From the Ashes: Ember's Story

by Zoljen

Discovered

Ember let out a soft groan as she came too. She felt oddly comfortable, laying on her side under a blanket on a very soft bed of feathers. She slowly opened an eye and glanced around, the sunlight shining softly through the window, least what wasn’t blocked by blinds that is. She slowly lifted her head and winced as she did, grunting as her spent body let itself be known.

“I overextended myself, great,” she sighed, just as the door to the room opened slightly, a griffon head poking in. Quicktail grinned slightly as Ember noticed him, though she didn’t get to say anything as he vanished from view.

She sighed as she slowly lifted her head and noticed something else, namely her horn lightly rubbing against the headboard. She winced slightly, then took a quicker look at herself. She was in her natural form.

She suddenly went pale as she glanced back to the door, hearing it creak open and Light Feather standing there, holding a tray that had a bowl on it. Ember shrank a little under the cover and flattened her ears.

“Uh, look. I can explain what is going on.”

“You’d better,” Light Feather turned and closed the door, then trotted over to the bed and set the tray on the stand beside it. “After I gave Quicktail a fake story that you’re a cursed unicorn, who uses illusion magic to hide what she really is.” Light Feather lowered her head to glare at Ember, making the changeling shrink even more.

“I don’t mean any harm. I am a changeling, and…” Ember trailed off, “We are kind of a hidden race.”

“You are also very light.” Light Feather chuckled softly, “I found it strange that you mentioned a village from along a path that lead into drake lands. Maybe you can explain to us both what you truly are.” She glanced to the door. “It’s not like you’re going to bite me, are you Ember?” she said, somewhat louder.

After a moment the door creaked open and Quicktail poked his head in, hanging it as he looked at his mother. Light Feather merely chuckled and gestured towards the bed. Quicktail moved over to sit on the edge and look over the changeling who by now had sat up slowly.

She blushed slightly, being put somewhat on display by the two pairs of watching eyes. “I am a changeling; a species who blends in by taking the form of others.” She started, still looking down at the sheets. “I’d show you, but right now I don’t think that’s wise.”

“I noticed your limbs have holes in them, why is that?” Quicktail asked, pointing towards one of her legs. Ember winced as she lifted an arm.

“It’s a part of how we change, uh… it’s long and confusing to explain really.” Ember sighed, letting her arm rest.

“But that doesn’t explain why your, eh, disguise fell when you passed out.” Light Feather commented, looking over the limb.

“Guess I was more tired than I thought. I’ll be stuck in bed for a day or two at least. I am sorry, I have no money or any way of paying for your hospitality.” Ember sighed, blushing faintly and looking away.

“I expect a full story when you’re feeling better. For now, get rest and enjoy this broth. I figured you eat meat just like me, since you ate some yesterday. It will help get you back on your paws… erm,” she paused, looking at a hoof, “Hooves, quickly. And you’re going to explain how that even works.” She poked at a hoof.

Ember nodded. “Yes. Just promise me one thing, I don’t want anyone to know I am here, ok? I’d rather no one know you have an… exotic guest, ok?”

---

“You can do magic? That is so cool!” Quicktail chuckled as he watched Ember hover a tray in front of her. A day had passed and she was doing much better, and she was kind of showing off holding a tray up in the air with her magic.

“I can do almost whatever a unicorn can, lift objects and even some of their more offensive stuff. But I really excel at healing.” She grinned slightly. “But then, griffins don’t do magic and require more of the natural type of remedies.” She lowered the tray to the griffin kid.

He took the tray with a grin, “Yup, we have herbal… Uhh… things that help us get better if we get sick. So what all can you change into?”

“Just about anything, really. A unicorn, a pegasus, a griffin as you saw.” Ember chuckled softly.

“Ooo, what about a dragon?” Quicktail bounced in place, tail swaying side to side as he watched the changeling.

“Uh, yes. But not one of the big ones, really I wouldn’t be any bigger than what I already am. It’s just my appearance changes.” Ember sighed. “Course, I get fur and feathers as well.”

“And scales if you’re a dragon?” Quicktail finished for her, making her chuckle softly. “Is there a form that is your favorite?”

Ember looked to the roof for a moment, then down to the griffon. “Yes, actually. Strange as it is, a unicorn.” She grinned some, and before the griffon could ask, her form was engulfed in fire for a second, revealing a deep green unicorn pony, with a blue mane that had a teal stripe through it. She watched the griffon who just stared with rapt fascination.

“That…was…wicked!” He exclaimed after a minute, with the biggest grin a beak could muster. “Can you take on the appearance of an alicorn? Like Princess Celestia?”

Ember shook her head slightly, looking down. “Strangely, no. I think it’s the nature of the form, but only a queen can take that form, it could be any number of reasons, really. I suspect it’s just the nature of that form, so much power required for it.” She shrugged, then took her griffon form again.

“Oh well, that is still cool that you can do that.” He chuckled softly, then looked towards the door that creaked open, revealing Light Feather with a tray with a bowl on it.

“Well, I would like a few words with her. I believe you have classes to get ready for Quicktail, especially if you wish to be a Sky Wing.” Light Feather said as she put the tray on the nightstand and glanced at the griffin chick.

He squeaked lightly and made a mad dash out of the room, though a second later he popped his head back in and almost shouted “Thanks for the talk, Miss Ember!” before he vanished again. Ember just chuckled softly as she looked at Light Feather.

“He’s just so full of energy and curiosity. Anyway, what did you want to talk about?”

“What you are, exactly.” Light Feather pulled over a chair and sat in it, looking the fake griffin over. “You can take on an appearance that almost fully mimics what I am, you can be a pony, so why do you hide?”

Ember looked down at the bed, sighing softly. “Because of our appearance. Wouldn’t you be scared of bug ponies just suddenly coming up to you? We are a relatively peaceful race, and prefer to live beside you.” She shrugged slightly, glancing to Light Feather. “To be honest, some of each race does know we exist, but keep it a secret.”

“Why?”

“It’s how we, er, get energy. We feed on emotions.” She winced slightly, expecting some form of attack, but none came.

“So you’re like vampires?” The griffin merely raised an eyebrow.

“Yes and no. We feed on the ambient energy, we don’t need physical contact to get what we need. Just being around you gives enough, though we can bite and drain that way. It’s just… never a good idea to do that as it can cause way more harm than good.”

“Huh, so my neighbor could be one of you and I’d never know it. Certainly makes me question who is who now.”

Ember chuckled softly, glancing to the door. “I wouldn’t worry too much, Light Feather. Changelings are few and far between, and we make a point of blending in to gather energy for our… hive.” She trailed off, looking down slightly.

Light Feather raised an eyebrow and tilted her head slightly, “Something wrong?”

Ember shook her head. “Just no home to go to, that’s all.”

“Is that why you were wanting to go to Equestria? You know it won’t be easy during this time.”

“I just feel there is something there for me. Like a final message from my qu.. er… Mother.” Ember glanced up at Light Feather, “But I owe you something, so I should find a way to repay you first.”

Light Feather shook her head. “Consider it me showing you there is good in the world. Now, how does going from hooves to paws actually work?” Ember shrugged.

“I never really thought about it, honestly.” Ember looked at one of her paws, engulfed it in fire to replace it with a hoof. “Probably just one of the quirks of being what I am.”

“And that makes you look really weird, heh.”

“I suppose doing this kinda does huh?” Ember wiggled the hoof a little, before returning it to a paw.

---

Ember spent the next day in bed as well, though she kept Quicktail entertained as well as helping him with some of his schooling. While she could speak griffin, writing and reading it were another story. Not to say she was horrible at it, she could read it well, writing it was her weak point. The benefit of being a changeling meant she could speak any language just fine.

“Have to know a lot to be a Sky Wing, huh?” Ember asked, chuckling softly.

“Yup! I want to follow in Dad’s claw steps!” Quicktail beamed as he looked over a history book.

Ember shook her head with a grin. “I am sure he’d be proud of you, but I think you still have a ways to go. And you may want to work your body, as well as your mind.” She gently poked at Quicktail, making him giggle.

“I get plenty of exercise each day.” Quicktail sat back and flexed his arm, “See! I’ll be buff for the Sky Wings in no time and be ready for when I come of age!”

“And he’ll make his father proud, no doubt.” Light Feather's voice came from the doorway as she walked in, carrying a log with her. Ember watched her and raised an eyebrow.

“What’s with the log?”

“My art, though you haven't seen my other works of art yet. Quicktail, would you be a dear and go get one for her?” Light Feather asked as she sat with her back to the bed, setting the log in front of her. Quicktail nodded quickly and bounced off the bed, dashing out of the room.

“Oh yeah, you mentioned live wood carvings, didn't you?” Ember scooted a little to the edge of the bed to watch the griffin work.

“Yes, I do,” she said, right as Quicktail came back in, a small wooden statue on his back as he trotted up to the bed. Ember grabbed it, and looked over the very well crafted figure of a male griffin. She looked over the features and paid attention to its head.

“It's my father, who is currently in the Sky Wings. I hope he is doing okay at the moment, we haven't heard from him,” Quicktail said with a hint of sadness.

Ember gasped softly as she recognized who the statue was modeled after, She then grinned and handed it back to him. “He is doing fine, though he may be a bit worse for wear.”

“Oh? How do you know?” Light Feather asked, already having a small pile of wood chips around her.

“I treated him just a few days ago. As long as the dragons haven't done anything, he should be already be up and walking. Just ask him if he remembers a green dragon with… uhh… glowy claws.” She grinned sheepishly. “This statue is very well done.”

“Thanks, would you like one?”

“I couldn't ask for one, I am already imposing too much.”

“It's no trouble at all.”

Ember looked at the statue again, sighing softly. “If you want. A unicorn, male. If you wouldn't mind.”

“Oh? Why would you want one of that?” Light Feather looked up at her. “Not saying I can't do that, which I can. But why?”

“Be a reminder of someone I’ve… lost.” She sighed, looking down at the bed and closing her eyes. “His name was Talon, and…” She trailed off as she felt a few feathers touch her beak.

“Say no more, did he have a favored mark?” Light Feather retracted her wing as Quicktail looked between the two.

“Is this something I won't understand till I’m older?” Quicktail asked as he kept looking between them.

“Right kiddo,” Ember said softly, as she turned to look at Light Feather. “I would for his natural form, but I don't want to give anything away.”

She nodded as she altered her work to start on a unicorn. “I understand. One unicorn stallion coming up.”

The next couple of hours went by with a hint of silence as Ember helped Quicktail with studies while Light Feather clawed away at the wood. Once night fell, Quicktail was ushered to bed as Light Feather showed off a rather proud looking unicorn stallion to Ember.

“Like it?” She let it stand on the bed as Ember looked it over.

“He’d be proud to be captured like that.” She sighed, picking it up and looking it over.

“You never did answer the question about the Cutie Mark. I know all ponies have one.”

“A unicorn horn, with a pair of wings at it's base,” She handed it to the griffin, “He said that he’d conjure up his wings in that form, since he favored it as well as his natural form.”

“Didn't care to be a pegasus?” Light Feather started to etch it in.

“He didn't mind that one, but he favored the unicorn more. Just felt natural to him, like me.”

“Can I ask what happened?”

“Sure, but I don't rightly know myself. Some fellow mates and I landed after doing some work. We were jumped by drakes, and I fled after that. It's kind of a blur, but I suspect my home is crushed, my friends dead or captured, and I'm alone. And I’m being depressing, I can tell.” Ember looked up at the griffin who wore a sad expression.

“You could stay here.”

Ember shook her head. “I don't want you to get into trouble.”

“There is no trouble in providing a temporary home to a traveler.”