The Wolf's War

by Blazing47s

The Lucky Shadow *Revised*

Luna let out a small yawn, careful to conceal it with a hoof. The hours without sleep had begun to creep up on her, and her nap that had meant to relieve her fatigue had been interrupted a few hours before, and the two trips back and forth to The Gates hadn't helped. “No rest for the weary, I suppose,” The princess thought to herself, and she would have chuckled under any other circumstance. When Luna had been notified by the situation with Cerberus by one of Measured Fact’s golems, only a few short hours after checking on Cerberus herself, she had immediately rushed to the scene. She had come across an unconscious Cerberus lying in a rapidly dissolving pool of green foam, the beast’s normally powerful magical aura dim and fleeting. Although Luna had tried every spell she could think of, nothing seemed to wake or even affect Cerberus.

Luna had contented herself to cleaning the giant three headed dog off as best she could, sitting at his side fretting a few yards away from the glowing doors of Tartarus. Fact’s golems stood in a loose protective circle around her, their magical combat programming leading them to scan the cavern with lifeless eyes. The Princess of the Night watched as another dribble of green foam dripped onto the stone from Cerberus’ left head. She sighed and grabbed a rock in her magic aura, levitating it along the ground to scrape a few feet away to where it would evaporate into the air. Luna had discovered when she first arrived that the green foam acted as some sort of magical conductor, nearly immediately absorbing the magic with little or no effect, meaning she could not levitate it. It was probably the reason Cerberus was still so weak. The foam’s properties would be wreaking havoc with his magic systems. Were Cerberus a weaker creature, he probably would have died. Luna gently stoked one of Cerberus’ head as he let out another growl, one paw twitching in his sleep. The alicorn’s metal shoes were smeared with the green foam, and she flicked them to the side to get rid of the slippery substance.

“Princess!” Luna’s head jerked up as the voice filtered down from above. “Princess Luna!”

“You may come down!” She called up, and she heard the clanking of armor as a pony descended the stairs in to the underground cavern.

A deep blue stallion stepped onto the stone floor, looking warily around the cavern. His mane and tail were black with a few darker streaks of blue and one a deep purple. Both were styled in the short crop that the military preferred. The stallion’s eyes were the same dark purple as the streak in his tail, glowing in the magical torchlight. A large spiral horn came out of the stallion’s mane. The pony was wearing the dark armor of Luna’s guard, even though he was noticeably not a Night Pegasi. The stallion’s armor concealed his cutie mark and most of his body, and it was obvious the stallion had poured lots of time into keeping it in top condition. The same was true with the two swords that were strapped to either side of his body. Since Luna was sleeping during the day, she had a small detachment of soldiers to guard her rooms when the rest of her guard were sleeping. Celestia had a similar arrangement, just with some Night Pegasi for when she had retired at night.

“Princess Luna.” The stallion saluted sharply as he spotted her. Luna was not surprised it took him a moment; most of her was shielded by the huge body of Cerberus, and Luna’s black coat was extremely similar to that of the huge dog.

“Shadow Blade,” Luna greeted. She did not stand as she normally would, and instead she waved him over with a hoof. The stallion trotted over, watched by the golems that stood around Luna and Cerberus.

When he got close to one, he shook his head and shivered a bit. “I may not know Sir Fact very well, but I can’t believe he doesn’t find these things creepy,” He muttered under his breath, watching the golems out of his peripheral vision.

“What is it?” Luan asked, and Shadow snapped back to attention. He chided himself for being distracted, even if it was only for half a second. This whole deal with The Gates had him a bit jumpy, and he knew every other guard was feeling it also.

“One of the guards has gone missing, Princess. We found out during role call half an hour ago." He informed her, relaxing a bit.

“What?” Luna stood finally, but not after patting Cerberus one last time. “Who?”

“Steel Wind, princess,” Shadow looked thoughtful as he recalled the details. “A corporal assigned in the 3rd Celestial Airborne. Blue coat, white mane, and golden eyes, cutie mark of blades arranged in a wind pattern.”

"Where did he go missing?"

“He went out into The Everfree to relieve himself while in a game of poker with his squad mates, Solid Resolve and Quick Draw. The north eastern sentry, Private Stone allowed him to leave. Corporal wind never returned.”

Luna started to pace a bit, thinking. “Into The Everfree?” She asked, and Shadow nodded. “This was when the animal attacks had just ceased, correct? Right after Cerberus collapsed and I came down here?” Luna remembered another guard telling her the news with the animals a while ago, but she had been otherwise occupied with Cerberus.

“Yes ma’am,” Shadow answered, and Luna could see the wheels turning in his head as he came to the same conclusion as Luna had.

“Notify the guards stationed near Ponyville. They are to remain unseen by the populace, but if they see Corporal Wind they are to detain him immediately. If he resists, force is authorized.” Luna stated, and Shadow nodded sharply.

“Right away Princess.” At Luna’s nod of dismissal, he raced up the stairs. Luna could faintly hear the dark stallion barking something as he neared the top, but the words were lost to her.

“Oh Tia,” Luna muttered to herself as she sat back next to Cerberus. “I fear this may be out of my control.” The princess gazed at the distant rock ceiling, wishing that her sister were here.

-----

Mind Walker cursed in his native tongue as his new body stumbled into another tree. He was out of practice; controlling ponies was hard enough without being rusty from over a thousand years in Tartarus - not that Mind Walker was complaining much though. Whatever spell that Zant character had used on his first recent host, Cerberus, had made things incredible easy for him. He only had needed contact with a drop of the beast’s blood to slip in, which was easily enough managed. The only downside to the spell was the fluorescent green foam, but that could be hidden easily enough in a pony body. Mind Walker also couldn’t believe his luck at the host he had managed to grab. An entire detachment of armed soldiers right outside The Gates had been promising, but he hadn’t expected to grab one so easily. He had only had to attack using animal hosts for a measly forty minutes before this pony stumbled into him.

Usually Mind Walker required a good deal of time and exposure to a pony’s blood before he could attach on. It was one of the reasons he had been banished so quickly by Princess' Celestia and Luna; He would usually have to tie down a pony and drink their blood to quickly change hosts. Due to the sadistic and twisted nature of his transfer, they had not been hesitant in sending him to Tartarus. He still to this day wondered why they didn’t just kill him, instead of just putting him in a prison dimension. Mind Walker mentally shrugged, deciding it was their loss and not something he would have to worry about.

Mind Walker managed to push himself off the tree, armor clanking against the wood. He sloppily flipped a wing forward to clear a small path with the blades, growling under his breath as his messy move only smacked the flat of the steel against the foliage. The pegasus’ body had not changed much after Mind Walker had taken over, but the controller was now significantly more challenged in the coordination area. The only visual tell that Mind Walker was in control and not the original host was the occasional green foam that Mind Walker had to spit to the side. He had discovered that it tasted unbelievably nasty upon using his new taste buds.

Mind Walker clumsily pushed his way through another particularly dense patch of trees, emerging into a small grassy clearing, his blue chest heaving. Spitting another small glob of green foam out of his mouth, he shook his head and looked to the sky. The sun was still climbing in the blue sky, and he estimated that it was only around 11:00 in the morning. He reached back to his armor on his side, rummaging around with a hoof, before finding the small hidden pocket. He pulled out the black stone that Zant had given him, tapping it to his forehead. He immediately felt a pull in one direction, stronger now than it had been at first.

He placed the stone back into the pocket, running a hoof through his mane, relishing the feel of real flesh and bone. It had been too long. He ran the hoof over his face as well, taking in the shape and feel of it. Oh, his host was quite the looker. Mind Walker smugly smiled, resisting the urge to laugh. What luck! This would only make things easier. With a new spring in his step, the blue pegasus, until recently Steel Wind, continued on, following the pull of the small stone. He was close, he could feel it.

-----

Applebloom woke gently, the lingering shreds of a happy dream slowly fading into wakefulness. The yellow filly let out a small yawn, the warmth of her bedding enticing her back into sleep. She shifted, trying to get more comfortable, her eyes still closed. Her side bumped into something soft and fuzzy, and Applebloom smiled sleepily, hugging the stuffed animal close. With another yawn, she let her mind be pulled back into the darkness. Her eyes shot open as the stuffed animal shifted under her hooves, mumbling something incoherent. Applebloom quickly saw the orange and purple mass was not a stuffed animal like she had thought, but was Scootaloo, who said something under her breath before turning away.

The yellow filly sat up quickly, taking in the living room of Fluttershy’s cottage, and the other two sleeping fillies in the same couch. Shaking her head to clear it of the last of the cobwebs, she nudged Scootaloo. “Wake up Scootaloo,” Applebloom said softly. When all she got in reply was another mumble, she tried again, louder. Still nothing. Grinning evilly, Applebloom took in a huge breath. “Wake up!”

Scootaloo was up immediately, hooves flailing and wings buzzing on instinct. Sweetie Belle, unfortunately on the side of the couch without a back, promptly toppled off onto the floor, before looking up with wide and clouded eyes. Scootaloo’s flailing knocked against the small table at the end of the couch with enough force to wake Angel and nearly knock over his makeshift bed as well. The rabbit shot a glare at the tangle of three fillies before hopping away with his pillow to sleep somewhere else, gibbering curses only he could understand.

“Huh? What?” Scootaloo finally stopped moving, her eyes clearing as she gazed around confusedly. “Applebloom?” Her gaze fell on the yellow filly, who was trying and failing to hold in her laughter at the reaction her shout got.

“Ow,” Sweetie Belle groaned from the floor, her ears ringing. She let her head fall back to the carpet with a muffled thump. This sent Applebloom into a fresh round of giggles.

“What the heck Applebloom!” Scootaloo rubbed an eye with a hoof, glaring at her.

“Sorry,” Applebloom apologized, snorting. “I couldn’t resist.”

“Ow,” Sweetie Belle lifted her head off the ground. She stood, noting the blanket that had been thrown off of the three fillies in the commotion. She levitated it up with her magic, her tongue sticking out of her mouth. She managed to work the green aura to get the blanket into a semi-folded state, before placing it on the ground next to the couch.

“Where’s Fluttershy? And Link?” Scootaloo asked, pushing Applebloom off the couch so she could stand on the floor. “How long were we out?”

Spying the clock on the wall, Applebloom answered. “Around a half an hour. Not long.”

“Good, that still leaves us some crusading time today,” Scootaloo said excitedly.

The other two fillies groaned in unison. “I don’t want to do anything right now,” Sweetie Belle moaned. “It’s not even noon yet, and you two woke me up way too early today.” She shot her friends and accusatory glance. Applebloom smiled sheepishly, but still nodded in agreement with Sweetie Belle.

“Come on!” Scootaloo hopped up and down in place. “It’s a great day today! We could do so many things! Come on!” She pestered. “I know you’ve been dying to try out for the ‘working construction machinery’ cutie mark.”

“Fine,” Applebloom rolled her eyes. “But let’s go back to town first. I bet my sis is wonderin’ where I am.”

“Same here,” Sweetie Belle chimed in. “And I bet that’s where Link and Fluttershy are too. We should thank her for letting us sleep on her couch.”

“Sounds good!” Scootaloo threw open the door with a hoof, letting the sunlight stream through. “Come on!” The orange filly vanished outside. The other two followed, both shaking their heads at their friend’s excitement.

“I think today should be a day free of crusading,” Sweetie whispered to Applebloom. “I’m not in the mood as much as usual.”

“Me neither,” Applebloom confessed as she stepped down from the front porch. Scootaloo, already far ahead on the path, waved to them frantically to hurry up. “I don’t know what it is lately, I just haven’t been in the mood for crusading.” The two fillies quickened their pace at another wave from Scootaloo. Unfortunately, the orange fillies scooter had been all but destroyed in the crash earlier that morning, and Applebloom doubted she could be convinced to get back on it even if it was working.

Sweetie Belle shrugged, continuing as Applebloom waved a hoof at a bird that had taken up a perch on her large bow. “Maybe what Scootaloo has planned will give us fresh excitement,” she suggested.

Applebloom opened her mouth to answer, but was interrupted by a rustling in the bushes along the path. Both of the fillies stopped, despite the cry of “hurry up!” from Scootaloo. The sound came again, like something large and heavy moving through the undergrowth. Scootaloo raced back to her friends, about to tell them to hurry once more, when something large and blue burst from the trees. All three fillies took a few steps backward to give the newcomer some room.

It was a pony, dressed in guard armor. He was a pegasus, with bladed wings that flashes in the light as he moved. His white mane and tail were cropped short to his body, which was mostly covered by plates of armor. “The guards don’t patrol this far,” he murmured to himself, before starting a bit. His golden eyes fixated on the Crusaders. A flash on some emotion crossed his face, akin to surprise, but was replaced by disarming warmth. “Hello,” He said, a bit sheepishly. “Sorry to surprise you like that.”

“No problem,” Scootaloo answered cautiously, taking the lead. The other two fillies shot her a grateful glance. “Who are you, and what were you doing in the woods?”

“Steel Wind, nice to meet you,” He chuckled. “And I am afraid I am a bit lost.” He perked up. “Can you help me?”

A royal guard, lost in The Everfree? The three fillies shared a brief look, unconvinced. But the stallion seemed harmless enough, with a slightly dopey but hopeful expression. Unnoticed while the fillies looked at each other, the stallion tilted his head and spat something into the foliage. The noise brought the attention back to him, but he was back in his normal position once more.

“Sure, I suppose we can help,” Applebloom nodded. “What do ya’ need?”

“What town is at the end of this path?” Steel asked, waving in that direction. “If I can find my way there, I can get back to my post.”

“That’s Ponyville,” Sweetie answered.

“Thank goodness,” Steel wind sighed in relief. “You wouldn’t mind leading me there, would you?” He looked hopefully at the small group again, wing blades clinking together as he shifted in his armor.

The three fillies shared another look, nodding to each other. “Sure, we can lead you there. But . . .” Scootaloo paused. “I still don’t understand why you are here.” Her two friends nodded, and the blue pegasus straightened, the unreadable emotion flitting over his features again.

“I suppose I owe you and explanation,” He allowed, before motioning down the path with a hoof. “I’ll tell you while we walk, how about that?”

Author's Note:

Well, the second June chapter is posted on July first, but I suppose that's close enough. Not a very long or important chapter, but a good build up to some action from the next few. Hope you like it!
As always, comment on mistakes, bla bla bla, you know the drill by this point.

Comments

[Sketchy Markks]

Oh dear... this bodes badness. All teh badness.

[Pinklestia]

Quite convenient the way they found the possessed pony.

[Blazing47s]

6198768
Just a word derp. Although, a hydra RD could make a great premise for my next fanfic . . .

[Blazing47s]

I would like to put this out to whoever will see it. I APOLOGIZE! July was absolutely insane for me, and I feel horrible that I did not get a single chapter out. Please forgive me. I am working on the next chapter, which will be out this week. Have no fear! This story will continue!

[Larkspur]

loving this story. look forward to the update sometime this week.