Child of the Swamp

by Topazzia

Chapter 11

Starlight had no idea where she was walking to, but she led her group into a large clearing. At the far side across from the circle of huts, was a massive rock, with a much bigger “hut” that melded with it.

Sitting in front of the boulder however was worrying, forcing Starlight to stop in the middle of the clearing.

The Kelpie looked up, and straightened the posture of his sit. This Kelpie was big, not like the others. He was clearly the dominant, some kind of alpha. He wore the same white lines over his massive bulging muscles, and hugged round bones that showed under his thick fur.

This Kelpie was easily as tall as an Alicorn, but his build was like a Yak, or a Buffalo even.

He looked at each pony, eyes large and tired. He smiled, teeth like Dragon’s, the air was filled with a calm rumble as he attempted a greeting, growling as he gestured with a wide hoof.

Fluttershy hesitated, trembling at the sight of this almost mythically proportioned creature, and all the Kelpies staring at her.

Starlight prodded her with a hoof, “Come on, say something.” She whispered, glancing at the slowly approaching viewers.

The Pegasus took a deep breath, “Um, we come in peace?”
The Massive Kelpie looked at her, not moving. His gaze went over each pony, becoming more confused.

Starlight looked back at the small crowd that had formed, several of the dark colored equines sneeking up, brushing along the ground to sniff the at the strangers.

Only a couple bushed out their fur, standing tall and lashing their tails. One of the stallions doing so shuffled close enough to Apple Jack that the orange Earth Pony shot him a stern look, making the Kelpie step back with a surprised look in response.

Some of the gathered Kelpies lost interest quickly, either sliding back into the clay mounds through their small entrances, or just walking off into the shadows.

The rumbling from the larger Kelpie drew Starlight’s startled flinch, and Fluttershy’s nervousness as conversation began.

The stallion raised a hoof to himself, letting out low clicks and growling from deep in his throat. Fluttershy paused, forcing herself to speak. “Oh, okay. Um, I’m Fluttershy.”

Starlight leaned close to whisper, “What did he say?”
She looked at the Unicorn, “This is ‘Crush’, he’s the Tribe Chief.”
Starlight’s ears pricked up, “Oh, can you ask him about Mud?”

Fluttershy nodded curtly, “I’ll try.”

Crush growled, tilting his head as he eyed the Pegasus with question. Fluttershy gestured to herself, “I’m a Pegasus.”

Crush’s brow lowered, becoming suspicious, growling another question.
Fluttershy became equally confused, “Um, well, I’m a Pegasus.” She extends her wings, “I don’t know how to explain it.”

Crush narrowed his eyes at Starlight and to Apple Jack, studying their appearance. Then he asked Fluttershy again.

She folds her wings, “We’re from Equestria.”
Crush stared, as wells as the other Kelpies.

Starlight looked around at the chirping between the murky creatures, “They’ve never heard of Equestria.”

Fluttershy raised a hoof to her chin, thinking only a moment. She looked up at Crush, “Pony Tribe…”
Crush angled his ears forward, pausing before grumbling more.

Fluttershy nodded, “There’s lots of us, entire cities even.”

At that, Crush narrowed his eyes, and shared glances with other Kelpies, all who were thinking the same thing. The Chief lowered his large head to meet Fluttershy’s level, letting a hostile growl rumble out.

The Pegasus eyed him with a hint of panic, “We’re here because we found one of you near our home.”

Suspicion gone, again, Crush’s eyes widened. Fluttershy went on, “Her name is Mud. Do you know her?”

Crush hesitated, straightening his posture. The look on his face showed he was thinking hard, but it was a different Kelpie stallion that growled in response.

Fluttershy looked over at the deep blue Kelpie, “We just found her, and she stayed with us for a couple days.”

Some of the Kelpies grumbled to each other, one of them stepping up to growl allowed.

Fluttershy looked at him, “Yes, she’s perfectly fine.”

That got some strange looks from the kelpies watching, some glares, and others becoming weary.
One stallion grumbled a question allowed, and a mare hissed in response, only making more Kelpies turn to the Ponies with hostility.

Several Kelpies began backing away, fur rising on their backs. The Crush looked around, becoming concerned.

Starlight leaned close to Fluttershy, “What’s happening?”
Fluttershy looks at her, “I don’t know, something’s wrong.”

A stallion thrust an accusing hoof to the Ponies, hissing at them, and to Chief Crush.

The big Kelpie growled loudly to the others, waving a hoof for silence.
Rainbow Dash stepped back, her extended wings blocking the Kelpies from Starlight and AJ. She looks back at Fluttershy, urging demandingly. “Do something!”

The Pegasus waves a hoof, to get Crush’s attention. “We’re not dangerous, we just wanted to find someone to help us.”

The big Kelpie growled, and showed his teeth.
Fluttershy hesitated, “Sick?” she backed against Starlight.

All the other Kelpies began lowering into pouncing stance.

Starlight projected a magic shield around them, just as a deep brown Kelpie stallion hit it with a thump after leaping over. The sudden magic filled the dark camp with pale blue light, Kelpies startled backed away and blinked in surprise.

Fluttershy stepped up to the barrier, looking out at the dozens of dark figures that hid in the shadows. “Stop! We’re not sick!”

Crush stood, and loomed over the small blue dome. He lifted a hoof to tap heavily on the top of it, then the other, setting himself onto his hind hooves. The massive Kelpie Chief raised his front hooves high into the air and behind his head.

Starlight stared in fear as the tree trunk like hooves came down and slammed on the shield.

There was a loud glass like crack, and long lines scoured the magic dome. Crush reared back again at the evilly amused Kelpies watching, and Starlight’s shock at the force of this stallion.

She threw out her hooves, sending the shield into a harmless wave of magic to knock anyone else off balance. Apple Jack swung around and grabbed Fluttershy, pulling her back and towards where they entered the camp. Starlight and Rainbow followed at a sprint, all eyes turning hostile at their bright distinguishable coats.

The murky water splashed up at Starlight’s sides, and the black algae covered trees blurred past as the Ponies galloped for their lives.

Howling sounded close enough for alarm, causing Starlight to look back. She saw at least a dozen dark shadows moving quickly a silently behind Apple Jack, who stayed at the back of the group.

The second Starlight looked forward again, in time to swerve around a thorn bush. It brought her closer to the edge of a wide creek, where she caught the glimpse of tow shining eyes under the silt stirred water.

The Unicorn ducked as a Kelpie flew out of the water, missing Starlight completely and hitting the ground.

The Ponies ran for a while, the pursuing creatures not even slowing, but instead they quickened, the gap between the two parties closing.

Apple Jack looked back, seeing the glints of narrowed eyes and open fangs only a few meters behind. She looks up to the other ponies, “Run faster!”

Starlight looks back, trying to think. She remembers the shield, and how the Kelpies must be used to the swamp being so dark. Starlight charges her horn, and shoots a flare spell into the ground ahead of her.

The small candle sparked and flamed, the pops and crackles growing over the few seconds it was left behind the sprinting ponies. Just as the Kelpies were a few hoofsteps from it, the flare exploded in the mud, sending the glowing dust into the air with a flash of blinding blue light.

The murky furred creatures yipped and squeaked with terror as they veered around the sudden fiery blast.

Daylight shone through the tree again as the ponies left the swamp, and into the forest they kept running.

Only a few of the Kelpies continued the chase, keeping a clear distance in case Starlight used another spell. But not for long, as they came into the forest, the Kelpies slowed.

As Apple Jack was the last to leap out of the overgrowth, Starlight looked back from the grass into the trees. Seeing not a single shadowy figure, or glowing eyes, she sighed. Starlight sat down with a thump, breathing heavily.

Fluttershy fell over, and Rainbow next to her. Apple Jack shook out her fur, taking her hat in her teeth and beat against her hoof.

Starlight looked back into the trees, then at the yellow Pegasus. “What happened back there?”
AJ flipped the hat back onto her head, “They clearly ain’t hospitable.”

Fluttershy sat up, looking confused. “I don’t know, they said we were… Infected with something?”
Starlight lifted a hoof to her horn, recalling how the Chief was able to crack the shield.

Rainbow Stands up, “Should go back? Tell them we’re not.”
Starlight looks at Apple Jack, the two shared the same look.
“No.” Starlight stands as well, “We’re not even prepared for this. We’ll have to come back later.”

Apple Jack nods, “We did what we came to do, we found the Kelpies. And they’re dangerous.”
Fluttershy waves a hoof, “They just misunderstood us, they just wanted to protect themselves.”
Starlight looked up at the afternoon sun, “Then we give them time, let’s get moving before they catch up.”

Comments

[Doctor_Den]

I remember that during the colonization of America there were outbreaks of infections because the immunity of the local population was not ready for European diseases.

[Topazzia]

11823430
exactly, which is why Mud had her shots.
but mainly the chief wanted the ponies gone, so he lied to get the tribe on his side.