A Different Breed of Changeling

by Zoljen

Humble beginnings

The changeling panted as he ran through the darkening tunnel, it collapsing as he went. The hallway was silent except the sounds of crumbling stone, which kept pace with him as he ran and rounded a corner. He kept running, glancing around and mentally wondering where the other changelings were. The halls were silent, as was his mind; normally he could hear faint whispers of others but at this moment, not even his queen was speaking to him.

His horn was glowing to light the path that he ran, dodging the falling rocks around him as he bounced off the walls to do so. He kept glancing around, trying to find some other changeling or something else to at least supply some kind of comfort, but nothing was around.

He slid to a stop at a pair of large ornate doors that had the symbol of a dragon etched onto it and looked it up and down. The queen’s chamber; weird, he didn’t recall it being at the end of this hallway. He shrugged slightly before gasping as rocks landed next to him, “Right! Crumbling hallway!” he spoke to himself as he glanced behind himself, seeing the path now blocked.

He quickly pushed open the door and found more rubble within the large room, but his sight quickly settled on a form, halfway buried by the rocks. Before he could make it out, something hit his nose, causing him to look up and see a much larger rock falling straight at him!

---

Talon gasped as he sat up quickly, breathing hard and putting a hoof over his chest. He quickly glanced around, finding the hive to be intact and full of life. He breathed a sigh of relief as he calmed down, listening to the buzz and chatter of his fellow hive mates in the back of his mind. He grinned contently to himself as he laid back down.

“Talon, come to my chambers,” the changeling heard directly, making him blink and sit up again.

He let out a soft sigh and rolled out of his bed, flopping to his hooves and started to trot out of the bed chambers. “On my way, my Queen,” he thought back as he trotted along. He grinned as he nodded to fellow hive mates as he passed them, several nodding back as he went by.

He might of stood out among the more known Equestrian hives, but this hive wasn’t located anywhere near there. Instead, it was located within the Drake Empire, and as such each Changeling shared draconic traits. Each one had a thick tail, instead of the frayed horse like tail, and a pair of bat style wings, with an insect-like “skin” between each of the fingers.

Each of their carapaces was grey, and they still shared many similar traits, such as the solid eyes and holey limbs ending in hooves. Talon, however, had a red back plate that looked more like a ruby gemstone, and the skin in his wings is a deep blue with black edges unlike everyone else’s light blue. And he had green eyes similar to a changeling queen, rather than the solid color of a normal drone.

He trotted along and eventually made it to the queen’s chambers, stopping outside for a second and looking over the door. He reached up and knocked on it gently, despite the queen already knowing he was there. His hoof barely tapped the door before he heard someone beckon him in. He chuckled softly and moved his hoof to open the door.

He stepped inside and closed it, turning and gazing into the lavish room. A small pile of gems of different kinds sat in a corner, resting on a smaller pile of coins. Laying on a rather fancy looking bed of cushions resting on top of a gel like substance resides a much larger changeling who looks similar to Talon, only a solid blue back plate. She also has a long gold mane and hair going down her long serpentine tail.

“Come Talon, sit,” she said softly, as he trotted up to the bed and sat on the floor. She looked him over for a bit. “What troubles you?”

He raised an eyebrow, “You can read my mind, and you know what does,” he replied, looking away towards the floor and folding his ears back.

She chuckled softly. “And you know I prefer not to read all the minds of my little ‘lings. Besides, speaking your problems often helps solve them.”

Talon sighed softly. “I… I’ve had a few dreams lately.” He shrugged slightly. “A cave in, which I don’t think is possible.” He shook his head, glancing to his queen.

“It is possible, if something large hits the mountain side. But I don’t suspect anything like that would happen.”

“I know, my queen, but there is a war going on, between the griffons and the dragons,” he responded, standing up and looking directly at her. “What if the griffons decide to come in here?”

“Our entrance is hidden. You know that as well as I do.”

“Yes, sorry, Leviathan.” Talon sat on the floor and looked down. “It’s just, this dream has happened a few times now, I’m starting to think it’s a premonition, and it worries me greatly.”

“You shouldn’t worry about it, nothing bad can happen to the hive.” She leaned forward and rested a hoof on Talons shoulder. “Besides, you should prepare. Tomorrow, we meet with the dragons.”

Talon rolled his eyes, “Oh yeah, so we can explain why we are staying out of the conflict this time.”

“Now now, we should at least explain to them why we are stepping back this time.”

“You know they don’t care. They used us as front line fodder last time. We are still recovering our numbers from that.” Talon looked back to his queen, to see her chuckling softly.

“Certainly taking the rough approach, aren’t you?”

“Not my fault. I’d rather explain it to them as bluntly as possible. They might learn then!” he explained with a chuckle. “Certainly know that explaining nicely doesn’t work.”

“Well you should think about how to word it. But for now, relax.”

Talon nodded and stood up, turning towards the door. “I know exactly how. Library still open at this time my queen?” She gave a simple nod. “Good, I shall be there if you need me.”

“Oh, before you go,” she called, making him turn back to her. He tilted his head and perked his ears as he noticed her horn aglow.

“Yes my… queen?” He trailed off as an anklet hovered into his view. It was a small silver anklet, having a symbol of a pair of dragons circling each other in a yin/yang type position on it. “This is beautiful.”

“And for you.” She added as she hovered it towards one of his hind legs. He watched it as it moved and opened to clasp around his left leg. He grinned and looked back at her, bowing slightly once he heard it snap closed.

“Thank you my queen.” He kept his grin as he turned and trotted out, closing the door quietly as he left. After a few moments, Leviathan let out a soft sigh and let her eyes follow Talon to the door, gazing at it as it closed.

“If only you knew what the stars had in store for you,” she mumbled, mostly to herself.

---

Talon continued to read a book he had pulled down from a shelf, unaware that he was being watched by another changeling. He was just contently reading, laying on a cushion and completely relaxed. The book was on transmutation spells and he looked thoroughly engrossed in it.

The changeling that was watching him looked similar; only she took on a more feminine appearance, had smaller wings of the same shade, and a lighter back plate. She kept a silent smirk on her face as she just watched him read.

Talon kept looking over the pages, occasionally using his magic to turn a page, “Hmm,” he hummed to himself.

“Find something interesting?” The other changeling finally spoke, making Talon drop the book and jump towards the ceiling, gasping. “Hehe, you are so easily spooked when your reading.” She glanced up at the changeling that was currently attached to the ceiling.

Talon glanced down after his heart finally slowed its rapid pace. “Ember! You should know better than to sneak up on me!” He floated down, landing back on the cushion. The other changeling just chuckled.

“I was here for the last 30 or so minutes. It’s not my fault you get so lost in the books. For a soldier drone, you certainly enjoy them.” She trotted over and looked at the book closer. “Transmutation magic? Why in the hive would you want that?”

Talon just grinned at her. He lifted a hoof and, in a swirl of red flames, it changed to appear more like a blade, made out of some kind of metal that Ember couldn’t identify. “So I can do this. We can make fur when we take on a pony form, scales when we go dragon. Feathers for griffon or pegasus, why not metal?” The flame appeared again and his hoof returned to normal. “I just can’t do it for long, and I am learning all I can about it.”

“Okay, that was kind of cool.” She sat and watched him. “But again, why?”

“Why not?” Talon shrugged some. “It could be useful in combat. Give a left hook with a steel hoof, or block an attack with an iron hide. Both equally useful.” He opened his book again and flipped back to the page he was at. “But again, I can only do it for so long.”

Ember tilted her head slightly. “Just hard to maintain it or…?” Talon nodded at that. “Just keep practicing then, reading won’t help with that.” She chuckled, then turned towards the doorway. Talon looked up, watching her move.

“And where are you off too?”

“Dinner.” Talon blinked and looked back at his book for a moment. Ember stopped and glanced back at him. “Yes, that much time has passed since I saw you this morning on the way to the queen’s chambers,” she said before opening the door. “I swear, you’d forget your stomach without me around.”

Talon chuckled and closed his book as he stood up. “I’ll join you.” He rested the book on his back as he trotted to keep up with Ember, whom merely chuckled and held the door open for him.

“Glad you let your stomach think for you.” She grinned as she trotted next to him. He kept quiet for a bit as they trotted towards their dining area, and after a while the silence got to her. “What’s on your mind, Talon?”

“Huh?” He glanced at her, only to receive a glare back. “Err, nothing Ember.”

She snorted and nudged him in the side. “Lies, I can tell when something is bothering you.”

Talon let out a sigh. “A few things are, but mainly tomorrow.” Ember raised an eyebrow at him, he let out another sigh. “Meeting the dragons?” He paused as she nodded. “Leviathan and I are going to talk to them tomorrow. About our role in this conflict, and not taking part.” Talon shrugged as he glanced into the cafeteria-type space.

“I am sure that is going to go over well with those blowhards.” Ember rolled her eyes. “Personally I’m just as tired as she is about dealing with the dragons. They rely on us for so much that they can’t do, yet treat us like dirt. It is just unfair.” She said with a faint growl.

“Well, tomorrow I am going to speak my mind. Let them know exactly how wrong it is they treat us.”

Ember raised an eyebrow as she hovered a tray in front of her. “You realize that could piss them off. I don’t know about you, but I’m not exactly resistant to a dragon’s claws.” Talon chuckled softly.

“Nor I, but your also not a fighter.” Talon also hovered a tray in front as he moved along the line for food.

“Nope,” Ember beamed. “Harvester and proud of it! So I deal with those nasty dragons on a near daily basis!” Talon started to chuckle as he sat at one of the tables with his food, a tasty looking steak sandwich. Ember raised an eyebrow and watched him. “What’s so funny?”

“And yet you haven’t picked up their arrogance! Truly, it shows us to be the betters.” He grinned widely at her. Ember just shook her head slightly.

“Yeah yeah, just be careful tomorrow. Wouldn’t want you coming back in too many bandages,” Ember smirked. “As compared to your hunting trips.”

“Hey, that tree totally had it coming for getting in my way!” he chuckled softly. “But just be prepared tomorrow, I am sure my mouth will get me in trouble.”

Author's Note:

End of Chapter 1, be gentle.

Comments

[Sylvian]

A lovely start to what will be an amazing story, I am sure

[The Forgotten Comrade]

Changelings? I'm in.

[Madd the Sane]

He might of stood out among the more known Equestrian hives,

As a rule of thumb, might of isn't proper grammar: It's an improper phonetic spelling of might've, which is a contraction of might have. It is a fairly common grammar mistake, with "should've," and "would've" also regularly improperly spelled.

… instead of the frayed horse like tail…

I tend to use dashes between words like that (horse-like). Another way is to make it one word (horselike).

He was just contently reading, laying on a cushion and completely relaxed.

I'm fairly certain that you meant contentedly.

Also, it seems like you have a problem describing the character in a very "telling" method ("His fur was blue") instead of showing us ("The sun made his blue fur stand out from the grays in the room").

Now, on to the next chapter.

[Paladin Redflare]

Then everyone died, the end...