The Young Warrior: Thorax's Hope

by Melody Song

First Frost

Thorax smiled to himself as he trotted through the Hive. Even though it was getting colder now as winter loomed on the horizon, everyone seemed upbeat and eager.

“Thorax!” Pharynx’s voice called out to him, and he turned to face his brother.

“Yes Pharynx?” He asked, having a feeling he knew what the beta changeling would say next.

“For the hundredth time Thorax, and I’m not going to ask again. Why. Are. We. Not. Sending. Out. Gathering. Patrols?!”

“Because we don’t feed off ponies anymore.” Thorax insisted.

“Thorax, without that excess love we’ll go into hibernation!”

“No we won’t!” Thorax objected, looking at his big brother.

“Thorax, changelings have to hibernate when they don’t get enough food, it’s in our biology!”

“That’s why Chrysalis used to send us into hibernation, I know that Phar.”

“It wasn’t all her. If we can’t get enough love our bodies naturally shut down into a sleep stasis. Temperature also affects it, and love is the only thing that can keep us awake after the extreme cold sets in.”

“We have enough love stored already, Pharynx.”

“Not enough to last the winter.” Pharynx stomped a hoof on the ground. “I understand sharing love now will give us an advantage. But it doesn’t matter because if the love is mutual, that means it’s passing like a current between everyone. Each of us only gets a little before it moves on.”

“We can make enough love.”

“I don’t think many of us will be feeling very loving with the cold.” Pharynx scoffed, walking past Thorax. “Come with me, I want to show you something.”

Thorax blinked, but followed him. The two brothers trotted outside, seeing Apex playing with Zenith. The two nymphs were tussling in the dry grass outside the Hive.

The field was usually lush and green with flowers, having recovered from being drained of love by the unreformed Hive. However, it now crunched underneath the brother’s hooves as they walked, wilting in the changing temperature. Pharynx led Thorax just outside the Hive and glanced up at the sky, Thorax following his gaze.

“There’s a chill on the breeze.”

“I know.” Thorax said, honestly. He, too, could taste it in the air.

Unlike Pegasi, changelings could not shape the weather, nor could they effortlessly connect with it to tell where the wind was blowing a storm or if a tornado was imminent. But they could scent emotions, allowing them to read the emotions of the earth and sky itself, similarly to earth ponies and pegasi, respectively. Right now, both brothers could sense that the gentle wind around them blew with the frigid stoicity of ice.

“The cold will make us all more and more tired.”

“But we won’t hibernate.”

“Yes we will Thorax.” Pharynx said firmly.

“We only will if it ends up freezing.”

“Yes, and because there’s no Pegasi out here to control the weather, we’re at the mercy of whatever fate decides the weather will be.” Pharynx said sharply, getting the nymphs’ attention.

“It won’t freeze deep enough to cause hibernation Pharynx, please, trust me on this.” Thorax said, and Pharynx rolled his eyes.

“Why should I?”

Thorax hesitated, then sighed, looking up into the sky. “Because there can’t be. We need to keep our subjects reassured and safe. There will be no freeze, there can’t be.”

Pharynx was silent for a moment, then turned and headed back into the Hive.

“Unfortunately for you, the weather doesn’t listen to hope.” He told his brother grimly, before disappearing into the Hive.

Apex trotted past with Zenith, following his uncle. Thorax was left alone, standing just outside the Hive, gazing up at the sky. The horizon was a bitter, slate gray color, the wind barely moving the clouds hovering ominously above their kingdom. Thorax gave a small, worried sigh, before he headed inside the Hive, hoofsteps seeming to echo in the barren plains.

---------------------------------------

A few days later, Thorax was roused from his sleep by a small hoof poking his side.

“Apex, sweetie, it’s too early…” Thorax murmured, and the hoof stopped, only for the small muzzle of the nymph to press against his cheek.

“Bu’ Papa Thorax, you go’a see, you go’a!” he cried

Thorax sighed softly and opened his eyes, yawning. “Okay, I’m up, I’m up…”

Apex smiled and nudged him over. “Look ou’ the win’ow!”

Thorax rubbed his eyes and sat up, looking out of the window of their room. He gasped softly as Apex clambered over and reared up on his hind legs to get a good look out the window. He was staring in awe.

Snowflakes were falling outside. Apex pressed a hoof to the glass in the window, giggling. Pharynx had thought to have several warrior drones place glass on the permanent windows, in order to help insulate the Hive better. Thorax was grateful for that, at least.

“I’s e’en pre’ier than the snow in the Crys’al Empire!” Apex exclaimed, not noticing Thorax’s expression, which displayed shock and horror instead of admiration. “Uncle Pharynx!”

Apex scrambled off Thorax’s bed and flew over to the bed adjacent to Thorax’s. He leapt onto the lump in the blue blankets and began bouncing.

“Uncle Pharynx Uncle Pharynx Uncle Pharrrynnnnnnx!”

Pharynx groaned and shifted slightly under the blankets. “Grub, ge’off…”

“Uncle Pharynx, wake up wake up wake up!”

“Why should I?”

“You go’a see this!”

“...Are you or Thorax in imminent danger?”

“No?”

“Is the Hive in danger?”

“No.”

“Is the Hive on fire?”

“No.”

“Is Thorax on fire?”

“No!”

“Then I don’t have to get up. Go away.”

“Uncle Pharynx, come onnnn!” Apex begged, and Pharynx’s head poked out of the blankets.

“What?!”

“I’s snowing!” Apex said, smiling at him.

Pharynx sighed and sat up, rolling out of bed and letting Apex clamber onto his back. He trotted over, rearing up and placing his front hooves on Thorax’s bed. Thorax shifted slightly to let him see the window. He stared at it for a moment, watching the white flakes swirl around outside. Apex scrambled up Pharynx’s head, rearing up to tug on Thorax’s antler gently.

“Can we go play in i’? Can we?”

“S-Sure Apex, but you better get your scarf first, Ocellus can probably help you find it.” Thorax told him, and Apex nodded, trotting off. Thorax then looked to his brother.

Pharynx was still staring at the window, unblinkingly. Thorax nudged him gently, and he turned, locking eyes with the alpha changeling. A sense of dread filled Thorax’s chest. Pharynx opened his mouth after a long moment, and only four words emerged.

“Well, that’s that then.”

Author's Note:

Welcome to the next edition to the Young Warrior series! Updates will probably slow down, as I have begun the time of life known as college and it's kicking my butt- but I'll try to get chapters out weekly like usual!

~ Melody Song

Comments

[chaterisjonia534]

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