> Lone Wolf of Equestria: Back to the Pack
>  by JNKing
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1: The Framing Device
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Crystal Empire; brought back only thanks to what Logan had been seeking. Even now, he could see the Crystal Heart at the center of the Kingdom, it’s power protecting the city and people from the ice storms outside. Part of him knew that he should feel at least a little good; his actions had helped a lot of people, and kept them from being oppressed by the ruthless King Sombra. It had kept the mares from enslavement. 
Yet it all seemed completely pointless the minute he heard Fluttershy call his name, and turned to see the source of his problems right behind her. Any good thoughts were further stamped down when the white alicorn had the nerve to smile at him.
“Logan Wolfe,” she called, her tone hopeful.
A sick bit of cathartic joy swelled in Logan as he turned from her and trekked into the snow. Part of him knew he was being unfair, but another part didn’t care. She had taken him from his home. Even if her subjects weren’t all bad, he still didn’t trust her, and he certainly didn’t like her. Part of him still wanted to fulfill the oath he had made to Celestia, and just attack her until she finally used that power that she kept hinting at to destroy him. But it didn’t make much sense to destroy a place that he had sacrificed so much to save. So, he gritted his teeth, and made his way into the snow. The blizzard had subsided, which of course meant he couldn’t outrun her. It wasn’t long before he heard her tread behind him. 
“Logan, please,” she asked. “We need to talk.”
“I warned you,” Logan growled, his voice dangerously soft. He kept his eyes on the horizon. “I told you that the next time we met, if you didn’t help me get home, I’d keep trying to kill you until you killed me.” 
She was silent for a moment. But then, he heard her.
“I see time has done nothing to ease your bitterness.”
Something in him snapped. He whirled around on her, his tail briefly wagging as she backed up from him.
“And it’s made you,” he growled. “An even bigger fool.”
Behind her, he could see the very same people that had helped him get so far: Twilight, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Pinkie Pie. All of them had that same look that drove him insane: concern. Pity for him, like he was never going to be more than that angry little pup that Celestia had given to them like one of the domestic dogs he was made from. 
But before any of them could say a word, Logan heard someone else speak.
“Logan, wait!” 
It couldn’t be. Logan’s ears flattened as he turned. There was no way…
But there was. Standing before him, shivering slightly in the snow, were the three Cutie Mark Crusaders. Apple Bloom was staring at Logan with a mixed expression, while Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were walking up behind her, all three wrapped in winter garments.
Logan stared at them with a dumbfounded expression. His appearance had changed, sure, and he was certainly older, but his eyes couldn’t lie to them. 
The other mares froze where they stood, watching as Logan stepped towards them, as if in a dream.
“Apple Bloom?” he whispered, his eyes darting between them. “Sweetie Belle… Scootaloo…?”
“How’d ya’ll get here?” Applejack asked, stepping closer, but careful not to draw Logan’s ire.
“We heard you talking about Logan and a Crystal Empire back on the train station,” Apple Bloom replied, her eyes darting between her sister and Logan’s still processing gaze.
“So, we snuck on board the train to try and search for him ourselves.” Scootaloo said, shooting a glance at Sweetie Belle. “We would have been here sooner if some pony didn’t spend so long packing.”
“Rarity always said, pack for the weather,” Sweetie Belle replied with a huff of indignation.
Despite the situation, Rarity let a small chuckle slip. “That’s my sister,” she said proudly. 
Logan, however, just seemed to finally get that they were here. Right in front of him. Regret flashed across his features. 
“You guys… came here…” he muttered. “For me?”
“You were our friend, Logan,” Apple Bloom insisted, looking up at him with a smile… though that smile didn’t hide her hurt. “You helped us when no pony else did. Did you really think you could just cut out of our lives like that?”
Logan felt the glares of Twilight and Rainbow Dash on his back. His ears flattened, but he held his head up.
“Yeah, kinda,” he admitted, even as his soul begged him not to say that.
His soul was right to be wary; from the expression the fillies shot him, he may as well have socked all three of them in the gut. Scootaloo was the first to recover.
“’Kinda?’” she demanded. “You… you’re…” she sputtered, trying to find the right words, before simply screaming and kicking at him with her forelegs. She was still young enough that the blow didn’t hurt, but Logan still backed up by a bit as she bore down on him. 
“You leave us in the dust, and all you have to say for it is ‘Kinda?’” She glared up at him, her eyes brimming slightly with tears. “Do you have any idea how hurt we were? How hurt Apple Bloom was? I thought you cared about us, Logan. I thought we mattered to you! We spent so long wanting to search after you. It took Apple Bloom forever to accept that you could be gone for good.” She turned away. “The stress… the suffering every pony went through…” She spun around. “How could you do that to us, you bucking jerk!” She slammed a hoof into his chest, but his eyes just slowly narrowed.  
“Scootaloo,” Rarity chastised slightly, “Language.”
Despite that, Scootaloo still tried to fix Logan with a glare, but he just stared at her with the same impassive look he had given Twilight. Scootaloo may have been more aggressive, but even she found herself backing down at Logan’s utter lack of reaction to her. 
“What a shocker,” he finally noted. “Even the ones I had hope for still only care about themselves.” 
The fillies’ jaws dropped. “Care about myself,” Scootaloo demanded. “I…” she started to say, before Logan cut her off.
“I’m not your pack!” Logan snapped. “My pack isn’t in Ponyville!” 
“Are you kidding?” Twilight demanded, stepping up next to the girls, “We never cared about being pack, Logan! Why are you so insistent on just having pack, and not friends? I mean… I could understand us, but the Crusaders…"
“Oh, you understand?!” Logan snapped, whirling around to face her, “Then why’d you try to stop me?”
“We didn’t…” Fluttershy tried to say, before Logan cut her off.
“You tried to stop me, at the forest. If you understood, then why did you protest?” 
“The Outlands are dangerous,” Pinkie Pie insisted, “There’s Diamond Dogs, minotaurs, dragons…” 
“Oh, so Chrysalis, Discord, Luna, and now Sombra were easy for you?” Logan asked, “This whole thing was just another walk in the park for you guys?” 
Twilight tried to retort, but the comeback died in her throat. 
“How did you know about them?” she stammered.
“I know how to listen,” Logan said, “The other races knew about your plights. It’s kinda hard to forget when a demon of darkness, a demon of chaos and a succubus attack one of the most prosperous kingdoms out there. And there was a lot of talk about how all of them got beaten by or had the most trouble with six kids who had some magic artifacts.” He indicated them. “So, excuse me if I don’t believe you guys have managed to live without a few challenges to shake your lives up.” 
For a moment, the others were silenced by this. Pinkie Pie, however, was the next to speak up.
“Logan, I think I speak for all of us when I say; it wasn’t a matter of you going. It was that you just ran off. No good-byes… just ‘We’re not your pack,’ and boom; disappeared. I watched you vanish on us, and was super-sad, because I thought it meant you never forgave me for that mean prank I pulled. That you just said what you said at Canterlot to make us all feel better.” She bit her lip, “We all thought… you didn’t care.” 
Both anger and regret flickered across his face. But when he spoke, it was cold. “I can’t care.”
The others flinched at that. Their flinching seemed to cause Logan a bit of pain, because he looked down.
“Look,” Logan said, “You know what humans used to do with my kind? Back when we were just dogs? What they still do even now?” Logan asked, “When one of us dies, they don’t mourn. A lot of them just replace the dead dog with another one. Like we’re interchangeable. Like the only thing that mattered is having a dog; no matter who the dog was as a person. I’m not human. I have a pack. And you guys aren’t them! You aren’t Carol. You aren’t Mom,” he shook his head, looking almost at war with himself. “And Celestia wants you to replace them. That’s why I left the way I did. I won’t replace them like one of those shallow humans would.”
“Logan…” Twilight started to say, “I understand…”
“You understand?!” Logan’s gaze locked on Twilight. “You have Spike. You have your brother. You have BOTH your parents, five pack-sisters, and this jerk,” he pointed at Celestia, who flinched away, “who apparently loves you like a daughter. You have so much, you don’t even have time for half of the people who should be your pack. What the hell do you know about loss?” 
Twilight flinched, looking down. Applejack tried to take her place, only for Logan to cut her off. 
“I can’t replace them,” Logan said. “I won’t replace them!” Logan looked at Apple Bloom again, pain flickering across his face. “It hurts to have someone leave you, and there’s no way to avoid that kind of pain. But Celestia,” he turned to her, as she sighed, “If you think you can just shut down my ticket home, say ‘oh well, once was enough,’ and replace the first and only people who truly cared about me with you and your subjects, you’re WRONG!”
The group was silent again. Celestia’s eyes were closed, as if she expected to get yanked into the conversation. 
“Is that what this is really about?” Celestia asked, “Or do you still think befriending my little ponies somehow makes me the winner of this… war you think is between us?”
Logan’s scowl deepened. “The war I think is between us? You killed my mother, Celestia. You kidnapped me from my pack!”
“Those were accidents!” she protested.
“And even now, you keep me here, against my will, so you don’t have to feel bad about yourself.”
“You risk dying,” Celestia tried to say.
“Bullshit!” Logan snapped, “You do this all the time! You stole Twilight from her mother! You stole Spike from his family!”
“I did not steal either of them,” Celestia countered, “Spike, I found as an egg. And Twilight was a powerful student that I took under my wing…” 
“Make all your excuses, but I know what you really are, Celestia. My entire bloodline fought against people like you. Everyone does what you say because they’re afraid of you; afraid of the power you wield.”
“Logan…” 
“Just do me a favor, and tell the truth: the whole reason you’re here is because you can’t stand the fact that someone is actually showing what they think about you. That someone doesn’t want to grovel, bow and scrape and tell everyone how perfect and powerful you are.” Logan laughed. “And don’t even think of denying the practical side; you don’t want me going back to my pack is because you’re afraid I’ll let them know the type of scum you really are.” 
Celestia visibly flinched at his every word, but each flinch just drove him forward.
“I can’t hurt you physically, but if I can hurt you by rejecting any offer of friendship you and your little brainwashed servants give, then I will gladly throw all of those offers away with both paws and aim for your FACE. Anything to make sure you know I’ve NEVER forgiven you. I won’t EVER give you that satisfaction.”
“Logan, please…” Twilight whimpered, but Logan was on a roll, and his larger appearance dissuaded protests.
“You tore my pack apart! You got one of them KILLED! Even now, you keep me from what little remains. And from the looks of things; that’s just something you do on a regular basis! You are a blight on my existence, and if I have to prove that by shunning your ponies, then fine! Because I am not one of your toys and I will NEVER be one of your toys. EVER! YOU HEAR ME!?”  
Celestia closed her eyes and sighed, while the others kept looking back and forth at her and Logan like it was a death match. Twilight kept trying to protest, but Applejack kept her quiet, putting a hoof over her mouth.
“I truly regret what I have done,” Celestia said, her voice cracking briefly, “The fault is mine, and I bear it as I rightfully should. But my little ponies didn’t do anything to you. If you think hurting my little ponies is okay as long as it hurts me…?”
“Hurting your little ponies?” Logan snapped, “People talked a lot about you outside Equestria, Celestia. You wanna get on my case about hurting them when you put them into dangerous situations at least once every year?” 
Celestia went silent.
“You think I did more damage than at least three demons of darkness, a succubus, and a dragon? All of which, I might add, you put them up against; not your soldiers, not the people whose sole purpose in life is to protect your kingdom, but them? All while you sat by and watched like it was some sort of… sick show?” 
“Well, she tried to fight against Queen Chrysalis,” Twilight muttered, though she sounded doubtful as well. 
“And she lost, didn’t she,” Logan shot right back, “Too hard for you, or did you just assume, ‘hey, Twilight and her friends are here. I’ll just leave this to them; they already took on my psycho little sister; I’m sure they can handle this.’” 
Celestia looked just as at war with herself as Logan was. 
“You claim to care about them," Logan concluded. "But your actions say a lot more than your words do.” 
For a moment, Celestia’s eyes darted back and forth, as if trying to think of what to say. 
“Logan, please understand,” she began, “I have lived for thousands of years. And in that time, I’ve learned much; experienced much.” She sat. “Once, I tried to act the way one of your Alphas would; always being there, trying to solve everyone’s problems. But… it was too much.” She shook her head. “Because of the level of power I wield, I made life too easy. They came to expect me to solve every single problem they had, and it weakened me against the real threats.” She hung her head. “So, I learned to become more distant; enigmatic.” Her ear flicked. “I became the very thing your ‘White Wolf’ feared becoming; the leader of a pack that numbered in the millions. What works for your people… could not work for my own anymore.” 
Logan’s ears flattened, but he didn’t protest. 
“I can lay the groundwork, but I can no longer lead them directly to victory. Doing so before has only made them weak… and it weakens me as well. My failure against Chrysalis proved that.” 
Logan still looked angry at her, but he didn’t respond to her story, as if the dots were clicking in his mind. Celestia tried to offer him a half smile, but his glower just deepened.
“That’s why I find you so fascinating,” she admitted, “You refuse to let anyone lead you. You forge your own path, and you gain strength from the experience. You’re everything I wish I could lead my little ponies to be.” She looked away. “And… I see a lot of myself in you.”
“I’m not like you,” Logan said instantly. 
“No? We’re both alone in a world where others don’t understand us,” Celestia pointed out, “Can you say that anyone has really seen you beyond a mystery to be solved or a tool to be used?”
“You have your sister,” Logan said. 
Celestia paused.
“True,” she admitted, “I do have my sister. No matter how bad the days got, we always had each other.” Celestia breathed. “And then… Nightmare Moon,” she muttered, sadness gracing every syllable. “After I banished her to the moon, I was alone. Not even another alicorn goddess to relate to. For a thousand years, that went on. Each new generation was born and died before I could truly connect with them in the way I had with my sister.”
Logan actually seemed to consider that at first, though the minute she brought up ‘connecting’ with others, his gaze hardened. “Did you think she was dead?” he asked.
Celestia paused. “Well… no…” she admitted, but Logan just scoffed. 
“So, you tried to replace her, even when you knew she was alive?” Logan asked. “At least the humans wait until the dog’s dead.” 
“No, that’s not…,” Celestia insisted, looking like she was close to crying, “I was lost; alone and scared… I had lost more than a sister. I had lost my way in life. Sure, I knew that my sister would return, but I had no idea if I could ever get her back the way she was. And then… the ponies gave me a purpose: protecting them. Loving them. Mentoring them into stronger versions of what they could be. Yes,” she admitted, “I had to take an… odd and sometimes dangerous method for mentoring them. But it was how I had learned mentoring should be done, the way my experiences painted the act. And even when Luna returned as Nightmare, I wasn’t some all-knowing being. I only knew that if I used soldiers, and not the Elements, I would be risking more lives. And even with the Elements, I had no idea what was going to happen. For all I knew, my plans would go wrong. Twilight and her friends could have failed, and not only would I lose my sister again, but I would have also sent six innocent ponies to their deaths.” 
“So, you did care about them?” Logan asked. “A pack in the millions, and yet you still managed to care about them?” 
Celestia looked to Twilight, with love shining in her eyes. Twilight blushed and looked away. 
“It’s like you said,” Celestia replied with a loving grin, “Twilight is the closest thing I’ll ever have to a daughter.” Celestia looked away with a sigh. “And she exceeded my expectations. She not only defeated Nightmare… but she gave me the chance to reunite with my sister.” She grinned softly. “My soldiers were softened by peace and harmony. Putting them into direct battle would have been disastrous. So, I put my faith in the ones that succeeded against all odds. I put my faith in Twilight and her friends… and isn’t an Alpha allowed to have as much faith in their pack as the pack has in them?” 
Logan’s ears flicked, but the nod he gave was microscopic. Celestia smiled softly. 
“I know the isolation you feel, Logan, and I know the loss you have suffered; I’ve experienced it for longer than you can comprehend.”
“And how long did you have to adjust,” Logan replied quietly, “How long did it take you to overcome those emotions?”
Celestia paused. 
“My lifespan isn’t in centuries, Celestia,” Logan said, “It’s not even a human’s lifespan.” He silently indicated his grown form; how much he had already changed in the span of a couple years. “Dogs don't last longer than 20 years.”
The mares gasped, horrified. Even Celestia’s eyes widened in fear. 
“You can list all these great ways to overcome hurt,” he continued, “But I don’t have what you do… and that’s time.” He sighed. “All I have is hope, however fleeting it is. Hope that I’ll be able to see my pack again before my death comes. Hope that they’re be more than a memory. A memory I’m afraid of forgetting every day.”
“I would never say to forget them.” Celestia’s gaze grew more sympathetic. “Logan, despite what you might believe, your pack is beyond your reach. Just like your father and mother are.”
Logan glowered, but she continued before he could strike or protest.
“A loss like that… holding onto the memory is fine, but you’re never going to recover if you let the memory consume you. The only way to recover is to know that you have others.” Before Logan could speak, she continued again, “And you do have others. Right now, you are surrounded by those who care about you.”
“And still do,” Fluttershy whispered.
“But you’re so caught up in grief, stubbornness and pride, that you’re not giving yourself the chance to heal,” Celestia said. “Your mother? Your father? Your pack? They will always be a part of you. But you can’t let that part destroy you.” 
“You still don’t get it.” he muttered, his voice still dark, “My parents are dead. I saw the bodies. Carol isn’t dead. I haven’t seen her body!” his face dropped. “I don’t know if she or the others are alive or not.” His ears flattened, and his eyes filled with determination. “But I’m not going to give up until I know for sure.” 
“Logan. Do not think I’m trying to lessen...”
“Are you even listening?” Logan demanded, “Carol. Isn’t. Dead! And if she is, you’re the only one keeping me from finding out.”
“But why would you want to…?”
“You’ve lived long enough; is there anyone still out there that you don’t know are dead or not? Can you honestly say that you’re haunted by the thought of ‘what if they’re still alive?’” 
Celestia had no retort. 
“Yeah,” Logan repeated, “My dad’s gone. Thanks to you, my mom’s gone, but Carol? She could be alive or dead or domesticated or worse, but I’m not giving up until I find out for sure.” He turned away from her. “And if you’re too much of a coward to help me find out, then I’ll find someone who will, no matter how much I have to search.” 
The others were silent at that. For a moment, the only sound anyone could hear was the wind just outside the force field. Just before Logan could walk away, Fluttershy spoke up.
“We want to help you, Logan,” Fluttershy said, “That’s all we ever wanted.”
“Really,” Logan asked. “You wanna help?” He indicated Celestia. “Get her to realize that I don’t care about my life, no one should care about my life, and that no matter how dangerous it is, I can’t give up until I get back home.”
“That’s asking us to assist you in suicide,” Twilight insisted, “None of us can do that. All we can do is just be there for you. Try to befriend you; let you know you aren’t alone.”
“And it isn’t even for Celestia,” Pinkie Pie finished, “It was because we want to; because we saw someone who had been hurt really badly. And we didn’t want to see him in pain.”
Logan glared at them. “Well, that’s not good enough,” he replied, turning to walk away.
“Logan Wolfe,” Celestia commanded. 
He just flicked his tail at her. She sighed, knowing force would do nothing for him. 
“It’s my fault for what happened to you and your pack.” Logan did pause at that. “Blame and punish me all you want. But Twilight and her friends had no part in that. They barely even understand what happened to you. Any mistakes they made, you claimed you forgave them for. It’s not fair for them to suffer for things that aren’t their fault.” 
“I’m not...,” Logan started to say, but Celestia cut him off.
“Yes, you are!” Celestia shot back, “They’re worried for you; they care for you, and you keep trying to throw that care aside.” Her ears flattened and her voice softened. “I’m not going to beg your forgiveness, Logan.” Before Logan could reply, she looked away. “Honestly, I can’t even forgive myself. But I have taught my little ponies the value of tolerance and friendship. They have learned to solve problems by trying to cooperate; by tolerating quirks and flaws, and doing their best to be there for others. Please, stop punishing them for only doing what they think is right.” 
“Why?” Logan demanded, “So they can replace my pack?” 
“This isn’t some evil plan to indoctrinate you, Logan. I know nothing can replace family,” Celestia insisted, “I understand that pack is very important to a wolf. You can disbelieve me all you want, but you don’t need to consider someone your pack to be friends with them. Opening up to ponies that are willing to help won’t hurt you or make me feel better for what I did to you. You don’t have to forgive me, but they don’t deserve to be hated for my mistakes.”
The Mane Six looked at each other. “And,” Apple Bloom said tentatively. “There’d always be a place for ya in Ponyville, if you wanted it.” 
Logan looked away with a tired glare. “You all… are unbearably naïve,” he growled. Then he raced off the path and into the snow. The others gasped and raced out after him, but he was gone in a flurry of white.

#

For a moment, the ponies fanned out, looking for where Logan could have gone. But while Celestia was conflicted on whether or not she should even be part of the search, Fluttershy had something that the others lacked; knowledge on animals. 
She had worked with several wild dogs before, and she knew that they often went into dens or concealed places when mad or hurt. Thus, despite the wind easily whipping Logan’s tracks aside, she was able to still discern enough of what was left to track him to a small, damp cave, the entrance recently cleared of snow, but slowly piling up. 
Sure enough, as she pushed her way through the already sealing hole, she found him. There should have been a fire, but he likely couldn’t find any wood. He just sat in the cold darkness, sitting on his haunches and staring at a wall. 
He smelled her before she could figure out what to do. 
“I’m not in the mood for more lectures,” he warned. 
“I’ll keep it brief,” Fluttershy replied, setting herself down beside him.
His head darted to her, his ears perking up. She tilted her head at his surprise, before he looked away.
“I thought you were Celestia,” he muttered, “Or Sparkle.” 
“No, they know you don’t want to talk to them,” Fluttershy replied. For a moment, they just sat there. “Sorry,” she admitted, “I’m... well…”
“It’s easier when the canine’s the listener, right?” Logan asked. 
“…Yeah,” Fluttershy admitted. Both of them chuckled, their laughter fading in the cold of the cave. 
Fluttershy let the silence stretch again before taking a deep breath. “Listen, Logan… I wanted to talk to you ever since you saved Shining Armor. But… with everything going on; King Sombra… and then Princess Celestia… well… It wasn’t fair to throw all that on you.” She looked up and locked eyes with him. “I’m sorry.” 
He tilted his head, guilt crossing his face as her apology registered to him. His ears flattened, and a small whine escaped his nose.
“I’m sorry too,” he admitted, turning away. 
“You don’t need to be,” she told him, “At least, not to me. But I don’t want us to go on like this; with us constantly nettling you and you worried that we aren’t pack. So, I thought if… well, I understand you don’t want some pony to replace your pack, but… is there anything aside from a pack mate? Someone that you can trust… who… isn’t pack?” 
She was fumbling with her words, but Logan slowly started to understand.
“Allied packs,” he said, his tail wagging as Fluttershy sighed in relief. “They aren’t our own packs, but… we agree to trade with them. Food, good spots for shelter… allies against enemies.” 
“O-Okay,” Fluttershy said. She was silent again. “So… can some… well, someone from an allied pack… ask what was wrong?” 
Logan was silent at that, but he did nuzzle closer to Fluttershy. She felt his fur press against her, surprisingly warm despite the damp cold of the cave. With his warmth came a bit of confidence, and Fluttershy pressed further.
“Have you ever traded stories with allied packs?” she asked. 
He glanced up at her. “Stories can often show techniques or potential enemies,” he admitted. 
“Like what?” Fluttershy asked, “What were you up to while you were gone?”
He smiled. “You know…” he admitted, “I was almost hoping you’d ask.” 
She smiled softly, and shifted closer. 
“I will warn you, though,” he admitted, “It’s a long story; it’s got some violence in it; at least when it wasn’t just walking.”
“Maybe you could skip to the interesting parts,” she offered. “And… be gentle in describing the violent bits.” 
He grinned. “Sure.”
> Chapter 2: Of Dogs and Dragons
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

For the longest time, I was mostly just walking. There was a feeling of… homeliness to it. Wolves have always been nomadic. Being able to move around again had an odd sense of… being back where I belonged. No offense, Fluttershy. 
Anyway, I kept off the main roads. Hunting when I was hungry; sleeping when I was tired, going when I needed to go. Didn’t want to risk Celestia being able to find me and bring me back. But that course took me into the mountains. And that was where I met some… interesting people. 
“Hey guys!" a deep voice bellowed. I found something!” 
I tensed up, sure that I was about to fight, but before I could even bare my fangs, I heard another voice.
“What did you find?" a higher pitched voice asked. "Gems?”
“Better,” the first one replied, while I snuck up towards the voices.
“Jewels?” a rougher voice asked.
“Better.”
“What?!” Both voices asked in glee.
“Lunch!”
I ducked back down again, only for a growl to sound before the sound of a slap emanated. 
“You knucklehead,” the higher pitched voice growled.
They probably kept calling each other names, but I didn’t focus on that. I knew that growl. That was the growl of...
I jumped out, and sure enough, I found myself facing dogs.

#

“Diamond Dogs?” Twilight asked.
Logan jumped; he may have just begun his story, but in his narration, he didn’t notice that not just Twilight, but the other Mane Five had shown up, and were watching him. He shot right back up, growling at them even as Fluttershy got between them.
“Wait,” she pleaded, “Logan, they didn’t…”
“How long were you guys there?” he asked. 
Rainbow Dash glanced behind her. “Right around when Fluttershy asked what you were up to,” she replied. 
“We didn’t want to intrude,” Applejack noted, glaring at Twilight.
“I’m sorry,” Twilight whimpered, “I just… every pony noted how similar you look to them. The Diamond Dogs, I mean.” She stepped forward cautiously. “Logan, I understand if you don’t want to tell us, but…”
Logan looked away with a huff, but Fluttershy looked to him pleadingly.
“Please, Logan,” she pleaded. “I really want to know what happened.”
Rainbow Dash almost opened her mouth to add something, but Applejack shushed her.
Logan was silent. His tail flicked back and forth, his ears flattening at Fluttershy’s pleading look. But then, he glanced further away, where he could just make out Celestia’s horn, attempting to hide in the snow. He grinned, and sat back down.
“You might as well know what I had to do to get here,” he admitted. He leaned back as the mares glanced at each other before inching forward hopefully. “Well, do you want to know from way over there?” he asked. “Or do you want to get out of the cold?” 
Twilight gave a hopeful smile, and they stepped into the cave, setting themselves down around him while Twilight conjured up a bit of magic fire. Logan cleared his throat and continued.

#

Well, to get the obvious out of the way; they weren’t wolves. Not by a long shot. Sure, we both wore jackets; we could both be bipedal. But, despite the fact that they were covered in dirt, there was something… softer about them.
Then again, there’s always something softer about dogs when compared to wolves. Dogs have rounder features; floppy ears. You look at that breed – pugs, I think – then you compare them to a wolf, you see the difference. And those Diamond Dogs were like three pugs. At least, two of them had the faces of pugs; a big gray one and a little tan one. There was a darker furred one that had… well, honestly, he looked more like a cat than a dog. So, two pugs and a cat, all with the bodies of what looked like small gorillas.

#

Rarity grimaced.
“Rarity?’” Logan asked. 
“No, just…” Rarity sighed, “I believe I met those three before.” 
Logan scanned her face for a moment before giving a small huff.

#

Maybe it was that difference that caused me to act the way I did. Because as I saw those guys arguing – over a squirrel one of them had caught no less – I just felt a very familiar anger. An anger that compelled me to just stroll up to them, and take the squirrel. 
A wolf’s scent of smell, they did not have. I literally managed to grab the squirrel up and stomp off before they knew what was going on.

#

“And yes,” he continued, glancing at Fluttershy, who was trying to hide a horrified expression, “I did have to eat other animals. I am a carnivore, Fluttershy, and there weren’t going to be protein supplements just sitting around out there. Sorry, but not sorry.” 

#

It was almost funny how far I got before I heard them barking behind him. 
“Hey!” the bigger one yelled – sounded like the one that had actually caught the thing. “That’s mine.” 
“Apparently, you guys don’t want it,” I replied.
“Just because we don’t want it doesn’t mean some other Diamond Dog can take it!” the cat one growled.
Great; even Diamond Dogs think I’m a Diamond Dog, I noted. A lovely coincidence, isn’t it? 
“Where did you come from anyway?” the shorter one demanded, “You don’t smell like you’re from here.”
The middle one’s ears perked as he gave an experimental sniff. “He smells like ponies!”
“Oh, so you can suddenly pick out where I’ve been,” I noted, “But not when I was walking right by you, taking your food.” I waved the squirrel for emphasis. 
The big one fumed, but the middle one grabbed him.
“We don’t have time for this pup,” the middle one barked, “We have to find more diamonds before…”
“Hey mutts!” a new voice roared. 
Something that Diamond Dogs and Wolves have in common? We both spike our fur when agitated, as these three demonstrated. 
“Oh, family jewels be safe,” the middle one moaned, before he was drowned out by the flutter of wings. 
Now, I’m going to admit, I’ve got dragons on my world. I heard they were guardians at one point or another, but a couple of them turned into greedy thieves. Thus, it didn’t come as much of a shock to me when three dragons at least twice as big as the biggest dog landed before them, with the clear indication that a shake-down was gonna happen. 

#

The Mane Six gasped. 
“D-Dragons?” Fluttershy whimpered.
“Tarnation,” Applejack declared, “I can’t imagine how frightening that must have been.”
Logan gave her a deadpan look. “I mention that I’ve seen dragons before,” he said slowly. “I establish that I know they can be thieves. And you thought I was scared of those punks?” He laughed. “They weren’t even full grown.”
“Still,” Twilight said, “We’ve had our own run-ins with dragons in the past. Even an adolescent can be pretty intimidating.” 
Logan smiled. “You’d change your tune if you met my dragons, cuz they can get pretty childish. And even then, my dragons would teach those dragons some respect.”
Rarity cocked her head. “Do pardon my interruption, darling, but… you mentioned three of them?”
“I did.”
“Would two of them be sort of tall and lanky; one red. The other purple. And the third being a brownish color. Stockier?”
His ears flicked. “You met them too, huh?” His tail wagged. "Well, sounds like I stumbled onto a little rogue gallery renuion."
“Ugh,” Rarity moaned, “I cannot imagine how infuriating that must have been.” 
Logan just wagged his tail, and continued.

#

“Well,” the leader of the dragons said – the red punk – growled, “You guys got a fourth member. That’s good, because I’m expecting treasure.” 
“Yeah,” one of his lackeys replied. “We heard treasure can make us stronger, but none of your gems are doing it! We need more!”
The short one immediately hid behind his bigger counterpart.
“But we don’t have nearly enough?” the short one whimpered.
“Sh!” both his pack mates said, batting at him, before an ominous cleared throat brought their attention back to the dragon.
“What was that?”
“Er, nothing, sir,” the cat one said, “We’ll… we were just keeping it safe, in, uh…”
“The heck are you guys doing?” I demanded, “Don’t give this jerk your treasure; let him find his own.”
The dogs stared at me as if I had suggested they eat their grandmas. The dragon, on the other hand, wasn’t as amused. 
“Care to repeat that, mutt?” the dragon snarled, taking a step towards me.
Now, as you guys might already know, I faced down two alicorns, one of which snapped my spine. A dragon wasn’t going to have quite the same effect. I rose to my hind legs, matching his gaze. 
“I said, go find your own treasure,” I growled, extending my claws. “Or go find your own teeth.” I was trying to imply I'd knock his teeth out, but I'm not sure it had the effect it should have, because the dragon just laughed.
The dragon chuckled. “Well-well,” he noted to his cronies, “Look at the eggs on this one.” 
He was glancing back at his cronies when he said this. I knew the technique; appear distracted, and then attack. So, right when he was about to turn back – probably with his fist or fire going for my gut – I lunged. 
And it seems that – whether on my world or on their world – dragons don’t take kindly to being bitten. Especially getting their eyes bitten.
The red punk fell to the ground, wailing in agony as my jaws snapped down on his face. I pinned his neck down before glancing up at his cronies.
Problem was, they knew enough basic math to know: 2 more than 1. And they also knew that they had fire. So, rather than backing off, like a pony probably would have, they breathed in and shot some hefty barbecue style flames right at my face.
Looking back, I still didn’t understand half of how my powers worked. The best I had seen it do up until that point was break through Luna’s shield and – maybe – make the beatdown she gave me for biting Celestia a little less one-sided. I didn’t remember it being able to form a shield that made my sudden leap away from their leader with a cry that would make any tough guy laugh completely unneeded.
Yet, that’s what happened; their flames bounced right off a flash of lightning, and I stumbled back, the last bits of lightning flaring around me like a protective ghost. Granted, the other dogs and the dragons were backing up as well, so I could take some comfort in the possible fact that my scream of fear had been ignored.
“What the...?” one of the dragons muttered, turning to the dogs. “You guys can do magic?”
“We can do magic?” the big one asked dumbly.
I, however, was more focused on making sure these dragons left us alone. So, recognizing the lightning from my fight with Luna, I focused, channeling my frustration, my anger, and even a small bit of humiliation at getting scared by these punks.
“You guys are familiar with fire, right?” I growled. 
“Uh…” the stocky brown one mumbled before nodding stupidly.
“You ever heard of ‘cold fire?’” I replied with a maniacal grin. 

#

“Cold Fire?” Twilight asked. 
“That sounds awesome!” Pinkie exclaimed, despite Twilight’s confused expression.
“Lightning,” Logan clarified quickly, indicating his sparking palm for them. “It may sound weird, but a couple of humans on my world often called lightning ‘the cold fire.’ Especially when wolves started using it.”
“Oh, I see,” Rarity noted, “It’s to distinguish between dragons and wolves. The cold ‘winter’ to the warm ‘summer.’”
Logan smiled at her. “Bingo.” He replied.

#

Privately, I was thinking, Myst’s Rage, if you cop out on me, I will be so freaking mad… But, Myst’s Rage came through for me, and two bolts of lightning slammed into their chests. Their scales protected them well enough, but judging from their squeals of pain, I’m guessing their organs and bones weren’t going to be having a good day. Just for the heck of it, I sent another bolt the way of their ‘fearless’ leader. Heh. He wasn’t so fearless when he was getting plowed across the ground by lightning.
“Come on,” the brown one squealed in terror. “Let’s get out of here.”
I howled, sending a few more bolts after them as the punks took to the air and zoomed away. A maniacal laugh slipped through my lips: lightning beats fire any day. 
And wouldn’t you know it; those three Dogs completely changed their tune. When I turned to glance at them, they threw themselves on their knees before me. 
“Who… are you?” the cat one whispered.
I let the lightning flicker away, my fur going back to its normal blonde.
“Call me Logan,” I replied. And that was all they needed. 
“Hail Alpha Logan,” they declared, “Bringer of Cold Fire!” 
Looking back, I found myself remembering my history; how the White Wolf Shiva had rejected becoming Alpha of the entire Wolf species. Part of me is still trying to figure out why she hated it. Heck, I could even understand why Celestia was content with being a princess.
When you got people praising you like that… it feels good to be the king.
> Chapter 3: The Guardian of Destiny
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

You know the biggest problem with getting early victories? They get you cocky; they make you think you’re invincible, and it sets you up for a hard reality check. 
In this case, I saved three dogs who were more like weasels. See, it was pretty clear that those dragons were setting them up for some severe mobster mentality; give us your stuff, and we won’t give you broken bones. I bust them out, and they immediately start fawning over me. Back then, I should have realized that they were acting more in fear than actual loyalty – maybe they were hoping I’d teach them how to use Cold Fire, maybe they were just hoping I wouldn’t fry them as well.
Either way, it felt like they were willing to give me whatever I wanted. So, when I asked, “What do you know of ways to get to another dimension?” I expected them to just hand over whatever they had. 
Instead, however, the cat dog – Rover -  gave a sad shrug. “We don’t have magic,” he mumbled.
“Dragons have magic,” the small one – Spot, I believe his name was – noted. “Big Dragon, in large cave. Mountains of Gold. Said to have mystical treasures as well.”
“Mystical?” I asked. 
“All rumor,” Rover noted, “But some artifacts magic. Use Cold Fire on them, and anything can happen.” 
That was enough to pique my curiosity. And with the victory over the young dragons swelling my head, I figured I could take anything that was thrown at me. 

#

Logan chuckled softly. 
“I was wrong,” he muttered. “I was… unbelievably wrong.” 
The mares glanced at each other worried. 
“Well, it couldn’t have been that bad,” Rainbow Dash noted. “I mean, you’re still here.” 
Logan looked up at her, his gray eyes having a strange shattered light to them that hadn’t been there before. Twilight had made a magic fire that was keeping them warm, and it danced in the light of his eyes. 
“Maybe I shouldn’t be,” he noted.

#

The journey to the mountain was a treacherous one. I’ll give the dogs this; they knew how to go across mountain terrain better than I. But I kept up as best I could, and clung to the few mountain paths that the place was kind enough to provide. 
That was where I got my first clue as to how dumb this plan was; as we got closer to the top of the mountain, I felt an odd… aura. It was almost like Celestia or Luna’s aura. And yet there was something else about it. Not malicious, but at the same time, not something to be trifled with.
“Do you feel that?” I almost asked, before noticing the dogs shivering with fear.
“B-Better idea in head,” Spot whimpered.
“Great Dragon lives at the top,” Rover explained, pointing up. “Sometimes, we get lucky, and he toss gems down for us to find. But no Dog goes up to face him.” He looked down. “None that come back."
I glared up at the mountain, where I could just faintly see a whiff of black smoke escaping somewhere from the top. 
“If you guys don’t want to go any further,” I said, “I won’t force you any further.” I climbed up ahead of them. “I’ll see for myself.”
“Be careful,” Spot said frantically. “No Dog who goes up there comes back.”
“I’m not just any dog,” I replied back. I turned back fully to them. “Just as you guys aren’t door mats for some punk reptiles to walk over.” I indicated upward. “If some giant lizard comes through claiming he’s a dragon,” I glanced up, “But he doesn’t have this aura – you give him teeth. Not gems. Not jewels.” I bared my fangs. “Teeth.”  
The three nodded, Rover for once looking happy. Then, as the three turned back, I continued up the mountain. 

#

Rarity snickered, drawing Logan’s attention.
“Odds are, darling,” she noted, “The next time some dragons ran through, those poor dogs probably literally gave them their teeth.” 
“I don’t know,” Logan said, “I did show them that dragons can be beaten. Besides, do you know how hard it is to remove teeth?”
“Trust us, Logan,” Applejack said, “Those dogs ain’t smart.” 
Logan crossed his arms. “Do you want me to continue the story, or do you want to risk driving me away by insulting the species I got mistaken for during my entire trip?” he asked coldly.
That shut them up.

#

After enough climbing to leave my claws throbbing, I managed to make it to the edge. The aura was stronger now; practically vibrating against my own, silently ordering me to turn back. The best it got was me falling asleep next to the entrance to the cave. Whatever was in there was gonna be tough, and I wanted all my strength.
Before you wonder why I slept next to an obviously strong and powerful aura, I do want to remind you that this aura wasn’t malicious. It didn’t have the feeling of ‘you fall asleep, and I’ll eat your guts.’ It was more ‘approach me at your peril. I won’t stop you, but I highly advise you go back.’
Thus, I woke up soon enough, unhurt. My claws were re-strengthened and my mind set to a purpose this aura was insistent I ignore. Yet I ignored the ominous feeling in my gut, and strode into the cave.
Now, most people associate going into caves as being shrouded by darkness. Instead, I found myself shrouded by light. When Spot had described ‘mountains of gold,’ he wasn’t kidding. There were stacks upon stacks of gems, jewels and coins from every kind of civilization. They all formed together into a metallic rainbow, bathing me in light. But my mind wasn’t on simple treasure; I could sense other treasures buried in this precious mountain filling; treasures that called to the inner magic in me. There had to be something that could help me get back home. There had to be. 
But, of course, the instant I stepped into that room, my paws scattering the first few coins into the cave, a massive rumble spread through the cave. And the biggest dragon I had ever seen appeared before me. 
Like I mentioned before, I had dragons in my world. I saw those juvenile dragons just down the mountain. 
But this beast made those punks and even the dragons in my own world look like nothing more than stuffed toys. 
He was huge; I couldn’t even make out more than his head. His scales were dark green like a sea wracked by a great storm. His eyes were a piercing blue, like the ice of a glacier. I swore the temperature dropped to fifty degrees when he looked at me.
Yet there was no malice in his eyes. Just… curiosity. I’m guessing his aura made it hard for people to come up and offer alliances or trades.
For a small time, we just stared at each other; wolf and dragon. When it became pretty obvious he wasn’t going to break the ice, I spoke.
“The Diamond Dogs from below,” I said, “They said you have magic treasure. Treasure that could return me to my home.”
The dragon regarded me with those cold eyes for a moment. Then, his lips parted.
“Yes,” he rumbled, his voice filling the entire cave, even though he had barely whispered. 
‘What have I gotten myself into?’ a nervous voice whispered at the back of my head, but I forced it down.
“Then…” I forced my voice to remain steady. “I need it. I’m going to use it to return home.” 
I started to walk by him, ready to dig into the treasure, but his voice stopped me.
No grand monologue or roar of rage. Just… a chuckle. A chuckle that made the coins rattle and jingle musically. An amused laugh that felt less like a single being was laughing at me, and more like every treasure in the room had grown a mouth, and was laughing at my boldness.
My heart tangoed in my chest, but I tried to spin back on the dragon with a glare. However, I found those cold eyes closer to me than before.
“No,” he whispered in that booming voice again. 
I forced my trembling legs to remain steady, and tried to glare him down. 
“Why not?” I demanded, my voice somehow managing to sound braver than I felt.
The dragon regarded me again. When it was clear I wasn’t backing down, he softly sighed. And when he spoke, his booming voice once again filled the room.
“For countless eons, I have guarded these treasures of magic and might. All have been denied; from the mightiest of dragons, to the tiniest of warriors.” 
A claw appeared; a great hand the size of a dinosaur’s foot, with claws the size of broadswords. It brushed over the gems and jewels, revealing other artifacts; a staff with a tip that looked like it was made out of howling faces; a pool with water that shined like a mirror; a book with a cover that looked made out of human flesh.
“You see, Lone Wolf of Equestria,” the dragon rumbled, giving me another chill, “Destiny and prophecy have laid out who can use these artifacts. And those chosen are the only ones who will be allowed access to these treasures.” A shadow of a grin played across his massive face. “And you, my young pup… are not one of those chosen.” 
I bared my teeth. Anger began to replace my fear. There was a way home in here; I could feel it. And yet this discount snake was going to try and stop me?!"
“I don’t give a damn about destiny!” I snarled. “I will find a way home, and I will find it with whatever you’ve got!” 
The dragon huffed, steam hissing from his nostrils. Merely standing near the steam caused me to pant – it was so hot. Yet that grin didn’t stray from his face. Like I was some strange little child that was proclaiming itself a great warrior.
“That isn’t going to happen,” he rumbled again. 
My eyes narrowed. “Wanna bet?” I snapped. 

#

“Logan, you didn’t…” Twilight said in a hushed tone.
Logan’s tail wagged. “You bet your tail I did,” he said. “And I’ve regretted it every day since.” 

#

My first lunge went for his eyes. I still remembered my father’s advice on dragons. No matter the size, they all need their eyes. Catchy, right?
Well, it didn’t work here. The dragon shut his eyes and twisted. From both his size and his slow manner of speaking, I expected to be able to dart around while he was winding up punches or fire. Imagine my surprise when his head lashed like a whip, bashing me in the chest before I could even think about dodging. 
The air exploded from my lungs, my ribs screamed in agony, and I was nearly hurled right out of the cave. The metallic rainbow was replaced with the cloud covered sun, but I managed to catch the edge. Despite my chest throbbing like someone had bashed a battering ram into my gut, I scrambled right back up and raced back inside. Adrenaline kept the blow from hurting too much, and determination demanded I not show my fear. 
The minute I raced back inside, though, explosions like fireworks sounded around me, and the mountains of gems and jewels scattered to the winds, their sharpest points hurtling down towards me like the deadliest rain you’d ever seen. I managed to dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge through the hail, and spotted his head nestled between two more piles of gold. Above him, something with his green color swatted at another pile of gold, sending the coins spinning down at me like shurikens. I lunged right past them and got my teeth around his snout.
It was like trying to bite a titanium battleship! I was surprised my teeth didn’t break the second I bashed them against him. His eyes went cross-eyed to look at me, and I tried to take advantage, stabbing one of my blades towards his eye. However, he flicked his nose up, and without a way to hold my grip, I went back into the air. 
This time, instead of falling towards the cave entrance, I gasped as I flipped in the air, and saw my momentum carrying me towards a sword that gleamed like pure ebony, catching the light of a million treasures and glowing like fire. 
I didn’t know what magical properties were in that thing, but I knew it’d be bad news to fall on it. I concentrated, and Myst’s Rage responded; white tendrils of light shot out and stabbed into the ground. I felt them push into me like a human using a stick to leap across a chasm, and I managed to flip through the air, landing next to the sword instead of on it. 
But, when I went to grab for it, I saw the light in the dragon’s eyes change. His head shot out further, his jaw unhinged, and I saw white light, almost like a light at the end of the tunnel of death. I jumped away from the sword seconds before it a ball of what looked less like fire and more like pure light barreled between me and the sword. 
In my awe, I failed to realize he snuck up behind me. It took a heat beyond anything I had felt before to realize my mistake, and even then, Myst’s Rage was almost not enough. The lightning twisted into the fireball as it hurled me to my side, barely redirecting the flames. A second later, and it would have overwhelmed me. Thankfully, the fire dissipated before that happened.
With my fur feeling like it was being burnt off at the root, I shrieked as the dragon prepared to fire again. One of my lightning strikes hit him in the chin snapping his jaw shut. But before I could take much pride in my small victory, two massive wings, bigger than any wings I had ever seen (yes, even yours, Rainbow Dash) unfurled from behind those two gold stacks, and clashed together.
The wind from their single flap hit me like a truck, and I went skidding across the ground, howling in agonized anger as this dragon batted me around like a cat with a toy. Barely in time, I saw the entrance to the cave coming back up. He was trying to throw me back out again! Thinking fast, I sunk my blades and claws into the stone entrance. They shrieked and dragged across the stone surface, but I managed to regain my paws, and braced myself against his beating wings. If only I could have looked up; I might have seen the smug expression on his face sooner. 
His wings gave one final beat, but as I braced myself for more, none came. Instead, his claw shot out, and nearly sheared my arm from my shoulder. It was only because I had looked up, and even then, the blade like finger dug right into my side. 

#

As the ponies’ jaws gaped open in horror, Logan lifted the side of his jacket and parted his fur. Just along his chest, just between his arm and chest, was a long thin scar. It ran from the top of his shoulder all the way down to his hip. 
“I think, if he wanted to,” Logan muttered, “He could have ripped my entire arm off.” He shuddered as he put his armor back the way it was. “As it is, if I didn’t have magic here, I probably would have lost the arm anyway.” 
Rarity fainted.

#

I had never been stabbed before. At first, I didn’t feel anything. I stared at that claw rammed through my shoulder… and felt nothing. 
But soon enough, there came the dull throb; the throb of my blood leaking out, staining his claw. His second claw flicked like a child flicking snot off, and my body was torn from his claw, smashing against the wall. I slid to the ground, an additional throb wracking my body as my blood splattered against the wall. I clutched at the wound, my arms shivering, as the dragon glared down at me with those cold eyes. 
“I warned you,” he rumbled, “It ain’t gonna happen. Leave, before you really get hurt.”
But even as he spoke, I felt a new pain along my wound. Instead of the throb of my blood escaping, there was a sizzling sound as if I just pressed a flaming branch to my shoulder. I looked down, staring in shock as the lightning of Myst’s Rage seared from my claws and into the wound, cauterizing and sealing it. As the stab wound was reduced to a burned scar, I clenched my claws into a fist, and forced myself up.
“Never!” I snarled, “I will get back to my pack!” Then I lunged at him with the best howling battle cry I could manage. 
I immediately stumbled over my damaged arm. 
Though, it turned out for the better, since my stumble allowed me to dodge out of the way of his fireballs. Stumbling over my bad arm, I kept to the perimeter, running alongside the treasure as a trail of white fire followed after me. A brief glance behind me showed all those priceless jewels fading into ash. I guess I really owed Myst for that lightning, if that’s what happened to solid metal. 
I remembered how he flipped his lid when I got near the sword, and I made my way back towards the artifacts. As his white fire threatened the mirror water, he suddenly shut it off. I took advantage, bouncing off the artifact and lunging for his eyes again… only for his claw to catch me again. 
This time, instead of stabbing me, his claws just carved down my side, sending me to the ground, while blood leaked from four nasty cuts along my ribs. I spun back to my paws and slashed at his claws, briefly getting into a semi-sword fight with them. I managed to notice his second claw coming up behind me, I rolled out of the way, and as the two claws slammed at where I had been mere moments ago, I rode the shockwave towards his face. 
His eyes briefly widened; I had managed to surprise him with that trick. 
And now, I thought gleefully, as I saw my own snarling reflection in the pupil of his eye. He’s gonna need a new eye.
Then I felt something lithe and scaly curl around my hind legs, tying them together like a rope. Or a snake. Or… my heart dropped into my gut – a dragon’s tail. 
I don’t remember much of the fight after that; my entire world became a blurry haze of pain. I remember smashing into walls, stones and gems cascading down around me. I remember him batting at me with his massive claws, opening a mix-match of bleeding cuts like he was using my body as a tic-tac-toe chart. I faintly remember him even picking me up in his mouth, getting tossed into his teeth by his massive tongue before he spat me out with the force of a bullet.
It took me several minutes to realize when he had finally left me alone. I had tried to fight, slashing and biting at whatever came near me, but more than once, I just found myself biting down on gems or rocks or my own tongue. My flailing limbs were reduced to pathetic spasms. My jaws clicked a few times, broken teeth snapping pointlessly at air. And as I slowly came to the conclusion that he had finally stopped his ruthless beating, my eyes managed to make out the dragon, staring down at me with… PITY?!
Anger burned in my ragged, pummeled heart. This thing beat me down, and now all he’s got for me is pity?! Celestia flashed before my weary eyes, and I found myself trying to pull myself up to swipe at his ugly mug. To swipe at Celestia’s mug. To swipe at the ugly mug of the world itself!
But I couldn’t. That dragon had broken more than just bones. Even as I felt my bones creaking and cracking trying to hold me up, I could feel something else that was badly ruptured; something that forced its way up my throat. I coughed, the mere act sending shockwaves of pain like I had never experienced, and I could only gaze, fascinated, as blood trickled from my mouth, pooling below me.
Yet, despite everything – despite the pain being like nothing I had ever experienced, despite my body – my soul – pleading for me to curl up and die – I forced myself to face up. To do anything aside from just lay there and die.
But determination and willpower can only go so far when the soul is carried by a broken body. My limbs were giving their all just to keep my supported. I couldn’t even pant; my mouth was too full of blood. Heat burned my head and skin, while cold chilled my organs with the slowing beat of my heart. If I wasn’t already dead, I was pretty damned close. 
So, I looked up into those cold eyes, and I hocked a glob of blood and spit at him.
“That… all-ya… got,” I slurred, my words oozing from my mouth with my blood.
The dragon’s eyes narrowed. Now that I wasn’t being tossed around, I could see his throat glowed. Just like my world’s dragons when they were ready to spit fire.
“Fool,” the dragon growled, the glow racing up his throat as he prepared to unhinge his jaw. “You will never…”
He stopped, pausing. An unearthly sound rang through the cave. Rather than making the treasure inside jitter and jingle, it caused them to somehow freeze. Even my blood seemed to halt mid-drip. My ears flared backward at the intrusive sound. That alone sent another throb of Hell through my body, but the sound almost felt like a drill boring into my brain. 
Through the haze, I made out the mirror pool. Its surface had gained a pearly white quality, and it pulsated as that uncanny noise filled the cave. The dragon stared at it for the longest time, and when he turned back to me, the anger in his eyes was gone. 
“Ah,” he whispered. “I understand now.”
He lifted his head, and… I’m pretty sure he had hit me hard enough to flip my brain, because I could’ve swore he made some sort of howl. 
It was high-pitched, a hard contrast to the low bass he had before. And as it echoed out of the cavern, I noticed a glow at the entrance. My jaw already felt shattered, so I wouldn’t have been surprised if it dropped off my face. And it likely would have, because a flaming bird strolled into the cave.

#

“P-Phoenix,” Twilight stammered. The others were holding each other close, several of them staring at Logan as if he had turned into a ghost. “That… w-what you described was a phoenix.” 
Logan just hummed in response.

#

Whatever it was, it strolled right into that cavern without fear. And the dragon grabbed me by the scruff of my neck. I didn't have anything left in me to resist. I couldn't even growl in protest. 
He draped me over the phoenix’s back, and the thing craned its neck over me. I felt small drops of water splash onto me. Later, I found out that phoenix tears have healing powers, so I guess the thing was crying on me. Small comfort, but I didn’t really notice it over the boom of the dragon’s voice. 
“Your journey does not end here, Logan Wolfe,” the dragon said somberly.
Before my heart could flutter in shock that he knew my name, the mirror pool shined brighter. And in it… I think I saw myself. Older. Hardened. And staring down an army of dark figures. 
That vision was the last thing I saw in that treasure room. And as I lost my senses to exhaustion, blood loss and probably a million other injuries, I heard one last thing from the dragon.
“Your journey has just begun.” 
> Chapter 4: The Master of Dragons
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

For a moment, Logan enjoyed the reaction of his audience. Each of the six ponies were riveted in place. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were in awe, while Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rarity just looked horrified. Celestia – Logan knew she was listening right outside – had the advantage of no audience, and thus could let a single tear of horror and concern trace down her features. 
None of them had anything on Twilight though. She was pale enough to rival Rarity in terms of white fur. 
“And you complained about us worrying about you when you were gone?!” she shrieked indignantly. 
Logan managed to avoid wincing, and tilted his nose up. “You…” he started to say, but Twilight got there first.
“Oh, I’m not your pack,” she mimicked before going back to her regular shriek, “That’s no excuse. Celestia, Luna and Cadence, you could have DIED!”
“Actually,” Rainbow Dash noted, “How did he not die?”
“DASH!” the mares screeched, causing her to flinch back.
“I’m sorry, but I’m serious,” she exclaimed. “I had to go to the hospital for one date with a stone wall. And you got thrown into how many stone walls… how many times? How many of your bones were broken? I mean, seriously, are you just a ghost or something? How are you standing here right now?!”
Logan waited until she had run herself out. He simply leaned back. 
“Do you want me to tell you,” Logan asked, “Or do you want to lecture me some more?” 
Twilight looked like she wanted to lecture him some more, but she managed to calm herself back down enough to sit, and she motioned for Logan to continue. 

#

Honestly, I knew I should be dead. I took more than enough damage. A couple of phoenix tears weren’t going to save me. 
So, when I woke up again, I was pretty sure I was in some sort of afterlife. 
The White Wolf once spread the story of the Final Forest; a place teaming with food and water. A place where wolves could hunt with their dead pack mates until the end of time. I was never sure whether to believe them or not. But the place I woke up in looked pretty similar to this ‘final forest;’ full looking oak trees, a misty gray sky above bathing the world in hues of rain and mist. The only thing off about the whole thing would have to be the shack. Oh, and the mountain pass.
I was sitting in some sort of shack that was looking out onto the edge of a mountain path. The rest of the forest spread out further on, like a sea of green, while I was stuck at what looked like the last point before a spire. The aforementioned ‘shack’ was mostly several trees that had been tied together, giving a massive canopy that shielded me from the rain. 
A fire crackled nearby, and sitting near that fire, his back to me… was a unicorn. 
I almost groaned before I noticed this unicorn was different from the others. His coat was a dull gray. His mane was shaved, though I could see small black roots poking out from his scalp. His horn was shrouded in white, while a stick next to him, also shrouded in the white light, poked at the coals vacantly.
As I took in my surroundings, I became aware that the agony in my body had faded. It wasn’t gone – my entire body still throbbed like I had been trampled by a herd – but my organs didn’t feel ruptured, and even my bones felt recently knitted together.
It was almost like… I paused. Like Celestia when she healed my spine.
I didn’t want to stay there. The unicorn nearby may have nursed me back to health, but I had no interest in whatever story he had. The unicorn’s back was to me, and I started trying to inch away. My bones still felt recently healed – easy to break if I tried anything too drastic – but I was on my stomach, and I managed to get a few inches away before he shifted. 
I froze, then went limp, shutting my eyes to slits. Maybe he had heard me shifting. Maybe he was just doing… whatever unicorns out in the middle of nowhere do. Either way, I waited. 
He didn’t seem to be moving, so my eyes opened a little wider, and I turned back to that mountain pass… only to find blue eyes staring at me.
I yelped and scrambled backward. It was a dragon. Tinier than the punks I had faced… in fact, she looked a lot like Spike. Though, instead of purple scales, she had bright red ones, complete with a golden underbelly. Combine the red dragon punk with Spike’s overall appearance, give it wings, and make it female, and you’d have what I was looking at. Looking over, I saw the unicorn had pulled a one eighty and was staring at me. He levitated some sort of foul smelling liquid before me. 
My nose wrinkled at the scent, and I glared up at him just as his little dragon friend sunk a needle-like claw into my cheek. I didn’t know anything about nerve points, so imagine my surprise when my jaw dropped open against my will, allowing him to shove the water down my throat. My tongue tried to fly out of my mouth at the taste, which was a bad idea, as the dragon removed the needle and caused my jaws to snap shut, nearly biting my tongue. I coughed, shuddering as the I felt the liquid travel down to my stomach. 
“Your whimpering was already annoying enough,” the unicorn muttered darkly, turning back to his fire. “I don’t need your barking either.” He sat by the fire again.
I gave one final shudder and glared at his back. “If you didn’t need my barking, why’d you save me?” I asked. 
“Because Ocetorm told us to,” the dragon replied. Geez, she even sounded like Spike. It was eerie!
“Speak only when spoken to,” the unicorn snapped. Despite still feeling half dead, I managed to match his glare.
“I spoke to her, she spoke back,” I countered. “How about you speak when spoken to, and tell me...” 
He spun around, and his horn flared. I didn’t even get the chance to defend myself before I was up against the tree trunk, my entire body shrouded in white. He glared up at me with those beady blue eyes, before his jaw twitched upward in a slight grin. 
“You have spirit,” he noted with a chuckle. “Perhaps that’s why Ocetorm spared you.” 
He dropped me, and I was left scrambling to my paws. It was a weird feeling; almost like when you wake up and your body isn’t fully awake with you. I mean, I felt healed. And yet, the throbs from my fight with the dragon were there, also making me feel like I should be laid out. I wasn’t sure whether to lunge on this guy, or collapse in the memory of agony.  
So, I went for the middle ground:
“Ocetorm?” I asked.
“One of the former Dragon Overlords,” the dragon replied. “A Great Warrior from beyond the Dawn of Time…”
“More accurately, the dragon who nearly turned you into a pulp-filled wolf skin rug,” the unicorn replied. “Normally, I’d have thrown a dead little thing like you to the birds. But when the pet phoenix of Ocetorm delivers something, Sparks, at the very least…” he indicated his young dragon companion. “Would go into conniptions if I just ignored it.”
“Because it has to be something important!” Sparks insisted. “Ocetorm wouldn’t spare just any old dog. Even if it probably picked a fight with him in the first place…” 
Despite her words, I didn’t feel that important. My head lowered as I remembered that fight. How Ocetorm had dominated me. 
I knew in my heart that Celestia was powerful enough to obliterate me. But Ocetorm had actually done it. It was only by his will that I wasn’t dead right now. 
And as for death itself… I had thought that I wanted it after my mom. I dared it to show up so many times. And yet, in that moment, when that dragon could have turned me into a pile of ashes… I had never felt more scared in my life. 
I was still alive; my heart still beat the same, and my body, throbbing as it was, was still healed. But I still felt shame grip me. I was surrounded by all these other creatures; all of them capable of reducing me to a stain on the ground. How was I going to be able to fight against something like that?
“So,” the unicorn said, jarring me from my thoughts, “You thought you were the match of a dragon?”
I didn’t reply at first. “Yeah,” I mumbled.
“And how did that turn out for you?” the unicorn replied with a grin. 
“You’re the one who fixed me, genius,” I snapped, “What do you think?” 
The unicorn tilted his head and fixed me with a searching look. “I think ‘why would Ocetorm waste my time with some diamond dog?”
I stood up, my blood boiling in my veins. But something held me back from going all the way. That grim reminder of what Ocetorm had done to me. And not just him but Luna as well. Even you three; Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Twilight. You got some good licks in. All of it raced through my mind on the ghost of my injuries, and I found myself doubting just how smart it was for me to rush this guy.
“I’m a wolf,” I growled at him, again going for the middle ground. 
“Oh, so you’re a dumb diamond dog,” he noted with a chuckle. “Repetitive when I think about it.”
I growled, utter hatred in my voice, but the unicorn just laughed. Even the dragon – who I had at least an inch on – was smiling, as if I had just told a bad joke.
“Your anger is amusing,” he noted, “You think you’re my match?”
My eyes narrowed. 
“Do you wish to die?” the unicorn asked. 
“No,” I snapped. 
The unicorn just laughed again. “Then you’re a dumb diamond dog,” he concluded.
My fangs bared. My cautious side was losing. Ironic, wasn’t it; my tail had been readily handed to me, and yet there I was, picking a fight with the guy who had just brought me back from the dead. But anger’s a funny thing; you let it control you, and it blinds you to even the most basic of logic. 
It wasn’t helped when he just grinned at my petulant anger. He strode out of the shack, and turned to me, his entire body lightning up in white. 
“Let’s see what you actually can do,” he said, aiming his horn at me. “If you can land even a single blow… I’ll bow down and call you my master.”
Sparks glanced between the two of us, and promptly yanked a bag of jewels from behind her, munching eagerly as she watched us. 
My ears flicked for a second, but that anger inducing grin triggered something in my mind. I lunged forward, only for my jaws to snap at empty air. I looked around for him, only to feel at tap on my shoulder. My arms throbbed, but I lunged back, swiping wildly at what touched me. I yelped when my arm collided with a hard hoof, and I was spun to my back. Now dealing with the throb of the old wounds and the throb of a new bruise, I rolled, scrambling back to my paws. I saw a flash of gray and snapped at it, only to feel a pair of four hooves balancing on my head. I briefly struggled against the weight, before I heard him.
“From here, I can give you an excellent view of the dirt.”
He shoved, and my face slammed into the dirt. My snout – only recently healed from the dragon – now had two throbbing pains to contend with. I was left squirming on the ground, while he laughed once again. 
“Amateur,” he scoffed.
My eyes opened, glowing white, and I lunged up. Myst’s Rage triggered fully, and I let out a maniacal howl. 
The unicorn’s eyebrow rose and he gave a small hum of interest. Sparks, on the other hand… I’m pretty sure her jaw was somewhere near the center of the earth by now. 
Lightning shot down from the gray clouds, hitting me head on. I curled it around myself and fired it at this smug prick. His own horn glowed, however, and he spun like a top, the lightning curling around him and turning into a blue energy ball. He spun the ball right back to me, and it exploded against my claws. 
My back shrieked in agony as I hit a tree, and as I slid down the trunk, I was barraged by a bunch of acorns. I couldn’t get over this weird feeling of half death over me, and his laugh was driving me mad. 
“That’s why Ocetorm spared him,” Sparks said happily, “He can do magic, just like you, Master!” She grinned at the unicorn, only to quickly flinch down at the bemused glare he was shooting her. The unicorn shrugged. 
“Pathetic, novice level magic,” he admitted. “But, I suppose it’s the best a non-unicorn can do.” 
I let out another howl, but he just laughed. 
“Still think you have a chance?” the unicorn asked, his horn flaring ominously, “Let’s show Sparks how this storm of yours compares against an actual unicorn.” 
I shook myself off, and for a moment, we circled each other, my fur still glowing. Granted, I didn’t know that many tricks, but I wasn’t willing to let this prick get one over me. Not yet anyway.
I rose to my hind legs, and I went with the first trick that came to mind; blasting lightning. He easily teleported to the side. I fired again, but he teleported again. 
I spun, blasting lightning in all directions, but not a single bolt hit anything. I glared around, my nose twitching and my muscles trembling, when I heard a familiar POOF.
I spun, lashing a tendril of lightning that crashed against a bubble around him. The lightning curled around the bubble like a snake, while the unicorn looked at me with amusement. I swore I could hear him laughing inside that bubble. 
Then, he flicked his horn like a wand. My lightning tendril suddenly changed into a snake, it’s head in my claws. It reared up and hissed at me, causing me to jump back with a scream. Without thinking, I spun and drove my back paws down towards the snake’s head.
My paws smashed into the thing’s neck, but the head somehow extended. My heart stopped for a brief moment, before it suddenly wrapped around my legs and turned into coarse rope. I got a brief flash back to the dragon before I was yanked off my feet. The unicorn let the rope spin me around him once before turning the rope into a whip, freeing me and sending me tumbling down a hill. His laugh once again rang through the forest. 
I was fuming; hurt, angry, conflicted… This guy was pushing every button I had. Slamming the ground with a snarl, my eyes sighted down on a rock, and I snatched it up, hurling it towards the sound of his voice. His body vanished just seconds before the rock would have hit him… then the rock was shrouded in white. I ducked to the side as it hurled back, only for it to crash against my skull anyway. I tumbled to the ground, before my throwing arm was grabbed by something and yanked behind me. 
I screeched, yelping in agony, and then confusion. Sparks had grown; instead of a baby dragon, she was now a bit bigger than those dragon punks. And she had one hell of an angry growl on her face as she held my arm in a nasty arm bar.
“Just like a dog,” the unicorn noted, appearing by her side. “Nothing without someone backing you up.” He whistled, and Sparks bent my arm back even further. 
I howled in absolute agony; it felt like that arm was being broken all over again. As if to make matters worse, that was the arm Ocetorm almost ripped off. I could almost feel the cuts he made reopening. 
“Excruciating, isn’t it?” he noted, raising a hoof ominously. “You know… looks like Ocetorm nearly took this arm. Sparks? Shall we return it to the dragon?” 
I barked, struggled and squirmed, lunging with my free claw. I called for Myst's Rage, but the master's hoof hit me in the eye, and nothing came forward. Nothing I did got Sparks to release me.
“That the best you can do?” he asked, unamused. He turned to Sparks. “Take his arm and return it to Ocetorm. It belongs to him now.”
I shut my eyes, and before I knew what was happening… I whispered. “Forgive me, Carol… I failed you.”
There was a pause. I could still feel my arm, so… what were they doing? I looked over, and they were giving me curious looks.
“Carol?” Sparks asked. “How’d you fail this ‘Carol?’” 
At first, I glared at them, but then Sparks’ look faded to irritation. She pulled my arm, and I winced. 
“I’m trying to find my way back to her; back to my pack,” I admitted with a growl, turning away from them. “That’s all I wanted; Ocetorm had what I needed, and he wouldn’t let me use it, okay? That’s why I fought him.” 
The pressure on my arm faded by a fraction. 
“Why can’t you just go back to your pack?” the unicorn asked. “Are they…”
“They’re not from here, you stupid son of a…!” I was cut off as Sparks twisted my arm again. “Celestia yanked me from my world. I’m going to get back to them; without her!”  
Sparks and the unicorn looked at each other. The unicorn glanced back down at me, understanding dawning on his face.
“Even though you’re helpless without her.” It wasn’t a question. It was a statement. “Out here, you’re a plaything of those stronger and better than you’ll ever be.” 
I keened, rage, fear and anger burning in my gut. The pressure hit again, and I whispered, “I don’t care.” 
The pressure decreased again.
“Have you ever felt this helpless before?” he asked. 
I shut my eyes. “I’ve felt this way ever since Celestia yanked me from my home,” I whimpered.
He sighed softly, almost in understanding. But the pressure didn’t decrease, nor did it increase. 
“Believe it or not, we get what you’re saying,” Sparks said. “Master freed me and several other dragons Celestia took. We’ve been living out here; away from her in case she tries to force us to go back.” 
Huh. Guess I was right about Celestia being an egg-stealing thief. 

#

"Sit down, Sparkle," Logan growled as Twilight stood up, her face glowing red. Applejack and Rainbow Dash had to jump in her way.
"Sugar, easy now," Applejack warned the purple mare. 
"She wouldn't do that," Twilight insisted. "I don't know if that dragon was lied to, or what that unicorn said, but..."  
"You wanna ask her?" Logan asked, indicating the outside. Celestia winced and drew further away. "She's out there right now. Go ahead and ask. I'll wait."
Twilight looked over at the entrance, where Celestia stood, her expression forlorn. Reluctantly, Twilight turned to the princess, as she joined them.
“The truth is,” she began, “Dragons have… a different culture and standards from ours. I was able to convince several of them to trade their eggs for treasure.” 
Twilight’s ears flattened. Even Logan looked scandalized.
“It’s a sad fact, but dragons simply don’t look on their young the same way we do,” Celestia replied. “I at least figured that the eggs would have a better life under us. But one unicorn didn’t realize that. He accused me of lying.” Her ears flattened in resignation. “As I’m sure all of you are thinking right now.”
Logan glanced at the mares. Applejack was scanning Celestia’s face with her truth-seeking glare. Twilight put her hooves over her head, putting her back to them, as if she didn’t want to hear anymore. The others just glanced between the alicorn and wolf like it was a high-stakes game again.
“Either way, nothing I said convinced him,” Celestia admitted. “He took as many eggs as he could and fled. I realized that pursuing him and forcing him to bring the dragons back would only prove his point.” She sighed. “So… I made a difficult choice. I let him go. And from the sound of it, he’s done well for himself.” 
Logan folded his arms, clearly unconvinced. Celestia looked to Applejack, who didn’t speak up with any lies.
“Did you ask him his side?” Celestia asked Logan. “Did he tell you about how barbaric I was? Why he was out there instead of just letting the dragons go?"
Logan looked back into the fire.

#

"So, why's he still with you?" I asked, indicating the unicorn. "Why you still taking orders from him?"
The unicorn put his hoof on my neck. 
"Because I learned faster than you," he said. "I gained their respect, not because some princess told them to, but because I can actually fight." 
My ears flattened. His glare deepened, and he turned to Sparks. 
"Release him," he ordered. 
Sparks let me go, but the instant I pulled myself up, the unicorn was on me. I didn't even get to enjoy my time back on my paws before he had be on my back again.
"I understand that we’re not in Celestia’s play pen anymore,” the unicorn said firmly. “Out here, you won’t be able to bat those pretty puppy eyes and expect pity and mercy. There will be monsters that will take pleasure in your helplessness. And, if by some miracle, you live long enough, you’ll grow. And then you’ll lose even the sympathy that comes from seeing someone so young and helpless trying to be something they’re not.”
He stood over me, his hoove poised to shove right through my chest. 
“As you are… you won’t last a day out here, you understand?”
“Yeah,” I said quickly, before he could order Sparks to hurt me again. Or worse still, do it himself. 
The pressure stayed on my chest for one second. Two seconds. Three…
“That’s only the beginning,” he said, before releasing me. I rolled to my chest and rose, steadying myself on all fours. When my eyes opened again, I saw him still staring down at me. Sparks had gone back to baby dragon mode, her eyes looking on me in concern. His horn flashed, and she held up her fists, fire burning around her and briefly making her look bigger. 
“Do you want the power to survive beyond Equestria?” he asked. 
“Yes,” I whispered.
He grinned again. 
“Then your training will start… tomorrow.”
He walked away, Sparks falling in line behind him. I managed to roll to my stomach, and I watched him go. Despite my arm still throbbing like I had put it under a car’s wheels, I forced myself to all fours, and limped after them.
“Who… are you?” I dared to ask.
He didn’t even look at me.
“It wasn’t obvious, stupid dog?” he asked. “I am your master.” 

#

Logan leaned back, a puff of air huffing out through his snout. 
“I hated that unicorn,” he admitted. “I hated him and his dragons more than I ever hated anyone in my life.” He looked at the mares, who hadn’t said a word. “But what he taught me? I’m pretty sure it’s the only reason I’m standing before you right now.” 
> Chapter 5: Cruel Tutelage
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I wasn’t woken that morning; I was hurled from dreamland. Imagine having a dream where you’re falling, and you hit the ground, only to wake up and find yourself bouncing off your bed, because some jackass picked you up and dropped you. 
That was how the unicorn woke me on my first day. His magic conjured up a stick that smacked the sleep from me, and I was left stumbling down the hillside to a mountain path that he stood at. 
“Since you belong to me now,” he said, “I want you strong.” He barked at Sparks, who jumped to her feet. 
“Follow me,” she cheered, spinning away and taking off at a light jog. I followed after her, but even then, she wasn’t satisfied. She pointed at the spot next to her.
“Here,” she ordered. “Here, dog, here!” 
I gritted my teeth and poured on the speed, managing to make it to her side. And for a time after that, we just ran onward, Sparks not even using her wings. It wasn’t that bad, if I only knew where we were going. 
“By the way,” I asked as we ran. “How’d you pull off that… becoming an adult thing?” 
Sparks chuckled. “Oh, I’m not an adult,” she said. “Master just found a way for me to control my Inner Greed.”
“Inner what now?”
“Inner Greed,” Sparks explained. “Every dragons’ got an Inner Greed, where if we start hoarding treasure, it can turn us into monsters. With Master’s help, I managed to channel the Inner Greed so that, instead of hoarding something for selfish gain, I protect what I have. And, it lets me access the monster form, but in a more controlled state.”

#

Rarity and Twilight looked at each other. 
  “We had an… incident like that once,” Twilight admitted. “Where Spike turned into a giant monster because he got too greedy. Are you saying there’s a way to control that?”
“I guess,” Logan admitted. “Though she mentioned it took years of training. And despite that… I didn’t get very long to hear about it.” 

#

Don’t get me wrong; I was doing my best. But when an hour went by and we just continued to run, I started to get winded. She started to pull ahead. Her cheery demeanor faded, and the drill sergeant voice returned.
“Here,” she snapped, pointing at her side again. “Here, dog, here!” 
I pressed onward. This girl and her master may have gotten the better of me before, but I wasn’t going to let them think I was always like that. Despite the early waking, the throb from my fight with the dragon was gone. Give the unicorn credit where it’s due; he knew his medical spells. But that meant I had to show how strong I could really be. I was done letting other species – especially unicorns (get over it, Sparkle) – treat me like I was less than them. I was done being tossed around and only getting by on pity. I was… 
By the end of the third hour, I was panting raggedly. Sparks just pulled further ahead. She was barely even winded!
“Here,” she bellowed, jutting at her spot.
“Where the heck are we even going?!” I gasped back.
“Where I say,” she shot back. “Now here!” 
That dragon ran me for the entire day. When I collapsed, she paused. The unicorn appeared out of nowhere. I’m still convinced he was some sort of ghost, because he was at his nicest here. He floated water into my mouth, got me hydrated… and promptly kicked me back to my paws, driving me forward and after his dragon apprentice. And the second I was running at my own pace again, the chant came back.
“Here, dog, here!” 
I wasn’t even given the dignity of a private training session; the mountain was teaming with life. Squirrels, deer, birds, even other dragons ranging from tiny babies to giants – kinda like Ocetorm, but thankfully smaller. And I had to endure them laughing and pointing at the supposed Diamond Dog running through their territory, with a crazed, hate-filled unicorn beating my tail every time the thought of giving up even knocked at my brain’s door. 
You just wait, you sons of bitches, I thought darkly. I’m gonna get you all before this is over.
Our forced run went into the night. I collapsed a few more times, and each time, the unicorn hydrated and brought me back to my paws, only to kick me back into high gear. He said I’d know him as Master, but he was wrong. I knew him by many names. Names I don’t think I should repeat in front of foals (Yeah, I see you there, Blue. Don’t think I don’t.)
When I was certain I had lost all feeling in my legs, Sparks finally stopped. When I collapsed to the ground, she smiled at my progress. She shifted to her larger form, lifted me up, and carried me…
Back to the shack. After all that running, we had just come back to the shack?! The unicorn was sitting there, stirring a bowl of stew. 
“Where… were… we… going…?” I got out. 
“Stupid Dog,” he muttered, even as he slid a bowl of water and some sort of cold mush to me. “You went the entire perimeter of the mountain.”
“I run this course in an hour on a bad day,” Sparks said cheerfully.
I wanted to protest, but it was kinda hard to do when every gasp for air was a labor. 
“If you’re in a fight to the death, and you’re running on fumes,” the unicorn lectured. “Do you give up before you absolutely have to, or do you keep fighting in the hope that you can somehow pull a victory off before your time runs out?”
“I… keep fighting,” I said.
He huffed. “You say one thing,” he grumbled. “But you do another.” He stood and brushed off his hooves. “Tomorrow, you will run it again.” 
“And we’ll do even better,” Sparks said. 
My eyes widened briefly, but I tried to stamp down my fear. Too bad the unicorn saw it anyway.
“I’d say ‘don’t disappoint me,’ but let’s be honest…” he chuckled as he turned away. “You disappointed me the moment that phoenix brought you here.” 

#

“So,” Apple Bloom asked, “He just made you… run around every day? Didn’t he actually teach ya anything?” 
Logan nodded. “You don’t become an expert in something overnight. You work hard. And I worked real hard.”  

#

You guys mentioned I was gone for two years. Well, I’d say probably a third or even half of that time was spent with that unicorn. And at least a third of that time was spent running his stupid mountain. 
“Here, dog, here!”
“Here, dog, here!” 
Sparks’ words ran on a damn chant through my head. Sometimes I still hear her, months after leaving her and her awful master. Yet, after a few days, I could actually keep up without dropping like ripe fruit. And almost every day from then on, I was able to actually keep by Sparks’ side, and needed shorter, less frequent breaks. 
I’m not sure exactly how long it took, but Sparks and her master kept me going through everything. 
And finally, the day came when I got through an entire day without having to hear a single, ‘Here, dog, here!’ When we returned to the shack, I sat down in front of the unicorn with the smuggest grin I think I ever had. Sparks sat beside her master, grinning like a loon. 
The unicorn, however, looked up at me for a long, hard moment. I returned his glare; for this one moment, I felt I had something over him. We ate the next meal in silence, before he glanced over at Sparks. 
“Alright, Sparks,” he said. 
Sparks gave me an evil grin, and fire burned around her until she looked like she had just come out of her egg. She hopped into my arms, batting her blue eyes at me.
Then I heard it.
“Here, dog, here!”
I looked up in horror; the unicorn was already heading down the mountain track, and his horn was jolting to his side. 
Oh, and hold onto your hat, Applejack, cuz it got worse! 
Ten minutes later, I tripped, and Sparks squirted out of my claws.
The unicorn glared back at me, then flared his horn. And I found myself right back at the shack; Baby Sparks back in my claws. 
“Here, dog, here!” he called, once again in front of me.
I want to say I howled there, but howl isn’t a good enough term. I screamed.

#

It took at least a month before I could even get halfway around the mountain after that. Beforehand, I could just run on all fours. But here? I had to keep to my hind legs just to have a slightly better prayer of Sparks not falling. And let me tell you right now; a wolf running on his hind legs is not something that Myst intended. She had it very carefully planned out; two legs for fighting, four legs for running. 
Time after time again I found myself back at that damn shack. At one point, I almost punted Sparks into the next dimension, but she promptly turned into her warrior dragon form and kicked my tail another five ways to Friday. I didn’t try kicking her in any form after that.
If I have to give that mouth breathing, rooster horned scum-squatter one thing, it’s that what he was doing was working. I got fit. I gained muscle, to the point where Sparks got easier to carry. I’m also not sure, but I’m pretty sure she had fun nestling next to my chest. Sure, I had to stay on my hind legs to keep her from bopping too close to the ground, but that just allowed me to know what it was like for humans to run. I got just as fast as if I was running on all fours. And by the time I finally managed to stay with that unicorn for the entire course with Sparks safely nestled in my arms, I felt strong enough to wrestle against one of my world’s dragons.

#

“Not Ocetorm though,” Logan said with a bark, “I’m telling you right now, the freaking SECOND I see a dragon his size, I’m walking away.”
“As you probably should,” Rarity said with a nod. 

#

Even with my goal achieved, the unicorn had me run his course every day with Baby Sparks. It got to the point where I could run it in an hour, like Sparks boasted. I got winded, but never spent. Sparks cheered me, while her master just gave a slight nod; the most respect I think I ever gleaned from him. 
The day I managed to run the course without losing my breath, he took me further into the forest. I saw Sparks with a few other baby dragons, all of them with wings.
“I got as many as I could, master,” Sparks said happily.
“Excellent,” he said, before turning to me. “Now, then… it may be too much to ask, but do you know how to hunt?”
I crossed my arms. “I hunted before coming here, yeah,” I said.
“Good,” the unicorn said, before motioning to Sparks. She spread her wings and flew into the trees. “Catch her. Let’s see how good you are at hunting dragons.”
I raised an eyebrow. During my time in the Ever-Free, I had to survive on plenty of prey animals (Sorry, Fluttershy – please don’t cry). 
“That it?” I asked. 
Master nodded. “Bring her to me when you’re done,” he said, striding away with her friends behind him. 
I grinned up at Sparks, but she grinned right back. And then she gave me the hardest hunt of my life, I’ll tell you right now. For starters, she stayed right up in those trees. Normally, I hunted along the ground, waiting for squirrels to leave the safety of their trees. But this time… I was forced to climb. 
I swear, Sparks was lucky I didn’t kill her. She was always step ahead of me, flying from tree branch to tree branch while I was forced to climb the trunks and constantly fall splat upon the ground. 
But after failure after brutal failure, I finally managed to catch her. I brought her to her master, my tail wagging in triumph. My first sign that something was off should have been him having his back to me. 
“Told you,” I managed to mumble. “Piece of…”
Then I heard Sparks giggle. Then I saw her master smiling. Then I saw what he was looking at.
The other baby dragons were all grinning at me. At least a dozen in total. Their wings spread as one. 
“Get them all,” he said.  
And the dragons laughed before flapping up into the trees. A couple even clung to the tree branches, their eyes peeking mischievously down at me.
“…mud-breathed,” I mumbled, Sparks dropping from my jaws. “Limp-horned, scum-sucking, mamma tit, LOIN MOUTHED…!” 
“Language!” Sparks chastised. “Some of these guys are still really young.” 
I nearly whirled on her, before the appearance of her warrior form had me going after her friends. They spread far and wide among the trees, but they made sure to taunt and tease me all the way.
“What’s wrong with his ears? He looks funny! He needs wings like we do. Too bad!”
I almost preferred it when they just laughed; it didn’t make me see red as badly. Every time I thought I had got them all, another would poke his or her head out from the canopy, and it’d be back up the tree I went.
Part of me knew that these dragons were only doing what the unicorn said, and he wasn’t exactly being unfair. He was trying to bring me to my physical peak. But that didn’t make having to catch those baby dragons any more tolerable. Branches constantly broke, and I was hitting the ground again and again and again. 
Eventually, however, I got better at this. And while they could fly, I had claws and I could become bipedal. Plus, they weren’t smart enough to outmaneuver me when I got a hold of climbing and jumping around like a monkey.  Was I a bit rough with them when I caught them? Maybe. But they could take the punishment, and damn if I didn’t relish every victory I got over those dragons. They were my prey! I was the predator!
The unicorn had me do that day after day, but with the strength and stamina of his course on my side, focusing on agility was a lot easier. And it wasn’t more than a few days before I could catch any dragon he brought for me in under an hour. Once again, I was graced with that approving nod of respect. 
The day after I managed to catch a dozen dragons in under twenty minutes, the unicorn and I returned to the shack after our run through his course. When he looked back on me, a half grin was stretched across his face; the happiest I had seen him since he kicked my tail. And for a moment, he just stood there, beaming his weird half grin at me.
I got a drink of water, and glanced at him. “Now what?” I asked after a long silence.
“Now?” he asked. “Now, we put those blades of yours to use.” 

#

It’s not a good idea to run and exercise in leather or fur. As a result, my father’s jacket and my mother’s scarf sat nestled in the shack that I had come to call home. Packed among them were the blades I had fashioned from my mother’s rib cage. The unicorn had me take them before leading me out to a cliff side. The thing was almost like a beach, with a shoreline of grass and flowers leading to a rocky equivalent to waves then finally to the edge of the mountain. I could faintly see the path I had to run, and the sweet scent of a dew-covered morning mist kissed the tip of my nostrils. 
The unicorn directed me to stand before him, right where the meadow turned to rock. 
“Now,” he said, “Diamond Dogs can’t normally do magic.”
“I’m not a Diamond Dog,” I clarified.
“Then you’re a stupid Diamond Dog,” he replied. Before I could even get mad, he continued. “Out here, if someone sees you shooting lightning bolts and creating storms, they’ll either think they’ve gone mad, or they’ll capture you and dissect you.”
“Just like humans,” I deadpanned.
“Exactly like humans,” he clarified. “If you’re going to use your magic, you’re going to use it smart. Subtly.”
As he spoke, he rose to his own hind legs. And I saw a small shimmer go through his body. His horn was shining with magic, but the rest of him seemed to get covered in some sort of small barrier.
“Wear your magic like armor,” he said. “Just like you should wear the title of Diamond Dog. And just as your magic will protect you, so will the title of Dog.” 
I tried to copy him. I envisioned a sort of bubble all around me. Skin tight, like his was. Lightning crackled around me, but the main sign that it was working was my fur gaining a golden glow to it. Sparks – the electric kind, not the dragon - flew along the tips of my fur, but other than that, I mostly just looked like the sun was shining down on me. 
The unicorn nodded. “Sparks,” he deadpanned. She skipped to my side, followed by her friends, several of which held large sticks and boards.
“Break these boards,” Sparks told me, indicating the boards her friends had. “But only the boards in front of you. And be sure to keep your magic up.”
“Let it flow into your strikes, but do not let it extend past your body,” her master clarified. “Let others believe it is your own brute strength.” 
Seemed easy enough. I adjusted my stance and gripped my mother’s blades between my claws, like a wolverine. “Ready.” I growled. 
Sparks held up the first log; simple looking enough. Kind of the stereotypical log you’d see in a human lumber mill.
“Go,” she ordered.
I swung… and my blade bounced right off the log. Only a chunk of bark was missing. At the same time, a second stick swung out and whapped me in the side. I hadn’t remembered my barrier, and yelped as the thing caught my leg and sent me to my back.  
“Keep your shield up,” the unicorn barked. “Up. Again.”
I focused more on my magic. It crackled up around me, and I swung. I cut the log… along with one behind it. The dragon holding the shards of the second log promptly threw it into my head. My barrier deflected the blow, but it had a harder time deflecting a log to the back of my head.
“After a hit like that,” he lectured. “You’d wake up strapped to a dissection table. If you woke up at all.” I forced myself up. “Again.” 
Another log. Focus, wind up… WHAP! The stick crashed against my side again. 
“Too much wind-up,” Sparks explained. “Don’t leave openings.” 
My next one cut through the log and only the one log. They promptly showed me another log. I paused, and they hit me again. WHAP!
“Don’t stop,” Sparks said. “You’re leaving openings!” 
And before I knew it, I was back to the same old rhythm. They showed me thrusts, parries and slashes, but they showed me the hard way. I thought my sides were going to be stained a permanent black and blue. 
“Keep your guard up,” Sparks would say after one of her friends sticks found my ribcage again. 
WHAP! “Don’t stop!” WHAP! “Lunge!” WHAP! “Now back!” WHAP!
That first night, I was battered, bruised and panting raggedly (if I was human, I might have also been drenched in sweat). Merely falling onto the bed made my sides scream in pain. But, the next day came, and with it and the following days, I started to improve.
Bit by bit, the dragons showed me forms; methods of fighting that could be combined with my magic to make me a street fighting beast. The motions became a blur, an instinct that was finally given the chance to shine – as natural as breathing. Even then, they found ways to make it difficult; they strapped logs to my arms and legs, making every strike a chore. One of Sparks friends ended up breaking one of my ribs while I was trying to get used to the new weight. Thankfully, the unicorn’s magic healed the rib so I could keep going. 
But with the motions and the weight came control of the magic. As the motions became more and more natural to me, so did the technique of containing my wild lightning. Where lightning would crackle and spark around me, now my fur subtly shimmered with the magic field. And where lightning would constantly fly from my claw tips, now it burned at the points of my blades, ripping the wooden logs into ash. And even when I had to focus on my barrier, the weighted stones made my strikes faster and harder. When they removed the stones from me one day, I felt like I was flying through their courses. Gravity just didn’t have the same effect.
One day, I was practicing the form, my blades glowing like sabers of light that humans used to gush about back on my world… when one of the dragons jumped me. His stick whacked at me from behind without warning. My barrier took the blow, but I was alerted by the sudden attack: I had done nothing wrong, so why was he attacking?
My body didn’t care, though; it acted even as I was thinking. With a single slash, my lightning infused blades struck at him. The dragon spun away before blasting fire at me.  
I brought my arms up, my shield taking the blow. Instead of being blasted off my paws, I merely slid a few feet back. I ducked to all fours, his fire passing over my head, and shot along the ground, lunging up for his chest. 
The dragon back-flipped, his tail coming to smack my chin. I yanked my head back, and his passed my chin by inches. The backward motion exposed my gut to his horn, but I back-flipped, avoiding his second round of fire spit and landing back on all fours, ready to fight and…
He was gone. My ears flicked, and I spun in a circle, wondering if he was going to pop back up. He didn’t, though I still swore I could feel his eyes on me. 
“What are you waiting for, a play date?” Sparks asked, standing innocently with her log. “Let’s go.” 
I spun at her. “He just came out of nowhere and attacked me,” I snarled.
“And you’re still on your paws,” she countered, pulling her log up again. “Now come on, let’s keep going.”  
Another dragon attacked again the next day. And the day after that. Each time, it was at a different time, with a different dragon. And each time, I either fended them off, or I got beaten down. Either from putting my shield down without realizing it, to getting swarmed by dragons for letting my lightning leak out beyond my strikes. But I didn’t give up. I spat out any blood that got in my mouth, and I kept training. I learned to keep my ears and nose open; to sense when the dragons were coming, and more importantly, to keep myself under control when they showed.
Yet, even as I managed to fend off a dragon without a single injury to my person, I still felt that the unicorn was holding something back. I’d see him watching me during the run, the hunt and then the sparring sections. I could tell he was thinking about something. Some final test for me to pass. Well, whatever he was gonna throw at me next, I intended to destroy it.
So, I threw myself into my training. I ran his course every morning; I hunted every afternoon; I trained and endured his dragon’s ambushes every evening. I only stopped to eat or to sleep. And I waited. Waited for whatever final test he had in store for me. Some final proof that I was ready to survive in a world beyond Celestia’s touch.

#

Logan rolled his eyes.
“Of course, it was by a cranky old unicorn that I hated,” he said. “When he finally revealed his final test, I wanted to snap him in two.” His head lowered. “But, I never got the chance.” 
> Chapter 6: Graduation
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I had some new company when I woke up one day. A trio of new people. Well, people… may have been an understatement, but then again, I am a talking wolf, so who am I to judge what others look like?
From the front, they could’ve been mistaken for giant birds, complete with wing and talons. I spotted one that looked like an eagle, though it had an eye covered by a patch. Another looked like a hawk. A third looked like a giant sparrow. But their bird part didn’t end with just a tail; it extended into a feline body. The eagle one had a classic lion’s backside. The hawk one had stripes like a tiger. The sparrow had a black panther body. 

#

“Griffons,” Twilight clarified. “They…”
“I know what they are,” Logan said, a bit snappishly. “I spent more than enough time with them.”

#

They were scrounging in a burrow that had escaped my sight when I started; further down the hill from the path. I kept myself hidden the brushes, as they dragged a massive bag out of the burrow. 
“Can’t believe it,” the sparrow muttered. “Have you ever seen so much loot before?”
“Oh, on the outskirts of the Dragon Lands?” the hawk replied sarcastically. “No, never in my life.” 
“Cut the sarcasm and let’s go,” the one-eyed eagle cawed, giving the place a suspicious look around. “There’s gotta be dragons around somewhere.” 
They yanked a bag the size of… the size of Sparks!  Briefly, the bag opened, and I saw something shining inside. Whatever that mad unicorn was doing, he was making those griffons think they had struck gold. 
As they started to drag the bag off, I rose from the brushes, right in their path. The sparrow and the hawk stumbled, their eyes darting to me instantly, but the eagle just tilted his head with a grin.
“Damnit, I knew it,” the hawk stammered, “I knew this treasure had guards.”
“Calm down, Gull,” the eagle one snapped, “It’s a Diamond Dog, not a dragon.” He rose up, his wings flapping to steady himself, as he drew razor sharp claws. “And a lone one at that.”
“Trust me, bird,” I said, grinning as his feathers ruffled in miffed irritation, “You don’t want whatever’s in that sack.” 
The griffon glanced back. “Ya see?” he asked. “Dog’s too dumb to even realize what it’s scavenged…”
“It looks nice at first,” I said, glaring around for the unicorn. “But it’ll just make you miserable not that long after. I’m telling ya, don’t.”
The eagle just smirked, stepping towards me. “I think I’ll take what’s in your little burrow, mutt,” he said, extending his claws towards my face. “And anything else you got hidden away.”
I glared down at his blades, before I extended my own. I concentrated, letting my magic flow around me, and making my fur shine. The eagle’s grin faltered, as he caught the sparkles crisscrossing my fur. 
I raised my blades and planted them against his faltering claws. 
“Your funeral, pussy cat,” I replied with a smirk.
I’m guessing that guy didn’t like to be reminded that he was part cat. Either that, or he probably preferred lion. Either way, he let out a war caw and swung his claws at my head, hard.
I bashed his blow aside with my own slash. The magic channeled through my arm, giving my blow a strength I could never muster against you guys or Celestia, and Eagle-boy practically spun through the air, hitting the ground with a wide-eyed expression that screamed, “What the hell?!” I lunged at him, but he spun out of the way and came at me again, slashing at my face.
We circled and danced around each other, scrambling for position on the uneven hill. My heart was hammering; this had to be the dragon’s final test. No final spar for me - where I could at least live if I failed. No, if I failed, then there would be very severe consequences, while the unicorn would get away scot free. At least I thought so.
It didn’t help that Eagle-Boy was good. He was the size of an actual lion. His beak stabbed at me when his claws missed. And to make matters worse, a muffled moan came up from behind me.
Catching Eagle-Boy’s beak and forcing it down, I chanced a glance backward. Sparrow-Boy was watching me with a fascinated eye, but the Hawk had apparently decided to cut tie, as he had seized the sack and was trying to fly into the air with it. Even worse, the unicorn had apparently put someone in there, as the muffled moan had come from the sack itself!
“Oh, no you don’t,” I growled. Channeling my magic forward, I smashed Eagle-Boy hard, blasting off his head with a spurt of magic. I bounded off Sparrow-Boy, using his awed face as a spring board, and caught the sack. 
But Hawk - or Gull... whatever, I'm calling him Hawk - was smart enough not to just try and wrench it away. He dropped the sack with a laugh, causing me and whoever was in the sack to go bouncing and rolling down the hill. 
We came to a rest on a patch of grass thankfully flat enough to serve as a real battleground. Whoever the unicorn had used, they somehow managed to stay silent, but I felt a small groan involuntarily escape my snout as I scrambled back to my paws. My back throbbed from the hits I took, but my barrier had kept me from getting cut or hurt too bad. That was a good thing, too - I had no time to rest, as the griffons were flying their way towards me. However, both Eagle Boy and Hawk were going slower than their sparrow friend, eyeing each other with the clear understanding that just because they were working together didn’t mean they liked each other or were going to sacrifice themselves for each other.  
It almost made me feel sorry when Sparrow lunged at me with his own caw; the poor guy hadn’t even noticed his friends’ leaving him out to dry. I ducked under and slashed at his belly. Feathers and fur flew everywhere as he hit the ground hard, clutching at the three soon to be scars I had scored across his underbelly. 
Briefly, I snarled at Hawke and Eagle Boy, who backed up as Sparrow tried to jump at me. But I spun under his lunge and went for his hind legs. These boys really seemed to like their lunges; something we shared in common. I figured; I take out the hind legs or the wings, then they’ll have to find another strategy. 
Whether it was by luck or by the fact that this sparrow boy didn’t seem to be as good a fighter, my jaws locked around his hind leg. He cried out as he tried to kick me off, even hitting my face with his tail, but I held fast. Spinning with his leg still in my mouth, I launched myself at the hill, and slammed him hard into the inclined ground. Of course, when I was on my side, that’s when the two attacked; Eagle Boy going for me, while Hawke instantly went for the sack again. 
While I knew that I couldn’t let them get away with whoever had been enchanted to look like gold, my lingering resentment towards the unicorn and his dragons let me take comfort in the idea that it had to be either the unicorn or one of his dragons in there. So, if things went really bad, they could just bust out and deal with it. So, I focused on Eagle-Boy, jumping for him as he was lunging for me.
But Eagle Boy was smarter than his sparrow friend, and his wings buffeted, pulling him back as my jaws snapped at empty air and my claws slashed through nothing. With a crow of triumph, he darted his beak at my exposed neck, but I rolled to the side, his beak still skimming across my shoulder. It didn’t puncture the skin, thanks to my barrier, but it did give me a scare. 
However, my roll brought me over to the hawk as he tried to drag the sack away. When he tried to back away from me, I scored a perfect slash across his head. My lightning channeled through the blow, and where the Eagle had at least managed to get up again, I knocked the hawk right off the clearing. He shrieked and cawed in agony as he bounced off the various trees and rocks on his way down. Judging by the bad CRUNCH that emanated from the bottom, followed by his moan of pain, I didn’t think he was going to be getting back into this fight any time soon. 
But, choosing to watch him fall almost spelled doom for me. Eagle-Boy had gotten back up, and he managed to get a strike in before I remembered my barrier. I stumbled back, one arm gashed and bleeding, the other swinging wildly. He dodged almost too easily. Even worse, I was too close to the edge where Hawk had fallen. I stumbled briefly, and Eagle-Boy almost took advantage, flying up to kick me off where his friend had gone. I sidestepped him, pulling myself back to the edge, but Eagle Boy had wings, and he wasn’t knocked too silly enough to forget how to use them. 
I backed up as he glided right back to the cliff side, only to feel claws rake down my back. Sparrow had gotten back up, and he apparently was either too honorable or too stupid to think about just taking the sack and being done with the whole thing like Hawk was. 
I spun around and back-handed Sparrow away, but Eagle-Boy sent me stumbling back again with another peck. The two of them were advancing on me, and despite my barrier holding up, the places where they hit me stung like angry hornets. My tongue was out and lolling as I panted raggedly; I briefly wondered if these jerks would cut my tongue off with just the right swing. 
But despite my thoughts that I was better on four legs, the dragon’s training made being on two legs feel as natural as breathing. Where these guys constantly needed to hoist themselves up to use their claws, I could keep my arms up indefinitely. 
And thus, when Sparrow and Eagle launched together, I was able to hit them both without losing my footing. Sparrow was a bit further ahead than Eagle, so I caught his lunge and wrenched him to the side, lashing my paw into Eagle’s face. The birdbrain practically flipped in the air, while I ended up redirecting Sparrow into the ground. I gave him a good dose of my lightning with a single punch, and he lay where he had fallen, smoldering and smelling like roast chicken. 
With Sparrow looking less than enthused about getting back up, Eagle and I went right back to circling each other. 
“Got any other friends, pussy cat?” I demanded, flexing my claws for emphasis. “Looks like you’ll need them.” 
Eagle growled like a lion, his talons scraping across the ground. “I didn’t need those fools anyway,” he growled back. “And once I kill you, that bag of gold will be all mine!”
Thinking back on it, I’m wondering if that boast denied him any backup he could have gotten. I didn’t know about Hawk, but Sparrow was still there, albeit a little overcooked, but fully able to hear Eagle. Either way, just because Eagle didn’t get help from his so-called ‘friends’ didn’t mean he made it easy on me. 
He leaped forward and swung down with his talons. I batted them backward, but his momentum caused me to stumble. He used that window of opportunity to land three sharp pecks on one of my hind legs, and despite my barrier keeping him from shredding my flesh and fur, it was enough to knock me to my back. 
His claws went up for my throat, but I barely managed to catch them, while he pinned me to the ground. His claws dug into mine, but whether I could hold them off was a moot point. Eagle raised his beak smugly, and I could see how he thought he won. With both my claws occupied with his, all he had to do was give one good peck at my eyes, and I would’ve been done.
Instead, he took the time to gloat.
“What was that about needing friends?” he asked. 
I growled and tried to shove him off, but he was matching my strength. And he was glancing at my glowing fur with a little too much familiarity. 
“Princess Celestia promised a lot of gold for a blonde Diamond Dog like you,” Eagle noted, chuckling ominously. “Of course, she did say to bring you back alive… but with the gold here, I should be able to settle for the pelt…”
He didn’t even finish. The dragons and unicorn were one thing, but if Celestia was desperate enough to have me back that she put a bounty on him (and trust me, I’m coming back to that, Celestia), then I really couldn’t afford to lose now.
As Eagle seemed more focused on how rich he was going to be, he failed to realize that, just as he had his beak… I had my teeth.
I pulled my claws back. The sudden lurch forward threw him off balance. And when his face got within range, I struck like a cobra, my jaws sinking into feathers and flesh. And as he gave a massive wail, I got my hind legs under him and kicked hard.
The eagle griffon hit the ground, thrashing and squalling like someone possessed by the dream demon (If Luna’s out there, I don’t want to know!), and I became aware of a slimy round object that had gotten into my mouth. My gag reflex somehow went in reverse, and I swallowed the thing like a peeled grape. I really wish I had waited until I had seen the gaping hole I had left in his face, a red patch to compliment his black one. 
It was thankfully hard to make out in the limited time that Eagle had, but my teeth had rended the upper side of his face into a red mess. And – this really made me cringe – his last eye was gone; a dark socket that he was trying to cover without clawing himself in his wild frenzy. Seeing that made me very aware of what I swallowed, and I grimaced and cringed in sickened horror. 

#

Fluttershy gaped at Logan.
“You… ATE his eye?!” Rainbow Dash asked.
Logan shuddered. “I… ate his eye,” Logan muttered. 
The mares stared at him. Then, before she could stop herself…
“So… how did it taste?” Pinkie asked.
“PINKIE!” the other mares screamed.
“The heck is wrong with you!” Logan added. 
Pinkie quickly raised her hooves. “Sorry-sorry, wrong thing to say, I know!” she said. "Just... I mean, I've eaten some really-really awful cupcakes, but that?" She huffed. "That's gotta be First Place Gold in Disgusting Things to Eat."
"It was disgusting,” Logan said. “It was awful… but it was what won me that fight.” He gave them a hard look. “The outskirts aren’t going to be a place for honorable fights. You have to fight dirty to win.”
“Really dirty,” Rainbow Dash commented.
“What about the dragons?” Applejack added. “What did they do?” 
Logan grinned.

#

They didn’t have to do anything. Shrieking and cawing like a crazed bird, the griffin accidentally thrashed too close to the edge, and joined his hawk friend in pitching over the side. 
I pulled myself up, glancing down at myself. Aside from my arm and a few bruises, my barrier had done a pretty good job keeping any fatal blows from ending my final test early. The only griffin left was Sparrow, who let out a low moan, indicating he was still alive. And, when I turned back to that bag, Sparks was pulling herself out of it, observing me with a wide smile. Further away, I spotted that mad unicorn, his expression a bit harder to read. I don’t want to say it was pride, but it wasn’t disappointment or scorn for once. He was joined by Sparks’ friends, and they gave me a big round of applause.
“I still don’t know what Ocetorm thinks you’ll be able to do out there,” the unicorn said, shifting to his haunches as he glanced down at Sparrow. “But at least you’ll last a bit longer than you would have.” 
I grinned, glancing out towards the horizon. “I don’t need to last too long,” I told him. “Just long enough to get out of this world… and back to my pack.” 
“Whatever makes your final hours a little brighter,” he replied, before walking away.
I glanced down and nodded. The unicorn walked off, though Sparks was slower to join him.
“So,” Sparks asked. “What are you gonna do now?” 
I looked over at Sparrow, who had gained enough sense to look up at me with fear. He briefly tried to fly, but I got him by the tail, and dragged him back. 
“Wait,” he stammered. “I got gold… treasure. Diamond Dogs like treasure, right?”
I probably would have been a bit more lenient if he had mentioned he had a family. As it was, it was the memory of Ocetorm’s trove that made me pause.
“Magic treasure?” I asked. “Artifacts that can go to other dimensions?”
“W-Well…” Sparrow started to whimper, but he squawked again when I bared my claws at him. “Wait!” he yelped. “I don’t have the magic treasure on me, but I know where you can find it!” 
I yanked him up, and gave him a moment to shiver under my glare. One benefit of the time I spent with the dragons was that I had grown a lot bigger. It probably wasn’t enough to intimidate someone like Eagle, but it did cow this little sparrow into submission.
“You’re cat and bird; two of my favorite snacks,” I warned him. “Lie to me, and I will eat you.”
Yes, Applejack, it was a lie, but it was good enough to scare him. Sparrow shivered in my grip before I spun him around. 
“Let’s go,” I growled, pushing him towards the sounds of his beaten friends. I wasn’t interested in killing them, there was nothing for them here, and with Hawk probably broken and Eagle blind, I figured they were the least of my troubles. 
Before I left, I glanced back at the dragons one last time. Sparks grinned at me, and waved. 
“Good luck,” she told me. 

#

“And with that part of my journey over…” Logan stood up, and walked over to the entrance, where Celestia had been eavesdropping.
“Logan?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Wait, what happened…?”
He shut her down with a look, before turning to glare at Celestia. 
“Before I continue, Celestia,” he growled. “What the hell was up with putting a bounty on my head?”
> Chapter 7: The Cockatrice Master
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

For a moment, Princess Celestia was silent. The others were staring at her with horror.
“P-Princess?” Twilight stammered. “You put a bounty on Logan?”
It was her student’s voice that broke Celestia out of her funk.  
“It wasn’t a bounty,” she said firmly. “It was a reward…”
“For me,” Logan finished. “Yeah, that’s a bounty, ya dumb royal!”
“It is not! I asked for information on your wherabouts.”
"And you'd give lot more to the saps that brought me to you rather than just telling you where I was.” His tail gave a brief wag. “Though, I was honestly curious how you’d react if one of those mercs somehow came back with my pelt.” 
There was a very uncomfortable pause. Logan's glare deepened.
“You’d use it as a rug, wouldn't you?” he muttered.
“I would have been beyond furious if they had done such a thing!” Celestia snapped, her tone indignant, as if she couldn't believe Logan could think such a thing of her.
“Clearly,” Logan snarled sarcastically. “You know how often I heard bounty hunters say, ‘I’m sure she’ll settle for the pelt?’” 
“The Cockatrice Master never said that,” Celestia shot back.  
“The who?” Twilight asked, looking at her teacher with a part shocked and part resigned expression
Celestia covered her hoof, but Logan just laughed at her expression.
“How ironic,” he noted, “That weirdo was the first one I came across.”  

#

The griffons had plenty of rope on them; guess they were prepped for any kind of excavation. I used it to bind up the three bent up birds, and leash them. Felt a little wrong to be leashing them like my own kind was once leashed by humans, but it was better than risking them trying to kill me a second time. From there, I proceeded to drag them in the direction the still conscious sparrow griffon pointed me in. 
For a while, we continued like that; me pulling them along, Sparrow watching me worriedly, and muttering quietly with his friends. A fixed glare stopped their mumblings for a bit, before they tried a different tactic. 
“So,” the sparrow mumbled, his worry fading as we walked. “What kind of treasure are you looking for, exactly?”
He flinched, as if worried I’d be one of those guards that beat someone for daring to speak. But, it was oddly nice to have a companion to walk with for once, and despite the unicorn’s insistence that I keep the persona of a simple Diamond Dog, I still had my own story to tell. 
“A year ago,” I said, “Princess Celestia of Equestria messed around with things she shouldn’t have. She took me from my home. Killed my mother, and tried to brainwash me into being one of her minions.”
The griffon gasped. “She… killed something.” His eyes darted to the side. “I knew she could be ruthless to non-ponies, but… wow. No wonder some griffons say she’s why the Outlands are so bad right now.”
I didn’t even blink at that.  
“Well, I got away,” I said. “But my home is still out of reach. So, I’m going to find some way to get back to it.”
“Can’t you just… walk there?” he asked. “You seem to be doing that just fine.”
I shook my head. “My home requires something a little more… magical to get to.” 
The griffon paused for a moment, and the only sound was our paws on the ground. 
“L-Let me see if I got this,” he said. “You’re from a place that is so far away, that you need something on the same level as the alicorn who raises the sun and managed to beat every other species into submission?” 
I nodded. He stared at me like I was high, which I kind of expected.
The griffon’s shock faded to amusement. “Okay, I knew Diamond Dogs were a bit daft, but…” He was cut off with a yelp when I stopped and loomed over him, teeth on full display.
“What you call daft,” I snarl, “I call not being a belly showing coward! She stole me from my home. My pack! Don’t you get that?” 
Before he could reply, I remembered what he was, and scoffed. 
“Who am I kidding?” I muttered, turning away. “The lot of you are thieves. You’re loyal to nothing else but your next bag of gold.”
I actually got a bit of a surprise when his feathers ruffled in anger.
“That’s not entirely true,” the hawk one stated. “Gabriel’s definitely the softest of us.”
“Gull!” Gabriel snapped.
“How many times did I have to hear about your daughter?” Gull snapped right back. “I swear, if it wasn’t creepy as all heck, I’d swear you were going to marry your dang daughter.”
The two probably would have started a cat fight right then and there, but my curious look dissuaded them.
“You have a daughter?” I asked the Gabriel bird.
Gabriel looked down. “She’s a beautiful teenage hen,” he whispered. “She’s getting older by the day, and yet she’s never let the cruel reality of our species break her.”
“She’ll learn soon enough,” Gull replied. “In the Land of Griffons, you’re only as good as however many bits you have.” 
I gripped Gull’s head, my eyes boring into his.
“Your friend, Eagle Boy,” I said, glaring at his still form. “His eye tasted like a peeled grape.” That was a total lie, by the way; I swear I could feel it floating in my stomach for a solid day. It was incredibly disgusting to think about. But it got the reaction I needed. 
The griffon cringed, but I forced him to keep looking at me. 
“Talk crap about his pack again,” I warned. “And I’ll see how your eyes taste.” 
He didn’t speak after that. I turn around, my ears flicking, but my expression softening.
“I… appreciate that,” Gabriel said, looking down sadly. “But he isn’t entirely wrong. We Griffons have always had to be incredibly pragmatic since we lost the Idol of Boreas. I know I have to teach my daughter to be practical; to have as much treasure as she can carry… but I see those beautiful blue eyes. So, full of innocence and life… and I can’t.”
“No shame in wanting to protect your daughter from the world,” I replied, before I paused, ears flicking. “Idol of Boreas?”
“The greatest treasure of all,” Gabriel said. “The Idol that united griffon-kind… until it was stolen by the cyclopes Arimaspi. And I can assure you that he only got to us because Celestia let him.” 
“That certain?” I asked.
“You told us what she did to you,” Gabriel insisted. “Her kingdom was still in bloom when we lost the Idol. We were just as powerful as she was, if not more powerful, until Arimaspi broke our pride and will. She talks a big game about benevolence, love and toleration, but the truth is, everyone outside of her land is scared of her. They know that if they try taking Equestria, they’re going to lose.” He shook his head. “Did you know that Celestia CAGED the literal spirit of Chaos?”
“The spirit of what?” I asked.
“Discord!” the griffon insisted. “Chaos! He literally could warp reality into his own demented fantasies, and she turned him into a statue for her garden. I heard she even threw her own little sister into the moon when she tried to rebel against her.”
“The same little sister who invades dreams and breaks the spines of the non-believers?” I asked. 
He nodded, though his friends eyes briefly widened in shock.
“And here’s the real kicker,” he continued. “Both of them got free from her control, and she beat them… with six kids.” He shrugged. “I mean, granted, they had magic treasure with them, but still; six kids mentored by Celestia beat a demi-goddess and the literal spirit of Chaos.” He shuddered. “Celestia isn’t natural.”  
I huffed. What kind of monster throws her own sister into the moon? Granted, I had met Luna already, and knew she could use a kick in the plot of those proportions, but still… 

#

“We get it!” Twilight snapped. “Princess Celestia sucks! Please, hammer it in how much you despise her a little bit more!” 
Logan’s ears flared, his eyes wide at her outburst. Twilight covered her mouth, as the others looked at her with similar expressions.
“Sorry…” she muttered. “I’m… not sure where that came from.”
Logan still watched her warily for a second before continuing. 

#

“So, you get why I don’t want to be anywhere near her?” I asked. 
The griffon looked down at his claws, before clenching them. “Aye,” he said. “But… if your home requires magic to get to… then you’re out of luck.” He looked up at me with pity in his eyes. “If you were brought here by that alicorn, and she doesn’t want to send you back… well, there’s not much you can do.”
“Celestia and her sister beat every other species out here,” Gull added. “That’s why Equestria is prospering so well while we’re…” He shrugged his feathers, indicating the bare mountains. “Who do you intend to ask if the treasure we know about doesn’t help you? The minotaurs? The Changelings?”
“If I have to,” I replied.
He flinched back. “Not everything out there is going to be tempted by gold. And what makes you think they’ll listen to some jumped-up Diamond Dog pup?”
“Gull!” Gabriel snapped. “Don’t insult the pup that eats eyes.” He realized what he did, and turned to me with horror. I was grinning at him, to be honest, but he took it the wrong way. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I didn't..." 
I cut him off with a chuckle; a low, growling laugh that, I’m happy to say, sent shivers down even the blind one’s spine. I circled them, almost as if they were nothing more than deer, waiting to feed my pack. 
“You insult yourself,” I said softly to Gull. “You got beaten by a pup. You’re being held captive by a pup.” I leaned in close to him and showed my teeth, grinning as he turned his head away with a whimper. “Maybe you’ll be killed by a pup.” 
He didn’t speak up again after that. Then again, when we finally found civilization again, they likely would have been tongue tied by what we found. 
It was eerie. A simple looking village with straw roofs and wooden foundations spread out before us; almost similar to Ponyville. But something was wrong with it. It was far too quiet.
I secured the griffon’s leashes to the nearest post and padded closer to the village. Whoever had lived there seemed to like their garden statues; I saw several life sized gray statues of griffons, all spread across the roads and peeking out of houses.
But then, I got close enough to get a better look. The statues were odd; their faces mixtures of terror and fear. Even the toughest looking griffon statues had looks of surprise and shock across their faces, like they had seen something terrifying. 
Not only that, but why were they scattered across the roads? Why was one right against a door, its head craning around as if confused by something. It was almost like…
It hit me like a ton of bricks. Like they weren’t always statues.
“Pup!” Gabriel suddenly screamed. “I mean… Help, please just…!”
I spun back around, just as a crackling, chipping sound emanated. When I got back to my captured griffons, they were gone; stone statues very much in their likeness sat on the pedestal. Gabriel had still been tied up, his arms up to his face in a vain attempt to shield his eyes. Gull had managed to break his binds, and had taken one step off the stone sled, his wings spread and poised to fly. And yet… Eagle was still okay. His sightless face darted around, a whimper escaping his beak.
“What happened?” he asked. “Guys?” 
Briefly, I wondered how he was still okay while the others were turned to stone. I didn’t even get time to think about it though, as I heard an odd noise; the hiss of a snake combined with the click-cluck of a chicken. The horrified looks of the others flashed across my mind, combined with how Eagle was still flesh. Acting purely on a hopeful theory, I yanked my mother’s scarf up, binding my eyes shut and keeping me from seeing whatever had turned them to stone.
Instantly, a disappointed tsk echoed down the road.
“Come on, now, that’s no fun,” a voice said, cool and smooth like a male Fluttershy. “You’re only making it more painful for yourself.”
That’s what you think,I thought, as I let my other senses take over. 
My eyesight was lost to me – nothing to see but a haze of red and black. But with my nose and ears still working, the world opened back up to me. I could hear the creak of the wooden houses. I could smell the salty granite of the statues that once were living creatures. And better… I could smell whatever was out there. 
Two scents; one had a familiar sparkle to it… pony. 
The other was stranger; it had a cloying, slime-like stink, combined with a strange corn-like odor that reminded me of Fluttershy’s chicken coop. If a snake and a chicken had a night on the town, I’m pretty sure that’s what they’d smell like.

#

“A Cockatrice,” Fluttershy whimpered. “No wonder that town was nothing but statues…”
“It can turn people to stone on sight,” Logan noted. “Yeah. Thanks for giving me the information I figured out.” He jabbed a claw at Celestia. “And this guy just sicced one on a village of griffons for a chance of getting at me.” 
Celestia’s ears couldn’t have flattened further in shame.

#

Anyway, while I was standing there, blind as a bat but no less handicapped, I heard that hissing-clucking sound again. My nose twitched; that cockatrice was right in front of me. 
There was a pause; I’m guessing now that it was trying to stare me right through my mom’s veil. But wolf’s fur isn’t easy to see through. I saw nothing but darkness, and the cockatrice’s hissing and clucking became more agitated. 
“Come now, Beshka,” that smooth voice whispered. “You have more than just your stare. Of course, it won’t be necessary if our canine friend just… removes this!”
I heard his hoof steps before he could grab at me. I spun, slashing wildly with my blades. A shriek sounded as my blades raked down something soft. I slashed again, sending the pony scurrying to cover. The hiss-cluck sound became a rasping crow, and I leaped aside as I briefly felt sharp claws slash at my back. 
I winced as the claws drew blood. I scampered away, but my panting increased. My barrier wasn’t working. I couldn’t feel the surge of lightning anymore. With a dull chill, I realized that my lightning might need my eyes to work. With my best weapon out of the equation, I scrambled past a few statues and into another house, my ears and nose going into overdrive as I tried to pinpoint where my foes were. 
“Princess Celestia misses you, Lone Wolf,” the pony continued to say in that alluring voice. “Her faithful student worries about you every day.” 
I ignored him, making my way through the small house. 
“Fluttershy certainly misses you.”
I froze. The memories of my time with Fluttershy locked up my limbs and kept me from moving. 
“Do you not see how much your disappearance is hurting them?” the pony asked before chuckling. “Oh, what am I saying; you can’t see much of anything right now. Take off your blindfold, Lone Wolf of Equestria. You will not feel pain.”
I heard the door open, and scrambled outside, finding a back door that led to the open road. But I could not escape that voice. 
“Do you not understand what awaits you on this foolish quest?” the pony continued to ask. “How much pain and strife you will suffer, all to achieve a goal that can’t even be achieved in the first place? You would be better off as Celestia’s pet. Just open your eyes… and you will wake up back in her embrace. I promise you.” 
I didn’t trust this guy; the fact that he was still trying to smooth talk me even after I slashed at him wasn’t convincing me he meant well. Neither did the fact that he froze these griffons.
“The griffons in this town beg to disagree,” I snapped, slinking around the house, using the wall as an anchor point.
The pony scoffed. “These bird brains? They’re just animals. Mercenaries at best. You’re far better off with the ponies; at least we won’t sell you out for a sliver of gold.” 
I heard that hissing cluck off to the side and ducked across the road to another house. A creak to my left revealed a window, which I promptly hopped into. This guys’ little rant sounded like it was meant to comfort me, but anything that could be that biased about other life forms wasn’t about to gain my trust. Not in a million years. 
Taking care to track the subtle but still distinct slither of his monster, I felt and sniffed my way over to the doors. If I was lucky, they would go through one of the two doors. I positioned myself right next to the door. And I tried to open my senses even further.
I could smell their stink closing in on me. I could hear the cockatrice’ tail sliding across the ground just outside. My legs tensed as the creature drew closer to the door.
Closer…
Closer…
I heard the door creak. The wooden frame hit the tip of my nose. I backed up, my claws clicking on the floor. 
The creature heard me. I heard it hiss-cluck in satisfaction, as it lunged around the door. But my nose picked up its stench. My ears pinpointed its location. And as the creature unsheathed sharp sounding claws, I jumped forward, my teeth on display. My jaws closed around something. It felt like…
It felt like the head of a normal chicken. 
“The hell?!”I thought – partially shouted through my full mouth. 
But I kept my blindfold on; whatever I had caught was angry as heck, and it started pecking wildly at my tongue. My jaws nearly tore open as it felt like someone was stabbing my tongue with a kitchen knife, but I forced my jaws to stay shut; if I let this thing go, I’d be suffering a lot more cuts and slashes. Thrashing as it tried to yank itself loose, I gnashed my teeth down hard on its neck. It spasmed, claws digging into my chest. 
“NO, STOP!” the pony shrieked. “BESHKA! MY BABY! DON’T…!”
But the chicken got my tongue in its beak, and I gave out a muffled shriek, whipping the thing’s back and forth. I heard its lashing tail crack across some pony’s head, and the thud of a body hitting the ground managed to emanate over my own thrashing.
My tongue was in agony as this little spitfire tried to rip it from my mouth. My jaws started to loosen, and it got it’s claws on my chest, yanking its head from my teeth. But just as it’s skull started to slip between my jaws, I bit down as hard as I could. 
CRUNCH!
The thing finally went still. And despite my tongue throbbing, I slowly realized that I was... kinda hungry. I chewed slightly. The thing was like chewing a regular chicken. And as I sat there recovering, bit by bit, I swallowed the thing up, finally slurping its tail up like a big, scaly noodle.

#

Logan paused, his ears flattening at Fluttershy’s look of horror. 
“I’m getting the feeling you’re going to hate me by the end of this story,” he noted in a resigned tone.
Fluttershy blinked and shook herself out of her horror. “I’m sorry,” she muttered. “I know you had to do what you could, but…” she shuddered. 
“I just can’t believe you ate that thing,” Rainbow Dash said. 
There was another pause.
“So… did it taste… good?” Pinkie asked. 
“Pinkie!” Half the mares shrieked at her. 
Logan just shrugged. “Couldn’t really taste anything; my tongue was mangled.” 
“I heard it tastes… ‘snakey-chickeny,’” Celestia noted.  
“No one asked your opinion,” Logan growled at her. 
“I’ll just…” Celestia muttered as the other mares glanced at her, some still mad about her hiring a bounty hunter, others shocked that she’d know what a cockatrice tastes like. “I’ll just stand over here then.” She walked away and stood in a corner of the field they had moved to. She was far enough away that Logan’s fur didn’t spike, but close enough that she could still hear. 
He still gave her his signature glare for a half second before turning back to the mares.

#

Well, eating the thing didn’t turn me to stone, and with the moan of its master before me, I considered it safe enough to remove my blindfold. 
I found myself standing in a classic little log cabin kitchen. A pale green earth pony lay before me, a purple welt on his forehead. He moaned in agony and grief as I grabbed him and dragged him back out. 
Part of me knew that the statues of the villagers still needed help, but at that point, I was more worried about my guides. They hadn’t moved from their spots – for obvious reasons – so when I got back to their statues, I slammed the pony into the ground and clawed him awake. I had intended to slap him awake, but my claws were still bared, and they left four nasty cuts across his face. At least it snapped him awake. 
“You better have a way to fix this,” I snarled, indicating the statues. Problem was, that chicken head had done a number on my tongue, so what he heard was ‘U beta ha uh wah fickle tits!’
His mouth wavered, partway to laughing while his brain begged him not to piss off the wolf that had just ate his pet. I let myself enjoy a brief moment of deadpan anger before slamming his head against Gabriel’s statue. He yelped as I slammed him again.
“Wait, stop!” he screamed. 
I paused, my claws digging into his skull.
“I can reverse the procedure,” he said, “That’s how I could make bounties.” He sniffled. “At least, before you….” He started to cry. “Poor Beshka…”
I almost wanted to feel sorry for the guy. But then I remembered 1) he froze an entire village of griffons, 2) he had acted like it was perfectly okay for him to do such a thing, and 3) it sounded like he made regular money off freezing others and then peddling their statues. So, I stomped down my anger and ground his face against Gabriel’s statue, silently snarling, then get to it, ‘bounty hunter.’
Whimpering and sniffling, he tapped at several points on the griffon’s neck and shoulder. A cracking sound emanated, and a muffled shrieking made itself known. With one final light tap, the stone exploded apart, and Gabriel fell to the ground, gasping for air. 
“Help!” he continued to scream, “Dog, help, I’m…” he petered out as he noticed me and the pony staring at him. “I’m… out of trouble, aren’t I?”
I nodded, and shoved the pony to Gull. He did the tap-tap-tap routine again, and Gull burst from his stony cage. Not even bothering with a thank you, Gull continued his wild flight up and into the clouds, never to be seen again. 
From there, I proceeded to march the Cockatrice Master through the village. Tap-tap-tap went his hooves, and one by one, the griffons were freed from their stony cages. Several of them wanted to tear Cockatrice Master limb from limb from the looks on their faces, but they figured out pretty quickly that they needed him to unfreeze their neighbors. Plus, the angry wolf by his side sort of dissuaded them. After all, no point attacking if you were going to get cuts instead of gold. 
However, the glorious time came when the pony finally unfroze the last griffon, and we were left standing before a cavalcade of griffons, some glaring at Cockatrice Master with anger, others with me in gratitude. 
I wanted to throw Cockatrice Master to the ground and say, “Do with him what you will.” But my tongue was still throbbing, and I was pretty sure they’d hear, “Doo pith em who u ill.” So, I opted for simply shoving him to the ground and nodding at him.
Gleefully, the griffons grabbed him up. 
“You can’t do this to me,” the pony screeched, at me and at the griffons. “Princess Celestia will get you eventually. There’s nowhere you can run that’ll be safe from her. My death will only be the beginning. I…” 
Thankfully, one of the griffons gagged him. And I was left with his muffled shrieks as the griffons dragged him off to whatever fate awaited him.

#

Logan leaned back on his haunches.
“And that,” he concluded. “Was only the first of many challenges that awaited me.”
> Chapter 8: Goodbye, Griffons
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now, I know what you’re thinking; ‘Logan got praise and adoration again? Did he let it go to his head and allow him to jump into another situation that could’ve gotten him killed?’

#

“We don’t sound like that,” Rainbow Dash growled. 
“You do to me,” Logan replied.
“Actually, I need to ask,” Celestia noted. “What… happened to the Cockatrice Master?”
“I didn’t really care enough to find out,” Logan noted. “Why, did he ever come back?”
“Oh, he came back,” Celestia noted. “Just… not the way he was before.” 
The others turned to her. “Did he…” Pinkie asked cautiously. “Get dressed up like a chicken?” 
Celestia pursed her lips and looked away. Logan got the distinct impression that he had gotten a lot worse than dressing up like a chicken.
"You know what, forget I said anything,” Celestia said, retreating back to her corner.

#

Well, either way, I didn’t get praise and adoration for freeing those griffons. And even if I did, I wouldn’t have had the time to enjoy it.
Let’s just say Beshka the Cockatrice fought just as hard going out as she did going in.  
I spent half the night squatting over their version of a latrine just outside of town, bellowing out songs of pain as I got Beshka’s numerous scales out of my body the only way I really knew how. I’m normally used to eating anything I can find, but damned if her snake scales didn’t give me a hard time. It was almost midnight by the time I managed to crawl away from the latrine for more than a few steps before having to zip right back. The griffons found it particularly hilarious – again, so much for that gratitude for saving them from being statues all their lives - though I’m pretty sure I got them back with the stench. 
Eventually, early morning came, and I was able to wobble my way back into town, shaky as a newborn pup. Thankfully, not every griffon mocked me. This - I wanna say ‘hen,’ or young griffon – was kind enough to give me a place to stay. She had Gabriel’s sparrow head, with a patch of feathers twisted into a ponytail. Or feather tail; I don’t know how you guys classify those things. 
She introduced herself as Gabby. Gabby was pretty much the only one who didn’t laugh at my predicament, helping me to her house, and even offering some food.
“Preferably something that’s not gonna give you the screaming squirts,” she offered with a grin. I don’t know why that got a chuckle out of me. Maybe it was just her. 
She reminded me a lot of you, Apple Bloom. She was just very… innocent. Full of optimism and life. As she ate with me, she had questions, and yet somehow, she understood me through my mangled tongue.
“So, where did you come from?” 
“El-e-tea o me um me ohm.”
“Celestia took you from your home?” Her already wide eyes somehow widened. “So… you lived with those ponies?”
“Eh… aye er Hilda ack-hole.”
“They were kinda jackholes? Hm…” she tapped at her beak with her talon. “Was… that just because you didn’t make a good first impression?”
“Ill, I it El-e-tea.”
That part, she had difficulty with. 
“You… ate the princess?” she glanced down at my stomach. “Should I worry about her coming out too?” 
“Row-row,” I stammered, “I IT El-e-tea.” I mimed simply chomping.
“Oh! Okay, you just bit her,” Gabby said, clapping her talons together. “That makes so much more sense; no wonder they were jackholes; they were just mad.” She sighed, looking out the window. “But I bet they can be real nice when they aren’t being overprotective or blinded by rage. Right?”

#

“Right~!” Applejack prompted with a grin. 
“Don’t push your luck,” Logan growled at her, despite his tail wagging. “You guys were still a massive pain in the tail.” 
“But~…!” Apple Bloom added, following her sister’s lead.
Logan just continued with the story. 

#

Either way, I didn’t get the chance to reply, as Gabriel came back in with a small roll of parchment.
“Sorry to break up the lovebirds,” he said with a teasing grin.
“Daddy,” Gabby teased right back, playfully flapping her wing at him. “We’re not like that.”
Well, that answered that small question; this was Gabriel’s daughter Gull had been talking about. I didn’t know if Gabby was going to tease me as well, so I opted for putting my paws up and scooting away. It still got them laughing all the same. 
“Well, if you’re done flirting with my daughter, wolf,” Gabriel said, indicating for me to follow. “I believe I owe you some magic treasure.”
My ears perked up, and I followed him out. Gabby waved goodbye to me.
“Come back anytime,” she called before Gabriel led me away. 
Now, you might be wondering, why didn’t Gabriel just tell me his plan at the house? Gabby was his daughter after all. Well, simple: he didn’t want her caught in the crossfire.
That’s right: the bird brain brought me to an inn crawling with the toughest looking griffons around. Sure, around half of them were griffons I had freed from Beshka and her master, but I got no looks of gratitude. Only greedy, curious looks, like I was a golden goose with feathers ripe for the taking.
I kept an eye on them as Gabriel steered me for a corner of the inn, rolling out his parchment on the table. 
“Now,” Gabriel said, indicating several drawings of simple houses. “Our village doesn’t have much anymore. Heck, griffons in general don’t have much. We lost a lot of treasure after the last King – Guto – lost the Idol of Boreas. Most of the respect for him went with that idol, and his citizens plundered the treasury. But we still know how to barter.” He pointed to a town symbol that looked like it was out near a desert, far down the mountain. “We trade a lot here; Kluge Town. It’s no Canterlot or Ponyville, but almost everything goes through there. Magic, valuable or simply entertaining.”
“Age-I?” I asked, trying to say, ‘magic.’
“If there’s an artifact that can send you home,” Gabriel said. “Someone in Kluge Town might know about it.”  
I flicked my ears; his tone didn’t imply that it was gonna be a simple ‘drop by and pick up my magic artifact.’ 
“Problem is,” Gabriel continued. “Kluge Town isn’t that welcoming unless you have something to barter with. If someone finds out who you are, they’ll try and barter you off before you can blink. I had to avoid getting bartered myself, and I didn’t have anything on me.”
My ears completely flared. “Hoo. I am?” I asked. I meant to ask, "Do they know about my bounty?" but... obviously that wasn't clear. 
He was silent at first, giving a nervous look back at the inn. I glanced back at the griffons… and my blood chilled when I saw a wanted poster. A wanted poster with my face on it. I mean, I guess I should’ve realized something was up after the Cockatrice Master, but that wanted poster was just the tip of the spear.
“Listen… Lone – can I call you Lone?” he asked.
I gave a soft growl. 
“I guess, well…” Gabriel pulled at his wing, rolling it like I’d roll a bad shoulder. “You seem like a tough guy, don’t get me wrong, but… In Kluge Town, people only care about what they can take.” He chuckled. “I know, they sound so familiar. But…” His smile faded. “You don’t need to be around company like that.”
“I not go ack,” I said, flinching at how stupid I sounded.
Gabriel flinched at my answer, his eyes narrowing. 
“Why not?” she asked. “I mean, Celestia’s ruthless, but she at least cares a bit about her own subjects. Honestly, if she brought you there, she’d be compelled to give you a good life. You could have it made with her.”
And you’d probably make out like a bandit cashing in my bounty, I thought mutinously. But my tongue was still messed up, so I went for the alternate path: I fixed him with a cold glare. 
“Celestia,” I said, going slowly so my tongue didn’t mangle my language. “Killed. My mom.”
Gabriel’s eyes widened, and he turned away.  
“Right,” He muttered. “Forgot about that…” 
“Won’t. Go. Back,” I said. 
I glared up at one of the griffons, who matched my gaze with a steely eyed glare. I noticed Gabriel glaring at him as well.
“So,” Gabriel said sadly. “Talk ain’t gonna work on you, huh?”
My response was a simple baring of my claws. Just in time, I noticed one of the griffons pulling out a blow gun. The bartender; a plump looking chicken head, ducked under her counter with an ‘Oh, no…’
I was fast: I grabbed Gabriel and pulled him into the way of the dart shot at me. As the bird crumpled to the ground, the rest all cawed and raced for me, but there was discord in their ranks. 

#

“Discord was with them?” Pinkie shrieked.
“Who?” Logan asked.
“He doesn’t mean ‘that’ Discord, Pinkie,” Twilight chastised. “He just means that they were chaotic; un-coordinated.” She gave a cautious look to Logan. “Right?”
Logan blinked at her. “I only understood half of what you just said,” he admitted. “But you’re right.”

#

They didn’t fly as one to get at me; they smacked each other aside, yearning to get at me first.
As the closest one bashed his way past his fellows, I spun on my paws, and drove my claw into his side. He spiraled away, before I grabbed him by the tail. My lightning strengthening my grip, I spun him like a flail and hurled him into the others. Even as several griffons tumbled with my makeshift projectile, I knew I wouldn’t be able to run. I was cornered in this inn; there wasn’t even a window for me to dive through.
Only way out was through them.
I matched their rush, my claws entwining with talons as several talons tried to seize ahold of my fur, others raked across their fellows.
“Bounty’s mine!” cawed up from a dozen voices. I stayed smart with my strikes, hitting griffons that were already getting clawed up. 
It took time… for a moment I was worried two griffons were going to try and carry me off together… but it paid off. 
Bit by bit, I drove through the griffon horde. I broke wings, I slashed eyes, and I even plucked out feathers. The numbers fell. Griffon after griffon hit the ground and didn’t get back up.
I thought I saw Gull – Gabriel’s pal – among the chaos. He tried to fling two knives at me. I caught his knife with my claws, careful not to let them see my shield was the only reason I pulled it off. The griffon faltered in mid-air, and I took advantage, cutting him down with his own knives. 
But just as they started to get ahold of me; ready to drag me down, another griffon appeared. 
“Hey, catch!” he yelled, tossing some sort of orb at me. I caught it as well, hearing an ominous hiss emanating from it. I let the remaining griffons close in on me. The hissing grew to a whine. Then I punched with the orb in my hand, careful to shroud my hand in my shield.
An explosion of flame and smoke, and the last of the griffons went down. 
As I took in the sight of the mercenaries, I lifted my head, and bellowed out.
“WHO ELSE WANT SOME!?!?”
The howl was charged with an electric air, and none of the griffons rose to my challenge.
“I don’t know if you can tell, but none of them want some,” the griffon that had tossed me the orb snarked. 
I glanced over at him; he was a young one. Younger than even Gabby. He had bright blue feathers, and brighter blue eyes. I briefly forayed back into the pile of griffons, extracting Gabriel’s map from his person. The kid griffon looked on worriedly, but I got out without anyone grabbing at me, and for a moment, the little griffon followed me as I headed for the outskirts.
“Thanks,” I managed to say, my tongue for once not mangling the language.
“Eh, no problem,” the kid replied, his voice rather nasally. “Always liked seeing griffon mercs lose. Always so tough and callous… then you give them a fight too tough, and they crumble like stale bread.”
We shared a laugh over that, though my laugh faded as I glanced back at the inn. I could hear the first caws of frustration.
“You probably shouldn’t stick around,” I noted.
“I know,” he replied. “I’ve been flying from town to town; been on my own since…” he paused, thinking. “Well, for a while, anyway.” 
My ears flattened at that. I wished that I could give him something, like food or money. But I had nothing but my jacket. And nothing was gonna make me give that up. 
So, I went for a compromise: I turned around and went back for that inn. A couple of griffons were pulling themselves up. I floored them again, and took their gold. Staying behind long enough to let them see my face, I dashed away, grabbing the kid and taking him with me. For once, I was grateful for Sparks’ master teaching me how to run with loads in my arms. When I was sure we were out of sight, I handed the gold over to the kid.
“What’s your name?” I asked him.
He stared at the gold I had given him, not registering my question for a moment.
“Gallus,” he finally said.
I pat his shoulder. 
“You’re a good guy, Gallus,” I told him. “And wherever you go… I hope you find something great at the end.”
Gallus gave me a soft grin, and nodded. Part of me wanted to ask him to come along, but the memory of my pack dissuaded me. He may have helped, but he wasn’t a wolf. 

#

Logan sighed. “It was a stupid excuse,” he admitted. He looked up, noticing Rainbow Dash with an odd look. “Yeah, go ahead. Tell me how horrible I am.”
“I wasn’t…” Rainbow Dash said before sighing. “I was just… you didn’t meet a griffon named Gilda on the way there, did you?”
Logan shook his head. “Friend of yours.”
Rainbow Dash looked down. “Yeah,” she admitted, “A ‘friend.’”
Logan tilted his head, but Rainbow Dash didn’t say any more. 
“Either way, it was kind of a good thing I left Gallus behind,” he admitted. “Things got pretty hectic when I found my way to Kluge Town…” 
> Chapter 9: Welcome to Kluge Town
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I reached the town by the end of the week. Place was out in the middle of a desert. And it had so many different forms of life. I saw diamond dogs, griffons, a dragon or two. I even saw creatures that I didn’t know existed; fish hybrids, pig men… All of them just doing their own thing: selling produce, walking around or just talking to each other.
I kept my jacket’s collar up, and lumbered like a few of the diamond dogs I could see, trying to blend in. I briefly thought about searching the market to see if they might have magic artifacts or guidance, but I quickly decided against it: most of the merchants had that ‘glint’ in their eyes.
You know what I mean? The glint that says ‘I’m gonna steal everything you got, and better yet, you’re going to give it to me willingly for junk?’ If I wasn’t capable of trusting you guys, there was no way I was trusting any of those hawkers with something as important as my quest. I settled for trying to wander and listening to what they were offering.
“Finest creatures from the outskirts of Equestria!” I heard one pig man yell, a flock of birds caged up beside him. 
I made sure to stay away from him.
“Did you hear about Canterlot,” one guy was saying to another. “Apparently, one of Celestia’s newer princesses got attacked by Changelings.”
“So… did the Changelings win?”
“Nah; you already know what Celestia did to them.”
“Kicked them to the moon?”
“To the badlands.”
The way he was talking, it sounded like you were getting rusty, Celestia. Either way, I kept away from them as well. 
But, not noticing others didn’t mean they didn’t notice me, and it wasn’t long before one of the merchants got his eye on me. Or better yet, on my jacket.
“Hey, Dog,” he called at me. I held back a flinch, quickly seeing several eyes darting on me. “How much for the jacket?”
I stopped, my ears flattening, as I noticed some sort of fish guy approaching me. 
“You hear me, mutt?” he growled. “I want that jacket!”
Call me crazy; call me bloodthirsty. But at that moment, I wasn’t worried that these guys were gonna figure out who I was unless I made them back off. I was worried this guy was gonna steal my dad’s jacket. So, I seized the fish man by the throat, backed him into a wall and drew my blades on him.
“You take my jacket,” I answered with a growl. “I take your eyes!” 
He raised his hands up. “Whoa, easy,” he whimpered. “I was just asking.”
“And I was just answering,” I snarled at him, shoving him back. “My jacket? Your eyes!”
He backed up quick after that. So, did the other hawkers and bidders. Smirking quietly to myself, I fluffed my jacket and continued on my way. 
Now you might be wondering; ‘Logan, you came here to find artifacts, and those hawkers would know. Why threaten them?’ Well, they pissed me off for starters. 
And, as it turned out, I didn’t need to talk to them.
Not long after I left Fish Face behind, I heard a voice from a cornerstone. 
“Sure, showed that guy, didn’t ya, kid?”
I knew voices like that. The smooth talkers. The charmers; the Casanovas. Instantly, I didn’t trust this guy. I turned around, glaring at some sort of tomcat on his hind legs, dressed in a grimy red jacket. His eyes had that same glint. 

#

Rarity gasped. “You met… a talking CAT?!” she squeed in glee.
Logan tilted his head at her. “You like cats?” he asked. 
Now it was Rarity’s turn to look confused. “Didn’t you smell my cat Opal?” she asked. “I adore cats!”
Logan’s ears flared. “How did we get along again?” he asked. 
Rarity put a hoof to her chin. “I believe you said it was ‘the agreement of trade.’” She noted.
Logan grinned. “You’d have liked this cat. He knew just how to talk to me.” 

#

“You got a problem, cat?” I growled.
He raised his paws, but that infuriating grin didn’t leave, nor did the glint in his eye.
“Chill, dog,” he said. “I know we got our differences, but honestly; I ain’t interested in the Spike-and-Tom route.” 
I wanted to tell the guy to buzz off before he found an actual spike in his tom cat hide, but he hadn’t tried to barter my jacket off yet, and I did need leads. So, I settled for a warning growl.
“What do you want?” I asked.
The cat’s grin widened. “That’s the nature of Kluge Town,” he said. “Everyone wants something, and everyone gets something. So, let’s get our cards all out on the table.” He tried to put an arm around my shoulders, before I bared my fangs at him again. We walked together into the alleyway, me keeping an eye out for ambushes, while the cat looked as casual as a beach goer.
“What is it… you want?” he asked. 
Blunt question, blunt reply, I thought. “I’m looking for a way to another dimension,” I admitted.
I got a bit of satisfaction seeing the cat’s grin fade by a fraction. He covered it with a practiced laugh.
“Pretty large want there, friend,” he noted.
“I ain’t asking for a ride,” I snapped. “I’m asking for leads: people, places, events.” I fluffed my jacket. “Give me something to work with, and I’ll be on my way.” 
He nodded at that. “Here’s the thing,” he said. “If you want something here, you gotta be prepared to give something. Even information.” 
My ears flattened. All I had on me were my parent’s keepsakes. Nothing would convince me to part with those.

#

“You also had that exquisite fur,” Rarity noted, indicating his coat.
Logan glanced down at his body before shrugging.
“I don’t know, Rarity,” he said. “Something told me these guys would take a lot more than just my fur if I offered.”

#

The cat was still watching me, though, so I tried to hide my doubt.
“Favors,” I said firmly. “You tell me what I want to know, and I’ll do something that you want to do.” 
The cat tilted his head. His eyes darted down my body. Briefly, I wondered if I should have worded that differently, before his grin widened. 
“Now you’re speaking Kluge Town’s language,” he said, motioning for me to follow him. “C’mon.” 
“Easy there, fur ball,” I said. “First, you gotta give me something to work with. What do you know about getting to another dimension?” 
The cat leaned back with a grimace. 
“I’m no magician, pup,” he said. “Ponies are who you want to see if you’re interested in that.” 
“Not an option,” I said instantly. I started to turn away. “And if that’s the best you can offer…”
“Okay, now hang on!” he yowled. I grinned at him. Surprisingly, he grinned back.
“You got heart, kid,” he praised, before clearing his throat. “Alright; like I said, ponies are the ones with the most magic. But in terms of dimension hopping… you’ll want to ask the Sirens.”
“The Sirens?”
“Sea creatures,” the cat elaborated. “Beautiful voices… not so beautiful intentions. Near as I heard, some unicorn banished three of the worst ones to another dimension. Kept the remaining Sirens from acting out.” 

#

“’Remaining?’” Twilight stammered.
Logan rolled his eyes. “You know about them?” he asked.
Twilight gave him a miffed glare. “Research is one of my hobbies, Logan,” she reminded him. “Star Swirl the Bearded banished the Sirens to another dimension to keep them from destroying Equestria.” She looked down, unconsciously reaching for books that weren’t there. “But I always thought there were no more than three.”
“I’m afraid so,” Celestia muttered. “But trust me, my faithful student,” she tried to ignore the scoff Logan shot her way, “No Siren has ever been as bad as the three banished by Star Swirl the Bearded.” 
Logan laughed. “You have a very skewed understanding of ‘bad,’” he noted. 
“But, what else did the cat know?” Rarity pressed.
Logan’s ears flattened. “Well, when I tried to ask…” 

#

“Ah-ah,” he said, waving his claw at me. “Now, it’s your turn to help me.” 
I grimaced, but I had made a promise. 
“Alright,” I muttered, and we set out. 
Careful to keep my eye on him, I followed him into the darker sections of Kluge Town. My suspicion grew as he started humming quietly to himself.
“So, what do you want?” I asked.
“You’ll see… eventually,” he replied.
“How about you show me now?” I growled, baring my teeth.
The cat chuckled. “And here I thought dogs were supposed to be trusting,” he noted. “Don’t you know you need a pack to survive, little pup? This town is not a nice place, for little pups, all alone.”
I growled, not even realizing we were breaking into a song. “I’m not a soft filly; I’m ready for the unknown!”
“Then let me guide your way,” he sang, “And I’ll be sure to help you through.”
He let me into the shadows, were I only got by with the light from his emerald eyes. 
“You could really use a friend out here, and luckily for you…”

“I’m the friend, that you need, when you’re lost and don’t know what to do.


I’m your pal, amigo, useful and resourceful too.


And my help, you’ll concede, 


Is a plus; guaranteed. 


You can call and I’ll come running; just follow my lead.


Cuz I’m the friend you need!”


#

Logan looked down with shame. Twilight and the others glanced around for a moment.
“What’s the matter, Logan?” Pinkie asked. “He sounds like he was really nice.”
“That’s the thing,” Logan said. “I let him trick me.”

#

I knew what he was. But… hearing that song… it not only reminded me of you guys, but it reminded me of home. How every long-distance conversation was a song of some kind. So, before I could stop myself… I found myself howling along in a duet.

“Could use an eye to spot the danger,” I admitted.


“A pal to stop the creep,” the cat tempted.


“But I know you’re a stranger,” I tried to note.


“That assists,” He quickly noted back. “You need a bro who is cunning.”


  “I can already take a leap,”I said, jumping over a gorge, only for him to follow me.


“Do you know what’s lying in the mist?” he asked, heading right into a smoke screen.


“I don’t fear these darkened alleys,” I claimed, even as the eyes of bats glistened before me.


“I can take them on, I know…”

The cat jumped back in, using an umbrella to fend the bats off.

“But, why not have a friend to protect you wherever you go?


Such a tough old dog, covered in dirt and muck. 


But now your fate is changing, now you are in luck!

He launched back into the chorus, leading me towards a massive wind mill.

“Cuz I’m the friend you need, when you’re lost and don’t know what to do.”


I got in, “Don’t be a pal, amigo; be useful, and resourceful to.” before he took over.


“Oh, my help, you’ll concede.


Is a plus, guaranteed.


Just call; I’ll come running, we’ll say it’s agreed…”

I managed to stop him right before he pulled me towards a wind house.
“But for what price?” I argued.
“Come find out,” he offered, beckoning me inside. Curiosity drove me forward… right into a cage.

“Cuz you’re the dog I need!”The cat finished with a flourish. 

I would’ve cussed him out in as many languages I knew – which wasn’t a lot – but I didn’t really get the chance. At that moment, several other cats strode forward. 
“Correction, Capper,” the biggest cat said. “He’s the dog we need.”
> Chapter 10: Goodbye Kluge Town
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rarity was beside herself in horror. 
“That friendly little cat… sold you?” she demanded.
“I told you,” Logan said. “I knew he was trouble.” He glared at the fire. “And I doubt I’ll ever enjoy songs again thanks to him.” 
“That’s awful,” Twilight whimpered.
“Huh,” Celestia noted. “So, that message from Kluge Town wasn’t a prank?”
“Message?” the mares asked. 
"I did receive an odd message about the Lone Wolf being up for sale in Kluge Town,” Celestia said. “But when I sent a scout over there, he came back only saying that the town was… well, no different than what it usually was. I tried to have him find the prankster that had fooled me, but they were nowhere to be found.” 
“That’s because I got out of there,” Logan said. “What? You think I was going to just stay there and let you catch me?” 
“But, how,” Rainbow Dash asked. “How did you get out of there?”
Logan lifted his paw. “Magic, chaos, and a whole lot of blind luck,” he answered.

#

For a short time, I was just kept in that cage. Couldn't just bust out of there yet; the cats had their eyes on me, and they were ready to handle a jail break.
There were four of them in total, including the guy I was stupid enough to trust. The biggest of them kept glaring at me as I lay curled up in the cage, one of my eyes on him and narrowed.
“You sure this is the one, Capper?” the big cat was asking. “Princess Celestia is not someone to anger. If we sell her the wrong pup…?”  
“Come on, Dad,” Capper said, his smooth tone still somehow intact. “Look at him; he fits the description perfectly. And even if the Princess doesn’t want him, we got other options.”
“Screw you, you feline fur balls,” I snarled. “I ain’t some toy for you to trade.” 
The cats stopped and glared at me. I matched their glares.
“Well, make it easier on us,” the big cat said, kneeling before me. “Who are you really?”  
I stared at him. “The heck you talking about?” 
The big guy indicated his… son, I’m guessing. 
“Capper here said you’re looking for a way to other dimensions,” Big Cat said. “Which puts you in line with a pretty special Diamond Dog Princess Celestia’s looking for. But… the minotaurs up north run a diamond dog fighting pit. Maybe you’d fit in better there.” 
“There’s also a couple of other buyers,” one of the other cats noted. Judging by her voice, I had to assume she was female. “We could probably get something from them.” 
I slammed against the bars. “I won’t be sold like a slave!” I screamed. 
“Chill, dog,” Capper said. “You said you’d do what I wanted. Well, I want you to sit back, and relax. We won’t sell a profit if you keel over from stress in there.” 
I’ll admit… he kinda had me there. I had made a deal. He knew it too, judging by the smug scoff he gave as he walked off, probably to tell Celestia or whoever else they had lined up to buy me. See, problem was, I said up front that I didn’t want to go back to the ponies. Of course, he would probably just send me to these minotaurs instead, but I needed to get to the Sirens. Even if what he had told me was just bait, it was better than the nothing I had when I arrived.
Plus, I realized that he had just told me to sit back and relax. He didn’t say anything about trying to escape after I had done that.
Once I had sat back and relaxed like he said, the cats lowered their guard by a bit. They let me be to probably go... I dunno, hock some hairballs. Whatever cats do. Guess they thought I was gonna be honorable and just sit there or something. But, I still had my lightning. And these guys seemed to already know Celestia wanted me, so… why not show them why she wanted me back? 
With one hard punch, I smashed the door down. Instantly, I heard the cats coming for me.
The first one to round the corner was Capper. His eyes were wide as I grabbed the cage.
“I sat back and relaxed,” I told him with a grin, before hurling the door at him. It caught him and pinned him to the ground.
“Pleasure doing business with ya,” I added just as his folks rounded the corner. And before they could try anything like adding more lines to the deal, I… well…

#

Applejack and Rainbow Dash grinned as Logan looked away.
“What did ya do, Logan?” Applejack said with a grin.
Logan growled, but the others leaned forward eagerly.
“What did you do, Darling?” Rarity asked.
“I ran from them,” Logan muttered. But that only resulted in Rainbow Dash bursting into laughter. “I didn’t want to fight the guy I just weaseled out of a deal with!”
“I thought…” Rainbow Dash cackled. “I thought dogs were supposed to chase cats. Not the other way around.”
Logan stood up, flipped her a rude gesture and stormed out. 
The laughter instantly stopped, and Fluttershy raced after him.
“Logan, wait!” she pleaded. He only stopped at her protests. “Please, can’t we hear the rest of the story? I’m sorry Rainbow Dash laughed at you. It can’t have been an easy situation.”
“No, it wasn’t,” Logan growled, glaring at Rainbow Dash. The cyan mare sighed. 
“Alright,” she said. “I’m sorry I laughed.” But Logan still kept glaring at her. Rainbow Dash took another breath, and tried to keep her tone as sincere as possible. “I’m sorry.”
Logan’s ear flicked, and his gaze became less intense. 
“So…” Fluttershy asked. “What happened next?” 
Slowly, Logan sat back down and continued.

#

These guys were camping out in some sort of tunnel system. Judging by the smell, it had to be a sewer. Tunnels branched out in all several different directions. I ended up choosing the one that stunk the least, and forced my way in. Even as I pulled myself to what I could only hope was freedom, I could hear a scratching and clawing sound behind me. Those cats were already on my tail!
The Big Cat must have been the one after me, though, because despite the scratching sound, he wasn’t able to squeeze through the narrower pipes like I could. I managed to stay ahead, and dropped out into a pipe that led out to a gorge. Liquid I-didn’t-even-want-to-know flowed around my paws and disappeared into a sickly brown mist.
I heard a creaking of wood above me, and glanced up. Several airships were docked just above me. My ears pricked up in hope. Maybe I had a way out of this town and away from these maniacs. But I had just started trying to find a way up to the airships when I heard a splash behind me.
I jumped up and snagged the edge of the pipe, scrambling up to the rocky outcropping of the gorge. A leash nearly snagged me by the paw, but I slashed it away with a swipe of my blades and continued to climb. 
I glanced back. Big Cat was keeping up with me! If anything, he was going even faster. I scrambled for the edge of the docks, and managed to hoist my way up to safety.
“Hey!” a voice yelled. I froze, noticing a draconic beast lumbering over to me. “No climbing on the airship docks!”
I shoved past him and continued back into Kluge Town. The dragon got knocked aside by Big Cat as well, and soon enough, I had two people in hot pursuit.
I almost went back into the main town, but two more merchants saw the chase going on. Apparently, they figured out I was worth something, because they both drew blades and jumped from their stalls. 
Lovely, I thought with a grimace. 
I pitched to the right, racing along the airship docks as the four talking animals pursued me. Just when I thought I might have a way free, the female cat from Capper’s group jumped in my way. She swiped at me with a staff, but I blocked and slashed back. That only allowed my other friends to catch up. I was quickly beset on all sides, backing up as claw, blade and even fire was blasted at me.
I sent the two merchants packing with a kick and a slash, but that only allowed Big Cat and Cat Girl to hit me, sending me skidding down the docks. I pulled myself up, noticing a pair of what I thought were griffons watching from an airship in the process of casting off.
Great, I thought. More griffons to chase me. That’s what I need right now.
But thankfully, they didn’t jump down and join the fight. Big Cat and Cat Girl had taken down the dragon guard, and were advancing on me as well. I readied some lightning, but Cat Girl laughed and whipped out a blow gun.
“Try it, honey,” she purred. “Even if we don’t get you; someone else will.” 
I glowered at her, even though I knew she was right. Merchants and mercenaries were all watching us. The minute I let a bolt loose, the Dragon Master’s words would come true. I could’ve gotten away with it with the cats, but letting all these mercs know would be like sending out a flare for enemies.
Big Cat started to move forward.
“New deal,” he said. “Come quietly, and we’ll take you to the people responsible for the Sirens disappearing. You’ll have much better luck with them.” 
“It’s a generous offer,” his wife – I’m assuming – added. “If you’re smart, you’ll take it.” 
I still kept backing away, but Big Cat’s grin didn’t fade. He thought I had nowhere else to go. That I was cornered. His so-called ‘generous’ offer was just salt in the wound. 
But he didn’t realize just how far I was willing to go to stay out of Celestia's grip. Because as my eyes darted around for a possible escape, I noticed that one of the griffons on that boat had forgotten to drag up an anchor line. They were jabbering about it now, but that rope was still swinging loose in the wind. If it could just swing a little closer...
I had to take a chance. I couldn’t get captured by these thugs. Rising to my hind legs, I bared my claws and blades at Big Cat. Then, as he stepped back to attack… I jumped backward and over the edge.
I sheathed my blades and held my claws out for the rope. It was at the peak of its swing. A few more seconds and I might have missed it. But my claws fumbled, twisted, missed… and I snagged the end of the rope with my teeth. 
As I clung tighter to that rope than I had even clung to my own mother, I became aware of a roar above me. I looked up as Big Cat soared down towards me. But you know the problem with a wolf on the end of a mooring line? It has weight.
My hold dragged the rope down and out of his reach. I saw his expression change from determination to horror. And as I swung out with that airship, praying that he would fade into the mist before I saw what happened next, I…
I…

#

Logan paused, looking down with a saddened air. The mares glanced at each other with worry. 
“Logan,” Fluttershy asked softly. “Are you…?”
“I could’ve saved him,” Logan admitted. He looked up, a weariness in his eyes. “I know I could’ve helped him; maybe even just left him on the rocks or something. But instead… I let him fall.” His tail tucked. “How much you wanna bet that cat family was ruined because of me?” 
Rainbow Dash rubbed the back of her mane with worry in her eyes. 
“Well, to be fair,” she noted. “He was trying to capture you.”
“Capture,” Applejack noted. “Not kill.” 
Logan’s ears flattened. “Yeah,” he admitted. “Not kill.” 
“I… never found out about these ‘cat people,’” Celestia admitted. “Maybe they were still searching for their patriarch.” 
But the look in Logan’s eyes didn’t instill hope in the ponies that the cat’s search for their father had borne fruit. 
“No pony here is blaming you,” Fluttershy insisted to Logan, even as her hooves trembled at the idea of animals being hurt. She looked at the others with worry. “Right?”
Rarity didn’t speak, looking away with a conflicted look.
Logan held his saddened gaze for one second. Two seconds.
“Either way,” he continued. “I didn’t get long to feel bad about it. Things went wrong for me as soon as I got onto the airship.”

#

I already knew there was going to be trouble the minute I sunk my claws into the side of the ship. The griffons above were cawing about the weight on the anchor line, and even when I caught ahold of the bottom of their ship, they still noticed the sudden change in weight. And judging by the way they kept poking their heads over the side, forcing me to hide as well as I could, I wasn’t sure they’d dismiss it as ballast or whatever lines could get hooked on.
I pulled my way to the deck at the back of the ship and poked my head up over the side of the banister. My fingers felt like they were going to fall off, but I kept myself secured. 
I managed to make out four… well, I wasn’t sure what to call them. At first, I thought they were griffons. They had the features of parrots – with hooked beaks and colorful plumage, but I couldn’t tell where their feline features had gone; they were wrapped up in some odd clothing choices; buckled belts, baggy black pants, eye patches… the group looked like pirates.

#

“Pirates?” Rainbow Dash asked. “That’s kinda awesome.” 
Logan glared her down. “It’s not as awesome when you’ve got a bounty on your head.” He noted.
“Well… okay,” Rainbow Dash conceded. “But… did you get to go on more adventures with them. Fighting other pirates; raiding treasure…?” she trailed off as Logan started to laugh.  
“You have a very skewed understanding about how pirates work,” Logan said. He glanced away. “Though, granted… they weren’t as bad as I thought they’d be.”

#

I was pretty sure at least one of them had seen my dive off the dock. So, I should have known they were expecting visitors. Still, as I watched this plump, pink hen and a giant of a parrot hauling some cargo around, they looked distracted enough for me to risk climbing on board. 
I had barely set a paw down on the dock before something slammed hard into me, and I found myself in a very intimate position with the deck.
A squawking sound emanated above me. I managed to twist my head enough to see that it was a long necked, rather deranged looking fellow with lazy eyes. I snapped at him and pulled myself back up, but by then, the rest of the crew had arrived; the aforementioned big parrot and plump hen, along with a more average looking parrot with an eyepatch.
“Well-well,” the big one hummed. “What do we have here?”
“Looks like a stowaway to me,” the eye patch guy said.
“Get that eye checked, Mullet,” the big guy replied. “Cuz I’m pretty sure that’s the dog that got everyone in Town riled up.”
I held my head higher. “Guilty as charged,” I said defiantly.
The parrots glanced at each other.
“So… what are we supposed to do with him?” the hen asked.
“Could take him back to Princess Celestia…” the eye patch guy – Mullet? – replied.
I bared my claws at him. “Try it,” I dared. “I’ll take your other eye.” 
“Feisty,” the big guy shot back. “Maybe throw him overboard.”
“What about the Storm King?” the pink one offered. “He’d know what to do with him.”
“Hang on,” Mullet said, turning as a fifth bird showed up. “What say the book, Captain?”
The Captain - a parrot with raspberry eyes and bright white plumage – walked up, holding some sort of book.
“Storm King’s rule book says…” she said gravely. “Throw him overboard.” 
The parrots leered down at me, and I prepped for a fight. But, seconds before they could grab at me… a whistle blew.
“Alright!” the Captain said. “That’s lunch!”
Instantly, the group relaxed. I looked around as they started to leave me be.
“Uh… huh?” I asked. 
“Come on, pup,” the hen said, suddenly in a much friendlier mood. “Might as well get some food before you go.”
Not quite sure what was going on, I followed after them, though I didn’t sheath my blades. I didn’t know what was going on… but I was gonna find out soon enough.
> Chapter 11: The Storm King
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, this was a new experience for me. I’ve eaten with people I’ve trusted. And I’ve eaten with people trying to gain my trust (yes, that’s you guys). But I’ve never eaten with people I didn’t trust… who were at ease with me not trusting them.
It was kind of hard to focus on the distrust, because the birds knew their food. Lix – the pink hen – turned out to be a fantastic cook. She served this really great slop that was exploding with carbs. I didn’t smell poison, and the stuff was warm and well cooked. Only one thing kept me from enjoying the stuff. 
“So,” I asked the pirates. “You guys are gonna throw me overboard, but you don’t mind me eating with you first?” 
“We’re more interested in feeding ourselves,” Boyle replied. “Our boss only allows one break a day for meals, then it’s back to hauling goods.” 
“One meal?” I stammered. “That’s outrageous! You ever consider asking for three?”
The captain laughed. “Sure,” she said sarcastically. “And next we can ask if we can get our old uniforms back.” Her sarcastic tone faded. “We do what he orders, or we suffer his wrath. That’s been the deal.” 
“That deal sucks,” I insisted. “Ask for a better one.”  
The captain leaned towards me. “I’ll tell you what, wolf,” she said tensely. “You ever meet the Storm King, you can ask him for a deal. See how it works out for you.” 

#

Logan grinned, causing Applejack and Fluttershy to grin at each other.
“Logan, you didn’t…,” Twilight stammered.
“You kidding, Twi,” Applejack said with a grin. “O’ course he did.” 
Logan and Applejack shared a small smile before Logan caught himself. Forcing the grin from his face, he continued.

#

It surprisingly didn’t take much to convince them: a quick show of my lightning, proving that I was the wolf Celestia was willing to put a bounty out for, and they were taking me to their boss.
Of course, there was dissent in the ranks: Boyle the big bird and Lix wanted to take me straight to Celestia. But the captain – Celaeno, I heard her called – was adamant, and she had Squabble the Squawker and Mullet the first mate on her side. A vote was cast – of course I didn’t get one – and we set off.
I quickly became glad for my coat and my fur, because the Storm King really liked the cold. The airship docked at the peak of a massive mountain. A fortress stood at the mountain’s peak, trying so desperately to look imposing and intimidating, yet having a half-finished vibe to it, like a pup playing at being a dark lord.
The pirates led me inside, shivering as the cold disagreed with their leather outfits and feathers. I strode onward with purpose, my fur protecting me a bit better than their tropical suited feathers.
As we headed into the fortress, we were stopped by two giant snowy beasts. I remember humans calling beasts like these guys’ ‘yetis.’ 
Either way, the yetis glared at me through dark armor and darker visors, their white fur contrasting nicely with the armor.
“A prisoner for the Storm King,” Celaeno explained to them. 
I chuckled. “Yeah,” I said sarcastically. “Prisoner.”
The yetis snarled at me, but I just glared right back at them. The things must have taken my silence for submission, because nothing like punishment or brow-beating came my way, and they just led us further in. 
The throne room they led me to was less of a throne room and more of a courtyard. An icy chair sat at the back of the room, looking like it was meant to be like Celestia’s throne, but utterly failing. Sitting on it was another yeti. This one was taller than the bulky guards I had seen; scrawnier too. His white fur hung loosely on his arms, and his black breastplate showed far less muscle than I’d expect from a king. Plus, his aura was all… wrong. I knew auras; Luna, Celestia, Ocetorm. Those guys, you could just tell they had power. Celestia may not use that power, but it’s still there. You guys probably feel it more than I do.
This ice freak? He had no aura. Nothing like Celestia, and certainly nothing like Ocetorm. It felt like I was watching a little pup playing at being Alpha of the Pack. He held some sort of large staff with a faded blue jewel at the tip. Looked more like he had taken a twig and added a small icicle to the top of it.
“Time,” the guy muttered in a bored tone, flipping the staff around his finger like a pencil. “So much time, and so little I can get done…”
“Your grace,” Celaeno said nervously. “A, uh…” she gave me a glance, as the Storm King shot me a curious glance. 
“Wolf,” I replied.
“A… wolf… for, you… your grace,” Celaeno said. She and the rest of her pirates hid their faces with their bows.
The Storm King’s ice blue eyes widened when he noticed my blonde fur. I simply crossed my arms and glared at him.
“Whoa, okay, hang on,” he said, jumping from his throne and walking over to me.
“Blonde fur… silver eyes… leather jacket…” he grinned. “Face like ya swallowed a lemon…”
My eyes narrowed. 
“You’re the Lone Wolf of Equestria, aren’t you?” he declared.
“Well, whatever gave you that idea?” I muttered. He laughed, leaning on his staff. 
“Well-well,” he commented. “Old Sun-Butt has been chomping at the bit for you.” 
“You could say something like that?” I admitted. 
“Tell me – I’m curious,” the Storm King said, leaning on his staff like it was the back of a chair and he was a drugged up human college student. “What’d you do that’s got her willing to pay gold for ya?”
“It’s more what she did to me,” I growled.
The Storm King’s grin widened. “’What she did to you,’” he noted. “Oh, cryptic and vengeful! I love it!”
I shot a glance at Celaeno, but she didn’t look at me. I was getting the impression that this guy wasn’t completely right in the head.
“Well, as it just so happens,” the Storm King continued. “I think we can help each other out.” 
I cocked an eyebrow… and an ear. “Really,” I asked.
He grinned and returned to his throne. 
“Here’s the thing,” he said, settling himself back on the throne. I briefly wondered how he could stand sitting on pure ice before he continued. “I’m just starting a bit of a re-brand here. ‘The Storm King,’ is good; could track as ‘intensely intimidating,’ you know, but… it needs something to back it up. You know what I need to back it up?”
“A storm?” I deadpanned.
“A storm!” he cheered. “Good boy! Have a biscuit!”
Before I could comment on that, this squat little pig of a yeti hiding behind his throne hurled something that I think was their definition of bread at my head. It bounced off my forehead and landed in the snow. I suddenly hated this guy a lot more than before.
“So, yeah, I need a storm. I heard stories that this,” he indicated his staff. “Could let me control the elements to make one, but guess what? It does nothing! Right now, it’s a branch; a twig at best!” 
“Uh-huh,” I growled.
“But,” he continued – wow, this guy loved the sound of his own voice - “I know one thing that should be able to give this thing the power I need. Can you guess? Come on, be a smart boy, you can guess it…”
“Celestia,” I grumbled.
“Good boy!” he cheered. I got another biscuit to the nose. I nearly charged him right there, but Boyle grabbed my tail and kept me back.
“So,” the Storm King concluded. “You hate Celestia; I need her power. Help me take her power to make this twig work – heck, I heard you got some magic you can use to charge it right now - and I’ll reward you with sweet, cold revenge against Sun-Butt for… whatever she did to make you so grouchy.” 
I realized that my fangs had been bared throughout most of his speech. Yet he was grinning back with his own set of fangs. He held out a hand.
“What d’ya say?” he offered, waggling his fingers for emphasis. 

#

Celestia flinched down. “Logan,” she whispered. “I truly regret everything I did…” she trailed off as she noticed the glare Logan was shooting her. 
“What are you apologizing again for?” Logan snapped. “If I had accepted his offer, I would have shown up at Canterlot with a bunch of yetis; not shown up alone at the Crystal Empire!” 
“He’s… got a point, Princess,” Twilight noted.
“Oh,” Celestia awkwardly shuffled away. “Right.” She cleared her throat. “Please, continue.”

#

I started chuckling. The Storm King’s grin faded by a fraction.
“Something funny?” He asked. 
“Yeah,” I said, my laughter fading. “You.”
His grin melted off his face. 
“You think that you deserve Celestia’s power?” I asked. “I haven’t even heard of a Storm King, while Celestia’s name is feared throughout this land.”
The Storm King rolled his eyes. “Oh, don’t tell me you’re into the friendship and flowers and cute pony crap she’s been feeding everyone over there.”
“You tell me,” I replied. “You’re the one that wants to use that 'friendship and flowers and cute pony crap' to make a storm.”  
That touched a nerve. The Storm King sneered and stood.
“Well,” he growled, pulling at his armor. “Here I thought we could work something out. I’ll settle for using your magic to charge this twig… and then bringing your pelt to Celestia. While she’s busy figuring out if it’s you or not, I’ll strike and take what’s mine.” 
He snapped his fingers, and his two yeti bodyguards drew odd, green flickering balls. The pirates backed up, fear crossing their features, but I stood defiant. 
“And there’s your problem,” I noted. “You think you get any respect when you hide? Behind guards. Behind these guys…” I indicated the pirates.
“Please keep us out of this,” Mullet begged.
“Fight me yourself,” I demanded, raising my claws. “Show me why you deserve to be called the Storm King.” 
The Storm King laughed, but I could sense an edge to his laughter – an uneasiness.
“Sorry, kid,” he replied, turning away. “You’re not on my level.” 
“Wolf!” Celaeno screamed, but I wasn’t scared of this asshole. 
I ducked as his two guards hurled their stones. They weren’t smart; my ducking caused each of them to get hit. I got a bit of a shock when I saw the orbs turn them into obsidian statues, but I didn’t take long to worry about it, rushing for the King. He grabbed the little pig yeti behind his throne and hurled him at me like a bowling ball, but I punted the little sputtering creep right between the Storm Schmuck’s horns, and sent the little yeti wailing out of the fortress and down the mountain. An extra flare of lightning kept any hopeful yetis from becoming my next target. 
“Any more pet pigs you wanna hide behind?” I demanded, lightning crackling around me, and sparking against the snow.
The Storm Sucker’s knuckles tightened around his staff. “You watch your mouth, dog,” He spat. “I’ll…”
“Do what?” I dared. “That staff doesn’t have its magic. You said so yourself.”
His eyes widened in horror, before narrowing in anger. 
“I don’t need magic to crush you,” he snarled, even as he brought out more of those magic statue ball makers. But calling him out might allow him to call me out for my lightning. And for better or worse, I needed that power.
“Try it,” I dared. “If I lose, do whatever you want. Use me to get Celestia, and make your stupid storm. But if I win, the pirates no longer serve you, and you have to leave them alone!”
The Storm King sneered. He swung his staff like a baseball bat.
“Fine by me,” he replied, the snow swirling around him and making his fur flutter in the breeze. “I may not have an alicorn’s magic, but I’ve survived out in this frozen tundra, unsheltered by those cute ponies you seem to love so much. What d’you got that they haven’t given you?”
“A smaller ego,” I growled defiantly. “An entire childhood out in a wild that makes your backstory look pathetic.” 
I probably would have said more, but at that point, he got tired of talking. He tossed one of his stones up in the air, and batted it at my head, but I wasn’t there. I jumped to the side and lunged at him, my jaws finding his nose. He roared and punched at me with his free hand, jarring me loose. I rolled with the fall, coming back up with my blades on display. He felt at his nose, where bright blue blood was dripping from his slashed-up nostrils. He covered his worry with a laugh.
“Not bad, pup,” he admitted. “Not bad.” 
He attacked again, but I dodged. I tried to go for his legs, which I noticed were cloven hooves, but he seemed to anticipate that; looks like he’s had people going for his legs before. He outmaneuvered me, pressing harder on me until it took all my concentration to avoid getting bashed in the head with an icicle or hit with those statue balls. I couldn’t get close to him; his staff had a reach several feet longer than my blades, and he kept hurling those damn statue balls. Blocks of obsidian grew all around me, making it harder to move. 
He took a wild swing at me and I tried to go for his belly, but he seemed to be waiting for that. He quickly took another swing, and this time, his staff got my side. The blow spun me like a top, disorienting me long enough for him to kick me with one of those hooves. I sailed ten feet and slammed hard into one of his ice walls. Probably would have broken my back again if my barrier hadn’t been protecting me. 
Even then, I still saw double, and my chest felt like it had been hit with a battering ram. Give this guy credit; he knew how to scrap. But it wasn’t enough to keep me down; I scrambled back to my paws, dodging another stone grenade aiming to turn me to stone. He tried to stick me with the sharp end of that icicle, but I managed to roll to the side, only for him to deflect my next strike at his face. 
“You’ve already lost, kid,” the Storm King taunted. “I’m just toying with you.” 
So, he claimed, but I could see the tension in his shoulders. This guy was fighting just as hard as I was. If anything, he was close to his limit. At the same time, I was aware of the pirates watching, unsure of whether they should jump in or not. Further away from them, more yetis were watching in awe as their leader took on Celestia’s number one fugitive. Thankfully, they didn’t jump in; looks like their King needed to still prove himself to them. 
But I let myself get distracted by them for too long; he hurled a stone grenade at me, and I just barely avoided getting turned into obsidian. As I stumbled away, the Storm King got in a good hit, the icicle tip of his staff ripping my sleeve and grazing my forearm. He laughed, happy to have drawn blood, but I was too busy seeing red.
“That was my father’s jacket,” I snarled. 
I slashed. He deflected. I faked him out with a feint, but my blow got kicked aside. But I could see the tension in his muscles rising. I was tiring him out. I went for an all feint maneuver; dashing back and forth with fake strikes to his head, gut, and knees. He kept trying to deflect attacks that weren’t coming. Then, just as he realized I wasn’t attacking – his grin started to return – I scooped up a wade of snow and obsidian and hurled it into his overconfident face. 
He backed up, cursing and sputtering as the cold slush got in his eyes. I slashed at his head again, landing behind him. I feinted for his head, like I had already done before. He turned in time to raise his staff, but this time he was disoriented. He didn’t anticipate my tricks.
I swung low, sweeping his hooves out from under him. And as he hit the ground, I leaped onto him, my claws closing around his throat.
He stared up at me, snow stung blue eyes staring into my silver. An unnatural hush had gone over the crowd. 
“Yield,” I snarled at him.
He raised his hands up. “Okay-okay,” he whimpered. “You can take the pirates; I don’t even care about them.”
I nodded, and looked towards the pirates with a grin. Celaeno grinned back at me. 
But then… out of the corner of my eye, I thought I saw the Storm King’s hand twitching for another one of those statue balls. 
I acted on instinct. I…

#

Logan paused. The other mares waited with bated breath.
“Logan?” Fluttershy asked, though she winced at the look of hurt on his face when he looked up at her. “What did you do?”
Logan stood up, and walked out of the cave. That only agitated the mares, who looked at each other with worry.
“He didn’t… did he?”
“You don’t think he’d go that far?”
“But… he’s not a monster!”
“It might be for the best.”
“Dash!”
“I’m sorry, but now we don’t have to deal with him!”
However, as Logan walked out, the voice that reached him was Celestia. 
“Logan,” she said softly. He almost growled, but she kept herself at a reasonable distance, and didn’t meet his eyes. “You already know I’m not a perfect ruler. And Equestria wasn’t always run on love and tolerance.”
Logan’s ears flicked.
“In the years before Equestria,” Celestia continued. “I had to make… questionable decisions. Decisions that have haunted me. Decisions that I pray Twilight and her friends never have to make.” 
When Celestia looked up, she saw Logan staring at her.
“What I did to you,” she said. “I certainly count that as a decision that haunts me.”
“Enough to try and fix it?” Logan asked, the faintest glimmer of hope in his voice.
Celestia looked away with pursed lips. She sighed. 
 “For now,” she said evasively. “Know that it is natural to feel guilt for what you did to this ‘Storm King.’ He seemed like a cruel being, and you did what you needed to do to protect yourself and his abused subjects. As long as you didn’t take joy or pleasure in the act… I can’t fault you. And neither should my subjects.” 
Logan didn’t reply to that. His eyes didn’t narrow, nor did his growl return. He simply waited until the others came out of the cave, looking at him worriedly. When he spoke again…

#

Celaeno didn’t discuss what happened up there. In fact, we didn’t speak until we had returned to the airship.
We didn’t face resistance; the yetis that weren’t wondering who was going to lead them weren’t eager to get into another scrap with me. Not when I was able to look like I was ready to fight them again. We just walked by them all and returned to the ship. I was leaning against the side of the ship when Celaeno came over to me.
“So,” she asked, cutting me out of my thoughts. “Where do you want to go?” 
I didn’t reply at first. 
“You got me and my crew out from that monster,” she insisted. “We owe you something.”
I nodded. “The Sirens,” I replied. “Take me to the Sirens.” 
She stared at me for a moment. “Um… why would you want to go near those creeps?” she asked. 
“Three of them got shot to another dimension,” I said. “I need to know if the others figured out how to bring them back.” 
“Okay, no offense, Wolf,” she said, “But you’d be better off asking the ponies about that. They’re the ones who pulled it off.”
“I’m not going back to them,” I replied tersely. 
She looked taken aback at how tense I had gotten. I tried to relax; these guys weren’t like the griffons, I had to remind myself. 
“The ponies’ are trying to keep me from my pack,” I explained. 
“Your pack?” she asked.
I looked down. “Celestia took everything from me when she yanked me over. Parents, uncles…” I sighed. “Carol…” I looked up with a determined light. “Nothing in this world is going to stop me from getting back to them.” I looked away. “Or at least trying my best.”
She was silent at that for a moment. At first, I thought our conversation was done. 
I was wrong.
> Chapter 12: The Sirens
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Siren’s home was a lot… prettier than I was expecting. 
Sure, it had jagged looking rocks, but they were surrounded by ink black water, and shrouded in a pearly blue mist. An odd melody was in the air. Faint, but present. It had the others on edge. 
“Are you sure about this?” Celaeno asked me. She and her pals had disregarded the Storm King’s wear for a more traditional pirate garb. Celaeno herself was decked out with a big hat that covered her like an umbrella. Probably useful when rain rolled around. 
I nodded. “It’s the only lead I got,” I told her. “If there’s a chance that that Sirens tried something to get their friends back… I gotta know.”
“Still,” Celaeno insisted. “You did us a huge solid, freeing us from the Storm King. I’d rather you didn’t throw your life away trying to talk to monsters.”
“You got any other leads?” I asked.
“Southern Equestria,” Celaeno said. “Last I heard, some explorers and adventurers were poking around Somnambula in Southern Equestria, hoping to strike gold.” She shrugged. “Not sure if the gold there is what you’re looking for, but… a pegasus called Daring Do was in that area. She dealt with a couple of magic artifacts in the past.” She stood. “Not sure if she’ll help you, but… it’s better than Sirens.” 

#

Rainbow Dash’s eyes bugged out of her skull. 
“Oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh-oh-my-GOSH!” Rainbow Dash stammered, “You met DARING DO?!”
Logan tilted his head at her. “Is it important that I met her?” I asked.
Rainbow Dash nearly suffered a conniption right there. “IS IT IMPORTANT?!” she screamed.
“Daring Do’s the most famous adventurer of Equestria,” Twilight stammered in glee. “We have almost all of her books in Ponyville: Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone…”
“Daring Do and the Sapphire Statue; Daring Do and the Griffon’s Goblet, Daring Do and the…” Rainbow Dash recited, before she had to stop at the look of utter bafflement Logan was shooting. “I mean… if she’s real, she’s a pretty big deal.”
Logan was still silent for a moment. He then grinned.
“She was kind of a prick.”
“WHAT?!” 

#

A few minutes passed before Rainbow Dash could be kept from trying to strangle Logan. The fact that Logan had burst into a fit of wild cackling hadn’t helped. As Applejack, Celestia and two Royal Guards managed to drag a twitching, sputtering Rainbow Dash out, Fluttershy calmed Logan down.  
“I’m sure it was very amusing,” Fluttershy said in a deadpan tone. “But did you take their lead?” 
Logan’s grin faded. “I did…” he admitted. “But not then.”
Twilight’s ear flicked. “Wait, so… you had another lead, and you still went into the Sirens’ home?”

#

“I don’t trust ponies,” was my reason.
Celaeno deflated at my word, but at that point, it was more than clear I was set on my path.
“Don’t say I didn’t try to warn you,” she noted, before turning back the wheel. 
The airship curved to port (yeah, I figured out ship terms for right and left; deal with it), and they opened a plank for me.
As I walked onto the plank, the captain handed me some odd feeling tubes. 
“Sirens songs can seduce even the toughest sailor,” she warned me. “The effect isn't as bad out here, but it’s gonna get worse the closer you go. Use that wax to seal your ears so you don’t end up another one of their slaves.”
I nodded and stuffed my ears. tying my mom’s scarf around my head just as an extra precaution.
It was eerie. I relied on my hearing just as much as my nose. Heck, I relied on both of them more than my eyes. Now, all I could hear was the rush of blood in my head. I could still smell the salt of the sea, along with the parrot’s odd salt-tipped musk, and I could - of course - see the rocks and mist, but there was no sound. The captain gave me a feather thumb up, but even that cause me to jump, just because I couldn’t hear the strain of her clothing. Her eyes glanced back at the pearly mist with doubt, and she glanced at me with a silent ‘are you sure you want to do this?’
I nodded, and turned to the edge of the plank. With a small breath, I jumped off the side and plummeted paws first into the waves. 
There wasn’t even a hum of water, the wax was that good. I briefly looked back at the parrots – who had lined up with piteous looks, like they were sending me off in a coffin – and I started paddling for the island.

#

“And you… didn’t have any trouble swimming there?” Twilight asked.
Logan glared at her. 
“Sorry,” she rectified. “We just never saw you swim before.”
“Plus, leather isn’t exactly the best swimming gear to go with,” Rainbow Dash noted.
“I know how to do doggy paddle,” Logan replied. “And there was no way I was leaving my jacket on the boat.” He held himself higher. “Believe me,” he assured them. “That island held a tough fight for me, but fighting the current wasn’t one of them.”

#

Though, the silence was really eerie. I could feel the waves patting at me. I could smell the stink of the sea. I could see the rocks forming out of the waves. I could even feel their sharp edges when my paws got too close. But I got absolutely no information from my ears. Just a blank drone of absolute silence. 
Eventually, the water faded to rocks and gravel, and I pulled myself, sopping wet, onto land. With a brief shake to dispel some of the water, I continued onward.
The mist got thicker; it gained a greenish hue. There was also something… vibrating. Again, I couldn’t hear anything, but something pulsated against my fur, making it feel like I was being buffeted by some sort of wind. Something was singing; and whatever it was, it was loud.
I forged my way forward. The green glow shifted to a more golden glow. At first, I was worried I was going into Ocetorm’s lair again. 
But this time, the treasure wasn’t as prominent. What was prominent were the people.
There were several types of creatures laying around me. Some of them were parrots, like the pirates I had left behind. Some were griffons, their feline halves on full display.
And there were others: equine faces, but fish back halves. Flippers beat in time with the vibrations around me.

#

“A hippocampus,” Celestia breathed, looking away. “Queen Novo…?” 
“Wait, who now?” several of the mares and even Logan asked. 
“A-Apologies,” Celestia said. She motioned to me. “Please, Logan. I’m sorry for interrupting. Please continue.” 
The mares looked between the two, almost expecting Logan to defy her; to say ‘no, who is this Queen Novo?’ But instead… 

#

Well, I didn’t really get to ask who they were. They lay around, their eyes glazed and a dumb happy expression scrawled across their faces. And above them all, crooning softly, was what looked like more hippocampi. 
At least, I thought they were hippocampi at first; horse front half, fish back half. But as I drew closer, I realized that their ‘fish’ back half was actually more of a serpent back half. Indeed, they were less half horse, half fish, and more half horse – half dragon…

#

Celestia stood. “Three of them… they weren’t golden, blue or purple, were they?”
Logan pondered it, but shook his head. “They had a lot of colors. But none of them were… revered or held higher than the others.”
Rainbow Dash glanced between them. “Whoa-whoa, hang on. What?” 
“The three Sirens Starswirl banished…” Twilight explained nervously. “Were they back?”
Logan was silent for a moment. Twilight started to sweat.
“No,” he finally said, glaring at Twilight and Celestia as they breathed in relief. “They didn’t come back.” 
The two looked relieved at that, at least until his next words.
“But that didn’t mean they were any less dangerous.” 

#

The first sign of their danger was the looks they shot me. Some were suspicious. A few were angry, glaring at my ear blocks like some wax and a scarf had done them a personal wrong. And one just looked irritated, like I was the latest annoyance in their lives. I felt a slight lurch as the pitch of their song increased, and the hippocampi stirred, all looking at me with big eyes and wide smiles, like I was the guest of honor.
A shiver went up my spine.
But, nothing happened at first. They just kept… staring at me. I glared up at the sirens.   “You guys lost three of your people to unicorns,” I said, really hating how I couldn’t even hear my own voice. “What happened to them?” 
The Sirens expressions changed: some to shock. Others to greater anger. Probably shouldn’t have mentioned their dead. One of them motioned to my ears, and mimed taking my plugs out.  
I chuckled. “Not gonna happen,” I growled. Again, it was so weird not being able to hear.
The Siren simply shrugged. I felt another lurch in their pitch, and their slaves’ faces changed, again in that creepy sync. Their eyes narrowed, and their grins became much less like a happy pony, and more like a wolf bearing his teeth. 
I glared at them, but my glare did nothing. Part of me didn’t want to hurt them; I could hear the thrum of the Siren’s song pushing at my auditory blocks, begging to be let in to turn my brain to mush. These guys had lost that fight. If I lost, I’d be just like them; some happy slave of the Sirens.
The slaves were approaching. The Sirens leaned back like they were going to watch a show. 
But I had one trick they didn’t. 
You guys remember when Diamond Tiara tried to get a posse after me?
Well, I tilted my head back, focusing on those same feelings that I had felt when the mob had cornered me. I let a howl slip loose, and even if I couldn’t hear it… I knew they could. 
The hippocampi, the griffons, even the pirates… they all backed up, grasping for their ears, their eyes clearing.
The Sirens… panicked! They yelped and tried to fight my pitch. But their servants only stopped struggling when I ran out of breath. I huffed out my last note and grinned at the Sirens menacingly. 
The biggest Siren growled. I felt his baritone through the plugs.
“What. Do you want?” his voice vibrated, with me recognizing the tone of the words and the shape of his lips. 
“How did you try to get them back,” I demanded. “Haven’t you tried to get them back?”
The Sirens grimaced and looked away.
“What could we do?” the leader demanded. “The ponies are the only ones capable of such magic. Once they were gone… there was no hope…”
If I hadn’t been freaked out of my mind, I might have felt pity for them. As it was, I only felt frustrated and angry. These guys had come the closest to what I had gone through, and they hadn’t done a single thing to try and get their people back. 
Well, I thought angrily. If these guys can’t even care about their own, then they don’t deserve servants.
I tilted my head back, and howled again. Louder. Stronger. I felt electricity course off of me as I bayed to the misty stars above.
The Sirens wailed back, but I wasn’t going to let them win. I forced the air into my lungs and howled again. Electric shockwaves pulsed out from me. Several of the hippocampi clutched at their heads, screaming along with me. 
But that’s when the Sirens struck. One of them whipped her serpent half, pinning my arms to my side. 
I kept howling. I could see the dazed expressions fading from the others, and I couldn’t take these things on alone.
Two more sirens struck. Their tails got around my snout, trying to shut it closed. But the problem with that is that I didn’t need my jaws apart to howl. My howl did become more of a whistle, but that only made whatever was happening work faster. 
At least I hoped it was. My lungs were emptying rapidly, and I couldn’t draw breath back in due to the pressure on my chest. My entire body was going numb. 
A smarter siren tried to stuff her tail into my mouth, but I bit her and kept going. My head started to feel light. My vision blurred.
I couldn’t hear anything, and the rest of my senses were going. I briefly made out a blur of color. Blue and purple clashing against white and pink. 
But as the last vestiges of my breath faded from my body, and the tails around me crushed with the force of an anaconda, I felt my grip on the real-world fade.

#

Logan sat back with a grin on his face. His grin faded as he saw the unimpressed looks of the mares.
“What?” he asked.
“So, what happened next?” Rainbow Dash asked. “You don’t expect to fool us with the idea that those Sirens got you, did you?” 
Logan shrugged. “What can I say?” he replied. “I like watching you guys squirm.”
Applejack chuckled. “Ain’t happening, sugar,” she said. “So… what happened next?” 

#

When I woke up, the Sirens were gone. And I had a hippocampus above me. 
“He’s coming around,” she called, as I blinked and managed to breathe, surprised that my lungs were drawing breath. I tried to sit up, but the hippocampus stopped me. “Easy, now,” she told me. “You went through a lot to get us free.”
“Free?” I asked. For a second, I panicked. I could hear! Someone had removed my plugs! But when I looked around, the Sirens were nowhere to be seen. Instead, groups of griffons and pirates were moving their treasure back to the shoreline. A lot of them looked miffed, or at the very least humiliated.
“Should…” I muttered. “I assume whatever I did worked.”
The hippocampus smiled at me. “It did,” she confirmed. “That awful howling sound woke us up. And the pirates managed to last long enough to get their own ears plugged. The Sirens didn’t last much longer after that.”
It was a little insulting that she considered my howl 'awful,' along with humiliating that I had to rely on others to get out of this battle, but the grin she was giving me kind of made it alright.
“Hey,” she said. “You helped us. If it wasn’t for you, we would’ve been slaves to the Sirens forever.” 
“Crystal’s right,” an older hippocampus said. He slithered over, kind of like a snake, but his face was kindly. “We owe you our lives, canine stranger.” He glanced over at the griffons and pirates, who were doing their best to avoid my gaze. “Even if some don’t see it that way.”
I pulled myself up to my paws, and shook myself off. 
“Anytime,” I replied brusquely. “Didn’t feel right leaving you guys there.”
“Nevertheless, we still owe you,” the male – I’m guessing he was like their leader or something – said. “And we intend to repay the debt.” He motioned to a coral green and ocean blue pair of sea ponies, who looked ready to drive a chariot or something. “Our two best swimmers will take you anywhere on the mainland you wanna go.”
The two straightened, already eager to swim. 
“Where to?” the green one asked. 
I thought back to Celaeno; I thought about her lead. 
Daring Do.
“Somnambula,” I said. “There’s someone there I gotta find.” 
The sea pony nodded and extended her neck. I grabbed onto the blue one, and held tight as they sped me across the waves.
> Chapter 13: The Riddles of the Sphinx
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

In a few days’ time, we reached Somnambula. I was partially sure my sea pony escorts would drag me into the depths; or reveal that the Sirens had control over me or something. But nope; they got me to the shoreline, and I saw a sign labeled ‘Somnambula’ right on the docks.
And boy was it HOT! I barely got flung onto the docks before I was panting raggedly. No way the Sirens could replicate heat this bad! My fur was not something I needed here. I briefly looked back, but my sea pony companions had vanished back into the waves with a flick of their tails. Apparently, the heat didn’t agree with them either. Didn’t matter; I had a new companion to track anyway.
After merely a few minutes of wandering, I knew that there was no way I’d be capable of getting around with the sun boiling me alive. I sought out a nice shady spot under some trees. There, I stripped off my jacket and scarf, and used my blades to shear my fur off. It left me looking pretty scraggly, but the heat became a little more bearable.
Problem was, I wasn’t willing to sit in the shade all day, and set off again. Yes, without any idea where I was gonna find this girl. Luckily, I had enough sense to ask some of the residence.  
Most of them were either zebras or really dark horses (how they could stand the heat in black is anyone’s guess). But, I wandered over to the friendliest looking one – this mare with really nice green eyes – and just asked, “Daring Do?”
She paused, looking back at me, but I simply tilted my head. She was silent for a moment. But then she pointed to the edge of town.  
I nodded in thanks, and headed towards where she had pointed.
Something really funny; I had to ask several people about her before I got on the right track. And even then, I noticed looks of irritation; apparently, this Daring Do had a reputation. And whatever it was, it wasn’t all good.  
Shut up, Dash! 

#

When night finally came, it brought with it cold. A cold I didn’t expect after a day in the hot sun. I found myself missing my fur pretty quickly, even though I had my jacket and scarf to compensate. 
But, it made trekking through the desert much easier. I had run out of folks to ask, but I still had my nose. And while the scent was faint, I could make out a vague pony scent, mixed with some sort of – I wanna say southern spices. Whatever it was, it was potent enough that I could track it. 
A few minutes of tracking later, I nearly got trampled. I jumped to the side as three ponies shot past me, racing away screaming into the night. Interesting, but the scent of pony and spice wasn’t on them, and so I kept going.
After an hour or two, I made it to a really run down looking old temple. Looked like someone had taken a battering ram to Canterlot Plaza. There were fallen pillars everywhere, and a caved in interior. As I got closer, my ears flicked. I made out the sound of combat. Smelled the rush of blood.
As I got closer, another pony tore out of the bit of temple still standing. A dark furred stallion, with stupid slicked back hair and, oddly enough, some sort of stubble around his chin. Either ponies could get a five o’clock shadow like humans, or he had forgotten to wipe his mouth after eating ash. 
“No treasure is worth this!” he screamed, racing past me. “Flee for your lives!” 
I glanced back his way, before I heard voices inside.
“…never rest… sometimes blue… worthless alone…”
I tilted my head. Something was going down in there. I raced inside, finding myself in a room full of pillars. Unlike the crashed ones, these pillars held up the ceiling to a pretty magnificent room. A single doorway stood beyond, with three empty pedestals next to it. A fourth had some sort of statue that had been smashed to bits. Drawings and markings covered the wall around the doorway.
When I tried to approach it, a pony flung herself in front of me, scrambling to get behind a pillar. I gasped; the scent of pony spice was coming from her! 
Pegasus. Tan fur, with an olive-green explorer jacket and a faded white pith helmet that barely hid a grayscale mane. She locked rose-colored eyes with me, before I heard a scraping, purring sound. A sound I recognized sadly. 
I tensed up, my fur bristling. The pegasus slid behind her pillar, her expression defiant and yet slightly fearful. And as the purring grew louder, I strode forward, and found myself facing a bunch of… cats? 
Upon closer inspection, I noticed their heads were more equine than feline. No whiskers or snout. They had odd makeup and weird little wigs on their heads, outlined with gold. Eagle wings flapped on their backs, and the rest of their body slinked towards me like panthers in the night.
I growled in warning at them, and they stopped, their eyes scanning me with intrigue. Then… they spoke. 
“I never rest,” a golden furred one said, “I’m never still; I move slowly, from hill to hill. I do not walk, run nor trot. All is cool, where I am not.” 
Before I could think of answering her, the one with the darkest colored fur spoke.
“I am old, yet sometimes new. Never sad, sometimes blue. Never empty, but sometimes full. Never push, always pull.” 
And before I could even turn to her, the third one – a hot pink, interestingly enough – spoke.
“I am not bought, yet stolen with a glance. Worthless alone, yet priceless in a dance.”
I stared at them, ears and tail perked up. I pointed at the third one. 
“That was shorter than the others,” I noted.
Apparently, they didn’t like that. As one, they bared sharp teeth in malicious smiles, drew vicious looking claws, and lunged. 

#

“Those were Sphinxes,” Twilight exclaimed. “If you didn’t solve their riddles, they’d try to kill you!”
“Oh yeah,” Logan admitted, parting the fur on his head to reveal several faded claw marks. “I figured that out real fast.” 

#

Those Sphinxes were brutal. My head and chest were getting shredded before I knew what was going on. My barriers flared to life, but even then, it didn’t take away the sting from the cuts they had already inflicted. Nor did it do much to halt their relentless clawing and biting. The golden sphinx went to eat my head whole, that equine mouth revealing a row of sharp lion’s teeth, but I managed to dodge away from it, only to run right into another swipe from the dark sphinx.
I really hate to admit it, but I quickly found myself backing down from these cats. Then again, those weren’t your average house cats. They were, like… Arnold Swash-de-kitties. I don’t know, I heard someone call something like them that once.
Either way, I turned tail and ran. Blood stung my eyes, and my chest screamed in protest. I lost them by circling several of the pillars. For a moment, I was allowed to rest. Then my ears picked up a presence next to me. I turned, nearly taking Daring Do’s head off.
As it was, she caught my impulsive swing, and forced my arm down with a harsh ‘sh’ noise. We both sat as still as we possibly could, as the purr of the sphinxes returned.
“I never rest, I’m never still…” the golden one purred. 
“Never sad, sometimes blue,” the dark one meowed. 
“Worthless alone, yet priceless in a dance,” the third crooned.
They drew closer. Daring Do and I raced to another pillar, hiding behind them.
“What's the deal with these guys?” I hissed.
“Sphinxes,” Daring Do growled, peeking out from behind the pillar before fixing me with a glare. “You were an idiot to come here! One Sphinx is bad enough, but a group of them?” She shook her head. “We try and answer one riddle; the others will take it to mean we’re answering theirs incorrectly.” 
“Riddles?” I asked, very much out of the loop.
Daring Do growled and raced away. “I don’t have time to deal with a rookie,” she declared. I raced after her, hearing the purr of the pink one right behind our pillar.
We barely avoided the golden one lunging out at us, before we were forced out of the temple entirely. We raced out through a hole in the wall and took cover under the debris that might have been the wall.
“I take it you’re Daring Do,” I growled, more focused on the Sphinxes then her.
“Oh, what gave you that idea?” she muttered sarcastically. We both went silent as we heard one of the Sphinxes prowling right above us. 
“Never rest… never still,” she purred, crossing right past us. “Moving slowly from hill to hill.”
We waited until she was out of sight before turning to each other. 
“Look,” I hissed. “I heard you know about magic artifacts.”
“Well, that knowledge ain’t gonna help if we become cat food,” she snapped. 
“Then we take them out together,” I replied. 
Daring Do looked away. “I work alone,” she started to mutter, before I grabbed her by the throat and forced her to look at me.
“You wanna take those things on alone?” I growled at her. “I saw your crew leave; right now, I’m the only ally you got.”
Daring Do cracked a grin. “You think those cowards were mine?” she asked, having to hide her laugh as a Sphinx craned her head around. We rushed to a different hiding spot before we continued. “Those guys were my rivals. In my line of work, you never know who it is you can trust.”
“Yeah?” I snapped, shoving her face towards where the hot pink one was. “Well, right now, both of us are gonna be cat food if we don’t get these guys. Considering we ain’t out to eat each other, seems as good a reason to trust me now. Speaking of which…” I yelped when the pink one caught us, and we were forced into another sprint into the temple. “How’re we gonna kill them?”
Daring Do gave me a really frustrated glare, but sighed. “We just have to answer their riddle,” she said. “We get them separate, and answer them one at a time.”
“Fine,” I said. “Which one do you need me to separate from the others.”
Her eyes widened. “Wait, what?”
“Unless there’s an end-all-be-all answer to those questions they keep mumbling,” I noted. “Sounds like we need to get them on their own. You tell me which one you got the answer to, and I’ll separate em from her pals.”
Daring Do gave me a suspicious glare, but the purr of the sphinxes emanated, not giving her a lot of options. She craned her neck around, seeing all three grouped together.
“Goldie,” she whispered, pointing at the lead one. “Get the others away from Goldie.”
I nodded, and started scooting my way around the pillar. Daring Do briefly grabbed my tail.
“If you backstab me…,” she warned, but I just glared right back at her.
“Then I’ll end up cat food too,” I replied, yanking my tail from her and moving to flank the sphinxes.
Thankfully, they didn’t spot me, and I managed to sneak right to their back, before leaping out.
“Forty-two!” I howled, instantly drawing their gaze. They grinned their malicious grins and advanced, before Daring Do shot out. 
“The Sun!” she yelled. The golden sphinx turned to her. So, did the pink one, but I hurled a rock at her. 
“Your big fat butt!” I snarled. The pink one took particular offense to that. 
But, with the black and pink ones coming for me, the golden one was left alone, staring at Daring as she spoke. 
“The sun,” Daring explained. “It’s never resting, and never still. It moves from horizon to horizon. Celestia moves it, so it doesn’t walk, run or trot. And everything its light touches is warmed, so it’s cool where it is not.” 
The golden Sphinx roared in anger, but before it could lunge at her, one of the pedestals glowed, and the sphinx faded into golden sparks, flitting through the air to one of the pedestals. The golden sparks flew into the pedestal, and a statue took its place, in the exact likeness of the sphinx.
Her two sisters let out roars of rage, and came at me with a fury, hurling me to my back with their relentless clawing. Daring Do jumped onto the dark one, trying to hoist it up into the air with her wings, but the dark sphinx head butt her, and spun around.
“The…” Daring Do tried to yell, only for the pink one to whirl onto her. Turns out those two were learning from the first’s mistakes. As they got Daring Do to the ground, I pulled myself up and raced at them. The two almost got Daring Do’s head and tail between their jaws when I lunged in, snatching her from the jaws of death (literally). 
The two of us were forced into another game of cat and pony/wolf. No matter what we did, those two wouldn’t separate. They barely even whispered their riddles anymore, only doing so with all the reluctance of a wolf whelp leaving his mother’s belly. 
Daring Do and I soon found ourselves flat out running, trying to escape these relentless cats.
“I got the riddle for the dark one,” Daring Do told me. 
“Ain’t gonna be much good if we can’t separate them,” I replied. “You think you can take any more hits from these guys?” 
I wasn’t speaking hyperbole. Both of us were completely torn up. My jacket was more like a bunch of ribbons. The blood had dried somewhat, but I could see the tremble in her step, and felt the cold exhaustion of my own stamina dwindling. 
Daring Do glanced away, and then looked up at one of the walls we were approaching. “I got an idea,” she said, spreading her wings and flying ahead. “When we reach the wall, get Pinkie.” 
Yes, I did briefly think of you, Pinkie. But as she arced up towards the wall, I saw the dark and pink sphinxes spreading their eagle wings. 
I skidded in the dirt, turning on a dime for them. The last time I did this, it hadn’t been enough to succeed. But I had one advantage this time: my target was coming straight for me.
Thus, as the sphinxes tried to fly over me, I caught the pink one by her tail, and dragged her to the ground. She roared out a warning, but before her sister could respond, Daring Do leaped onto it as well.
The pick one roared and bucked as I hung onto its nape. But she wasn’t strong enough, and I heard Daring Do answer the dark one’s riddle.
“The Moon!” she cried out. “It’s been around since the dawn of time, and can’t feel sadness, but its phases include blue, new and full moons.”
The sphinx shook her head with a growl. “Never pushing, always…”she tried to protest, but Daring Do was on top of it. 
“It never pushes anything, but it’s orbit pulls the tide!” she said quickly. The dark sphinx gave a yowl of defeat as she joined her golden sister on the pedestal.
Unfortunately, my grin didn’t last, as the pink one got in a good smack that sent me tumbling into Daring Do. Both of us were on our last legs, and the sphinx knew it. She prowled towards the two of us, her equine face stretched into a sadistic grin.
“I am not bought, yet stolen with a glance,” she said smugly. “Worthless alone, yet priceless in a dance.”
I struggled to my paws, as did Daring Do. “O-One left,” I noted, trying to limp away. “Any ideas?”
Daring Do shook her head as she limped alongside me. “That one’s still throwing me,” she said. “A dance? What’s worthless alone but priceless in a dance?”
The sphinx meowed in glee and lunged forward, smacking me right into a pillar. For a moment, I could only lay there, as the sphinx hit Daring Do with her tail, and send her rolling across the temple floor. The sphinx thought she had won; she was savoring her victory.
But just as with every smug foe I had encountered, their time to gloat was time I used to think.
“Dance… priceless in a dance, yet worthless alone.” My ears flared. “Can’t be… but in this world… sometimes you need two people to dance. Well, you can dance alone, but her answer’s worthless alone. And if it’s stolen with a glance… worthless to one, but priceless to two!” 
I pulled my head up. “Love!” I croaked.
The sphinx paused, her eyes widening.
“It’s love,” I whispered, my head dipping back to the ground. 
Her head slowly turned to me, her eyes pleading that she was mishearing. 
“Love isn’t something that can be bought,” I said. “But love at first sight is the chance to steal someone’s heart, and begin a pack. Love’s useless when you’re alone, but in a dance – with a lover… or a pack…” I winced, thinking back to the people I was trying to get to. “It’s priceless,” I whispered. 
The sphinx shook her head. “No,” she denied, even as her body began to fade into pink sparkles. “NOOO!” she yowled before once again being turned into stone.
Daring Do stared at me for a second, awe written across her face. My entire body felt like it belonged in a blender, but it wasn’t as bad as Ocetorm. I had managed to get through a lot of my injuries by reminding myself about Ocetorm. So, I forced myself back up to my paws, and held my head high. 
Daring Do forced herself up as well. We both looked over at the door between the sphinx statues as it suddenly opened with a click. Gold shined from within.
Daring Do turned back to me. “Who… are you?” she asked. 
I spat out a bit of blood and grinned at her. “Logan,” I said. “But you might know me as the Lone Wolf of Equestria.” 

#

We used some of the gold we found in the Sphinx’s vault to pay for a hospital – or a vet clinic in my case. Diamond Dogs were close enough to my kind, and the vet we went to had some experience with them; talked a bit about how diamond dogs migrated, or something like that. I didn’t really care. I also used some of the gold inside to repair my jacket; no way was I letting that thing stay as sheared up ribbons. 
I stuck with Daring Do, not letting her out of my sight. I had gone through a lot to get to her. Thankfully, she seemed grateful enough that I had helped her out. And the fact that I had a bounty probably let her know that I wouldn’t be allied with anyone she had fought; they’d just turn a dog like me in for more gold. 
I’ve noticed that out here, people are really obsessed with gold. If I found a guy who literally married his gold, I was going to have a fit. 
But, either way, after about a week of stitching and resting, Daring Do and I found ourselves at one of her safehouses. There, she had something I was really hoping for: a list of legendary artifacts.
“So,” Daring Do said, after I had explained my situation. “You’re looking for a way home to an alternate dimension, which you were only taken from by Princess Celestia?”
“Long and short of it,” I replied. 
Daring Do grimaced as she looked over her list of artifacts. “I hate to say it, kid, but not many of the artifacts I work with are capable of inter-dimensional travel.” She gave me a sad look. “Best I can tell you is hope Princess Celestia…”
“That’s not an option for me,” I said quickly, not wanting to hear another ‘go back to Equestria’ line.
Daring Do sighed. “Kid…” she began, but I cut her off.
“’She’s the only one who can get me back,’” I said. “I know, and she won’t do it. And I’m not going to let my pack suffer and die because she’s a coward.”
A million emotions shot across Dare’s face at that point; shock at my calling the princess a coward, and then curiosity at my next words. “Your… pack?” she asked. 
I looked down, my ears flattening. My instincts warned me against showing weakness, but Daring Do was a pony. You guys seemed to have a natural empathy for others. 
“There’s not a lot of them left,” I said. “But… I have several uncles. A, uh… Carol… my parents used to be there, but they’re not anymore, and…” I sighed. “I left them all behind. And I can’t rest until I know for sure that I can get them back.” 
Daring Do gave me a long, hard look. She glanced down at my claws. “I noticed you… had some sort of glow around you when we were fighting the sphinxes.” She leaned forward. “Do you… know magic?”
I sighed and flexed my claws. Sparks briefly danced across my claws. “Just a bit,” I admitted.
She nodded, and turned to another list. She blew some dust off a parchment, and slid it to me. 
“Legends talked about a Crystal Empire,” Daring Do told me, indicating a picture of heart that looked forged out of crystal. “It was lost to a curse thousands of years ago. But one of its greatest treasures, was the Crystal Heart.”
I took the photo, looking at it hopefully. “You think this thing has what I’m looking for?”
Daring Do shrugged. “It was on my list for a long time,” she admitted. “Though the Empire was apparently gone without a trace, I heard rumors and myths that it’s ruins might be situated up north, near the Artic Wastelands.” She fixed me with a searching look. “It might be nothing more than a goose chase…”
I stood up. “But it’s still a lead.” I started to hand the thing back, before she indicated I should keep it. “Thanks.”
She nodded. “You helped me against those sphinxes,” she said. “And you didn’t backstab me for the gold.” She gave me another searching look. “You ain’t like most of the creatures I’ve met.”
“I’m a simple creature,” I replied. “I just want to get back to my pack.”
She nodded, accepting that. “Well, you’re better than some.” She glanced at the gold we still had left over. “Fair if we split it, fifty-fifty?”
Normally, I would have been happy to leave her all the gold. But I ended up taking her offer. A walk to the north would have taken a long time, and I wasn’t happy with the lack of progress I had made thus far. So, I did something I really came to regret.
I used my share for local transport.
> Chapter 14: Crazy Train
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight was stunned. “You… used the train?” she asked. “But… I’ve calculated the train routes. How long were you shifting through the snow?”
Logan laughed. “Shifting through the snow? I don’t think I got to be in that wasteland for more than a few days before I found you guys.” 
Twilight looked down at her list. “But we didn’t get assigned to come there – here -  for another few weeks,” she insisted. “What were you doing?”
Logan glanced away. “Paying for taking the train. And I don’t mean in gold.” 

#

See, the problem with the train is that it’s predominantly ridden by ponies. Griffons and dragons don’t need it; they have wings. And sea ponies obviously can’t. So, you’ll probably think it was weird to have a train full of ponies, with a single diamond dog sitting in the back. 
I didn’t try to make my presence a big thing. I sat in the back, and kept to myself.
Unfortunately, I still drew more than my fair share of eyes. A simple baring of my teeth kept anyone from acting too worried or suspicious. 
But, all too soon enough, something happened. 

#

Logan turned to Celestia, who gave a resigned sigh.
“So, tell me, Celestia,” he said. “What do you know about a ‘Tempest Shadow?’”
Celestia and the others tilted their heads.
“Who?” Celestia asked.
“Tempest Shadow,” Logan said. “Dark coat. Wore darker armor. Broken horn. Mohawk. Attitude that makes me look pleasant?” He narrowed his eyes. “Not important enough for you to care about?”
Celestia’s ears flattened. “Logan,” she said, struggling to keep her tone patient. “I may not have the time for all my subjects, but I can assure you, I would have known a ‘Tempest Shadow.’”
“Sounds like a bad guy,” Rainbow Dash commented.
“Sort of,” Logan admitted. “If you consider a mare working for the former Storm King bad.” 
The others blanched, horror written on their faces.
“Oh, she must have been mad at you,” Pinkie commented.
“Mad?” Logan noted, more to himself, with a chuckle, before continuing the story. 

#

I’m not sure when she made her appearance. The problem with riding on a train as opposed to walking is that you become lethargic. I started nodding off; a really dumb idea when I was surrounded by ponies. I’m halfway between sleeping and waking, when I suddenly notice Ms. Shadow sitting next to me. Staring at me with cold green eyes. 
I only noticed her through half-lidded eyes; it looked like she was waiting for me to wake up so she could do something dramatic. Problem was, she must have been waiting a while because she was looking steadily more and more annoyed. I simply grinned and pretended to keep sleeping. You guys are more fun when you’re angry. 
At least, I thought so until she realized I was messing with her. 
She seized me by the ear and dragging me from my seat. I let out a surprised bark-yelp before she hurled me right out the back door. I’m sure the ponies had their own reactions, but none of them came to my aid. I staggered in the line between the two cars while the dark mare stormed out. 
“Silly little dog,” she said, a malicious snarl on her face. “A dog with hunters even from Equestria, and you choose public transport?” She chuckled. “You practically gift-wrapped yourself for me.”  
She went for a buck that would have knocked me right off the train if I hadn’t managed to dodge it. I followed up with a slash, briefly noticing a scar over her right eye before I nearly threw her off the train as well.
“You’re not the first of Celestia’s pony bounty hunter I’ve dealt with,” I snarled back at her, seizing her by the neck and pinning her against the wall. “If anything, you’re easier to deal with,” I added with my own malicious grin.
Her eyes widened in indignant anger.
“I am not one of Celestia’s pawns,” she snarled, before her horn exploded with light. I hit the other train car before she went for another buck. I jumped up, reaching the roof of the train car. Bit of a mistake, as the sudden wind smacked me in the face, sending me rolling across the train car roof. I managed to catch myself, just as the mare leaped up as well. She used the wind to her advantage, shooting forward with a kick that hit me right in the gut. I stumbled backward, as she rolled with the fall, tripping me up and catching my tail to suplex me to the ground.
“The Storm King was my only chance to fix this!” she snarled, shoving her broken horn, still sparking and flickering, into my face. “And you MURDERED HIM!”
“The Storm King?” I asked. My ears flattened. “You’re honestly seeking vengeance for that idiot?”
That was probably the wrong thing to say when I had a sparking and likely unstable horn in my face, but remember, I had my own bit of magic. She ground her teeth in tranquil fury, and tried to blast me with a pretty impressive imitation of my lightning, only for me to catch her by the face and channel my own lightning back. Our little display almost caused a storm: dark clouds swirled overhead as white lightning clashed against rainbow lightning. I won’t lie; she knew how to make it hurt. But, in our struggle, I got my paws under her, and kicked her off hard, blasting her back with an extra bolt for good measure. I rolled backward, back into that pit between train cars. The coupling was the only reason I didn’t fall under the tracks, and despite my entire nervous system feeling like it was on fire, I managed to arc out enough that my body was caught between the two cars. 
Now, normally, as a wolf, I’m pretty used to lightning. Granted, it hurts like hell when it’s used against me, but it didn’t manage to kill me the first time, and it didn’t kill me this time. But she didn’t know that. So, as I heard her stomping across the roof, I ended up emulating an old trick that humans used to teach my kind; playing dead.
Her head poked over the side, glaring down at my limp form, and she pulled herself down to the coupling.
“How did the Storm King manage to lose to a foal like you?” she asked, before her horn flared with lightning again. “No matter,” she decided, almost to herself. “You destroyed my only chance of restoring what I lost. And today, you die to Tempest Shadow.” 
Damn. Guess ponies could be ruthless when they wanted to be. It was a pity she didn’t get the chance. Because the moment she went to grab me, I shot up, planting my claw over her mouth. I pumped two thousand volts right into her face before releasing her. With a POP, Tempest Shadow was blown off the train and out of sight.  

#

Rainbow Dash and Applejack glanced at each other with awe.
“And… was that it?” Applejack asked.
Logan shook his head. “Nope,” he admitted. “No, she still had some kick left in her. Figured out how to get back on the train, if you can believe it.”
Twilight looked up. “How?” she asked. “If her horn was broken, she shouldn’t be able to teleport, or levitate or handle more complex spells.”
“Maybe she didn’t use magic,” Logan snapped back. “You ever consider things like… grapple guns?”
Twilight went silent at that, her face turning red with embarrassment. Rainbow Dash, on the other hand, looked like she wanted to find Tempest Shadow and challenge her. 
“Wow,” Rainbow Dash mumbled. “Where d’you think she learned how to fight?”
“Storm King might have had a teacher or two he intimidated into training her,” Logan admitted. “Either way, Tempest wasn’t the only problem I had on that train.” 

#

I returned to my seat, only to find a surprise: a bright pink Diamond Dog was sitting in the back. She shot me a seductive grin, even as I moved back to my seat.
My mind whirled with the implication. A diamond dog here? But I hadn’t seen any other dogs when I got on. Was I just being inattentive? Or was something else at play here?
I didn’t get long to wonder if it had just been a trick of the eyes: the diamond dog got out of her seat and walked right over to me. Hard to mistake a giant pink dog for a pony, I can assure you of that. 
She indicated the empty seat next to me. 
“May I?” she asked, in a voice that sounded like sugar. 
I shrugged, and looked away as she sat down next to me. 
She looked like… um, do you guys have beagles? Cuz she had the head of a beagle, with soft brown eyes and blue spots complimenting the pink. Instead of a vest, she wore some sort of muumuu dress with flowers imprinted on it. The whole thing was oddly gaudy, and a bit of an eyesore. If that’s what Diamond Dogs were attracted to, then maybe I should’ve tried to pass myself off as a timber wolf instead. 
“Nice day, isn’t it?” she asked. 
I shrugged again. Weather wasn’t too bad. A couple of clouds over a sapphire blue sky. The sort of scenery I came to expect living with you guys.
“I just wanted to thank you for taking care of that nasty mare,” the diamond dog said. “You probably saved everyone on this train.”
I did notice one mare shoot me an odd look. Like, maybe she agreed with the beast next to me. But I didn’t really care. 
“Someone had to,” I mumbled, not really caring.
“You were so brave,” the diamond dog continued. Her paw touched at my arm. “So strong, too.” 
I jerked my arm away with a small growl. I was really wishing she’d go away. 
I… sorta got my wish. 
“You know where the best seat in the house is?” the dog offered, leaning closer like she was sharing some sort of secret.
I rolled my eyes. “Where?” I asked. This lady didn’t seem to get the hint that I didn’t want to talk. 
“The roof,” she said. “Fresh air. Private.” She grinned as another pony shot us a look. “A lot less hostile glares.”
I chuckled. “I’ve been on the roof,” I replied. “Not my style.” It wasn’t just the fight from before; this lady was really making me nervous. Something was off about her scent, her voice had this odd whisper to it, even after she was done talking. Overall, everything about her was screaming ‘Danger!’
She huffed. I couldn’t tell if she was chuckling, or just getting frustrated. 
“Well,” she declared. “I think I’m gonna go up on the roof.” 
“Whatever,” I said. 
She got up and headed for the door. She glanced back. 
“You’re not just gonna let a lady go up on the roof unescorted, are you?”
I shrugged. “Ain’t my business what you do,” I said. “I’m happy right here.”
I checked that my blades were ready, my ears twitching for when she eventually dropped the act and just attacked. Though, I got the sense that she didn’t want to make a scene. I was ironically safer with the ponies glaring at me than I was alone with her.
The dog let out a disappointed groan, and moved to exit. But then I heard her gasp. 
“That awful mare’s back,” she screamed. 
Part of me wanted to believe she was lying. But a more paranoid part of me was pretty sure that had been actual fear in her voice. I got out of my seat to check. 
And, sure enough, that dog was right. Marching through the previous cart with a bloodthirsty glare was Tempest Shadow, a small bit of ash across her face the only sign of any damage I had done to her. 
What the heck?! I drew my blades and bashed open the door, ready for a second round. But just as I walked out of the car, two arms suddenly encircled around me. 
“Don’t you worry,” the dog’s voice purred in my ear. And yeah, dogs aren’t supposed to purr. “I’ll protect you.”
That’s when my paws left the train. I gave a strangled scream and swung my head back, batting whatever had got me in the nose. It shrieked and dropped me, while I went rolling across the train car roofs again. I spun back to my paws, glaring up at… a ball of fire? 
But soon enough, the ball dissipated. And in its place… 
It was like a freak hybrid of insect and pony. It had a horn and wings like an alicorn, but the wings were thin like a fly, with a carapace shell that likely covered them when they weren’t in use. Bright blue compound eyes glared down at me, and the creature’s dark body contrasted with the bright sunlight. 

#

“A changeling,” Twilight whispered.
“Oh, I knew what they were, Sparkle,” Logan said. “I got very familiar with them in time.” 
Celestia straightened. “You didn’t… meet the Queen, did you?”
Logan didn’t answer at first. “Not on that day,” he finally admitted. 

#

The changeling flitted about above me. My eyes tracked it as it looked for an opening.
Unfortunately, while it didn’t find one, someone else did. 
The wind was doing something to my ears and nose, so I didn’t see Tempest sneak up on me until a garrote wire was around my throat.
“Whatever the hives have planned for you are nothing compared to me,” Tempest snarled in my ear.
“Oy, pony,” the changeling snapped, charging at us. “That dog’s mine!” 
Tempest used me as a launching pad, kicking the changeling away. But I used her momentum against her, flopping to the ground and causing her grip to loosen. Yanking her up by the Mohawk, I slashed at her chin, knocking her off the train again. But, turns out Tempest was using a grappling hook – likely the one she used to avoid falling from the train - as a garrote, and the grapple had been hooked to the collar of my jacket. Just as I managed to wrench the grapple off my jacket, Tempest pulled herself back onto the train, and the changeling had landed as well. I was right between the two hunters, just like I had been with Luna and Celestia. 
Worse still, these two weren’t interested in talking. They charged me as one, though they looked just as ready to hit each other as they were to hit me. I ducked under the changeling, letting it hit Tempest, but as I went to knock them both off, they sent me running for cover with a barrage of fire; some sort of green spell from the changeling, and more of that rainbow lightning stuff from Tempest. The latter’s fire wasn’t stable, and it nearly buckled the train off before she regained control of it. 
Without much choice, I used an old tactic, and fired back at them with bolts of lightning. For a while, we continued in that fashion, trading fire from the roof. But then I heard a train whistle. Off in the distance, I saw a station. And I swore I could see some white bodies waiting there.
“The Royal Guard!” the changeling whispered.
“No,” Tempest growled, rushing me head on. “Celestia won’t keep me from my revenge!” 
She wasn’t the only one worried. The minute that train rolled in, I was gonna have to deal with Canterlot’s finest. I had already gone a few rounds with them before; even with dragon training, it wasn’t an experience I was interested in repeating. Firing off a few more shots, I let the changeling start trying to hold Tempest back while I went for the engine. Problem was, I chose to race along the top of the train car, and the changeling got more interested in chasing me than keeping Tempest off my back. A barrage of spells sent me over the side, but I caught the side of the train, and kept going, shimmying along the side of the train.
Thankfully, the changeling and the earth pony weren’t allies, and when the changeling tried to fly at me, Tempest grabbed at the insect as well, trying to throw her from the train.
With that distraction, I managed to reach the train car. But that was when the changeling stopped fighting and let Tempest throw her off. The changeling spread her wings, and arced back up, slamming me into the coal car. I rolled with her blow, smashing her into the coal depository and following up with a punch to her midsection. Insect or not, it knocked the air from her. I jumped into the engine room, scaring a poor pony conductor out of his mind.
I caught him and held my blade to his throat. “Keep the train going,” I ordered. I had no idea how any of the buttons and dials on the train worked, and I wasn’t willing to take a crash course.
“But…” the conductor whimpered, before I shoved my blades closer.
“Do it!” I snapped. 
The conductor yelped and pulled a few levers. I cracked a small grin as the train surged past the station, a few guards staring in wide-eyed shock. The train whistled again, before the conductor pointed at the fireplace like gateway, where I could see a fire burning.
“I-It needs more coal,” he explained. 
I saw the coal car, and some shovels. With a nod, I seized one of the shovels and scooped up a big load of the black stuff, hurling it into the fireplace. I went for a second scoop, before Tempest shot back in. I dodged her first blow as she dented the floor of the engine, meeting my own attempt to brain her with a parry. I bashed her back to the coal, where she grabbed another shovel with her teeth. And from there, we fought back and forth on that little train engine, shovel against shovel. That mare was holding the shovel in her mouth, yet she was capable of grabbing it with her hooves rearing to her hind legs and nailing me with a hard WHACK to the head and a follow up to my chest. 
I lunged back up into the coal car just to escape her barrage. But as she followed me up, I got the idea to scoop some coal up. As she climbed up after me, I hurled the coal into her face. She coughed, clutching her eyes, dropping her shovel and sputtering, and I followed up with a hard BANG to her head. Her eyes spun, and she pitched back onto the train engine. 
I got a moment to feel good about myself, but I forgot about the changeling. As I backed up, I suddenly felt her fangs sink into my neck. I screamed and hit her with the butt of my shovel. As I got away from her fangs and her grip, I followed up with a smack that sent her to her side again. 
But as I stumbled past her, I could already feel something happening. The outline of my vision got tinged in green, and the shovel slipped from my spasming claws. 
I made a leap for the other train car. But my paws caught on the edge, and I hit the roof hard, barely keeping myself from sliding off the edge.
“Struggle all you want,” the changeling taunted. “My venom can’t be stopped by your pathetic defiance.”
Venom? I struggled back up, trying to take a swipe at her. But she hadn’t left the coal depository. She was still laying there, watching me smugly.
“Oh, don’t worry,” she told me. “It’s not going to kill you. The Queen can’t feed off a dead body.” She chuckled, approaching at her leisure as I tried to keep my footing, between the venom making me woozy and the train car rattling. “You’ll serve the queen quite well.”
“That’s what you think,” Tempest’s voice proclaimed. I saw her smash the changeling into the ground before lunging across the gap between the coal car and the other train cars. 
It was harder to fight her; the venom was making it hard to think, and on top of that, a voice yelled.
“Lone Wolf of Equestria!”
Reduced to blocking Tempest’s attacks, I glanced back and saw white bodies flying for me. Vaguely, I remembered that the Royal Guard included pegasi.
Looking back was a mistake, and Tempest blasted me with another unstable surge before kicking me right onto the next car. 
“The guards won’t save you, Lone Wolf,” she said, bearing down on my struggling form. “It was a mistake to ever trust in Celestia’s ‘friendship.’” 
I just laughed.
“You’re…” I slurred, struggling to keep the venom from knocking me out, “You’re an idiot… if you thought… I bought into that.” 
Tempest paused, her green eyes regarding me. 
“Why use the train then?” she asked. “If not because you thought one of your pony ‘friends’ would help you.”
I rolled my eyes; as if I needed to know how much of a mistake using the train had been. The changeling and ponies had only found out where I was because I had chosen local transport. I forgot the whole reason I stayed away from pony villages and cities. And I could barely even curse my stupidity, as the changeling’s venom numbed my body, and made it hard to think straight.
“They aren’t my friends,” I snarled. “They’re… my… prison wardens.” 
Tempest huffed, but her eyes darted up to the pegasi. I could see them as well. Any second now, they would be able to land on the train. They wouldn’t even have to do that; they could just slide down over me and pluck me from the roof like an eagle with a mouse. My entire body felt too numb to try and climb down for refuge inside the train car. 
“Either way,” Tempest replied. “They can’t help you now.”
With that, she grabbed my tail one final time, and flung me from the train. It was just rattling over a bridge. A thin line of water teased the bottom of the canyon below. With changeling venom numbing my body, I couldn’t even struggle as she tossed me overboard, and the last I saw of Tempest Shadow was her watching me fall with grim satisfaction before engaging the few pegasi that decided to try and arrest her.
I heard voices scream; the guards, even the changeling. But I could also see a few braver pegasi racing down after me, their hooves poised to catch me. I barely had enough in me for a decent slash, so I forewent my training with the dragons, and concentrated on my magic.
It spiraled to life around me, forming a shield that blasted away the few hopeful pegasi that nearly got to me. Briefly, I remembered what happened when my lightning came in contact with water. But as the river raced up for me, gravity competing with the pegasi still trying to break through my barrier and get to me, I just found myself not caring. 
At the very least, Tempest was convinced I wouldn’t survive. That was the last time I saw that crazy mare. And in the brief glimpse I got from the train, she had vanished; possibly captured by the pegasi, but more likely having found her own way off the train.
As for the Royal Guards, they didn’t give up trying to catch me until I hit the water. Though I kinda wish I could’ve seen the look on their faces. Judging from how everything went white around me, I can only assume I went out with a pretty big bang.
> Chapter 15: The Pit
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Logan thought he would get to enjoy another round of shocked looks from the Mane Six. But instead, all he got were resigned, deadpan looks.
“Do you really think yer fooling us, Logan?” Applejack asked.
“What d’you mean?” Logan asked in mock innocence.
“All these near-death experiences,” Rainbow Dash said. “But you’re still standing here, telling us. So… how’d you get out of that one?” 
Logan leaned back, bemused that they were no longer shocked or angered by his actions.
“Well, for once,” he noted. “I had a little help.”
“I think ‘a little help’ understates how often you needed others,” Twilight noted sternly.
“Well, this help tried to kill me shortly afterwards,” Logan countered. He grinned as he finally got a look of wide-eyed shock.

#

Now, if I’m being honest, it’s dumb luck that kept me from drowning that day. One moment, I was going up in a burst of lighting and foaming water. The next thing I knew I was steadily drifting down the shoreline; in and out of consciousness.
The few things I saw during that time made little sense, and again, it was pure dumb luck that I was floating on my back and not on my belly. If I had been floating on my stomach, my face would have been in the water, and I wouldn’t be here right now. 
For a while, I just remembered seeing how many clouds I could count before I drifted off again. The cool water around eventually turned to hard gravel. And even with the water tugging at my tail and legs, that feeling of hard gravel didn’t leave me for a while, indicating that I had washed up on land. 
Sometime after washing up on land, a couple of faces appeared above me. Bovines… more specifically bulls. One even had that classic nose ring that you expect on cows. The image was ruined when they reached down with… oddly humanoid hands.

#

Fluttershy gasped. “Minotaurs,” she whispered. “You got caught by minotaurs.”
For once, Logan didn’t respond with any sass. “You met them too?” he asked.
“One,” Rarity said, sharing a glance with Pinkie Pie before both looked at Fluttershy. “It… wasn’t a good day.”
Fluttershy looked like she was trying to hide behind her mane. The sight made Logan’s ears flatten. 
“Well, no matter what the one minotaur put you through,” Logan noted. “I can tell you this; a bunch of them is way worse.” 

#

When I managed to wake up for good, my surroundings had changed. I was in what seemed to be some sort of pit. Light shined down from a barred ceiling, and the walls around me were solid stone. There were a few cracks in the left one, but I could only make out another cell like the one I was in. No sense breaking through to get there. The only other option was a steel padded door, almost like the vault to a human safe. I could’ve wailed on that all day, and hardly made a dent.
As I explored my odd surroundings, I noticed life shifting in the cell adjacent to me. I tried to peer through, but couldn’t make out who it was. 
“Hey,” I hissed. “Hey!”
The life form shifted, and a low chuckle greeted me.
“Well, lick my nicks,” the voice growled. “The dog lives.”
“Where am I?” I demanded. “What’s going on?” 
“The Pits of Tartarus, my furry friend,” the low voice replied. “Or, at least the gateway to them.” 
I tilted my head. 
“I wouldn’t worry too much about escape,” the voice continued. “It’s of no importance now. Soon enough, you will fight. And then you will die.” 
“Don’t count me out yet,” I replied, my magic glowing despite myself. 
He chuckled. “None survive the fighting pits,” he replied, his voice amused, yet also slightly dead inside.
Not long after that, the sound of a door creaking open emanated.
“Show time,” a booming voice growled. It had to be the minotaur; take away the words, and you’d have the bellow of a bull.
There was a clattering of chains, a whine of hinges, and the door slammed shut again. Without anything to do or anyone to talk to, my ears managed to make out a new sound. A roar. But not the roar of a singular being; a collective roar. As if every cow in your world and mine had gathered together, and were bellowing for blood. 
I then heard a louder roar; an alpha bull, if I had ever heard one. I couldn’t make out his words, but it sounded like he was announcing something big. Almost like the jack hole who had tried to break me back in my world. My heart burned in rage at the sound. Shortly thereafter, it was followed by more roars. And the clang of steel.
After a minute of listening to that, a lock clicked on my own door. It swung open, revealing a black furred monster of a minotaur; a brass ring shoved through his nose, horns sharp enough to gore me where I stood, and blood stained hooves that looked like they crushed skulls for fun.
“Show time,” he boomed in that same voice that had taken my companion. 
I almost thought of something witty to say like… ‘How about no?’… before he grabbed me by the scruff of my neck, and shoved me down the tunnel.

#

It was like I was back on Earth; only instead of being with my pack, I was back with the humans, being broken into whatever purpose they had in mind for me. The minotaur released my neck, but constantly shoved me forward, an axe on clear display in case I got any ideas. He didn’t seem perturbed about me running forward. That was the direction he wanted me to go in.
Up ahead, I made out bronze doors. Ten feet tall, emblazoned with images of bulls fighting each other or fighting other creatures. The roar was coming from right behind them.
“Be sure to smile for the crowd,” the black minotaur said. “They can’t wait to see the Lone Wolf of Equestria in action.”
A chill settled in my gut, but I tried to stamp it down. “My rep precedes me?” I asked.
The minotaur chuckled. “Many of our clients are chomping at the bit for your bounty. Fight well enough, and you may be delivered to one of your hunters alive.” 
“One of my hunters?” I would have thought he meant Celestia. Did someone else have a bounty out for me? 

#

Logan huffed. “Then again, you guys did mention a Queen of the Changelings,” he admitted.
Celestia nodded grimly. “That was partly why I set the…” she stopped. Logan stared at her.
“Go on,” he prompted with a grin.
She shook her head. “Your magic was a pragmatic risk to…”
“Celestia,” Logan said softly. “I want you… to say it.” 
Celestia glared down at him, but Logan shifted on his haunches and glared right back. Celestia finally sighed.
“Fine,” she muttered. “The risk of Queen Chrysalis or someone worse capturing you was why I set the bounty.”  She said 'bounty' like the Storm King said 'cute ponies.'
Logan clapped and pointed. “Told you, she knew it was a bounty!” he howled with glee. Celestia just turned away, her face red as an apple. 
“We all know,” Fluttershy said in exasperation. “But… what about the minotaurs?”
“Yes,” Rarity insisted. “Perhaps some ruffian named Iron Will was among them?”
Logan’s laughter ceased. “Iron who?” he asked.
“That’s a definitive no, Rarity,” Twilight noted, before noticing Logan’s confused look. “Iron Will was the minotaur they encountered; he taught assertiveness lessons.”
Logan blinked. “A minotaur teaching assertiveness lessons?” he asked, before grinning. “Wait until you hear what his home town had in store.” 

#

The minotaur opened the bronze doors, and I was pushed out… into another arena.
Unlike the one Celestia found me in, this was far larger. The dirt floor was circular, just big enough for one of you ponies to drive a carriage around the rim if you pulled it tight enough. In the center of the arena, a griffon was fighting a diamond dog. The griffon looked panicked; feathers falling from him as he flapped around his enemy, using a sword and shield. The diamond dog, meanwhile, swung an axe the size of a full-grown mare, while a crowd of minotaurs cheered above. 
The first tier of seats was twelve feet above the arena floor. Plain stone benches wrapped all the way around, and every seat was full. I made out more of the big minotaurs I had already seen, and I even saw a few female minotaurs (it was the lack of horns that gave them away). A particular throb went through my heart when I even saw children; tiny little minotaur whelps pumping their fists and cheering alongside their parents. 
The only thing worse than seeing kids this invested in a blood sport had to be the skulls. The arena was full of them; ringing the edge of the railing. Three-foot-high piles of them decorated the steps between the benches. They grinned from pikes at the back of the stands and hung on chains from the ceiling like a horrible chandelier. And there were skulls of every kind: griffon, diamond dog, minotaur, a couple dragons, a bunch I didn’t recognize… I even saw a few pony skulls among them. Some of them were thankfully older; nothing but bleached white bone. Others… I’m just gonna say they were fresher and leave it at that. 

#

“Thank you,” Twilight insisted.
“Please,” Rarity said, already turning pale. “No details on that.” 

#

Right above a banner displaying a bull skull with crossed axes, sat easily the largest minotaur I had seen. Much larger than the one currently holding me by the collar. He had to be at least ten feet tall, and so wide he took up three seats. He wore a bronze breastplate, with nothing to cover his shaggy goat hindquarters. His humanoid arms were a dark red, and tattooed with scenes of carnage and combat. 
I was distracted from him by a cry on the arena floor. I jumped back as the griffon crash-landed, skidding to a stop right in front of me.
He met my eyes pleadingly. “Help,” he whimpered. 
I started to run forward, but the minotaur was faster, and hefted me up by the scruff of my neck. I nearly went for his eyes, but a squeeze of my neck caused my arms to tense up. Worst of all, the minotaur was so casual about it. Almost like he had done this before with dozens of dogs. 
“This isn’t your fight,” he growled, “Wait your turn.”
I fumed, looking down on the griffon with pity. His wing was bent at a bad angle, and his shield straps pinned his arm down. The Diamond Dog kicked his sword out of his talon and put his huge paw on the griffon’s chest. Instead of letting the griffon have some dignity, the dog then looked up at the giant minotaur. The crowd cheered.
“DEATH! DEATH! DEATH!” they chanted.
They only went quiet when the giant minotaur stood. He smiled down at the griffon, who was whimpering. “No… No-no-please!” 
Then the giant held out his hand, and jutted a thumb down. 
I shut my eyes as the diamond dog swung his axe, but my ears couldn’t drown out the roar of approval from the crowd. I didn’t open my eyes until the guard minotaur hurled me onto the sand, and I was sure the griffon and dog were gone.
As the crowd quieted down, I lifted my head up, realizing with a punch of shame that I was on all fours like a cowering dog. The giant minotaur had raised his hands, and the crowd went quiet at his gesture. They were all grinning down at me, so I quickly pulled myself up, and tried to hide my fear with a look of anger.
“Now, my friends,” the minotaur alpha said. “It is time for our main event. A creature that Princess Celestia herself wants brought back to her. A dog that defies death at every turn.” He indicated me. “The Lone Wolf of Equestria!” 
The crowd roared; some jeered, others cheered. One even threw a stone. It caught me by the cheek, leaving a good-sized cut, but I stood my ground, and glared up at the thrower with a silent death glare.
“For two years now, this dog has been hunted by the royal wenches of Equestria and beyond,” the minotaur continued. “Now, fate has brought him here, to the hooves of King Steel Fists, and his fighting pit of Blood and Sand! Who has a champion that can put the dog in his place, and prove their master worthy of collecting the bounty set upon this dog’s head?!”
“None of you are worthy!” I bellowed at them. The crowd gave a collective “OH!” of both rage and shock, but I strode to the middle of the arena. “Look at the lot of you; watching while others hack each other apart. For your entertainment?” I spat. “You’re all pathetic!” 
The giant minotaur laughed, bemused. “And yet here you are,” he noted. “In my arena. Either about to die, or to be sold like a common animal.” He waved his hand to the side of a wall, where a wall of weapons appeared. “Choose your weapons.” He grinned at my jacket. “Choose your armor. And we shall see how you die!” 
I fumed, wanting to use those weapons to beat them. But the walls were far too high, and none of the weapons were ranged. But there was armor. And despite the many patch jobs I had given my jacket, it was falling apart. 

#

Logan indicated his jacket now, with the multiple bits of armor burned into it.
“That’s how it got this way,” he noted, though his voice got low as it did. “Dad told me it would protect me where he couldn’t, but I figured… Dad’s promise might need a little help.”
“Huh,” Rainbow Dash hummed. “I was wondering when it got like that. I would’ve assumed the dragons gave you it.”
Logan laughed. “Dragons have natural armor,” he said. “Why would they need more?” 
“You have no idea how greedy some dragons can get,” Twilight replied.
“Can’t be greedy if you don’t have time,” Logan noted, looking down at his jacket again with a hint of displeasure. 

#

My work was a bit of a rush job. I had to suffer a few wolf whistles when I pulled my jacket off. But as I used my lightning, and fused the metal to the parts of my jacket that were falling apart, the minotaur boss noticed another standing up eagerly. The giant waved his hand… and the same diamond dog that had killed that griffon sauntered out. I gave him a glare, but I was more focused on getting the armor sewn in. I had to use lightning to get the thing to stick, and even then, I risked burning the leather.
The Diamond Dog swung his axe, and looked up at the giant for approval. I was still fusing the last of the armor together when he nodded, and the crowd bellowed out in a horrendous knock off to a bell ringing. 
Out of time, I pulled my armor- plated jacket back on as the Diamond Dog rushed me. He howled in glee as his axe swung for my head, but I dodged out of the way. I drew my blades with hesitation at first, but as the dog’s eyes bore maliciously into mine, I remembered what he did to the griffon. 
This is just like the Storm King, I reminded myself. This is a monster. It’s going to kill me, if I don’t kill it!
When he swung again, I backed up, keeping to the wall. His next swing embedded the axe in the wall. I took advantage, slicing his axe head off and promptly stabbing him in the neck with my blade. With a choked wail, he fell to his back, and I followed up with a swift stab to the eye. 
The cheering of the crowd died with him. 
“NO!” the alpha bellowed. “Too fast! You must wait for the kill; only I give that order!”
I glared up at him and stomped off the dog. “Not today, you don’t,” I snarled.
The crowd jeered louder. The one that had been standing up and waving looked furious; guess that dog was his pet or something. He hurled something that stunk, but I dodged it. The alpha glared around, but reluctantly sat back down as he saw another waving for his approval.
“Round two,” he declared, as the crowd continued to jeer at me. “And slower this time! More entertainment! Wait for my call before killing anybody, OR ELSE!”
I was willing to push that limit. See what ‘or else’ entailed exactly. But then the gates opened. And a new creature came out. 
At first, I almost mistook him for a pony. But he had fur. And I mean thick brown fur. Whether it was fur or his bulky frame, he was a big boy. His fur was dense and hung down lower than his belly, and over his eyes. He had smooth horns, dark as ash, sweeping out from the side of his head. He also had a pronounced hump over his shoulder, making him look like he was slouching. He stomped forward, blew his hair briefly out of his eyes, and snarled at me.

#

“A yak!” Twilight exclaimed. “I heard about them; they live in a very remote region. We haven’t had contact with them in…”
“Years,” Celestia finished. “And for good reason.”
Twilight looked at her teacher with confusion, but then something happened that really shocked every pony:
“Good reason is right,” Logan said. “That one yak was a piece of work on his own.” 
The others stared at him in shock. Logan rolled his eyes.
“Yeah, I know,” he admitted. “I agreed with Celestia on something. Don’t expect it again.” 
Despite herself, Celestia hid a small smile, as Logan continued.

#

Anyway, I got a pretty good idea of what yaks were, either way.
“The hell are you?” I demanded.
“Yak called Mongo!” the yak roared, fitting perfectly with the crowd. “Yak kill Lone Wolf so Yak can live!” 
“Why?” I demanded.
“Boo!” a younger minotaur screamed. “Stop talking and fight!” the others took up the call.
“No choice,” Mongo replied, his voice low and sad for a brief moment. “Mongo only pawn in game of life.” Then he bucked the ground and charged.
I managed to catch him, my lightning sparking as he drove me back a few feet. The crowd roared in approval. Part of me wanted to just snap this weird guy’s neck. But that ‘no choice’ part was getting to me. This wasn’t a monster like the diamond dog. He was too much like the siren’s slaves; forced into a fight he didn’t want. Problem was he wasn’t giving me much room to maneuver or choose. 
He pressed forward. I never met these yaks before, but if they were half as good as this guy was, then they knew how to fight. He parried my experimental slash with his horns and tried to slam me with his head, but I leaped over him. He bucked with his hind legs. I spun to the side. We exchanged thrusts and slashes, getting a feel for each other’s fighting style. I thought that his bangs would serve as an effective blind spot, but he proved me wrong when he caught me trying to flip over him, and almost trampled me. He apparently had been fighting with hair in his eyes for a long time, because he was excellent at guarding. 
“Blood!” the minotaurs cried. 
He glanced up at the stands. That’s his weakness,I realized. He needed to impress this crowd. I didn’t. 
He roared angrily and charged. I hit him in the horn and sent him spiraling into a wall. Ole! I had heard humans say this when fighting bulls; felt appropriate at the time. 
The crowd roared in approval as the yak staggered, shaking off the wooziness from putting a crack in the wall. He pressed me again, but I had no trouble defending. This yak was bulky – a walking tank – which would be fine for defense, but made it tiring to play offense. I had outfitted my jacket with light armor; it may have made me softer, but I was lighter and faster. 
The crowd was going nuts, throwing complaints and stones. We had been fighting for almost five minutes, and neither side had drawn blood. 
Finally, Mongo made his mistake. He tried to leap onto me, his horns poised to gore me into the ground. With my magic channeling through me, I caught him by the horns and twisted, pulling him over my head and slamming him onto his back. Before he could hope to recover, I got my knee onto his neck. His bulky frame worked against him, and despite his hooves waving feebly in the air, there was no way he was getting back up. My claws gripped the sides of his head. If I wanted, I could just snap his neck; a quick twist, and it’d be over. He seemed to realize it too, as his hooves drooped, and a broken expression dominated his face.
“Yak done,” Mongo said sadly. “Make Yak death quick.” 
I glared up at Steel Fists. His red face was stony with displeasure, but he held up his hand and jammed his thumb down.
I looked down at the yak… and I released him. I shoved him to his side, allowing him to regain his hooves.
“No,” I growled. “Forget it."
“Wha… don’t be fool!” Mongo groaned. “They kill Wolf AND Yak now!” 
“Let’s see em try,” I replied, grabbing him and pulling him up. 
“Urg…” the yak groaned. “Yak not ask for help.”
“I didn’t offer,” I replied, before we were cut off by Steel.
“No one dishonors my pit!” he bellowed. “Your heads shall both be mounted on my throne!” 
I glanced at Mongo. “When you see the opening, run,” I whispered. Then I turned back to the alpha. “Do it yourself then!” I challenged. “You say this is your pit? Come down here and prove it!” 
The minotaurs grumbled in the stands. The alpha looked around, and realized I had him. He couldn’t say no without looking like a coward. 
“I am the greatest of my kind, pup,” he warned. “I broke a dragon’s back with my bare hands. I will snap you in half like a twig.”
I brought up my blades. “Prove. It.” I challenged, spitting each word. 
The minotaurs and even the yak stared at me with wide eyes. Apparently, no one had thought to challenge this guy with such disrespect. 
The minotaur then hefted himself off the stand, and lunged into the arena. His landing shook the ground under me. 
“Celestia wanted you alive,” he growled, cracking his knuckles. “She’ll have to settle for your pelt.” 
Then he lunged. I rolled under his legs and slashed at the back of his thigh. My blade got tangled in his shaggy fur. I tried to cut my blade free, but he used the opportunity to hit me with a kick.
The kick hurled me across the arena, and slammed me into the wall. If it wasn’t for my barrier, I probably would have broken my spine again. As it was, my barrier fizzled out immediately from the abuse, and I was left with the air knocked out of me. I didn’t get the change to worry about it, as the guy scraped the ground and charged, his horns poised to impale me. 
I’d already been impaled by a dragon, so I wasn’t willing to get the bull edition. I dodged again and jabbed him with my other blade. My blade went under his arm and hooked into his ribs. He wrenched it from my hand with a simple pivot, and I went skidding across the arena, my mother’s blades gone.
Steel Fist bellowed for a moment, leaning under his arm and feeling for the blade. I pulled myself up, but before I could charge him, he yanked the blade out and held it before me. The thing was like a splinter in his fingers. And I had to watch… while he crushed one of the last mementos of my mother between his fingers.
Now, normally, people don’t get angry when their weapons are destroyed. You guys probably don’t even use weapons, so you don’t know how one could grow attached to the tools of war. But for me, that blade was special. It had been made from my mother’s rib cage. Aside from my scarf, it was one of the only thing I had left of her. So, the howl I let loose was nothing short of enraged. 
“What’s the matter?” Steel mocked at my howl. “Realizing how pointless it is? Your attacks are nothing but the bite of a fly. Now come, pup, and let me crush you. I’ll make it quick!”  
My remaining blades were still lodged in his fur. I still had my claws, but the blades had a sharper edge to them, and minimized the risk of me breaking my claws. Even with them, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to punch through his muscles. The guy had taken my stab to the ribs with a laugh. 
I tried skirting around him, but Steel anticipated my move. He blocked my path, chuckling as he closed in on me. He had me cornered, and he knew it; this had become just a game to him. 
But then I looked up at the chains, dangling the skulls of his enemies from the ceiling, and an idea came to me. 
I feinted to the other side. He blocked me. The crowd jeered and screamed for Steel to finish me off, but he was having too much fun.
“What did a puny pup like you do to earn the attention of the sun alicorn?” he mocked.
I grinned. “Wanna find out?” I asked. I charged straight ahead, slinking low to the ground so he’d think I was going for between his legs. He stooped, ready to catch me like a grounder, but I jumped for all I was worth. I could risk a bite to his face, but I went for the next best thing; I kicked off his forearm, got my back paw onto his nose, and snapped at the back of his head.
I’m not sure how much my bite actually hurt him; he straightened up and yelled ‘HEY!’ more indignantly than hurt. But it was what I needed. I catapulted towards the ceiling, jumping off his rising head like a springboard. I caught the top of a chain, pony and griffon skulls jangling beneath me. I managed to get my legs around the chain, and with a lightning covered slash, I severed the closest chain near me.
“Coward!” Steel bellowed. “Come down and fight!”
I flipped myself upside down and blew a raspberry at him. 
“What’s the matter, fat boy?” I taunted. “Can’t fly?” I flipped him the bird, thankfully avoiding getting stoned by the belligerent crowd. 
He roared in anger and jumped, making a wild grab for me. He missed, but caught a chain and pulled himself up. While he was struggling, I unhooked myself and swung down towards him. He was more preoccupied with pulling himself up, so my slamming into his head knocked him off balance. As he lost his grip, I managed to hook my chain around his neck, and tangled it up with the others.
Then, with only a small prayer to my dad that his would work, I let myself fall, grabbing at my blades on the way down. The chains held, my blades yanked his hoof down, and with a harsh CRACK, Steel Fist went still, and my blade pulled free. I dropped to the ground, the air getting blasted from my lungs, but my work complete. I stared up with a satisfied grin at my handiwork; Steel Fist, his tongue lolling out and his eyes rolled up in his head. A bunch of skulls grinning around him like they finally had something to smile about.
“He killed Steel Fist!” the crowd screamed. “He killed our host!” 
For a moment, my heart hammered. I had jumped from the frying pan and into the fire. Every male minotaur and even a few female minotaurs drew axes, blade or some sort of steel, and rushed down to challenge me. There was no way I could take on that many bulls. 
But then the black guard minotaur banged his door open and bellowed at me. That’s when I remembered the Sirens. Sure, my howl was good at breaking hypnotism. But what about what it did against the mob? 
I fought against my struggling lungs and took in a deep breath, praying for the spirits of my pack. And just as the first minotaurs got close enough to swing at me, I howled.
You guys remember that howl I pulled on you with Diamond Tiara and her dad? This one… put that one to shame. Minotaurs were hurled back into the stands. The black guard minotaur smashed right through the arena wall, his cloven hooves sticking out like some sort of wicked witch. My howl faded away, and the minotaurs were left on their collective butts, staring at me in stunned silence. 
“That’s our cue,” I told Mongo, who had been watching in stunned silence from the sidelines. 
Thankfully, he understood. Together, we raced across the arena and out the far exit. But as we ran, I could hear the disorganized sound of an entire army trying to jump from their ruined stands and follow us.
> Chapter 16: Logan's Lost Love
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I knew we were in trouble the moment we got into the mountains. Getting out of the arena was easy enough; the idea of freedom agreed with Mongo, and any guards we came across, he either knocked aside with devastating head butts, or I blasted them aside with my howl. 
But we could only run down corridors for so long, and we eventually came out into a giant mountainous region. Luckily, it seemed to be set in a remote area; there were very few minotaurs, and most of them were centered on a mountain path that seemed to lead downward. I’m sure there was a town or something; maybe a few minotaurs that actually weren’t that bad…

#

“You’re not entirely wrong,” Rarity admitted. 
“Yeah, the minotaur we met never put us into gladiatorial combat,” Pinkie Pie added. “He only gave Fluttershy these lessons in asserting herself that made her really-really mean.” 
Logan glanced over at Fluttershy, who looked away in shame. However, Logan softly nuzzled her; a silent indication that he didn't judge her. The soft look they shared didn't last, though.
“That’s like comparing a knife cut to a mosquito bite,” Logan noted to Pinkie and Rarity. 
“Perhaps,” Rarity admitted. “But some of those minotaurs can at least give the appearance of civility.” 

#

Well, whether they could be civil or not, I had a truck load of them roaring after my tail. Well, and Mongo’s tail as well, but he hadn’t hung their alpha by the neck and then blasted the lot of them into a wall. 
Thankfully, Mongo wasn’t interested in minotaur hospitality. He soared across the craggy rocks and stones like he was made for climbing – which he was, kind of. I quickly found myself grabbing onto his shaggy fur just to keep from falling off the side. 
But no matter how many turns we took; how high we climbed, we couldn’t out run that damn bull bellowing.
Then I noticed something; a hillside with craggy rocks blocking the view. As cover went, it was looking pretty good.
I slipped away from Mongo, and headed for the crag. He made it a few feet before realizing I was leaving him.  
“What is Lone Wolf doing?” he demanded.
“Those minotaurs are still on our tails,” I replied, making it between the crags. “You move ahead. I’ll hold off as many as I can, and find my own way from there.”
“Wolf can’t take on minotaur army!” Mongo insisted. “Yak tried! Yak failed! Wolf will fail too.”
“Only if I charge in like a numb nut,” I replied with a grin, taking my spot at the top of the crag covered hill. “I’m the one that killed their alpha; I’m the one they want,” I added in a more serious tone. I gave him a nod. “Get out of here. Get back to where you belong.”
Mongo shifted, looking very uncomfortable with leaving me.
“Yak didn’t ask for help…” he mumbled. 
“AND WOLF DIDN’T OFFER HELP!” I barked at him. The fur in front of his eyes flew apart, and he stared at me with big blue eyes, wide with shock. 
I did feel a little bad barking at him like that. But the bellows were growing closer, and it didn’t feel right for me to have saved this guy, only for him to die because he was stubborn. I was the only suicidal stubborn creature around here, thank you very much.  
Thankfully, it worked. With another glance back at the approaching minotaurs, Mongo raced off down his mountain path.
“Fight to live, Lone Wolf of Equestria,” Mongo called as he left. “Yak hope to meet Wolf again someday.”
“Count on it,” I called back to him. Then he disappeared over the ridge, and I turned back with a glare at the approaching minotaurs. 
The first ones to appear had crossbows. Thankfully, I had chosen my perch well, and their arrows clanged uselessly off the crags. Murmuring in anger, they drew axes and advanced.
The first one shoved himself through. I hurled a stone at his head, dazing him, and shoved him right back into the crowd. A second one came up for me, but I caught his axe by the wooden handle and stabbed him in his nose. 
Unfortunately, as the crowd converged, their crossbowmen got smarter. They figured out they had a better shot at me between the crags. They adjusted their position, and I soon found myself backing up as arrows slammed into the ground, their metal points seeking my flesh. 
I was backed up from the crag, quickly losing both the high ground and the ability to bottle them in. I was stubborn, but not stupid, and I quickly fell back as they overcame my hill.
It was tougher to run away from them this time; I didn’t have Mongo and his cloven hooves. I had to scramble over the boulders, while the minotaurs easily leaped over them. One got too close, and I had to engage him. He was thankfully smaller than Steel Fist, and when I managed to shove my remaining blade into the same spot I had gone for on Steel, this smaller minotaur easily went down. 
But his friends were catching up, and no sooner had I gotten one down than two more took his spot. I briefly deflected their attacks, my ears flat and my eyes darting for a hiding spot. 
Almost like a gift from the spirits of my dead, I saw a small opening; a cavern. Without much left to go on, I ducked under my two foe’s swings, dodged another arrow and hurled myself into the cave. 
The sun had been shining bright outside. Not here, though; here the cave was cold and clammy. My fur kept me warm just fine – enough had grown back from my shave job in the desert – but I could feel the cold pressing against my fur like the shadow of death, longing to chill me to the bone. 
The minotaur’s bellows still rang in my ear, and I ignored the cold, forcing myself in further and further. Had I not been out of my mind with panic and adrenaline, I might have wondered how the cave was capable of going on for that long. Or how smooth the rocks were, as if something had gone through and dug their way in before me. 
As I went deeper and deeper, I was forced to rely on scent, the darkness pressing on my eyes, and the roar of the minotaurs ringing in my ears. Yet, as I managed to avoid smashing into the wall, the minotaurs’ voices… changed. 
They increased in pitch. They sounded less angry, and more… afraid. I heard some odd zapping noises, along with the smashing sound of steel hitting stone. But bit by bit, the minotaur’s cries died out, and soon, I was left with only silence. 
Something was in here. Something that had gotten the minotaurs. And might get me too. Part of me wanted to light up my fur; give me some form of illumination to find my way out of. But my throbbing heart and gut begged me not to; the minotaurs were an easy target. They had charged into this territory, stamping and shouting. I may have led them, but I was smaller, and – dare you believe it – quieter. There was a chance the minotaurs had drowned me out.
Yet I couldn’t bring myself to fully believe it. As I tried to find my way through the darkness, I felt… a presence. It was like something was watching me. Waiting. 
Then I heard the clattering of stones. I froze where I stood, my ears waving in every direction. Ever since the Sirens, I had never been more grateful for the use of my ears. 
A scent came to me; sweat and blood. From the arena. The clatter drew closer; it sounded like it was right ahead. I let my fur glow, and found myself staring at a female minotaur. Her eyes were dilated in fear, and the minute they locked on me, she let out a cry and charged me.
I prepared to defend myself, but I never got the chance. There was a blinding flash of light, a scream, and suddenly… the minotaur was gone.
I should have darkened my fur. Looking back, I know I should have. But right as I tried, I saw a flicker of purple. A very familiar purple. My tail flicked up, and I increased my fur’s glow. 
I was looking at Twilight Sparkle.

#

The others looked at Twilight, as Logan locked eyes with her. 
“But… that’s impossible!” Twilight exclaimed. “I’ve never…”
“I know it wasn’t you,” Logan countered. “It was a changeling. They made that very clear in a few seconds.” 

#

As my fur brightened to reveal her, the fake Sparkle gasped, as if she was the real Sparkle. I’ll give them this; they knew how to act. 
“Logan?” she asked me, a small smile forming on her face as she tried to approach me. “I-I can’t believe it; I finally found you.” She raised a hoof, but I backed away. “Do you know how long we were searching for you?” 
“Back off,” I growled. It wasn’t her; she had the same stink as that changeling on the train.
Though, the changeling really managed to nail Sparkle’s look of hurt; she even lifted her foreleg like a shield. Like Pinkie Pie had done that one time. 
“Please, Logan,” she insisted. “We were friends. We looked after you…”
“We were not friends,” I snapped. For once, I didn’t feel the surge of conflict in my gut that usually came around when I said that.

#

“Aw,” Pinkie Pie cooed. “You do care.” 
“Shut up,” Logan dismissed. He paused. "I'm still telling the story," he added.
Pinkie and Fluttershy shared a knowing grin.

#

Sparkle, however, just got a curious look in her eye.
“Not friends, eh?” she asked curiously. Her tone became more… coy. Playful. I had never heard Sparkle with that kind of tone. “So… does that mean I have to use… IT?"
My ears flattened and my eyes narrowed. 
“The heck is IT?” I demanded. I thought I saw some sort of green flash in the shadows behind her, and my fangs bared.
She chuckled, moving backward into the shadows. 
“Sparkle?” I demanded, moving after her. 
My jaw dropped.
Sparkle was still there, and yet… it wasn’t her. For starters?
She was a wolf. 
She still had her purple fur, and the top of her head had the same color as her mane. But she had a canine snout, a big bushy tail, paws… she was Sparkle as a wolf. Perfect in almost every way… and yet so wrong in the same vein?
“The heck…?” I stammered. 
Wolf Twilight chuckled. “Oh, Logan,” she purred. “Do you really think you’re strong enough to resist me now?” 
My jaw slowly shut, my ears flicking and my nostrils flaring. Did this thing think that… Sparkle and I…?

#

Logan stopped with a shudder. Twilight herself had taken several steps back, while the others were shooting her looks of surprise.
“Ya know,” Rainbow Dash noted playfully. “Twilight was always the most curious in him.”
“Stop it, Rainbow Dash!” Twilight said. “I was never interested in Logan that way.”
“I dunno,” Applejack added teasingly. “You were always so eager to know what he was up to... if we're being honest.”
“So, insistent on him being in town,” Rainbow Dash added.
“He was a child!” Twilight exclaimed. “I was concerned about his safety!”
“You guys are really horrible,” Logan said. His comment wiped the smirks from Applejack and Rainbow Dash’s faces. Before Twilight could shoot him a grateful look, he pointed his paw at her. “Don’t even think about it.”
Twilight raised her hooves and backed further away. “I assure you,” she promised him. “The thought is well removed.”
Logan still gave her a hard glare before he continued.

#

“Be honest with yourself,” Wolf Sparkle continued, her bushy tail flicking. “You’re the only one of your kind here. It must be so… frustrating to not have a single one of your own here. No one who understands you. Respects your most basic of… needs.” 
I did not like the way she phrased ‘needs.’ Nor did I like how close she was getting. I hated backing away, but she wasn’t giving me much choice. 
“And, I’ll be honest,” she said, trying to sidle up next to me. “I’ve been crazy about you too.” She giggled. “Of course, as a unicorn, it would be – mm – remiss, of me to be with you.” She wagged her tail with another laugh. “But as you can see, that’s not a problem anymore, now is it?” 
My back hit the cave wall. I briefly glanced back at it, before she was in my face. My claws came up, trying to shove her back, but her own claws caught mine, entwining in a very disturbing way. 
“How about,” she continued. “You come back with me. And on the way…” She leaned closer, revealing perfect canine teeth. “I show you everything I learned.”
I kept my head back, avoiding her teeth. “How’d you shapeshift?” I asked, my voice level despite my heart pounding in my chest. “Only Changelings can shapeshift.” 
“Mm…” she moaned huskily, not even listening as she ground her thighs against me. “Perhaps…”
“PERHAPS?”
That snapped her out of it. By the time her eyes widened, I spun her and had her pinned against the wall. The seductive light shot from her face like a light switch, and was replaced with desperate stammering. 
“Wait-I-didn’t-mean-I-meant-perhaps-as-in-of-course-not,” ‘Sparkle’ stammered, as I glowered down at her, “I-wouldn’t-I-mean-I-would-never…”
But I pressed my paw right on her horn, and with a flare of fire, I had a changeling staring guiltily up at me. 
“Mm-hm,” I hummed in satisfaction.
The changeling gave a sheepish giggle. “I… guess that didn’t work, huh?” she mumbled.
Damnit, she was still using Sparkle’s voice! 
I raised my claw, not really sure what I was going to do, when I heard the buzz of wings. I glanced up, and found the eyes of over a dozen changelings glaring at me from the darkness.
I briefly held up Ms. Thinks-Sparkle-and-me-were-a-thing and held her in front of me like a shield, only to see more of those eyes glittering to the side as well. In the little light my fur was providing, I could see dozens. No… hundreds of them.
The last thing I remembered after that was throwing my hostage at one of them, and then swiping at another, in vague hope that I could take a few with me. Then, my world briefly became black, writhing insects. Then my entire body numbed, and I thought no more.
> Chapter 17: The Hive
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Logan briefly paused, standing up with his fur flaring at the looks of sudden suspicion from the ponies. Celestia’s horn had begun to glow, and even Rainbow Dash’s wings had extended. Logan met their glares with one of his own, and let his lightning flare ominously.
“I know what you’re thinking,” he snarled. “And if you attack me, I don’t care if it’ll just fuel suspicion; I’ll knock your head sideways!”
“Wait, what…” Pinkie Pie jumped between them. “What’s every pony getting so worked up about?” She was pulled back by Rarity.
“If you were captured by the hive,” Twilight said. “How do we know you’re the real Logan?”
Logan’s snarl faded to a deadpan look. “After I literally narrated my entire story to you?” he asked.
“The Changelings are incredibly proficient spies,” Twilight countered. “They would’ve been watching you for every step of your journey.”
“And what if they were the ones that had put the other bounty out on me?” Logan replied. “If they were watching, why didn’t they just attack me?”
“They did,” Twilight countered. “That changeling on the train? Maybe even some of the griffons in that inn?” 
Logan’s ears flared up, and flattened as his paws shifted.
“Logan,” Twilight said slowly. “Is that really you in there?” 
Logan’s tail flicked from side to side. The fillies were pulled away, every one convinced he was about to change form and lunge. But instead of lunging, he spoke.
“My father’s name was Kodo,” he said, forcing it out like it pained him to share. “My mother’s name was Reaper. You already know Carol, but the rest of my pack? Krios, Griffin, and Darius were all the pack mates of my dad, and my uncles by pack law.” He stood a little straighter. “Do you really think a Changeling would know that?” 
For a brief moment, the mares started to relax. But then…
“How do we know the changelings didn’t force you to reveal that?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Or that you’re just making that up?”
Instantly, the tension was back, and Pinkie Pie gave Rainbow Dash an aghast glare.
“Dashie,” she exclaimed. “Why?!”
“I’m just looking at the worst-case scenario,” Rainbow Dash insisted. 
“Rainbow Dash, I’m sorry,” Fluttershy began. “But… you do know Logan, right? He would have fought to the bitter end. He would have died before revealing such private information!”
"Would it help if I added that you're a jerk, Dash?" Logan growled. 
For a moment, the mares exchanged worried, concerned, and even slightly bemused glances, while Logan continued to stare at them, his fur glowing more golden than before. But then, Celestia stepped up. 
“You don’t need to worry, girls,” she said, the light fading from her horn as she looked at Logan. “That’s still the Lone Wolf. He’s not part of the hive mind.”
Logan touched a claw to his head, noticing how his fur had lost the golden sheen. He glared at Celestia.
“Did you just…” he snarled, before Celestia backed away.
“After the first changeling invasion,” Celestia explained hastily. “My sister and I practiced and mastered spells to counter deception.”
“And I’ve been practicing listening to my element ever since I let Chrysalis' Cadence disguise get the drop on me during the wedding,” Applejack said, stepping up and putting herself between them and Logan. “Trust me, girls… Logan ain’t no changeling.” 
Logan’s look softened at their defense, though he still looked slightly miffed at having to rely on Celestia. Despite his irritation, the tension faded, and the mares slowly let their guards down.
“Okay,” Twilight said slowly. “So… you’re not a changeling. But… how did you get out of there?”
“It took everything we had and more to fight Chrysalis the first time,” Rainbow Dash said, “And even then, we would have lost. How’d you do it all on your own?”
Logan looked down. “It wasn’t on my own,” he admitted.

#

When I managed to force myself back into consciousness, I expected to find myself in some sort of insect hive. Imagine how surprised I was when I instead found myself back at Fluttershy’s cottage. The sun was shining above me; I swear I could feel it’s warmth on my fur. That same calming scent of Ponyville filled my nostrils, relaxing me and almost making me forget about the utter beating the Changelings put me through.
The Changelings! My mind screamed. This has to be one of their illusions! A way to manipulate me!
I tried to move, but something held me in place. I tried to look down, but my head didn’t respond. I may as well have been in a dream for all the good my body was doing. 
Then Fluttershy appeared. Same warm smile. The same pink mane that covered one of her eyes. 
“Welcome back, Logan,” she said, even in that same soft voice. 
I’ll give the Changelings this much; they knew how to use their illusions.
But even as she took my paw, and tried to lead me to her cottage, I knew that it couldn’t be real. I was way too far away, had gone through too much to give up and go back to her. I ordered my paws to dig into whatever I was standing on, and managed to shut my eyes with gritted teeth. 
“This isn’t real,” I growled to myself. “It’s not real. IT’S NOT REAL!” 
My eyes shot open. The illusion was gone. I was caked into some sort of hard green substance, attaching me to a smooth wall. Above me, everything was bathed in a sickly green light. And right in front of me was a very irritated looking changeling. But unlike the others I had seen, this one was the size of Celestia. Her eyes, bottle green and slit pupiled, were narrowed in annoyance. 
“Idiot!” she hissed at a more normal looking changeling that was right behind her. “You said he was closest to the Element of Kindness!”
“H-He is, my Queen!” the changeling insisted. “At least he was!” It stared at me with those pure blue eyes. “I can sense it; the conflict in his soul!” 
The Queen glared back at me, though her irritation faded to curiosity as she scanned my features. I kept wriggling in the substance they had restrained me with; didn’t do a lot of good, but at least it was getting feeling back into my body. The Queen shook her head. 
“It is no use,” she declared. “We cannot use ponies on this one. If he is to provide us with the love we seek, we must use something more… close to home.”
Green fire flared around me; sort of like the stuff that the imposter Twilight had. But it wasn’t warm; if anything, it was cold. Looked like the changelings had me beat in terms of actually cold fire. But before I could ponder too long on it, the fire faded. I was in a meadow, cherry blossoms floating around me. And standing right in front of me…
My heart lurched. It was my mother. Whole and alive.
“My son,” she whispered. Those same words that had been her last. The Queen captured them perfectly. “So, glad I found you.” 
I’ll admit… I faltered here. My legs grew weak; if I hadn’t been restrained in that goo, I likely would have fallen to my haunches. My chin trembled. 
“M-Mom…” I whimpered. I knew that it could be real. It wasn’t supposed to be this real! My mother… she was… 
She was right there. In front of me. Approaching me, as if out of a dream. 
A dream! It was a dream! I knew it was a dream!
But as she lifted herself up and hugged me, I felt something that could never have been forced upon me. I felt the urge to give up; to just accept this as reality. 
But I couldn’t. Because wolves don’t hug. 
And when she whispered, “I love you,” into my ear… wolves don’t say ‘love.’ Words can’t even describe the care we feel for each other.
It tore at my heart, but I leaned back. If my arms were free, I would have pushed her away.
“You…” I winced, not wanting to say it, but… I forced my eyes up, and said, “You’re not my mother.” 
“My son, please,” the illusion insisted… by everything sacred, it hurt to call her that. “You’re all I have left!” 
“To the extent that you want to mate with me?” I snapped, clinging to that feeling of disgust. The same feeling that had enshrouded me when you mares implied the same about my father.
Her eyes widened, but her ears didn’t flatten, nor did her tail tuck. 
“Huh?” she asked. 
“You want to mate with your own son?!” I screamed. “What kind of sick pervert are you, and how dare you try to assume the identity of my mother?!”
I lunged forward, my jaws snapping inches from her face. Unfortunately, I was still restrained, and she had plenty of room to fall away from me.  
As the illusion was chased away a second time, I gasped and panted, overcoming the agony that had swelled up again in my gut, while the Queen chased her assistant from me.
“Idiot,” she wailed. “Numbskull! I almost had him! I tasted his love! It…” she turned back to me, her eyes hungry and desperate.
“I felt it too, my Queen,” the changeling whimpered. “By the Hive…” she inched towards me, raising a hopeful hoof for my face. “He’s unlike any kind of love…”
“NO!” the Queen seized her assistant and flung her away from me. “I will deal with him myself!” She turned back to me, practically drooling. “His love is mine to extract. Mine to taste…”
The assistant wisely scurried away, while the queen and I glared at each other. I may have been restrained and seconds away from being cocooned like a fly in a spider’s web, but I still glared at her as if I could shoot knives from my eyes. I likely could, considering my lightning, but these changelings would put a pin on that if I couldn’t get myself loose in time. 
“Now,” the Queen growled, huffing as if she had run a mile. “You have resisted me thus far, Lone Wolf of Equestria. But you have no idea how far reaching the Hive of Queen Chrysalis truly is!”
She flared her wings, and a brief glow of lights shined behind her. It took me a half moment to realize those were the eyes of several hundred Changelings. Despite my heart pounding in my chest, I tried to keep my gaze defiant.
“Ever since the Tyrant Celestia brought you to this world, I have watched you,” Chrysalis said, pacing before me. “I have seen you struggle against those who would control you. I have witnessed your darkest nightmares take form.” She smiled softly as the flames of illusion burned around me again, returning me to that meadow. “But I can offer you everything Celestia denied you: revenge… freedom…”
“You offer nothing but lies,” I spat at her. I tugged at my restraints. “If you call this freedom, let’s see what you call wild and untamed.”
Chrysalis smiled, amused.  
“You act as if I’m the villain, Lone Wolf,” she insisted. “When all I want is your love. You have lived in the wild for some time now; don’t you know what it’s like to be starving?”
I glared at her, trying not to think of the times when I hadn’t been able to find anything, and had to run on fumes, my stomach groaning its insistence that I find something to eat. Yet she nodded as I tried to repress the memories, as if she could see them on my face.
“My entire brood has lived that way,” she said. “We’ve been forced to embrace it; to accept it as normal. But you must also know what it’s like… to be full after such a long period of hunger.”
I looked away with a huff. But that couldn’t stop the memories either. Wolves lived for that sort of feeling; we’d go for weeks without food, then feast when we finally found prey. Humans would call it bulimia, we call it using the gifts given to us, long before Myst ever came around. 
“And more importantly,” Chrysalis noted. “You know what it is like to be humiliated… by Celestia.”
She glowed. When I looked back at her, she had changed into Celestia, smirking down at me. The sight of that godly face, now twisted with a smug and superior expression, made my hackles bare and a guttural growl to escape my throat. Chrysalis changed back into her wolf form, smiling softly.
“Exactly,” she said. “Help me tear down Celestia. Help me bring her to her rightful place. And be rewarded with everything you have strived for…” She changed into another wolf. Younger this time. Red fur… almost like fire. There was no way she could know. But… wow, did she look similar to her. She indicated the field, where I faintly saw more wolves.
But I shook my head. “It isn’t real,” I insisted. 
She turned back to me, her form slowly growing more and more like Carol’s. 
“It can be your reality,” she tempted me, almost pressing me to the wall. “The hard part is over, Lone Wolf. You have made it to my side; you are ready to be mine.” Her claws drifted down to my hips, pulling me closer to her. “Let your love flow into me. It is stronger than even a pony’s love. It will strengthen us both; fill my hive with our children. And one day, I will awaken you from your paradise to a sight that will give you unimaginable ecstasy…”
She shifted the illusion, showing a ruined Canterlot. Another changeling had taken the shape of Celestia, bound and gagged before us. Chrysalis trotted away from me, and teasingly traced Celestia’s chin, forcing her gagged mouth up. 
“The so-called sun goddess Celestia, reduced to the slave of a true Queen…” Chrysalis looked up at me with a grin, changing into a strange hybrid of wolf and changeling. “By an army, you helped create.” 
My head bowed. I didn’t want to listen to her; she was manipulating. Like humans did. When force didn’t work, they tried to use their words. Tried to mold your mind into whatever would aid them. 
And yet… there were other reasons. Maybe I didn’t feel that Celestia deserved to be turned into a slave for this egomaniac. Maybe I knew that if Celestia fell, you guys would be affected as well. The reasons aren’t really that important. 
What was important was that I wasn’t going to let this bug queen think she had won. Thus, with my head down, I focused on Myst’s rage. I pulled it from my gut, calling for Myst herself to aid me. 
The changeling goo wasn’t made out of water, and so, with a crackle of thunder, I burst my way out of the goo and swiped at Chrysalis. But she must have been expecting it. That, or my fur glowing was a dead giveaway. For whatever reason, she launched away from my swipe, soaring up over me as the illusion was changed to the insect hive. Millions of Changelings crawling towards me, hissing and baring fangs as their queen glared down at me in disappointment.
“So be it,” she said in an irritated tone. “If you will not submit willingly… then your mind will be destroyed.”
I growled and extended my claws, glaring at her above all the changelings. 
“Bring it on,” I snarled, my fur lighting up; a single white glow against the dark green and black.
The changelings paused at that, looking at each other, and up at their queen. The Queen was shooting me a bemused look.
“You really think you can stop us?” she asked with a small chuckle. “You really are a fool. A bold fool… but a fool nonetheless.”
> Chapter 18: The Strength of the Wolf
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I’d like to say I stood my ground against that army. Me against billions of bug pony freaks, tearing them down with lightning. 
But the honest truth is… I booked it. No way was I going to be able to take that many on. And thus, I was forced to swallow my pride, and race through that dark, cold hive, with an army of vampire succubus bug freaks on my tail. 
I was in their house. I had searched, and I had found an actual evil in this world; a thing that would take joy in my suffering and then use it to inflict pain and suffering on others.
My chase was not a straightforward one; changelings came out from the shadows, trying to block me off. Trying to bite into me with their numbing venom. I blasted past them. I focused my power into a shield that kept them at bay. Though I couldn’t hit at them, I could keep them from taking me down, and as long as my shield flared brightly across my fur, none of their attacks touched me. 
But defense wasn’t enough; everywhere I turned, more changelings were coming out, eager to see me fall. I slashed at a few, but there were always more behind me, ready to jump on any falter in my defense. I couldn’t move. I could barely see beyond the throbbing wall of bugs.
But then, almost like a light to heaven, I saw a bright green cocoon. And inside? 
There was a dragon. Red scales… yellow frill… 
I saw Sparks in that cocoon.

#

Logan’s head dipped. “Part of me knew it wasn’t her,” he admitted. “None of the people in those cocoons were the people I met. But at that moment. I needed it to be them. I don’t think I would’ve been able to do what I did with a bunch of strangers.” 

#

I forced my way over to her. Changelings tried to get in my way; I pushed them aside. A changeling grabbed at my tail; I kicked it away. And before long, I made it to the dragon’s cocoon.
Begging or speaking wouldn’t help, so I converted my magic from shield to a charged fist, and I slammed it as hard as I could into the cocoon.
Memories shot forward; Sparks leading me through the forest. My abysmal fight against her and her master. Gaining the strength to fight three griffons at once.
The green material shattered like glass, and the dragon tumbled to the ground. I barely managed to catch her, she weighed so much. 
She blinked blearily and looked around. “Who are… what…?” she stammered.
“Changelings,” I barked, indicating upward just as the horde pressed down on us. I yelped and increased my barrier, shrouding us both in lightning as the changelings pounded on it. Their pounding almost felt like they were crushing my head and eyes, but I forced myself to hold on.
“We gotta get out of here,” I moaned. 
Sparks blinked the bleariness out of her eyes, and as she took in the horde around him, her shock faded to anger. I didn’t notice it at the time, but her scales started to glow, my lightning protecting and strengthening her just as it was protecting and strengthening me.
“They… that treasure pile was nothing but a sham!?” she growled. She hurled herself up, grabbing me as my shield finally faltered. But as the lightning faded, it was replaced by fire.
Several changelings were disintegrated with the first blast. The rest were smart enough to draw back, going for her unprotected back where her fire couldn’t touch them. But as they tried to jump her, they met me, blasting at them with lightning. Warm and cold fire burned around us, forcing the changelings back. 
But even then, it wasn’t enough. The changelings jumped back to avoid injury, but their grins didn’t fade. They thought they had us. And honestly, they did. 
“This is our hive, not theirs,” Chrysalis screamed from above. “Rise above the flames, and extinguish these rebels!”
They began to rise over our flames. It became harder to keep them at bay. Then I spotted more cocoons further down. One of them had a feathered being floating inside.
“Come on,” I yelled, jumping onto the dragon. She was thankfully big enough for me, and spread her wings, forgetting her fire and leaping above the horde of changelings. They tried to follow her up, but my lightning drove them back and gave us room to maneuver. 
The dragon looked back, and I saw fear across her face. She didn’t know if she’d make it. But her flight got us close enough. As the horde managed to grab my allies’ tail, I leaped off her snout, and smashed through the cocoon we were going for. A griffon – Gabby -  fell from the goo, her eyes widening as she took in the world around her.
“How in the…?” she stammered, but I grabbed at her on the way down. 
My memories flashed; her father giving me a home. Gratitude for defeating the Cockatrice master. Even Gallus saving me flashed across my mind, along with Celaeno and her crew.
As I shook off the flashbacks, Gabby saw the changelings heading for us.
“Whoa!” She lashed out with her claws, and sent a changeling flying into a wall. 
Gabby didn’t have fire or lightning like Sparks or I did, but she knew how to fly. And as the dragon and I took to each other’s sides, she swooped over the horde, batting at any changelings that tried to come at us from the air, and even plucking changelings from the horde and tossing them to the wind.
The changelings themselves started to get nervous.
“How are they doing this?” they stammered.
“How are we doing this?” the dragon pondered. “I don’t even know what’s going on, and yet…”
“Don’t dwell on it,” I ordered, as we fought our way to another cocoon. “Just keep it up.”
I jumped to the next cocoon and smashed it open.
Crystal the sea pony flashed before my eyes; grateful for saving her from the Siren. Her people getting me to Daring Do. 
A being I swore was Crystal in her land form burst from the cocoon. A brief look of confusion was stamped down by determination as my lightning flowed around her as well, and she joined Gabby in holding off the horde.
“Stop that!” Chrysalis screamed. “Stop that glowing!” 
“Stop the thunder!” another changeling begged. 
I didn’t know what they were talking about. I was too busy getting others out. 
A changeling jumped from the next cocoon, snapping at me, but I seized its head with my jaws and slammed it into the next cocoon. A yak – Mongo - tumbled out from the cocoon, looking around in shock and horror. But I dropped the changeling and sent my lightning around him.
I remembered our fight; how he aided me in escape. The look of gratitude hiding under his gruff demeanor.
Understanding instantly dawned on his face, and he let out a bellow as the changelings moved to subdue him. Rushing forward like cavalry in a charge, he bowled over the changelings around us.
I managed to make it to one more cocoon before a wall of changelings tried to force me back. I ripped through the green slime, and…
I saw Fluttershy. I remembered her kindness; her standing up for me when all her friends saw me as a monster. The fact that I… well, that she was the only one I considered pack.
I knew it wasn’t Fluttershy. Even as understanding dawned on the pegasus’ face, Fluttershy would never have flung herself into combat the way this one did, bucking a changeling that was clawing at Sparks’ neck. But I needed them to be. It was one illusion that I needed to have, especially for what came next. 
Because even with the beings that I believed with all my soul were my allies, we were boxed in; a bubble of light in a sea of dark, wriggling changelings. We were pressed to each other’s backs, beating down any changeling that got near us. Even the changelings looked shocked as we knocked them aside.  
I didn’t know how we had lasted this long, nor did I care. I only knew that I had to keep myself out of their hooves for as long as possible.
Unfortunately, there was no way out. Our flyers weren’t able to take to the air without causing our defenses to crumble. And if I had looked up, I would have seen Chrysalis herself watching us, slowly connecting dots that even I didn’t know were there.
But they started to make sense when she shot me. 
A spell crashed down hard on my head. I hit the ground, my head bouncing off the hard stone floor and making my brain dance in my skull. As I faltered, the lightning faded, and the others faltered as well. The changelings charged in with glee, and our defense completely crumbled. 
I had gotten by through my journey by remembering Ocetorm. How the pain he inflicted had no equal. But this… Chrysalis’ horde managed to come pretty damn close. 
Where before, the changelings had just dragged me to a cocoon, now they were beating me down. I felt fangs rip into my skin, felt hooves bludgeon me and try to bury me into the stone. I heard the wails of my temporary companions. I smelled the sickly sweet goo that they were blasting us with. And every attempt I made to force myself back up was met and countered with the horde of changelings beating me right back down.
“That should do,” a voice cut through the pounding of hooves on flesh. “That should do!”
The changelings jumped off me, my entire body throbbing. None of them had used their numbing venom, allowing me to feel the agony of every bite and strike. Even as I tried to pull myself up, a hoof came down on my neck. It probably could have snapped my spine a second time, which was likely why I kept still. 
“Look at you,” Chrysalis mocked. “Look at the hero.” She shoved, and I was flipped to my back. Her hoof returned to my throat, as I found myself looking up into her bottle green eyes, narrowed in both triumph and anger.
“YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD GET OUT OF MY HIVE?” She snarled, her fangs bristling before me. But, just as quickly as the anger came, it passed. She tilted my head up, as I saw the others; the people I believed with all my soul were the allies I had made. They were bound in green slime, the changelings holding them down. Even Sparks, struggling with all her might, couldn’t break free of them. 
“Now… why don’t you lay there and see what happens when you resist my lure,” Chrysalis taunted me, before I felt her pressing down hard on my loins. 
I struggled against her, but with two quick shots from her horn, she had my claws bound in the green goo. The changelings set upon my allies as well, hooves grasping for their nether regions, tongues lathering disgustingly across their skins.
The pegasus – no, Fluttershy! It had to be Fluttershy! – whimpered. Gabby was crying as a changeling forced himself onto her. I tried to yearn for them, but Chrysalis held me fast, her tongue trying to slip down my throat. 
I couldn’t fight this. 
I couldn’t win!
“Carol…” I found myself thinking. “Mom… Dad… my pack…” My eyes shut and a keen escaped me as Chrysalis forced me inside her. “I’m so sorry… I can’t win this… I’ll never get back to you…”
Not alone…” 
But… almost from the depths of my soul, I heard something. 
“You are not alone, my son.” 
I saw my mother. Her cloak was a pure white – a globe of light, surrounded by darkness.
“Your pack is always with you,” she assured me.
“Here,” another voice said from my chest. “In your heart.”
Another being appeared in the darkness. Silver, like the full moon. 
“Father?” I whispered. 
This was no changeling illusion. Standing there, before me, were my mother and father. I couldn’t be dying; that would be a sweet mercy to what Chrysalis had in store for me. Yet there they were. Wagging their tails at me. 
I didn’t deserve their praise. I didn’t deserve to have them look on me as if I had won. 
“I failed you,” I whispered, my willpower cracking as I curled into a ball. “I failed you both.”
“Nonsense,” My dad’s voice insisted. “The victories of those we call enemy, are not your failures.”
“The struggle against those who believe themselves gods is arduous,” my mother agreed. “But none have fought more bravely than you, my son.” 
“You have won many victories,” a new voice said. I looked up, as another globe of light appeared, taking the form of Gabby. 
“Rekindled hope in the hearts of those you protected,” Crystal’s voice said. 
“The strength of the oppressed lies in the many,” Mongo’s gruff voice insisted.
“The lone wolf dies,” Sparks added. “But the pack will always survive.”
My eyes opened; glowing like a light bulb. Chrysalis pulled herself away, shielding her eyes as the glow strengthened. But I didn’t focus on her or her minions. Instead, I focused on the others around me.
Sparks… who trained me. 
Gabby… who guided me.
Crystal… who gave me hope.
Mongo… who fought alongside me.
And… Fluttershy.
Who had welcomed me. Nurtured me. Cared for me and called me her friend, no matter how much I had tried to push her away.
They called me the Lone Wolf of Equestria. But I hadn’t survived on my own. I had always had something to help me. Those who cared about me, and protected me against all odds.
A pack. 
As my lightning reformed, the changelings were pushed away from them, unable to touch my pack. Spells, teeth and horns glancing uselessly off my barrier. 
This was how the White Wolf had managed to gain such a large following over Myst, I realized. How wolves were able to stand a chance against humans and human technology and ingenuity. 
It wasn’t just sheer determination or cunning. It was because of pack. Of team work. 
The strength of the wolf is the pack. And right now, no matter our goals or our alignments, no matter if those weren’t the people I had come to care for… in that moment, those five creatures and I… we were a pack. 
My lightning curled around them, strengthening them in a way that I hadn’t ever used my lightning before. It pulled us together, binding us in light. A light that made several changelings wince, and one to run away screaming.
“No…” Chrysalis whispered from above. “How is this possible! That kind of power… I haven’t felt it since…” Her eyes bugged out of her skull. “The Canterlot Wedding?” She pointed. “Stop them! Stop them now! Don’t let it happen again!” 
A changeling tried to obey. It lunged for me, but it’s teeth broke against my barrier. As I felt my strength mix with the dragon, with the griffon, with the sea pony, with the yak, and with the pony, I raised my head up. And I gave a long, loud howl. 

#

“Logan, don’t!” Fluttershy screamed, as Logan nearly cut loose with a loud bellow. His fur had actually started glowing, and lightning crackled around him before he came to his senses. 
He looked down, remembering that he was in the Crystal Empire. That he was surrounded by the very ponies that he had been reminded of. He gave a sheepish grin.
“Sorry,” he mumbled. 

#

But when I came to, the hive was a wreck. I saw the last of the changelings being scattered to the wind. 
“NOT AGAIN!” echoed faintly off the mountain tops; the Queen of the Changelings, once again hurled to who-knows-where by the power of love. Who'd have thought?
My small pack stood confused and looking around in shock. And further away, more victims of the changelings were pulling themselves out from the shattered cocoons.
“What… just… happened?” the dragon stammered.
But bit by bit, they started to look towards me. My fur was still glowing faintly, and I stared at them with the same dumbfounded look.
The pegasus was the first to respond. She wasn’t Fluttershy – her fur was tan, and her mane, while long, was a pure white. 
Yet, when she whispered, “You… saved us?” I still felt my tail wag.
“Not alone,” I admitted. “You guys helped me save you.” 
After that, there wasn’t much else to talk about. The dragon flew off with a vague promise that she owed me one, which I guess was the best I was going to get. The rest of us walked as a group for a bit before reaching a set of train tracks. With the train tracks, we had a sense of where to go for civilization. The ponies, both earth and sea, and griffons set out for the south, while a couple of yaks and I went north. The Crystal Empire was still somewhere out there, and I was interested in trying to find it. As for the yaks, their home lay further north, even further north than the Crystal Empire.
It took at least a week of travel, but the tracks led to an old train station, which one of the yaks recognized. 
“Leads to where Crystal Empire once was,” Mongo replied. Turns out I hadn’t been fooling myself; Mongo had been there.
I nodded, and headed for the ruins. “Thanks again,” I called.
“No, Lone Wolf of Equestria,” he replied. “Yak thanks you. Without Lone Wolf, Yak would have been prisoner of changeling. Yak will remember Lone Wolf. And should Lone Wolf travel further north, Lone Wolf will receive hero’s welcome in Yakyakistan.”
I nodded, and gave a final wave goodbye before noticing a trodden pathway past the train station. Looked like someone had gotten there before me. Likely Cadence and Shining now that I think about it. 
Undeterred, I strode forward, where I eventually made out that shield, along with Sombra trying to force his way in.
And the rest… well, you guys were there for the rest.
> Chapter 19: A Change of Heart
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The cave was totally silent as Logan finished his story. Despite the fire having long gone out, there wasn’t an ounce of cold in the room. Not only were the Mane Six gathered around, but Cadence and even Shining Armor had gathered to hear Logan’s tale, with the love alicorn using a heat spell to make the cave bearable. 
“So… what now, then?” Rainbow Dash finally asked, breaking the silence.
“Now?” Logan asked, “Now I keep going. Either north, to the yaks, or back to that dragon with the treasure horde.”
The ponies all jumped in shock.
"But Logan, why?” Rarity declared, “The last time you encountered him…”
“I know,” Logan replied, “But the Crystal Heart’s clearly not able to work…”
“Don’t be so sure of that,” Cadence noted.
Logan tilted his head at her.
“The Crystal Heart’s a powerful magic source," Shining Armor clarified. "But it needs to be charged regularly. You don’t think the Crystal Fair was a one-time thing, did you?”
Logan’s ears flicked, though his resigned expression didn’t fade. “But Sombra said that the Crystal Fair focused its energy on defense.”
“It does,” Celestia said, “But perhaps, if aided by three alicorns… and the magic that you seemed to have gained a greater grasp on…”
Logan flared his claws, nodding as sparks danced briefly across his claw tips, before he took another glance at Celestia. Was she saying what he thought she was saying?
“Perhaps it might be able to have magic to spare to bring you back.” Celestia said. 
Yep, she was. Logan stared at her with wide eyes, but she simply smiled at him. 
“I don’t like sending you back to those humans," Celestia admitted. "But from the sound of it, you’ve gone through way worse at this point.” She bowed her head. “And ultimately, it’s never been my decision on what’s to be done with your life. It was always your choice, and it's time that I respected that.” She gave him a cautious look. “So… if you are willing to be patient and let us prepare the Crystal Heart properly…” 
Logan chuckled, a rare smile forming on his snout. “Lady,” he said, “I spent months training with the dragons. I spent two years searching for a miracle to take me back.” He looked at the others. “And in terms of places to wait… I’ve learned that there are worse places to be spending my time.” He turned back to her. “I think I can wait a little bit longer.” 
Celestia grinned softly and nodded. 
“In that case,” Cadence said, standing up. “Let’s get back to the Empire and call Auntie Luna. No offense, Lone Wolf, but I personally prefer a palace to a cave. And we're going to need her help.” 
Logan scoffed. “Soft Royals…” he muttered. But he didn’t make any further protests as they headed back for the Empire.

#

Cadence set aside an entire room for Logan. She also offered him a haircut and bath; something Logan actually found himself accepting. It was odd to accept something from another royal, but now that they didn’t have Sombra hanging over them, she seemed much more relaxed. At the very least, she seemed a lot less stiff and formal than Celestia, and far less likely to attack him than Luna. Whether that was due to age or that apparently, she controlled love, was anyone’s guess. Either way, Logan got the chance to get his fur trimmed again, and he got the chance to lie back in hot water, and let the stress and hardship of months of work wash away.
In a way, it was cathartic to have told his story to them, even if he hadn’t expected to see any of them again. Throughout his journey, he had learned just how valuable pack and family are. And yet, he still wanted to believe that the mares had only liked him on Celestia’s order. But was that really possible? He had been gone for so long, and yet they still accepted him back. Heck, they took on a freaking Shadow King together! And the only reason he was there, enjoying the Crystal Empire’s hospitality instead of being forced to breed a changeling army, was because he had put his faith in a bunch of strangers. So, why couldn’t he put his faith in a bunch of kind strangers that weren’t even that strange to him?
As Logan washed the last of the shampoo from his cropped fur and idly scratched at his neck, he started to wonder where his pack really was. He shook his head; it was back on Gaia, of course. And yet… 
He was broken from his thoughts by a knock on the door of his room. Logan jumped slightly, before letting his tail swish. 
“Come in,” he called.
The door opened and Twilight walked in. She flinched back slightly, but then again, so did Logan for that matter. He still remembered her duplicate; the coy tone and the feeling of wolf’s fur on his own… Thankfully, she didn’t pick up on that. She seemed more occupied with the scars. From the claw of Ocetorm to the teeth of the sphinxes, the many scars Logan had gained across his journey were clearly visible. 
“I…” she finally stammered, “Didn’t know they were that bad.” 
Logan looked down at his scars and huffed. “It was worse when I got them, I can promise you that.”
Twilight gave a small, but forced smile.  
“Logan, I… just wanted to ask you something.”
“You always do,” Logan replied with a cheeky wag of his tail. Twilight had to pause a moment to hide her own chuckle before continuing.
“Well, I’ve… always been kind of a note taker,” Twilight admitted. She levitated several scraps of parchment, which Logan was stunned to see were flooded with notes and scrawls. “And after you told us everything… well… I feel like your story could make a good book.”
Logan’s ears flicked back and forth. “A… book?” he asked.
“Ponies don’t often go to the Outlands,” Twilight explained. “And it would be a great way to let them know what’s out there. Not just the good, but… also the bad.” 
Logan’s eyes narrowed. “Do I need to worry about Celestia hunting down Sparks and her master?” he asked.
To her credit, Twilight didn’t get angry. She just shook her head.
“Nothing like that,” she promised. Her own ear flicked. “Though, I guess the better question is… what can I give you in exchange?”
Logan’s tail perked up at her offer. She gave a sheepish grin.
“’The agreement of trade went a long way towards forming pack alliances,’” she recited from his previous lectures. She rubbed the back of her mane. “I know, it’s kind of odd to start trying to form an alliance after you’ve been here for so long. But… I kept trying to make you see things the way we did... and I wish I had seen things from your perspective sooner." She shrugged. "So... Better late than never?”
She looked up hopefully, and her ears perked up to see his tail wagging. 
“How about…” he said, slightly coy. “A copy of my own.” He added quickly. “There are wolves that can read out there.” 
Twilight’s smile brightened, and she gave a short nod. With an excited burst of her magic, a scroll and quill materialized next to her, and she started copying down the scraps and notes she had made while in the cave. Logan watched from the side, filling her in on details she had missed or his own commentary. 
Yet, as they approached the part about the changelings, Logan noticed Twilight’s face fall. 
“Something on your mind?” he asked.
Twilight looked back, but averted her eyes just as quickly. “I don’t know,” she admitted, “It’s just that… I know you were dead-set on finding your pack. But despite that, I could never stop thinking about you as a friend. A stubborn, incredibly moody friend, but a friend nonetheless. It hurt when you left… and now you’re probably be leaving again forever.” Twilight flattened her ears and put her quill down. “I know you’ll want to go back to your own world, but… we all kind of missed having you around in Ponyville. Having you back made us realize that.”
Logan suddenly backed up, baring his teeth. Twilight backed up herself. 
“Oh, Celestia, did I...?” she started to ask, before looking down at what she had written so far. “Oh… Changelings.”  
“Sorry,” he mumbled. “But if you were about to make some sort of declaration of love, or try to kiss me, I’d have to bite you.”  
Twilight groaned and put a hoof to her face, yet Logan could still see the smile threatening to poke out. 
“Don’t worry; I was never interested in you that way,” she promised, before getting back on track. “I guess I’m just saying that… I know all you’ve wanted for the past two years was to get back to your family. And… well, if that’s what happens, then I want you to know I’m happy for you.” She gave him a more genuine smile. “It’s always nice to see some pony – anyone – succeed at something they’ve been trying to do for a while. Just know that you’ll be missed.”
Logan’s lips hid his teeth, and his tail swished. “Well… for what it’s worth,” he said, “I learned a lot while I was out there, especially after I managed to escape from Chrysalis’ hive.” He looked up at her. “I can’t give up now, and I still don’t know what to think of Celestia, but… You won’t ever be forgotten. I can promise you that.” 
They both smiled at each other before the inevitable changeling flashback made them avert their eyes. Twilight cleared her throat. 
“Anyway,” she said, picking her quill up. “So… you grabbed the changeling’s horn, and that threw off it’s ridiculous disguise…”
“Yeah,” Logan clarified. “And for some reason, she was still using your voice. I raised my claw, not really sure what I was going to do…” 
Their story continued again up until the end. As Twilight checked over her notes, Logan noticed the top of the scroll, which had rolled all the way out of the room and down the hallway. Twilight was more focused on proof-reading, so Logan got the chance to check out the higher part of the scroll. 
The first thing he saw was the title: Adventures of the Lone Wolf of Equestria. 
Logan shook his head, but he didn’t feel angry or irritated. He and Twilight had made a trade. Of course, he had already given up a lot for her and her friends, but for some reason, the fact that she had planned on this being a book even before asking him didn’t irritate him anymore. His curiosity increased as he noticed a small bit of passage that he hadn’t caught before. 

Foreword; by Twilight Sparkle.

Tilting his head, Logan read the parchment to see what she wrote.
Two years before the publication of this book, a member of a new species came to Equestria; a young wolf, unlike any Timber Wolf or Diamond Dog that had been seen before. While most know him now as the Lone Wolf of Equestria, I knew him as Logan. He proved himself fierce in conviction and loyalty, for when it was discovered that Princess Celestia had brought him here as a result of a random accident with magic portals and was unable or unwilling to return him to his family – referred to by him as a ‘pack’ - he responded by biting her.  
Logan chuckled.
Don’t let his impulsive action fool you, however. Logan, while stubborn, moody and very temperamental, is actually a fiercely loyal friend when you respect him and truly get to know him and his culture (For notes on his species, see my article 'The Wolves of Gaia.' He proved these traits with his connection to Fluttershy – the Element of Kindness - and the three foals who found him, whom he became very close to, and protected against bullies and monsters alike. Unfortunately, their new bond had no hope against the strength of his bond with his original pack. For when Princess Celestia revealed to him that she could truly not send him home, Logan – undeterred – left Ponyville and traveled across Equestria in an attempt to find his own way back.
This is his story. I believe you will find it as engaging and fascinating to read as I found to listen to when he told it to me, Princess Celestia and the other Element Bearers.
Logan is stubborn, temperamental, devoted, and has an insatiable determination to never quit, even when the world itself is trying to stop him. And despite everything, he was a pleasure to get to know, and I will always consider him to be a good friend. 
Logan found himself smiling as he read Twilight’s passage. He then looked up at her, as she continued to make sure the passages were perfect. When she noticed, him grinning at her, her ears flicked and her eyes darted, but she managed her own grin back. 
“T-Thank you for this, Logan,” Twilight said, rolling up her scroll. “I’ll send you a copy as soon as it’s ready.” 
“Looking forward to it,” Logan replied. And he watched Twilight set off down the hallway.
Maybe it was just the fact that he was in a place that wasn’t being run by tyrants or was full of people that wanted to manipulate or kill him, but it was comforting; knowing these mares cared. In their own, awkward ways. Even if it didn’t change anything. 
Logan wanted his pack. He needed his original pack. For two years now, he had been searching. And yet, even if he could never tell them it – he had a reputation to uphold, after all - it was nice to know that even if he never found them… he still had another pack to fall back on.
> Chapter 20: Back to the Pack
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Logan wasn’t able to sleep that night. He was at a real crossroad; everyone had recommended that he ask for Celestia’s help, and, in a way, he finally had. So, if this idea of Celestia’s didn’t work, he was likely going to have to stay in Equestria forever. 
He got out from bed early and put on his leather jacket. Even with the armor enhancements he had given it, it still settled easily against his fur like an old friend. 
Entering the main hall brought him before Princess Cadence, Shining Armor… and Princess Luna. For a moment, the alicorn and the wolf stared at each other. 
“Hello, Lone Wolf,” Luna said nervously.
“Luna,” Logan said frostily. 
For a full minute, the two stared at each other, nervousness warring against irritation. Cadence was the one that broke them up. 
“Don’t break the palace, guys,” Cadence said. “Luna’s just here to help, Logan.” 
Logan tore his eyes away from Luna to look at the love alicorn.
“So, you guys aren’t jerking me around?” Logan noted, “We’re gonna do this?” 
Cadence and Shining exchanged a look before Cadence turned her attention back to Logan.
“We talked about it all night,” she admitted, “About how best to go about combining our magic with the magic of the Crystal Heart.” She glanced back at Shining and shifted. “Of course, there are a few reservations. I’m not quite sure what that much magic will do to the Heart.”
“That’s ignoring the fact that we’re not even sure what the odds of success are,” Shining pointed out. “It’s a dangerous game you’re trying to play, Logan.” 
Logan just wagged his tail. “I’ve played a dangerous game for two years now,” Logan replied. “After all I’ve done… everything I’ve went through.” He shook his head. “I can’t give up now.” 
“Indeed,” Luna said. “Your resolve is above question. But you should know our concerns. This isn’t as simple as a beam or levitation spell…”
Logan snickered. “Bet a beam spell ain’t simple to an earth pony…” he muttered. 
“Take it seriously, Lone Wolf,” Luna chastised. “There are many unknown variables here.”
Logan nodded, but brought his own paw up. “I have my own brand of magic too,” he reminded them, “I’m going to do what I can to make sure the heart isn’t damaged.”
Cadence smiled softly. “Just as we’ll do everything we can to get you home.”
Logan nodded at that. “You’re doing my pack and me a great service,” he said. “Even if this doesn’t work out… you have my thanks.” He avoided Luna’s hopeful gaze as he said the last part. The darker alicorn fluffed her wings, partially irritated and partially resigned.
“Well…” Cadence shifted again. “I mentioned that we were talking about how best to use the Crystal Heart. We think that it would be best to work together: you, me and my aunts will combine our magic, and see if it opens the portal.”
“Understand this, Logan,” Celestia’s voice noted, drawing their attention as she walked into the room. “We will only attempt this once. Should it not work…”
“I know,” Logan said quickly, not wanting to risk his heart tearing from his chest in nervousness.
“So, with that being said…” Shining said, “The princesses are going to need time to prepare, and we need to make sure the Heart won’t be damaged.” He looked up at a clock. “Give us an hour.”
Logan nodded, even though his mind was racing. He had been on Equestria for two years, and now he was an hour away from reuniting with his pack. It was exhilarating, and yet terrifying at the same time. Who knew how much his pack had changed? What his world would even be like?
Logan mumbled something about taking a walk, and he didn’t face any resistance upon leaving the castle. For a while, Logan just walked. He probably looked like he was deep in thought, but his mind felt like static. He was relieved when someone broke him out of it.
“Logan?”
Logan turned, and his tail wagged when he saw Fluttershy.
“Hey, Fluttershy,” he said. “You okay?”
“Oh... I’m good. I guess,” she replied. 
The two started walking together. 
“You know,” Logan said, “I never feel I actually repaid what you did for me.” Fluttershy glanced at him. “Standing up to your own friends… giving me a home… trying to make me feel comfortable.” He glanced up at her with thankfulness in his eyes. “I was really lucky to meet you.” 
“And I was happy to get to know you too, Logan,” Fluttershy replied, though her smile faded as she looked away. “Though… I’m curious about something.” 
“Name it.”
“Well…” Fluttershy was quiet for a second. “I just…” She stopped and turned to him. “I don’t know a lot about your world, Logan. The only things I do know are what you told me and my friends. I also know that I don’t know about how the portal works, but… how do you know that the world you left and the world you’re going back to will be the same.”
Logan’s ears flattened, and he looked down. “They won’t be,” he admitted. “But it’s where my pack is.”
Fluttershy gave another uncomfortable grimace there. 
“Logan, I hate to play Discord’s advocate, but you’re stronger, scarred, deadlier… how do you know that you’re going to fit in?”
Logan just wagged his tail.
“Fluttershy, my pack included a deer-hound who set herself on fire as a method of fighting.” He smiled at Fluttershy’s look of shock. “I’m pretty sure they’ll help me fit in.” 
“And, well…” Fluttershy’s gaze traveled to the ground, and she flattened her ears. “Don’t you think… that maybe they think you’re dead?”
“They definitely think I’m dead,” he replied. “But…?”
Fluttershy sighed. “They’re your pack,” she finished for him. He frowned at her sad tone.
“You really want me to stay, don’t you?”  
“I’m sorry,” Fluttershy said quickly, “I know you want to see them again. And maybe it’s just the Element of Kindness talking, but…” She looked up at him with big doe eyes. “Logan, I’ve seen you get hurt so many times trying to get home. I let you go when you left Ponyville, and during your story… I hated myself for letting you endure everything that happened. I just don’t know if I could bear seeing you get hurt one more time… and I don’t want to know if you can either.” She nuzzled his neck. “I’ve always had a special spot in my heart for you, and even if you didn’t think we were pack… it couldn’t stop me from caring about you.” 
Logan’s tail wagged, and he smiled softly. Even with what Twilight had said the other day, it was a new feeling for Logan. To know that… even after having not seen these ponies in two years, they still cared about him. They cared despite everything he had done to push them away. Made him feel like kind of a jerk, too.
So, Logan curled his head around Fluttershy, and licked at her mane. “You’re a good mare, Fluttershy,” he said. “I’m glad I got to meet you.”
They held the embrace for a second. Two seconds. Just as they separated, a voice broke them away.
“Hey, Wolf,” Rainbow Dash called. Logan glanced around to see Rainbow Dash with two jousting lances. “You up for one last challenge?” 
Logan gave a small grin at Fluttershy, before noticing the Crusaders behind Rainbow Dash. 
“Hoping to get one over me before I go?” Logan asked, approaching Rainbow Dash with a playful grin. “You’re gonna be disappointed.”
Apple Bloom nudged Scootaloo with a grin, while Scootaloo’s grin just widened. Rainbow Dash, for her part, looked pleased with Logan’s trash talk. 
“During the fair,” Rainbow Dash explained, indicating the jousting sticks. “We had a jousting tournament. Pretty simple; just try and send your foe flying with these sticks.” She tossed one to Logan, who caught it easily.
“Should I assume you’re fine not tasting my claws again?” he asked good naturedly.
Rainbow Dash laughed. “I’m just curious to see if you can lose with something other than your teeth,” she replied.
“Alright, Rainbow Dash,” Logan said, as she led him back out to a field. “You’re going down hard.”
“And don’t worry,” Rainbow Dash added, indicating bales of hay on opposite ends of the field. “I’ll try to send you for the hay bales… when I get you.”
Apple Bloom pulled Logan to the end of the field while Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle followed Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy smiled softly as Apple Bloom offered Logan armor, only for him to decline, indicating his jacket.
“I’ll be honest,” Fluttershy said. “I’m glad to be on the outside of this match."
“Oh?” Logan asked. “Did you have to joust?”
“While you and Twilight were looking for the Crystal Heart,” Fluttershy admitted. She glanced over at Rainbow Dash, who had decked herself out in silver armor. “It wasn’t fun.”
The implication hit Logan, and his grin became a little more forced. “I’ll give her one for you,” he whispered to her.
“Good luck, Logan,” Apple Bloom said. When he looked down at her, his tail wagged at the lack of hurt in her expression. “I kinda bet Scootaloo half of my family’s acres, so…”
“I better win,” Logan noted with a grin. “Count on it.” 
He glanced up at Rainbow Dash, who gave him a salute. Logan repeated the gesture, and they took up positions, much to the delight of the others. A flugelhorn sounded (Logan spotted Pinkie waving at him), and as Rainbow Dash charged him, Logan hefted his lancing spear and rushed her. 
At the last second, Logan ducked right in front of Rainbow Dash’s path. As the cyan mare skidded to avoid trampling him, his lance crashed into her armor and sent her right into the hay bale. She rolled with the fall and shook herself off.
“Best two out of three!” she said before Logan could howl in victory. 
The mare had a reputation to maintain; a fact she made clear when she copied Logan’s motion and sent him into the hay bale. Scootaloo cheered Rainbow Dash on, while Apple Bloom called for Logan to recover. 
With one last battle in mind, Logan adjusted his spear, and glared Rainbow Dash down. The mare and wolf charged each other again. And seconds before they clashed, saw Rainbow Dash lift up off the ground. 
We playing for keeps? Logan pondered. Cuz I can play for keeps. His barrier flared up around him, and as Rainbow Dash and Logan hit each other. Their jousting lances splintered, popped, and broke against their armor. 
But Logan’s barrier was stronger, and as their lances disintegrated against each other, Logan barreled right into Rainbow Dash, sending her flipping through the air. However, the mare caught Logan by the jacket, and the wolf was taken for a ride, with the two smashing into the hay bale and scattering it to the wind. The mare and wolf fell in a heap on the ground, as Apple Bloom and Scootaloo cheered their approval.
“Logan did it!” Apple Bloom insisted. “He won!”
“But Rainbow Dash got him into the hay bale!” Scootaloo insisted. “It was a tie!”
Scootaloo’s logic was sound, but the fact that it was Rainbow Dash’s hay bale gave her little room to argue. Logan picked himself up and dusted off his jacket, and offered a paw to Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash looked at his paw for a moment, before letting him help her up. 
“Y’know,” she said approvingly. “You’re not bad, Wolf.” 
Logan nodded. “You’re a protector, Rainbow Dash,” he said before he could stop himself. “You be sure to look out for Fluttershy and the others… if I can’t, alright?”
Rainbow Dash smiled and gave a nod. “Always,” she promised.
With the feeling of tension gone from the two, Logan was left to endure Apple Bloom and even Pinkie’s cheering, while Fluttershy restricted herself to polite clapping.  

#

Not long after Logan’s jousting match, it was finally time. 
Logan joined Celestia, Luna and Cadence as they headed towards the Castle, and they were joined by the Mane Six. Nobody said a word as they walked through the halls. No one was sure what to say. Not even Logan could think of anything, with mere minutes separating him from his home and pack. 
“You okay, Logan?” Fluttershy asked as they walked to the room housing the Crystal Heart.
“Just reflecting,” Logan replied. 
“Worried that the past years might be for nothing?” Pinkie asked without thinking.
“Pinkie!” Twilight scolded, though Logan for once didn’t look offended. 
“No,” Logan admitted. He chuckled. “I’ve had incredible experiences that shaped me in ways I’m not sure I would’ve had back in my own world.” He paused. “Well, I might have had them back in my own world, but… when you go through something like that, and come out better and stronger for it, then it's never really a waste.”
With that, they arrived in the throne room of the castle, where the Crystal Heart was resting on a large pedestal in the middle of the room. A prism of color glowed faintly around it, warming the room and giving it the feel of a cozy den. 
Logan took a deep breath, and let his magic dance across his claws again. “So…” he said, turning to Celestia. “What do we do?” 
“Now,” Celestia said, “I try my portal magic. With the help of you, Luna, Cadence and the Crystal Heart. I know that we will have more than enough strength to create the portal, but there are two things I cannot promise.” She turned to Logan with a grim expression. “I cannot promise that you will be able to go through, and I cannot promise that the world that appears will be beyond the link the humans made.”
Logan nodded. “I understand,” he replied. He rose to his hind legs, readied the surviving blades made from his mother’s ribs, and charged up his magic in his other hand.
But then he turned back to the Mane Six.
“Well,” he said to them. For a moment, he struggled to find the right words. “Thanks,” he settled on, his tail wagging. “For better or worse… I’m glad I met you guys.” 
The girls smiled at him. Fluttershy wiped at her eyes.
Logan looked back at the Heart. Celestia gave him a hopeful look, but he didn’t even glance her way.
“Let’s do this,” he said, resisting the urge to add in, “I still don’t know about you, Celestia.” 
Celestia’s ears flicked, still picking up his silent gesture, but she didn’t make a scene. She instead turned to her little ponies.
“You girls may want to stand back,” she told them.
The ponies nodded. With one last look at Logan, the ponies filed out of the room.
Together, the three princesses ignited their horns. Logan extended his paw. The magic combined, a sparkling mixture of aura and lightning, and fired into the Crystal Heart, which glowed even brighter. A bright blue beam shot from the heart, and stopped in front of the throne. The ends of the beam expanded, and Logan’s chest constricted as the portal reformed. 
“It’s ready,” Celestia said.
Keeping his link to the others locked, Logan strode towards the portal. And, with his paws extended, he let one final breath loose.
The Crystal glowed with the light of a sun, and Logan vanished in a blaze of light.

#

Celestia, Luna and Cadence shielded their eyes as the light enveloped the Lone Wolf. Briefly, the light became too bright to look at. The alicorns turned away as the force of a supernova warmed their bodies. Then, the feeling faded, and so did the light. 
Celestia blinked the blobs of light from her eyes, unsure what she would find. Would Logan be gone; returned to his world. Or would he still be here, angry and disappointed.
At first, her fear seemed to lean towards the latter, as she made out Logan’s form standing there, still among them. But as she backed up, ready to deal with his disappointment, she noticed another, sprawled out on the ground. A form that Logan stared at with fully perked ears and tail. 
The light faded from the Crystal Heart, and it briefly looked like normal quartz before feebly gaining its prism of color again. Logan stood before it, staring down with growing awe as a second wolf rose to her paws. She had fiery red fur, some of it messily hanging over her eyes. Her body was outfitted in teal blue armor, like the kind Celestia’s guards wore. She had a slightly ‘softer’ aspect than Logan; there was a rounder curve to her ears contrasting with Logan’s sharp, angular points. Also, as Celestia’s eyes flicked over the new wolf, she noticed that the new wolf had back hooves in place of paws, and small bumps poking out from the top of her head like doe horns. If Celestia combined a reindeer with a wolf, she’d have the fiery red creature that stood before Logan.
Yet as the Lone Wolf gazed into the new girl’s faded green eyes, Celestia saw everything he had gone through – all the pain, all the tribulation, all the doubts – all of it faded away, replaced but shock and cautious hope.
“Carol?” he whispered.
Carol’s own eyes widened under her messy red fur. She pulled herself up, staring into his eyes. 
“L-Logan?” she stammered.
Their noses touched, their nostrils twitching and flaring against each other. And then… Celestia and her fellow princesses had to resist getting their hearts melted by the greeting the two wolves gave each other.
Their high-pitched cries of happiness echoed off the high ceiling in the throne room. Logan kept jumping back from his companion, but would just as quickly jump back to her side. Carol struggled to keep him reigned in, her tongue lathering over his neck and shoulders while also offering her own neck for him. They pushed, tussled and wrestled each other, all while crying out in pure, undiluted happiness. Their tails were wagging hard enough that Luna had to duck back before Logan’s swiping tail knocked her regalia sideways.  
Eventually, the two exhausted themselves out, and simply lay there, snuggled up to each other and giving small whimpers of joy. 
Celestia motioned to the other princesses, and they made to back away. The Lone Wolf may not have found his way home – heck, he may not have found his entire pack – but for that shining moment, it appeared that he had found what he was really seeking this whole time.
Logan briefly looked up at her, pure happiness in his eyes, but they flicked back to continue his reunion with his pack mate.
He had done it. 
For better or worse, he had gotten back to the pack.
> Bonus Chapter and Epilogue: Welcome Back to Ponyville
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Mane Six stood outside the Crystal Castle, waiting for the final verdict on Logan’s fate. As the castle glowed, a beam of light shooting up to the stars, the girls watched with a somber air about them. 
“You think that he got home?” Applejack asked. 
“I don’t know,” Fluttershy admitted. “I hope that he’s happy, but…” 
The beam suddenly shut off. And the girls watched the castle doors expectantly. They weren’t sure what to expect; it was highly likely Celestia and the other princesses would come out, sad but successful in sending Logan back. There was also a chance they’d have to deal with an angry or at least depressed wolf. 
What they didn’t expect was for the doors to explode open, and an ashen covered Celestia, Luna and Cadence to gallop at full tilt down the stairs to them. Red lightning glowed behind them, and a howl of rage followed after them.
“Princess Celestia!” Twilight shrieked, racing to her side. “What happened?”
Celestia coughed, her eyes spinning in her head. “Girls…” she stammered. “I…”
“Guys, run!” a familiar voice roared. 
The girls turned up to see Logan; still on this world. However, he was holding the doors shut, as a blood thirsty howl sounded from the other side. 
“Wait,” Twilight stammered. “That was a howl.” She looked at Logan, who was still trying to hold the doors shut. “But… you didn’t howl? What…?”
“The worst she can do is yell at me,” Logan insisted. “Now RUN!”
“She?!”
But, before Logan could explain, the doors nearly flew off their hinges, and Logan did go flying into Fluttershy. Twilight’s jaw dropped as she found herself staring at a wolf with fiery red fur. Red lightning danced across her body, and her eyes were twin nova suns, glaring with absolute fury at Celestia.
“CELESTIA!” the hound howled.
Twilight felt her blood run cold. “Oh, no…”

#


Five minutes previously…

Logan and Carol’s high-pitched cries of happiness echoed off the high ceiling in the throne room. Logan kept jumping back from his companion, but would just as quickly jump back to her side. Carol struggled to keep him reigned in, her tongue lathering over his neck and shoulders while also offering her own neck for him. They pushed, tussled and wrestled each other, all while crying out in pure, undiluted happiness. Their tails were wagging hard enough that Luna had to duck back before Logan’s swiping tail caught her. 
Eventually, the two exhausted themselves out, and simply lay there, snuggled up to each other and giving small whimpers of joy. 
The princesses glanced at each other. Celestia wasn’t sure what to do. They had no place here.
However, Logan’s ears perked, and he looked up for a moment.
“The others…” he whispered hoarsely, as Carol matched his gaze. “Were they…?”
Carol’s ears flattened, and she shook her head. “I’m sorry, Logan,” she whispered. “They… well… I’m the only one left.”
Logan’s ears and tail tucked, but he had no words. He simply pushed himself closer to his counterpart, and the two almost seemed to tuck into each other. It was easy to see them as just a massive ball of red and gold fur.
Before it got too intimate, Celestia cleared her throat. Logan’s gaze darted up to her, as did Carol’s.
“Horses?” she asked, glancing back at Logan. “Are we in… is this the North Kingdom?”
Logan shook his head. “These are, uh…” he glanced around and eventually focused on the white one. “This is Celestia. She’s Alpha of the land of Equestria.” He nodded at Luna and Cadence. “That’s her sister, Luna, and their niece, Cadence. Cadence is Alpha of the Crystal Empire.”
“Royals?” Carol asked, glancing at Logan with concern. “Did they…?” She noticed his jacket had opened in their reunion, and too late, he failed to stop her from spotting the various scars he had gained on his journey. She gasped in horror, her tail tucking and her ears pinning against her neck. 
“Not them,” he quickly said as she clutched at him. “Not them. Others. Outside their kingdom.”
“But…?” Carol stammered. “You were gone for two years! We thought you and Reaper were dead.” Her ears pricked. “Reaper! Is she…?”
But Logan shook his head, showing the red scarf around his neck. Carol whimpered and tucked her head into his neck.
Celestia finally decided to intervene, and cleared her throat. 
“My heart aches with sorrow at your losses,” Celestia said, “But there is something we need to confirm.” She looked at Logan. “Logan, the Crystal Heart…”
“It did what I needed,” Logan said, holding Carol tighter. “If none of my pack are left back there… then I don’t care about that place.” He looked at Carol again. “There aren’t, right?” he asked uncertainty.
But Carol just shook her head. And when Logan sighed, Celestia wasn’t sure if it was in regret… or relief. She gave a soft nod.
“I understand,” she said. “But… if you wanted to return with the others to Ponyville, you would be welcome there. I can have a home bought for you, and even give you occupations if you so desire…”
“Royals helping us?” Carol asked, looking up at her incredulous before turning to Logan. “What did you do to get her help?” 
Celestia chuckled nervously. “Well, it’s more what I did,” she admitted, even as Luna and Cadence both shot her uncomfortable grimaces. Even Logan glared at her with trepidation in his eyes. 
“Tia,” Luna said warningly, but Carol's attention had been captured.
“Hang on,” she growled, “What do you mean ‘what you did?’” Carol asked. 
Celestia paused, her eyes darting to Luna, but Carol’s eyes would not be denied the truth.
“Well…” Celestia said, “I suppose this whole thing started… when I took Logan from his world.” 
Carol’s eye twitched. Too late, the others noticed her fur glowing. 
“Now, let me explain…” Celestia tried to say.
But Carol didn’t give her the chance.

#

In a manner of minutes, Carol was being held back by not just Logan, but all of the Mane Six and even Cadence, while Celestia was tended to by Luna, Shining Armor and several guards. 
“TWO! YEARS!” Carol was screaming on a chant. “TWO! FUCKING! YEARS!”
“Carolina, calm down!” Logan barked, straining to hold her as lightning flared around her, trying to smash into the ponies holding her back. “Getting mad at her won’t help…!” 
“I will not calm down!” Carol shrieked; her fur spiking to the point that she looked more like a porcupine. “Let me at her, Logan!” she screamed, her claws slashing at empty air. “LET ME AT HER!”
“Listen to thy pack mate, Carolina,” Luna demanded. “You…” she was cut off as a stray bolt nearly singed the mane from her head.
“Don’t you DARE tell me what to do, you glorified mule!” Carol screamed. “Don’t you dare! AND YOU!” 
Celestia had found her hooves, but stumbled back as Carol pointed a claw at her in dire accusation.
“Do you have any idea what Logan vanishing did to us?!” Carol demanded.
Logan paused, nearly letting her go. Celestia tried to raise a hoof. 
“I know that you all suffered,” Celestia said, “And I offer my sincerest apologies.”
“Your sincerest…?!” 
Carol cackled; a high-pitched, out of control sound. Celestia looked to Logan for help, but Logan merely grimaced and shook his head, more focused on keeping her from lunging forward and beating Celestia into the ground.
“Two years,” Carol snarled at Celestia. “For two years, I had to deal with this! The entire pack DIED because of your little stunt!” 
“What?” Logan stammered, almost letting her go again. 
“That’s not possible,” Celestia insisted. “I was only…”
“Reaper was our Alpha!” Carol screamed, turning to Logan as if hoping he’d understand. “She wouldn’t leave that base alone. She had to find you! And then when she went after you… and all we found were her legs?” Carol’s tail tucked as she looked down. “It was like the Great Wolf had died all over again. The entire pack split apart; they blamed each other. And I…” She shuddered, as a look of horror crossed Logan’s face. “I had to go back to him!”
The others looked around in confusion, but Logan looked horrified. He shifted on his haunches. “Carol…” He whispered. “I... I'm so sorry.”
“What are you sorry for?” Carol demanded. “You didn’t leave us because you wanted to.” She snarled at Celestia again. “You weren’t the thief who brought our pack crashing down around us!” 
“Dude,” Rainbow Dash protested. “She was trying to save his…”
“I DON’T CARE!” Carol roared at her, the red lightning making her look like a monster. “I don’t CARE what she MEANT!” She was grabbed by Logan, but her anger was slowly giving way to sadness. “Everyone… the first people who ever cared about me…"
Logan hushed her, leaning into her as she started to sob.
“Darius?” he whispered. “Griffin? Krios?”
“All of them…” Carol sobbed. “Gone.”
He rocked her back and forth, as she clutched at his arms like a vice. The ponies backed up and away from them. The bravest one to approach was Fluttershy.
“I… don’t know if it helps,” Fluttershy said, “But… you have a home with us, Logan. You and Carol. You’d still be welcome in Ponyville.”
“She’s right,” Applejack said, walking up to them. “Whatever you guys need… just ask.”
Logan glanced up at them. Fluttershy's eyes watered at the look of absolute heartbreak in his eyes, and she put a soft hoof on his shoulder. He glanced down at Carol.
“You, uh…” he asked cautiously. “You wanna get out of here?” 
Carol shivered, before nodding softly. 
With nothing else to say, Logan pulled Carol up, and he helped her towards the empire's exit. The guards glared at her, but Celestia waved them off with a shake of her head. She cautiously approached Logan and Carol.
“Logan…” she whispered, but he simply raised a paw in her direction.
“Don’t,” he said flatly. “Just don’t.” 
Celestia’s hoof hovered in the air, her jaw trembling, but she lowered her head and backed off. And the two wolves limped for the outside, flanked by the Mane Six.

#

The train ride back home was dead silent. Logan and Carol sat by each other’s side, unwilling or almost unable to let go of each other. A few times, Pinkie or Apple Bloom tried to break the ice – even try to ask Carol about herself – but each time, the wolves just gave them sad looks, and the mares wisely backed off.
When the train pulled into the station, Logan led Carol away and towards the Ever-Free.
“Guys?” Twilight asked, but when she touched Carol, a spark zapped between them. Twilight yanked her hoof back with a yelp, while Carol and Logan retreated into the forest. The mares glanced at each other worriedly, but there wasn’t much they could do. Neither of the wolves had given them anything to work with. And besides, the Ever-Free was still scary for the mares.
But when two days passed, and the wolves showed no signs of coming back out, Fluttershy finally had enough. Her hooves trembled as she walked to the border of the forest, but soon enough, she was joined by Twilight. And the two ventured into the magical woods.
It wasn’t long before they found them. At first, all they saw was Logan, sitting by a tree, almost looking like he wanted to sink into the bark and become part of the tree.
“Logan?” Fluttershy asked softly.
“Hey, Fluttershy,” he said softly, though he didn’t glance at her. 
“Do you… need anything?” Twilight offered worriedly.
Logan simply nodded at what he was looking at. Twilight and Fluttershy followed his gaze… and Twilight covered her mouth in horror.
“Wait here,” she said, before racing away.
“Hm,” Logan mumbled.
Fluttershy, on the other hand, just sat there and watched sadly. Carol was face down in a patch of familiar bright blue flowers. She was giggling to herself softly… and she was the size of an actual tree. 
“Carol?” Fluttershy asked, approaching the giant wolf. 
Carol giggled again, her green eyes bloodshot as she turned them to the mare.
“Y’know,” she hiccupped. “He always tried to make me feel small.” She indicated herself. “Everyone told me he was just dragging me down to his size. But these… awesome flowers…” she poked at the blue leaves. “They just show me for myself.” 
Fluttershy strode forward, and stroked Carol’s paw. 
“Who tried to make you feel small?” Fluttershy asked, chancing a glance at Logan.
Carol growled at the implication. “You think Logan was capable of that level of cruelty?” she asked. 
“I’ve done plenty of bad things," Logan noted. "I abandoned you. My pack..." 
Carol turned to him, the ground thudding as she hefted her large body to him. 
“You didn't abandon us, Logan,” she insisted, nuzzling at him. “You were taken. You got me away from him; forgave me even when…”
“Don’t,” Logan said, touching her snout softly. 
Carol’s ears flattened, and she looked down in shame. 
“I’m sorry, Logan,” Carol whimpered. “I should have done more. It’s all my fault.”
“I’m the one to blame,” Logan said softly, pulling her snout back to him. “I was gone too long. I should have… I don’t know…”
“Don’t,” Carol insisted, nosing him back down. “Don’t make this a guilt-off. Okay? Just…?”
She was cut off by Rarity’s scream. The giant red wolf jumped, several branches snapping off and hitting the ground. Logan just rolled his eyes and got up. 
The rest of the Mane Six were staring up at Carol in horror. Rarity looked about five seconds away from fainting.
“Goodness,” she stuttered. “W-What happened?”
Rainbow Dash saw the bright blue leaves behind them. “Did… she get into that Poison Joke stuff?”
Logan glanced at the patch. “That’s what it’s called?” he pondered, before glancing at Rainbow Dash with a chuckle. “You’re a fantastic detective, Dash.”
Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes at his tone. “I’m trying to help,” she said. 
“You’re failing,” Carol growled, before turning around and rubbing her face in the Poison Joke. She started to grow bigger.
“Oh, darling,” Rarity said. “That’s not…” 
“Don’t even try it, royal,” Carol snarled, flipping to her back and rolling in the joke. “This is my body. This is my choice. This is…”
With a pop and a spray of fur, Carol shrunk down to the size of a pea, and was nearly lost in the Poison joke before Logan managed to catch her. However, he fell into the patch himself, and Pinkie had to resist giggling as Logan’s fur began to shed while he hauled Carol out. In seconds, the wolves had been reduced to Logan looking almost like a human, and Carol the size of an apple. Pinkie held back her laugh valiantly, though it didn’t stop the glares that the wolves shot her. 
“Sorry, Logan,” Twilight said. “I should have warned you; Poison Joke plays practical jokes on anyone who touches it. It somehow figures out each pony or creature’s personality, and gives them an affliction that’s… usually humorous in a way.”
Logan glared down at his strikingly human body, and then at Carol, who slumped defeated in his jaws.
“Yeah,” he growled angrily. “I can really see the humor.” He set Carol down before promptly trying to hurl a lightning bolt into the patch.
“Hey-HEY!” Applejack and Rainbow Dash yelled, grabbing him before he could throw it. Carol tried to shoot by them, her own lightning spiraling to life, before Fluttershy managed to grab her.
“Get off me!” Carol yelped, her voice like a chipmunk. “We're gonna burn that stupid patch to the ground.”
“And what if you set the whole forest on fire?” Applejack demanded. “What if you spread the effects of the Poison Joke?”
“I know you guys had it rough,” Rainbow Dash said. “But you’re not gonna solve anything just sitting in forests before setting them on fire.”
Logan threw the mares off him.
“WELL, WHY NOT?!” Logan roared. “I DON’T KNOW WHAT THE FUCK ELSE TO DO!”
The mares backed up, while Carol slumped in Fluttershy’s grip.
“Logan,” she whimpered. “Said he searched all over this damn world. No way back. We got your royal Sun-Butt lording over us… and now this stupid plant messing with us.” 
“Everyone’s dead,” Logan mumbled. “I mean… Carol’s back, but everyone else. They were gone. And now… I don’t know what to do!” Logan sat, curling his claws. “I don’t know what to do.” 
Twilight stepped forward cautiously.
“Logan,” she said softly. “Let us help you. We’re not pack, I know, but… you’re not going to survive like this.”
“I beat the changelings,” Logan growled. “I beat the minotaurs. I beat the Sirens.” He bared his teeth at them. “I’ll beat you too.” He stood, glaring at Rainbow Dash. “Care for a rematch; I might like it this time!” 
Rainbow Dash resisted the urge to step up to his challenge, and instead stepped back. “Not this time, Logan,” she said firmly. “We’re going to help you through this. Like it or not, we’re stuck with each other. So, why don’t we try and figure out how to make it work?” 
Logan’s glare softened, but Carol’s didn’t.
“We don’t need your help,” she snarled. “You’re not pack. You’re not even wolves!”
Fluttershy looked at Logan pleadingly. “Logan, please,” she whimpered. 
Logan’s ears perked at her. Carol’s eyes whipped between the two, causing Logan to share her glance nervously. His eyes then flicked to her tiny form, and then to his own altered body.
“Can we at least fix that,” he asked, indicating Carol’s tiny body. 
Carol ducked her head in shame, while Twilight nodded. 
“We’ll show you how,” she said. She glanced at Fluttershy. “You guys might also need some help as well.”
“What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked, before realizing her voice was several octaves lower. Rainbow Dash and Applejack gasped, before looking at each other; Applejack had shrunk to Carol's size, and Rainbow Dash's wings had been inverted.
“OH, COME ON!” she yelled. 
That time, Pinkie couldn’t hold in her laughter, and she howled with cackles. For once, she got a grin out of Logan and Carol. 

#

A few minutes later, Logan, Carol, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were all soaking in hot water mixed with herbs. Logan’s fur and snout were growing back, Carol was returning to her normal size, and when Fluttershy spoke again, her voice was back to its normal pitch. 
“So,” Fluttershy said. “I know you two are down, but… is there anything you want to share? We’re all here.”
Logan sighed and ran a paw through his fur. 
“I… don’t know what to think,” he admitted. He looked at Carol, who was flexing her growing limbs uncomfortably. “I got Carol back,” he said with a grin. He looked at her. “I feel like crap for being happy with everyone else gone, but… I’m really glad that I got you back.
“And I’m glad to be back with you too, Logan,” Carol said, looking at him sadly. “But… what was the cost?” She curled up in the water. “Everyone we knew is gone, or in another dimension.” She looked around. “And what even is this place?”  
“Don’t worry, Carly,” Pinkie said, “We’re super best friends with Logy; and we’re happy to do anything we can…”
“That’s what I don’t get,” Carol said, looking back at Logan. “What are these guys? Your pack or something? I thought that…”
Logan sighed, and glanced at the Mane Six with a ‘You see what I meant’ look.
Twilight raised a hoof for him to calm down. “Carol, Logan never forgot about you or his mom,” she said, “You were always in his thoughts, and he reacted badly to any attempt we made at what he thought was ‘replacing’ you.”
Carol still looked conflicted.
“It’s… a bit more complicated than that,” Logan said, causing Carol to look at him. “These guys? The gal they work with…”
“That Celestia chick I blasted?” Carol asked.
“Yeah, her,” Logan clarified, ignoring the pointed grimace Twilight hid, “These guys… work for her, I guess?” he glanced at them.
“Well, she’s kind of… God. For us, anyway,” Rainbow Dash clarified.
Carol’s eyes widened, “I blasted a Goddess?” she asked in disbelief. 
“Don’t get excited,” Logan said with a grin. “I bit her.”
Carol laughed. “Wow.” 
“Which isn’t something that we approve of,” Twilight noted with a pointed glance at Logan. Logan just smirked at her.
Carol chuckled. “Glad you haven’t lost your charm, Logan,” she whispered.
Logan chuckled. “Still, I figured out a long time ago that these guys aren’t to blame for what she did. So… walking off in the night? Trying to hurt them so that Celestia can continue feeling bad? Yeah, that’s a dick move.” 
“We know you did what you thought was right,” Fluttershy said. She gave him a small smile. “We’re not mad at you for it.” 
“Anymore?” Logan muttered, looking right at Twilight. She just sighed. 
Applejack then spoke up. “Do you wanna know what I think about all this? Why I think it was the best thing for ya to go on this trip?” 
“So, you weren’t lying about that,” Logan noted.
“I’m the Element of Honesty for a reason, sugar.” 
Logan waved airily. “Fine. Why do you think so?”
“Closure.” She tipped her hat back. “Think about it: if ya hadn’t gone on that trip, would ya have ever known without a doubt that yer pack was gone?”
“It’s not gone completely,” Carol said, though even she sounded doubtful. She flinched when Logan looked at her. “I mean… I’m still here.” 
“Exactly,” Applejack noted, turning back to Logan. “Would ya have found Carol?”
“No,” Logan admitted.
“So?” Applejack offered. “It would have been a nagging question for the rest of your life. You would have spent your time wondering if ya had done the right thing by just accepting Princess Celestia’s word and not even trying.” She smirked. “I may be mistaken, but that doesn’t sound a whole lot like the wolf I met.” 
Logan's tail wagged, scattering water with a splash. She had listed the exact reason why he had gone. The reason why he couldn’t rest until he was sure that his family was gone. 
“You’re right,” he said. “I did everything I could.” He looked over at Carol. “And I didn’t walk away empty-handed.” He looked down. “And… I’m not sure if it’s selfish, but… I wish that the others could see this place as well.” 
“The pain’s not going to go away all at once,” Twilight agreed. “But... If you don't mind me saying, your pack probably would have wanted you to live happy. To honor their sacrifice." She flinched. "At least... Would they?"
Logan grimaced. "Yeah," he admitted. "They would have wanted that." 
"But, can we?" Carol asked. "Is this place really safe?"
Twilight nodded. "Ponyville is, at least. Here, you don’t have to worry about human slavers or any of the things that you were going through on your world or in the Outlands. More importantly,” She put a hoof on Carol’s shoulder. “You have friends here; no one in Ponyville is going to use or abuse you guys ever again.”
“No abuse… ever again?” Carol sighed. “That sounds like a dream.” 
“Oh, you don’t know the half of it,” Pinkie said eagerly, as music began to play. “Logan may have seen the rougher side of Equestria, but there’s a whole other side to us. Another flip of the coin! In fact,” she pulled out a bit with a grin. “Let me fill you in.” 
She flipped the bit before bursting into song:

The eighties brought the pony breed.


Now Faust has made some changes; yes, indeed. 


She kept the values, but she’s got a new creed.


You’ve got so much to see! 

She pulled the wolves from the spa and led them out into Ponyville.

Here, ponies care; we lay the frames


For friendship to blossom with music, fun and games


No one scoffs at Dashie’s use of ‘cool’ and ‘lame.’


“Hey,” Rainbow Dash yelled.


You’ve got so much to see!Pinkie continued, undeterred.

She led them to Sweet Apple Acres.

Farmers and wolves would have their grudge.


But this is a family place with lots to do.


Where once Applejack would have a shotgun, now,


You’ll can get apples, cider and great pie too…

Pinkie danced them back into Ponyville.

You heard it from this equine’s mouth. 


This place has got a heart bigger than the South


And you’ll agree. 


No one really knows, my canine friends. 


When stories begin, and end


So, let’s hurry now, cuz you’ve got so much to see!

She led them to Zecora.

It’s true that new comers can give some dread. 


“But fear and loathing, we will quickly put to bed.” Zecora continued.


They won’t care about body, just what’s in your head.”


“You’ve got so much to see!” Pinkie continued.

She led them to the library.

And if you grow bored or just feel bizarre


You won’t have to worry, just a step too far.


Adventure waits to take you to the stars


You’ve got so much to see!

Twilight and the others joined in.

Our magic may make people mumble, “Oh Wow,”


“This guys’ into ponies, but he’s much too old.”


But when you ignore the haters and bullies. 


You’ll find enjoyment in things outside the mold.

Rainbow Dash jumped in.

There’s lots to do and much to see

Applejack added in. 

Not just Ponyville; other places to be 

Spike appeared, pulling out a comic.

We got comics that suck you into the pages.

Rarity showed off some dresses.

Canterlot fashions; oh, so contagious.

Fluttershy showed off her cottage.

Animals living in harmony.

Even Logan chimed in.

Dogs and cats? Mass Hysteria, maybe?

Despite his snark, Logan soon found themselves grinning as he led Carol after Pinkie, looking around at the marvels of Equestria as the rest of the ponies joined in the dance number.

So, let’s go see Equestria, Pinkie declared.


They’ll treat you right, even if you don’t like Celestia. Or Royalty!


Please forgive our world and its flaws.


And follow me here because. 


You’ve still got so very much to see!


You’ve Got!


So!


Much!


To!


SEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Pinkie and her friends did one last dance number.

You’ve got so much to see!

Pinkie concluded with a final burst of music.
Logan and Carol gazed at the others around them. And they shared a look.
“Well,” Logan asked. “Care to give it shot?”
Carol grinned at the mares before nodding at Logan. “Why the hell not?”