The Rainbow and The Tiger

by PantheraMan

Chapter 2: Human in Tiger's Clothing

Author's Note:

Credits to Golden Fang Ryu Shenron for editing!!

Cold hard metal. That was the first thing that Twilight Sparkle felt as she slowly stirred back into the waking world. Her eyes fluttered as she tried to force herself awake, vaguely aware of the headache pounding like a hammer against a nail. As she shook her head to soothe it, she took in her surroundings, finding herself in complete and utter darkness.

“Hello?” Twilight croaked out, her voice coming out tired and strained as she sat up on her knees. She squinted her eyes, trying to get a better view of where she was, but found herself unsuccessful. “Is anybody there? Fluttershy? Pinkie Pie? Applejack? Rainbow Dash? Are any of you here?”

Her voice carried throughout the darkness, making it echo like she was trapped in some sort of cave. Getting no response, she then decided to figure out where she was and see if there was any way out. As she sat up, Twilight immediately realized that she couldn’t move her arms or feet and that they were bound tightly. Just as she figured this out, she fell over again and landed face-first on something cold and hard.

“Ow! What the…?!” Twilight hissed, wincing. After taking a moment to deal with the new pain in her head, she reached out with her bound hands. She ran her hands over a cold, hard, and steely surface. Twilight automatically knew that she was in a cage, and judging from how it felt beneath her, it was a powerfully built one.

‘A cage! I’m inside of a cage!’ Twilight thought, sitting herself up as if the cage floor had suddenly become red hot. ‘But… that doesn’t make any sense! How can I be stuck inside a giant cage?!’

As her mind raced with possibilities, she heard whimpering behind her. She whipped around to the source, looking around the cage for an animal. At first, she thought it was one of the wild sorts, but as it came again, she found it to be anything but.

“Spike?!” Twilight gasped, recognizing the scared sounds of her pet dog. Her fear of being eaten turned to concerned excitement as she tried to search for her loyal companion. “Spike! Is that you?!”

“…Twilight?” came Spike’s groggy voice. Judging by his tone, he was clearly not doing well, and it made Twilight’s worry increase. “Are… are you there?”

“Yes! Yes, Spike; it’s me!” She raised her voice as loud as she could so Spike would hear her. “Where are you?!”

“I… I-I don’t know. It looks like I’m in some sort of cage,” Spike replied, unaware that Twilight was there with him. Twilight heard a jingling sound, giving her the impression that Spike was getting up on his paws. “Are you here…? I can’t really see you.”

“I’m here!” Twilight kept her voice as loud as possible. “Come to where I’m shouting! Just listen to the sound of my voice and you should be able to find me!”

Spike didn’t reply, but the sound of running made up for it as he scurried over to Twilight’s location. Thanks to her constant shouting, and his sensitive hearing and sight, it took Spike no time to find her. He barked elatedly as he ran up to her, leaping onto her open lap and licking her face repeatedly.

“Spike! Thank goodness you’re okay!” Twilight cried, nuzzling him with her face as Spike’s little tail wagging behind him. As he buried his face in her bosom, she checked him over to see if there were any injuries on him. “Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“No, I don’t think so,” Spike replied, snorting softly. “All I can remember is suddenly passing out and waking up… here.” He looked around at the cage, his sensitive eyes allowing him to see through the darkness. “Where… are we?”

“I don’t know...” Twilight got up onto her knees. “I know that we’re in a cage of some sorts. And a rather sturdy one at that. The question is, how did we end up in here?”

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Spike murmured. “I can’t remember a single thing! My head feels like it got stomped by a deer or something. I’m feeling a headache just thinking about it.”

“Try not to force it to come Spike.” Twilight instructed gently. “In the state you’re in, you may have a harder time recalling what happened to us. Just let the pain go away and you should have a better time grasping things.”

“Okay… if it’ll help my head stop feeling like it’s made of lead, then I guess I have no choice.” Spike hung his head. He suddenly stopped in his tracks; head snapping up as his nostrils flared.

“What is it?” Twilight asked, her curiosity instantly piqued. “Do you smell something?”

“Yeah, I do… it’s something familiar,” Spike replied, closing his eyes as he took a few more deep sniffs. His eyes popped open wide as he looked at Twilight. “Pinkie Pie…! I can smell Pinkie Pie here!”

Twilight’s eyes widened, her efforts to get free from the ropes coming to such an abrupt stop that she nearly face-planted onto the cage floor again. Once she managed to right herself on her knees again, she asked, “Really? Pinkie Pie is in here with us?”

“She is!” Spike nodded, his tail wagging again as he continued to sniff. “And she wasn’t the only one here either.! Fluttershy was here too!”

“Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie?” Twilight repeated, feeling her elation grow. “What about Applejack and Rainbow Dash?! Are they here too?”

“…No, I can’t smell either of them anywhere.” Spike’s face became downcast as he looked up at Twilight. “I don’t think they’re even anywhere around here. Do you know where they could be?”

“No, but I do know that if we don’t get out of wherever we are soon, we’re going to be in trouble,” Twilight said, her worry coming back. “First things first though… we need to find Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy and get out of here quick! Can you find them anywhere around here?”

Spike was about to reply but paused when he heard groaning coming from behind Twilight. He looked behind her and felt his eyes widen upon seeing another person lying just a couple feet away from them. As soon as he saw the mass of pink fluffy curly hair, he knew he had found who he was going to look for.

“Um, I think I already found Pinkie Pie, Twilight.” The dog pointed a claw behind Twilight.

Eyes widening, Twilight turned around and saw the shifting and bound from of Pinkie Pie. In her shock and excitement, she once again tried to get up, temporarily forgetting that she was still bound with rope and Spike was in her lap. She shouted in pain as she fell to the cage’s hard floor again, narrowly hearing the surprised yelp coming from Spike as she squashed him beneath her chest. As he squirmed out from under her, she tried to wake Pinkie up.

“Pinkie Pie?! Pinkie Pie! Can you hear me?!” Twilight asked desperately, watching as the other girl continued to groan. “Pinkie Pie, please! Answer me! Please, wake up!”

It took a couple more agonizing seconds of watching Pinkie groan and shift on the floor, but she eventually managed to get herself awake. Opening her tired baby blue eyes, Pinkie took in her surroundings, trying to figure out just where she was, before locking eyes with a worried Twilight and Spike.

“Twilight? Spike…? Is that you guys?” Pinkie asked, her normally cheery voice coming out as soft and weak. She didn’t wait for a reply as she tried to move, quickly finding herself unable. “What’s going on? Why can’t I move?”

“Don’t move,” Twilight said, her voice calming yet urgent like a nurse instructing a hospital patient. “We’re all in a cage right now, and you and I are tied together by rope. Don’t try to move too much right now okay?”

“We’re…in a cage? What’re you talking abo-” Another groan left Pinkie as a sharp stab of pain flew within her head. “Ugh, my head feels swimmy wimmy no good yucky…!”

“We told you not to move.” Spike grumbled, frowning at Pinkie as he sat by her head. “Just lie still, okay? You're probably in a lot of pain right now and you may have more than just a nasty headache. Lie still and it should lessen somewhat.”

Pinkie nodded, obeying Spike’s orders as she let herself go limp on the cage floor. As she relaxed her body, she turned to Twilight. “What’s going on? Do you know why we’re tied up?”

“That’s what we’re trying to figure out right now, Pinkie Pie,” came Twilight’s grave reply as she searched around the cave. “We don’t know where we are right now, but we’re not the only one’s here. Fluttershy’s with us too, but we can’t see her anywhere around here. And there’s no sign of Applejack or Rainbow Dash either.”

“W-what?! Dashie and Applejack aren’t here with us?!” Pinkie cried, her grogginess washing away in an instant at the revelation.

“No Pinkie, they’re not.” Spike replied solemnly. “I tried detecting their scent, but I’m not finding them anywhere. They’re most likely somewhere else around here… wherever here is at least.”

“Oh noooo…” Pinkie whined, her face contorting into a child-like pout. “Applejack and Rainbow Dash are in danger somewhere! They must be so alone out there! Cold and alone while we’re all the way over here tied up and stuck inside a cage like bad doggies! What are we going to do?!”

“Calm down Pinkie Pie.” Twilight said, using her most soothing voice as she moved over and laid herself on Pinkie Pie. “I know you’re scared about what’s happening, but please, don’t over worry yourself. We don’t know what’s happened to them, or if they’re in danger. They could be somewhere safe and doing all they can to look for us.”

“You don’t know that!” Pinkie Pie shouted, shooting to her knees and pressing her face right up against Twilight’s. “We may not know that they’re in super-duper danger, but we don’t know that they’re Okie dokie lokie either! They could be in the same position as we are! Tied up and bound like dynamite about to be put inside of a party cannon! Sure, we don’t know if that’s happening to them right now, but I reeeeeeeally don’t wanna think about it!”

“We don’t either Pinkie Pie. That’s exactly why we’re saying not to freak out so much.” Spike retorted, getting himself in between the two girls. “Rainbow Dash and Applejack might not be here with us, but that doesn’t mean that they’re completely helpless. Applejack has survival skills that’ll help if they’re trapped in some sort of wilderness. She’ll take care of both herself and Rainbow Dash if it comes down to it. Both of them are pretty good fighters too. Taking that all into account, do you think they’re in that much danger?”

Pinkie opened her mouth to argue, but stopped as the implications of Spike’s words sank in. As she thought over them, she realized that the dog made a valid point. Both Applejack and Rainbow Dash were formidable fighters, and while the latter was not used to being in the wilderness so much, the former more than made up for that. With Applejack’s knowledge of survival in the wild, and both her and Rainbow’s skills in martial arts, both would not be easy targets to take down. While it didn’t assure Pinkie that they’d be totally okay, it did give her some reassurance that both of them would have a fighting chance. Especially if it meant that they could regroup with them again.

“Well, when you put it that way, it doesn’t really sound like they’re in immediate danger.” Pinkie murmured, Spike’s words managing to calm her down. “I’m still really, really, reeeeeally worried about them, even if they have all that super-duper extra important stuff!”

“We are too Pinkie Pie. Believe me, you’re not alone here.” Twilight nodded, resting her head on Pinkie’s shoulder comfortingly. As much as she wanted to hug the party girl, her tied hands prevented her from doing so, so this was the best she could offer. “Even so, we shouldn’t let that worry cloud our judgement. We need to have faith that they know what they’re doing and how to look for us. They’re our friends… there’s no way they’re gonna just leave us.”

“Yeah, that’s right!” Spike nodded, wagging his tail optimistically. “Applejack and Rainbow Dash are strong and determined! Not to mention they’re both really stubborn and it takes a lot for them to give up on something.” He smiled as his teeth gleaming in what little light was inside of the cage. “Who knows? Maybe they’re out there looking for us right now!”

“I wouldn’t be so quick to count on that, little pup.”

Spike yelped in surprise as he and the girls jumped at the deep rumbling voice. Two cat beasts stood in front of the cage. The first one was small, much smaller than the typical adult male lion; roughly the size of an adult male jaguar. A pelt the color of blood covered his body, contrasting with his short grassy green and pale white mane. His eyes glowed like the rising sun. The cat beast next to him was far larger, orange making up his own pelt while an jet-black mane covered his head, neck, and chest. His eyes were a burning yellow, and his ears were pointed. Completing their appearance was a set of gleaming razor-sharp teeth. His lips stretched into an amused grin at the girls’ slackened jaws of disbelief.

“GAH!” Spike cried, leaping off of Twilight’s lap and backing up into Pinkie. “What are those things? And what are they doing here?”

“Well, well, well, look who’s up and kicking.” The first cat beast said, his tone matching the look on his scarred face. “Did you all have a nice nap?”

Twilight’s heart stopped. “Wha… what in the world? Did… did that thing just…?”

“Talk?” The other cat beast finished for her, tilting his head as if Twilight had suddenly asked a very complicated question. “Why yes, my companion did talk. And for the record, we’re Danger Beasts, or Cat Beasts if that’s simpler for you. Is this your first time seeing an animal that can talk?”

“No, but this is the first time that we’re seeing a Cat Beast talk! Heck it’s even our first time seeing a Cat Beast!” Pinkie replied, looking more amazed than anything else. “And speaking of which, how are you talking anyway?! I thought that animals weren’t able to do that!”

“T-they can’t! No animal can except Spike!” Twilight cried, managing to find her voice as her brain tried to process what she was seeing. And hearing. “There have been no findings or reports that any animal has ever been able to talk! We’re supposed to be the only ones! I don’t know how this is even possible?!”

“I see you three are quite taken aback by my ability,” The first Danger Beast replied, the amusement in his voice not diminishing as he sat down. “I can’t blame you. Who would expect an animal, let alone a Big Cat, speaking human? No one, that’s who!” He chuckled as his whiskers twitched. “I would be just as shocked if our roles were reversed.”

“…Okay, all shock about seeing a talking cat aside…” Spike said, deciding to take charge of the questioning. “Who are you and where are we? And more importantly, what the heck are we trapped in? Are you the one who put us in there or are you actually here to get us out?”

“My name is Bladed Claw, and this smaller cat beast here is Bloody Knife; thank you for asking. Not many people who meet us do that ” Bladed Claw layed down on the soft dirt. “As for your second question, you’re currently inside my tent. I’m sorry there aren’t any torches to light it up. I didn’t want to burn it down to the ground.” He paused to blow at the thick bangs of his mane. “Thirdly, you guys are currently in a cage that you can’t see because of the darkness. And the reason why you’re in there… is because we put you in there.”

The trio gasped.

“Y-you put us in here?” Twilight asked, her shock giving way to confusion. “We’re trapped inside of this cage… b-because of you?”

“That’s right,” Bladed Claw replied smoothly. “We dropped you in this little cage right after we ambushed you during your little safari through Tanzania. You should have seen the looks on your faces when we jumped out and took you by surprise. It was like seeing your worst nightmares come to life! So hilarious!”

“Safari? What are you…” Spike began, but stopped as his mind began to wander into space. A moment later he gasped and his mouth dropped open in horror. “Oh no…”

“Hmmm, it looks like your little friend has finally figured it out.” Bloody Knife commented, staring at the dog with interest. “Is it all coming back to you now, little pup?”

“Spikey?” Pinkie asked, turning her attention to the now frightened dog. “What’s the matter? Why do you look so scared?”

Shaking his head, Spike faced her and Twilight, his eyes wide. “Girls, it’s them! They were the guys that attacked us! Who ambushed us and the rest of the girls!”

“Ambushed?” Twilight repeated, growing more and more confused. “Spike, what are you going on about?”

“The attack!” Spike cried, the intensity behind his reply causing Pinkie and Twilight to jump. “Don’t you remember? The safari Fluttershy planned for us?! Those strange group of guys that turned into animals while we were still riding in the jeep?!” He pointed a claw towards the Danger Beast duo. “It was them! They kidnapped us and tried to kidnap the others!”

Pinkie Pie and Twilight both reeled back, surprised by the information. For a moment, they didn’t really believe him, but then both girls found themselves also thinking back. Pieces of the puzzle slowly began to form into place and recognition soon dawned. They all turned and stared at Bloody Knife and Bladed Claw, who watched them like a group of cubs roughhousing.

“It looks like it’s all coming back,” Bloody Knife said softly. “Yes, Bladed Claw and I were among those that caught you all on your little safari. I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting to be easy. We were more than prepared for any sort of retaliation, but it looks like we may have overestimated you lot.” He shrugged nonchalantly as he rested his face on one of his paws. “Oh well. Better safe than sorry, I suppose.”

“I… I can’t believe it. I never thought that we’d actually be kidnapped on a safari. And by a group of talking cats no less.” Twilight murmured, staring at the metallic cage floor as she struggled to process the information. “Wait! Where’s Fluttershy?!”

Bladed Claw raised an eyebrow, one of his ears flicking. “I beg your pardon?”

“Fluttershy! Our other friend with the pink hair!” Twilight elaborated. “You said that there were six of us when you caught us and that two of us managed to escape!” She looked around the cage. “Where are you keeping Fluttershy?!”

“Ah, the adorably timid girl that was apparently taking charge of the safari you were on. Yes, we remember her… ” Bladed Claw said as he managed to catch on. “Well, we do have her with us just like you three. You have no need to worry about her being lost out there in the savanna. On the other paw… she’s in a bit of a tight spot here along with the rest of you.”

“Tight spot?” Spike asked, narrowing his emerald eyes at the larger Cat Beast. “What do you mean? Do you have her locked up in a cage just like us?”

“Why no, of course not.” Bloody Knife replied, waving a paw. “However, we do have her here, tied up just like the rest of you, so we won’t have to worry about her escaping either. Although, we did have to gag her, since she was screaming quite a lot.” A claw came to one of his ears. “I can still feel my ears ringing just thinking about it.”

“What?!” Pinkie cried, her high-pitched voice echoing through the darkness of the tent. “How could you do something so mean?! What did Fluttershy ever do to you?!”

“Other than nearly making us go deaf, nothing really.” Bladed Claw replied, snickering a bit before a jab to his side by Bloody Knife silenced him. “As for it being mean, it may seem like it. We can assure you though, that it was for a very good reason.”

“A good reason?!” Spike growled, his teeth gleaming in the darkness as he bared them. “What ‘good reason’ do you have to hogtie our friend and treat her as if she’s a decoration out on display?!”

“I’m that glad you asked, little pup. Because it’s a reason more shocking than you could ever imagine.” Bloody Knife replied, grinning sickly. “See, there is an ancient stone hidden somewhere here, deep within the heart of the savanna. It is called the Mookarina Stone, said to have been forged by a god who came here long before our great grandparents were born. We don’t know the full story behind it, but from what we learned, it has the power to make a human or an animal an even more lethal killer by making us faster, stronger, even able to breathe fire.”

“A stone that… can make you a better killer?” Twilight blinked. “There’s an ancient artifact that can actually do something like that?”

“Indeed, there is.” Bladed Claw swished his tail back and forth with glee. “ Sorry for just doing that out of the blue to you by the way. We didn’t really wanna take any chances with you getting away. Especially your little furry companion there.” He ignored the look of hatred Spike shot him as he continued. “It is a powerful stone. So much so that it can turn people into the deadliest hunters ever to grace the face of this earth, living or dead. It is the most sought after thing ever to exist in this land, and if we can get it within our grasp, we can make quite the fortune.”

“And Fluttershy comes into this how?” Spike asked, his tone expressing all the confusion he had even though his face showed none of it. “If all you're doing is searching for some stone, then there isn’t any need to have Fluttershy in the first place, let alone the rest of us! What can she possibly do to help”

“Good question.” Bloody Knife’s grin was like something from a nightmare. “See, while the Mookarina Stone is powerful, it cannot quite work on its own. It needs something to help it get going. Something that only humans themselves can provide.” A stifling pause floated throughout the room before the cat beast broke it. “And that… is the blood of a live and kicking human being. One with magic powers. So when a little birdie told me of a girl who could speak to animals, I knew we couldn’t pass up the chance.”

Twilight, Pinkie Pie, and Spike’s minds all froze like sheets of ice.

“H…human blood?” Twilight breathed, her lip shaking like she was just emerging from ice cold water. “You have to have human blood to activate the Mookarina Stone? That’s why you kidnapped Fluttershy and took her hostage? To use her blood for the stone?!”

“I wouldn’t say take all her blood. Merely borrow just enough of it to be able to make the Mookarina Stone come back to life and start working again.” Bloody Knife replied, waving his paw this way and that in a futile attempt to sugarcoat the answer to Twilight’s question. “Though if you want it to put it that way, then yes. We need your little friend’s blood to bring back the power that was sealed away for centuries. Otherwise we will not be able to gain the tools needed for us to accomplish our goal.”

“You… you’re crazy! Completely and totally bonkers!” Pinkie Pie shouted, managing to bring herself out of her shock. “Do you really think that Fluttershy would go through with something like that?! To give her blood away so you can wake up some stone that gives you animal powers?! She’d sooner give you her Stare than do something like that!”

“We believe you on that one. Your friend said the same thing when we told her of our plans to kill every animal we can in this wild land. Although, I’m not quite sure what you mean by this ‘Stare’ thing. I may have to ask her about it later...” Bladed Claw chuckled. “As for whether or not she’s willing, you don’t need to worry about that. We already have her subdued and confined somewhere nice and secluded. It’s not like she’ll be able to go anywhere while she’s in that state.” His smile fell as he rubbed at one of his ears, as if he suddenly felt a fly trying to enter its way into it.

“Seriously?!” Spike shouted, his growl coming out in a low rumble as his claws scraped against the cage floor. “What in the hell is wrong with you?! Do you have no regard for sentient life at all?!”

“… No, we don’t actually.” Bloody Knife replied, the bluntness behind his statement causing the trio to recoil. He smiled maliciously as his yellow eyes burned with glee. “If it’s any consolation, once we have what we want, you’ll have her back as if nothing had ever happened. Though she may be a bit more…dried up than usual”

“You… you’re both sick! Absolutely sick!” Twilight shouted, her eyes holding a mixture of disbelief and disgust as she writhed within her bonds. “I can’t believe you’d hold money and power over human life! Let alone the lives of five innocent girls! All for a stone that may not even work anymore! You’re monsters! Complete and total monsters!”

“Yes, I suppose we are. But at least we’re monsters with a purpose,.” Bladed Claw said, laughing at the look of hate Twilight sent his way. After collecting himself, he got up and stretched before shaking of his head and nodding to Bloody Knife. “Well, we’d better get going. We need to check up on your friend and make sure she hasn’t fainted from shock again. Of course, given how much we terrified her the first time, that’s rather unlikely. We’ll be back over here to check up on you later… if you’re still conscious when we do.”

“You won’t get away with this, you… big MEANIES!!” Pinkie angrily shouted after them as they headed towards the tent’s exit. “Just you wait, we’ll get out of this cage and get our friends back! And when we do, we’ll make you wish you never messed with the Elements of Friendship!”

“We’ll see about that little girl.” Bladed claw purred as he and Bloody Knife laughed. “We will certainly see~.”

As the Danger Beast duo was exiting the tent, its flaps suddenly flew open. It took a second for Bladed Claw and Bloody Knife to realize that it was not a gust of wind, but a full-grown male hawk-eagle that was apparently trying to make it inside the tent. The feline duo watched as the raptor landed on the ground, flapping its wings frantically and screeching. Both lions instantly became alarmed.

“Harpy? What the heck are you doing here?” Bladed Claw asked, making his way over to the bird. “I thought that you were back over with the others?”

Harpy looked over at the bigger cat beast, his incessant flapping coming to an end as he fought to catch his breath. He screeched again, all of it coming out in short quick spurts as he struggled to tell the lions something.

“Whoa, hold on there, little bird. Take it easy before you get your feathers all messed up.” Bloody Knife held a paw up to the bird in a silent command to calm down. In an instant, the raptor went silent, as if that single gesture was enough to quiet him down. Once he was certain that Harpy was calmed, he continued, “Much better. Now, would you mind telling us why you suddenly came to one of our secret tents unannounced? You looked like you were trying to escape the talons of a fish eagle. Whatever has you this scared, it has got to be important.”

Harpy gave another screech as he nodded frantically, his large orange eyes wide with panic and terror as he spread his wings. Holding his foreleg out, Bladed claw let the raptor rest on his paw, taking no mind of the talons digging into his flesh. Harpy then proceeded to go into a full-on ramble to the Danger Beasts, using gestures with his wings. The girls and dog watched as the two lions listened intently, paying close attention to their expressions to see any change. It didn’t take it long for that change to come in both their faces, which could’ve only been described as shock and anger.

“What?! You say who with who?!” The cat beast all but yelled, looking at the bird with wide eyes. He leaned in close to the bird, his orange eyes glowing like flames in a fireplace. “Are you sure it was really them?”

“Hey, what are you guys doing?” Pinkie Pie piped up, looking in between the bird and the Danger Beasts.

The raptor and lions ignored herl, the former continuing with its endless screeching and squawks. At last it stopped, letting the tent dissolve into the silence it had before both parties met one another. Seconds later, Bloody Knife let out a roar, his paw that Harpy perched on meeting the ground with an echoing thud.

“Dammit! Of all the times that little brat had to come and rear his ugly striped head, he had to pick now” The crimson cat beast roared, his tail thrashing as he bared his teeth in fury. “And just when we got through with him last time! I thought he’d be dead!!”

“I hear you there. I never thought that he’d show up again. Especially given what happened last time.” Bladed Claw said, sighing as he rubbed his jet-black mane. “Oh well, nothing we can do about it now. We’ll just have to see if we can get those girls Harpy saw away from him. That is, if he doesn’t try to snap our necks like Cape Buffalo.”

“Hey! Are you guys not hearing me or something?!” Pinkie Pie shouted, her voice raised so high that both cats and the hawk-eagle jumped. “What the heck are you guys talking about?! What was that bird saying to you?!”

“Jeez, you have quite the voice, don’t you? You’re almost as loud as that timid one.” Bloody Knife pinned his ears back in an effort to dampen Pinkie’s shouting. “Well, our scouter Harpy here has detected a tiger wandering the plains not too far from here. He also saw two humans traveling alongside him… two human girls, to be precise.”

“Two girls?” Spike asked, a look of hope on his face. “Are you talking about our friends, Rainbow Dash and Applejack?!”

“Well… Harpy did tell us that one of the girls had rainbow hair, while the other was wearing some sort of hat.” Bloody Knife replied. “But, if those are the friends you’re looking for, then I suppose so.”

“Jackie… Jackie and Dashie… they’re alive!” Pinkie whispered, her baby blue eyes beginning to water. “You hear that you guys?! Jackie and Dashie are both alive and okay?! They’re not dead! They’re both still alive! Alive!”

“They’re really okay… thank God!” Twilight said, nearly falling to the floor again from the weight of the sheer relief she felt. Said relief lasted for a good three seconds, before it was replaced with something else, and she looked back up at the cat beasts. “Wait a minute… did you just say that Applejack and Rainbow Dash were with a tiger?!”

“Yes,” Bladed Claw replied, the tuft of his tails swaying back and forth as he licked his lips. “Is that so shocking?”

“To me, yes! It is! Very shocking!” Twilight shouted, staring at him “Tigers don’t live in Africa! None of them do! Their home range isn’t even anywhere near it! They’re supposed to be in the more isolated pockets of the world like India, Russia, and Sumatra! How did that eagle of yours find the world’s biggest modern cat on earth in the African Savanna?!”

“Okay, the reason why Harpy was able to find the "tiger" he saw outside, is because that "tiger" isn’t like the tigers you're familiar with.”

“It’s not?” Spike asked, his mind already putting the pieces together. “You’re telling us that he’s like you guys?”

“Only in the sense that he can turn into a vicious big cat just like us.” Bladed Claw replied, gesturing to his own feline body. “Other than that, he’s the complete opposite from us in every way. I wouldn’t be surprised if he went ahead and formed a little alliance with your two friends to get you back. We’ll have to do something about that.”

“Wait, so… a guy that can turn into a tiger teamed up with Jackie and Dashie??” Pinkie asked, tilting her head as she looked at the ceiling. “Wow… this day is really turning out to be on heck of a doozie! Then again, with how many adventures we’ve been on, this wouldn’t be the first one. Still, holy cow!”

“Holy cow is right.” Bloody Knife muttered.“What should we do, Captain? Should we send out a group of our men and women out to take care of them? I can even do it myself if you’d like.”

The other Cat Beast shook his head. “No need. Even with the new alliance that they’ve gained, they’re hardly a threat to us. With the numbers we have and the power we’ve obtained, there’s no chance in hell they’re able to get the drop on us. You can let them be.” He then looked to his fellow cat beast, rubbing his chin in thought. “That said, you may want to have some of our team be on the lookout. With how much time has passed since we last met, he’s bound to have learned to navigate this place. We may have to put a few more guards on watch. Just in case.”

“Well… alright then. If that is what you wish.” Bloody Knife murmured, looking at the older lion uncertainly. “It seems a bit extensive, but if you believe that is the best option, then it shall be done.”

“Good.” Bladed Claw nodded in satisfaction before turning back to the hostages. “I hate to have to cut this meeting so short, but Bloody Knife and I have to go. Business calls . We’ll try to come back before you guys end up becoming lunch for the hyenas. If you survive that long.”

“Are you serious?! You’re just going to leave us here in this tent?! Alone in the dark?!” Twilight exclaimed incredulously. “What if someone comes and takes us?! Or worse! What if other carnivores like a pride of lions, or a clan of hyenas, or even a leopard comes by and finds us?! They’ll more than likely make a meal out of us by the time you get back! If you even come back at all!”

“Fat chance of that happening.” Bladed Claw laughed, as he walked over to the cage. “This cage is made of the hardest obsidian steel ever. It’s so tough that not even rhinos or elephants are able to break through it. And if a hyena tried to bite through it, the most it’d accomplish is a trip to the dentist! As far as we’re concerned, you're plenty safe in this cage. Not that you’re able to escape either.”

Pinkie Pie paused, looking at the lion as if he had suddenly given an answer to a very complicated question. “Hold on, back up… what did you just say?”

“I… said that there isn’t any way you can escape from this cage.” Bladed Claw repeated, quirking a brow. “Did you not hear me say that?”

“Oh no, I heard you,” Pinkie replied, a change coming to her tone. “It’s just that you just suddenly gave me an idea.”

“And what, pray tell, is that?” Bloody Knife asked dryly. “If it’s a plan to try to escape, then you may as well forget about it. Trust me when I say, you are tucked nice and tight in there.”

“We are, are we?” Pinkie asked as she smiled. A smile that Spike and Twilight knew only Pinkie herself could conjure up. “Then I guess you wouldn’t mind if I tried, this?!”

Without warning, Pinkie’s entire body glowed bright pink. As the light enveloped her, her hair began to float, as if she was submerged in water. Said hair went upright, forming into a poofy pink jackhammer.

“What in the hell?!” Bladed Claw shouted, jumping away from the cage like it had suddenly caught on fire. He stared at Pinkie in shock. “What in God’s name is that?! What did you do?!”

“What did I do? Good question!” Pinkie said, smirking at the Cat Beasts and the slack-jawed bird in the background. “I just created a way to escape from all of you! Well, for me to escape from you, but you get the point!”

“Okay, so?” A frown formed on Bloody Knife’s face. “Real nice trick there, girl. What’s that gonna do for you? Drill a hole through the strongest cages that we have?”

The grin on Pinkie’s face suddenly got wider, to the point where it seemed to stretch all the way to her ears. “Why don’t we find out, little kitties~?”

“Pinkie? What are you doing?” Spike took a step towards her.

With a tone that matched the look on her face and the deep-seated regret in her eyes, she finally spoke, using the softest voice either Spike or Twilight had ever heard from her. “Spikey… Twilight… I’ll be back soon~.”

With those words, her hair suddenly came to life, jetting up and down as a jackhammer noise erupted from the mass of curly fluff. Pinkie then closed her eyes and dipped her head down, letting the tip of her hair touch the surface. Not even a split second later, the obsidian cage floor exploded on contact, creating a hole big enough for a human to fit through. Without any hesitation, Pinkie leaped into the air and plunged into the hole, letting her hair drill through the ground as she vanished into the earth below.

“She’s gone…!” Bloody Knife shouted. “That’s impossible! That cage is supposed to be the strongest in our arsenal! No one can dent it, let alone make a hole in it! How the hell did she do that?!”

“I don’t know, but I know that was not good. Not a good sign!” Bladed Claw snarled, his eyes glowing with panic. “Now that she’s gone, she’s going to go and find Baagh Raaja and her other friends! She needs to be stopped!”

“Don’t bother.” Bloody Knife protested, the command in his voice stopping Bladed Claw in his tracks. “There’s no point in trying to chase after her. One girl won’t survive a place like this for long. The lions, leopard, or hyenas will make short work of her. Plus, we still have her other friends, not really much of a win for them if you ask me.”

“That… is actually a very good point.” Bladed Claw admitted, his fear washing away. “Still… if she does somehow manage to survive and get help? What if she somehow runs into her other two friends? Or even Baagh Raaja? What then?”

“As I said before, there is hardly any need to worry. Three girls and one lousy boy that can turn into a Danger Beast aren’t much of a threat if you really think about it” Bloody Knife shot back. “Though if it’ll quell your fears, then feel free to have a few more team members guard our base.”

Bladed Claw swallowed. “Actually, you know what? I think I’ll just let her go.”

“Very well then, if that’s what you want,” Bloody Knife said dismissively, giving a playful tail swat as he turned to the remaining hostages. “I suppose we’ll be off now. I would stay and chat some more, but we’ve wasted enough time. Try not to make too much noise while we’re gone… or else we may have to gag you too.”

Both Cat Beasts laughed, then they turned tail and walked over to the entrance of the tent, letting their heads push the flaps open to exit. A flash of sunlight washed inside the tent for a split second, allowing Twilight and Spike to see the equipment, tools, and something else that happened to be inside. As quickly as it came the light was gone, leaving the two as alone as they were before.

---

The blazing sun hovered over the African horizon as Rainbow Dash and Applejack trudged their way across the plains. Grass and fallen leaves crunched under the weight of the shoes as they stepped across them, doing their best to avoid any flies in front of them. Baagh Raaja brought up the rear, keeping a close eye far ahead of the girls for anything that might pop out in front of them. Animals from baboons to impalas littered the area like a colony of ants, watching the trio with interest as they passed by. Unaware of the real reason why the trio was together, and why they were in this particular spot.

“How’re things going over where you are, girls?” Baagh Raaja asked, his ears perked forward. “Any luck in your search?”

Applejack, who had been fanning her face with her hat, stopped and looked back at the tiger. With a sigh, she set her hat back on her head. “Nah Raaja. No luck on findin’ the spot where those men tried to get our blood. We haven’t even managed to find the spot where some of the trees were destroyed. This here grove was a lot bigger than I thought it was going to be.”

“You’re telling me, AJ.” Rainbow nodded, giving a toss of her hair. “We’ve been searching through this grove for hours and we still haven’t found where those hunters camped! I thought we would’ve been able to find it by now! How is it that we can’t find an ambush spot that may as well be the size of a giant swimming pool?!”

“Well, this is a pretty big grove that you guys are in,” Raaja muttered, quickening his pace a bit to get closer to the girls. “A lot of places here are pretty big. So much so that it’s really easy for you to get lost if you don’t know your way around it. Only difference is that I’ve had much more experience searching my way around places like this.”

“Well, seein’ it from that perspective, Ah can kinda see why it’s normal fer you t’ be so used to it,. Must’ve taken a lot of time and skill to be able to know which way yer goin in these parts,” Applejack commented, looking around at the ebony grove. “Then again, with critters like you, Ah bet it was a real nice piece o’ cake fer ya.”

“It was… beneficial to say the least. It definitely helped me know the ins and outs of where I was. As well as the best escape routes and hunting areas whenever I had an encounter with other creatures.” Raaja admitted. “Granted, it was still a pain in the ass to go through. All of that constant walking and scent marking can really take a toll on any cat. Especially when you’re a loner constantly on the lookout for lion prides and groups of sabertooths who want to make a meal out of you or just rip you apart or take your territory. Or, in your case, use you for some diabolical scheme.”

“You mean like with us?” Rainbow laughed bitterly. Had she looked behind her at the cat, he would’ve seen him pause in mid-step, biting his lip in an attempt to bite back a curse. “We definitely hear you there on that one, buddy. Most of all on the evil scheme part. I mean, we were the ones who were in the middle of it. If anyone knows what that’s like, it’s bound to be us. Especially since we were the chosen targets.”

“Right… I-I’m sorry.” Raaja said softly, internally swatting himself upside the head. “That was out of line. I didn’t mean to say that… I….”

“Don’t worry, sugar, it’s fine. You were jus’ makin’ a point as all.” Applejack dismissed it. “It ain’t like we haven’t been constantly reminded o’ what happened to’ us… and how we just ran off when we had the chance. Ah know we didn’t have any choice in the matter, but still… it doesn’t mean that Ah don’t feel like a rotten apple because of it.”

“Even though that metaphor doesn’t make sense, I get how you feel.. And if I wasn’t… well, a solitary feline and a lion instead of a tiger.” Raaja murmured, still feeling a bit guilty about what he blurted out. “Like you said, though, none of that matters now. What’s done is done . All that matters is finding some way to get your friends back. And to do that, we’ll need to find where you guys were attacked. If we can find it at all in this grove…”

“Yeah… hopefully.” Rainbow Dash nodded, rubbing one of her arms. As she turned to look away from a lone baboon, she paused to look at something. Applejack instantly noticed her friend stop, making her and Raaja soon follow suit.

“Somethin’ the matter Rainbow?” Applejack asked giving her friend a curious head tilt. “Why’d ya stop all of a sudden?”

“Huh? Oh, I’m sorry AJ, I was just looking at one of the trees.” Rainbow said, blinking as she looked at the farmer. “I saw that it had a few slashes all across it… and holy shit, are they deep.”

“Wait? What did you say?” Raaja said, snapping his head towards Rainbow. “Did you say you just slash marks on a tree? Which one?”

“That one, right over there.” Rainbow pointed over to where she had been looking. “They’re right on that tree. The one with all of the twisted branches.”

Raaja felt his heart skip a beat, and he turned to where Rainbow was painting, feeling a sense of dread. The dread only grew deeper when he laid eyes on the tree the girl was pointing at, seeing the cruelly twisted snake-like branches that hovered over them like a wooden chandelier. As the tiger traced the tree with his gaze, his feeling of unease grew stronger, reaching a tipping point when he finally spotted the slashes in between the base of the tree and where the branches started.

“Girls, those are not slash marks,” he finally said, turning back to the girls. “Something did cut into that tree. But it wasn’t made by a sword. Or even a dagger.”

“They ain’t?” Applejack asked, both she and Rainbow coming up to the tiger. “Then what in the hay are they? Were they made by some sort of critter that lives out here?”

“Yeah, they definitely are.” He and the duo of girls headed over to the damaged tree. “Just look at it. The depth of these slashes isn’t consistent with any weapon made by a human. They aren’t deep enough for any sword or dagger, either. Not to mention they’re almost identical Like they were made from a paw instead of a hand-made weapon.”

“A paw?” Rainbow asked quizzically, reaching out and running a hand down the torn bark. “Are you saying that this was made by a lion or something like that?”

“Yeah, these were definitely made by a lion. If not that, then by a Homotherium. Like the ones that we encountered back at my hunting spot.” Baagh Raaja took a moment to sniff the claw marks. He frowned as he hopped off of the tree, a small cloud of dust rising from underneath his paws. “I don’t know if they’re still in the area or not, but it’s best if we keep our guard up. There is a good possibility that they will still be around here, either looking for intruders or suitable prey. Our best bet is to get out of here as quickly as possible before they detect any trace of us and try to follow us. Or even worse, eat us.”

“Well, Ah fer one definitely don’t wanna become no meal fer no wild animal. And Ah know Dash here ain’t up fer that either. So, I know it’ll be good fer us to keep one eye open whenever we need to git some quick shut eye.” Applejack nodded, leaning against the tree and eyeing the deformed bark with scrutiny. “That reminds me… ya know a good spot where we can rest up, Raaja? We’ve been walkin’ ‘round fer a pretty long time an’ I’m feelin’ all but ready to plop down on a pile o’ hay and sleep like a rattlesnake in a burrow.”

“I hate to say it, but I’m feeling the same way.” Rainbow added as she struggled to keep herself standing. “We’ve been walking around this place forever and I’m starting to get tired the more we go on. I really wanna keep going so we can find where the others are, but… I just don’t think I can go another step.” She reached up to her chest and ran a finger through the red gemstone hanging from it. “Plus, my Equestrian Magic is almost out, and I’m pretty sure AJ’s is too. I used up a lot of it when we escaped those poachers and fought you and those other furballs. If I use any more before it’s all the way full again, I’m gonna be in even more of a tight spot than I was before.”

“With how you girls look right now, I’m surprised you were able to keep up for this long.” Raaja commented, only now taking notice of just how spent both girls looked. “We can see if there’s anywhere that we can rest for the night, but it’s best not to do it here. I forgot to mention this earlier, but this tree here isn’t slashed for no reason. It’s actually a symbol of a conquered territory.”

“Territory?” Rainbow asked in alarm. “Are you telling me that we’re in some sort of big cat’s home?”

“Yes, Rainbow Dash, we are. A lion pride’s territory to be exact” Raaja continued, his brows furrowing. “However, we’re not just in any typical lion pride territory. No… we’re in the territory of the legendary Titan Pride.”

“The… Titan Pride?” Rainbow Dash blinked hard, feeling a tingle go down her spine for a reason that she could not explain. After sharing a look with Applejack, she focused back on the tiger and asked, “There’s a pride of lions that’s actually called that around here?”

“Believe it or not, there is.” Raaja replied, his tone making it sound like it was the most shocking thing to ever be heard. “There aren’t many prides here that have simple names like that. Most prides have names that are more exotic, with many people here not really knowing the meaning behind them.” He shook his head as his face grew serious again. “Even so, that’s what they’re called. And they have a very good reason to be called that.”

“Let me guess, they like to take down critters a lot bigger than they are?” Applejack asked, giving off the air that she didn’t know the answer.

“Got it in on the nose there.” Raaja nodded. “These lions are not like any other. A lot of prides are known for hunting bigger than normal game, though the normal lion pride only does that during times of sheer desperation. The Titan Pride though? They hunt the heavyweights practically year-round. Dry-Season, Wet Season, it doesn’t matter to them. if they so much as see an opportunity to take down a buffalo, elephant, hippo, or even a giraffe, they will take it; regardless of the changing seasons. I’ve seen these lions take down full grown adult rhinos like they were taking down a mere zebra! Or even an impala! That is how good they are at hunting. And believe me when I say, they are efficient in what they do.”

“They can really take down a whole rhinoceros?!” Rainbow asked in disbelief. She looked down at her shoes, her eyes big like she was staring at them for the very first time. “Wow… now that sounds scary. If a pride of lions can take down a rhino, the toughest animal around here, then this Titan Pride must be really bad news.”

“Trust me, they totally are.” Raaja agreed, one of his paws coming up to run down the tree. He stared into the cuts embedded into it, like he was staring into a trio of black holes that suddenly emerged from within the tree. “I haven’t really had any confrontation with them myself, but I’ve seen it happen with other lions who weren’t as lucky. Most of the time they’re wise and keep a respectable distance away from the pride. Other lions who weren’t… well, let’s just say that they left the Titan Pride with more than just physical wounds.”

“…Ah wanna know what ya mean by that, but a part of me is tellin’ me that Ah really don’t.” Applejack said fearfully, her gut churning inside of her like a knot was being twisted inside. “Mah Granny always told me t’ go by what mah gut says, most of all when Ah really feel it so… Ah’m not gonna ask.”

“Good choice.” Raaja said with a nod of approval. He stood there in silence for a second before he looked up at the sky, seeing the sun set over the mountains beyond the savanna. “It’s almost dusk. The sun is going down and things will be pretty active once it gets completely dark. We’d better find a place to camp before the more nocturnal animals get up and go on their nightly hunts. Once morning hits, we gotta leave as soon as possible, lest the Homotheriums catch us around here and give us a not so warm welcome.”

“Wait Homotheriums...again?” Applejack asked, having caught what Raaja had said as she rested against the tree. “There are villagers around in this area?”

“Yes,” Baagh Raaja replied neutrally. “Not many live near the Titan pride’s territory for a multitude of reasons, but there’s one group that is an exception. I’m not divulging too much of it, but I'll just tell you that they are not cats that you want to mess with.”

“Is that because they’re in a bigger group themselves?” Applejack guessed, eyeing the tiger with a curious, if not sympathetic look.

“Yes, they are. They, like all of the cats here, are ones that are very protective of their territory and fight us simply for that reason. Along with trying to keep their fellow group members safe.” Baagh Raaja rebutted. “It’s just that these Homotheriums in particular are a lot more… confrontational when it comes to keeping rivals at bay. So much so that they’re willing to get downright physical with the bigger predators here. Even ones like me.” He ran a paw over his shoulder, slowing down at the scars as if trying to add emphasis to his point. “Like I said, I won’t go into too much detail but… let’s just say that I had the misfortune of experiencing their might firsthand. As you can plainly see.”

“Eeyup, we can certainly see alright.” Applejack nodded, forcing down a wince at the vicious healed wounds. “So, where do ya suppose we should find shelter? Ah don’t mean t’ sound like Ah’m hopeless, but… Ah’m not exactly trained in survivin’ in this here place. Ah’m more used to bein’ outdoors back where me, Dash an’ th’ others live. Like the Whitetail Woods an’ such.”

“If you guys want, I can look for a place to sleep.” Rainbow said, scanning the area around them. “I mentioned before I don’t have that much Equestrian Magic left, but I can use just a little bit to go up one of those trees and scan the area. I may be able to find something like a giant tree or even a cave.”

“I’d say try to find a tree.” Raaja suggested, gently patting the on next to them. “I hate to say it, but caves are a lot less suitable to be in than trees. It’ll make it easier for a lion or a hyena to find us, since lions can’t climb very high and hyenas can’t climb at all. Of course, leopards are a lot better at climbing, but they won’t really be too hard to handle. Especially if I’m there to keep them away. They’re stealthy and savage, but they're wise, and they know when to fight and flee. We’re better off in a tree than a cave where all predators will be able to find you easily.”

“Alright then, we’ll go with that.” Rainbow Dash concluded as she got up, dusting whatever dust or grime that was on her clothes. “Sit tight guys! I’ll be right back!”

Without waiting for a reply from either of them, the Rainbow gave a swift turn and sped off into the ebony grove. A trail of multiple colors dragged behind her as animals nearby spooked in surprise, running into the bushes or scurrying into the trees, giving alarms all the while. Less than ten seconds later, she came back, the force behind her stop making clouds of dust blow into Applejack and Raaja’s faces. Before they could shake it from their eyes or clear it from their throats, the other girl broke the silence.

“Okay, I’m back.” She grinned humorously as the two glared at her. “I was able to find this huge tree from outside this grove. Its branches are pretty thick and there are a lot of leaves covering it, but it looks more than stable enough for us to be able to climb in.”

“Are you sure it’s safe?” Baagh Raaja asked, raising an eyebrow. “You didn’t see or hear any other animals around or in it. No leopard, baboons, or lions? Or Homotheriums?”

“Nope, it’s completely clear!” Rainbow assured, giving a thumbs up. “I even did a quick scan around the tree just in case there were any monkeys or things like that inside. All I got was a shaky tree and a rustling of leaves; that tree is completely clear and danger free.”

“Good work there, Rainbow Dash. Ah knew we could count on you,” Applejack said approvingly, giving her friend a rough pat on the back. “Ah’m supposing that yer gonna take us there yerself?”

“Yep! Sure am! After spending so much time walking around in the sun, there’s no way I’m gonna spend another minute doing that!” Rainbow replied, her hands resting on her hips for a second before holding them out. “Now come on and grab onto my hands! The sooner we get there, the better!”

Applejack and grabbed onto Rainbow’s hand, making sure to get a firm grip on them in case they let go, although Baagh Raaja was a bit hesitant, and understandably so.

“This….is an issue. I can’t drag you around Baagh Raaja, you’re simply too big.” Rainbow said

“Actually you can, I can-” before Baagh Raaja could finish Applejack lifted him up from his stomach.

“Wait, what are you….oh no you aren’t gonna..” Baagh Raaja commented

“Yep, sorry sugarcube.”

Baagh Raaja flailed his legs. “WAIT NO NO NO NO NO NO-” he yelled before Applejack threw him into the air and he was screaming loudly. As Baagh Raaja flew through the air he passed by a flock of Egyptian Geese and when he felt himself descending he flapped his legs but he plummeted through the top of the tree, bouncing off a branch or two on the way down, and then crashed to the ground and crashed to the ground. Applejack grabbed onto Rainbow’s hand and then they dashed through the grove, passing by a herd of wildebeest that scattered.

“Alright guys, we made it!” Rainbow exclaimed, gesturing to the tree as if it was her most prized possession. “What did I tell you huh? A pretty big tree, isn’t it?”

“It’s… really somethin’ alright,” Applejack commented, taken aback by the sheer size of it. “Ah don’t think Ah’ve ever seen a tree this huge before; probably in the Everfree Forest, but not anywhere else. Hey Raaja, have you seen a tree this big before? Raaja?”

Upon hearing no response from the tiger, both girls looked over to see the tiger sprawled out on his side, groaning from the effects of being thrown a long distance. Both girls cringed upon seeing a small pile of puke next to him, along with the rubbing Raaja was doing to his stomach with his paws.

“Uh… Raaja?” Rainbow uttered, moving her way to the feline. “Are you doing okay there?”

His first response was to give the girl a nice good tail swipe to the face before actually replying. “Oh, I don’t know! Does it look like I’m okay!? I just got thrown into the air over a grove at heights that not even the eagles fly at! And I feel like an African Rock Python about to regurgitate a full-grown Thompson’s Gazelle! Taking all that into consideration, do you really need to ask if I’m okay?”

“Nope… probably not,” Applejack murmured, rubbing the back of her head. “Sorry about that, that was the first thing that popped into mah head and so I just went with it.” She knelt down and held her hand out. “Here, can ya git up?”

“Y-yeah, I think so… God above, that hurt so much.” Raaja groaned, grabbing onto Applejack’s hand and hoisting himself up. Once he was able to keep his stomach from feeling like it was leaping into his throat, he gave a shake of his body before looking at the girls. “Geez, you really went pretty crazy back there, didn’t you Applejack? Don’t ever do that again. If you try I will despise you for eternity”. “Okay okay Raaja.” Applejack said sheepishly, blushing in embarrassment as the tiger sent an ashen faced look at her. In an attempt to get the heat turned away from her, she quickly changed the subject to the tree. “So? How does the tree look, Raaja? Ya think it’s good enough for us to hide in?”

“It’s… a bit crowded from where I’m standing.” Raaja replied, his annoyance turning to calculation as he observed the tree. “The branches all look really packed together, and it looks like it’ll be a bit hard to move around. But it does seem relatively safe for you to hide in for the night until the next morning. We may end up having to encounter some baboons or a leopard or two, but that’s nothing that we can’t handle.” He reared up and placed his paws on the tree, feeling as much of it as he could. “The only problem is how we’re going to get up there.”

“Yeah, Ah was actually gonna ask ya ‘bout that.” Applejack murmured, playing with some of her hair. “No offense to ya Raaja, but ya ain’t exactly climbin’ material. Just like ya mentioned, and how mah friend Fluttershy told me, the leopard is the only Big Cat that’re really made fer climbin’. And while I’m sure you can somewhat climb yerself, however limited it is, it don’t look like you can get very high. So … how’re ya gonna git us up there?”

“…I… have an idea how to get all three of us in this tree…” Raaja replied quietly, looking off to the side. “Although, that means doing something else in front of you two. Or rather… revealing something to you guys.”

“Revealing something?” Rainbow’s brows rose in interest. “Reveal what?”

Baagh Raaja gave no reply, pushing himself off of the tree and slowly stepping from the two girls. He stared at them for a moment as if they had suddenly drawn weapons on him while they stared back with looks of inquisitiveness. His eyes trailed to the ground as his paws shifted this way and that, his tail giving nervous swings. A tense round of silence descended upon the trio as Raaja struggled to find the words for what he was going to say next as to try to soften what was soon going to come. Finally, he sighed and let his eyes pierce into the two girls’ own, replying to Rainbow’s question with just two three simple words.

“Prepare to be amazed.”

A bright blue aura suddenly appeared around the tiger’s body. The misty aura travelled from his nose to his tail as his fur floated like he was under water. Rainbow Dash and Applejack recoiled, and were about to ask what was going on, only for something else to catch their eye. Baagh Raaja had started to change.

“What in tarnation?” Applejack breathed.

No other words other than those could describe the feelings both girls had as they watched the tiger transform before their very eyes. His striped orange fur receded within his body, being replaced by human skin with enough tan to confirm he liked to be out in the sun for long periods of time. The paws making up Raaja’s feet grew thinner and longer, the toes growing shorter while the claws grew duller and gave way to human toes, fingers and nails. His tail grew shorter and retreated while his whiskers vanished into his cheeks, his ears turning to that of a human’s. Finally, his clothing and hair appeared, with the clothing being that of a wildebeest’s hide while the hair was a deep silky chocolate brown going down to his shoulders; the color matching his now brown eyes. The one thing that remained as any proof of his former appearance was the large slash marks going across his face, letting the girls know just who exactly this human man was.

“Holy crap…” Rainbow whispered, the feeling of the wind blowing in her face pulling her out of her stupor as if telling her to focus. “Baagh Raaja… is that you?”

“In the flesh,” Raaja stated, shrugging as he gave a little smile with a single fang poking from the corner of his mouth. “Pretty shocking, I know. Bet you weren’t really expecting me to have a human form as well, were you? And this is what I was going to do until someone chucked me in the air.”

“No! We were definitely not!” Applejack shouted, the sudden rising in her volume causing a few nearby guinea fowl to take to the air. “Ah mean look at you! One minute you’re this big hulkin’ cat that can probably take down the strongest horses back at mah farm, and the next minute yer this hulk of a man that could probably give mah big brother a run fer his money! How’re you even able to go into that form at all?!

Raaja pursed his lips. “It’s… something that I can’t really put into words. It’s not something that’s super hard for me to do, but it’s not easy to explain either. It’s just… something that I can do at will. One second I’m like this, and the next second, I can be what you all just saw. Like a metamorphosis, kind of like a Skinwalker, you know what I mean?”

“Huh… while I don’t know what the heck a Skinwalker is, I think I can get what you’re saying,” Rainbow replied, looking Raaja up and down and taking in his lean, yet muscular appearance. “I have to say Raaja, you look really badass. Didn’t think you’d be this good looking. If you were back where me and AJ live, there’s no doubt girls in CHS would be all over you.”

“Oh, please spare me the flattery,” Raaja snorted giving a wave of his hand. “While I’m sure that the women where you’re from would be all over me in this form, I’d rather not indulge in that possibility. I don’t really like being in this form anywhere near as much as I do my tiger form.” A frown came to his face as his lips curled back, giving a snarl that was almost like that of a tiger’s. “As a matter of a fact, I hate it.”

“You… hate it?” Applejack asked in surprise, not at all expecting to hear those words from the now human tiger’s mouth. Before Applejack could ask him to elaborate, something clicked in her mind, and her eyes went from perplexed to understanding. “Oh… wait… I suppose that it has to do with the, um… things humans do to the animals?”

“Something along those lines.” Raaja nodded, softness returning to his face. “Never mind, it’s not really important. If you want to know more details, I’ll tell you about it later. You wanted to get up the tree, right?”

“Er, yeah Ah did.” Applejack uneasily rubbed one arm. “Are ya… gonna carry me up there?”

“Yes, that was the original plan.” Raaja said, taking a few steps closer as he turned around and knelt down. “Go on and get on. Don’t worry about weighing me down. I’m a pretty strong guy, so I shouldn’t have any problem carrying you.”

“Alright then, if ya say so.” Applejack nodded, walking over and leaning in behind Raaja. As she wrapped her arms and legs around his neck and waist, she suddenly asked, “Wait, so how’re ya gonna actually climb up this here tree in this new form? I don’t doubt you can climb other trees but this one looks pretty darn smooth. Got any fancy tools for that?”

Raaja said nothing. He just grinned as he looked back at the farmer, holding his hands out and swinging them downward. Immediately, his nails extended and turned into the claws of a cat, curved, sleek, and sharp; perfect tools for climbing. Wordlessly he leapt up the side of the tree and dug his claws in, his toenails turning into claws to do the same. Almost as if he was still a tiger, he began to climb up the tree, moving with surprising swiftness as his claws stabbed into the smooth bark. He continued this way until he reached the branches, grabbing one of them and hoisting both of them up.

“Whoa nelly, that was fast!” Applejack praised him as Raaja set her down on the ground. “Who knew that you were such a good climber! I mean, I had a feelin’ you were good, but land sakes”

“It wasn’t that hard really,” Raaja murmured, resting on one of the branches. “I’ve been doing tree climbing for all of my life, both in my tiger and human form. And while I prefer one over the other, I find it pretty useful to be able to climb in either one” He grinned at her. “And besides, it’s not like you were that hard to carry up this tree anyway.”

“Uh, what do ya mean by that?” Applejack asked, brows furrowing in confusion. “Are ya sayin’ that Ah’m skinny?”

‘Ah shit. I forgot that women were sensitive about their weight. Dammit Baagh Raaja!’ Raaja thought, mentally kicking himself for being so careless with his words. “No of course not. I’ve just saying that with you holding onto me like you did, it made it a lot easier to carry you.”

“Yep! It totally would’ve!” Rainbow Dash suddenly piped up, appearing right behind the duo. “I mean, who in their right mind would try to climb up a tree with only their feet while carrying someone in their arms?!”

“What…?! What in the…?! How did you get up here?!” Raaja shouted after managing to get his heart back to beating at a considerable rate. “You were standing all the way down there! A forty-foot drop! How in the hell did you climb up so quickly?!”

“Uh, I didn’t climb. I ran.” Rainbow rolled her eyes before tapping at her gemstone. “And I have Equestrian Magic, remember? As well as super speed? I just used that once you guys managed to find a good spot up here. Granted, I could’ve just waited until you came down to get me up here, but…” She gave a little shrug along with a laugh. “…well, AJ knows how I am at this point. Not really willing to wait around for anything!”

“Oh, right… forgot about that,.” Raaja muttered, his disbelief quickly deflating. As Applejack gave Rainbow Dash a heated look, the transformed man looked down at the bottom of the tree, muttering under his breath. “And just when I forgot that you guys had magic and used it to fight off those Homotherium that we ran into earlier. My mind really is all over the place today.”

“Eeyup, ya really are hon’.” Applejack chuckled, patting Raaja’s hairy head before the warning look that he sent her made her stop. “Anyway, what should we do now? We got ourselves a good spot t’ keep outta danger, and we don’t really have to worry about losin’ sleep. Should we start buildin’ a shelter ‘in case it start’s rainin’ or’ somethin’ tries t’ git us?”

“Well, you don’t have to worry about it raining fer one. It’s the middle of dry season so we won’t be seeing even a drop of water for the next three and a half months,” Raaja replied, swinging his legs like he was a little boy on a tire swing. “Still, it would be a good idea if you two built a shelter to keep yourselves comfortable. And to make sure that no leopard or baboons try to get in and give you a scare. As for me, I’m going to go see if I can find us some backup.”

“Backup?” Applejack stopped in her reach for a fruit that she saw within the giant tree. “You mean there are more like you ‘round this here savanna?”

“I don’t know,” Baagh Raaja confirmed, looking out into the sky. “But there are plenty of predators out here. While they’re not as big in numbers as the poachers, they're pretty abundant. When I mention our situation to them, I’m sure I can get at least a few predators to help. With that said, maybe it’s not such a bad thing we were in the Titan Pride’s territory.”

“You’re really gonna try to convince those guys to help us?” Rainbow guessed, watching as Raaja nodded. “How do you know that they’ll be able to help us? I mean, not that I doubt that you’ll be able to convince them, but from our first encounter with you, you’re not someone who likes being around humans very much. And I get the feeling that these allies of yours feel the same way.”

“Yeah, they kind of are,” Raaja replied, giving a little smile. “Believe it or not, it’s actually our job to guard the stone from those who intend to use its powers for their own purpose. I understand that you’re apprehensive about meeting them, but you shouldn’t worry about that too much. Once I explain why you’re really here, they’re bound to help. Or at the very least be civil once they know that you’re not a threat.”

“I really hope ya do, sugarcube,” Applejack said nervously. “After the fight we had with you today, the last thing Ah want is a bunch o’ cats trying to turn me into some sort o’ chew toy. Mah dog Winona has more than enough o’ those back home. Ah do not want her t’ have to use me like one too. Not even in th’ next eight lifetimes o’ mah Granny Smith.”

“I’ll be sure that they don’t do that.,” Baagh Raaja said, his tone half playful and half serious as he rolled his eyes. He then got up and stretched, closing his eyes as the blue aura from before appeared around his body again. “Alright, I’ll head off now. Make sure you have that shelter built by the time I get back, and don’t come down from the tree unless it’s an absolute emergency. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Sure thing, dude,.” Rainbow Dash said as Raaja made his way down the tree. “Try not to get yourself too banged up okay? Me and AJ had enough of that happen to us, and we really don’t want a tough guy like you to have his ass handed to him. So make sure you come back to us in one piece, alright?”

“Right back at you.” Raaja nodded, almost a little fist pump to the athlete, but drew his arm back, making Rainbow raise an eyebrow. With a salute, he pushed himself off of the tree, turning around and stretching his body out as he underwent another transformation. No sooner did he hit the ground he was back into his tiger form again, as if he never even turned human in the first place. With a final wave to the girls, he took off into the grove in search of allies, leaving Applejack and Rainbow Dash to make their nightly shelter.

‘Alright, now that that’s taken care off, let’s see if I can find some reinforcements, ’Baagh Raaja thought as he sped his way through the trees. ‘You sit tight Bladed Claw! I’m coming for you and your little group of cronies! When I do, I’m going to make you pay for all you’ve done to me all those years ago, Just you wait, you bastard!’