The two had been traversing the forest for several hours when Octavia abruptly stopped. The werewolf began taking long pulls of air into her nostrils, a look of disgust crossing her features.
“Smell something?” Lyra asked.
“Yes, and it’s dreadful. Not unlike a combination of twelve-day old rotten meat and equally aged manure. This way.”
Following her nose, Octavia led the duo through the forest. It wasn’t long before Lyra herself could detect the foul stench that lingered in the air. Soon after, the two came across the first signs of their quarry.
“What on Equis?”
“Luna’s moon…”
It was as if Death herself had gone for a stroll. A path like a gaping wound had been cut through the forest, dead plants and the rotting corpses of animals littering the ground. All of the surrounding trees were bare and lifeless. Clouds of flies danced across the ruptured remains of a boar. The stench of decay hung heavy in the air.
Lyra fought the urge to vomit and lost. Octavia bared her teeth, her wolfish features conveying well her barely restrained anger. Taking a deep breath, the werewolf attempted to calm herself before investigating the scene.
Wiping the last of her breakfast off her muzzle, Lyra followed. “What— urp— what could have done this?”
“Something large, quadrupedal with a very unsteady gait, and most likely reptilian,” Octavia replied, examining a set of four-toed tracks, before walking over to some of the better-preserved corpses. “The only inflicted wounds on these animals are small bites, not enough to kill. Decay did the rest; even the scavengers are avoiding this place.”
“Some kind of poison, maybe?”
“Most likely not. Venomous bites wouldn’t kill the trees, and a toxic cloud wouldn’t leave bites.” Glancing at one of the trees, Octavia added, “Although the trees have also been bitten. Odd. Well, only one thing to do now: follow.”
-----
The two had been following the putrid trail for some time when Octavia abruptly stopped, lupine ears twitching.
“I can hear it up ahead. Keep quiet.”
Like a predator stalking prey, the werewolf crept forward, Lyra following as quietly as she could. Soon enough, the two spotted their quarry.
It was about the size of a hippopotamus. The beast’s skin was scaled and hung loose off of its frame, dragging on the ground as the creature shambled forward on malformed and misshapen legs. Long, intestine-like tendrils extended from slits in the monster’s back and sides; the two watched as one lashed out and speared a fleeing rabbit. The poor lagomorph fought as it was lifted into the air, its struggles becoming weaker and weaker until it finally hung still. Finished, the tendril flung the lifeless rabbit away like a foal would a candy wrapper, before plunging into one of the nearby trees.
“First lesson,” Octavia all but spat. “Before engaging, always attempt to make contact. You never know what could be sapient.” Pulling off her signature bowtie, the mare walked forwards. “Oi! You there!”
The creature stopped and turned to face her, revealing a face with two vacant eyes and no lower jaw. “RKKKK-SHAAA!” it cried as it charged her.
“Exactly what I wanted to hear!” she cried in response. Octavia leapt out of the far less agile creature’s path, then brought her powerful hind legs to bear and slammed them into the beast’s torso, knocking it several meters to the side.
“You come into MY home.” As she spoke, her voice became deeper and raspier, and she began to grow.
“You invade MY territory.” Her legs grew thicker as her mane shrank. Her already long coat turned into full-on fur.
“You desecrate MY lands, drain MY prey, wound MY forest.” The last of her equine features disappeared, the wolf released.
“And now you pay the PRICE!” the wolf snarled, and leapt upon the still recovering monster, massive jaws open wide. Tendrils raced towards her, but she intercepted them with her sharp claws, reducing them to ribbons. Now upon the beast, she went for its jugular, sinking her fangs into its throat. The remaining tendrils impacted her hide, plunging in, but she ignored them, focusing on keeping her jaws locked tight around her prey. Within a few moments, it was over. Triumphant, the wolf stood over its kill, raised its head to the skies, and howled in victory.
The massive beast then coughed politely, shifted back to her partial form, and walked over to a wide-eyed and slack-jawed Lyra. “Are you alright?” Octavia asked.
-----
The sun was low in the evening sky when the two mares exited the forest. “Well, that took a bit longer than expected. Say, would you like to come over for dinner? I’m sure Vinyl would love a chance to show off her cooking.”
“I’d hate to impose, but if you’re offering…”
“It’s no problem at all.”
After a few moments, Lyra asked, “Would it be alright if I asked Bon Bon to join us?”
Octavia flinched. “Actually, I’m afraid not.”
This gave Lyra pause. “Why? Is this an Owl thing, or…?”
“No, it’s… does the name ‘Sweetie Drops’ mean anything to you?”
“Wait, you know about that!? But what does that have to do with anything?"
"Well, lycans are still considered monsters, and with her previous line of work..."
Lyra's eyes widened. “Oh… OH!”
“It’s just that, retired or not, I don’t think either Vinyl or I would feel comfortable…”
“Yeah, no, I, uh… I get it. Sorry.”
“It’s fine.”