> The Protector
>  by QueenChrysalisForever
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> The Tale of the Vumdilm
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 1:
 
Hollow Shades- Nightingale

 
           The night of the Timberwolf moon grew near, one I had heard stories of my whole life, but this year would be the first to happen in my lifetime. A warm breeze, rare for this late in the fall, tossed my dark brown mane out behind me,. Upon my back I carried a basket of cloth streamers, colored in the rich reds and golds of the drifting leaves around us. The moon might not be full for another three days, but the festivities were to begin tonight.

 
           My mother, Peach Pie, a light peach colored earth pony with a blonde mane and tail trotted next to me, while my father, Nighthawk, a dark chocolate brown bat pony stallion, trotted on my other side, his wings tucked to his barrel and a large blue and white checkered picnic blanket draped over his back.

 
           We were in charge of setting up the storytelling meadow. In less than an hour, Grannie Azure would bring the foals of Hollow Shades to us to hear the tale of the Vumdilm, a special Timberwolf.

 
           It didn’t take us long to reach the meadow, surrounded on two sides by the wooden fences that kept our pigs and goats. Both were on the far side of their pens, trembling, the goats letting out little bleats of fear. I heard the sound of a howl in the distance, and a shiver ran down my spine.

 
           “Sounds like the timberwolves are hunting tonight,” Hawk said softly, dropping the picnic blanket onto the brittle yellowing grasses. “No wonder they’re scared.”

 
           “It will set the mood for Grannie’s stories,” Peach whispered, reaching into a saddlebag to pull out some nails. “Let’s get those streamers hung up.”

 
           I nodded, following Peach as she stuck each nail into the soft wood and spread out the streamers. Meanwhile, father spread out the blanket, putting a large stone on either corner so the wind wouldn’t blow it away.

 
           Looking up at the moon I let out a soft sigh, the night of the Timberwolf Moon would also mark my twenty-first birthday. Yet, I couldn’t really be happy about it. Looking around at the other ponies around my age, doing their own hard work to prepare for the big night: game booths by the village gardens, food booths near the pond, and a stage for music and dance performances closer to the woods on the north of us, my eyes flickered from flank to flank. Each of them had received their cutie marks ages ago.
 
 
With us all being from such a small town, away from everypony else, most talents were quite simple. Woodworking, painting, farming and other similar things had been just the kinds of things they loved to do. I had tried them all, some I had been good at, but nothing compared to those who smiled proudly down at their cutie marks in the task. It was hard being of adult age, and the only one with nothing to show for it. Grannie Azure kept telling me it meant I was destined for greatness. That when my purpose arrived, I would finally see that glow and feel the warmth against my flanks.
 

But who was she kidding? With how old I was to become, I was likely to be a blank flank forever. Father nuzzled against my mane, smiling down at me.
 

“Cheer up, my little Nightingale, Grannie should be here anytime with the foals.” He grinned, wrapping a wing around me.
 

As if on cue, a few moments later Grannie Azure appeared on the path into the forest, the village foals trotting behind her. The first part of Grannie’s stories always took place just into the forest. The timberwolves rarely got too close, as they had plenty of prey to hunt deeper into the woods, and Grannie, though old, was still strong and able to take on anything that might try to hurt them.
 

The foals, some giggling and racing toward the picnic blanket, while others walked slowly, keeping close to Grannie, made their way over to us. They spread out over the blanket, those with wings fluttering them excitedly as Grannie paused before them. Her coat had turned almost a midnight blue in the fading light, her black mane frizzed out all around her, sticking out of the tight bun it had once been in.

 
She waited for the foals to settle down, smiling over at my parents and me as she did so. I smiled back, taking a seat behind the foals, with my parents to either side of me. Grannie had always been an excellent storyteller, no matter how many times I had heard this tale, I never grew tired of it.
 

Grannie looked up at the moon, drawing everyone’s gaze to it. “It is nearly the next full moon,” she said softly, letting out a little cough. “When the weather stays this warm, this late into the fall, we call it the Timberwolf moon.”
 

“Long ago, before even the princesses took charge of this land, a great prophecy was made,” Grannie continued. I ran a hoof through my mane, listening as I did so.
 

           “Nopony knows the pony who made it, it might have been Starswirl, as some versions go,” she whispered. “Or somepony whose name has been lost in time.” Grannie looked up at her audience, raising her hooves in the air. “An ancient darkness ruled the land, throwing fear, anger, and death wherever it looked.”
 

           “Was it Sombra?” One little pegasus colt asked, raising his hoof.
       

   	 “No, young one, this was before even Sombra,” the mare said, eyes wide. “Nothing seemed able to stop it, and the ponies feared they would all perish. Timberwolves followed the herds, their putrid stench making all ponies uneasy. It was already bad enough that this darkness followed them, but to have the timberwolves follow as well? It drove many of them MAD!” she shouted, making a few of the foals in the front jump.
       

   	 “W-what happened Grannie?” another colt, this one a unicorn, asked.
       

   	 “Next,” Grannie said, grinning at the colt. “The timberwolves attacked! Winter was long that year, and there was little prey to go around for them. With what little food we were able to gather, the ponies were weak, surviving mostly on what little fish we can consume. The attack was led by a huge timberwolf, made of white aspen bark. His pack tore through an earth pony tribe, bringing many down and dragging them away.”
       

    Many of the foals gasped, hooves to their mouths as they stared wide eyed, waiting for Grannie to continue.
       

    	“Many thought it would be a slaughter, as they fought the wolves for their lives. The moon hung full above them, blood fresh on the snow. One brave young mare, Starbringer, raced through the battlefield to reach her parents, who were fighting against one of the larger timberwolves. Just before she reached them, she plowed into a young timberwolf, both of them tumbling to the ground.” Grannie rolled onto her back, feigning a shocked look on her face.
       

   	 “As the young wolf and Star returned to their paws and hooves, they stared into each other’s eyes. A crack like the sound of thunder filled the air, as the bark of the young wolf crumbled to the ground. In its place, stood a handsome young earth pony stallion.” Grannie grinned as the foals eyes grew wide and mouths hung open in surprise. I smiled, this had always been one of my favorite parts. Though the magic for such a thing to happen was impossible with no unicorn or alicorn around in reality, it was still a nice tale.
       

    “As Star gazed at the young stallion, neither noticed the battle had stopped around them,” Grannie continued, rolling back to her hooves and standing up, wincing slightly. “They watched each other, neither able to take their eyes off each other, as the timberwolves still alive slowly gave up the fight, racing away from the pony tribe. Star and the young stallion could already feel love blooming in their hearts,” Grannie sighed, “and as the snows of winter melted, they grew closer. It wasn’t long before they wed, though not all was to be well for them.” Her voice took on a darker tone and her eyes grew wide.
       

    “The darkness attacked! And even though they fought valiantly, beating it back and sending the evil to Tartarus, it glanced them a departing blow. A curse was laid upon Star’s beloved, and all his future kin. He would be able to remain a pony, but his children would be born as timberwolves,” Grannie growled softly, waving her forehooves in the air.
       

    “But, not all hope was lost for these children,” she smiled down at the foals closest to her. “They would have a chance at life beyond that of the lowly wolf. Their tribe was special, that of Star’s beloved, in that because of that moment, when Star met his eyes, they were now connected to the timberwolves. From that moment on, during the night of a full moon, when eyes of pony met that of wolf, a connection could be made.” Grannie spread her hooves wide, “and with this connection, wolf would once more transform into pony, and find their true mate. This became known in our old language, as the Vumdilm. ‘An oath of the heart’ in our modern language.”
 

           Grannie took a deep breath and looked back up at the moon. “It is said, that the darkness will escape from Tartarus once more, in the year of a Timberwolf moon. There, a Vumdilm and their pony mate will once again fight it off, only this time, it will be destroyed for good. The curse will then be lifted from Star’s beloved’s line, and they will be able to choose if they want to remain pony, or wolf.” Grannie bowed, to the cheers of all the foals, clopping their hooves together.
 

           I looked back up at the moon myself, ears twitching as I heard the sound of a howl again, which seemed closer this time. Before I could ponder too much though, mother put her hoof to my shoulder.
       

    “Come on dear, time for the rest of the festivities,” she smiled softly at me. Nodding, I stood and followed her away, while Grannie continued on to other tales for the foals.
 




In the forests near Hollow Shades- Shadow


        
    The forest was quite warm tonight, strange for this late in the fall. A nearly full moon hung in the sky, soft clouds flowing slowly past it and bringing the small clearing I sat in into flickering shadows. From the hill I sat upon, I could see an owl silently flying by, gazing down at me before turning and disappearing into the trees. A howl sounded deeper into the forest, one of my sisters from the tone of it. She had found a buck, and was bringing it back to the den after a good race to catch it. I licked my lips, it had been some time since we last had deer meat. With our pack being so small, they tended to be harder to take down.

 
           I slowly made my way down the hill, but not back toward the den. What the ponies called Hollow Shades, a small village nestled deep in our woods, called to me. My limbs creaked as I walked, having grown stiff from sitting on the hill so long. I lifted my muzzle, sniffing the air. The scent of pony was strong, sweet and tangy, and as I drew closer I could hear laughter and music.

       
    Pausing at the edge of the trees, keeping downwind so I wouldn’t be scented. I spotted three of them, two mares and a stallion, in a field next to the pens that kept their goats and pigs. I grinned, seeing how scared the little things were. They might not be able to smell me, but they could sure sense my presence. My ears creaked as they perked up, seeing the foals that had been in our forest run up to join the older ponies. I settled down in the grass, the wind whistling through my wooden joints. Mother had always said the night of the Timberwolf moon was special to the ponies, now I would finally see for myself.

 
           I listened as the old mare started her story. She was probably the oldest pony I had ever seen, shriveled, skinny, and one the pack probably would have went after, if we regularly hunted ponies. Father had told our side of the story to me and my sisters as we grew, but never yet had I heard it from the pony’s point of view. Looking down at my black cherry bark hide, the sharp claws on my paws, I imagined for just a moment them tearing into pony flesh like my ancestors, and shuddered. No, that wouldn’t happen. Father had taught us from birth that these ponies were not to be prey.

 
           We had more than enough prey in the forest, even more so with our winters being fairly mild. There were a few weeks in the year we might go to bed hungry, with the smaller prey hiding as they hibernated, but nothing bad enough to starve us.

 
           I heard another howl, one of my other sisters, wondering where I was. With father having died three summers ago, I had become leader of our pack, and thus they awaited me to eat. Turning back to the ponies, I watched as the three older trotted away, leaving the old mare with the foals. Many of them were clopping their hooves, and I groaned, realizing I had missed the end of the story! Shaking my head, I looked back to them and was surprised to see the old mare staring right at me.

 
           I sat perfectly still, feeling the wind blow against me as I hid behind the bushes. There was no way she could know I was there. I was still downwind!

 
           “The one who will break the spell already lives,” she said softly, a strange grin on her face. “He or she will find their mate among us, and in doing so, all will change.” Her gaze turned back to the foals, and I breathed a sigh of relief as they laughed and she moved on to another story.

 
           Standing up, I turned around and loped back toward the den. I’d had enough stories for one night. That old mare spooked me, with what she seemed to know.

 
           As I came into the den’s clearing, my sisters padded over to me. There was only the three of them, me, and a few of my father’s old pack. Six of us in total, after losing my mother last year.

 
           “What took you?” Cherry, my youngest sister, growled, clawing at the ground. Her dark brown wooded tail swishing.

 
           “I was watching the festival,” I said. Turning to Aspen, my oldest sister, I nodded to her. “Congratulations on your kill, dear sister.”

 
           “Thank you Shadow,” she smiled softly, blinking her glowing green eyes. “Maple scared it out of the bushes and I pounced.”
 

           Maple, my other sister, blushed and lowered her ears. “Aww it was nothing. That buck was just too slow.”

 
           “You need to pay more attention to the pack, and less to those ponies!” Cherry snorted. “You are our alpha Shadow, act like it!”

 
           “We’ll talk about this later Cherry,” I said, staring over at her. “Let’s just eat?”

 
           “Fine,” she huffed, and following Aspen we padded over to where she had dropped her kill.

 
           It was a fine buck, a little on the skinny end but with more than enough meat to fill all our bellies. As we dug in my thoughts turned back to the old mare’s words. Was she speaking of me? Surely I couldn’t be the one. I had the pack to take care of. Even with my curiosity about the ponies, she supposed I would fall for one of them? Ridiculous!

 
           Stepping aside when my belly was full, I trotted toward the den. Smiling as my pack settled in beside me. The elders were quick to fall asleep, their snoring coming loudly from the back of the cave, where their brittle joints didn’t have to face the wind.

 
           Though, this would be the first Timberwolf moon in my lifetime. With no young females in the pack except my sisters, I would need to find a mate eventually. I sighed, resting my muzzle on my paws and closing my eyes. There was time to think of that later.

 


 
Hollow Shades- Nightingale

           

           The festivities didn’t start to wear down until the moon was high in the sky. Most of the foals had already been ushered to bed by their parents, grumbling, wanting to hear more stories. I smiled. Grannie was very good at what she did. With a yawn of my own I trotted back over to the storytelling blanket, where Grannie was just finishing up her last story for the night.

 
           Looking at the few remaining foals as she laid on her back, upside down, she smiled. “And that, is how our foreponies founded Hollow Shades,” she said slowly rolling to her belly as the foals cheered. They tiphoofed off to find their parents.

 
           I walked over to Grannie and held out a hoof. She grabbed it, hauling herself up with a grunt of pain. “You know, you could just tell them the stories,” I chuckled, hugging her close. “You don’t need to do the actions too.”

 
           “Are you trying to imply I’m too old?” she snorted, staring over at me with one eye closed.

 
           “No, of course not,” I shook my head. “But isn’t it better to be careful?”

 
           She huffed at me, twitching her ears. “Dear Nightingale, I helped raise my siblings, I raised your father, and I have helped raise you. I can handle a little rolling in the grass.” She flicked her tail at me. A moment later though she did give a sigh of exhaustion. “Though I think you need some help to the house. Come on, let Grannie help you.” She put a hoof around me and led me toward our little cabin.

 
           I grinned down at her. Right, I was the one needing help. But I let her think that, and trotted toward our home. Pushing open the door, I stepped inside, Grannie following close beside me.

 
           Our home wasn’t much: two small bedrooms for my parents and Grannie, with a loft above the kitchen for myself. An outhouse out back that we shared with the Shades family. Besides that a cozy living room with a couch, two chairs, a bookcase with a few books, and a beautiful fireplace our great grandfather had made of river stones. It was cold and unlit tonight, the weather being too warm for a fire, but soon it would have a roaring fire once again.

 
           Grannie shuffled toward her room, her hoofsteps dragging on the ground. I followed behind, pushing her door open for her. “Thank you, my little bird,” Grannie yawned. She pulled aside the covers and climbed into bed, leaning back against the pillows.

 
           “You’re welcome Grannie, sleep well!” I said and made for the door.

 
           “Hold your hooves for a moment,” Grannie chuckled.

 
           I turned around and smiled softly at her. “Yes Grannie?”

 
           “Get your flank over here,” she patted the bedspread beside her. Nodding, I did as she requested, hopping up beside her. “You ready for your birthday?” she asked.

 
           I blinked in surprise, but nodded. “Yes, I suppose so. Not much to prepare for though, is there?”

 
           “Of course there is!” she snorted. “I have told ye a million times my little bird, you are special. Your cutie mark will come when it is time.”

 
           “If you say so Grannie,” I sighed.

 
           “I do!” she nodded firmly. She pointed a hoof at her dresser drawer. “Will you open that, and pull out the pale blue box?”

 
           Complying, I did as she asked and pulled out the box. It was thin, maybe three inches thick, and only a little bigger than the bottom of my hoof. I hoofed it over to her, and she opened it, leaning it to the side so I could see what was inside. It was a small, rounded moonstone, expertly crafted, connected to a silver chain.

 
           “This has been in the family for generations,” Grannie whispered. “Handed down from the oldest filly to oldest filly. I think it time it became yours.” She picked it up, and with shaking hooves managed to clasp it around my neck. It nestled comfortably against my neck, the chain cool against my fur.

 
           “Why are you giving me this now Grannie?”

 
           “You will know soon, my little bird,” she said. Letting out a huge yawn, she waved me away. “Now, it’s late, and I need my beauty sleep,” she grinned, winking at me. “You get some sleep too dear.”

 
           “Of course Grannie, sleep well,” I said, smiling softly at her as I left, closing the door behind me.

 
           I paused for a moment when I heard her cough again, but when the creak of the bed-springs reached my ears and I heard her sigh softly, I continued on.

 

           Mother and father were still gone. They had volunteered to help put away the prizes and equipment for the game booths as things slowed down. Letting out a yawn of my own, I climbed up the ladder to my loft and rolled into bed. Pulling aside the curtains to a small window over the foot of my bed, I gazed out at the stars.

           The moon was just visible when I lied down. Its glow cast a blue sheen over my dark grey coat. I don’t know how long I lied there watching it, but I was startled awake a while later when my father opened the front door.

 
           He and mother tiptoed inside, looking up at me as they did so. “Sorry for waking you,” father whispered. “Grannie get home alright?”

 
           “Yeah Dad, she is fine. Tired, but fine.”

 
           “Good, get some sleep. Morning will be here before you know it.”

 
           “Yes father,” I said, smiling down at them. “Sleep well, I love you Dad, love you Mom.”

 
           “Love you too,” they chorused, and trotted into their room, closing the door.

 
           I looked back outside. The moon was no longer where I could see it, but its glow still cast a bright light around me. I closed my eyes, listening to the crickets chirping outside. In the distance, a timberwolf howled, and for a moment the crickets chirping grew still. A shiver ran down my spine, not one of fear, but of something else I couldn’t quite place.

 
           Taking Grannie’s necklace up in my hoof I smiled down at it, rolling the moonstone around. It was beautiful. I sighed, holding it in my hoof as I wiggled under the covers. There was a lot of work to do for the festival tomorrow, and Grannie wasn’t the only one needing her beauty sleep.

 
 
> Change
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 2: Change


The Festival- Nightingale


The next afternoon, I sat glumly running the balloon dart booth. Ducking as one colt’s throw went wild, the dart hitting into a peach tree behind me. “Sorry!” he yelped, blushing and running off. I removed the dart from said tree and gave it to the next foal, along with the others.

I sighed, with Grannie’s part of the festival over, she had stayed home. She said she was going to make peach jam with what we had collected a few days ago, but she had shuffled back to bed for a nap as I left the house. Perhaps she was still tired from last night? All I knew is I awoke to her coughing and complaining about achy joints.

I shook my head, turning my attention back to the booth as a little white pegasus filly, Sugar Glider, popped two balloons. “Nice job Sugar, why don’t you pick a prize?”

“Oooo the Teddy Ursa Minor!” she trilled, jumping up and down as she pointed a hoof at it.

“Nice choice,” I picked it up and hoofed it over to her. It was a nice ursa, hoofmade by one of our local elder ponies with gold button eyes and tiny white stars stitched into the blue yarn of the body.

Sugar hugged the ursa close, a beaming smile on her face as she trotted away.




The moon was just rising over the horizon when my replacement, a unicorn stallion a little older than me, Mossy Oak, arrived. He was a good pony, had the deepest green eyes I had ever seen, with a log covered in moss as his cutie mark. His younger sister, Ivy Rose, had been in my age group at school. Though I hadn’t interacted much with Mossy, he was still a good friend.

“How’s it going Gale?” he said, smiling softly at me.

“Not too bad,” I said, hoofing the next filly in line her darts. “Only came close to getting hit about a dozen times.”

He chuckled, “Their aim that bad huh? Guess we know what their talents won’t likely be.”

“Sadly so,” I nodded. I stepped away from the booth and he trotted up beside me, taking my place as he levitated the darts to a little pegasus colt next in line. “Have you seen where my parents went off to? Last I heard they were on the way home for supper.”

He jolted, his ears drooping slightly. “Well, I imagine they are still at your home,” he sighed softly. “I remember at previous festivals where your Grannie would tell her stories. Colt, is she a good storyteller!”

I blinked slowly, surprised at the change of topic. “Yes, she is. I probably have most of them known by heart.”

“Especially the one about the town’s founding?”

“Yeah, that one too. The Timberwolf Moon will always be my favorite though,” I admitted.

“Really?” he paused, levitating a cute little woolen lamb plushie to a tiny blue earth colt. “I never took you for the romantic story type of mare.”

I snorted softly. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing, nothing!” he said, shaking his head. “Just, well you seem too serious I guess?” He grinned sheepishly. “Anyway, I guess it is a good thing you have them all memorized.”

“Why? It’s not like Grannie won’t continue to tell me them,” I grinned softly, ducking when another dart went awry. “Knowing her, she’ll probably tell one or more at my birthday tomorrow.”

Mossy bit his lip, looking down at me. “Has nopony told you Gale?”

“Told me what?” I asked, tilting my head in confusion.

Mossy put a hoof to his head and shook it. “Colt Gale, I am so sorry I thought you knew.”

“Knew what?” I asked, a little louder than I probably should have as the foals in line turned to look at me. “Did something happen to Grannie?”

Mossy pulled one of the parents in line with their child up to watch the booth, and led me a few feet away. “Gale I… well… she collapsed a little earlier today.”

“What?” I said breathlessly. My mouth dropped open and I blinked quickly, staring at him.

He put a hoof to my shoulder and rubbed it gently. “Your mother found her on the kitchen floor when she and your father went home for supper. I saw the whole thing from my post by the stage, where I was controlling the lights.”

I leaned into his hoof, blinking back tears as I looked back up at him. “Is she… is she…”

He shook his head. “No, she is still alive.”

I breathed a sigh of relief, wiping the tears from my eyes. “Thank Celestia!”

Mossy bit his lip, lowering his ears again. “I wouldn’t thank her just yet.” I just stared at him, waiting for him to continue. “Gale, she fell because she suffered a massive stroke,” Mossy said, rubbing his hoof against my shoulder again. “Doctor Caring Smile is with her right now.”

Opening and closing my mouth, I tried to speak but nothing came out. A stroke? Taking in a deep breath, I pulled away from Mossy’s hoof. “I-I- I got to go.” I turned around and galloped toward home, other villagers gasping in shock as I raced by them. Slamming open the front door as I reached it, I looked around as I caught my breath. A small crowd had already formed inside. I pushed them aside to reach Grannie’s door, only to catch Caring Smile trotting out of her room.

The blue mane and pale green coated unicorn mare looked up and nodded to me silently. “Welcome home Gale.” She ushered me forward and put a hoof around my neck. “Shh dear, we’re here for you.” Carin’ looked around at those gathered around and shooed them toward the door. “Grannie Azure needs peace and quiet right now,” she snorted. “I know you are all worried, but let the family have their time.” The crowd of ponies nodded, the door clicking shut as they trotted outside.

“Carin’,” I said a little huskily, wiping my nose. “I-is she going to be okay?”

Carin’ took a deep breath, closing her eyes. “Gale, you know Grannie Azure is old, right?”

“She still has plenty of fight in her!” I yelled, biting my lip as my entire body shivered. “Please Carin’, you must have a way to help her. Some spell? Or Potion?”

Carin’ shook her head. “I’ve done all I can, Celestia willing she might make it, but the chance is very low.” I collapsed to the floor, throwing my hooves around my head as I sobbed. “I know how much you and the rest of the townsfolk love her Gale,” she whispered, rubbing a hoof through my mane. “But Grannie is nearly five hundred years old.” She looked down at a clipboard in her hoof. “Four hundred ninety seven, if my notes are correct.”

I nodded. It had only been a few weeks ago that Grannie had her birthday, her last birthday it seemed. NO! I couldn’t have thoughts like that. I had to hope, believe, and pray she would get better. Grannie needed me to be strong!

I looked up as I heard water running. Carin’ had trotted over to the sink, filling a glass with water. She levitated it down to me and I grasped it in my hoof. Taking a few sips, I did my best to stop crying.

“W-where are my parents?” I asked, taking another sip.

“With Grannie,” Carin’ said. “She is resting now, but if you want to go sit by her once you have calmed down, I think she might like that.”

“She would,” I nodded, draining the rest of the cup. “H-how…?” I couldn’t even finish my sentence. Did I really want to know?

Carin’ took a deep breath, looking down at me for a moment, before she spoke up. “I know what you want to hear,” she sighed. “But that isn’t likely to happen. There could be a miracle, but she is likely to…” she paused, seeing my eyes start to water again. “Are you sure you can handle the truth?” I nodded. I needed to know. Carin’ knelt down and looked me in the eye. “I’d be surprised if she lives long enough to see the Timberwolf moon tomorrow night. If she can survive that long, then she might pull through.”

I gasped, eyes going wide. We had such little time! No, think positive Gale, Grannie could survive. She had to! There was still so much I wanted to do with her, so much that I hadn’t talked to her about.

Carin’ patted my shoulder, standing back up. “Do you think you are up to visiting her yet?” Standing up, I nodded. Grannie needed me. If I was by her side, sending positive thoughts, maybe it would help?

“Then I will leave you to it,” Carin’ said. “Sugar Loaf went into labor not long ago. She and Crispy Crumpet will be needing my help birthing their foal.”

“T-thank you, for-for doing what you could,” I whispered, wrapping her in a hug.

She smiled warmly, and hugged me back. “Of course Gale, I only wish it could have been more.” With that, she trotted toward the door, but then paused, turning back to me. “Have faith Gale, maybe a little positive energy will help where I could not?” She smiled, then left, the door closing quietly behind her.

I took in another deep breath, wiped my eyes, and placed my empty cup on the counter. Trotting over to Grannie’s door, I pushed it open and walked inside.

Father sat in a chair next to the bed, his front hooves wrapped around Grannie’s right hoof. Mother stood behind him, rubbing his shoulders gently. They looked up as I entered, trying to smile but it didn’t reach their eyes. No words were exchanged, they simply nodded to me as mother pulled up another chair on the other side of Grannie’s bed.

I finally turned my attention to Grannie as I took a seat. She was pale, so pale. Her usual dark blue coat a few shades lighter. Her mane was down from inside its usual bun, cascading around her shoulders. She rested on her back, breathing softly. With her eyes closed and pale moonlight shining in on her face, I could see how gaunt she had become. When had her eyelids fallen so far back, giving them a shrunken look? The coat on her face stuck close to her bones, giving her face a sharp angular look.

As she lied there in bed, for the first time I really noticed how frail she had become. She always held herself so well, sure of herself and proud. A smile never left her face. But now, her lips were turned down in a slight frown as she slept.

Carin’ was right, Grannie wasn’t just old, and she even looked it now too. “Oh Grannie,” I whispered, taking her other hoof and holding it between my own. “Hold on. I still need to get my cutie mark. You want to see that, right?” I rubbed my face against her hoof.

“She’ll survive if possible dear,” mother said wrapping me up in a hug. “Are you tired?”

“A little,” I nodded. “But I want to stay with Grannie.”

“Then watch over her close,” father said, letting out a yawn as he covered his mouth with a hoof. “Let us know if you or she need anything?”

“Of course father,” I smiled as he trotted over and wrapped me in a hug as well. His grip was a little weak, and I could feel the shaking of his hooves as he pulled away, but he didn’t waver. As he and mother left, I watched as she wrapped a hoof around him, nuzzling against his neck when it seemed to sag, his ears drooping. The door clicked shut as they left. I grimaced when I heard father break out into sobs of his own, fading as he and mother trotted away.

“Sounds like father really needs you still too,” I said, scooting the chair closer to brush a strand of mane from Grannie’s face. “Please don’t leave us Grannie.”

I sat there, my thoughts turned to the pleasant memories I had of Grannie and the things we had done in the past. When Ivy Rose, the last one besides me, got her cutie mark when she tried her hoof at gardening, she had come with me to her cute-ceañera. It was only with her company I had been able to get through it without crying, no matter how proud I was of my friend.

Grannie had been there though it all with me, all the teen angst, and watching everypony around me grow up and into their professions. Telling me her stories every night when I was a filly, both those of the historical and those of the fantasy variety. What would I do without her?

As the moon reached its zenith, Grannie stirred. I jolted up, having falling into semi-consciousness as I dwelled in the past. “Grannie?” I whispered, rubbing her hoof between my own.

“Little Bird?” she whispered, voice hoarse and soft.

“Yes Grannie, it is me,” I said smiling down at her.

She slowly, blearily opened her eyes and gazed up at me. I bit my lip, they looked so much- darker- than usual. “My little bird, Nightingale,” she sighed with a delicate smile. She took a deep breath, squeezing my hoof with her own. Her grip was so weak compared to what it had been just last night.

“How you feeling?” I asked.

“Like I got kicked by a timberwolf,” she chuckled, wincing and holding a hoof to the side of her head.

“Well, you are awake now,” I grinned. “We’ll take care of you Grannie. Everything will be okay.”

“I’m afraid not child,” she whispered, lifting a hoof to cup my cheek. “While I slept, I saw your Grampy. Ah and he is looking fine! Just as handsome as when I first met him, the sly old bat. You know your father is so much more like him than me.”

My ears wilted at that, and I shook a little as tears dripped down my cheeks. “O-Oh? What was he doing?”

“Come to talk to me he did,” she closed her eyes and smiled. “It has been almost one hundred years now, since I last saw his face. Those beautiful golden eyes of his.” She looked back up at me. “He is sad he never was able to meet you in pony, but he is still proud of you.”

“P-proud of me? But-but I haven’t done anything,” I stammered.

“You will,” she grinned. “Like I have always told you, my little bird, you are special. I saw it in the stars, the night you were born.”

I blinked at her in surprise. “You never told me that part.”

“No?” she hummed. “Well then, it seems I have one more story to tell you.”

I blanched at that, like that didn’t sound ominous enough. “Just one more?”

“You have heard all my other stories a million times, my little bird,” she chuckled, coughing. A few minutes later, she continued. “It will now be your turn, to tell them at festivals. Grampy waits for me.” I stiffened at her words. Patting my hoof, she sighed. “But I have time for this last story.”

“Please Grannie, don’t talk like that. Y-you can get better!”

“I’m afraid not dear, but you are ready. You will be okay.” A few tears dripped from her eyes. “Now let me tell you of the night of your birth!”

“Yes Grannie,” I nodded, wiping the tears from her cheek.

She took a deep breath, then turned to look out the window. “It was a night much like this: a little warmer than usual, nearly a full moon, the timberwolves howling as they hunted in the forest. Not a cloud touched the sky. Everything was crisp, the stars shining brightly down upon us.

“I stood just outside, watching the stars as the doctor and your father helped your mother. It was already late into the night, almost everypony was fast asleep. Even the animals were quiet in their pens.”

“Then what happened?” I asked, enthralled as usual.

“That is when I saw it,” she grinned. “A shooting star shot across the moon, the biggest and brightest one I have ever seen. A timberwolf howled deep in the forest at the same moment, and an epiphany hit me. I saw a dark colored timberwolf, eyes a bright gold. He stared right at me, and it felt like he was staring into my soul.”

Grannie paused, coughing again. I patted her back, almost seeing the wolf. “What did he do?”
“He told me his side of the story, that of the Vumdilm−not much different from our own− and that the prophecy was soon to be fulfilled. I was to make sure everypony knew it well, so we would be prepared.” She took my hoof in hers, eyes gaining back their strong sparkle for a moment. "Promise me you will be open minded Gale.”

I blinked down at her and nodded. “Of course Grannie.”

She breathed a sigh of relief. “Good, thank you,” she said. “After I promised him I would do so, there was a brilliant flash of white light. When my vision finally cleared, the moon looked as golden as his eyes had been. At that moment, you uttered your first cry, entering into our world and the loving arms of your mother.

“My dear little bird, I am sure you are the mare in the prophecy.”

I shook my head, holding a hoof to it. Me? Yeah right. I didn’t even have my cutie mark yet, and she thought I was supposed to save the world?

“Believe in yourself,” Grannie whispered, a single tear running down her cheek. “I’ll always be with you, even after I am gone. Right here i’ll always remain,.” she pointed a hoof to my heart.

“I-I’ll try Grannie,” I said, running a hoof through her mane.
She gazed back over at the window, a huge smile on her face. “Grampy is back. He says hello.”

I gulped, tears falling freely from my eyes now. “Can’t he wait a little longer?”

Grannie shook her head. “He’s been waiting for over one hundred years. Be brave Gale, be strong for your daddy. Tell him Grampy and I are so proud of him. He has grown into a strong, humble stallion. I-I love you all. So. Much.”

I nodded, wrapping my hooves around her, tears dripping into her fur. “We love you too Grannie. I love you so very much.”

As I laid there, softly weeping into Grannie’s mane, I felt her take one last deep breath, let out a peaceful sigh, and then drew still. Her heart gave one last beat. Crickets chirped outside her window. A low, mournful howl filled the air, long and deep.

I grasped Grannie closer to me, sobbing, and my body shuddering as tears spilled down my muzzle. “Grannie, GRANNIE!” I yelled, ears flat against my head. It felt like hours that I just sat there, holding Grannie in my hooves, before I felt a warm hoof touch my shoulder.

I jolted, looking up to see mother standing behind me. Tears stained the fur beneath her eyes. Wrapping me up in her hooves she hugged me to her. I let out a howl of my own, sobbing into her shoulder as I rubbed my muzzle against it, taking deep quivering breaths as she rubbed my back.

“She-she’s gone mom,” I whispered, and she nodded.

“I know dear, I know.”

Taking a few deep breaths, I pulled away, looking back at Grannie’s still form on the bed. She looked so peaceful, a smile was on her face and she just seemed so… free.

Mother put a hoof to my shoulder and pulled me gently toward the door. “There’s nothing else we can do for her tonight,” she whispered. “You should get some sleep. It will be a long day once the sun rises.”

I nodded, looking back to Grannie once more. Biting my lips, I raced back over to her side, wrapping her in one last hug. Already her body felt too cool. I kissed her cheek, and pulled the covers back over her, tucking her in− one last time.

Following my mother out the door, I winced as she closed it behind us. “W-where is father?”

“He is asleep,” she said softly. “If I wake him now, he’ll never be able to return to it.”

I nodded glumly, and slowly trotted toward the ladder leading to my loft. My hoof was only on the first rung when it slipped, clacking against the wooden floor as I broke out into sobs again.

“Shh, shhh,” mother soothed, pulling me into another hug. “Why don’t you sleep on the couch tonight? I’ll grab you a pillow and blanket.” She led me to my usual chair, where I curled up, continuing to cry as she tiphoofed into her room. A moment later, she returned, a pillow and blanket on her back. She arranged them on the couch, puffing up the pillow, then returned to me. “Come on Gale,” she said, leading me over to the couch.

I rolled under the covers, snuggling into the pillow as she kissed me on the forehead. “Do you think you will be okay until morning?” she asked. “It is only a few hours away now.”

“I-I think so,” I mumbled, letting out a yawn. My cheeks hurt as the salt from my dried tears scratched my fur.

“Then get some sleep. I’ll talk to the coroner in the morning.” She gave me one last hug, nuzzled my cheek, and trotted back into their room. The door was left open a crack. I listened as the mattress squeaked, then quieted as mother settled down.

I looked around the darkened living room. Grannie was gone, and with her the house seemed so much colder, lonelier. Our grandfather clock’s pendulum clicked back and forth. The house groaned around me. Something clattered outside, and I heard something scampering away with a yelp.

I felt like I had just barely closed my eyes when I heard my parents’ bed groan. Hoofsteps made their way to the door. When father appeared, pushing the door open, and saw me on the couch, his wings fell away from his side, the tips dragging on the floor.

Mother appeared beside him a moment later, hugging him close. She looked over at me. Her eyes were red and bloodshot, mane a frizzy mess. I don’t think she got all that much sleep last night. She looked between the two of us. “Will you two be alright until I get back?”

I nodded, getting up and wrapping them both in a hug. Grannie had said to be strong, so I would try my best to. Father needed me to be. “I-I’ll make some breakfast,” I said.

“Okay,” mother nodded. “Honey? Why don’t you take a seat at the table?”

Father looked over at her, blinking slowly, but nodded.

“I’ll be back soon,” mother said. She took a deep breath as she trotted toward the door, opening it slowly. It clicked closed behind her as she left.

“I need a drink,” father mumbled, turning to our icebox and pulling out a cold apple cider. He collapsed in his chair at the table, popping the tab and taking a sip.

Trotting over to the cupboards, I looked through them, trying to decide what to make. Eventually, I just pulled down some flour, sugar and other ingredients to make some homemade pancakes. As I mixed the batter, I looked to the door of Grannie’s room. Father had yet to even go in there. Mother had probably told him this morning what had happened.

I looked over at him as he downed his second bottle of apple cider, slamming it down on the table. He looked even worse than me. His thicker coat was mussy and sticking up. His eyes red and bloodshot, mane and tail a horrible, tangled mess. He had huge bags under his eyes and his sagging, droopy ears hit the table as he groaned, leaning against it.

The oil began to pop on the frying pan as I poured the first drops of pancake batter onto it. The sizzling and the smell of pancakes cooking quickly filled the air. I tried to be strong, I really did, for my dad’s sake, but it was hard.

Mother returned with the coroner- a bulky pale grey unicorn stallion- and Caring Smile just as I was laying the pancakes on the table, sweeping aside the four empty bottles in front of father and dropping them into the trash.

Mother led the coroner into Grannie’s bedroom while Caring Smile trotted over to my father and me. “I am so sorry Gale, Mr. Hawk,” she whispered. “She will be sorely missed.”

Father just snorted, his head on the table and eyes half closed.

“Thanks Carin’,” I said sniffing a little. “Would you like to stay for breakfast?”

She nodded. “I think that would be good.”

We both looked up as mother and the coroner walked back out into the kitchen. Mother quickly wiping tears from her eyes before father could see them.

“I’ll have her ready for a funeral by this afternoon,” the undertaker, Headstone whispered, then looked to father. “Would you like to see her Mr. Hawk, before I take her to my office?”

Father shook his head, mumbling something under his breath. I could see fresh tears in his eyes, as he stood up to grab another apple cider from the icebox.

“Very well,” Headstone said. He turned to mother, “come by in an hour or two to pick out a casket.”

Mother nodded, and I watched bleary eyed as, wrapped in his magic, the sheet covered form of Grannie floated out of her room behind him, wrapped up tightly, as he left.

The four of us left sat down at the table, and I passed out the pancakes. Looking down at mine, I nibbled on one, but found I wasn’t really hungry.

“By the way,” Carin’ said. I looked over at her. She was slowly eating the pancakes I had set before her. “Happy birthday Gale,” she said. “Though it might not feel happy.”

“Thanks,” I sighed. Mother and father sat quietly between us, looking down at their plates.




Somehow, the entire village had squeezed around the cemetery behind all our homes. I could see Mossy and his family exactly across from us, little Sugar Glider a little ways down from them, tears in her eyes as she hugged her teddy ursa. Carin’ stood next to my family and I, Crumpet and Sugar Loaf, with their new baby filly, on the other side of us.

Before us all, next to the gravestone that marked Grampy’s grave, was a freshly dug hole, the scent of freshly churned up earth filling the air. Grannie’s casket had been placed beside it, a simple polished dark wood, her cutie mark- an open book- engraved on each side. I leaned against my mother’s side, rubbing my face against it. By this time I was all cried out, my fur stiff with dried tears.

Mother had asked Carin’ to say a few words for Grannie, as father was in no condition to speak. He blinked blearily out at everyone, his nice suit coat collar half-up and half-down, fur on his face matted with tears, wobbling dangerously next to my mother. She had tried to stop him after the fifth bottle, but when she wasn’t looking he had returned to the icebox. He was only able to stand from sheer stubbornness.

I looked over at Mossy, who smiled over at me gently. It was at that moment, with a nod from mother, that Carin’ stepped forward. “Hello everypony,” she said softly. The soft murmuring that had been in the background hushed, and all I could hear was the sound of the wind blowing between the gravestones, creating an eerie whistle. “We are gathered here today to honor the life of a most beloved pony.”

Carin’ looked between us all, rubbing one hoof against her other. “I haven’t known Grannie Azure for long, having only been here about a year, but I know how beloved she was. There was no pony more loved than Grannie. From what I have been told, practically everypony here grew up hearing her stories, all the things she has seen, done, and learned through her long life.”

“Though she is now gone from us,” Carin’ paused when Mossy’s mother broke down into sobs. Mossy and Ivy pulled her close, hugging her. “She will forever be in our hearts. She will live on through her stories, as they are told now by others.” She gulped, biting her lip and putting a hoof to the coffin lid. “Rest in peace Grannie Azure, the village shall protect your loved ones. As I have heard many a pony say, ‘we protect our own’.” With that, she trotted back over to us, embracing my mother in a tight hug, moving then to embrace me.

I picked up a moonflower –Grannie’s favorite flower- from a table set to the side- and stepped forward, placing it on the coffin. “I love you Grannie,” I choked out, fresh tears painting my cheeks as I returned to my spot. Mother followed after, placing another moonflower on the coffin, and with help from mother, father did so as well.

Headstone then stepped forward, wrapping the coffin in his magic and lowering it into the hole. As his magic dropped it gently to the dirt, he levitated down his own flower onto the grave.

Every single pony joined into a line behind the table, each adding their own flower into the grave as my parents and I stood next to it. Stepping over to us after placing their flower, they gave each of us a hug and trotted back into town. I could hear sounds of the festival start back up, though they were not as happy as before.

I tried not to blame them, going back to celebrating when I was breaking inside, but what could I do? We all had to cope in our own way. It was better for the foals anyway. Seeing them cry just tore at my heart even more.

As Mossy dropped his flower in and came over to us, he gave me a strong, firm hug. “I’m so sorry Gale, I wish there was more I could do,” he said. “But, if you ever want to talk about her, well… feel welcome to come on over?”

I smiled tiredly at him. “Thanks Mossy, I’ll do that.”

“Great! Well, er… I-I guess I should let you go,” with that, he gave me one last quick hug and hurried off.

As the last pony left, I almost felt the weight on my shoulders grow heavier. The only ones left now were my parents, Carin’, and the gravediggers.

With the sound of the first shovelful of dirt hitting the coffin I couldn’t take any more. I galloped away, tears streaking my face as I did so. The ground flew by below me, dirt tearing up into a dust cloud as I just ran and ran.

It wasn’t until I collapsed, out of breath, onto a patch of cool grass that I realized I had ran into the woods. I wasn’t sure how far in I was, but it didn’t matter. I pulled myself into a ball and sobbed, glad to be alone.




Woods around Hollow Shades- Shadow


Something was different about our woods, the town. Leaving my sisters and the elders as they snapped and growled at the pawful of rabbits and a pheasant we had managed to kill today, I padded toward the edge of the woods.

“Where do you think you are going?” I turned around to see Cherry behind me, a scowl on her face.

“Don’t you feel it Cherry? Something isn’t right.”

“What isn’t right? We have food, shelter, and the forest.”

“Yes, but it is… something else. I can’t quite explain it.” I shook my head, ears twitching and my tail flicking curiously.

Cherry sighed. “Is it those ponies again? Look, I know father told you they would need to be protected, but they are fine! They don’t need us, and we don’t need them.”

I shook my head, continuing on. “Dad was a smart wolf Cherry, I’m sure he knew what he was talking about.” There was just something in the air, a strange scent I couldn’t place my claw on. It filled my wooden bones, with some type of… sense I couldn’t explain.

“Well we can think about it, back at the den,” Cherry said, grabbing onto my tail with her teeth and pulling.

“Stop it!” I yelled, turning around and snatching my tail away from her.

“I’m just trying to protect my only brother!” she yelled back, growling. Her ears lowered, and she looked away. “You are our pack leader, our alpha. This obsession you have with the ponies is not healthy. You should be thinking more about finding a mate. I-I know it would be a-awkward to have one of us,” she looked back over at me. “But that might be your only choice, if we can’t find any others.”

I groaned, putting a paw to my head. “I know that is what the elders keep saying, but I couldn’t do that to you guys. Having pups with my own sisters? No!” Ugh, why hadn’t dad gathered a larger pack before he died? Why did it have to fall on me to expand it? The nearest pack made their home at the far edges of the forest, over twenty miles outside our borders. Even if I was to go there to try to take one of their females, I would be leaving my pack unprotected for days.

“There is always Redwood,” Cherry chuckled.

I glared at her. “She is beyond breeding age. Look, just go back to the others Cherry. I’ll be back soon.”

“Someone needs to protect you from yourself−”

“NOW, Cherry,” I growled.

“Fine, but I’m eating your portion of the pheasant!” she huffed and jumped into the bushes, racing off.

I chuckled, shaking my head at her and continuing on. It was starting to get late as I neared the village, circling it, sticking near the edge of the trees. Few ponies were still out and about, which surprised me, being it was a festival night. For previous festivals, many of them had been out into the early hours of the morning, some not even heading to their homes until just before the sun rose.

A scent in the air made me pause as I passed behind the homes. The graveyard where they buried their dead had a fresh mound of dirt covering one of them. Early scents of decay floated toward me on the wind from it, and I blinked in surprise, recognizing the scent. It was that old mare from a few nights ago! My stomach growled, reminding me I had left my share of today’s hunt to Cherry. I didn’t usually care for carrion, but perhaps this once− there it was again!

I turned away from the cemetery, forgetting my growling stomach, as the feeling of wrongness made my paws tingle. The moon glowed bright behind me as I raced toward the feeling, the tingling spreading to more of my body as I drew closer to where I felt I needed to be.

As I turned a corner, I had to jump back behind some bushes as I spotted a pony walking in the forest. She stepped out of the shadows, the wind blowing her scent my way, her dark brown mane flowing behind her. The mare was familiar as well, her flowery scent something I couldn’t forget. She had been with the old mare. Were they family?

I followed her, staying to the shadows best I could on such a bright, moonlit night. Thankfully, the direction of the wind didn’t change. If she smelled me, it would for sure frighten her, and I didn’t want that.

She rubbed at her face with one hoof, sniffing. Had she been crying? Yes, I concluded, I could smell the salt of dried tears on her. Was this the wrongness I had been drawn to? I could feel the tingling now through most of my body. What was she doing in the forest this late at night anyway? Didn’t she realize it was dangerous? My sisters and I were not the worst things in here.

At least she had a decent color for camouflage. Most of those ponies out there were bright colors that would stick out in the forest like a sore paw. She, though, was a beautiful dark grey. I took a few steps back as she paused, looking around. Had she seen me?

I sighed as she continued down the path. We were drawing close to the village now, and the tingling feeling was getting stronger. My paws itched worse than they had when I got termites as a pup! I dug my claws into the thin grass, something was VERY wrong ahead. I don’t know how I knew, but I could just feel it.

The mare stepped out of the woods, and sighed deeply. “Thank Celestia I stayed near the path,” she said. “If I had gotten lost in my mad run…” she shook her head, looking around. “I wonder if mother and father are looking for me.”

I paused by the edge of the woods, blinking slowly as I watched her start to trot away. NO! I couldn’t let her leave. Had to keep her in my sights. The tingling in my paws grew worst for a moment, just at the thought of losing sight of her, but I couldn’t leave the forest. If she spotted me, she would surely run and the wrongness would happen and I wouldn’t be able to stop it.

Thankfully, a moment later she paused as two ponies stepped out of a building next to the forest. I could hear laughter coming from inside as the door opened, as well as the acrid smell of urine and fermented fruit. The two ponies were big, muscular stallions, without horn or wings like her. When they spotted her, they trotted her way.

“Gah!” I yipped, feeling the tingling move to my ears. I lifted a paw to scratch, trying to shake it away. My paw stopped about halfway to my head as I realized, the wrongness was them! I put the paw back down, resisting the urge to scratch, as they drew closer.

“Gale! There you are,” the one on the left, a slimy yellow-green color, beamed. He was walking towards her on three legs, the other held one of those bottles that smelled like fermented fruit. He lifted the bottle, gulping a large mouthful and sighed.

“Ya know you had a lot of the town looking for you,” the other one chimed in, this one a mud-brown. He also had one of those bottles in a hoof.

The mare – Gale it seemed? – just scowled at them. “I’ve had a hard day and needed some time alone.”

“All alone in the forest?” the first one asked. “That is so dangerous!”

“Well I didn’t mean to stay there so late,” she said softly. “I kind of fell asleep.” She whispered, so softly I doubt either of them heard.

“Why not let us walk you home?” the second one crooned, getting way too close to her.

Gale backed away, shaking her head. “I can make it there perfectly well myself, thank you very much.”

“Or, you could come to our place,” the first one giggled.

“Mug, you’re drunk,” she snorted. “Both you and Barrel.”

“All the more reason to have some fun!” The second one, Barrel, chuckled, stepping closer to her again. “It is your birthday after all, isn’t it?”

“Why don’t we take you home, and see if your cutie mark is of one of us?” Mug smiled, putting a hoof around her.

“Ew, no!” she growled, knocking his hoof away from her. I let out a low growl as the two continued closer to her. She took a few steps back, trying to stay away from them.

As they drew closer, the stench of their intentions grew stronger. My whole body was tingling now, urging me onwards. If I didn’t act soon, the wrongness would happen.

“Just a little kiss then?” Mug whined, pursing his lips and stepping closer.

I sprang, jumping over Gale and tackling a startled Mug to the dirt. He dropped his bottle, the nasty liquid spilling out. The fool let out a high pitched scream, closing his eyes and throwing his hooves over his face. “Barrel, help me!”

“Sorry, but uh…. I think I hear mother calling,” Barrel mumbled, and raced away. I watched him run. I yelped in pain when something sharp hit against my head. Liquid dribbled down my face, and I realized the stallion below me had hit me with his bottle.

“Get off of me! I-I don’t want to diiie!” he moaned, realizing the bottle had done little more that scratch my bark.

I growled, baring my fangs right in his face. He gagged as my own smell wavered over him, shivering as drool dripped down onto his exposed belly. It would be so easy to just slice him open with a claw. My stomach growled, reminding me I had skipped eating again. I had never had pony, but I might just have to make an exception.

Suddenly, the tingling stopped. I blinked in surprise. Had I fixed the wrongness? Looking down at the scared stallion, it just didn’t feel right to kill him. Sure he deserved something for trying to hurt the mare, but that wasn’t it. The feeling of wrongness from before, whatever gave it to me, wanted him left alive.

“Fine,” I huffed, though from the look he gave me I don’t think he understood. I shook my head and backed off. He scrambled to his hooves, stumbling around as he raced away. “Good riddance. I bet you taste like you smell anyway!” I yelled.

It was when I turned around that I remembered the mare standing behind me. She looked up at me, her legs splayed out beneath her ready to run. The scent of fear flowed off her, but something else as well. Curiosity? She took a deep breath, closing her eyes.

A light wind tossed her mane behind her, the full moon shining brightly above us. She opened her eyes, and for a brief moment, our eyes met. The tingling took hold of my body again, a pungent, but sweet zingy scent filled my nostrils just as a loud crackling boom filled the air, making my ears ring.

My heart beat quickly in fear, as I watched my bark covered form crumble away. If it hadn’t been for that constant tingling it probably would have hurt, but instead I just itched all over. I let out a yelp, feeling dizzy as I grew smaller and smaller, my crumbling bark blowing away in the wind.

As the last scrap fell from me, and I looked over at the mare, we were now about the same height. I moaned, the dizziness growing worse, and collapsed into darkness.
> Start of a New Life
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 3: Start of a New Life

 



Hollow Shades- Edge of Town- Nightingale


           I lifted both my hooves to my muzzle, heart beating wildly as I stared down at the unconscious timberwolf- or well, pony now. His coat was much the same color his wood had been, an almost black dark-brown.  His mane was short, just a little past the bottom of his ears, but it was wavy, and the color of mahogany.

 
           He bit his lip as he slept, ears twitching, curled up into a ball with his tail wrapped around him, what little there was of it. Like his mane, it was also wavy, but only long enough to reach his upper flanks. “You are so handsome,” I sighed, then slapped my hooves back over my mouth. What was I doing?  I- I couldn’t just fall for him like that. No matter what the stories said. Though, he had saved me.

 
           Not that I couldn’t have taken care of Mug and Barrel myself, but−

 
“Gale?” 

 
I lowered my ears flat against my skull as I heard the voice of my mother calling. Colt! What was I going to do with him? Grannie’s stories kind of skipped over a lot of the part after… but then being such an old tale those details were likely lost.

 
           I looked around, from one side of us to the next, where to put him? What to do with him? Upon spotting the Shades wheelbarrow, usually used for transporting crops, against the tavern wall I grinned. Leaning down, I really wished I was a unicorn right now. Moving him would be so much easier.

 
           I wrapped a hoof under each of his front legs, grunting as I stepped backward, pulling him along with me. He groaned softly, mumbling, but otherwise remained quiet. “Shh, just a little farther big guy,” I whispered and laid him out next to the wheelbarrow, taking in a deep breath as his weight left me.

 
           “Okay Gale, let’s do this. Hide him now and we’ll be back for him early in the morning. I just hope he sleeps that long.” I grunted as I pushed the wheelbarrow over, breathing a sigh of relief when it covered him neatly. He’d have some dirt in his fur come morning, but that was the least of our problems.

 
           “Gale!” Mother yelled, letting out a sigh as she came around the corner. “Barrel just found me. He told me you were attacked by a timberwolf?”

 
           “Ugh,” I groaned, facehoofing. “No, the wolf attacked Mug mother, but he didn’t hurt him.”

 
           “Oh thank Celestia you are safe,” she said, running to wrap me in a hug. “What happened to the timberwolf?”

 
           “Well that loud bang scared him and he ran off,” I said, ears lowering slightly. I really hated lying to mother, but it’s not like I could tell her the truth now could I?

 
           “Bang? What loud bang?”

 
           “You mean you didn’t hear it?”

 
           Mother shook her head, looking around. I cringed as her eyes fell on the upside down wheelbarrow. “Unless you are talking about that, I did hear what sounded like that falling over. But that wouldn’t be too loud.”

 
           “Right! That was it,” I mumbled, hugging her to me again and pulling her away from it. “I pushed it over and the sound scared him.”

 
           “Well aren’t you such a brave one, my dear,” Mother chuckled, rubbing a hoof through my mane. “It’s late, we need to get you home.”

 
           “Of course, mother.” I let out a huge yawn, covering my mouth with one hoof. “It has been an exhausting day.”

 
           Mother nodded, taking one last look at the wheelbarrow before she turned around and began to lead the way home. I trotted after her, taking a deep breath and letting it out in relief.
“Where’s father?”

 
            Mother winced. “He’s at home, passed out.” She turned to look at me as we passed under the bright light of the moon. I hadn’t noticed until then, but she looked so exhausted with deep bags under her eyes. “It’s been a very hard day on him. Even worse when you disappeared.”

 
           I lowered my ears, rubbing a forehoof against my other. “I’m sorry mother. I just… needed some time.”
 

           “I know honey,” she sighed, and trotted on.

 
It wasn’t long until we reached our front door. Trotting inside, I looked to see Grannie’s bedroom door wide open, moonlight pooling out onto the floor in front of it. A tear trickled down my cheek, but I shook it away. The blanket I had used the night before had been folded neatly and placed on the arm of the couch, the pillow on top of it.

 
“If you need to, you may sleep on the couch again,” Mother whispered, nuzzling my cheek. “Just stay safe. You know you can come to me if you have any problems, right?”


“Of course mother,” I nodded. I kissed her cheek, and pulled the pillow back onto the couch as 
mother stepped toward her room.

 
“Sleep well then.” With that, she opened her bedroom door and trotted inside, closing it behind her.

 
I grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around me, sitting down on the couch. So much had happened today –tonight− and it still buzzed in my brain. Grannie’s stories had been true, it seemed. The Timberwolf moon, the transformation, all had come to pass as she said. Did that mean the rest would happen too?

 
This wolf and I, were we to be mates? The idea just seemed so… weird. Shouldn’t we be able to choose our own fate? And what would he think of all of this? I mean, he was a predator, would he even want to be mates with what he might consider prey? “Ugh! When did life become so confusing?” I groaned, throwing my hooves up over my face.

 
I stood, walking to the kitchen window and looking up at the sky. The stars shone brightly beside the full moon. “Grannie, why did you have to leave me now?” I sighed. “I need you now more than ever.”

 
The light of the moon caught against my necklace, the moonstone shining bright for a moment. I picked it up in my hoof, looking down at it, and smiled. It reminded me of what Grannie had said last night.
 

“Promise me you will be open minded Gale.”

 
I clasped my hoof around the moonstone, nodding. “I will keep my promise Grannie. Somehow, you knew. You knew all of this. I don’t know how you do it, but I will do my best.” It was at that moment, a shooting star shot across the sky. My eyes watered, my body shaking a little. “I love you too Grannie.”

 
 



Hollow Shades- Shadow


 
 
           My ears twitched, hearing grunting above me. Something moved, and my body became enveloped in a slight warmth. “Gah!” I yelped, when I felt a hoof gently nudge against me. Opening my eyes, I looked up into the face of an angel, a halo of light surrounding her beautiful mane. Wait, mane? I blinked, shaking my head and holding a paw to it, only to feel something cold and hard in place of my claws. Seeing a dark hoof where my claws should be I panicked, scrambling backwards.

 
           “Hey, hey, it’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you,” the angel before me whispered, smiling at me. She moved to the side, and with the sun no longer haloing her in light, I saw it was that mare from before. Gale was what those ruffians called her, wasn’t it?

 
           I took in deep breaths, feeling the wind against my body. Dare I look? Taking a deep breath, I looked down to see my barked hide was gone, replaced with flesh, bone, and fur. My coat was a brown so dark it was almost black. In place of my claws were hooves, a lighter brown than my coat, almost reddish-brown. Little tufts of fur hung over them.
 

           “By the love of the moon, am I a- a pony?” I gasped.
 

           Gale giggled, kneeling down beside me where I lay on the dirt. “Mmhmm,” she said. “An earth pony, to be exact.”
 

           “B-but how- why? A-and you can understand me?” I felt my ears twitch, the little hairs inside of them brushing against each other.
 

           “Yeah, I guess I can,” she rubbed her chin in thought. “How are you feeling? You’ve been out for hours.”

 
My eyes widened at that, my breaths coming fast. “H-hours? Oh this is not good, not good...” I jumped up, wavering back and forth as the dizziness returned.

 
“Careful, not so fast,” Gale said, putting a paw- no hoof- to my shoulder.

 
“You don’t get it, my pack will be worried. I- I need to go.” I turned to head back into the forest, only to stumble over my new hooves and tumble to the ground again. “Ugh, how do you walk on these accursed appendages? You have no claws to hold onto the ground!”

 
Gale laughed, and held out a hoof. “You’ll get used to it I imagine. What is your name, by the way? I’m Nightingale, but most ponies call me Gale.”

 
“I know who you are,” I said taking the hoof and grunting a little as she helped me up. “I am Shadow, Alpha of the Moonclaw pack.”

 
“The Alpha?” she asked. “Does that mean you are their leader?”

 
I nodded. “And that is why I must get back to them. I told Cherry I would be back soon, and now,” I looked around, watching as the sun left the horizon. “I’ve been gone all night.”

 
Gale’s ears lowered slightly, biting her lip. “Is-is this Cherry your wife?”

 
I laughed at that, shaking my head. “By the elders bark no! She is just my youngest sister.”

 
Gale chuckled at that too, and I saw her blush. “Oh, well good!” She stepped a little closer to me, head tilted sideways. “Though, you might want to reconsider going to them.”

 
“But they need me! Without me there, some lone wolf could just clamber in and steal them!” I growled.

 
“I think you are forgetting something,” she said softly. “You are not a timberwolf anymore.”

 
I just stood there, blinking at her. She was right. “But why? What happened? I- the moon!” Suddenly, all of last night came back to me. Could it be? Had Dad’s stories been true? I looked over at Gale, who seemed to suddenly become shy and turned away.

 
“Grannie always told me stories about the Timberwolf Moon,” Gale sighed. “But I-I I never thought…”

 
“My Dad used to tell them to me too,” I said. “Sorry about your Grannie by the way.”

 
She looked back up at me, startled. “What do you mean?”

 
“Well it is her grave in your graveyard, right? The freshly dug one?”

 
Gale winced. “Y-yeah. She died yesterday.”

 
“I’m sorry,” I said. “My Dad died three summers ago, but I still miss him so much.”

 
“Gale?”

 
Gale jumped, turning around as a nutty brown stallion with a dark green mane trotted up to her. “Mossy? What are you doing here?”

 
“I came looking for you after I heard what happened last night,” he said. “I tried at your house first, but your mother said you had already left.” He turned to look at me. “Who are you?”

 
“This is Shadow,” Gale blurted. “He’s new to town and I met him as I was taking a morning walk.”

 
“New, huh?” Mossy said, narrowing his eyes. “We don’t get many new ponies here.”

 
“Y-yeah, Gale is right,” I stammered. By the elder’s bark, why was I so nervous around this pony? “I wanted a change of pace, yeah something different.”

 
Mossy continued to stare at me for a moment, but then nodded. “Well then, I guess I should welcome you to Hollow Shades!” He held out a hoof, and I shook it carefully. “Names Mossy Oak, nice to meet you Shadow.”
 

I heard Gale breathe a sigh of relief behind us. A howl echoed out over the town, and both Gale and Mossy jumped. Broken fangs, it was my sister Cherry! I’d recognize her howl anywhere. From the tone of it, she was not happy.
 

“That sounded close,” Mossy whispered. “You think it is the one that attacked you last night?”
 

“He didn’t attack me!” Gale yelled. “He was trying to protect me from Mug and Barrel.”
 

Mossy sighed, putting a hoof to his head. “Protect you? What were they doing that you needed protection from?”

 
“They had vile intentions for her,” I snorted.

 
Mossy stared back over at me. “And how would you know?”

 
“Because he heard the racket last night and was wondering what happened,” Gale said, blushing.

 
“So you told him first?” Mossy asked, holding out a hoof, ears wilting.

 
“I’m just the first who asked for the truth,” I said, shrugging.

 
“Um, maybe we should just go back to my home for breakfast?” Gale whispered, standing between the two of us.

 
“Sure, I love your mom’s cooking,” Mossy grinned, turning around to lead the way. I walked slowly after him, wobbling a bit but quickly getting the hang of walking with these new hooves. Even without the claws, wasn’t that much different from my own paws.

 
“So, what we going to do about well… this?” Gale whispered, walking along beside me. “I don’t think it wise to tell everything.”

 
I nodded. “Let’s just keep it a secret for now. We’ll continue with your out of town story.” I whispered back. She nodded, and we continued on silently. I heard the sound of Cherry’s howl again, and lowered my ears. That was something I would need to deal with sooner, rather than later.

 



Nightingale’s Home-Nightingale


 
 
           I led Mossy and Shadow inside, smiling at mother as they trotted in behind me. “Good morning Mossy,” mother grinned. “I see you found Gale.”
 

           “Yeah, I was just taking a morning walk,” I mumbled. “Where’s father?”

 
           “Asleep, the poor stallion,” she sighed, lowering her ears. “Ever since Grannie−” she paused shaking her head. “Anyway, who is your friend?”

 
           “Mother, this is Shadow,” I said, pointing a hoof at him.

 
           “It is a pleasure to meet you,” he said, nodding to her, he turned back toward the door, tail swishing back and forth.

 
           “He’s from out of town, but thinking about staying here.”

 
           “Well that’s wonderful, we could always use some new ponies. We rarely get visitors,” mother beamed. “Are you three hungry? I already have breakfast cooking.”

 
           I sniffed, licking my lips as the scent of mother’s homemade rolls reached me. “I was just about to start some grilled daisy sandwiches too,” mother said, pulling out a loaf of bread. “I know it is a little early for lunch, but I was hoping making your father’s favorites would bring him out.” Her gaze turned to their bedroom door, which remained closed.

 
           “I’ll help,” Mossy offered. Mother nodded, leaving Shadow and I alone in the living room.

 
           “I’m guessing that was one of your sisters?” I asked, taking a seat on the couch.

 
           Shadow nodded, “she is very angry at me for not coming home last night.” He plopped down on the floor next to me, staring up at me with those big, golden eyes. “She might be the youngest of us, but she really acts more like our mother,” he laughed hesitantly.

 
           I daren’t ask if their mother was dead as well. “Well you can’t very well go back a pony,” I said. “They would probably try to gobble you up.”

 
           He chuckled at that, but then his eyes grew wide as the idea hit him. “You’re right. Well, partially. Father taught us that ponies are only food if nothing else is available. Thankfully, times have never been lean enough that we have had to eat one.”

 
           That was a relief! What would I have done if he had eaten pony? I shivered a little at the thought, wrapping my hooves around me. “What would they do? Would you even still smell like yourself to them?” He sure didn’t have that normal stench timberwolves produce, not that I could smell at least.

 
           Shadow lifted a hoof, sniffing at his fur. “Hmmm, maybe. I do smell somewhat like myself, but it is covered by the sweet and tangy smell of pony.”

 
           I chuckled. “We smell sweet and tangy, do we? How do you resist not taking a bite out of one of us?”

 
           He grinned back, “it can be hard, but we make do. I could never hurt you, not now.”

 
           “Oh!” I gasped, blushing. So I wasn’t the only one feeling this so strongly. Sweet Celestia, this connection was so… powerful. “T-thanks for saving me, by the way. Mug and Barrel are not usually that callous, but when they get some drinks in them…”

 
           “You are welcome,” he smiled. “The wrongness called me to you, and I couldn’t ignore it. I-I had to stop it from happening.”

 
           “Wrongness?”

 
           Shadow nodded. “I’m not sure what it was exactly, but it sent a tingling throughout my entire body, and it didn’t stop until I jumped in to help.”

 
           Interesting, Grannie had spoken of something similar a few times, but I couldn’t recall if it had a connection to the timberwolf moon. “Well whatever it is, let’s hope it happens again if I need your help!”

 
           He nodded, jerking up as Mossy trotted back into the living room. “Brunch is served,” he grinned, and led us back into the kitchen.

 
 
           
           Lunch was eaten quietly. It seemed all of us were a little tired, which is to be expected. After all that had happened yesterday. Shadow chewed on the daisy sandwich almost reluctantly. He tried his best to hide it, but I could tell he didn’t like it. Father never showed for lunch, even as mother and I were doing dishes. I was really getting worried.

 
           “He’ll be okay,” mother reassured me. “Some just take longer to get through their grief than others.” She looked back at Shadow and Mossy, who were still at the table. Not saying much, just staring at each other. “I’m glad you have friends who are helping you. How did you meet Shadow anyway?”      

 
           Wasn’t that a loaded question? “Well, he heard the timberwolf last night, and was worried about what had happened.”

 
           “So he asked you?” Mother asked. I nodded. “Hmm…” She handed me the last plate, which I quickly dried off and put away.

 
           “Well, I better get going,” Mossy sighed. “I promised Ivy I would help her in the garden today.”

 
           “Feel free to come back anytime Mossy,” mother said, trotting over and wrapping him in a hug.

 
“Yes Mrs. Peach Pie,” he said, looking to Shadow once more before he trotted out the door.

 
I jumped, startled when the door to my parents room slammed open. Father stumbled out the door, mane hanging in his face and smelling strongly of apple cider. “Gale, you’re home,” he mumbled, shaking his head and holding a hoof to it.

 
“Father!” I yelled, running over to wrap him in a hug. “Good to see you awake.”

 
He hugged me back, but was quiet otherwise. Shadow cleared his throat at the table, standing and holding out a hoof to father. “And who are you?” Father growled.

 
“I’m Shadow sir,” he said putting the hoof back down slowly when father didn’t lift his own. “New to town, just looking for a place to stay I guess?”

 
“We don’t need no new ponies,” father snorted.

 
“Nighthawk!” mother scolded, coming between the two. Father didn’t even look remotely sorry, just shrugging and heading into the kitchen, grabbing an apple cider from the ice box. Mother shook her head, turning back to Shadow. “I’m sorry Shadow, he isn’t usually like this.”

 
“It’s okay, I’m… used to that kind of reaction,” he frowned. “Gale told me what happened yesterday. I’m sorry for your loss.”

 
“Thank you Shadow,” mother smiled softly. She turned to look at me. “Gale, why don’t you take Shadow for a tour of the town while I have a talk with your father?” she glared over at her husband, who had shambled to his kitchen chair and was sipping on his cider.

 
“Yes mother,” I said and nodded to Shadow. “You coming?”

 
“Of course,” he grinned, ears lowering as he looked once more at father. Together, we then trotted outside.





 
 
 
Hollow Shades- Shadow

       
    
           I followed beside Gale as we trotted through town. Sure I had seen much of it from the woods, but it was an altogether new experience seeing it from the town itself. I lowered my ears slightly as everypony we passed watched me. The adults stayed clear of me, whispering to each other. Even though I couldn’t make out much of what they were saying, it still made me nervous.
 

           “You’d think they didn’t like newcomers,” I said, sticking as close to Gale as I could.

 
           “They’re not usually this bad,” she sighed. “It must be− OH! How did I not notice it before?”

 
           “What?” I yelped raising my head and looking around us, ears perked up.

 
           “That,” she said, pointing to my flanks. I looked to where she pointed, finding just bare fur. I lifted a hoof to ask her what she meant, when it dawned on me. The others around us, all except for the littlest ones, had pictures on their flanks, those things they called ‘cutie marks’.

 
           “So I don’t have one of those pictures,” I said, shrugging. “What’s the big deal?”

 
           “The big deal is everypony gets one. It tells them what they are meant to do with their lives, what they are good at.”

 
           “You don’t have one,” I pointed out. She just glared at me.

 
           “Don’t remind me,” she huffed. “But it would explain why they are cautious around you. It is strange enough I don’t have one, but another pony from out of town coming here, who also doesn’t have one? Not something you see every day.”

 
           “Oh,” I said. I winced, holding a hoof to my stomach as it growled. “Quiet you!”

 
           “Still hungry?” she asked. I smiled sheepishly at the question, nodding.

 
           “Do you have a place around here that I can get a nice slice of meat?” The crowd around us grew silent, staring at me. What was the matter?

 
           “Um, we don’t eat meat,” Gale whispered, tugging me away from the other ponies and over to the town gardens. It took a few minutes, but slowly the crowd resumed their talking.

 
           “Then what do you have the goats and pigs for? I mean what can they really give you?”

 
           “Well, we do use the goat’s milk for cooking and drinking, and their wool makes for excellent clothes and blankets for the cold. As for the pigs, they help our farm ponies dig for truffles, as well as help with getting the fields ready for planting. They are a lot smarter than many give them credit for.” Gale grinned, reaching into the garden and snapping off a huge, red, ripe tomato. “Perhaps this will taste better than flowers?”

 
           I nodded, taking it from her and biting down on it. It did have a stronger flavor, juicy and stringy, but I wasn’t sure. “Well, it is better than the flowers,” I grinned, hungry enough that I continued on the tomato. “But I don’t know how long I can survive on this kind of diet.” I shuddered. Just thinking of never sinking my teeth into a juicy rabbit or delicious deer again, I didn’t know if I could handle it!

 
           “Well, long as you are a pony, your body won’t be able to digest meat well. It would just make you sick,” she sighed, putting a hoof to my cheek. I jumped, dropping the last few bites of tomato as a spark spread from where her hoof touched. It didn’t hurt, but felt nice, right, like it was meant to be there.

 
           “Sorry,” she said, blushing, but didn’t move her hoof. She raised her head to look at me, her eyes sparkling, and I could tell she felt the same way.

 
           “It’s okay,” I whispered, just staring into those beautiful eyes of hers. They were the exact shade of blue that one sees in the sky just as the sun goes down, but before the moon rises.

 
           “Maybe we should go somewhere a little more private?” she asked, removing her hoof.

 
           I looked around, noticing some of the ponies starting to stare at us again. Did they have nothing better to do? “Yeah, that might be a good idea,” I nodded.

 
           “Follow me,” she said, gesturing with her hoof toward the pond.

 
           I followed silently behind her as she led me towards a large rock nestled against the side of the pond closest to the woods. A slab of it hung further outward than the rest, creating a small alcove beneath it, facing towards the woods. She plopped down on the grass below it, looking around to see nopony had followed us.

 
           “This is nice,” I said, sitting down next to her and leaning against the cool rock.

 
           “Not many come over here, thanks to it being close to the woods,” she said softly. “Gr- Grannie wasn’t scared,” she paused, biting her lip and holding a hoof to her chest. “B-but most others are, at least a little. We should be safe to talk freely here.”

 
           “I’m guessing you want to talk about… us?”

 
           She nodded. “Yeah, we really should.”

 
           “This does feel… weird, doesn’t it?” I chuckled softly.

 
           “You have no idea!” she grinned. “Well, maybe you do.” She turned to look up at the sky, a clear blue with few clouds in its embrace. “Grannie always said I was special. But this? I-I don’t know.”

 
           “It confuses me as well. But even still everything just,” I put a hoof to my chin, thinking. “It just feels right, you know? Maybe it is just the curse, or whatever you want to call it, but I can’t help caring for you.”

 
           She smiled up at me. “I feel the same. Though,” she ran a hoof through the grass, letting out a sigh. “I’m not sure what I feel, about losing the chance to choose myself.”

 
           “Was there another you had your eyes on?” I asked, feeling my heart ache at the thought. “Maybe Mossy?”

 
           She shook her head, “No, Mossy is just my friend. He’s a great stallion, but I’ve never felt that way about him. No stallion in our town have I felt this way about.”

 
           I breathed a sigh of relief on that! “I’ve never had my eyes on anyone else either. Of course, it helps that most of my pack is just my sisters,” I chuckled.

 
           “Then perhaps the curse… chose well?” she said softly, then smiled at me. “I do find you quite handsome.”

 
           “Oh!” I yelped, blushing a little. “I-I find you rather beautiful. I don’t care if it is the curse telling us so or what.” I paused, thinking for a moment. “Let’s not call it a curse. That is, if you want to see if it is all true?”

 
           She nodded, leaning back against the rock next to me. “It’ll mean we’ll have a lot to work through, but yes, I do think I’d like to try this out.” She let out a sigh, “but then, what should we call it? Destiny? Fate? True love?”

 
           “Destiny, for now, sounds fine. By the elder’s bark, this is going to be interesting.”

 
           She giggled. “Elder’s bark?”

 
           “Oh? It-it is a saying really,” I stammered. “My father used to say it and I kind of picked it up.”

 
           “Well, I like it,” she beamed. “Ready to continue the tour?”

 
           I nodded. “Lead the way beautiful,” I crooned, smiling when I saw the blush on her cheeks.

 
> Disaster
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 4: Disaster


Hollow Shades- Shadow
 


            It didn’t take much longer to tour the town, though my spine tingled as I felt the townsponies continue to stare at me. I hadn’t heard Cherry in a while now and that concerned me more than actually hearing her. Had she gone back to the pack, or was she just searching for me deeper in the woods where I couldn’t hear her?


“You okay?” Gale asked.


I turned to look at her, nodding. “Just worried. I need to let my pack know what happened! I don’t know how exactly, but they need to know.”


“We’ll figure something out,” Gale soothed. “I just wonder if they would understand you now that you are a pony.”


“I can still understand my sister,” I snorted, plopping down in a patch of grass near the end of town. “It might just be this spell, but I think she would understand.”


Gale turned to look out into the woods, her ears twitching nervously. “What if she doesn’t? What if she tries to kill you?” She gazed back at me, eyes wide and frightened. “What if she succeeds? If one of us dies, will that darkness still escape soon? A-and will we then be doomed because we are not together to fight it?” She held her hooves to the side of her head, shivering.


“Be at ease Gale,” I crooned, putting a hoof to her cheek. “If it is our destiny to face the darkness and drive it off, we will do so. I think.” She facehoofed, chuckled, then looked up at me around her hoof.


“Guess we should just do what we can to prepare,” she sighed. “And letting your pack know probably is a good idea. Dangerous, but it needs to be done.”


I nodded, getting back to my hooves, and took a deep breath. “Okay, I’ll head out now.” Gale stood up beside me, but I shook my head at her. “You stay here, they might recognize me, but I fear what they might try to do to you.”


“Go out there alone?” Gale huffed. “What about the other dangers in the forest? Or if one of your pack attacks first and asks questions later? Who will be there to protect you?”


“I’m hoping I still have enough of a dangerous scent to keep them at bay,” I admitted. “But you would only smell like prey to them. Please Gale, stay where I know you’ll be safe?”


“Oh, I-I,” she mumbled, then let out a loud sigh and nodded. “Fine. Maybe that feeling of wrongness will come to me too if you need help?”


I chuckled, taking the first few steps into the forest. “Let’s hope you won’t need it!” My hoofsteps paused for a moment, and I watched her from the beginnings of the trees shadows. Even with her nervous stance, shifting her weight from one hoof to the next as she gazed back at me, I was sure she would be okay. The tingling from the wrongness the night before was completely gone, not even a single claw- well hoof- was itchy. “See you soon,” I whispered, and disappeared into the shadows.



Sounds of the wildlife around me filled my ears. The whistling, two-toned chirp of the chickadee, the guttural growls and grunts of two badgers fighting, and a little too close for comfort, the loud roar of a manticore. My ears lowered slightly as I heard it scratch its claws against a tree, followed by a loud crack and whine as the tree fell.


I took a deep breath and kept going, hoping the manticore didn’t smell me –thankfully I was downwind of it, for now- and followed as close as I could the path I usually took to get to our den. The path was a lot larger than I remembered, but then I was a lot smaller now. Last time I was this small, was when I had been just a few moons old! “Welcome to the life of not being one of the tallest creatures out there anymore,” I chuckled to myself. But I didn’t mind, long as I could have Gale by my side. If we got that far.


The walk was taking a lot longer than I remembered, but it gave me time to think over the past day. With the power of the timberwolf moon, I had found a potential mate. My feelings were already so strong for Gale, her beautiful smile and the way her mane caught the light. My beautiful angel. Her father had to be my big concern, though I hoped he would accept me. I cringed at the thought of my own father, and seeing him die before my very claws.


We had been out hunting, padding along the trail of a proud buck deer. The buck had finally started to tire, after we had been hounding it for hours. Just as dad was about to lunge at its neck, the buck let out a scream of pain, falling to the ground. My eyes had widened, seeing the stinger of a manticore’s tail buried deep in its neck.


Dad let out a low growl, baring his fangs, upon seeing the biggest manticore I had ever seen on the far side of the buck. It had to of been the leader of the small pack that lived on the edges of our borders. Dad was still bigger than it, and the stinger would have little use against our barked hides, but the beast was still strong and a more than worthy adversary.


The manticore removed its stinger from the buck, latched its fangs into the furry back, and began to drag it away. “I don’t think so,” Dad had growled. He wasn’t ready to let this beast steal our prey. The manticore’s ears twitched, it turned around and fluffed out its mane, then let out a earthshaking roar right into Dad’s face.


He didn’t even flinch, just stared the beast down. It was then I swore I heard the manticore chuckle. The bushes and grasses around us cracked and were pushed aside by three more manticores! They circled us, fangs bared, turning their gaze to the deer, then back to Dad and me. “Run!” Dad yelled at me, springing to push me to the side as they all sprang at once. I let out a yelp as I tumbled down a hill, crushing an old log to splinters as I came to a stop at the bottom.


I scrambled back up the hill, hiding behind a tree, shivering in fright as all four manticores went at Dad. He fought bravely, even taking one of them down with a bone snapping crunch to its neck as it tried in vain to stab him with its stinger, but then the remaining three were on him. I hugged the tree I hid behind tight in my paws, gouging huge strips of bark from it with my claws, unable to turn my gaze away as they tore him apart. Even if we were able to heal from many injuries, what they left of him a few minutes later when the largest one led them away, the deer dangling from its jaws, wasn’t enough.


I paused, shaking away the horrible memory as I heard a low howl. In the same moment, my hooves began to tingle. Gale! The howl came again as I turned around, racing back toward the village. My ears flattened and I raced even faster, letting out a yelp of surprise as I tripped over a root, catching myself just before I toppled over. Cherry was back near the village! “Oh Gale, stay safe,” I moaned, huffing as I continued to run.


 





Hollow Shades- Nightingale



           I bit my lip as I watched Shadow walk into the forest alone. Sure he probably knew it like the back of his hoof, but he was a pony now! “Why did I let you go in alone?” I sighed, shaking my head.


    “Let who go in where alone?” Mossy asked, trotting up beside me. He looked around, then back to me. “Where is that stallion, Shadow right?”


    I nodded, “yes, his name is Shadow. He went into the forest alone.”


    Mossy shrugged, “well, he had to make his way through it to get here, right? He can probably find his way just fine.” He gave me a small smile, ears perking up. “Did he decide Hollow Shades wasn’t for him? I wouldn’t be surprised with how most ponies have treated him so far.”


    “No, he’ll be back,” I said shaking my head. Mossy just sighed at that. I blinked, looking over at him curiously. Did Mossy not want him to return? “He just… went to talk to somepony.”


    “Then he probably won’t be back for a while,” Mossy said, a soft smile returning to his face. “Want to help Ivy and me in her garden? Or did you have other plans?” He rubbed a forehoof against the other, looking down at the ground.


    Taking one last look back at the forest, I sighed. It would take my mind off worrying about Shadow. “Sure,” I said, turning back to him.


“Great!” he beamed. “Follow me.”


    I silently followed behind him, hiding a smile behind one hoof as Mossy practically pranced back to his home a few down from my own. What was with him lately? Whatever it was, I shook the thought from my head as we trotted behind the house and over to the large garden they had behind it.


Unlike the community gardens, theirs contained only flowers, flowering trees and bushes. A simple wooden fence surrounded it, keeping it safe from anypony unintentionally trampling it. Most of the flowers were roses, in a hue of almost every color: reds, pinks, yellows, oranges, and tiny little dark blue ones, crawling up a trellis in the back.


Ivy stood near the center of the garden, a hoe in her mouth as she dug a hole for a new rosebush, this one the exact shade of a ripe tomato. Upon hearing us trot up, she dropped the hoe and wiped a drop of sweat from her brow. She wore a straw hat nestled in her ruby red mane behind her horn, her off-white fur smeared with dirt and mud. Her cutie mark, blue roses wrapped around a trellis, wiggled as she beamed in delight.


“Gale! So good to see you,” she trotted over and opened the garden gate, wrapping me in a hug.


“Good to see you too Ivy,” I said, hugging her right back. “Your garden looks beautiful for so late in the year.”


“Thanks!” she said. “I’ve been imbuing come of my own magic into the soil. It’s a little hard to explain, but everything should stay this beautiful at least until we get our first winter snow.”


Mossy chuckled, “that’s our Ivy for you, smartest one in the family.” He lifted a hoof and poked the dome of her hat.


Ivy blushed, waving a hoof at him. “Aw, you are smart too Mossy.” She turned back to me. “So did Mossy recruit you to help in the garden?”


I nodded, “what can I do for you today?” At least gardening had been one of the better things I was okay at. Unlike when I tried to help Mossy cut down wood and nearly chopped off one of my hooves off.


“I could use an extra hoof to help plant Big Bertha here,” she grinned, trotting back inside and holding one of the new rosebush’s flowers to her muzzle as she sniffed it.


“Then I’m your mare,” I chuckled, trotting in after her.


“Guess I’ll go back to pulling weeds,” Mossy laughed, trotting in after me. He flicked his tail against me as he passed, heading toward a patch of sunflowers on the northern corner of the garden.


I grabbed up the hoe Ivy had dropped, digging the hole deeper so the rosebush would have plenty of room to grow.


“You know,” Ivy whispered, lowering the rosebush into the hole and then joining me as I swept the dirt back over it, patting it down. “I think my brother likes you.”


“Of course he does,” I said putting the hoe to the side and sniffing at one of the roses. “We are friends.”


“I mean as more than friends,” Ivy giggled, winking at me.


“Wha?” I stared at her, mouth gaping open as I listened to Mossy grunting as he pulled up a weed. Ivy simply nodded, grinning. I chuckled at her, and shook my head. “Where do you get these crazy ideas Ivy?”


She shrugged, standing back up and wiping dirt and mud from her forelegs. “Fine, don’t believe me.”


I whipped around as I heard somepony scream, others soon followed it and I heard the sound of pounding hooves. “What the hay?” It was then a howl reverberated through the town and my ears wilted.


In a single bound I leaped over the fence, running toward the howl. “Gale, what are you doing?” Mossy yelled, the sound of his hooves hitting the dirt as he jumped the fence and ran after me making me turn around.


“Saving somepony, hopefully,” I said and continued on.


“Stay here Ivy,” Mossy snorted behind me and ran to catch up. Other ponies raced by us as we galloped toward the sound of the howl.


I skidded to a stop, Mossy nearly running into me as I spotted the timberwolf stepping out of the trees. It was smaller than Shadow had been, but still probably twice the size of any of us. Its bark was a light reddish color, eyes a burning orange. Below one of its clawed paws, was a panicking Sugar Glider.


“No!” I gasped, racing closer to the timberwolf.


“Gale, wait!” Mossy called, but I ignored him. Did he expect me to just let that thing hurt Sugar? I took a firm stance in front of it, glaring into its face.


“Let her go,” I growled, ears splayed back against my skull.


The timberwolf lowered its long neck, staring me in the face. I scrunched up my nose as its putrid stench poured over me. It let out a growl of its own, baring its fangs.


“I said let her go!” I stomped my hoof in front of it, trying to ignore the frantic beating of my heart as I stared it down.


“Gale!” My ears twitched at the sound of Shadow’s voice, breathing heavily as he burst out of the bushes behind the timberwolf. He paused by me, taking in deep gasping breaths as he looked up at the timberwolf.


“You know this one?” I whispered. He nodded.


“This is my sister Cherry.”


Cherry paused at his words, looking sideways at him. Somepony collapsed behind us in a dead faint as she sniffed at Shadow.


Shadow stood still, letting her sniff him, then grinned up at her as she backed away, releasing Sugar from under her paw. I raced over to the poor filly, wrapping her in my hooves and holding her close as she sobbed into my neck. Luckily, her worse injuries were just a few scrapes from where the claws had held her to the ground.


Trotting back over to Shadow, I watched as Cherry shook her head, snorting and loped back into the forest. Shadow let out a breath and collapsed onto the grass, watching her run.


“That was close,” he said softly. “Is she okay?”


“Yeah, she’ll be fine,” I nodded, sitting down next to him.


I jolted as hooves ran over to us and I felt mother wrap hers around me. “Oh my baby!” she wailed. “Those timberwolves just won’t leave you alone.”


“It’s okay mom, I’m fine. I don’t think she is coming back.”


“Ever since your Grannie died, these monsters have been getting antsy,” April Showers, an older bat pony mare, snorted, stepping up beside us.


“She did seem to have a way with the animals,” Clarinet, a petite pegasus mare said softly.


“We’ve never had any problems with them before, thanks to her.”


“What’s next?” Stronghoof, a burly earth pony stallion huffed. “Will the manticores come after our goats and pigs? Will our town be overrun by these monsters?”


Sugar shuddered against me, and I hugged her closer to me. “It’s okay,” I whispered to her, rubbing a hoof through her mane.


“We must take action,” Rhubarb Pie, an elegant unicorn stallion said, stomping his hoof. “We have to protect our children.”


“If anypony goes after them, those beasts will surely kill them all!” Mother sniffed, wrapping her hooves around me again.


“They might have just been looking for something,” Shadow said softly. I turned to look at him. A small frown was on his face, eyes looking around at everypony around us, more gathering as they learned the timberwolf was gone.


“You kidding?” Stronghoof snorted, glaring over at Shadow. “It was clear that beast was after a juicy pony meal. You and Gale might have scared it back into the woods for now, but I’m sure it will be back.”


Shadow sighed, looking down at me. ‘I’m sorry’ I mouthed to him, and he nodded, smiling at me. “Then what would you propose we do?” I asked, looking over at Stronghoof. “None of us are trained to fight the timberwolves, let alone the manticores or other things in the forest.”


“Well I−” Stronghoof paused, scowling at me. “I don’t know. For now, I propose we keep our children far away from the woods.”


“I think that is a good idea,” mother said. “In fact, everypony should stay away. We don’t want to tempt them.”


A chorus of affirmations and nods echoed across the crowd, as ponies grabbed up their protesting children, hurrying away from the woods. A small, nervous looking pink pegasus mare, Petal Breeze, tiphooved over to us.


“Mama!” Sugar yelled, running from my hooves and over to the mare, wrapping her in a hug.


“Thank you for saving my dear little Sugar,” Petal sniffed, tears pouring down her muzzle.


“Of course,” I grinned, wiggling out of my mother’s grasp.


“We just did what anypony should have done,” Shadow said, stepping up beside me.
Petal nodded, and with a hoof around Sugar, led her away. Mother, Shadow, Mossy and I were the only ones left by the forest.


“You should get home Mossy,” Mother said. “I’m sure your mother is very worried.”


“Yes Mrs. Peach Pie,” he said turning away. He took last glance back at me, eyebrows raised in concern, and trotted off.


“Why don’t you come to our place for now Shadow?” mother smiled over at him. “I had a talk with my husband. He shouldn’t give you any more trouble.”


“Thank you,” he said nodding to her.


Mother led the way back toward our home, Shadow and I following close behind her.





Hollow Shades- Shadow


           I walked silently beside Gale, wondering what had provoked Cherry into attacking the little filly. She knew what dad had always taught us, and she was a good wolf, most of the time. None of my sisters or me, far as I know, had ever had pony. Now they were talking about heading into the forest.


           “They can’t go in there,” I whispered, shaking my head. “I won’t have anypony dying because of us, or even worse, the manticores.”


           “Even with weapons or magic, I think most are too scared to enter anyway,” Gale said softly. “We are not hunters after all, and know little in the way of battle or war.”


           “Then let’s hope things cool down and we won’t have to worry.” I sighed. “There’s no way we can tell the full truth now,” I whispered. It was a painful thought. The others deserved to know, and I hated hiding things like this.


           “You two have sure had a long day!” mother said, looking over her shoulder at us.


    Gale smiled at her, and I followed her lead, smiling as well. “Yeah it has been pretty crazy,” Gale chuckled.


    “Will you be okay? Facing those things must have been hard,” Mother shuddered. “Grannie may have revered them, but they are still very dangerous creatures.”


    “Yes mother, I’ll be fine.” Gale let out a deep sigh, shaking her head.


    “S-she’s right,” I nodded. “I won’t let anything bad happen to her Mrs. Peach Pie.”


    She grinned back at me, chuckling. “Well, well, have you taken a liking to my daughter, Mr. Shadow?”


    Gale groaned, blushing deeply as I let out a light chuckle. “Recent events have led us to be… closer than you would expect from somepony you just met.”


    She nodded, looking over at Gale who had covered her face with her hooves, ears flushed pink as well. “Nothing to be ashamed of Gale, Shadow here is a fine stallion.” Her gaze fell back to me, as she poked my chest with a hoof. “But you better treat her well, and take this slow! I might want grandfoals, but we need to get to know you better first.”


    I gulped, nodding down at her. “Y-yes, of course.” By the elders broken fang, I think she was even scaring me a little! No pony had ever scared me before, that was like being scared by a bunny, a ridiculous notion.


    We paused at the front door, Gale’s mother smiling at us. At least she didn’t seem angry, that was a relief. She bit her lip, turning to Gale. “Gale? Would you mind if we gave you Grannie’s room instead of your loft?”


    “W-what?” she gasped, her breathing becoming ragged. “Why?”


    “Well, Mr. Shadow here doesn’t have a place to stay, do you?” she asked. I shook my head. “Thought so,” she nodded. “While you look for a place, if Gale is okay with it, you may sleep in the loft.”


    Gale looked over at me, panic in her eyes. I couldn’t blame her. The idea made my neck tingle. If I stayed, we could get to know each other better that much sooner! I was tempted to ask if we could just share the loft, but after the stares everypony gave me when I mentioned eating meat earlier, I didn’t dare. What if their customs on courting were different from that of the wolf? “W-well I-I guess that would be okay?” Gale stuttered, blushing. Oh was her blush so cute.


    “Excellent. Mr. Shadow, what do you think?”


    “Well, if Gale is okay with it then sure,” I nodded. We could move on to sharing later, after I spoke with Gale about that custom for ponies.


    “Good, then let's head inside and get ready for dinner,” Peach grinned, leading the way inside.


Hearing the howl of my sister Maple, I smirked slightly at the berating tone of it. Cherry seemed to be getting quite the talking to. I just hoped she wouldn’t try something like that again. As I was about to step inside my hooves itched in pain for a brief moment, then the itch grew still. Something was about to happen, that would threaten us all, even my dear Gale.


“You okay Shadow?” Gale asked, pausing in her hoofsteps. “Do you sense something wrong? Is it the darkness?”


I shook my head, “no I’m pretty sure it is something else. Either way, it poses a threat to you.” I growled softly out into the slowly fading light. “It won’t have you, not if I can help it!”


Gale grinned. “Look at you, ready to protect me again so soon?”


“Not only soon, but forever,” I whispered. Taking a quick glance at her mother, who had trotted into the kitchen, I gave her a quick peck on the cheek.


“Shadow!” she gasped, blushing brightly. “I-I-,” she stuttered, looking at me with a dazed grin on her face. She took in a deep breath, then wrapped her hooves around me in a tight hug.


I wrapped my hooves around her as well, hugging her back. “Shall we go in, before somepony wonders where we are?”


She giggled, nodding. “Let’s go.”




    It was strange, to say the least, sleeping inside a building. The ticking of that clock –I think is what Gale called it− grew irritating as I tried to sleep. It had been hard enough climbing up that ladder, without claws I swore I felt like I would fall with every step up. Yet, the bed had to be the best part.


           After being used to dirt and stone, the softness of the mattress was like melting into a warm, thick patch of grass, but better. It cradled muscles I didn’t even know I had, and being able to still see the moon through the window beside me made it feel like- home. I did feel bad, kicking Gale out of her usual resting place, especially when she entered her Grannie’s room with ears lowered. I could hear her heart beating rapidly as she closed the door behind her.


    At least in the morning she still looked well rested, a smile upon her face as we sat down at the table. Her father glared at me the entire time, but unlike yesterday didn’t say a word. He nursed one of those bottles again, apple cider from what Gale called it, as he ate and would have had a second if Peach hadn’t knocked his hoof away from the icebox.


    “You need to lay off the alcohol,” she huffed. “Do you think Grannie would want to see you this way?”


    He had just grunted, trotting to the sink to pour a glass of water instead, and sat back down. His mane looked better today, combed and laying against his shoulders. Yet in his eyes I could see how much he still hurt.


    Looking over at Gale, I smiled softly at her. She had taken extra time to brush her mane and tail this morning until they shined, her coat also looked as soft as a baby rabbit. Oh she was just so beautiful.


    I started from my watching of her as I heard a knock at the door. “Who could that be at this hour?” Mrs. Peach asked, standing up and trotting to the door. She opened it to reveal a pale green unicorn mare. “Carin’? Is everything okay?”


    The mare nodded, stepping inside when Mrs. Peach waved her in. “Yes, everything is fine.” She looked over at me, cocking her head. “It seems we are getting a lot of visitors lately.”


    “You mean we have another?” Gale asked, pushing her chair aside and walking over to wrap Carin’ in a hug.


    She nodded, hugging her back. “He arrived early this morning. Mossy was the first to see him and well−” she paused, biting her lip.


           “Well what?” Gale asked.


    “He is a rather unusual pony. Come, the mayor has called a town meeting. Seems he has something to tell us all, this pony.”


    Gale and her mother nodded. I stood and walked over to Gale, her father following after, breakfast forgotten. “Does this happen often?” I asked as we trotted toward the middle of town.


    “Usually about once a month,” Gale said. “We get together to talk about the harvest, problems in town, and the like. This short of notice though is unusual.”


    I pondered that as we walked toward what Gale had told me earlier was town hall. Easily the biggest building in town, every pony I could see still outside was making their way there. Stepping inside, the noise of so many ponies filled the air, whispering to those around them as they glanced around, worried looks on their faces.


    We stepped into the main room, finding a place to stand beside the others in front of some raised structure, large pieces of cloth behind it.


    “The mayor will talk to us from that stage,” Gale whispered, pointing at it. “You don’t think she is going to assign ponies to go into the forest, do you?”


    “Hopefully not,” I said, glancing back up at this stage when I heard hoofsteps upon it. An old mare, probably around half of Grannie’s age, paused near the center. Her mane was red except for a few streaks of silver from age, and her coat a light tan. Like Gale, she was also an earth pony.


    “Hello everypony,” she said then paused to wait for the chatter around us to cease. “I am sure you are all wondering why I called you here at such short notice.” There were murmurs around the room as ponies nodded.


    “As you know,” the mayor continued. “We have been having problems with timberwolves the last few days. After nearly a decade since the last one entered our village, we have had two sightings in the last two days. Both of these,” she paused, raising a hoof. “Have involved injury to somepony before the wolf was able to be chased off.”


    But I hadn’t even hurt that pony! Scared him sure, but I didn’t slash him open or even scratch him. I groaned, shaking my head as she continued on.


    “We are not fighters. Having made our village a peaceful place to live for all, we gave that up so our children would never need to feel the horrors of war,” she stomped a hoof on the stage, then lowered her head, letting out a sigh. “But something needs to be done about these attacks. I don’t want any more of our children to be hurt.” She glanced over to her left, where Sugar Glider sat astride her mother’s back, bandages wrapped around her cuts and scrapes.


    “This morning,” the mayor continued, “I received a visitor. He is from out of town, and the moment he heard of our problems volunteered to help.” She stepped to the side, and gestured to the back of the stage. “Citizens, I’d like you all to meet Mighty Charge!”


    At her words, a unicorn stallion stepped out from behind the cloth. A moment later, a strong, tingling pain rushed through my legs and I couldn’t help letting out a gasp. Gale turned to me, concern on her face. Oh this was bad, bad, bad! I bit my lip, trying to ride out the pain as the stallion grinned down on us all. His mane was pitch black, coat the color of dried blood.


    Along his barrel hung all sorts of weapons, some I didn’t recognize, but one that I did made my stomach drop. Mother had told of some of the things that could actually kill us for good, few though they usually were. This gun, about as long as the average pony and made from some shiny black metal, was one of those. I didn’t know much about it, mother not understanding the weapons of the ponies, but I did know it shot living flames, so hot it could take the tallest tree in our forest and reduce it to ashes in under a minute.


    Gale put a hoof around me and rubbed my back as I quivered, the tingling feeling of wrongness covering my body.


    “Hello everypony, so happy to meet you,” Mighty grinned, looking out at all of us. I wasn’t the only one to shudder at hearing his voice. It was cold like the river after a snow melt, if you drank too much of it all you would get is an aching stomach. “I hear you have a timberwolf problem,” he chuckled. “But not for long.”
> Shadowed Changes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 5: Shadowed Changes
 



Hollow Shades- Nightingale
 


           The first thing to come to mind as I watched Mighty step forward, was how creepy he was. He sent shivers down my spine, and I could feel how much Shadow was unsettled by him, his body trembling against me.


           Mighty turned to the side, and between the gaps in his weapons I could make out his cutie mark, a necklace of what looked like fangs at first, but as I looked closer, I realized each ‘fang’ was actually a timberwolves dew claw. He even had a cutie mark in killing Shadow’s kind!


           “Mom, Shadow and I are going to go get some air,” I whispered. “He’s not handling the heat well.”


           She looked at me, then to Shadow whose ears were splayed back against his head, breathing heavily, and nodded. “Just stay away from the woods.”


           I nodded, putting a hoof around Shadow and leading him through the crowd toward the door.


           “I’ve taken on dozens of packs,” Mighty continued as we pushed our way through. “Some of them triple the size of what I hear of your pack. None survived, and none will this time either. I−” the door closed behind us, cutting off the rest of his words.


           “This must be the wrongness you were feeling last night,” I whispered, rubbing Shadow’s back.


           He nodded. “Yes. With that black gun of his, I don’t know how we stand a chance. My pack is doomed, and I’m not there to protect them!” He fell to the grass, moaning, and covered his head with his hooves. “Cherry, why did you have to go and attack that filly?”


    “We’ll figure something out,” I soothed, nestling against him. “I doubt the prophecy meant for you to lose your family.”


           “Wouldn’t it think that for the best?” he snorted. “I mean, if I have no pack to return to I have no reason to ever try to leave here, or you.” He scuffed a hoof against the grass. “N-not that I would want to leave you,” he mumbled, blushing. “But I’m a pony now, not a wolf, and nothing can change that,” he rubbed a hoof through his mane.


           I sat silently against him for a moment, eyes closed and hoof still running up and down his back. “Shadow, I’m sorry.”


           “For what?”


           “If it wasn’t for me, you’d still be with your pack,” I said softly. “You’d be big and strong and able to protect them. Instead, you are now a pony and smaller.” I lowered my head, frowning, looking at the ground.


           He chuckled, putting a hoof around me and hugging me close. “Don’t blame yourself for what happened, as it is not your fault. I- I love you Gale, and no matter what happens, curse or no curse, pack or no pack, that will not change.”


           I blinked up at him, eyes watering and lips trembling. “T-that’s not just the curse talking?”


           “Partly maybe,” he blushed, putting a hoof against the back of his head. “But not entirely. I’m sorry, am I moving too fast?”


           “Oh! N-no no you’re not!” I stammered, shaking my head. My heart beat wildly in my chest at his words, he loved me! Even if this destiny of ours was the cause, I didn’t care. I took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. Did I feel the same? Yes. Was it just this destiny thing talking? Of that I was not as sure.


           “Good,” he sighed, letting out a breath I hadn’t realized he was holding. We lied there silently for a few minutes, both of our frantic heartbeats slowing, lost in our own thoughts. I nuzzled against him, closing my eyes. The murmurings of the crowd inside reached my ears, but I couldn’t make out any words. All I heard were the birds chirping in the trees around us.


           “So what we going to do?”


           “Keep him away from my pack, of course,” Shadow snorted, stomping a hoof. “He’ll probably need some time to prepare, at least I hope he will. I wonder…” He stood, pulling me up beside him. “Follow me.”


           I nodded, trotting along beside him as we left town hall. Our pace quickened the more steps we placed between us and the building, until we went into a slow gallop. The wind tossed our manes behind us, and I let out a light laugh. That all ended when I noticed where we were heading. “Wait, we’re going into the forest?”


           “Not if my plan works,” he grinned, pausing by the edge of the trees. He took a deep breath, lifted his neck, and let out a howl that sounded like somepony stepped on a cat’s tail.


           I cringed, closing one eye to look at him. “Er, no offense but your howl is horrible as a pony.”


           Shadow groaned, facehooving. “Yeah, I realized. Stupid idea.” He shook his head. “Guess I just will have to enter the forest.”


           “Halt!” I looked up to see Stronghoof galloping our way.  “The forest is forbidden at this time.” He glared at the two of us. “Get back to your home, before you cause your mother even more worry Gale,” he snorted. “As for you,” Stronghoof turned his gaze to Shadow. “You are showing a bad example to our foals by loitering around the forest. Next time one might die.”


           “I have no intention of letting anypony die,” Shadow said.


           “Well then, I suggest you stay away from the forest as well,” Strong hissed. “You are staying with Gales folks, correct?” Shadow nodded. “Then both of you return home, and don’t let me catch you trying to enter the forest again. I won’t tell your folks this time, but next time−”


           “Yes I know, you’ll tell them,” I sighed. “What are the plans for the… hunt?”


           “Mighty will make some more bullets for his gun tonight, and just after dawn he will enter to exterminate those pests,” Strong spat, rubbing it into the dirt with one hoof. “Then if you want to enter the forest so much, I guess I won’t be able to stop you.”


           I let out a whoosh of breath, so we had a little less than twenty-four hours. “Thank you Strong,” I grinned. “We shall go then.”


           “What?” Shadow yelped, blinking at me in surprise.


           “Everything will be taken care of Shadow,” I said, nudging him in the side. “So let’s get home before mother worries?”


           He blinked at me for a moment, then nodded. “O-oh, right! Yes let’s go back to your home.”


           “Well then, get!” Stronghoof huffed.


           I nodded, leading us away. “Okay, we have less than a day to figure out what to do,” I said once we were out of Stronghoofs hearing. “We can’t enter the forest with him guarding it,” I scowled. “But we have time to try to find Mighty’s weakness?”


           “With that gun, he has no weakness!” Shadow groaned.


           I grinned, an idea popping into my head. “Then we simply need to get it away from him.”


           “You really think such a task will be that simple?” Shadow sighed.


           “Never know until we try?”


    Shadow chuckled, shaking his head. “You know he’ll probably have it under close guard right?”


           I sighed, deflating a little. “Yeah, maybe it was a stupid plan. We’ll figure something out, though, I’m sure of it!” I sure hoped so at least.




Gales Home- Shadow

 


           Not knowing what else to do, we slowly walked back to Gale’s home, collapsing on the couch. Neither of Gale’s parents were back yet, so the house was silent except for the insistent ticking of the clock. I jumped when with a loud dong, it announced the hour, ten.


           “Scared of the clock?” Gale teased, beaming at me.


           “Of course not,” I huffed. She just giggled.


I sat back and racked my brain for ideas, but all of them ended with something bad happening to Gale or me, and I shook them away. My hooves were still itching, but at least they were all, for now.  Gale sighed and leaned against me, closing her eyes. “Gale?”


“Don’t worry,” she grinned. “Just thinking. We need a way to get past Stronghoof.”


“Indeed, that is all we need,” I chuckled, putting a hoof around her. I turned my gaze to the door as a soft knock echoed on the wood.


“Come in,” Gale called.


I blinked in surprise when Carin’ trotted inside. She closed the door behind her, looking around. “Are your parents’ home Gale?” Her gaze fell on the two of us nestled next to each other. “I’m not interrupting something, am I?”


“No to both questions,” Gale said, standing up and stretching. “I−” her eyes lit up, a smile forming on her face. “What do you need them for?” she asked, looking over at me and winking. What was she thinking about?


“I was just coming to check on how your father is doing, but I guess they must still be at town hall,” she sighed. “There is something about Mighty, I don’t trust him.”


“We feel it too,” Gale said. “But it seems everypony else is enraptured by him. Guess that happens when somepony offers to save the ones you love, when you can’t.”


“At the price of the lives of others,” I grunted.


Carin’ nodded, “I took care of both Mug’s and Sugar’s wounds. They were hardly more than scratches and scrapes. The timberwolves might be coming into town now, but I don’t think they should be killed.” She looked up at Gale. “I’m sure your Grannie wouldn’t want that.”


“No,” Gale sighed, putting a hoof to her necklace and holding the shiny moonstone. She smiled softly down at it, then turned her gaze to me. “I think it would be safe telling her Shadow.”


“Telling me what?” Carin’ asked, perking up her ears. “Is everything okay?”


“You sure?” I asked. After all, if we told her and she panicked, who knows what would happen?


Gale nodded. “We can trust her,” she grinned at me. “I am even surer of that after what you said Carin’,” she looked up at her. “No, everything's not okay.”


Carin’ crossed her hooves, looking between the two of us. “Well then you better tell me, so I can do what I can to help.”


They both looked to me, Gale with pleading eyes and Carin’ with a small smile, her hooves still crossed in front of her. Well, if she was willing to help, and Gale trusted her, it would probably be fine, right? “Okay, but we better sit down. This might take a while.”


“So you’re really that timberwolf that attacked Mug?” Carin’ asked, taking a sip from her mug of hot chocolate Gale had made us all while talking.


I nodded. “But I only attacked him to protect Gale. Sure I might have wanted to slice him open for a moment, but didn’t.”


Carin’ just sat there for a moment, running a hoof through her mane. “I believe you, both of you. This is just-just amazing! To think all this time Grannie’s stories were true.”


“Believe me, I was just as surprised as you,” Gale chuckled. “It feels so good to let somepony else know!”


“So, do you think you can help us?” I asked, cringing as the clock struck again, noon this time. Where were Gale’s parents?


Carin’ nodded. “Of course! We can’t let Mighty take your family from you. What can I do to help?”


“Well, we need a way to get by Stronghoof,” Gale said. “So we can enter the forest and warn the pack.”


“Stonghoof huh?” Carin’ grinned. “I think I have an idea.”




           A few minutes later, the three of us stood behind the pond, watching Stronghoof march back and forth before the trees. “I’m not so sure of this idea,” I groaned. “He seems too… stubborn for it work.”


           “Oh, it will work,” Carin said, winking. “I’ve been here for a year now Shadow. I’ve taken care of pretty much everypony for some ailment or otherwise.” She tapped my shoulder with a hoof, “and a doctor knows her patients.”


           “Good luck Carin’,” Gale said, wrapping her in a hug.


           “Thanks dear,” Carin said hugging her back. “Now, you two be ready to make a dash for the forest. I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to keep him distracted.”


           “We’ll be ready,” I said.


           Carin’ nodded, and sauntered over to Stronghoof. “Oh Stronghoof,” she purred, flicking a hoof through her mane.


           Stronghoof turned, jolting as he saw her walking toward him. “Carin’? What are you doing here?”


           “Why I came to see you handsome,” she giggled, booping his muzzle with one hoof.


           “Come on, while she has his attention,” I said, putting a hoof to Gale’s shoulder and leading her along. We made our way slowly, watching as the two continued to converse, Carin’ giggling every minute or so.


           “She has him wrapped around her hoof,” Gale grinned, following behind me. As we reached the edge of the trees she turned to look at me. “I thought you didn’t want me to go into the forest?”


           “I don’t,” I snorted. “But I don’t trust what that stallion might try to do if I leave you here. I’ll feel better if you are safe by my side.” As we entered the outer layer of trees, I put a hoof around her. “Now stay close, keep your eyes and ears open,” I whispered. “And if I tell you to run, run. Our den is in a clearing about three miles in, you’ll know you’re close when you see a boulder that looks like the head of an eagle.”


           Gale nodded. “Just stay safe.”


           “I’ll do my best,” I promised, hugging her close before I continued to lead the way.





Hollow Shades Forest- Nightingale


           The forest was awake with life around us, thankfully only the normal fauna from what I could hear. What other things were in this forest with Shadow’s pack? Whatever else there was, I couldn’t help noticing the beauty around me as we walked. The ground was littered with fallen leaves of reds, golds, and oranges. Pine needles softened the sound of our hoofsteps along the path. For being a forest filled with dangerous creatures, it sure seemed peaceful.


           “Looks like a nice place to live,” I whispered.


           “As long as you avoid the manticores, maybe,” Shadow sighed. “Let’s hurry, you’ll probably be missed before too long.”


           I chuckled, increasing my pace. “Don’t want to be on a nice, romantic walk?” Oh sweet Celestia, was I flirting?


           Shadow paused, blinking three times as he stared at me. “You’d consider the forest romantic?”


           “When we’re not being chased by something wanting to kill us, sure!”


           He grinned, shaking his head. “You know how that sounds right?”


           I shrugged, “Grannie taught me to love the forest, even with the big baddies.”


           “Fair enough,” he nodded, then paused, putting a hoof in front of me to stop me.


           “What’s wrong?”


           “Shhh, one moment,” he whispered. “Got it.” He turned to our left, taking a step back to keep me behind him. “I know you are there Cherry,” he growled softly.


           A moment later the scent of rotting bark and mold reached my nostrils as Cherry stomped out of the bushes, glaring at us. I shivered slightly, having her so close again. Would she attack?


           “I know you can understand me,” Shadow continued. A low growl and nod was all he got from her. “You know who I am, right?” Once again she nodded, digging the claws of one paw into the ground. “Good. Now, lead us back to the den. I have news to tell everyone.”


           I let out a breath as she turned around, branches snapping as she stepped over them, and walked away.


           “So who’s the mare?” Cherry grunted.


           “I’m Gale,” I said. A moment later I paused in my hoofsteps, “wait, did I just understand you?”


           Cherry shrugged. “It would seem so. So you can talk wolfish, big deal.” She looked back at Shadow, raising one of her leafy eyebrows.


           “Like she said, this is Gale,” Shadow said. “She is… part of the reason I am pony now.”


           “What?” Cherry growled, whipping around to glare at me, her nose mere inches from my muzzle. “You changed my brother into a pony?”


           I gulped, taking a step back, grinning sheepishly. “Not exactly,” I mumbled. “It was more that prophecy…”


           Cherry groaned, turning away, barely missing hitting me with her tail. “So father’s stories were true then.”


           “Yes,” Shadow nodded, coming to stand between Cherry and me again. “I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t try to scare my mate.”


           I blushed deeply at his words. He considered me his mate already? It was pretty attractive too, him standing up to her in my defense.


           “I’ll try not to, but I can’t promise the others will.”


           “Don’t worry,” Shadow grinned. “I’ll take care of them.”


           A few minutes later, I spotted the boulder Shadow had mentioned earlier. It really did look like an eagle, with subtle changes in the hue of the stone tricking the eye into seeing a hooked beak and ruffled neck feathers.


           Shadow shifted nervously beside me, biting his lip. I bumped his flank with my own, smiling at him when he turned his gaze upon me. “Don’t look so nervous! They are your family, I’m sure they will understand.”


           “I hope so,” he sighed. “I just hope they will heed the warning.”


           “Warning?” Cherry asked, looking back at us. “What did you do?”


           “It was not entirely my fault!” he yelled, stomping a hoof. “As for what is to come, you will have to wait until we reach the others.”


           I looked up as we reached the end of the trees, coming out into a small meadow. Two other timberwolves stood near a cave on the opposite side of us, one was mostly covered in white with black speckles, the other a light grey colored bark.


           “Shadow?” the white one murmured, looking down at the two of us. She was huge, possibly even a little taller than Shadow had been. At least her gaze was friendly though, even if I noticed her lick her lips quickly as we drew closer.


           Cherry snorted, joining the other two. “Why else would I bring a pony to our den? We surely can’t eat them without feeling guilty,” she sneered. “Yes, this is our ‘big brother’.”


           “Aspen, Maple,” Shadow nodded to them, taking a step closer.


           “Shadow!” Aspen grinned, bending down as if she were about to pounce, then paused, standing back up. “Think you are a little too small right now for me to tackle you,” she chuckled.


           Shadow laughed. “Yes, that is probably not a good idea.”


           “Who are you?” Maple, the greyish colored one asked softly, blinking over at me.


           “I’m Gale, Shadow and I are−”


           “Oh! The prophecy, right?” Maple beamed. I nodded. “So dad was right, you are special Shadow.”


           “Yeah, I-I guess I am,” he stammered, blushing. “You have no idea how glad I am you all seem okay with this.”


           “We just want you to be happy,” Maple sighed. “You’ll still be our pack leader, right?”


           “Of course! Somehow, I−I will always protect my little sisters.”


           “Could you even take a manticore in your tiny pony form?” Cherry snorted, turning away from us and heading toward the den. “Besides them, I don’t need any protection.”


           “Actually, that is why we are here,” I said. “To warn you.”


           “What, are the manticores planning on using us as firewood?”


           “Cherry! Be nice,” Aspen scolded, swatting her on the nose. She then turned back to me. “What do you mean Gale?”


           “She means tomorrow morning, w-we are all going to have to relocate.”


           “What?” all three sisters yelled.


           “But this is our home,” Maple sniffed. “Where else would we go?”


           “And I thought you wanted to protect those ponies?” Cherry said, staring over at me. “What about her family? Wouldn’t they miss her?”


           I cringed at the thought. Of course they would, especially after losing Grannie mere days ago.  “Shadow, we can’t leave,” I said, putting a hoof to his shoulder. “It would kill my parents, to lose me too.”


           Shadow closed his eyes, ears falling. “I know, my dear Gale, but we can’t face him.” He put a hoof around me and hugged me close. “Not with that gun. I just want to protect you, and my family.”


           “And I understand that,” I said pulling away and looking up into his eyes. “But if we run, all it will do is make him chase us. Better to figure out a plan on how to fight him, rather than run away.”


           “She’s right,” Aspen nodded. “Now, care to explain what we are talking about?”


           Shadow turned back to them, sighing. “Yes, that is what we came out here to do. Maybe once you know you will see what I mean.”


           “Let me get the elders, I’m sure they’ll want to hear this,” Cherry said, trotting into the cave.


           Shadow and I trotted further into the meadow, sitting down by a boulder nearly as tall as we were. It was exciting Shadow’s family seemed okay with us. If his family could accept us, it gave me greater hope mine would as well. That is, if we ever saw them again. No! Stay positive Gale! We will see them.


           I looked up as Cherry stepped back out of the cave with two other timberwolves. They stared over at us, blinking, then limped into the middle of the meadow with the others.


           The first’s bark was a beautiful shade of red, though large strips of it were cracked, looking weather worn. The other was a light tan, who to my surprise was missing half of one of her back legs.


           “I thought you could grow body parts back?” I said softly.


           “It depends on how you lose them,” she said, her voice raspy, and sat down. “Now Shadow, tell us what you have been up to these past two days.”


           “Of course Willow,” Shadow nodded, standing up beside me.




 
 
 
Hollow Shades Forest- Shadow
            


           Everyone watched us carefully as I finished, settling back in beside Gale. Now they knew, and I was glad of it. Now, just to wait to see what they would want to do.


    “I understand where you are coming from Shadow,” Willow said, coughing. “A gun similar to that is how I lost my leg. Thankfully it was only a glancing hit, or I wouldn’t be here today.” She looked down at her back leg, letting out a soft sigh.


           “See, what did I tell you? He’s dangerous!” I snorted. “I don’t want to lose any of you. The wrongness has my hooves itching, they’ve been itching all morning.” I lowered my ears. Sure, I didn’t want to seem weak, but what could we do to stand up to that gun? I’d take on a dozen manticores before that.


           “Shadow!” Gale scolded, snorting at me. “What happened to the brave stallion I have grown to know these last two days? You stood up to Mug and Barrel for me, you stood up to your sister to protect Sugar Glider. Can’t you try to be brave for this as well?” She nuzzled against me, kissing my cheek. “The darkness we are meant to fight will be a lot harder to beat than a simple hunter. If we can’t beat him, we’ll never have a chance against the darkness.”


    I looked over at her, putting a hoof to the cheek she had kissed. She was right, of course. Even in her anger, she looked so beautiful. My little fiery angel. Focus, Shadow, focus! We can think of how beautiful she is after we beat him!


    “She’s right,” Cherry said. “Much as I hate to agree with a pony. You want us to run from a pony with a little gun? Sure, it might be a dangerous weapon, but do you really think he can take us all at once?” she chuckled.


           “Thank you Cherry,” Gale said, smiling at my sister.


           “Stay the night here,” Maple said. “Then we’ll be able to plan what to do.”


           “Willow and I might not be able to do much,” Redwood smiled softly, showing off her nearly toothless maw. “But we’ll do what we can. No hunter is going to destroy our pack.”


           “See Shadow? They are ready and willing to do this.” Gale placed a hoof below my chin, lifting it up to face her. “This is part of our destiny, to protect those we care about. For me, it is the ponies of Hollow Shades, for you, your pack.”


           I stood, nodding. “Sorry about my stupidity everyone. You’re right Gale,” I smiled over at her. “This is our destiny, it is what father would want us to do.”


           “And Grannie,” Gale whispered, taking her necklace in her hoof and looking down at it.


           “Yes, and Grannie,” I nodded. “Let’s make them proud!”


           There was a chorus of cheers around us as my pack stood. Together, they all bent their heads back and let out a long, soulful howl. I lifted mine to join them when Gale pressed a hoof to my muzzle. She giggled, and I couldn’t help joining in.


           “Aren’t they a cute couple,” Maple sighed, and I grinned as Gale blushed. Yes, yes we were, and I wasn’t going to let fear stand in the way of our destiny.


           Gale smiled at me, nodding. Her cheeks were flushed with pink, and I could hear her heart beating as rapidly as my own. For the moment, the itchy feeling had left my hooves, everything felt just right. Curse or no, destiny or something else, the words I had spoken earlier were true. “Gale, I love you with all my heart. I-I know your mother wanted us to take it slow but−”


           Gale put her hoof to my muzzle again, giggling. “I think once she knows the truth, she will understand,” she whispered. “Shadow, I−I love you too.” She lowered her hoof, leaning in closer to me until we were nearly muzzle to muzzle. “And no matter what happens tomorrow, nothing will change that.”


           I lowered my ears, leaning forward through what little space was left between us and pressed my muzzle against hers, our lips meeting as we kissed. Gale let out a soft sigh of pleasure and kissed me back, wrapping her hooves around me and hugging me close. We stayed like that until I had to pull away to take in a deep breath. “Wow,” I sighed, smiling at her.


           “I’m that good, am I?” she teased, winking. Gale leaned forward and nuzzled against my neck, resting her head against it. “You weren’t half bad yourself.”


           “Okay, I got to admit that was… sweet,” Cherry said. I looked over at her, only now remembering my whole pack was outside, watching us.


           “You have chosen well Shadow,” Willow nodded in agreement. “This mare has a fiery strength in her. She will give you fine pups one day.”


           “And then we’ll be aunts!” Aspen beamed, hugging Cherry and Maple against her.


           Gale jolted at that thought, eyes going wide. “T-the story did say Star gave birth to timberwolves. D-does that mean that our children… will be made of wood like your pack?”


           “I’m not sure,” I admitted. “It seems the story says they will, but it is so old, who knows what parts of it are true and what embellished later.”


           “Of course before that happens, we have to get through tomorrow,” Cherry said gloomily.


           “Way to ruin the mood Cherry,” I huffed, but she was right. In order for us to have any future, we’d have to deal with Mighty first. “Let’s figure out a plan, and then get some sleep.”




 
 
Moonclaw Pack Den- Hollow Shades Forest- Nightingale
            


            It had taken us until around midnight to come up with a plan, but I was confident it would work. With all of us working against Mighty, and throwing in a few distractions, even with his gun we would be okay. I had settled down next to Shadow, who had graciously made me a bed of dried grass and the downy feathers of a duck one of his sisters had caught. Sure it was no bed like I was used to, but better than sleeping on the hard stone.

    “You sure about this?” he whispered, gazing over at me.


    “He might be a hunter Shadow,” I said, putting a comforting hoof around him. “But he is still a pony. I’d rather try, instead of killing him outright?”


    “Yes, that would be for the best,” he sighed, nuzzling against me and letting out a yawn. “Sleep well Gale.”


    “You too Shadow,” I said.



           As I heard the first few birds begin to warble outside, I felt Shadow shifting beside me, mumbling in his sleep. I let out a yelp as something sharp poked me in the side. Opening my eyes wide, I gasped at what I saw. Shadow was about halfway through transforming, already a foot taller than me again, and a light layering of bark over his entire body. What had poked me was one of his paws, the claws halfway formed and dull at the moment −thankfully− but growing sharper as I watched.


           “Um, Shadow?” I whispered, poking him in the side.


           “Huh?” he mumbled letting out a jaw cracking yawn. He opened his eyes and looked around, pausing as his gaze settled on me. “Gale? When did you shrink?”


           “I didn’t, you grew.”


           He looked down at himself, jumping to his paws and letting out a yelp of surprise, stumbling over his half transformed legs to roll into Cherry.


           “Hey, I’m trying to sleep here,” she grumbled, pushing him away.


           “What happened?” he yelped, struggling back to his paws as they finished their transformation. “Wh-why am I changing back?”


           “I don’t know!” I moaned. “The stories never said anything about the wolf turning back!”


           “That would have been an important thing to know!” he groaned, wiggling his back as the transformation completed, his wooden tail creaking irritably behind him. “Did we do something wrong?”


           “Yeah, you woke me up,” Cherry snorted, reaching forward as she stretched, then opening her eyes and gasping. “Oh, that kind of wrong.” The others woke up around us at the commotion, having similar reactions.


           “This is most interesting,” Maple said, walking around Shadow. “You look just like you did before.”


           “This isn’t good,” Shadow moaned. “The plan will have to be completely redone now!”


           “Not so fast, young Shadow,” Willow said, all ears turning to her. “You can simply take my place, and I yours. The plan can still go through.”


           “But what about−”


           “We can worry about that later, when all of us are alive and that hunter beaten,” she huffed, stomping her paw against the ground. “We don’t have much time, dawn is already here.”


           “She’s right,” I nodded. I trotted over to Shadow, doing my best to ignore the stench that usually accompanies timberwolves –actually, I think I had almost grown used to it now- and wrapped my hooves around one of his legs, nuzzling against it. “I’ll still love you no matter what, but we need to put the plan in action.”


           Shadow sighed, lowering his head to look at me. “You’re right. Okay everyone!” he yelled, looking at each of us in turn. “You know your parts. Let’s make sure that hunter doesn’t try to hurt any of us again.”