Acceptance

by _Al_Coda_

An Unexpected Sighting

Tabby hopped across the yard and into a large cave hidden behind the trees, inside the cave slept a relatively small bear, with a light brown colored coat. Tabby stood in the entrance of the cave looking down at the bear “Hazel” the tom whisper, trying to wake her up

Her ear flicked which gave the cat a sign she could hear him “Hazel,” he said with a slightly louder tone of voice “I know you can hear me”

The bear grumbled softly “Yes, I can, and I'm trying to ignore you” she shifted to lay on her side, facing away from the tom

“Well, I wouldn’t advise that” he said impatience creeping into his tone

“Oh? And why is that?” She asked sarcastically

The Tom sighed heavily “Now I know what Reginald feels like,” he rasped under his breath before turning his attention back to the bear that laid in front of him “Discord, has a job for us…and it’s important” he told her

“If it’s so important then why didn’t he come and asked me himself?” She spoke

“He’s…all I know is that he can’t come down here and that he sent me to ask you” at this point Tabby was started to get annoyed with the young bear

She groaned loud before rolling onto her stomach and rising to her feet “Alright, alright I’m up, what does Discord need anyway?”

“There are five ponies, heading here as we speak, and we need to...push them in the right direction” he explained

“What do you mean ‘the right direction’? Why don’t we just chase them out?” she asked

“It’s...a long story, that I would be glad to tell you, but we don’t have time! And besides, I'm not the best at explaining things,” he admitted “now come on, I have a plan” and with that he turned and trotted out of the cave, Hazel following closely behind

Hazel made her way out of the cave and looked down at the determined tabby cat, “Alright, what's your plan”

Tabby smirked “Alright here what were gonna do”

After a minute or so of explaining from Tabby, Hazel finally spoke “Ok, let me get this straight, you're going to do a whole monologue for a stallion who can supposedly understand us and on my que I jump out and chase them towards the mountains, because there are magical gems that power pony magic and they have to find them in the next 36 hours (about 1 and a half days) or else?” she asked summing up the plan

“Yes” he responded

“Or else what?” she said

He shrugged “Beats me, all I know is that there on a timed run”

“And were doing this instead of letting them find it themselves because...?” she asked

“Well, Discord doesn’t want them snooping around the cottage” he replied

“And?” she pushed, a grin appearing on her muzzle

The tom rolled his eyes “And Discord threatened to shave me” he mumbled

The bear snickered at his statement “Really? Wow that is just brutal...I know how much love your fur”

“Don’t you mock me baby bear” he snapped

“Ok, sheesh, don’t get your tail in a knot” she replied

Tabby growled before he made his way to the side of the cottage “Ok so you know your que?”

She scoffed “Of course, you go out their put on you little show then when you say, ‘to late’ I pop out and send them running for the hills,” she laughed “well, mountains, but same thing”

“Ok now all we have to do is lie in wait” he said

She looked out and through the thick green of the forest. She pawed at the cats back careful, as not to hurt him with her large paw “Not for much longer” she whispered

Tabby gazed in the same direction as the bear only to see the ponies they had been waiting for

“Is that them?” Hazel questioned

“Yes, it is” he confirmed, he stretched his arms and shoulders and looked over to the newcomers “Alright, it’s show time!”

Five minutes earlier

Sunny looked up from her map and saw a small source of light through the trees “Hey guys, looks like we’re almost out of the forest” she yelled behind her, she sped up her pace and the rest followed, they eventually broke through the bushes and into the light and the sight they laid their eyes on left them in shock, an old cottage that seemed to be withering away, rapped in vines, twigs and flowers dancing around the scenery, where they stood held a beautiful piece of history. Sunny went to take a step forward but stopped when she heard a growl come from the side of the cottage

Hitch looked over to where the sound had come from trying to see if the was anything there, soon the large tabby cat had jumped out from the shrubs and started to hiss and yowl at the group

Sunny looked back at the Stallion “Hitch, what is he saying?!”

“He’s telling us to run? I-I can't tell, he’s going too fast!” Hitch said

The cat then whipped around and started hiss in the direction he had came

Hitch cocked his head “too late?” he repeated

“What does that mean?” Pipp asked

Suddenly the brown bear had broken from the bushes with a loud roar, and started charging at them

“RUN!” Sunny screamed and with that they all bolted in the direction opposite of the charging bear

Tabby jumped up onto the bears back as she ran by, tightly holding onto the fur on her neck “Hey! Watch the claws!” she yelled back at him

“Sorry” he said loosening his grip, the two continued running until all five ponies were back in the everfree. After a few moments of waiting Tabby let out a sigh of relief and rest on Hazels back “We did it, at this rate they should find the crystals in no time!”

Hazel chuckled “Glab I could save your fur Tabby”

“Ha ha, very funny” he said sarcastically

This just caused her to laugh even more as she turned back in the direction of the cottage, “They still have time too, with also have to put in to play that those mountains are one of the greatest mazes we’ve ever seen” she said

“Discord said that those ponies are pretty smart,” he answered “they should be able to find their way, and besides they still have the magic lantern, we did our part, now they just have to finish theirs”

“You know for a house cat your pretty wise” Hazel said

The tom laughed “Aw, that’s the nicest thing you’ve said to me all day”

“Don’t get used to it kitty cat” she said

He smiled and rolled his eyes “Oh don’t worry I won't”

“Good”

They both laughed as they made their way back to the cottage to tell Discord the good news