Cold Scales

by Konatra

Two Hunters

Seven years have passed since that book was read and with time the nightmares faded and classed under a young girl's imagination. Spines have grown very well over the years, her biology causing her body to grown just over five feet. Just being able to tower over Dusk Shine was quite fun when it first happened but having to duck under most structures quickly became very annoying but it was something she learned to live by.

Another thing she had to adapt to was the clothing problem. As when she reached adolescence two semi-large mounds grew on her chest with various 'parts' being able to be seen if the 'mood' was 'correct'. To counter this Spines asked Elusive to make her a wardrobe to wear at all times. Since the tailor was not used to making wares that fit the bipedal body of her form, the clothes came out very unique in pony fashion, as it stole various fashions from different cultures from around the world. One of Spines' favorite and most used for casual days would be the yellow high top and denim shorts that went up to her thighs. While it was annoying having to wear clothes every day she got used to it.

"Dusk! I'm going to hunt for gems!" She called to her older brother figure who was enraptured in a book about stuff she didn't care about. "I'll be back before dark." Dusk only barely managed to hear the words over his concentration to the book and looked over to her.

"Spines, be careful out there. Alright?" His face twisted to slight worry. "You're going out more and more often these days, and you come back covered in scratches and bruises all the time." Dusk sat the book down and walked to her side. "You don't even come back with that many gems and you tend to smell terrible coming back."

Spines snorted at the comment. "Thanks Shine." Slowly she began to open the door out. "I'm fine okay? Just gets a little hard to find those things you know?" Already she was halfway out. "I'm a dragon remember? Like the strongest creature ever, I'm fine."

"Be that as it may Spines I'm starting to worry that you're keeping somethi-" The second he closed his eyes the dragoness was gone. All he could hear was her yelling back 'K Love ya bye!!' Dusk sighed in annoyance. He could easily go after her with his wings but decided against it. 'I have to let her make her own choices...I'm not her father.' He just hoped to Solaris everything would be fine.
___

Spines rushed out and with all her dragon speed rushed to the edge of Butterscotch's cottage. She knocked a few times and waited until the yellow pegasus opened the door. “Oh hello, Spines.” He said in his usual soft tone. “Are you here for…” He looked around for a second to ensure no one else was around. “That?” Spines just nodded, giving off a small smile as the sides of her head fins took on a small reddish hue, her equivalent of a blush. Butterscotch gave a quick confirming nod. “Alright, follow me to the back then.”

After a quick walk, Spines and Butterscotch made it to the back of the cottage next to a tree with a large hole in it. Spine reached inside and pulled out a sturdy-looking wooden bow and twenty arrows to go along with them. Even deeper in the hole was a slim-looking dagger along with a leather belt that would loop around her shoulder and tie around her waist. Spines turned around to look the shy pegasus in the face. “Thank you Butters, you made them even better than last time.” She skipped once happily and clasped her hands together. “I’m really sorry I have to keep asking you for this, I’m just so-“

Unexpected Butterscotch cut her off with a hurried tone. “Oh no Spines there’s nothing to be sorry about, I know this is necessary for your health and I won’t hesitate to help a good friend in need”

Spines meekly started rubbing the back of her head. “Are you sure you really don’t mind? I mean I know you lov-“ Again he was quick to interject.

Scotch put on an assertive face (as assertive as he could be a least.) “I mean what I said Spines. I’m not new to this you know, I have other animals who need to do the same thing as you all the time, it’s just the way things are.” His face took on a sad tone. “When I saw how desperate and in pain you were at that lake I knew then how important this is for you. I don’t want to hear you feeling sorry about it anymore okay? It’s nothing to be ashamed abo-“

Now Spines was the one to cut him off by going down to one knee and getting him in a big hug. Tears began o well up in her eyes. “T-thank you Butters. I’m so happy you understand.” She pulled out to see the timid pony’s face flush red. She chuckled as she wiped her eye. “I’ll be off then.” Then without warning Spines began stripping off her clothing.

Scotch made a quick ‘eep’ noise and looked to the ground, his face turning even redder. She looked puzzled at this reaction, as now she was fully nude. “What’s wrong?” She asked, now putting on the utility belt. “I used to be naked all the time just like you guys.”

He muttered out something intelligible. Spines just tilted her head. Again he muttered but louder this time. “Sorry, it’s just that…now that you wear those clothes all the time and ever since you got…those” He motioned to the mounds on her chest. “It just feels a little more personal to see you like this now I guess…” He looked up to see Spines in the middle of cupping one of her breasts and making it bounce up and down. She looked confused.

“I don’t even know what these things are for, they are sensitive to touch though.” She looked to Butterscotch who was running back to his house.

“SorryIhavetogonowAngleneedshersaladgoodbye.”

At least that’s what she was pretty sure he said, it was so rushed she barely made it out. Shrugging she got her weapon clipped to her belt and bow with arrow pack to her back. During this, her stomach began to growl and her eyes slowly shifted into slits. She stretched her back and neck until they made a satisfying cracking noise. She sighed at this.

The hunt was on.

___

Deep into the Everfree a shady figure hidden by the shadow of the trees began to stir. It didn’t really sleep but it at times would go into a state of ‘stillness’ that could last for many moons. The only real reason it did this was just that there was not really anything to do. However, today of all days felt ‘appropriate’ …not even it knew what that really meant. Either way right now was the time to act.

It stood up a tall seven and a half feet so very suddenly that the many animals that made rest near it shot in many directions in fear.

It looked down at its snow-white boney hands. They ended in sharp talon-like fingers. It seemed to make a noise that emulated a displeased sigh. It used its large hand to feel at its face. Smooth as silk, just like the last time it checked. Eyes were still missing. The rest was irrelevant. It began moving through the forest, years of moving around this land made it very familiar to the terrain and surroundings. This whole forest was its home.

It shot its head right suddenly, nothing made a sound but it knew something that should not be here was. In the darkness, its body shifted into a form hard to describe with the lack of light. It made its way to the disturbance at high speeds.
___

Spines held the bow up with steady focus. One knee centered on a rock and the other crouched to her side. She looked to see a boar only a mere 7 feet away drinking from a small lake stream. Silently she pulled out one arrow and began pulling back on the string. “Don’t worry I promise this will be quick.” She whispered almost silently, almost wishing he could hear her to run away. When the bow reached maximum pull all went silent.

Any natural noise the forest made seemed to dim until nothing. Not even the moving stream. It was as if the forest itself leaned in to watch this moment where life and death would be decided. Suddenly she was very aware that her heart was beating very fast, the rapid thumping sounded like a crescendo in her ears. Her focus began to blur and she began blinking rapidly to correct this.

‘Come on Spines. Not again…’ Her aim began to sway ‘This is easy, you did it once before you can do it again.’ Then her heart began to slow down, her grip fixed her aim, her eyes focused much sharper than before.

When everything became clear Spines saw that the boar had stopped drinking from the stream. And now was looking directly at her. She gasped and her breathing stopped. The boar and the dragon looked at each other directly in the eye for what seemed like hours but was in reality a few seconds. Her eyes began to water when the boar's eyes closed, almost seeming to say ‘Do it. I understand’

She wondered if the boar could read her thoughts as they muttered ‘I’m sorry and thank you.’ She let the arrow fly and with a quick swoosh and thwack! The boar lied dead. A direct shot to the heart killed the wild animal instantly. A small trickle of blood began to integrate with the stream giving it a pinkish hue.

The usual noises of the Everfree returned as if it were no longer interested in the aftermath of this game of hunter and prey. Spines wiped her eyes and hopped down from the rock to collect her prize. She stood over the dead boar and pulled out the arrow in a quick motion. She dipped it in the water to clean the residue. She thanked the animal again for his sacrifice. She picked it up with little effort and trekked further into the darker edges of the cursed forest.

___

The thing crushed a log after it leaped over it with its impressive speed. Strange tentacle-like appendages stretched out of its back and hooked to the higher trees. Something that should not be here was. It made the thing’s tainted blood boil. ‘mmuuuuusst kiiillll…’ It thought in jagged broken thoughts. A form of bloodlust took over. It needed to die, it was required to die. It had to pay for the suffering it caused. Its speed increased.

___

Spines finished kindling the fire. Cut stacks of boar meat rotated rotisserie-style as Spines pulled the wooden crank. Her left hand held up an arrow to the fire that impaled a fat fish, a bonus to her hunt. The parts of the boar she deemed inedible were buried near the fire. A small jagged emerald made as a makeshift gravestone for the animal, etched in the emerald was the words ‘Husky’ what she named the boar after its death.

It took a bit of time but the meat was done for eating. She knew it was still a bit raw but she liked it like that. Besides dragons usually ate meat the second the kill was made. She felt using weapons and cooking a little was more proper and civilized for a girl like herself. She was glad her hunting skills were increasing at a steady pace. She remembered back to the first time she began to hunger.

It was a faint feeling at first and she was not sure what was the cause of it was but after months of a steady build-up in starvation no matter how many gems and ice crème she ate she had enough. One day she snapped and had crazed thoughts on how Dusk would taste if she just bit into him for just one bite. The dragon hid in her room for a week. Muttering out intelligible mumbles for hours until she went into a coma. Her friends became very worried but Butterscotch offered to take her to his home for a special remedy to help her. He said the cure could be personal to Spines so no one else could come. When she woke up finally the hunger was gone and her stomach was finally full. But the flavor in her mouth was indescribable, so foreign yet delicious. Butterscotch told her that she was getting weak from lack of meat. She knew her scales were becoming a sickly pale purple and her strength diminished to where she could hardly lift a book. At that moment she knew that back then she was slowly dying.

After some talk with Butterscotch, he explained the vital importance of carnivorous beings needing meat. It took some convincing but finally, Spines decided to give hunting a shot, and after some embarrassing failed attempts at grabbing fish with her claws Butterscotch managed to fashion some wooden weapons for her to use. "Thank you Butters..." She muttered into the fire. Her kill was ready to be feasted on and it would be one of the best meals she would eat in a long time.

Unbeknownst to her, something was fast approaching. Something vile a demonic and it would stop at nothing until the intruder was screaming in agony as it feasted on her flesh.

Comments

[GrimmWolfDragon]

I'm liking the story

[NicLove]

Before I read this, what is the Gore, Horror and Dark tag for ?
And how bad does it get ?

[Konatra]

8333789
I wouldn't say grimdark levels of gore. More like 'scary demon rips apart some guys arms and stuff' like a 6 out of 10 on the gore scale.

[ARTL]

Your story needs a good bit of work, but it is still interesting.

5/10

[Rosewell8]

You never go for head shots when hunting, Animal skulls are THICK and tend to deflect bullets and arrows, leading to an angry and wounded animal. Not that it matters here, but if there's any more hunting, Scales needs to go for heart shots, the ribcage is easier to get through and the damage is just as, if not more, effective than attempting a head shot.