin window.
“Until we know who is a hostage and who is a kidnapper, it is for the best if we play it meek and dumb.” Suggests Rain Drops her tail dropping some at the thought some pony innocent could be injured.
It had been the plan all along, but Rain Drops had hoped that the villains would be just up front for all to see. Especially considering this was their home turf, but Blue Blood’s infiltration must have made them more cautious.
“Its curtain time, let’s move.” Remarks Trixie as she casts her illusion charm making fake collars and a new cutie mark appear on each of them. The spell was a long term make-up glamour she had learned from a traveling theater trope a few years back.
Stepping off the train with some fake train crew the Bearers steeled themselves for discovery that should have befallen them, but to their fortune several ponies that had been watching the train broke away in a hurry to meet three very terrified others who just galloped into town from the forest
With a look the group split up and got lost in the crowd as they approached the new gathering.
“So it’s Timber Wolves that have been injuring our sap collectors.” A well groomed mare states irritably.
“Yes Mayor Vail, they were adamant we stop trespassing and hurting the trees.” Replies a beige coated mare.
“That is an oddly clear message Reeds. When ever do Timber Wolves speak pony?” Mayor Vail asks frowning.
“Hound did the talking!” A dark blue earth stallion adds as he refers to an oddly marked green stallion next to him. “Trees being injured were mentioned. We guessed about the trespassing.”
“Hound, tell us of your talk with the wolves.” Mayor Vail asks turning to the green stallion.
“Little parasites...” Hound Speaker repeats back a male timber wolf with skin like birch growls. “You’re not simply content to mark our trees, but you bleed them as well!”
“This is our home vermin and we will make you respect it!” Hound Speaker repeats back a female wolf’s with mossy bark snarls.
“We… we are…. We’re not really hurting the trees. The sap we… we collect… is only what is needed to fill our buckets. Just this one time of year before the frost sets in. I said back.” Hound Speaker stutters.
“You shouldn’t show weakness like that Hound.” Mayor Vail scolds. “It could get everypony killed.”
“The look they all gave him at that made us all frightened.” Reeds countered.
“In all our generations the prey plays dumb, ignoring our territory and our threats. All along you knew of our displeasure.” Hound Speaker repeats back the snarls of a timber wolf with poison sumac vines entwined in his oak bark.
“I… I am… certain that my gift is rare in understanding what you’re saying. I replied.” Hound Speaker gulps.
“It was then that the sumac covered wolf stalked closer to Hound Speaker, Reeds and I to move in behind Hound to defend him.” The blue stallion interrupts.
“Thorns you two know sudden movements are also dangerous.” Mayor Vail shakes her head. “I hope you had a good reason.”
“We almost lost Hound.” Thorns replies.
“Well we certainly have a message for you to spread to the rest of your herd.” Hound Speaker repeats back the alpha, a Timber wolf with willow vine mane; growls.
“It used its alpha as a distraction, Mayor. The sumac covered wolf hooked a wooden claw into Hound Speaker’s mane just behind the head and flashes a vicious fanged snarl at us.” Adds Reeds shakily.
“We weren’t giving him up to be eaten.” Thorns protests indignantly. 
“What is your name abomination? Your scent is very much like a thing I tracked to this pony village.” Hound Speaker repeats back in a hurt voice with teary eyes the sumac covered wolf demands.
At this the Bearers noticed a feint crack in the Mayor’s demeanor; and shock from Reeds and Thorns. 
“I ordered Hound to not make any sudden moves.” Thorns states still dumbfounded. “I felt my legs go numb looking into snarling monster’s eyes.”
“I replied Hound Speaker…” Hound Speaker replies in a cold sweet.
“You are not a pony.” Hound Speaker repeats back in disbelief the sumac covered wolf snarls, remembering how he dug his claw into Hound’s neck. “Unnatural magic clings to you like poisonous stench.  Who are you really?”
Hound Speaker now looked like he was about to collapse with Reeds and Thorns moving in to steady the colt. The Mayor motions for the onlookers to back off and for Hound to sit down. After some comforting contact by his companions Hound Speaker starts again.
“Sumac enough paws off and heel! Hound Speaker you send word to your herd, Willow Bark pack alpha; will watch over the trees to make certain they stay healthy.” Hound Speaker repeats back Willow barked alpha’s howls. “We will not tolerate any harm to this forest.”
“At that Sumac dashes back over to his alpha and we grabbed Hound Speaker and ran as fast as we could back here.” Thorns adds mostly focused on Hound Speaker.
“Reeds is this the case?” Mayor Veil asks quietly.
“Based on the wolves’ body language we can trust Hound’s recollection.” Reeds replies.
“About what the wolf whispered to me. What’s unnatural about me?” Hound Speaker asks sadly.
“Timber wolves just despise ponies you don’t need to look too deeply to reach unnatural with them.” Hail Veil retorts and shakes her head before smiling. “You could have just stepped in something that messed up your sent. Just bathe and don’t sweet it.”
“Thank you Mayor Veil.” Hound Speaker replies feeling better. 
Hound Speaker trots briskly to Maple’s community shower to bathe as the crowd breaks up. The train was practically forgotten thanks to the commotion.
“I guess this is what Willow Bark was concerned about.” Hound Speaker whispers turning the train begin passing over the horizon. “We are becoming a full-fledged suburb here.”
“Hello sir, can you direct us to town hall?” A purple mare with a pink mane called out from a group of other mares to Hound’s left.
“You’re new arrivals from the train. My name is Hound Speaker welcome to Maple Village.” Hound Speaker calls back his ears perking up along with his spirits. “If you go down that way you may still catch Mayor Hail Vail. I’m still not familiar with everyponies address though, so she is your best bet.”
“You mentioned another pony by the name of Willow Bark, is he a friend of yours?” A green mane orange coated mare asks.
“No… not really a pony… or friend, Willow Bark is the Timber Wolf Alpha.” Hound Speaker mutters lowering his head. “I may be wrong about his name I just recognize the kind of wood of his body was made from.”
“You can speak to Timber Wolves?” a blue green unicorn mare asks shocked.
“All dogs, not just the wolves. My name is sort of embarrassing because I got it after I was found… talking to the town mutts.” Replies Hound Speaker.
“I didn’t mean to tease you, I’m Sea Spray.” The blue green unicorn mare replies holding out a hoof.
“Carver.” The green mane orange coated earth mare adds.
“Purple Pallets…” The purple mare with the pink mane adds. “My free wind friends are Frost Snap and Twister, and finally our group’s tutor After Image.”
After introducing the newcomers to Reeds and Thorns, Hound Speaker gets his shower and heads back to his room for the day. It was good to meet nice ponies but the encounter with the wolves did more than scare him in the predator eats prey way.
“I’m a pony.” Hound Speaker whispers sadly. “Why did he say I wasn’t one?”