Kelly Mathews, Equestria's Landstalker

by Leafwebs

Chapter 3_The Amended Contract – Friendly Wooden Teeth

Chapter 3_The Amended Contract – Friendly Wooden Teeth

Shortly after the pack confrontation with the pony Hound Speaker and his herd, Willow Bark turned to Sumac who had been busy inspecting mane hairs he caught in his claws. Blond strands were being separated out into two clumps between Sumac’s two fore paws. Where the blood remained wet the strands were long but started to reseed in length as they dried only to get added to the other clump.

“Do you smell that?” Birch Heart asks pulling her muzzle back from the dry clumps and pointing a paw at the clump. “I can’t smell past the pony to find your predator’s scent, but do you also smell what is off about these clumps?”

Sumac gave each clump a long sniff and his ears shoot to attention.

“Elder Willow Bark, we sniffed both the predator’s trail and you know how it smelled. I want to know that you notice the difference as well.” Sumac asks with some astonishment in his tone.

Ignoring the first clump Willow Bark takes his own long drag of the dry hairs. His age and experience with magic scents cut through the haze of pony magic to find the predator beneath but it was off in it flavor from the trail.

“Shouldn’t our unnatural predator be male?” Willow Bark mumbles and takes a drag of a hair as it dries. “The scent shifts from male to female as the hair and a linked magic dies, yet the pony taint lingers.”

“Our unnatural predator should be female and not male as Sumac originally encountered.” Birch Heart adds with a hint of tension. “More unnatural magic than already suspected is involved.”

“Sumac your instincts were right, but the mystery is deeper than you thought. You are to press this pony for answers about his true heritage whenever the opportunity presents itself.” Willow Bark commands. “However don’t lose sight of our other goal of stopping the pony incursions into our forest.”

“Yes alpha.” Sumac replies obediently.

It was nearing night fall when Birch Heart and Sumac discovered a new trial by unfamiliar ponies leading into the woods. They camped in a spot not far from the towns sap buckets where the underbrush was at its thinnest. The coats of many of these new comers were dark and the sound of wing flapping gave away their advantage of flight as Sumac and Birch Heart stalked near in cover of the thicker underbrush.

“I cannot discern for sure if these ponies are who we’ve been tracking until the breeze shifts.”Birch Heart softly growls.

“I think one of us needs to get closer, but it worries me how they are nervously looking around.” Sumac replies just as softly. “I volunteer. I think I can get through.”

“Be careful in your approach many of toughs’ hides are sparkling in the light.” Birch Heart replies lowering her head to the underbrush level.

Sumac nods as he slowly melts into the underbrush and moves toward the dark coated ponies. Using their ear position as a guide, Sumac moved closer to the new herd. Armor of slightly scratched dark enamel covered ponies with furry webbed wings mostly proceeded to just miss stepping on Sumac. Of the one or two that did perch on him like a log none even took notice of his presence.

At the center of the herd was a pony alpha that was larger than the others with wings and a horn. This pony with subtle gestures was moving the herd into concealment among the branches and brush.

‘Clever, is this…’ Sumac began to think to himself before the alpha she-pony trotted near Sumac’s location to embed herself in a nearby blackberry bush. It was both the sudden closeness of the mare and the dying whiff of magic rat that broke Sumac internal rant.

Sumac bristles defensively with thorns as he creeps away from this menace of a pony, weary to lock his gaze somewhere between its eyes and ears so he would have warning should she notice him. Sumac put all his faith in Birch Heart in that her lack of action meant he was not crawling into danger.

After escaping the boundaries of the new comers Sumac makes his way back to Birch Heart who was braced for the charge.

“You’re alright… That was like watching the world frost over before me when it moved.”Birch Heart whimpered softly. “Who are these ponies?”

“Herd mates of the one with the magic rat. We may have a pony fight on our paws.” Sumac replies.

Sumac and Birch Heart carefully return to Willow Bark and inform the pack of the new invaders. It is quickly decided by the pack that this alpha pony and her search party will be driven to intersect with the yet hidden pony paths used by the village herd to deal with both threats at once.

The plan would have to go slowly so as to avoid making the pack the target which meant Sumac could interrogate Hound Speaker.

Sumac’s first opportunity to confront the meek stallion came two days after the last confrontation. Hound Speaker was so flustered by something that he didn’t notice that he had wandered from his two herd mates.

“Erin don’t give up I’ve almost have this one figured out.” Hound Speaker mutters fumbling with a bucket that had been half spilled.

Turning Hound Speaker approaches Sumac and begins looking between the spilled bucket and the Timber wolf.

“Okay the first part is done, now to the rest of the puzzle.” Hound Speaker mutters glassy eyed as he grabs for Sumac.

Not wanting to be hit with a hoof, Sumac bounds to his left letting Hound Speaker fall to his belly missing his push.

“The statue moved… It’s one of thoughts puzzles.” Hound Speaker remarks as he begins to stand not noticing a leafy paw on his back.

“No puzzles, but tell me about Erin.” Sumac whispers into Hound Speaker’s ears careful not enter Hound’s line of sight.

Hound’s ears fell and his heart hammered so quickly that Sumac found the rhythm more intense than Hound’s shivering.

“Don’t do this to her… let her go home.” Hound Speaker pleads.

“Your pack sister is not here.” Sumac growls in reply.

Immediately upon speaking the word pack, Hound Speaker’s sobs lighten and his heart rate slows. With a furious head shake Hound makes to stand, this time without a paw on his back; to move away from Sumac.

Hound Speaker retained his emotionally hurt demeanor and stared at Sumac as he finished standing. Sumac decided to sit.

“The word you meant was herd.”Hound Speaker replies confusion mixing with his other soar feelings.

“This nose knows that you don’t belong with ponies, Hound.” Sumac replies pawing his own nose. “I think pack better suits you.”

“You don’t know me.” Hound Speaker snarled.

The noise of ponies further into the maple fields caught the pair’s attention. Sumac gets up and turns to leave.

“I only just met you certainly enough, Hound; but you might want to do something about your temptation to talk to yourself.” Sumac replies looking back at Hound.

Shortly after moving into the forest Sumac turns to watch the same two ponies retrieve Hound Speaker from before from his hiding spot. There was some effort to comfort the confused predator in stallion form but it lasted mere breaths before the three vanished.

“You learn anything pack brother?” Birch Heart asks stalking silently up to his right shoulder.

“She is or was part of a pack. Erin was the name I heard when I neared.” Sumac replies. “Hound was speaking of things that were not there and mistook me for a statue.”

“Odd, was she sick?” Birch Heart asks tilting her head.

“Nothing by way of injury, she had no new scratches since mine and they were free of infection.” Sumac replies eyes closed in concentration. “Her eyes were unfocused at first and she clumsily spilled blood of our root bound kin.”

“Sleep deprivation. Some of our hunters are also like this clumsy movement, failing to notice their surroundings change, and unfocused eyes.” Birch Heart snarls. “This herd of ponies has only been making things worse for everyone.”

“I need to find a different way of questioning our unwitting rival if I’m to get through to her. Words alone don’t get my meaning across and small mistakes of the tong cause her to deny what she is.” Sumac grumbles.

“Rest on it Sumac, you have time to stalk this one.” Birch Heart replies.

Back in Maple Village a few different eyes fell on Hound Speaker. At Rain Dancer’s brick making hut were Purple Pallets and Frost Snap working on a large load of plain gazed bricks.

“Welcome home Hound, Thorns, and Reeds. How did the harvest go?” Purple Pallets asks wiping her mud caked hooves on a cloth.

“It shouldn’t take more than another week to finish the sap harvest, if we can keep Hound from wandering off.” Reeds replies with a huff turning to the green stallion who was helping Thorns unhook from a cart full of buckets.

“So I get lost in my work.”Hound protests his ears falling after disconnecting the hitch.

“But that is how so many others have gotten injured…” Reed complains walking over to the colt. “I don’t want that to befall you Hound.”

Purple Pallets and Frost Snap shared a worried glance. It was shortly after supper the two mares were able to slip away to contact Luna.

“What news about the town have you discovered?” Luna asks through long distance communication charm.

“The timber wolf injured villagers are starting to return work and new incidents have slowed as you expected. Our foalnappers are changing up who makes the deliveries.”Rain Drops replies. “Whatever spell is on these folks prevents them taking much notice of their missing except for a colt named Hound Speaker.”

“Quite an interesting name, maybe he is the source of our new problems.” Luna replies agitated.

“How so Princess?” Trixie asks.

“We have noticed a thinning in the underbrush going deeper in to the woods, but in our desire to keep a path to the train line open have left some of us stricken…” Luna adds only to be interrupted by sneezing from ponies around her.

“Luna was that sneezing?”Trixie asks cringing.

“It is… along with itching and other allergic responses, Twilight says the trees and flowers are blooming wrong. If Timber Wolves are being directed to do this it might explain things. Twilight and I can cope but my guards are being disabled by these tactics.” Luna groans. “Thankfully our camps are not being harassed directly.”

“This could be a new precaution since Blue Blood.” Rain Drops adds worried.

“It makes sense except for the non-lethal assault we been under. It must have gotten out that I’m here.” Luna replies indignantly. “Taking me hostage would be a major bargaining chip with the nobles and my sister, but it is completely at odds with their previous actions of secrecy.”

“Should we pull out?” Trixie asks.

“No, don’t draw attention to yourselves. They will not take me so easily even with forest elemental beasts. This may even be your chance to expose the leaders and take them by surprise.” Luna retorts. “I’ll have my enchantment open to send you sound if we are surrounded so can identify our enemy.”

“I understand Princess. We’ll stick to Hound Speaker; if we can get him alone we might be able to turn the tables.” Trixie finishes ending the conversation before heading to her temporary room with Raid Drops.

It was nearing the end of the harvest now, or so Sumac assumed as this was second day Hound Speaker alone entered the fields.

Sumac was still puzzled by the stallion’s sleepwalking ramblings uncertain on how to talk to the predator’s true self until a disturbing flicker of shadow made the pair bristle. A mere trick of light as it plays off the leaves of the wood, but it was what Sumac thought he saw and Hound’s reaction that brought him grim inspiration.

A pair of tall two legged shadows danced momentarily before his eyes with quickly fading creases of light creating a depth of detail on the flat black masses. The shadows looked almost like what he had tracked that first day with the light etching features he could envision as a real creature.

“Get your hands off my sister and send us home now!” Hound Speaker screams charging the shadow and tangling himself up in a thicket; the force of the stop being enough to knock the stallion out when he hit the dirt.

Sumac sat on his shrub tangle haunches and raised his left paw. Out of his middle claw tip a green shoot drops and grows forced to take the vague shape of that offending shadow. Sumac tints the form with shades of autumn hues to give it the same coloration as Hound’s true form.

Sumac was completing the second doll when Hound begins to wake. The sun would be going down soon but the light seemed just right to maybe find answers.

Hound tried to stand but the thicket tightened holding him flat on the ground. Looking at his bound body Hound begins to think of a way to free himself when two forms fall before his eyes.

“Let her go you have me. She… Please don’t take us both away from mom and dad.” Hound pleads as the taller doll pulls the smaller one closer. “I don’t know what you want but I’ll do it… I’ll do both our shares if you let her go.”

“Who is he?” Sumac whispers into Hound’s ear as he tilts the tall doll so the light gives it a sinister smile.

Hound squirms against his bindings weakly only to give up and slump his body in defeat.

“I should have stayed home that day, but please don’t take my sister Mr. Merchant.” Hound continues pleading his voice weaker than before. “I sorry Erin… mom… dad…”

“Hound wake up and remember. You are not a pony and your sister needs you.” Sumac demands in a level voice.

“Why do I remember my sister looking like this, when I’m a pony?” Hound Speaker asks in a depressed tone turning to the Timber Wolf. “I feel helpless she’s family and in danger, but I cannot wrap my head around why it right for her to look like that yet not for me.”

“I don’t know why you can’t remember your true self, Hound; but for now we need to find you a safe place to sleep.” Sumac replies pulling Hound out of the receding thicket.

As Sumac guarded Hound Speaker’s sleeping form in a hollow dead tree that night the Timber Wolf listened to her troubled thoughts. It was all the same chase with Hound’s pack sister Erin dangling just out of reach and in the fangs and claws of an outcast brute. Thanks to the dolls Sumac could put an image to every whimper and sob that left the pony pelt wearing competitor, even with his new found insight there were things in Hound’s muttering that Sumac did not understand.

The next day as Hound worked to collect the last buckets, Sumac decided to confront the stallion on who all knows about his problems.

“Hound… you need to talk with someone about those nightmares your having.” Sumac growls out quietly. “You stalk around in a daze when you’re awake and even in your sleep you do little more than plead for your sister’s safety.”

“Sumac… I thought… we were beyond this about me not being a pony.” Hound Speaker counters quietly, a hurt tear falling to the ground as he stops his attempt to move and hook a maple sap bucket to a harness he was warring and sits down.

“I know that this is a sensitive topic for you and I’m sorry you don’t believe me about you not being a pony. However after the way you charged a shadow and the reaction you had to the dolls, I’m certain some part of you remembers you being something other than a pony.” Sumac whines a little giving a sympathetic gaze. “Have you talked to your neighbors about these nightmares?”

“No… You’re the… only one I’ve had this conversation with.” Hound Speaker replies confused.

“You have some friends, try reaching out to them. If you have to talk to me in absence of someone else I would welcome you.” Sumac adds using his muzzle to lift Hound Speaker to his feet before hooking the bucket to his harness. “Now go home I’ve delayed you for long enough.”

“Okay, later Sumac.” Hound Speaker replies as he trots to Maple Village.

Hound Speaker trotted slowly home upset at the accusation made by Sumac.

‘It can’t be true, but the nightmares… why dose Erin being in danger sting so?’ Hound Speaker ponders trembling. ‘Always it her being taken away and I can’t stop it.’

Hound Speaker closed his eyes crying as he neared the forest edge failing to notice an approaching Pegasus or his glowing collar.

“Hey Hound, what’s wrong?” Twister asks softly landing in front of Hound and leaning in. “Have you been crying?”

“No. Why would I?” Hound replies in a surprised tone not even noticing his tears.

It disturbed and angered Sumac that these problems were being dismissed, but it also confirmed his suspicion that Hound should not be a pony. After the sound of hooves faded out, Sumac stood and followed Hound’s trail to the village.

Maple Village felt claustrophobic to the Timber Wolf. The homes of ponies were almost as close as the ponies would be when encountered in the wilds, the scent of magic on the dwellings only serving to further discourage Sumac from nearing.

Some time pasted in the night before an old scent of Hound’s true self found its way to Sumac’s nose. In an ally under the shadow of a hill was the source of this scent. The aroma was like what he smelled the first day Hound’s true self showed up. On top of a pile of pony trash set a bat winged doll rich yet with Hound’s scent and something else magically most foul.

Sumac prods the doll with a paw and is overtaken by a sense of sudden falling and blindness. Sumac has no time to ask what happened before hitting the ground hard and blacking out.

The next day Hound Speaker heads to the fields as he was told to. After getting out of town, Hound’s mind cleared and decides to look for Sumac

‘He is here somewhere, I hope. Last night I may not have been pleasant sleep but I feel calmer today than I have been in weeks.’ Hound thought as he strained to find any sign of the wooden wolf.

As Hound’s ears swiveled in search for his friend, he became aware of many approaching hoof falls and wing beats. As he turned toward the sounds he comes face to face with a large navy blue pony with wings and a horn towering above him.

Hound could feel his legs buckle as he tries to back pedal away from the giant, instinct driving him to look to his sides for a way out only to immediately find himself boxed in by armor clad bat winged ponies just before they seize him.

“Princess Luna, why are you already here? We thought we would need to give you directions as to where to meet us.” The powder blue pony After Image shouts, as she leads her group into the Maple Field where Hound was now being held.

“So is this the pony that has been ordering Timber Wolves to harass us?” Luna asks leaning her cross face in to get a better look at Hound but turning her right ear in the direction of the new arrivals. “I don’t like treating allergic hives on my troops from spore exposure.”

“That is not nice mister.” Twister adds shaking her blond mane head.

“I haven’t…” Hound Speaker tries to reply as the ground moves beneath him.

“Since when does prey give my pack orders, let alone when it is meek and flighty?” Willow Bark growls a dismissive reply flinging the guards from back and making Hound tumble in front of him. The alpha Timber Wolf plants a paw on Hound’s tail and stretches.

The gathered ponies scrambled to avoid being tossed by standing wolves and form a perimeter around the Princesses. Five more wolves enter from the denser brush.

“Ouch, you’re on my tail.” Hound Speaker whines when he tries to stand.

“It doesn’t look like Hound is giving the orders.” remarks Purple Pallets.

“It seems our trap failed Alpha we only have the outsiders and the rival.” Birch Hear growls.

“Calm down Birch Heart we expected this from our local problem herd.” Willow Bark replies. “Sumac going missing could mean they know what we’ve been doing.”

“I don’t like this hushed conversation.” Adds Luna with a scowl on her face as she attempts to cast a spell.

The light of Luna’s horn attracts Willow Barks attention.

“So our pony alpha is ready to join the discussion, we can begin over our mutual connection to a magic rat.” Willow Bark suggests gleefully.

“You know of my nephew.” Luna replies menacingly.

“Your stallion had an unfavorable run in with the local herd…” Willow Bark replies glaring at Luna and petting a dismayed Hound Speaker. “Much like this young predator here your herd brother is their prisoner.”

“Why do others keep saying I’m not a pony?” Hound complains as a purple unicorn step into his view.

“This brings me back to my early days on the run. A simple and efficient cut and paste job using a variety of spells to produce a more powerful effect.” The purple unicorn giggles using her magic to pull on Hound’s collar. “Armatures; the unifying rune language used here alone is easy enough to rewrite to make this whole hodgepodge fall in on itself; but the ink he choose is your run of the mill letter writing kind.”

“I presume you can turn this to our advantage, Twilight?” Luna asks.

Drawing a quill and ink from her bag, Twilight Sparkle quickly scratches three new marks on Hound’s collar.

“That should do it. Next time the obedience charm is triggered every active collar with burn out all at once.” Twilight adds smiling.

“That covers our first problem, but we still have not learned the whereabouts of the foals.” The pony After Image adds. “Any pony with family will have them used as leverage to fight us once freed.”

The mention of the pony term for children and captive family made a memory stir in Hound.

“My pack suspects that part of the troublemaker’s herd is further in the forest by a small lake. They use magic to hide from our hunters.” Willow Bark explains pointing a paw for Luna.

“Hang on Erin!” Hound Speaker shouts pulling his tail free and bolting for town.

“We must stop him.” Luna shrieks.

“No alpha, follow Birch Heart she knows the clearing other ponies hide. I’ll follow Hound.” Willow Bark interrupts.

“Trixie back them up it is now or never to save the hostages.” Luna shouts back to an already turning pony who had called herself After Image.

Galloping back to town, Trixie could already hear the makings of a commotion in the square.

“What have you done to me? Where have you taken my sister Erin?” Hound Speaker shouts digging his hooves in for a charge.

Opposite Hound Speaker were Mayor Hail Vail and her subordinates. The other town ponies were gathering around for the ensuing fight when Trixie and company arrived. The Mayor took notice of the no longer disguised group’s appearance.

“The crown Princess of Friendship, Trixie Lulamoon and the rest of the Element Bearers, what do we owe you for this honor?” Mayor Vail mocked. “And you have the Timber Wolf alpha I presume answering your call, Hound why couldn’t you get yourself eaten.”

“Mayor, have you no shame!” Reeds Shouts angrily in reply.

“Hound is one us and you would have wanted him dead.” Thorns retorts dropping his head disgust.

“Such a dismissive attitude you have for your people Mayor. It must be nice for you to just turn the trouble makers off when you want.” Trixie retorts flaring her wings.

“If it is a fight you want Princess; then witness our power and despair.” Mayor Vail snaps activating her armlet to trigger the collars.

Hound Speaker manages a sinister smile of triumph just as the collars flare oddly all around and began breaking.

Where there were only ponies moments ago, now lay minotaur, gryphon, changeling, and at the feat of the Princess herself was a blond mane minotaur like creature wearing a green tunic and tan pants.