The Wander Through Lands Unknown

by Tomas Lutwig

Chapter 42; Waking up

The crossbow went off with a dull thud propelling the bolt through the air towards it's target. Rustling of leaves sounded as the bolt pinned the rabbit to the ground. The small animal convulsed as it died, scattering leaves. Silence ruled the forest after.

I clenched my fist giving a silent 'Yes!' before I started towards the fallen animal. I pulled the bolt from the front of the rabbit before tying a small bit of cord to one of it's feet and attaching it to the bundle of similarly dead critters. I slung my crossbow back over my shoulder as I started back towards camp.

The small bundle of animals was mostly rabbits with a pair of squirrels, one unlucky enough that while aiming for his chest he moved just wrong that I ended up taking his head clean off. The other was much luckier in that he simply caught the arrow where I had intended through his chest, though the arrow buried itself into the tree. The small bundle would feed us for at least today, possibly tomorrow morning.

The feeling of something watching me was almost too real despite a lack of any sounds out of the surrounding forest. I let out a sigh in the cold morning air.'It's not like there's anyone else out here' I thought ducking awkwardly beneath a low hanging branch. The thought did little to calm my nerves though, even as I neared the camp.

The small clearing didn't have much, a small rock lined fire pit, the tent Julia was still sleeping in since she had decided against hunting, and a small table I had brought along to skin and dress my kills on.

Walking to the table, I laid the small group of animals out onto it ignoring the thought in the back of my head what my buddies say about me using it. 'Pssh real hunters use whatever they can' I thought as I headed back to the tent.

Unzipping the flap, I poked my head in to see her still wrapped up in the sleeping bag. “Hey hon, do you at least want to help me get breakfast ready?”

A quiet groan sounded from the bags, “What time is it?”

I pulled out a small watch that the straps had broken off of, so it had become a key chain. “About, four thirty”

Another groan sounded, though the anger was evident, “Wake me up when the sun's up”

I opened my mouth to question her, but shut it and shrugged. Zipping the flap back up I walked back over to the dead critters. 'And she calls me lazy'

My skills at slaughtering animals had become a bit rusty over the years, my 'normal' life having cut into my hunting. Though the small game gave little resistance to being dressed. Thanks to a nearby stream, cleaning wasn't an issue either after starting a fire and putting a small pot of water over it.

Throwing the skins onto the corner of the small table, I silently wondered what I would do with them, lacking the proper equipment to cure them. Shaking my head I continued cutting apart the kills throwing the bones into the nearby fire unable to think of any use for them. 'Not like you can make knifes or tools out of rabbit bones anyways.'

The water was boiling before I had finished with the squirrels, finally deciding to throw the pair of them into a plastic bag for dinner. Cleaning the meat was simple with the hot water, allowing me to fetch the skillet and the small spice tins. 'Now we just gotta see if I can remember how to do this...'

Seasoned meat wafted through the small campsite, the majority of the spice I had used being garlic, though there was a pinch of a few of the others in with it. An uncomfortable, though familiar, rumble echoed from my stomach as I poked at the rabbit.

“Almost time” I muttered, looking up to see the light of the sun shining in through the trees. Carefully putting the hot skillet onto one of rocks making up the fire pit, I got up and walked over to the tent.

“Julia? The sun's coming up and I'm almost done with breakfast.” I called into the tent. A curious lack of response made me call again. “Hun, if you don't get up pretty soon, you're going to miss most of the fun of camping!”

Rustling sounded from within, being the only answer the woman gave. Worry edged at my mind making me reach for the zipper only for it to begin moving on it's own. The flap fell forward much to my surprise revealing my awake wife, fully dressed in what looked to be a camo suit she had gotten from somewhere with her red hair tied back into a ponytail.

“Oh hush your face, I'm up” she said moving past me towards the fire. “And what is that smell?” she sniffed the air a few times raising an eyebrow at me. “How much garlic did you use?”

I rolled my eyes walking past her to retrieve the mostly full tin and shaking it at her. “Not that much. Besides, garlic is good for you.” Replacing the tin with it's brethren, I turned back towards the skillet revealing the chunks of cooked rabbit. “Here it is anyway, just like how Dad used to make it.” Walking back to the car, I grabbed a loaf of bread and a few plates.

Returning to the fire, I found the young woman standing over the skillet looking inside curiosity evident on her face. “Hm, what is it? Rabbit? Or did you end up bringing chicken along and didn't tell me?”

An eyebrow rose on my face as I sat down. “Nah it's rabbit, though I'm surprised you guessed so quick. Have you had it before?” She shook her head in response to which I shrugged. “Well that's alright. It's a pretty interesting flavor. Never understood why people try to say it tastes like chicken though.”

A couple pieces of bread and a bit of rabbit were put on each plate before we started chowing down. The taste she found was 'surprisingly pleasant' as she put it. “You might use less garlic next time though, it kinda over rides the rabbit.” she suggested to which I nodded.

After our breakfast, I smothered the fire before throwing the most important things back into the car. 'Can't have some random animal going through our things' I thought remembering my first camping trip where a couple of raccoons had strewn my pack all over camp for a candy bar I had hidden within.

“So what's the plan, 'Oh camping master'?” Julia asked with a chuckle at my expense eliciting me to stick my tongue out at her.

“I figured on a bit of a hike, show you the area” I said looking around the camp to see if anything was out of place before turning back to her. “It's actually quite beautiful out here away from all the bustle of the city”

Julia gave a nod as she walked up and looped her arm around mine. “Then let us begin! I'm curious to see where you went growing up!”

Princess Celestia showed signs of strain, even as the two continued through the forest. The creases around her eyes growing, her jaw clenching, even her magic seemed to flicker as her mind no doubt ached.

Sundance normally would of offered to take a break, or try to relieve the Princess of illuminating the trail. But the idea of trying to reveal the magical signature of a changeling seemed foreign to her, not even mentioning that the two of them had been on the trail for at least a couple of hours.

Worry was the main driving force. Worry for her stupid friend who had been captured. Worry and hope. Hope that the Wanderer hadn't been simply drained completely of Love and left for dead out on some Celestia forsaken side of Equus to be ripped apart by the wildlife, or worse.

The unicorn Sargent shook her head. 'Can't think like that.' ran through her head as her eyes returned to the trail as trees passed.

'Though, that does leave to question what the Princess is thinking...' she thought as the trail flickered again.

“We...” The diarch started, taking a labored breath “...should be getting close.”

Not moments after the words left the alicorn's lips the trees started to thin out before stopping altogether. Celestia let out a groan and slowed to a stop, the trail of golden and green magic fading away into the shade of the trees.

Sundance rushed to her princess offering support, though refused it was met with a weary smile of thanks before looking forward. The smile disappearing, replaced instead with an anger that made her shiver.

Turning, the unicorn understood why. Ancient stonework rose from what looked to be dead ground repaired in places with green slime, at the top of spires were sentries who stood near beacons that green flames sputtered from. Changelings buzzed around the castle, some wearing armor signifying their rank within the hive, others simply returning from a mission flew to the front doors and were let in by armored guards.

Worry still ate away at the armored unicorn, but fear started to eat away at the hope that she had before. “While I would prefer getting the Wanderer out... as quickly as possible...” the alicorn beside her wheezed. “I believe it would be a better idea to wait... for Princess Twilight and her friends.”

Hope started fighting back against the fear in her mind at the reminder of the elements of harmony and her guards with them. Turning back to her Princess she nodded. “Agreed, though it would be safer for the moment if we relocated. I would hate to have to fight off a swarm of changelings outside their home.”

A glare was turned towards the changeling's home before the alicorn nodded to her. Sundance took out her notepad again drawing a number runes on it before igniting it with her hoArn. A piece of the paper tore off before imploding, the remnants seemed to be reduced to glittering ash that flowed around the her before attaching itself to the aura around her horn.

“Private Bronze should have our location, now lets find some cover your majesty”

I smiled as we walked back to camp, our hike having been quite eventful with the “discovery” of a lake not a mile from the camp. With Julia's natural curiosity seeming to rival, if not exceed my own, she was more than content with exploring the waters as I enjoyed a cool swim.

After managing to pull her from the lake, I took her on the actual hike of the area surrounding our little campsite. Full of explanations of how it had been in our family for years and that some of the traps my grandfathers had placed to catch game were still around, as my Dad had told me. Surprisingly though we ran across one of the traps, having gone off and caught something, though what was left was little more than indistinguishable bones.

Our curiosity curved significantly for the day, we decided to head back to camp for the night.

A waxing crescent hung overhead peering at us through the trees as we made our dinner of a squirrel stew mixed in with a bit of carrots and potatoes that Julia had hidden in the car from me.

“What made you think we weren't allowed to bring food? I mean yea it's more interesting to try and forage, but I've never been all that good at that.” A smile spread across my face as I looked up and saw her giving me an indignant look.

“Shut up, you're the one who always ends up getting way too into this 'survival' stuff. I mean you're the weirdo who just had to make his own knife because you didn't think the ones at the store would work well enough!” Julia said crossing her arms over her chest.

I laughed reaching over to stir the stew. “You better believe it! Those knives at wally world or the online ones always failed me! Either that or they were way too expensive!”

She rolled her eyes shaking her head as she looked at the stew, “Stop stirring it and let it boil off more of the water. I'm not one much for watery stew”

“Wouldn't that make it soup?” I asked smile only growing as she shook with annoyance, promising pain with her eyes. I held up my hands still smiling, “Alright alright, I'll stop. Though that does leave the rest of the night open after dinner seeing as how I can't bug you”

“Well I know one thing you won't be getting!” she said with a devilish smile.

I raised an eyebrow smile fading from what it was though it still tugged at the corners of my mouth, “Oh? I think I could get that whenever I want. I mean who could resist this?” I said popping a couple of snaps on my shirt.

Julia's eyes shot open before she started laughing again her melodious voice quickly followed by my own laughter.

“Heh, well I'll grab the bowls, the stew looks about done” I got to my feet heading towards the car where I pulled out two bowls along with a small box of saltines. Returning to the fire, I poured a fair amount into each bowl before holding it out for my wife who accepted.

After pouring my own portion I crushed up some of the crackers into it before chowing down.

Julia and I laid in our tent together relaxing as the fire died. Absentmindedly I wondered what time it was, but I shook the thought from my head.

Looking down at my wife laying next to me, I smiled, glad we had come out here. 'Wonder what we're going to be doing tomorrow though.' I thought before shaking my head, 'Well for one, I'll have to get her up early so we can go hunting together. I'm not going to let that bow I got her go to waste.'

Nodding, I put my head on top of her's allowing myself to slowly fall into a warm sleep.

Something shook me from my slumber however, my jolt roused Julia who made some sleepy groans before I placed my hand over her mouth surprising her into awareness. Her first conscious action, biting my hand and fighting against my grip, however was less than optimal making me wince in pain.

“Julia, stop and be quiet. I think there's someone outside” I whispered in her ear making the struggling slow to a stop and the feeling of teeth on my hand lessen. Heavy breathing sounded from outside our tent along with sounds that seemed familiar until a throaty roar sounded.

'Well this isn't good, I thought there weren't anymore bears around here' I thought slowly unzipping my side of the sleeping bag as quietly as possible.

“Bret don't!” Julia's concerned whisper sounded as I reached for my crossbow.

Looking back at her I shook my head, “I need to do something, the reason the bears around here were either hunted or scared off is because they weren't afraid of humans, it's liable to rummage around here all night until it finds us. I'm just going to scare it off”

Concern still painted her face, but she nodded. As quietly as I could I knocked the crossbow and put a quarrel on the string. Slowly, I unzipped the tent's flap only to notice something strange as the flap opened enough for me to see through. An unheard of amount of moonlight shined down from the sky for a crescent moon, and the bear I saw outside could hardly be categorized as a bear.

The bear's hide seemed to absorb the light light that hit it as it searched around the dead campfire. It's size was much larger than any grizzly I had ever seen, large enough it could rip apart the car that was parked at the edge of our small clearing with ease. A shiver of fear ran down my spine as it turned letting me see it's face. It's black fur spread over it's face, normally devoid of it, and two savage yellow eyes searched around for it's next meal.

I fell back from the tent flap as I felt the creature's eye fall on our shelter. I felt completely naked, even with my crossbow clutched in my hand. Fear seemed to eat away at my guts as I sat in front of the tent flap shivering. So absorbed I didn't feel Julia's hand clutch at my arm trying to ask what was wrong. The sound of it padding closer was what broke me of the trance, turning around I saw a terrified woman looking at me for some kind of support. Steeling my head, I shook my head and drew my knife from it's sheath. Moving past my wife, I cut open a hole in the back of the tent before looking out. When I realized the coast was clear I continued cutting despite Julia's protests and questions.

“Bret, what's out there? What are you doing?” She asked in panicked whispers before I motioned for her to leave. “Bret?”

“C'mon we're getting out of here. I don't know what that thing is, but I know I don't want to be anywhere near it” slamming my knife home in it's sheath, I grabbed her arm and pulled her after me pushing her forward.

Another throaty roar sounded from the other side of the tent before the creature ripped into it revealing an angry visage of a bear. Turning I started running after my wife who was nearly in hysterics simply doing her best not to scream her lungs out.

The sound of fabric shredding sounded signaling it was giving chase.

“We need to head around camp to the car!” I said catching up to Julia. “No shit?! Well I thought I would hang around and give it a hug! Maybe eat some honey with Pooh Bear!” she yelled back.

The heavy breathing was loud behind us as I motioned for us to turn, trying to lose it in the denser trees, to little avail.

Turning back I realized for some reason it was after us, not just trying to scare us off. Steeling myself, I turned, aimed, and shot the quarrel at it, hoping to at least slow it down so we could get away. However to my horror, despite a lucky shot landing the bolt right in one of it's yellow eyes, it continued after us, the wound oozing blood that sparkled in the light of the full moon.

Had my stomach and intestines not been clenched into a knot, I would of shat myself right there. Instead I started back after my wife who had gotten a bit of ground on me.

She swung around another tree with ease, bee lining it for the car that had come into view through the trees. A fatigued smile came to my face as I saw her close in on it only before I felt a hot breeze hit the back of my neck.

An impact knocked into my ribs. Paw, with sharp claws that cut through my side launching me into a nearby tree at dizzying speed. Sliding down to the forest floor, a distinct lack of pain occurred to my mind. I tried to move, hope still of getting to the car, to safety, to Julia, but arms and legs wouldn't respond. Looking over I saw that my arm was bent at an impossible angle, and that my broken arm rested inside caved in ribs.

A black blur rushed past, caught out of the corner of my eye. Looking up, I watched as the black beast neared the small silver car, Julia sitting inside looking at me with absolute terror, her lips moved in unheard words even as the beast ripped the door from it's hinges.

I wanted to reach out, to save her, but I couldn't move. I watched even as it tore through her. Limbs, head, body. I longed to help her, but could only watch.

I opened my mouth, trying to say something, to scare it away from her, the attempt only came out as a broken wheeze from collapsed lungs. Anger built as I tried again, to force out some kind of defiant scream. Which came out little better. Shutting my eyes, I tried again, inhaling as much as my collapsed lungs would allow.

And letting out a defiant scream lurching forward, sharp pain stabbed into my forehead. Sound filled my ears, screeches of surprise.

I reached out to whatever was causing the pain in my head, eyes still shut tightly. Jagged edges bit into my hands causing more pain as the jagged object pulled away, taking me with it.

“Ah! Let me go you filth!” A familiar voice sounded, snapping my eyes open in time to see Queen Chrysalis.

Anger filled me even as hisses sounded around the room. Reaching out with the only thing I could I bit down on the changeling's muzzle until my teeth ached, trying to do as much damage as possible before she threw me off. The Queen cried out in pain before a blast of green light threw me against the wall behind me.

My back slammed into it with a sickening crack that launched pain throughout my body. Sliding down onto the cold stone. My eyes were shut again, straining from the pain. When I managed to open them again I looked up at the changeling monarch to find her glaring down at me, rubbing a spot on her carapace covered muzzle, with a number of her soldiers surrounding her.

“How did you awaken from your enchantment?!” she shouted, anger evident in her voice.

The changeling queen's words barely registered in my head, as something within me was screaming to rip her limbs from her body before tearing into her and removing her insides. Something within me wanted her dead.

A snarl escaped my lips as I tried to rise on weak limbs that couldn't support the weight of my sickly and broken frame.

Disgust replaced the anger as she looked down at my pitiful attempts. “Your highness, I don't feel any love from him, what do you want us to do?” One of the helmeted changelings said looking towards it's monarch.

“No I don't suppose you wouldn't, he just watched his wife of three years ripped apart in front of him. It'll take numerous hours to convince him it was nothing but a dream, and that his precious Julia is safe and sound” The large changeling groaned. Her horn ignited with a green aura which a line snaked from the tip towards my forehead.

A hunger within me arose as the glowing strand neared me, some cool flame within me begged for some kind of sustenance. Answering the call, I inhaled watching as the strand of green magic flowed from the queen of the changelings into my mouth filling the cool flame within. I watched as more of the ethereal green substance flowed from Chrysalis as she watched in horror. It wasn't long before holes started appearing on the changeling's body, similar to the ones on her appendages. Growing larger and larger until all that was left of the queen was what looked to be a dark latticework in the shape of a unicorn.

Her eyes dulled as she fell to the stonework below and the last of the green magic flowed into me. Her soldiers looked at their once great leader in horror as the cool flame within me longed for more. Rising to my feet, I looked at the six changelings hungrily. Reaching for the flame, the yellow aura surrounded my hands again following suit around the six who slammed against the opposite wall hissing in pain struggling for their freedom, before I indulged the feeling again inhaling watching as the magic flowed from them to me reducing them to a similar state as their fallen queen.

The pain I had felt for so long seemed to of disappeared as I released the remnants of the changelings. Feeling my wrists before my hands went to my side where I had my side ripped out, it felt like a weight had lifted from my shoulders.

An irresistible urge to laugh hit, my chest convulsing as tears flowed down my face.

Comments

[Shadow of doubt]

This shis is gooood I can not wait till next chapter.