My Son, My Soldier, My Hero

by That_Random_Pony

Help from the Pack

Moon collapsed on the ground, his side nearly torn open and his front left leg broken horribly. Marring his body were several cuts and slashes that wept blood. Ahead of him, Orgos and Hutono growled viciously, pacing back and forth in their bestial forms. Moon forced himself up, eyeing the damage of his opponents. The eldest brother was barely scratched, aside from a sizable gash in his side and a visible claw mark trailing down his neck. Hutono was battered. Four claw marks ran down his sides, a bite mark wept red from his shoulder, and a leg was mauled savagely. With that, he was scratched and bruised all over.

"Enough," Inagro announced. Hutono and Orgos closed their maws and began to revert back to their bipedal bodies, while the pack leader went to help Moon stand back up. "How do you feel?"

Moon chuckled lowly and spat a glob of blood to the side. "Like I could use a break," he grinned, wincing as Inagro began to heal his wounds.

"You lasted longer than before," Niraka laughed softly, sitting beside her brother. "And you're starting to reach the levels of a basic Signa. Not many beings can say they can stand against a Bestial."

"Because those beings are either family or dead," Orgos grimly laughed as he made his way over. He rubbed the sharpened teeth protruding from his mouth in pain. "You may have loosened one of my teeth, Midnight."

"And I'll be need your assistance, Inagro," Hutono grunted, sitting down slowly. Their injuries remained on their original bodies. Moon learned that the first day he cut Inagro.

Inagro nodded and placed his hands over the wounds. His hands glowed a gentle orange as the splits and tears of skin mended slowly, bringing relief to Hutono.

"I've been meaning to ask if your growth is natural," Orgos stated, sitting beside Niraka. "You've grown a whole lot since you joined our pack."

Moon loved knowing that he was in a pack, a part of a group with individuals that relied on and trusted one another. He had no reason to keep secrets, or even anything he wouldn't like others to know.

"I'm not entirely sure," he chuckled awkwardly, scratching his ear. "When I was several hundred years old, my growth stopped completely. When I was with Dr-Reku'un, my body began to grow again. It stopped a few years ago, but since I've trained with you all my body's started once again."

Niraka and Orgos nodded slowly, their expressions changed to thought and wonder as the idea of his growth came to them. "Perhaps befriending others causes it?" Niraka awkwardly suggested.

"Or it could be that he draws energy from others," Orgos shrugged. "Your mother holds a plentiful reserve of energy, enough to defeat most Signa outside the Royal Family and League. Her energy could have started your growth, and meeting the Doshu'um must have caused you to absorb the energies he released. Perhaps even when he wasn't using his abilities."

It made sense. Whenever he was around a sizable energy signature, he would grow over time. His mother was an alicorn, so she had no shortage of mana to give. Draco was to be the most powerful Signa of them all, and with the Ashla inside of him it only added to his energy, so that was what caused his larger growth. And now that he lived with a group of Signa, their energies combined to give his body it's biggest growth yet. He felt as though he could reach Ember's arm, maybe up to her elbow.

"At least we've helped you gain more power, Midnight," Inagro chuckled. "We should go to eat some hokor. My stomach isn't comfortable being empty."

The pack laughed together as they made their way out of the training area and into the halls. Moon walked beside Orgos, right beside the windows to the outside. He saw dreadnoughts and cruisers seemingly floating in the atmosphere, massive and as brilliant as ever. His thoughts strayed to Draco, then to Ember, and as he looked to the planet below, his thoughts went to his loved one. How she was… what she was doing… if she was alright… it all returned to him in one massive wave.

"Midnight." Moon shook his head and looked back, realizing he missed the turn his pack had followed. Hutono was waiting at the intersection, and Moon hurried over.

"I'm sorry," Moon chuckled nervously. "Did the others go ahead?"

"Yes," Hutono said. "Are you alright?"

Moon nodded softly, turning his head forward. "I'm fine, Hutono," he smiled.

Hutono's gaze didn't leave the lunar wolf. "You're thinking about your loved ones, aren't you?" He questioned.

Moon's smile slowly faltered, and he let out a small sigh as his head lowered. "It's… hard to focus when you've left somepony behind you've only begun to love," he half-heartedly laughed. "And my family and friends are probably worried what will become of me. I just won't know what do when the time comes to greet them all again… especially with this change."

Moon had always been prideful of being part wolf, it was what kept him alive after all. However, much to his dismay, his growth spurts had caused him to become more and more like his animalistic side. Not mentally, of course, but physically. His claws had become sharper. His senses were more acute, and his Cutie Mark was barely visible around his darkening coat. He couldn't stand the thought of knowing he scared his friends… or Fluttershy, for that matter. Would the ponies reject him once more?

"Midnight." He glanced up and realized they were entering the mess hall. Signa and Bestials sat amongst one another, but turned to him and gave a respectful bow. "You shouldn't dwell on what is to come. For now, all you need to worry about is staying alive."

Moon chuckled softly, remembering all of his training ands beatings. He grabbed a wooden plate carved from a Defili tree and went to the rotisserie'd hokor in the middle of the room. Loki'irians were all about natural consumption, and they even took that belief into the stars. Each dreadnought had an entire quadrant of the ship devoted to growing vegetables and fruits from their homeworld. It was one of the more secure chambers, and made for a decent bunker.

After getting the slab of meat, he followed Hutono to the table their pack often sat at. There were two new Signa sitting with them, but Moon paid them no mind and dug into the delicious meat. He felt partially wrong for doing this, especially when his lover was an animal lover. But the taste was to die for.

"Midnight," Hutono said, drawing the wolf's attention. "Would you mind if I asked what was on your mind?"

His expression fell slightly, but he swallowed the hokor in his mouth and said, "There are no secrets for me to keep. We're a pack, and I trust you enough to tell you."

He shuffled in his seat until he was mildly comfortable, the seats designed for bipeds instead of quadrupeds.

"I… was thinking about what it will be like once I return to my home," he sighed. "Will it be alien to me? Will the ones close to me see me any different? I… I just have… so many questions and not a single answer. It's… frightening to think about."

Hutono nodded slowly, drinking some of the water in his mug. "I… think I understand," he said softly. He could see that the thought bothered Moon, even now. Hutono glanced cautiously to Orgos, who was speaking with two of the warriors across from him. "I'm not sure if this will help ease your thoughts, but I'm willing to try."

As he sat up and pushed his plate to the side, Moon perked up and pushed his own meal away. Hutono brought his hands together and did a small prayer before going silent, his hands together as he fiddled with them slowly.

"I was very young when the invasion occurred," he said lowly. Moon frowned lightly, seeing the pain and anger in his pack member's eyes. "Orgos had just completed his Illness… and the sky was black with their horde."

Hutono showed his right hand, particularly the mark in the center of his palm. "I was being cornered by soldiers… and one managed to lodge an arrow through my palm to pin me against a Defili branch." He rubbed the small scar slowly, his eyes drifting. "Orgos was with me… and he was fighting them off by the dozen. My… mother and father came… but they attracted an Alpha… and I watched them die… slowly… painfully…"

Moon had realized the table had gone silent, and Orgos, Niraka, and Inagro were listening intently.

"Orgos… Orgos managed to grab me before my father was slain… and we made it to the shuttles… along with countless others," he mumbled, his hands shaking slightly. "When I was starting my Illness, I had no idea I was a Bestial until I changed. The Signa there were surprised as well, and they were forced to send me to a Bestial ship to help control me during my Illness."

"I didn't see him for five whole cycles," Orgos continued, looking at the table. "I was sent to the dreadnought Vrizza to help with the infants and newborns that were missing or without family's."

"And… the entire time I was wondering what Orgos would say," Hutono laughed gently. "Would he see me differently? Will my changes disgust him? Would he shun me? I didn't know what he was doing or if he was alright… so I prayed every day and ask to see him."

Orgos sat up with a small smile. "I remember the day I was assigned to this pack," he chuckled. "I sat with Inagro for hours, telling him about my family's history as Bestials and who my forefathers were when I felt someone hugging me. I looked up… and my little brother was grown up."

Hutono wiped a stray tear from his cheek. "We couldn't stay quiet for days," he laughed, restraining a sniffle. "I showed my bestial form, my Rites… everything that happened to me was part of his memory."

"And I cherish those stories," Orgos laughed, putting an arm around his brother's shoulders. "To think you thought that I would think differently of you."

"I was afraid, Orgos," Hutono chuckled. "But Midnight… I want you to know that no matter what changes on your outside… your family and friends will only know you for what is in your heart. What makes you a… pony, is what makes you their friend and family. Do you understand?"

Moon smile and nodded to Hutono, earning smiled around the table. "Whenever you need help, Midnight, we are all here," Inagro told him, smiling as well.

"This is nice and heartwarming," Niraka laughed awkwardly, "but my hokor is turning cool. I believe it's time we eat!"

The others agreed and clinked their cups together, then tore into their own meals. Moon smiled as he watched Niraka and Inagro fight for a piece while Hutono and Orgos continually snatched food from each other.

I'm glad to be a part of this pack… but my pack will always be with you two… Draco… Ember… But they are my family as well, so I'll fight with them like I would with you two. I hope you're both fine… and good luck to both of you.

Author's Note:

Eyyyyyy, two in a row this week! I had to. I'm getting back into it, I think/hope. So I'm looking forward to this. As always, like, fav, comment, and have an awesome day or night! Peaces!

Comments

[spike the mustache]

I hope your geting back to writing this too, this story is to die for!