Canine Complications

by Wages of Sin

Resolution

“Gone?” Luna asked, rising from her throne, "what do you mean gone?"

"I mean that my pack is gone! We've got to find them!"

Applejack turned back to Fluttershy, "What's going on? Now I ain't catchin' the words here, but even I can tell Twi don't sound like she's barking good news."

"She says her pack's gone!"

Luna had risen at Twilight's declaration, and Celestia joined her upon Fluttershy's.

"The guard was instructed not to disturb them! There is-" Celestia's words died as the faint screams and shouts of panicking ponies seeped through the hall's great windows.

"HOWWWWWWWWW!"

At the echoing howl, Celestia's mouth snapped shut and head jerked towards the windows facing Canterlot. An instant later Celestia blinked out of existence.

A moment and a muttered curse later, Luna was also absent from the hall.

Wheeling to look at her friends, she spared them a glance before teleporting her way towards the sounds outside.

---

Twilight did not know what she would find as she arrived on the same streets that she and her wolves had faced down Luna the night before. She certainly expected panic though, and at first the eerie stillness made her heart seize, but then to her befuddlement she saw that not only were the wolves not attacking, but the ponies of Canterlot were not fleeing either.

In the square before her, a little filly was laughing as she was nuzzled by one of the larger she-wolves of the pack, meanwhile a little scamp of a pup bounded around them both. Behind the filly a stallion and mare stood. While the mare's expression was an almost tearful smile, the stallions was a mix of shock and fear. The crowd's expressions fell sporadically between the two, some reacting to what they were seeing as if the sight was heartwarming, and others as if it were terrifying.

The negative scowls turned to confusion as the alicorn-sized wolf made her way past the filly, leaving her to bounce around with the pup. She made her way up to the couple, nodding to them both. The stallion seemed frozen, but the mare nodded back.

Turning, she then rejoined the pack, which held the edge of the street closest to the castle.

As the she-wolf returned, Bark Back came alongside Twilight.

"Though it appears all is well, why did you leave the dungeons? I heard the howling and came to investigate, but you were all gone." Twilight asked Bark Back, spotting Celestia and Luna landing near the couple who still stood watching the filly and pup play.

Bark Back hesitated, "My apologies Mistress, in the chaos before we hadn't noticed, but one of ours was missing when we arrived in the dungeons. It was Redwood's pup."

"Was that the first howl?"

"Yes mistress, the next was the pup's own. When we heard we immediately made our way to retrieve him."

Twilight nodded at him, but still looked concerned, "It is wonderful he was recovered so easily, but where did we lose him? I'm sure none strayed from the pack after before the cart was destroyed..."

"We suspect he fell out when the tarp was removed at the front gate."

"Oh! Then he spent the whole night alone in Canterlot! He must have been terrified!"

Bark Back released a sound that Twilight mistook for a growl before realizing it was a stifled laugh, "No, I dare say he didn't spend it alone."

Twilight just looked at him, before deciding to go over to where she had seen the princesses land.

---

"Oh, your highnesses!" The mare bowed as Celestia and then Luna landed where seconds before the strange wooden being had nodded in apparent thanks to her and her husband, "It's my daughter! She found the little twig-dog thing whimpering near the city gates last night. After trying to smuggle him into the house, she made us promise to look for his mommy in the morning before she would let go of him." She looked back to where the pup and filly circled each other and smiled, "Good thing too it seems they were missing the poor dear." The mare's smile crooked a little in confusion, looking back up to Celestia "but, um, Princess? What are they?"

"Now is as good a time as any sister." Luna prodded quietly from behind, "a better opportunity and circumstance could not be hoped for."

After some hesitation, Celestia nodded, making her way out to where the filly and pup played, scooping one up with each wing. She faced the ponies, but turned her head to look to the wolves as well.

"Citizens of Canterlot, as you are well aware, the Everfree forest has long been a place of mysteries, many of which we have been all too happy to ignore. Never had we thought that there may have been friends just waiting to meet us there as well." She said giving a playful nuzzle to the pup under her wing, returned heartily, "Though little is known about them, and despite hostilities they have faced in the past, just yesterday their leader approached my sister seeking Equestria's friendship for herself, and for her citizens. Recognizing their need, and in the spirit of which Equestria was founded, that offer was accepted. May I offer to you now the newest citizens of Equestria: the Woodwolf Pack of the Everfree Forest!"

---

News spread quickly, and although the news passed without much fanfare for the average Equestrian, in the small town of Ponyville a celebration was held to celebrate and welcome the arrival of the new friends. A memorial that would no doubt be celebrated with feasting forevermore.

Comments

[Ryuuzangetsu]

You're rushing it arn't you? I am sorry if that is seen as rudeness, it just feels like things are being too fast compared to the chapters before. Good story still, and I do love it, as I have soft spots for unique stories.(you know where there isn't a dozen just like it) oh, marry Christmas!

[Jirodyne]

5422695 I agree. It feels like the Author wanted to just end it very quickly and move on, and it being a 'christmas gift' would be the perfect excuse to rush it and overlook it's flaws.