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Prologue: An Unfamiliar Artifact753 words
Chapter 1: Apples and Timberwolves1,034 words

Chapter 1: Apples and Timberwolves

This was the last place Steven had ever expected to wake up in. It was a dark and gloomy forest. Smelt of swamp and earth. At least it wasn’t the desert. Sitting up with a groan, he held his head. Trying to figure out where they were.

“Marc,” he began, looking around the place. “Where are we?”

No response. Great. Was the guy knocked out again? He didn’t hurt though. Plus he couldn’t taste blood. Was he being ignored? Looking around, Steven noticed things looked a bit more, strange than normal. The trees seemingly reached in towards him. The darkness barely being broken by the moon shining above. Crickets chirped as he began to feel for his phone. Nothing. Nothing but fur where his phone once sat. Fur?

Looking down, Steven could barely make out his legs. Seemingly cat legs and paws were replacing his normal human legs. He couldn’t make out much detail. Snorting, he thought it was a bad joke.

“Nice job, Marc. Wearing another costume to spy on people I see.”

He began to feel around his legs for a zipper but found none. Strange. Catching a glimpse of his hand, it looked…different than before. Bringing it into the moonlight, he saw that they were now claws. Bird talons to be exact. Moving them around, he confirmed that they were attached to him. Copying every movement of his. Being a bit freaked out, he called out for his headmate.

“Marc? Please, tell me this is a joke.”

‘Ugh,’ Marc groaned. ‘What? Where…where are we?’

Sighing, Steven saw his pocket mirror laying wide open on the dirt. Grabbing it, he looked at Marc. The man was now completely different than before. Instead of the normal human he was, he was a griffin. A raven and white tiger griffin to be exact.

“Are we dreaming?” Steven asked as he looked around. “But I thought…but you…we…”

‘Looks like we aren’t,” Marc responded. ‘It’s too real to look like a dream.’

“But we're a griffin, Marc. What world would it be if we’re a griffin?”

He saw the other thinking of a response when a branch cracked behind them. Turning around, Steven saw a pair of glowing yellow eyes looking at them. Almost instinctively, the cat ears on his head flattened back in fear. His tiger tail puffing out. A low howl echoed through the woods.

“Oh god, it’s one of those jackals.”

Steven went to stand up but fell on his face. This new body seemingly does not like walking on two legs. Struggling to stand on all fours, Steven kept a close eye on those eyes. Once he stood up, he felt like a calf learning to walk. Holding the pocket mirror in one talon. His legs buckled into themselves. The eyes still staring at him as he tried to get ahold of this new form. Finally, after a quick few seconds, Steven was standing. Looking at the eyes, they had multiplied. Now, three pairs stared at him. A pack was forming.

‘Run you fool!’

Steven didn’t need to be told twice. Khonshu’s voice gave him enough oomph to start running the other way. He couldn’t see anything though. The forest is almost completely dark. Relying on the moon to guide his way. Marc shouted at him to let him switch in. To fight off these creatures. Steven wasn’t listening though. Too panicked by all the howling and growling he heard behind him. Nearly running into trees and other plant life that lived in the forest as he ran.

After what felt like hours, Steven found a path leading out of the forest. He could either lose them out there or give Marc a chance to switch in. Panting, he pushed himself towards the exit. The growling and howling getting closer.

“Please please please,” Steven begged himself. “Keep going. You’re almost there.”

He then broke the forest boundaries and collapsed into a heap. The howling getting closer and closer.

“MARC!”

Before the other could switch in, he heard someone shout in a southern drawl.

“Hey, you beasts! Pick on someone your own size!”

As the creatures broke the forest, Steven saw that they were completely made of wood. Eyes glowing with some kind of magic? They were in the shape of wolves and much bigger than one too. The beasts stopped at the edge of the forest. Growling at him and whoever shouted. Suddenly, there was a new person next to him. Well, horse. They were orange in color with blond hair. Swinging a lasso above their head with their mouth. They then threw the rope towards a rock then flung it at the wolves.

The one in front howled in surprise as it collapsed into a pile of wood. The rock crushing everything it once was. Growling, the other two wolves weren’t scared off and began to approach. Steven was going to offer to help but the pony seemed to have it handled. Using the rock from before to crush the other two. All without breaking a sweat. As Steven lay there, he began to catch his breath.

“What were those?”

“Timberwolves,” the pony responded. “I’m surprised you haven’t heard of them. Most dangerous creatures of the Everfree.”

“The what?”

“Man, you must have really hit your head if you don’t know about the Everfree. The name’s Applejack! You are?”

“Oh uh, Steven,” he told her. “Steven Grant. I’m uh not from around here. Just blew in.”

“Well, you’re lucky I was here. Those timberwolves would have eaten you right up. But I best be going. My family must be wondering where I am.”

“Wait!” Steven shouted but then cringed into himself. “I…I don’t have a place to stay. I…was lost longer than I thought in there.”

Applejack stopped and looked at him. She seemed to be thinking long and hard about having him over. She then sighed.

“I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to have you over for the night. We are always happy to have a guest over.”

Steven jumped up from where he was and walked over to her.

“Oh thank you so much. Is there anything I can do to repay you?”

“Don’t worry about it. Apple’s honor.”