The Lone Wolf of Equestria

by JNKing

Chapter 10: One Step Forward...

Author's Note:

This used to be a much longer chapter, but I was worried it was too long, and split it into two parts. I'm going to upload the second part of this chapter tomorrow.

As for what happens in it, well, Logan's tough, but he's still... well, I can't really say 'human,' but he's not invincible. This is pretty much him getting a chance to show what's going on in his head.

If anyone thinks he's being too much of a brat, I'm hoping this'll let you see he's more than just a defiant little wolf pup.

Let me know what you think. Thanks again.

Two days later

Fluttershy sat tending to her favorite rabbit, when she was distracted by a knock on her door. Opening it revealed Pinkie Pie, who was glancing around with a nervous air.

“Oh, hello Pinkie Pie,” Fluttershy said.

“Hi, Fluttershy,” Pinkie said, though she lacked her usual energy, and kept looking around the cottage. “Say… you haven’t seen Logan by any chance, have you? Twilight’s been asking about him… and… I kinda wanted to talk to him.”

Fluttershy’s ears flattened. “No,” she admitted, “He’s been keeping to himself mostly.” She raised a hoof before Pinkie’s ears could flatten. “I mean, he’s eating what I leave out for him. Though… he really needs his space right now.” She tilted her head. “Why? Did he do something?”

“Well, Lyra and Bon Bon came back from Canterlot,” Pinkie explained. “Apparently, Logan tried to talk to Lyra, but she was all like, ‘nu-uh.’ Then, when Logan tried to press it, Bon Bon made his collar bring him back to Twilight. But he just ran away. Hasn’t said anything to any pony.” Pinkie shrugged. “That’s the most any of us have seen of him. Twilight’s really getting worried.”

Fluttershy hummed, before both of them noticed an odd glow emanating from the forest.

“That must be him,” Fluttershy said, moving out of her cottage. “Here, let me talk to him before you.”

“Oh, before you do,” Pinkie said, before handing Fluttershy a plate. Where she had been keeping it, Fluttershy had no idea. But the plate held seven cupcakes, all stamped with letters and arranged to form the letters ‘I’m Sorry.’ Before Fluttershy could ask why, Pinkie gave the glowing forest another glance, and disappeared back towards town.

Giving a soft sigh at Pinkie’s antics, Fluttershy walked deeper into the woods. She had caught glimpses of Logan before, along with his odd glow. From what she could figure, he was doing something that made his paws light up with what she could only describe as unicorn magic. Yet whenever he heard her approaching, he shot away.

This time, however, whatever he was doing had his attention. Enough that Fluttershy could draw closer to him. His tail was wagging, and he was starting to chuckle as bolts of energy began to crisscross around his front paws.

“Come on…” he muttered, the glow brightening, “C’mon!”

CRACKLE-BOOM!

Logan nearly leaped out of his fur as a lightning bolt shot from his paws, thankfully avoiding any of the trees. Fluttershy herself nearly upended the plate she was carrying, but Logan’s reaction put hers to shame. He nearly careened into her with a yelp of terror, redirecting himself in time to run into a tree instead. Looking back down, he found that the glow had faded from his front paws. Fluttershy moaned in pity as Logan’s expression just… wilted.

His head bowed, and his tail tucked. And in the shadows of a small spruce tree, he sounded his eerie howl. Unlike before, where the trees themselves had seemed to dance to his strange magic, the trees almost seemed to droop, their branches not exactly clashing, and more tapping morosely. This was not a howl of joy; it was a howl of sorrow. Fluttershy whimpered as his song continued, filling her with a feeling of… almost hopelessness.

His ears flicked when Fluttershy tried to approach again, and his howl died down, slowly being replaced by a warning growl.

“Um… sorry… to disturb you,” she said, “But… Pinkie Pie left these for you.”

She set the plate down next to him. Logan glanced indifferently down at her gift.

“It’s… Pinkie Pie's way, but…” Fluttershy briefly tried to explain, only for Logan to take the cakes and move away from her. Fluttershy watched, twitching with worry, as Logan proceeded to dig a hole, flinging dirt onto the cupcakes without care.

“Oh, uh, that’s not exactly sanitary…” Fluttershy tried to say, before Logan finished his digging. Without a single word, he dumped the cupcakes into the hole. He then proceeded to fill the hole before noticing the dirt streaked plate; a pretty thing that looked like it was made of china. Logan picked the plate up, his muscles tensing like he was preparing to snap it in half, but then he noticed Fluttershy again. He walked back over to her, and wordlessly handed the plate back to her. Fluttershy took it, flinching away from him, while he moved away from where he had buried Pinkie’s apology gift, and continued his howl, the color fading from the environment around him.

“Please, Logan,” Fluttershy whimpered, going after him, “Don’t push me away. I hate seeing animals in pain.”

She tried to touch him, but he jumped away when her hoof brushed his back. She squeaked and flinched back at the look of pure malice that flashed across his eyes before he got control of himself.

“Don’t… touch me there,” he growled, before turning away.

“Logan,” Fluttershy whimpered, “It’s me.” He glared back at her. “It’s Fluttershy.” His eyes didn’t betray his emotion as she sat next to him. “Please let me help. What’s wrong?”

At first, Logan said nothing. But, as he took in Fluttershy’s eyes, his ears flicked from side to side, his anger turned to resignation, and he let out a small sigh.

“Everything,” Logan replied, his voice cracking, “Celestia just sees me as some stupid kid.”

Fluttershy almost protested, but decided to let him vent.

“She’s going to keep me here while my pack dies; she doesn’t get how horrible the humans in my world are.” He looked up at the sky. “While I’m sitting here, enjoying… this,” he indicated the surrounding forest, “My pack’s suffering.” His head bowed. “And I can’t do anything to help them.” His eyes shut. “Why did it have to be me? I didn’t earn… paradise.” His eyes shut. “I should’ve been left… or maybe shot, like Pinkie tried to do.”

Fluttershy gasped. “No,” she said soothingly, her hoof running over his head, careful to avoid his back. “What Pinkie did was terrible; a prank like that… and right after you apologized for her promise…”

“Oh, yeah,” Logan noted, “And apparently, apologies are worthless. Bon Bon and Pinkie Pie proved that much, didn’t they?”

Fluttershy tilted her head, “You… were trying to apologize to Bon Bon?”

“Not to Bon Bon,” he said, “To Lyra.” His head dipped. “I put her in danger; probably got her in trouble. And all for something that would’ve hurt her in the long run anyway.” He sighed. “But they don’t care. Lyra just left me in the dust, and Bon Bon sent me away with this stupid collar.” He tugged at the metal device around his neck before his head and ears drooped. “What’s the point of apologizing if it doesn’t bring forgiveness?”

Fluttershy was silent at first. “Well, I’m not sure about Lyra and Bon Bon, but about Sugarcube Corner…,” Fluttershy started to say. She almost winced as Logan locked eyes with her. “Logan, I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you, I only…”

“You didn’t tell me about the cannon,” he noted, “Because she would’ve done the same to you, right?”

“She made me Pinkie Promise not to spoil the surprise.” She shrugged. “I just saw her react to you breaking one of those promises.” She shuddered. “She’s so scary when she gets like that.”

“Even if you apologize for it, apparently,” Logan grumbled.

Fluttershy nodded. “Listen. I talked to Twilight about it,” she offered, “Even… with everything else going on, I can at least make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

“Who cares?” Logan asked resigned, “I’m a wolf among horses, the one always in the wrong.” He thumbed at the collar around his neck. “I worry about my people, and I get punished for it.”

“Logan…” Fluttershy said, heart-broken, but Logan wasn’t listening.

“She sent that… dream demon… Luna,” he said.

Fluttershy gasped. “Princess Luna?” she asked.

“She burrowed into my mind,” Logan whimpered, “Forced me to relieve my worst memories…”

Fluttershy was beyond horrified. “Is… that why it took so long to wake you?” she asked, “Why you were having nightmares?”

He said nothing, opting to look away. “Why did I have to be brought here?” he asked no one in particular, “No one wants me here.”

“That’s not true,” Fluttershy insisted, “I want you here; temper and all.” Her eyes brightened, “And so do the Crusaders.”

“Crusaders?”

“Apple Bloom? Sweetie Belle? Scootaloo?” she asked, “You helped save Apple Bloom from bullies before you left. You stood up for her when no pony else wanted to make it their problem. No pony else would have done that.”

Logan’s tail wagged. “Well,” he said vacantly, “My father always did tell me; never let the oppressed or bullied be left alone in their struggle. Any form of tyranny is to be fought against; every victim you should at least try to save.”

Fluttershy smiled. “He sounds like a wonderful wolf,” she said. “I wish I could’ve met him.”

Logan’s warm expression faded. His tail tucked.

“But you won’t be able to,” he noted.

Fluttershy tilted her head, but before she could say anything, Logan’s eyes began to glow, and he recited the moment in an eerie monotone.

“We had thought we were safe. Our pack was parked in a field next to a river. We were dumb to think we could stay out in such open terrain.

The humans came, followed by hounds that had betrayed our cause. I remember… running. Ducking through and underneath fights. We were doing okay, but then my dad broke free. He saw one of the hounds that had betrayed us; his face was one of rage.”

“Logan?”

“He charged the hound head on; pursuing him to the edge of the river. And as he bore down on the hound, a human leaped out from the water like some sort of water demon. A cannon’s barrel was pointed at my father…”Logan’s voice cracked. “And…”

“Logan, stop!” Fluttershy said, grabbing hold of him, “It's just a memory, okay? It's just a memory."

Small sobs tried to force themselves from his choked throat, as Fluttershy once again stroked at his back, shushing him softly. In that moment, it was so easy to see what his defiance clouded; the fact that he was still a puppy. A child forced to grow far past his age.

“I miss him,” he admitted, his head resting into Fluttershy’s mane. “Moons and stars, Fluttershy… I miss him so bad.”

“Don’t worry, Logan,” Fluttershy promised, “The rest of your pack is still out there. They’re still waiting for you. And I don’t know when we’re going to get you back to them… but I’ll always be there for you until we do.”

Logan said nothing, but instead wrapped his forelegs around her. And for some time, the two just sat there, locked in each other’s embrace.

#

The next morning, Logan found himself wandering back through town. The ponies gave him a wide berth, but he wasn’t there for them. Although, a couple of raised voices drew his attention. He trotted over to a corner on the marketplace, where an angry looking Applejack was standing between Apple Bloom and a very livid Diamond Tiara.

“I didn’t say ANYTHING to her,” Diamond Tiara was whining.

“I ain’t inclined to believe ya,” Applejack was saying, “Now go on and git before I tell your pa that you were messing with my sister again!”

Diamond Tiara stamped her hoof and turned away with a childish huff. Though her spin put her eye to eye with Logan. She froze up, her face mixing fear and rage together in an interesting combination, before she took a side route, and vanished from sight. Applejack and Apple Bloom caught sight of Logan as well. Though, while Applejack ducked her eyes away, Apple Bloom’s brightened with hope.

“Logan!” she cheered, charging for him. As he managed to avoid getting bowled over, his tail wagged and a smile graced his snout.

“Hey,” he replied, letting her nuzzle at him before pulling away, “You doing any better?” he asked.

“Oh, loads,” Apple Bloom said, glancing back with a smile at Applejack, who gave her a nod and smile. “Ever since ya called out the town, ponies have been treating me and my friends differently. And they don’t let Diamond Tiara or Silver Spoon anywhere near us.”

“Well,” Logan admitted, “It wasn’t like I did it alone.” He grinned at her, “You kept them from calling me a liar. Thanks for that.”

Apple Bloom grinned. “Hey, anything to stop Diamond Tiara from getting her way,” she noted.

“Still,” Logan said, “If there’s anything you or your friends need, I’m willing to help.”

Apple Bloom’s ears perked, as did her bow, interestingly enough.

“Well…” she started to say, before another voice cut her off.

“There he is,” Scootaloo’s voice cheered, “The main canine himself.”

Logan noticed Apple Bloom’s two friends race over as well. They were watched from a distance by both Rarity and Rainbow Dash, who exchanged nervous glances when Logan caught their eyes. Though he didn’t have time for them, as the three fillies gathered before him.

“Hey Apple Bloom,” Sweetie Belle asked, “Did you tell him?”

“I was about to…” she said.

“Tell me what?” Logan asked, intrigued.

The three glanced at each other before Scootaloo stepped forward.

“Listen, Logan,” Scootaloo said, catching his attention, “What you said for Apple Bloom was really awesome – y’know, for some ‘one’ who isn’t Rainbow Dash – but, we still kinda wanna figure out what our cutie marks are. And… I couldn’t help but notice you didn’t really understand what they were.”

Logan tilted his head. “Well,” he explained, “Where I come from, marks get branded on you as a sign of servitude.” He winced at their equal expressions of pain and shock. “So, yeah, not a very pleasant experience.”

“Well, it doesn’t quite work that way here,” Sweetie Belle said, “Here, ‘cutie’ marks are magically granted when a pony figures out what he or she wants to do with their life.”

“Oh. Alright,” Logan said, “So… what do you want to do with your lives?”

“That…” Apple Bloom responded, “We don’t know.”

“But… you seem to know a lot of stuff,” Scootaloo said, “You don’t think you could give us some pointers, do you?”

Logan brushed the fur on his chin. “Well, not sure what I can really give,” Logan admitted, “I don’t know much beyond hunting and fighting, but…”

“Hunting?” Scootaloo asked, “Like... hunting for treasure?”

Logan had to pause for a minute. “A certain ‘kind’ of treasure,” he rectified.

“Well, it’s better than nothing,” Sweetie Belle clarified. And together, to Logan’s surprise, the three clapped their hooves together.

“Cutie Mark Crusaders Hunters!” the chanted in earnest. Just as quick as they had spun away, they spun back towards Logan.

“So…” Apple Bloom said expectantly, “How can we become hunters?”

Logan stared at them for a second, his tail swishing back and forth. Then, his eyes brightened.

“I got an idea,” he replied.

Comments

[AstralFlare42]

Crusaders: *watches Logan hunt*
Crusaders (in their respective homes): *barfs as siblings assure them that it's ok and they didn't know*