> The Howlite Howler
>  by JNKing
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue: Caged
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The chains clinked idly against the wall where the white wolf sat. Her snow-colored fur was stained with dirt and blood, and her haunted dark brown eyes stared vacantly at the wall, morosely counting bricks until the next torturer made their appearance. Her main restraint may have been a collar attached to the aforementioned chains, but she saw the shadows of guards outside. The various scars and cuts across her body were more than enough proof of what those ponies and others like them could do, and the wolf wisely stayed where she was.
But staying quiet and obedient could only work for so long, and in time, the cell door unlocked. The white wolf glanced up as her next tormentor entered: a purple unicorn, around the same size as the wolf. Her violent eyes were narrowed in an attempt to look intimidating, but she couldn’t hide the nervous swish of her sapphire blue tail, or the flash of doubt in her violent eyes. 
The wolf sighed, and turned her head, waiting for the first blow to come. 
“Do you know who I am?” the unicorn finally asked.
The wolf shifted. “Twilight?” she asked.
“Twilight Sparkle,” she corrected. “Personal student of Princess Celestia; Sol Invictus, Diarch and Ruler of Equestria. And I’m here on the authority of Princess Luna, Ruler of your Holy Moon and Lunar Diarch of Equestria.” 
The wolf gave her a confused look. “I don’t worship the moon,” she said. 
Twilight paused. “Y-You don’t?” she asked. She tilted her head. “Actually, what kind of religion do you…?” 
A knock on the cell door made her jump, and she forced her face back into a grimace.
“I-I mean, likely story, for a murderer like you,” she said. “If it was up to the Princesses, you’d be banished to Tartarus for what you did.”  
The wolf glared up at her, dark brown eyes narrowed. The unicorn sighed.
“But…” she admitted, pausing again. “There’s a lot we don’t know about you. So, you’re going to tell us.” 
Shiva rolled her eyes and looked away. Twilight glanced nervously at the door before clearing her throat.
“First off,” she started. “Who are you?” 
The wolf barely looked at her. “Shiva.” 
A beat of silence followed.
“Shiva?” she asked.
“You expecting something else?” she asked. “White Fang, perhaps? Or Black Fang? Blood Drinker? Something evil so you can justify beating me?” She huffed. “No. Just Shiva. Or White Wolf if you want.” 
Twilight looked back at the cell door again. The wolf wanted to laugh at the confusion in her eyes, but knew that would probably lead to another beating. So, she muffled her snort into another sigh, and glanced over at the wall. 
“Do not play games with me, ‘Shiva!’” Twilight declared, hefting her horn at the wolf. “Answer my questions! Who are you…?”
“Answered that already,” Shiva muttered.
“…why are you here, and why did you murder innocent ponies?” 
“Innocent?!”
Shiva looked up, her eyes turning black with rage. Her fur began to glow as well, though the collar glowed as well. Whatever power she had, it was sucked into the collar, leaving her helpless as two guards rushed in and blasted her with spells. The wolf hit the ground with a pained yelp. 
“Stop!” Twilight yelled, waving a hoof at the guards. 
They stopped firing, but still glowered at Shiva as she tried to pull herself up. Twilight gave her a pained look, once again twisting it into a grimace.
“A-As you can see,” she said, her voice failing at being intimidating. “You’re not going anywhere unless you cooperate.”
Shiva growled, shaking her head as Twilight positioned herself between her and the guards.
“Now, let’s try again,” she said. “Why are you here?”
Shiva glowered up at her. “You probably know as well as I do,” she said.
Twilight cocked an eyebrow, and motioned for her to continue. Shiva glared at the guards again, before reluctantly beginning her story.
> Chapter 1: Into Equestria
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I used to trust masters. I didn’t have that much knowledge of the outside world, but I knew that the master was the parent. The protector. The guardian against the cold and the outside. 
My memories of my early life are few and with little clarity, but what little I remember involved a human. A female that had found me, freezing and starving in the cold snow. She rescued me; took me to a warm den with food and medicine.
She wasn’t my mother. We were too different in appearance; she had opposable thumbs and digits? I had paws. I had sharp teeth? She had dull teeth. Where she could remove an outer fur layer, mine was rooted to my body.  
But none of that mattered to me: when the human fed me by hand, stroked my head and whispered words of love and encouragement, I knew: this was my master. My parent. The one person I could trust in the whole wide world. And it was my duty to watch over her: to protect her when she was in danger. To run and play with her when she was happy. To nuzzle her when she was lonely. To be, in essence, her best friend.
But then a day came when the master was taken from me. 
The day I was brought here. 
It seemed like such a normal day at the time. The Master was taking me on a walk through her territory. Great trees stretched into the sky above us, and the air was thick with the minty coolness of the coming winter. I couldn’t see the blue sky; it was concealed behind morose gray clouds. Master gave the clouds a cautious look, but her voice assured me we had nothing to worry about. So, I had confidently trekked forward on the forest trail we always used, stretching the lead that connected me to Master as far as it allowed, and invested myself in the scent of prey. 
But as the walk wore on, the clouds darkened, giving the illusion of night. Rain began to fall, gently at first, but slowly growing faster. A drop whipped a leaf off a branch, and the leaf smacked into my nose with a burst of pain. 
I looked to Master. She was giving the clouds a worried look as well. I nosed her with a whimper, but Master pat my head. 
I did not fully understand the strange words she used, but I could understand the meaning behind them: “Time to get to safety.”
We turned around, and went for home. The drops fell faster, hitting my back and sides. Our walk turned into a run, Master shielding her head from the storm. I longed to give her the white fur across my body, if it kept her dry. But such a thing was impossible, so I instead strove to escape the downpour and return to the warmth and food of home. 
But as we began to leave the trees behind for the stone dens of human homes, the dark sky lit up with streaks of gold. 
Danger! I thought with horror. I had seen these golden streaks before; they hurt my eyes to watch, and were always followed by loud, painful noises. Sure enough, the BOOM of thunder soon followed. I froze, my tail tucking and a whimper escaping my throat.
Master spun, cupping my head in her hands and subtly tugging me forward.
“Don’t stop,” her words conveyed. “Keep moving for home!”
But as another ear-splitting BOOM shook the pavement underneath us, my heart slammed in my chest, and I flattened myself to the ground, crying out in fear. 
Master clenched her teeth, even as her eyes shined with a sad light. She looked through the concealing mist the downpour was becoming, and sighed. Entwining her arms around me, she hefted me up like a barrel. With slow, tottering steps, she set out for home.
I yelped again. Shame battled my fear. I was forcing Master to struggle because I couldn’t handle lightning? I considered trying to squirm loose and relieve Master of the burden… when all the hair stood up along my back.
Master seemed to sense it to. She tried to throw me away from her, but she wasn’t fast enough. As I left Master’s arms, she saw one of the golden streaks coursing down towards us.
My last thought as a normal wolf was, “Am I about to die?”

#

Shiva looked around the cell before crossing her arms. “I didn’t,” she admitted. “But I kinda wish I did.” 
Twilight narrowed her eyes, a quill scratching words down on parchment. 
“Keep going,” she prompted. “Where did you end up?” Her ears perked before Shiva could say. “Was it in the Ever-Free? I noticed a shockwave come from there a few days back. Were you at the core of it? Where did you wake up?”
Shiva glared at her. “Do you want to know, or do you want to drown me with questions?”
The guards stomped their hooves again, but Twilight waved them off.
“Small note,” the unicorn added. “Sarcasm isn’t going to help you here.” She motioned. “Now keep going.” 
Shiva rolled her eyes with a grimace.

#

I wasn’t dead. Not yet, anyway. But as my eyes fluttered open, I knew something was different. And wrong. Very wrong.
For starters, I wasn’t in Master’s territory. There were trees all around me, but gnarled and with a strange smell. Nothing like the oak trees that surrounded my original home. The rain continued, but at a much gentler rate than the storm I had been in. 
But the biggest shock for me came when I rolled to my paws.
Or rather… claws.
I had to look twice to see it. My front paws had changed; instead of simple legs designed for running, they had changed into arms. My nails extended into clawed fingers, and my dew claw was extended into an opposable thumb. The pads were still there on my palm, allowing me to stand on all fours. And to be fair, when I stood on four legs, I managed to look mostly like how I had been. But I was equally capable of standing on two legs. And when I stood on two legs, that's when the changes became more obvious.
My heart rate increased. I panted, my tongue lolling out of my mouth as I checked the rest of my body. Aside from the new arm/front leg hybrids, the rest of my body seemed mostly unchanged. My pelvis and hips were a little different – likely all the better to let me stand as a human… 
Human!
It clicked. I was like Master. The arms, the hips, even the upper part of my legs… they all changed to that of a human. My chest, head, and lower back legs were still canine, and I had even retained my tail, snout, ears and white fur. But the changes were clear enough that I really wasn’t a full wolf anymore. More of a semi-wolf. 

#

Twilight pondered Shiva’s body, scratching her chin with her hoof.
“I wonder…” she said. “How close were you from your master? When you were transported here?”
“Still in her arms,” Shiva said. 
Twilight’s eyes brightened. “You must have fused with her!” she said excitedly. 
“F-Fused?”
“Two became one!” Twilight said ecstatically. “Oh, I wonder what brilliant unicorn was capable of making the spell?” she faltered. “And why’d he fire it into an alternate dimension? I thought Princess Celestia banned inter-dimensional spell testing. Do you think your master's personality was...?” 
Another knock on the door jarred Twilight back to reality.
“I-I mean…” Twilight composed herself and indicated Shiva. “Continue.”
Shiva gave her a dark look, wondering what she was talking about ‘fusing,’ and her master's personality, before reluctantly continuing.

#

Okay, I thought, trying not to panic. I’m more like Master now. Okay… wait… am I… thinking?!
I wasn’t sure how, but the world seemed sharper in a way. I knew more about the forest than just the smells and sounds. I could see the state of the ground underneath. A shiver went through my new body as I noticed a series of paw prints. Far bigger than my own. 
My ears flicked. There were no foot prints. No sign or smell of Master. But I knew paw prints. I had seen other dogs like myself with masters of their own. They never really did much aside from bark warnings or offer to play with me, but they had to be better than nothing.
At least, that’s the reasoning I had with my oddly human thoughts… until I smelled the track, and realized it didn’t match any of the scents I knew.
A snap of a branch sent me spinning around, my body naturally transitioning to all fours. My eyes darted back and forth, my nostrils quivering as they picked up the stink of compost and dead leaves. My ears flicked forward as another snap sounded; right in front of me. 
I bared my fangs and let loose with a warning growl. My tail swished back and forth, held high above my body. Master taught me not to fight unless absolutely necessary. But with Master missing, the territory entirely unfamiliar, and something that screamed dangerous  coming at me, I could assume that fighting was pretty necessary.
But then two lights lit up in front of me. At first, I wondered if they were fireflies – before wondering what fireflies were. Then the leaves around them moved, and I realized they were eyes. Eyes attached to a body of wood and leaves, made in a dull representation of my kind. 
I snarled at it, only for another pair of eyes lit up. Then another. And another. My heart stopped as four wooden wolves emerged from the darkness. 
They split, two going off to the right while two went off to the left. They growled and snarled like actual wolves, their eyes not leaving mine as I tried to track them.
Don’t run, jumped into my head. Running only lets them know you’re prey. 
But I wouldn’t be able to keep them in my sights forever. A few seconds more, and I’d be forced to shift my attention from four to two of them. That would expose my flank to the others, and they’d be able to tackle me. I knew this technique; if I had a pack, I’d be just as likely to try it.
So, knowing their technique, I went on the offensive. Instincts fought against each other, and I found herself lunging for a bite while one of my claws slashed forward. My teeth sunk into one of the wooden wolves, while my claws carved across the other. There was more force than I recalled, because with an odd white flash and a weird little pop, the slash knocked the wolf’s head off. It crumbled into a pile of bark, and the head shattered into dead wood, the eyes fading away.
But I couldn’t focus on that; the taste of dead leaves was in my mouth, but the wolf was starting to buck and snarl, though there was an odd weakness to its movements. It’s struggling slowed, a confused whimper escaping its timber mouth. I, on the other claw, started to feel stronger. The world around both of us seemed brighter than usual. Meanwhile, the other two wood wolves were racing towards me, jaws open and ready to clamp down on my back and nape. 
I kicked out with my back paws. Just like the first one, the kicks had more power than I appreciated, and with the same odd flash and pop, the wolves exploded into timber. The kicks gave me some added momentum, and I knocked the fourth and final wolf onto its side. My teeth repositioned, my claws came down, and I tore the wolf’s head from its body, the head collapsing into dead leaves and wood that poured over my head and got in my mouth. 
I hacked and spat, clearing my mouth of the dead plants, and took a moment to breathe. I wasn’t sure what had happened, where Master was or what those things were. But for now, I was safe.
Or so I thought. 
As I backed up, the compost glowed the same yellow color of the eyes. My ears perked, but my tail tucked as the timber raced together, and began to reassemble into a bigger, stronger, and far tougher wood wolf. 
I backed up, before another growl escaped my throat. I lunged forward, ready to blast this one to compost as well. But the beast had learned from its past lives, and the wood solidified around its head and shoulders. It ducked under my charge and rammed into my gut, knocking the air from my lungs and sending me tumbling across the ground.
I rolled with the fall, and while commanding my lungs to work again, I turned tail and raced away. My instincts screamed, warning me that I was making myself prey in this manner, but the strange rationality that dominated my thoughts was that I couldn’t fight that thing. It also pondered whether being bigger made it slower. I wouldn’t claim to be a natural sprinter, but Master had given me plenty of exercise. Thus, I bent my head, put myself low to the ground, and bounded across the wet ground, escaping the beast as it let out an angry howl.
Time lost meaning to me. All that mattered to me was the pounding of the ground under my paws, and the feeling of the wind in my fur. My front paws thankfully weren’t so malformed that I couldn’t run on them, and Master’s exercise allowed me to skim through the trees with relative ease. ‘Relative’ in that I still had to watch out for roots and crags that seemed to pop out of nowhere. This really wasn’t my forest; it wasn’t my territory. 
My nose opened up to the new smells however; I smelled more compost like the wood wolves, and even the odd mixture of what seemed to be a cat and a scorpion (Master’s neighbors had weird ideas for pets). But there was absolutely nothing indicating what had happened to Master or her territory. No smell, no sound, not even a recognizable landmark.
It was as if my home had been lifted away and replaced with these strange woods and stranger creatures.
My legs started to hurt, and I considered slowing down… but then my feet hit packed dirt.
The trail!I thought gleefully. It didn’t smell like the usual trail I had walked on with Master, but it was still something human made. And that counted for something. I skidded on the dirt packed road, picked the left side by pure impulse, and sprinted down the trail, the ache in my legs all but forgotten.
Trails were made by humans, I thought. So, they have to lead somewhere humans go, right? Maybe home? Maybe one of the ‘camps’ where humans try to live in the wild? I held back a laugh. I don’t honestly care, as long as I can find Master.
I wasn’t sure how long I ran. The ache in my legs came back with a vengeance, forcing me into a walk that admittedly allowed me to test walking on two legs. The sun slowly crept across the horizon. My stomach grumbled, though I couldn’t smell any prey, and I settled myself on water from a river the trail crossed.
Despite my worry for Master, I couldn’t deny that wherever I had landed, it was rather beautiful. The grass was a bright, healthy green. The blue sky didn’t have a cloud in the air, and the sun bathed everything in a pleasant warmth; not too hot or too cold. Scents like an all-you-can-eat buffet flickered around me, just waiting to be explored once I found Master or the humans. All covered by a strange scent I could only describe as ‘sparkling.’ Maybe it was the magic.
Right when I started to despair that I’d ever find Master again, the trail ended. I spotted a large wooden wagon, the size of a small house, set next to some sort of cage. A fire burned just to the left of the wagon. And dark shapes huddled around it. Equine shapes – their features blurred by the fading evening light and the dancing flames. They perked up as I approached.
“Hey!” I barked, gasping and clutching my throat for a moment as my voice came out sounding oddly like Master. “H-Hello? I need help!”
The equines stood, staring at me with wide, strangely humanoid eyes. I froze, sensing the tension in their muscles. And for a moment, we observed each other. In the light of the flames, I noticed that two of them were… different. One had large wings, like that of a bird, tucked next to its sides. And the third had a horn the size of my snout jutting out of his head. A horn that promptly lit up with a strange glow.
I peered curiously at it, before I felt a strange sensation creep across my body, as if I was being wrapped in mist. A soothing voice whispered in my ear.
“Sleep.”  
Before I could see who had spoken, my eyes lost focus. The ground spun out from under me, and I fell into darkness.
> Chapter 2: Meeting the Monsters
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight cocked an eyebrow. 
“So, that’s when you first ran into the ponies,” she noted. “Care to elaborate?” 
Shiva looked away. “I don’t like remembering that time,” she mumbled. 
Twilight’s gaze faltered, but she forced it into a grimace. 
“I need to know what happened,” she insisted. “The way you got here answers some questions, but I need to know more. What did you do to those ponies? How do I know they weren’t just trying to help you?”
Shiva’s worried gaze faded into a snarl. “Help me?” she asked. 
The guards bristled, ready to charge back in and hit her. Giving them a hateful glare, Shiva stamped her anger down and continued her story.

#

My eyes fluttered back open. At first, I thought my sight was damaged – strange bars obscured my vision. But when I put a hand out, my claw tips brushed against metallic bars… wider than two of my claws together, evenly spaced and securely anchored into both floor and ceiling. A brief glance around revealed I was entrapped in that cage that I had spotted next to the wagon. The same wagon loomed over my new prison, shrouding me in its shadow.
A shudder vibrated throughout my entire body, and it wasn’t from nervousness. The cage was moving; dragged alongside the red wagon to which it had been attached to. The wagon was making its way through the gnarled tree trunks and towards a thin mountain. The campsite I had found was long gone. From my elevated position, I realized the shuddering was coming from wheels rolling across the ground and the elevation of the cage a couple feet off the ground.
I grabbed at the bars. Shaking them didn’t even rattle them, so I tried to peer through. I made out movement ahead of the wagon; what looked like equines, which probably explained how we were moving. I felt an odd memory punctuate my rattled mind: horse-drawn carriages; where humans once relied upon horses to move heavy loads around.
But if the horses were there, then that had to mean a human was controlling them. My hopes flared up.
“Hey!” I barked. “Hey!”
The wagon shuddered to a stop.
“Master!” I barked. “Where’s Master?”
A THUD like something hitting the ground sounded from the front. My tail started to wag. If that was a human coming my way, he or she had to know something about Master, right?
Problem was, the thing that came off the wagon wasn’t human.
It was a pony. A bright red stallion with a golden mane and some sort of black coat. An odd picture of a whip adorned his flank. Golden eyes narrowed in anger, and a spiral horn on its head glowed. I tilted my head at the odd display, before I noticed the whip lashing up and carving through the air.
Right towards me!
With a thwip-CRACK, pain exploded across my chest. I fell backward, slamming against the other side of the cage. I stared down at the thin cut along my chest. A shiver went through me as blood slowly started to drip down. 

#

Shiva paused, noticing Twilight’s aghast expression.
“He… whipped you?” she whispered.
“LIES!”
A new tormentor came in: a tall dark horse with a flowing midnight-blue mane and tail. Feathery wings were tucked at her side, and a horn – like the purple unicorns, but longer and sharper - grew from her forehead. She wore pitch black regalia outfitted with a white crescent moon, matching the crescent moon on her flank. She radiated both power and menace, and the glare in her cerise eyes practically shot beams of disgust and anger at the white wolf. Shiva barely had enough time to shrink back before the horse spun on her front legs and kicked her in the side. 
Shiva hit the wall with a cry while Twilight backed up in horror.
“L-Princess Luna!” she cried. 
“How dare thou state such falsities!” the midnight horse bellowed, shoving her horn at Shiva’s neck. “How dare thou try to justify thy heinous crime with lies!”
“But…” Shiva gagged. “I’m not…”
“I will find the truth!” the ‘Luna’ declared, her horn glowing. “We will probe thy brain until the truth is revealed to us!”
Shiva raised a claw in defense, but then Luna’s horn flashed.

#

The next thing Shiva knew, she was back in the cage. 
“W-What…?” she whimpered, before she heard the whip getting lashed again. Her eyes darted up, and she saw the lash descending through the cage bars at her again. Shiva screamed and brought her arms up, shielding her face.
But while the CRACK of the whip sounded again, pain didn’t come to her. Instead, light blazed around Shiva. Shiva’s eyes darted up as two lightning bolts crisscrossed over each other, deflecting the whip before sputtering out into nothing. The unicorn backed up, eyes wide in alarm. 
“What in Luna’s Moon…” the unicorn breathed.
Shiva stared down at her claws, the lightning continuing to flicker around her. With a snarl, she started to rise up, her fear slowly being replaced by anger. 
The unicorn swore and tossed aside his whip.
“No you don’t,” he growled. “SLEEP!”
Shiva felt the spell settle over her again. Briefly, she tried to resist it. She seized the bars as she fell, clutching them with everything she had. Her fur glowed brighter, and though she fell to her knees, she didn’t pass out. Her hackles bared, and she glared at her captor with a slowly growing growl.
“Dangit!” the unicorn growled, his face straining before he glanced off to the side. “Walker!”
Shiva was too focused on resisting the effects of the sleep spell. She failed to notice the sound of a second pony jumping down. But she did notice the flash of brown running towards her. And when she turned her head, she got a very good look at the hoof barreling towards her face.

#

The first thing that returned to Shiva as she awoke was a splitting pain in her head. Like, instead of being hit by a hoof, she had been hit by an axe. She also became aware of cold metal, wrapped around her snout. As she tried to lift her claws up to the offending metal, the clink of chains sounded, followed by something pulling her claws back. And as Shiva’s eyes slowly opened, taking in the metal band on her snout and the chains hog-tying her paws together, she also picked up the murmur of voices. 
“It’s impossible!” one was saying. “They can’t be using magic!” 
“Then tell me what that white lightning around it was?” the gruff voice of the unicorn demanded. 
“I don’t know!” the first voice said. “But I know it ain’t magic.”
“Those beasts are always kidnapping ponies,” a third voice cut in. “You don’t think that they somehow managed to steal magic away from unicorn captives.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” the first voice dismissed. “They aren’t nearly smart enough for that. And even if they were, why would they let one of these new ‘diamond dog mages’ go out on their own?”
“Dear Celestia, ‘diamond dog mage’ sounds so stupid,” the unicorn grumbled. 
Shiva managed to lift herself to a sitting position. She blearily made out the unicorn, pegasus and earth pony gathered in a circle around her. The unicorn noticed her, and his eyes narrowed in a grimace. He strode over, his whip floating to his side. 
Her heart slammed in her chest. Shiva scrambled back, but her back hit the other side of the cage all too soon. She cowered in the corner, trying to make herself look harmless and scared. 
“Breaker,” the normal horse warned. “Be careful…” 
But then the whip lashed. And pain exploded down Shiva’s back. 
Shiva reared her head up with a muffled scream. The power hadn’t come back, and now two thin cuts along Shiva’s arm and back were bleeding. The unicorn huffed.
“No flashy powers now, huh?” he noted, coiling his whip and turning to the others. “Looks like magic to me. Never knew we’d need that magic suppressor for anything other than bedroom antics.” 
The winged horse blushed and looked away, while the horse merely rolled his eyes. Shiva didn’t fully understand, but as she glanced down at the band, a nauseous feeling oozed through her gut at the thought of where the band had been.
“Stop being disgusting,” the normal horse said. “We may know how to control it, but we don't understand what it is. We need a professional."
"What, like Princess Celestia or her brat of a student?" 
"Why not? That brat took on Nightmare Moon and Discord; she’ll know what to do.”
The winged horse scoffed. “Bring a diamond dog into Ponyville?” she demanded. “After what they put the Element of Generosity through? Be serious, Walker.”
“Summer’s right,” the unicorn – Breaker, Shiva supposed – replied. “We know how to control it, and that's enough." He grinned at her. "A fighter like this will be perfect for the pits."
Walker still flinched. “And you're sure it won’t spread this magic ability to the others?” he asked. 
The winged horse – Summer – laughed. “We’ve had those dogs long enough,” she said. “They’re too broken to try anything. Besides; as long as the magic suppressor’s on, there’s nothing that little beast can do anyway.” 
“Speaking of which…” Breaker noted, turning back to Shiva with a malicious grin. 
Shiva twisted, covering her head, only to force out another muffled shriek as the lash carved down her back a third time. 
“You still need to know who the Master is?!” Breaker demanded. 
Another lash carved down her back. Shiva grit her teeth and moaned curling into a fetal position.
“Breaker,” Summer called. “I think she gets it.”
“If they were just animals, I’d be inclined to agree with you,” Breaker said. “But let’s make sure…” Shiva heard him step closer, but scrunched herself further into her corner. “Who’s the Master?” 
Shiva didn’t reply. His whip snapped, and Shiva felt a fifth lash carve down her back.
“Who’s the Master?!” he demanded, the thwip of a sixth incoming lash emanating.
“YOU ARE!” Shiva screamed as best she could through the band. “BREAKER IS MASTER! EQUINE IS MASTER! JUST PLEASE STOP HITTING ME!!”
She curled tighter into her ball, sobbing in utter terror. Her crying only increased when she heard Breaker’s ugly laugh.
“See? That’s how Princess Celestia really did it,” he declared. “Asserted her superiority and made them afraid and compliant. She can act all nice and polite now, but this is what's really waiting anyone who disobeys her.” 
Another set of steps sounded. Fearfully, Shiva peered over her shoulder, noticing Walker watching her with an uneasy air.
“She’s not quite like the other diamond dogs,” he noted. “She gave in a lot faster than they did.”
“Maybe the magic makes em smarter but more fragile,” Breaker theorized with a scoff. “Like it matters. For some reason, Princess Celestia didn’t see fit to wipe them all out, so it’s up to us to at least make sure that they know their place.” He turned back to Shiva, who winced under his glare. “That right, mutt?” 
“Yes!” she yelped quickly. 
The unicorn huffed. “Keep it that way.” He ordered, before he and Walker walked back to the wagon. “C’mon; I want to see what this girl can do in the pits.”  
The unicorn vanished out of sight, only for his voice to roar in rage a moment later.
“Walker! That’s my spot!”
“Was your spot,” the brown stallion’s voice replied. “Now, it’s your turn to drive.”
“I could whip you off there, you know!”
“You do, and I’ll make sure the boss knows where I got the scar.” 
The two argued back and forth, but it seemed they were done tormenting the dog for now. Shiva pulled herself to a sitting position, their back fur sticking thanks to her blood. She and instinctively started licking at the wound on her arm, failing to quell the shaking in her legs.
Master had never struck her before. Even when she had done real bad things, liking making a mess on her living room floor, Shiva had never been struck or hurt like this before. Fear and rage battled in her mind over these cruel, odd talking ponies. The turmoil wasn’t helped by the confusion her only defense brought on. She gazed forlornly down at her claws, wondering what had triggered the white lightning, and how she could bring it back. She tried to pull the band off, but it was stuck fast, almost like they had glued it to her fur. After a few attempts, Shiva feared that she’d have to rip the skin off to remove it.
“That’s not going to work,” Summer’s voice added.
Shiva jumped as the winged horse returned; light purple with a green, frazzled mane. She giggled at Shiva’s fear. 
“You’re definitely the easiest diamond dog we’ve broken down,” she noted. “Guess when they figured out how to give you magic, they took away some of your moxie, eh?” 
Moxie? Diamond Dog? Magic?! 
Shiva had so many questions. And Summer didn’t give her the chance to ask, sliding a bowl of dog food and a bowl of water before her… and then leveling a crossbow at her. Shiva backed up in shock. 
“I’m gonna take that band off so you can eat,” Summer said. “But if I see even a speck of fur glowing on you…” she indicated her crossbow’s bolt. “This’ll go right up your nose.” 
Shiva nodded in understanding. Still keeping the crossbow pointed at her, Summer raised a hoof to Shiva’s snout… and slipped the ring off as easy as if she was pulling a horseshoe off a stick.
Shiva stared at the band in shock. “But…” she stammered. “I couldn’t…”
“Did you honestly think you could?” Summer laughed. “It’s magic, dirt dog; only the pony that put it on can take it off.” She sat against the cage. “Now… you gonna eat? Or did I waste my time coming here?”
Shiva’s stomach answered before she could, and she dove onto the food and water. The food was rather dry, but the water made up for it. And despite her heart still quivering in terror at these ponies, Shiva’ stomach and throat felt soothed by the offering. 
As Shiva washed down the last bit of food with the water, Summer came forward with the band.
“Wait…” Shiva stammered. “I still have…” But she froze as Summer aimed the crossbow at her. Silenced, Shiva was helpless as Summer slipped the band back over her snout.
Shiva whimpered, but the mare just gave her a smile. A smile that didn’t reach her eyes the way it did with Master. 
“You learned quicker than most,” the mare praised. “Just follow the rules, accept that we’re better,” she added with a small chuckle. “And this’ll be so much easier for every pony.” 
And with another wink, the mare shut the cage door, flapped her wings, and disappeared into the top of the wagon. A second later, a shudder ran through the cage, and they were pulled back onto the road.
Shiva whimpered, finding a position on the floor where she could keep her new wounds elevated. With the band around her snout and her arms and legs chained, there wasn’t much she could do but wait. Wait and find out what they were going to do with her. 

#

Shiva gasped, breaking out of the memory with a ragged panting. Above her, a wisp of mist faded, the last remnants of her own resigned face fading with them.
“Ah-ha!” Luna declared. “You see, Twilight Sparkle?! They were going to discover secrets the diamond dogs wanted to keep hidden! Obviously, that’s why she killed them!”
“But… Princess,” Twilight whispered. “The whipping? And…”
“Illusions!” Luna insisted, though her eyes did dart to the still visible scars down Shiva’s back. “Tricks to make us feel sorry for this filth! Admittedly good ones, too. But not to worry, Twilight Sparkle.” Her horn flared again. “We shall discern the truth.” 
“Wait-wait-WAIT!” Shiva barked, but the lunar alicorn forced her back into the memories.
She wasn’t sure how the alicorn was ‘discerning the truth.’ All Shiva knew was that it forced her back into the memories. And forced her to relive what those ponies had done to her.
> Chapter 3: The Breaker of Beasts
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

For the rest of the day and most of the next, Shiva sat in that cage; waiting for the chance to escape. She kept her ears open and her nose ready, trying to gather as much information as she could, tracking the wagon’s process as it made its way along a large stone mountain path. 
Yet, even as Shiva waited for an escape, she still found herself pondering what the ponies had meant. Who was Princess Celestia? Who was her student? While the three talked about them with a certain reverence in their voices, there was also a bit of resentment. Like one of the two had done something they didn’t like. And it seemed to revolve primarily around these ‘diamond dogs.’ Creatures that they seemed to think Shiva was one of.
But what did we do? Shiva wondered. Why are they doing this to us?
They didn’t seem to want them dead: Summer always came by with food or to ensure the cage didn’t stink. But every time she came by, it was with Breaker and that insufferable whip. And no matter how fast Shiva moved or how obedient she tried to be, that unicorn always found a reason to crack that whip at her. He thankfully never hit her again, but every time she started to feel the hum of lightning, there was an odd glow from the band around her snout. And on the rare occasions the hum happened when her band was off, a hoof would fly at Shiva’s face, and the next thing she’d know, she’d be back in her cage with nothing but an empty stomach to keep her company. 
By the time they reached the ponies’ home, Shiva could barely see out of the two black eyes she had been given, and the whip had left an incessant ringing buzz in her right ear. Yet, as they approached their destination, smell and sound helped Shiva figure out where they were: a large stone cavern at the top of a mountain, big enough to hold all of Master’s old territory. The stone ceiling stretched above them as they entered, and Shiva got the feeling of being swallowed as shadows fell over the caravan. 
As they drove deeper into the cave, Shiva’s ears picked up noises; roars, whines and hisses like some kind of zoo. Her nose also picked up a cavalcade of scents: something reptilian, like a lizard. Something smooth like wax, yet irritating like pollen, almost like an insect. And a particularly delicious combination scent of bird and cat.
Then the caravan turned, and Shiva saw the source: 
An arena lay before her: a large patch of sand big enough for a dog Shiva's size to run laps around and get a decent excercise out of. The walls of the arena were cages, and inside each cage, a different type of animal sat, staring up nervously at the seats and stands that had been built on the roofs of their cages. The bars looked thick enough, but if the ponies sitting on those stands got too riled up, Shiva felt assured that they could collapse the cage and cause the stands to crush the animals underneath. 
The animals seemed to know it too. Shiva saw a winged lizard, about the size of her master, glaring up at the roof with a resigned anger. She saw some kind of bird with the back half of a cat. And she saw some kind of weird pony-bug hybrid. There was even a creature that looked almost like a male version of Master, though the thick hooves that served as legs and the bull head ruined the image. And... Shiva gasped as she saw a dog that looked exactly like her. Same canine features plastered onto humanoid bodies. But this diamond dog was male, with dark - almost blue fur - and a toned, muscular physique. 
Though he, and the rest of the animals, all looked beaten down. Scars like the ones likely forming on Shiva’s back crisscrossed the diamond dog's body. The lizard’s wing was bent at a bad angle, the bug-pony’s legs were chipped and had holes in them, the bird-cat was shedding feathers like crazy, and one of the bull-man’s horns were broken.
The worst part, though, was the look in their eyes. A thousand-yard stare, a bare spark of curiosity as they saw Shiva getting wheeled in. 
Shiva knew right then and there: these beasts had been broken by these ponies. 
And Shiva was likely going to be next.
With her body shuddering from fear, she didn’t realize the caravan had stopped. Thus, her heart jumped into her throat when Breaker and his cronies appeared, and opened the cage door.
Breaker flicked his whip at the wolf. “Out.” 
Resigned to the routine, Shiva complied. She didn’t dare resist as Breaker forced her to the ground with a kick to her legs and Walker shackled her. Thankfully, no further punishment came her way. At least for now.
Breaker gave a sharp yank, and Shiva quickly fell in line behind him. He led her past the other beasts, who gazed at her forlornly. 
What did they do to all of you? Shiva couldn’t help but think. What did we do to deserve this?
She was answered as Breaker led her through an empty cage and onto the sands of the arena. The crowd of ponies went quiet, watching with intrigue as Breaker threw Shiva onto the ground before them. 
“Breaker!” a new voice yelled. Shiva flinched, turning as a unicorn stood above the crowd. His blue eyes regarded Shiva like she was a particularly interesting bit of trash before turning to her handler. “What is this?” 
“A diamond dog unlike anything I’ve seen before, Boss,” Breaker insisted. The end of his whip handle rested under Shiva’s chin. She found herself rising to her hind legs to keep it away from her skin. "Should make the fights a little more interesting." 
The ‘boss’ unicorn regarded Shiva again, and she wished for her lightning power so she could blast that superior expression off his face.
“So, it’s a slightly more appealing color,” he replied. "How will that help it here?"
"Well,” Breaker replied. “Have you ever seen them do this?”
Suddenly, he yanked the band off. Shiva rubbed at her snout, finally bare for the first time in almost two days. In her elation, she didn’t realize what Breaker was doing until it already happened.
The crack of the whip sounded. The familiar white hot pain seared into her back, and Shiva jumped away, shrieking as her lightning finally answered her call. Golden streaks of light zigzagged over her form, surging into a protective shield that formed far too late. 
A gasp of horror rose up; not just from the boss, but from every pony and even a few of the captives. Shiva snarled up at them. Lightning gathered around her claws, and she hurled it at Breaker as he ducked behind the cages. 
However, her spell fizzled out, as a barrier flashed before her eyes. Her ears flattening and her tail tucking, she reluctantly loosed another spell at the laughing ponies. The barrier flickered again, deflecting her shot and doing nothing but amusing the equines.
The only one that wasn't laughing was the boss unicorn. He glared down at her like she had just flashed him a rude gesture.
“Where did you learn to do that?!” the boss unicorn was demanding. “Who did you steal that magic from?”
Shiva snarled. Sadly, snarling did nothing but cause the ponies to laugh, while the boss unicorn snorted. He turned back to Breaker. 
“Well, flash is one thing," he said. "But let's see her actually back it up."
He nodded to Breaker, who flared his horn. Instantly, the cage holding the male diamond dog popped open. And the canine reluctantly strode out, watching Shiva with a cautious air.
"Did you know about the power your kind could have, dirt dog?" the unicorn asked grandly. "Well, let's see how the old does against the new." 
Breaker and another stallion took positions on the stands. They lifted their whips, eyes glittering with hate.
"Fight!" they boomed, before lashing their whips, urging Shiva and the dog towards each other.
Shiva gave a frightened look to the dog. But he merely gazed at her magic with a resigned air.
"Can you just make it fast and kill me?" he asked. 
Guilt fought against despair. Shiva didn't want to kill him. Not when he already looked so sad. But the whip slashed through the air. And she was left with either attacking or getting whipped. 
Luckily, her powers gave her a chance for a compromise. As she and the male lunged at each other, Shiva's claws closed around his head. And as her magic flashed and twined around the male like a spider-web, Shiva felt her senses open up.
She saw a vision: of the diamond dog getting captured by these ponies. Forced to fight for their amusement. Every time he resisted, they whipped him. The only relief came from winning, and even then, the ponies took all the credit.
"It's hopeless," he whispered. "There's no way out."
But Shiva couldn't bring herself to believe that. Not yet, at least. Not with this magic at her disposal. 
"Listen to me... what's your name?" Shiva asked.
Before the male could ask, Shiva found it floating in his thoughts. Luke. 
"Luke," she said. "I'm not staying."
Luke chuckled. "Oh, you poor thing," he whispered. "We have to stay. It's what they want."
"Well, it's not what I want!" Shiva snapped. Breaking out of their hold, she threw Luke at the stands. The magic barrier stopped him, bouncing him back into the arena. And as he hit the ground, Breaker's whip slashed into Shiva's back.
"Focus on your opponent," he boomed. "Not the crowd!"
Shiva snarled up at him. Hating him for putting her into this mess. For treating her like some dumb animal. She was more than that. He didn't deserve her. 
Ignoring Luke, she lunged at the bars, trying to open them. The ponies merely laughed at her attempts. Seething as their obnoxious cackles rang in her ears, Shiva turned to try and talk to Luke again. 
But the male simply gave her a sad look, before his paw caught her by the face. The back of her head hit the bars hard. And she lost her grip on consiousness.

#

Briefly, Shiva surfaced back in the present. She faintly made out Luna, staring down at her with horror etched across her face. But, like a drowning wolf at sea, Shiva sunk back into the memories one final time.

#

When Shiva regained consiousness, she was back in the cell. On one side, the arena stood before her, with a griffon and a dragon now fighting. On two other sides, the bull man and the other diamond dog sat, the latter looking at Shiva with a regretful air. 
But on the fourth and final side, Breaker was glowering at her. 
"Whoever your previous owner was," Breaker mused. "He clearly had no idea how to handle you properly." He paused. "Unless you didn't really have a master. No pony would dare justify such outrageous behavior." He summoned his whip. "But that's over now." His eyes glittered as he raised the whip. "Because I'm going to break you!"
And so, Shiva endured another round of beatings. Any attempt at defending herself with magic only bounced off another one of those infuriating magical barriers, and encouraged the insane unicorn to continue his torment. When he finally left, Shiva lay battered and bleeding. But she refused to fall broken. She stared at Breaker, wishing her fury could set him alight. But he stared right back with a smirk. He had all the power. And she had nothing. 
Slowly, she sunk to the ground. 
"Win the next match," he growled at her. "Or you'll get worse." Then he sauntered off, leaving Shiva bleeding and nearly broken. 
The male diamond dog sighed, catching Shiva's attention.
"You can't fight them," he insisted. "Why are you hurting yourself for nothing?"
Shiva glanced back at where Breaker had been. "Because it's not fair," she insisted. "He shouldn't be allowed to treat us like this."
Luke shrugged. "But he does anyway." 
Shiva nodded, glancing over at him. "We should do something about it," she insisted. 
He shook his head. "This is your new home now," he told her. He glanced back at the arena as the griffon shrieked in pain. "And it's Tartarus." 

#

The memories finally ceased. Luna stepped back, shaking her head and covering her eyes.
"P-Princess?" Twilight asked. 
"It... can't be," Luna insisted. "What was done to her, I..." She turned to Twilight. “Twilight Sparkle; you went there before, yes? Tell me she’s…” 
“She’s not lying,” a voice said. 
Twilight and Luna froze, looking towards the door. Shiva looked up as well, and her ears perked in hope. 
Standing in the doorway was a familiar tiny purple dragon, his green eyes narrowed at Twilight.
“Spike,” Twilight stammered. “How did you get in…?”
“I couldn’t stand by,” Spike said. “Not for this.” 
“Spike?” Shiva asked, lifting her head. “Spike, are you okay?” 
“Dragon," Luna said, her voice weary. "You need to leave."
Twilight nodded and tried to herd Spike out. But the dragon stood his ground.
“No. I can’t let you hurt the wolf who saved me.”
> Chapter 4: How We Got Here
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight Sparkle and Luna left with the dragon in tow, but Shiva didn’t need Luna looking through her memories to remember the little purple dragon. 
It would be rather hard to forget the one that gave her the chance for escape.

#

When Spike had shown up, two weeks had passed, and Shiva and her grand plans of escape had been all but broken. 
Nothing Shiva had done could get through the unicorn's barrier, and it was always met with brutal punishment. While, on the other paw, giving in and giving them a show allowed her to test her powers. It allowed her to drain the strength from her foes to give herself power. And when they collapsed, exhausted and unconsious, food and water awaited her in her cage. Though it was coupled with the shame of seeing Breaker smiling and knowing she was making his life better.
Shiva hated that stallion like she had never hated before. She could feel rage and anger burning in her gut every time she saw him. She wanted to carve the smug looks from his face - from all of these ponies' faces. But there was no way she could try. Even if she had access to whatever magic was inside her, there were too many for her to take on. The others wouldn’t help her; even Luke, the one who had been the nicest to her, could only help her with piteous looks. She had no one she could ask for help, no one to talk to, and she was at the mercy of a bunch of complete sociopaths determined to break the wills of others.
But then the day came when she was shoved out into the arena... and Spike was shoved out in response. 
He looked so fresh and innocent compared to everyone she had seen. There was no way he was one of the old crowd. He was new.
"W-Wait..." Spike stammered, holding his hands up. "This is a huge mistake. I swear, Twilight's gonna come get me!"
"The Princess' personal student would never bother with a dragon," Breaker mocked. 
"Besides, even if you were her dragon," the whip pony on the other side added. "You'd be in Ponyville, doing her work like you're supposed to."
"But..." Spike tried to protest, but the rest of the ponies drowned him out.
"No talk! Fight like the monsters you are." 
The ponies whipped at them, but Shiva felt the old fury burning in her gut. Fighting Luke or the others was one thing; they were resigned to it. But Spike? He couldn't have been any more than a baby. This was beyond cruel, even for Breaker. And so, even as Breaker whipped at her, Shiva did little more than circle the dragon as he cowered before her. 
"Okay, wait!" Spike pleaded. "I know... you probably have a job to do..."
Shiva flared out with her magic, and the crowd held their breath in anticipation. But as Shiva seized Spike with a tendril, she let her thoughts whisper to him.
"Relax," she assured him. "I'm not going to hurt you." 
Spike's eyes opened, as he gripped the tendril. "Y-You will?"
Shiva concentrated, and his memories cropped up: six ponies, led by a lavender mare. A mare who sometimes hefted a lot of responsiblity on him, but other times cared for him like he was her son. 
"She's coming?" Shiva asked. 
Spike focused on the memory and nodded. "Yeah. She'll come for me. She has to!" 
Shiva glanced up at the grumbling crowd with a grin. "Then all we need to do," she replied. "Is stall for time." 
Spike's eyes widened in hope, before he nodded with a grin. Taking her chance, Shiva spun him and threw him against the magical barrier, careful to try and shield him with a barrier of her own.
Jumping off the unicorn's barrier, Spike lunged at her with a battle cry. Though his strikes wouldn't have harmed her even if they had hit, Shiva dodged them all the same. 
"Come on, dirt dog!" Breaker bellowed. "Take this thing down!" 
Shiva tried to ignore him. She and Spike jumped and dodged around each other, waiting and hoping that Spike wasn't wrong. That Twilight was going to come for him. 
But at first, there was no sign of her. Spike began to falter, looking up time and time again at the crowd, like a child missing his mother. The unicorns began to lose patience. Their whips snapped at both of them, carving deep cuts into their flesh. 
"Where is she?!" Shiva growled, struggling not to scream.
"I..." Spike stammered, despair starting to take over. But right before he could sink to his knees in defeat...
"SPIKE!"
The unicorns spun. The lavender mare from Spike's thoughts was standing at the top of the stands, her eyes wide in horror. 
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HIM!?" she shrieked, racing at the unicorn that had been whipping the dragon.
"N-Now wait a moment, uh... Twilight Sparkle?" the unicorn stammered.
But Twilight's eyes had narrowed to pinpricks. Her horn flared up. And with a howl equal to that of a mother wolf, she blasted the unicorn clean through the arena. He hit the ground and bounced into Beast Breaker, knocking them both into the stands. 
Immediately, Shiva took advantage. Seizing Spike with her tendrils, she threw him towards the stands.
He sunk through! Twilight raced up and caught him, holding him to her chest as tears of releief streamed from her eyes.
"Spike, I'm so sorry..." she stammered as he hugged him.
But Shiva didn't have time for their reunion. The unicorns were rapidly getting over their shock. It wouldn't be long before they re-made the barrier. 
Shiva lunged onto the stands herself. Thankfully, they weren't too far up. She made it onto the stands and raced for the top, where she could leap out of the arena and head for the exit. 
“STOP HER!” the boss unicorn wailed. “TAKE HER DOWN!”
Spells shot for her, but Shiva reformed her shield. And as the spells clashed against her white bubble, she felt strength flooding into her. Up until now, the unicorns had managed to contain her. Suppress her. Abuse her. But now the band was off. The shield was down. And as the magical energy crashed into her shield, Shiva felt a pull in her gut; almost like a magical magnet was asking the energy to come to her. 
She experimentally sucked in a breath, and felt her power increase, like she had eaten a full meal or gotten a shot of adrenaline. A pegasus lunged at her with a kick, but Shiva matched it with a beam of light. The beam hit the pegasus’ hoof, snapping it with an utterly delightful CRACK, and the pegasus wailed with agony as Shiva blasted her into the roof.
Shiva stared around the ponies as they backed up, horror etched across their faces.
“N-No…” one whimpered. “Not again!”
“This isn’t fair!” another screamed. “They’re not supposed to do that!”
Shiva locked on Beast Breaker, who was trembling on the other side of the arena. But logic forced her to turn her back on him. She couldn't hold out against these ponies forever. She needed to leave. 
She hopped over the barrier... and found herself gazing at Luke. At the changeling. The griffon. The dragon. All those poor souls that had been imprisoned and broken. 
A dark part of Shiva pleaded with her to just leave. To turn her back on them and run for the exit. But as Luke stared at her, shock and awe written across his face, her heart refused to leave him there.
“Don’t be scared,” Shiva assured him. “I’m going to get you out of here.” She ripped open his door before looking to the others. Guards tried to stop her, but Shiva caught them with her magic, draining them of their strength. With their strength flooding into her body, the idea of leaving these poor animals felt beyond cruel and unjust.
“I’m getting you all out of here!” Shiva declared, more to herself than anyone else. And she lashed out. Twin talons of light carved through the air, carving through the cage doors like a hot knife through butter. As the stands threatened to collapse, Shiva altered her threads, yanking the group away as the unicorn's arena collapsed into dust and rubble.
As the non-ponies watched their prison fall, their sad and fearful expressions changing to confused wonder. More soft threads of light spread out like a spider web, binding them together in Shiva’s pearly threads.
“Come on!” Shiva screamed, racing for the exit. “Go!”
The griffon was the first to overcome his shock. Spreading his wings, he shot into the air. In seconds, he was gone, the silvery thread shredding as he took off ahead of Shiva. Following his example, the changeling’s wings buzzed to life, and they too vanished into the air. The dragon was slower, likely due to his scales, but he lumbered out of the cave and took flight. The minotaur caught hold of the dragon’s talon and rode him to freedom. Luke, however, stayed by Shiva’s side as she made it to the exit, regret and wonder battling on his face.
“I…” Luke stammered, shaking his head like a confused dog.
Shiva just wagged his tail at him before glancing at the inside. Ponies were struggling to their hooves. More than one were pointing their way. Twilight was staggering out, Spike covered in a protective shield.
They don’t know when to give up, Shiva thought bitterly. She turned to Luke.
“Let’s go!” she said. “We can talk more when we’re away.”
Luke nodded, and dove into the dirt. Shiva paused in shock as he parted the earth like water, and in her moment of hesitation, he was gone.
Shiva made to follow after him, when something wrapped around her and pulled her towards the cave. Shiva reeled on her feet, but caught the whip and turned. Beast Breaker was coming out from the ruined arena, blood dripping down his head and his coat torn, the handle of his whip between his teeth. Glaring at her in fury, he stomped his fore hooves to wind up the length of the whip, reeling her in.
Not this time! Shiva thought in fury. His whip had wound around her upper arms, but they hadn’t caught her snout. She grabbed the whip with her teeth and tugged. Whatever magic had possessed her; it had empowered her with more than enough strength, and the stallion was thrown forward, the whip handle flying from his mouth as his fury changed to shock. 
“Not this time!” Shiva snarled out loud, as she spun, lashing the whip hard. 
The handle smashed into the side of his head with a dull THUNK, and he hit the ground, his eyes wide and dazed. Before he could struggle to his feet, Shiva ripped herself free and lunged forward.
“NOT THIS TIME!” She screamed, her claws sinking into his underbelly.
He shrieked before her other claw closed over his face. Shiva’s claws tightened around his horn. The faint golden spark went dim.
“NOT THIS TIME!”Shiva roared, as she stabbed him again. Her duty to protect had mixed with fiery hate. One claw sunk into his chest, the other claw gripped his horn, preventing it from lightning up. His scream was drowned out by the wolf’s howl of fury, punctuating each furious stab. 
“NOT! THIS! TIME!”
Shiva didn’t notice his eyes go dull and roll up in his head. She didn’t care when his hooves stopped moving and hung limply at his side. All she cared about was making sure he never hurt anyone again. That Spike would never have to live in fear of him. That she would never have to live in fear of his lash again. 
Then something knocked her away from him. Something with magic. 
Absorbing some of the energy from the blast, Shiva spun back to her feet, her eyes black and angry; her vision red. Twilight’s horn was glowing, but her eyes were wide with fear. She backed up, but Shiva was faster. She crashed into Twilight, rolling her on her back. Something that sounded like Spike screamed, but it was drowned out by the deafness of her own fury. These ponies were evil! They needed to be stopped! She raised her claws, ready to ram them into those wide, purple eyes. 
“NO!” 
Shiva’s claws halted mere centimeters from Twilight’s eyes. Another one of the ponies appeared at the exit; a yellow pegasus mare, wings spread and cyan eyes wide. 
But there was something… terrifying about her eyes. Something that locked every limb Shiva had in place and left her staring at the yellow pegasus with a mixture of awe and terror. There was a determination in this mare’s gaze; an authority that rang more powerful than Master. More powerful than Breaker. Shiva hated it. She wanted to move; to run; to fight; to do anything. But her body refused to obey her. It now obeyed this angry yellow pegasus. 
“Get. Off her,” the pegasus ordered.
Shiva’s muscles trembled. Her eyes twitched. She stepped off the purple mare, her claws opening in a show of harmlessness.
But I’m not harmless, Shiva thought. What she had done to Breaker shot through her mind. I… killed him.
Suddenly, Shiva felt very afraid of what this mare could do to her. She had killed one of them; probably more. She remembered seeing ponies crying over limp companions. If this mare knew about them… what would she be willing to do to punish Shiva?
Spike dragged the purple mare behind the yellow one, who stepped forward.
“Good,” the yellow mare said. The satisfaction in her voice made Shiva nauseous. “Sit.” 
Shiva twitched her head back and forth, trying to break eye contact. Pants for breath hissed back and forth between her clenched teeth. The yellow mare stepped closer, her eyes nearly doubling in size. 
“I said, SIT!” she ordered.
She couldn’t resist. Her haunches folded, and she fell back, pinning her tucked tail under her rump. Her head ducked, but she couldn’t break eye contact. Her whole body shivered as the mare bore down on her.
The pegasus grinned again. 
“Good girl,” she praised with a smile. 
Shiva felt fury fighting against terror. Once again, these ponies had control of her. They were taking the place of Master. But where Master had only needed love, these ponies seemed adamant on magic and whips and other torture devices. 
Dark thoughts invaded her mind; demands that she lunge onto this smug little witch and carve the arrogant smile from her face like she had Breaker.
But that would only get me in more trouble, Shiva thought. 
But without any prompting, without even a fake lunge forward, Shiva saw a flash of blue flying past the yellow mare towards her.
Pain exploded along Shiva’s temple. Darkness overtook her. 

#

And when Shiva awoke, it was in this cell. Waiting for Twilight and Luna to force her to relive it all again.
The fight had gone out of her at that point. She had struggled; she had fought. And yet, it had gotten her nowhere. She was still in a cell, and these ponies still had her. And worst: now they had a reason to treat her like the monster they all thought she was.
Or perhaps, Shiva thought, her elation at Breaker’s death replaced with shame. The monster I am.
> Chapter 5: Of Masters and Cupcakes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It wasn’t Luna who returned to Shiva’s cell. It was Twilight. She stood before Shiva again, but Shiva glared up at her, a fresh though from the trip down memory lane only making her angrier at the purple mare. 
“How did they get him?” Shiva asked quietly.
“Who?” Twilight demanded, but her teeth were clenched, and her eyes brimmed with conflict. She knew who Shiva was talking about, and they both knew it.
“Spike called you his friend,” Shiva insisted. “He said you'd come for him. But how did he get there in the first place?”
“I didn’t know...!” Twilight tried to insist. 
"How could you not know?!" Shiva demanded. “You’re his Master! You’re supposed to care about him. How could you let him be taken?"
“W-Well how could you murder ponies?” Twilight weakly insisted, her stern facade cracking.
“Because they tortured me!” Shiva protested. “Probably for Celestia’s…”
“Princess Celestia!” Twilight corrected sharply. “And she would never condone something like that.”
“How about Luna?” 
“Ponies,” Twilight growled out. “Do not resort to torture and violence to create peace with other races.”
“Then who gave me THESE?!” Shiva snapped, indicating the scars on her back.
The two females glared at each other, silently judging each other. Twilight was the first to break and looked at the wall bitterly.
“You saved my dragon,” she admitted. “You were there… when I wasn’t.” Her eyes fell on Shiva’s scars again. “It doesn’t excuse what you did… but I do appreciate it.” Her horn lit up, and a platter of food appeared, setting itself down before the wolf. “Thank you.” 
Shiva huffed, and glanced away. She wouldn’t have eaten even if she was hungry. The tray only had leaves that reminded Shiva of a few dangerous plants in the wild, some odd bland-looking white squares, and strangest of all, pink cupcakes. 
Master had warned her against eating cupcakes – pink or otherwise. She made it clear that eating them was dangerous; that even if they smelled or tasted nice, they would wreak havoc on Shiva’s stomach.
The clank of the cell door jarred Shiva out of her thoughts. She turned around as Twilight opened the door… and the same yellow mare from the cave looked in, a white box with a red cross on the front clutched in her teeth.
“She’s not eating?” she asked.
Shiva stood up, her back-fur flaring. “What in the name of everything evil is she doing here?!” Shiva rasped. 
Twilight glared back at her. “This is Fluttershy,” she said. “Princess Celestia’s on her way back from Saddle Arabia to meet you, and Fluttershy can clearly control you with her Stare.”
Fluttershy winced at the glower Shiva gave her, but Twilight nudged her with a grimace.
“She has full permission to do it again if you don’t behave.” 
Shiva’s ears fully perked before flattening, a malicious growl bubbling from her snout.
“Don’t give me that!” Twilight snapped, even as her voice cracked. “You may have saved my dragon, but you still have to answer for five dead ponies.” She pointed a hoof at her. “When Princess Celestia gets here, you’re going to behave, and she’ll figure out what to do with you.” 
“Twilight…” Fluttershy protested, indicating the fading scars across Shiva’s body. “She’s hurt.” 
Twilight looked at her, and her expression softened. She sighed. 
“I’ll be right outside if you need me,” she said. 
Fluttershy nodded, Twilight walked away. Fluttershy gave Shiva a sad look, but the wolf just turned away from her. Her growl nearly drowned out the mare’s squeak of horror as she beheld the scars of her time with Breaker.
“Oh, my…” Fluttershy whispered. “I... never noticed how bad it..." She cooed sadly. "You poor thing…”
“Save your pity,” Shiva growled. “I know you don’t really care.”
Fluttershy gasped, putting a hoof to her chest.
“B-But I do care,” Fluttershy insisted. “I promise, I’m only here to help.”
Shiva scoffed, keeping Fluttershy from gaining eye contact. Fluttershy sighed.
“I’m not going to use the Stare again,” Fluttershy insisted. “I promise. I didn’t want to use it before. I was just scared you were going to hurt Twilight.”
Shiva’s tail tucked; Fluttershy was right to be afraid for her friend, and the wolf knew it. But she couldn’t admit that; not while she was in such a vulnerable position.
“Please… don’t be mad,” Fluttershy pleaded. “I believe you went through a horrible time. And I’m going to try and help you. Just… please…” She inched forward carefully. “Give me a chance.” 
Shiva glowered at Fluttershy, who gazed at her with imploring eyes. But then her eyes flicked past her, to Twilight and the two guards. They had poked their heads in and were giving her the evil eye. Shiva felt resignation tug at her; if she resisted, those three would likely subdue her. Fluttershy probably didn’t need them; she could just Stare Shiva into submission by eye contact. There weren’t many choices where Shiva got to maintain her dignity here.
Shiva sighed, and kept her back to Fluttershy. Fluttershy’s eyes darted back and forth.
“Um… so…” she whispered. “Is that a ‘yes?’” 
“Do what they want you to do,” Shiva mumbled. “Then go away.” 
Fluttershy winced but glanced at the guards and took her opportunity. She inched forward, opening her case and pulling out bandages and disinfectant. 
Shiva’s head bowed as Fluttershy began cleaning the blood from her fur and checking over the many lash marks Breaker had given her. The mare tried to be gentle, but Shiva’s muscles tensed whenever she touched her. She already saw what this mare could do with a stare alone; Shiva didn’t know what she was doing with this little ‘meek and mild’ game, but the wolf was certain it had to be some kind of trick.
Shiva sighed, causing Fluttershy to jump. Disinfectant splashed onto one of Shiva’s scars.
“Sorry,” she squeaked. “I didn’t…”
But Shiva ignored her apologies, lost in thought.
With Master – the true master, Shiva found herself thinking – she at least liked her place in life. Master fed her, sheltered her and loved her. In exchange, Shiva protected Master, comforted Master, and loved Master. That had been the deal. 
But this new deal? Where she had to obey and be beaten in exchange for barely anything? It wasn’t fair! Why was Shiva being punished for defending herself?
Because you didn’t defend yourself, a small voice in the back of her mind said. 
She thought back to how it felt; having Breaker dying in her claws. At the time, it was amazing. She had beaten him. He wouldn’t hurt her or anyone else anymore. But her actions had gotten her here; mind violated by a princess, and now being forced to let some demon masquerading as an innocent girl tend to her.
And what about Twilight? Shiva recalled. What had the purple unicorn done? She may have tried to take Spike, but apparently, she was his master. And Spike clearly seemed to have some measure of care for her, even if she had made him mad. Sure, she wasn’t as great of a master as Shiva’s, but did that really justify Shiva trying to kill her too? 
Shiva sighed. What would Master say about all this?
Her ears perked. She turned back to Fluttershy and Twilight. 
“Twilight?” she asked. “What did you mean by… my master… fusing with me?”  
Fluttershy winced, while Twilight’s ears perked. They glanced at each other.
“Is there a chance she’s out there?” Shiva pressed. “Could I… is she here?”
Twilight’s ears flattened. “We combed over the woods where you appeared,” she said. “There were no humans out there. Plus…” Twilight sighed, and took one of the cupcakes from the platter.
“Pinkie Pie wanted you to have this,” she noted, setting down the cupcake. She indicated the writing. “Can you read it?” 
Shiva peered at the offering. Just as pink, but slightly bigger. And with words written across the top. Somehow, she knew what the words said.
“Thanks for saving Spike,” she read.
Twilight hummed. “What was your master’s name?” 
Shiva paused, but the answer came to her. 
“Evelyn,” she whispered. “Evelyn Shepard.” 
“And... were there things she knew... that you didn't?"
Shiva glared at her. 
"Try thinking," Twilight prompted. "What would your master know that you didn't?" 
"What kind of question is...?" but before Shiva could complete her sentence... answers popped into her mind. 
"She was seeing somebody," Shiva whispered. "Gary. She was worried about bringing him over to our house since I was technically wild. He was a city boy, but..." Shiva clutched her head in shock. “How did I know that?” 
Twilight nodded. 
“Her body, memories and abilities must have been assimilated into you,” she said. She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “That’s… actually kind of amazing, when I think about it.” she broke into a grin. “Do you think that has something to do with your power? I’m wondering if you somehow assimilated unicorn magic after your first encounter with Breaker.”
“But…” Shiva was starting to look scared. “Wouldn’t they talk to me, then? Wouldn’t I hear their voices or something?”
Twilight tapped her chin, her anger at Shiva forgotten in lieu of something she could theorize on.
“Well, normally you could,” she said, “Though, there’s also the possibility that their personalities got merged into your own. If Breaker was as bad as you said he was, you certainly took some of his ruthlessness. And I’m not sure about this ‘Evelyn,’ but if she was assimilated and her personality was overridden with yours…”
“Twilight!” Fluttershy hissed. She indicated Shiva.
Twilight gasped. Shiva was staring at her as if she had kicked her between the eyes. Her claws were digging into her skull, and small beads of blood were beginning to appear around her claws.
“She’s… overridden?” Shiva whispered. “As in… gone?!”
“I mean… can’t you talk to her?” Twilight asked, trying to backtrack. “Are you absolutely sure you can’t hear her voice?” 
Shiva looked down, shaking her head in slowly mounting panic. “I… don’t know,” Shiva whimpered. “I can’t hear her.” She looked up. “Master?” she called out to nothing. “MASTER?!”
Twilight inched forward. “Anything?” she asked curiously.
“Twilight, she's hurting herself!” Fluttershy chastised. She raced over to Shiva and grabbed her claws, pulling them away from her bleeding head. “Shiva, don’t torment yourself with this,” she pleaded.
“But my Master has to be alive!” Shiva whispered, her voice cracking. “I can’t…”
She couldn’t speak, and even Twilight didn’t dare try to vocalize it. The possibility that Master’s soul was gone, and that all Shiva had left of her was her altered body and memories. 
"No!" Shiva thought furiously. “That's can't be! I had to have left her in that forest! Those stupid ponies missed something! O-Or they're lying to me, and Master managed to evade them!”
“Shiva?” Fluttershy asked, trying to bandage the cuts on her head, but Shiva flinched away from her. She started at the empty walls.
"I gotta get out of here," she thought. "I gotta get out and get back to her. But I can’t; these ponies will subdue me. I gotta think!
Twilight tried to approach her, but Fluttershy shook her head at her. At that moment, a guard chose to show up.
“Ms. Sparkle,” he said. “Princess Celestia is returning to Canterlot.” 
Fluttershy jumped up and herded Twilight towards the door. “We should go,” she said. “To… greet the Princess.”
“But…” Twilight gave Shiva another look, but the wolf didn't even seem to realize they were still in the room with her.
"She needs time to process," Fluttershy insisted, herding Twilight out. "Just give her some space; she's not going anywhere."  Fluttershy gave Twilight another shove, and the purple mare reluctantly left. Fluttershy gave Shiva a sad look.
“I’m sorry,” she offered. 
Shiva didn’t look at her. Fluttershy shut the door, and she and Twilight left.
They were unaware of it, but Shiva’s mind was racing; trying to focus on anything that would keep her from having to accept what had happened to her master.
Twilight said I assimilate power, Shiva thought. But the chains are stopping me from using any magic. At least outward magic. But if these collars are the same, then I can still use inward magic. But if I'm going to do that, I need one of those unicorns to get close. I need one of them to touch me!
Shiva gasped. The cupcakes! Maybe if I…
Her ears flicked. Something was off. Someone was approaching. There was a magic to their presence; a magic Shiva hadn’t felt before.
Then the scent hit her; pure sugar. Like a handful of the sweet-tasting powder had been shoved down her nose. Shiva spun to her paws, even as her chains rattled ominously, and found herself facing…
Another pony. Just outside the cage. This one lacked the horn or wings of the previous ponies Shiva had met, but the high voltage light in her bright blue eyes still put Shiva on edge, and her bright pink coat hurt Shiva’s eyes to look at.
“Hi!” the mare greeted. “I’m Pinkie Pie! What’s your name?” 
Shiva regarded the mare with all the subtlety of a deer staring into the headlights of an approaching car. Before she could even think of a reply, the mare laughed.
“Silly,” she continued. “I already know your name. Every pony’s been talking about you. You saved Spike! But you also hurt some ponies. But they were mean ponies! But they were still ponies; that got hurt; by you.”
Shiva’s jaw opened, but before she could say anything, the mare suddenly came to her side.
"But you're not really mean, are you?" she asked. “Fluttershy said you're just a big scared, misunderstood doggy. Though you do look a lot like those mean diamond dogs who captured Rarity that one time. But even they weren't really meanie-mean-mean like Nightmare or Discord; they were just silly doggies digging for treasure."
Shiva’s jaw hung open, a terrified whimper escaping as Pinkie continued to ramble, more to herself than to Shiva. The dog tried to back away, but Pinkie continued forward, getting dangerously close to her face.
"Eh, I'm sure it's gonna be alright," she declared, bouncing in front of her. “And that’s why I’m here; to give you your very own super special..." 
She took a massive intake of breath. Warning bells went off in Shiva's head. She couldn't run.
So she had to fight.
‘Welcome-To-Equestria-Thanks-For-Saving-Spike-Sorry-You-Got-Arrested-Please-Be-Our-Friend...!” 
Shiva lashed out without thinking. Her jaws closed around something sweet. 
Shiva's eyes bulged. In her panic, she hadn't noticed the mare yank out another cupcake from apparently nowhere. But in her moment of self-defense, her jaws had come down around the pastry, and her taste buds were assaulted with the high-fructose sweetness of processed sugar. 
"Oh!" Pinkie noted, her hoof withdrawing without a mark on it. "You really were hungry, weren't you?" 
Shiva gagged as she stumbled back, slamming against the wall. She tripped over her chains and hit the ground, clutching at her throat and mouth while the mare beamed exuberantly and continued to chatter.
"Usually, my friends tell me that there's way too much sugar in my cakes for doggies, but we both know that's not true, right? I mean, you just scarfed that one up."
If Shiva’s mouth wasn’t stuffed with admittedly tasty cake, she would have howled for this crazy mare to shut up. But as she squirmed and writhed, she legitimately wasn’t able to breathe. Her taste buds were screaming in ecstasy, demanding the rest of her body enjoy the cupcake. However, her mind was screaming right back, reminding them of how dangerous sweets were to her kind. 
Her body seemed to gain several minds of its own. Her tongue tried to push the treat back into her throat, but her throat clenched and locked her esophagus down. 
No way is that getting in, her mind thought furiously. It won’t – It won’t – it WON’T!
Unfortunately, it also took away her ability to breathe. Where Shiva had intended to just fake choking, she now found herself actually choking as her mouth and throat warred against each other. Pinkie seemed completely unaware of the war going on in her body, as she continued to bounce and ramble more to herself than anyone else.
"We can totally be best friends," she was insisted. "We can chat, sing songs and..." she gasped, either in joy or in realization. "PARTY! I can throw the biggest parties!"
Shiva gurgled a curse back at her. Frosting bubbled into pink froth around her lips. She clutched at her throat, heaving and gagging as her throat valiantly kept the pastry out of her body. The pink mare’s grin faded; Shiva barely noticed. She stepped closer, her eyes widening in shock.
“You should be careful, doing that," Pinkie noted. "You look like you have rabies. And bad things happen to doggies with rabies." 
Shiva rolled at her, failing to grab at her with one claw while the other failed to crush her restraint. 
“You are... not playing, are you?" Pinkie realized. 
But Shiva heaved, her eyes bugging out of her skull. Her jaws split open, letting the pastry fall out in a mess of froth, but her throat remained clenched, bile trying to course up her throat, but getting blocked in her windpipe. She began to writhe and spasm as if she had been possessed by demons.
“What’s happening?!” the guards demanded, bursting the door open and rushing to Shiva’s side. 
“Nothing!" Pinkie yelped, jumping around to Shiva's back and seizing her. "Everything's under control!"
"Wait, NO!" the guard yelled, reaching for Pinkie. "Don't...!"
But as her hooves wrapped around Shiva's mid-section, her strange magic shot into Shiva's body, clearing her throat.
Shiva spat a mixture of pink spit and bile in the guard’s face before lunging around and grabbing the pink mare. More magic – beautiful magic – raced into her body as delicious air filled her lungs, and she ripped the chains off herself with a howl of victory.
"I feel funny..." Pinkie stammered as the magic left her body. 
The guards tried to run; maybe to get help, or maybe to attack. But Shiva didn’t give them the chance. She hurled the drained earth pony into them. Her magic empowered her throw, and they were blasted through the wall of the cell. Their bodies went up in smoke and dust.
For a moment, Shiva felt her blood chill. Had she just added more ponies to her body count? Given them more reasons to hate and fear her?
But then three pairs of eyes peeked out from the dust; two looking at Shiva in fear, and a familiar pair of bright blue eyes silently asking, how could you?
Before the dust could settle or Pinkie could do anything more than stare, Shiva threw herself out the hole she had made, raced down the dungeon hall and sprinted out of sight.
> Chapter 6: Escape from Canterlot
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shiva’s escape nearly ended before it could even start. As she shot down the dungeon halls, she easily left the pink menace and the guards behind. However, she became aware of an approaching aura. Power, unlike anything she had ever sensed before. Not even Luna had felt this strong. 
Shiva’s momentum nearly carried her right into whatever was approaching, but she managed to just barely skid to a halt. One of the cells were open and unused. Shiva shot into the unused cell and pressed herself against the wall. Steadying her breathing, she forced herself to remain still as possible.
The aura drew closer. Closer. Shiva could feel her skin prickle under her fur, like when she stood too close to a fire. She clamped her claws over her muzzle, holding back a whimper as voices emanated.
“You don’t need to worry, my dears,” a regal, yet also motherly voice said. “Whatever our guest has done, I’m certain we’ll be able to handle her.”
“She’s just so afraid,” Fluttershy’s voice squeaked. “I don’t want the guards to hurt her.”
“O-Of course not!” Twilight stammered. “After all, she’s an example of magic I’ve never seen before. It makes me wonder if the same concept can be applied to other animals. Can cockatrices be created by fusing chickens and serpents together?”
“It is certainly an intriguing concept,” the regal voice admitted. “But one we will have to wait on until I have the chance to speak with her.”
“Of course, Princess Celestia,” both mares said. 
Celestia? Shiva thought.
She trembled as Fluttershy and Twilight sped by the cell, flanking the biggest pony Shiva had ever seen. A sparkling mane resembling the Northern Lights. A glimmering white coat that sparkled with sunlight. Pure gold regalia that hurt Shiva’s eyes to look at. Feathery wings that belonged on an angel. Despite the panicked looks on Fluttershy and Twilight’s faces, this horse had a serene expression, and walked casually down the dungeon hall.
Thankfully, they seemed to be focused on checking whatever noise Shiva had made getting out. And – almost like fate was aiding Shiva – the guards and Pinkie didn’t appear. A brief spurt of concern shot through Shiva – worry that she had severely hurt the ponies – but it was stamped down by her desperate need to stay free. 
As Celestia and her fellow mares ran out of sight, Shiva slid out of the cell, and ducked down the nearest corridor, putting as much distance as she could between herself and this sun pony. 
No wonder the ponies spoke of Celestia with such reverence,  Shiva thought. The power coming off that horse…  Shiva held back a gasp. I’m dead if she finds me.
As if to drive the point home, a voice suddenly rang through the air like a megaphone.
“The White Wolf is loose in the castle! I repeat, the White Wolf is loose in the castle. Any citizens evacuate immediately; creature has access to magic and is dangerous!” 
The brief elation of freedom in her gut was slowly swallowed by dread. If that sun-horse found her… if the ponies captured her and brought her back to her…
I gotta get out! But… how? she thought morosely. She still had no idea where she was or where she was supposed to go. The dungeons were spread out like a maze. And after ten minutes of hiding in empty cells and sneaking past guards, Shiva burst up a staircase… only to find herself in more extravagant hall with regal paintings and stain glass windows.
Where in the name of everything sacred is the exit?!
Before she could answer that question, the click of a door jarred her back to reality. She raced behind the nearest pillar, but a white unicorn spotted her.
“Every pony!” the unicorn tried to call. “I found her! Coordinates…!” 
Before he could give her away, Shiva shot out from her cover. He fired another spell, but Shiva let it graze the side of her hand, absorbing a burst of magic that she promptly fired into the gut of the guard. It wasn’t fatal, but as the guard fell to his haunches, gagging for breath, Shiva knew he wouldn’t recover in time. She leaped forward and pinned him to the ground. 
She froze; killing this guard would only make things worse for her. Plus… she saw the fear in his eyes. This wasn’t one of her tormentors. This was a stallion just doing his job; probably more scared of her than she was of him.
“If you want to live,” Shiva growled down at him. “You’ll stay out of my way. Tell the others."
Then she threw him through the door he had left and sprinted towards the nearest corridor.
The castle became a blur. Ponies seemed to pop out of nowhere, but Shiva managed to find ways to avoid them. She shot down two more hallways and twisted into another corridor Barely even bothering with locks, she let the little magic she had left form a barrier and blasted through the nearest door. 
She froze in place. Instead of another hallway, she had burst into a bedroom. There was another unicorn there. But his blue eyes were familiar.
Too familiar. 
The same blue eyes that had glared down at her in the pit.
“Guard…!” the unicorn tried to scream, but Shiva was faster. Wrapping her claws around his head, she smashed him into the dresser he had been standing in front of, and muffled his shrieks for help.
Her mind was going blank; her vision turning red with anger. Her claws dug into his cheeks, drawing blood. He had been there, smiling smugly down as she ‘learned her place.’ He had let her get tortured. He had nearly let Spike get…
“Your Highness!” a voice cried.
Shiva spun, and her magic activated. A tendril of light wrapped around the noble’s head before she threw him like a yo-yo. He crashed into the unlucky guard that had interrupted them. The guard’s armor did nothing to keep him from getting thrown out of the room. As the noble bounced back into the air, Shiva wrenched the tendril holding the noble by the face, and the link responded, returning him to her grip. His horn desperately tried to flare, but it sputtered as his magic drained into the wolf.
Shrieking, his hoof slammed into her chest, nearly knocking the wind from her. Growling, she let magic blast from the hand holding him, throwing him across the room. As he hit the wall, Shiva leaped onto him and threw him again. Fury was blocking her mind; blotting out rational thought. All she could think of was…
Hurting him… she slowly realized. Like Beast Breaker.
In her moment of doubt, his horn flared, and the dresser threw itself at her. Rolling under the projectile, Shiva lunged back onto the noble and grabbed his horn again. The magic fizzled out.
In the ensuing silence, punctuated only by the noble’s whimpers of fear, Shiva heard the stomping of hooves. Her ears flattened as a burning feeling registered itself in her throat. She had been screaming while she fought this noble. Not even thinking about the attention it would bring. 
Shiva had enough time to put herself on the noble’s back, her claws bared at his throat, as a trio of guards stormed in. 
“Get back!” she barked. “Don’t test me!” 
The guards listened, and halted, though they still paced angrily around her. Shiva pulled her new hostage against a glass window, her claws twitching as they rested against the noble’s white fur.
“Easy boys,” the largest of the guards – an earth pony - muttered. “We need them both alive.” 
“Need it alive?!” the noble stammered. “This thing’s a monster. It tried to kill me!”
“You brought it on yourself!” Shiva bellowed in his ear. “You tortured me! You stood by and watched while I was…” 
“It’s crazy!” the noble screamed over her. “Shoot it! Take it out!”
"You laughed while I was tortured,” Shiva screamed over him. “You evil, pretentious little…”
“ENOUGH!” the larger guard boomed. Shiva and the noble went silent, though Shiva’s ears flattened as he turned to her. “Just let the prince go, wolf. We can work this out.”
Shiva cackled madly in a vain attempt to hide her fear. “Oh-Oh, this is your Prince?! You take orders from him or something?”
“He should!” the prince hissed. “Especially my order to shoot her now!”
One of the unicorns shifted on his hooves, but the earth pony guard raised a hoof at him.
“Do! NOT!” he barked. He turned back to Shiva, and she could have sworn she saw desperation in his eyes. “Now listen, Miss. You’re already in enough trouble as is, and threatening the life of one of the Princesses’ extended family isn’t going to help.” 
“Of course, it’s going to help,” Shiva replied, even as her heart pounded and her eyes darted to the window behind her. Her ears flattened as she noticed winged horses making their way towards the window. She needed to get out fast. She wrenched the prince’s head to the side. “This monster was the reason I had to kill. He’s evil!” 
“And we’re willing to listen,” the earth pony said diplomatically. “But only if you surrender peacefully.”
“Oh, no…” Shiva snarled. “No-no-no, you are either listening now, or not at all!” 
The earth pony’s sympathetic look started to fade. 
“Miss, you do not get to make demands right now,” he said. “You’re surrounded, there’s no way out of this castle that isn’t guarded, and you’ll only make things worse for yourself if you kill him. What choice do you honestly think you have?” 
She didn’t want to admit it, but the guard was right. Shiva’s eyes flicked behind her again. The winged horses were getting closer. Any second, and they’d be able to crash through the window and get her. 
Unless I go for them first,Shiva thought. Her tail wagged, and she closed her claws over the prince’s throat. 
“Any choice is better than none,” she growled, softly enough that the guards had to strain to hear. Then, letting the magic light up her fur like her master’s Christmas trees, she spun and threw herself and her hostage at the window. The light around her fur doubled as a barrier, and she easily shattered the glass, the magic repelling the shards. The prince let out a high-pitched squeal of terror as they plummeted to the ground. 
Winged horses shot down towards them, but Shiva’s grip doubled on her hostage, and she opened her claws, glaring warningly at the horses. 
They got the message, but gravity was still in effect. They dove and fell alongside her, eyes wide and disbelieving behind some sort of eyewear.
“Are you insane?” one of the horses screamed through the wind.
Shiva let another wild cackle slip through her lips. 
“Completely!” she replied. She glanced down at her terrified hostage, aiming her claws at his eyes. “And you made me this way!” she added with a snarl.
The prince barely noticed; he was too busy screaming in fear. His scream rattled her ears and his whipping head forced her to angle her claws away so she didn’t hurt him too prematurely. Thus, she almost missed the familiar cyan blue blur that had come at her after Fluttershy Stared her into submission.
Thankfully, Shiva felt the winds change, and threw the prince away just in time. Something collided hard with her chest, knocking the air from her lungs. The prince managed to catch whatever had rammed her. With him slowing her down, Shiva’s claws slammed into the cyan blur, and she felt wings pumping at an incredible pace before they faltered, magic surging into Shiva and taking away whatever was giving this thing its power. 
They began to drop, but for a few seconds, Shiva finally made out what had knocked her out; a small, cyan colored winged horse. Rose-colored eyes gaped up at her in alarm, and an odd mane that managed to somehow catch every color on the spectrum fluttered in the wind. Before Shiva could consider what to do with this rainbow-colored lightning flash, they hit some sort of balcony, sliding across the smooth marble floor. Shiva lost her grip on the rainbow mare, and desperately clawed for a hold on the floor before they hit a banister and broke through, falling through to a courtyard. Shiva curled into a fetal position and let a barrier flare to life around her, bouncing her off the ground. 
Shiva landed on her paws, but groans from the side caught her attention. Her blood chilled as she realized the prince and the rainbow mare were both getting up, shaken, but somehow unharmed. Granted, Shiva wasn’t too banged up herself, but she had a barrier. She spotted a barrier of light fading around both of them, and realized with a dull chill that it was linked to tendrils. Tendrils that released them and went back to her.
But before she could ask any questions, or wonder how her magic had done that - and if she should feel relief or horror - she glanced up and saw the pegasi from before diving towards her. 
With Luna herself leading them.
Shiva gagged and tried to go back for her hostage. However, the rainbow mare nearly caught her with a kick. 
“Nice try, fur ball,” the rainbow mare taunted. “But you’re not killing any more ponies tonight.” She glared back at the prince as he stumbled to his hooves with a moan. “Even if he is a rotten little…”
“Whatever you’re gonna call him,” Shiva growled. “It’s too good for him.” 
The rainbow mare’s eyes narrowed, and she pawed the ground in preparation for a fight. But Shiva couldn’t afford to tangle with the pegasus right now. Her fellow pegasi and the dark alicorn were closing in. And while Shiva could absorb power, she didn’t want to push her limits. Not with freedom so close at hand.
Shiva extended another tendril of light, and threw it at the rainbow mare like a grappling line. She easily dodged it.
“Gonna take more than that to hit Rainbow Dash,” she declared triumphantly.
“I know,” Shiva replied.
Confusion briefly appeared on – Rainbow Dash, was it? – before Shiva yanked her tendril. The prince, his neck ensnared in Shiva’s tendril, bowled into Rainbow Dash’s backside, sending her face-first into the marble before Shiva spun and threw the prince over her head. A large swath of winged horses was indeed coming for her, but they scattered like sparrows as the prince was thrown into them. 
Not taking the time to savor their shock, Shiva sped towards the courtyard’s exit, descending a staircase that led away from the castle. 
Pray we never meet again ‘Prince,’ Shiva thought venomously. The only reason you live is because my Master might be alive. She turned away. And I’m going to get back to her. I’ve got to get back to her. 
Yet, even as Shiva left the winged ponies behind as they tended to the prince, she found she wasn’t out of the woods completely. A line of unicorns purposefully advanced up the stairs, a wall of magic shields forming before them. Some of them quivered in fear, but the rest narrowed their eyes in determination as Shiva sped towards them. 
“Stand ready,” a white unicorn in purple armor yelled.
Shiva considered slowing down; finding an alternate path. But the pegasi were right behind her, and the stairs were too wide. If she tried to run to the side, they could both close in and trap her.
Then she realized… she had the high ground. The unicorn’s shields were only as tall as them.
Her ears perking, she channeled the magic she got from Rainbow Dash and the prince. She lit her fur up again. The unicorns quivered. 
“Stand firm!” the unicorn captain yelled, but even he was backing up in fear.
“OUTTA MY WAY!” Shiva barked, her fur flashing ominously.
Half of the ponies flinched down, screaming in fear. But Shiva took a running leap… and cleared the line of unicorns with a massive jump. The unicorns scrambled, some trying to turn around and the others gaping in shock. But before they could get themselves turned around, the wolf had raced down a hill and onto a massive bridge that led over a river. Once she reached the end of the bridge, she’d be in the town and closer to the rolling green hills she could see beyond.
Unfortunately, she only made it halfway across, when a burst of golden light slammed into the bridge in front of her.
“HALT!”
Shiva skidded to a stop, her chest heaving and her leg muscles pulsing with aches. 
Celestia stepped out from the light, her wings flared and clearly blocking her path. Her pink eyes seemed concerned, but they offered little comfort when compared to her imposing size and burning aura. 
The stomping of hoof beats sounded behind Shiva, and she spun, drawing her claws on the ponies while keeping one claw aimed at Celestia. Part of her knew it was fruitless. If she wanted, Celestia could just reduce her to ashes with a flick of her horn. And even if she didn’t seem to be in the mood for it, Shiva saw Rainbow Dash, the guards, Luna, even Fluttershy and Twilight all converging behind her. Far, far away, Shiva could faintly see the Prince, glowering at her as medical ponies ushered him back into the castle.
“It’s over,” Celestia said. Shiva glanced back at the sun horse, to see she was drawing closer, forcing Shiva back towards the ponies. “Just surrender peacefully. No more harm will come to you.” 
Shiva’s ears flattened. Her tail tucked. Yet despite the signs of fear, she started a strange giggling sob. Her arms quivered. Her head tilted back, and the ponies flinched as her giggle turned into a howling, sobbing laugh. 
Shiva wasn’t even sure why she was laughing; all she could feel was fear, rage and disgust. Disgust that this sun-horse – apparently the most powerful of them all – could honestly think she could fool Shiva into thinking no harm would befall her. Fear at what was going to happen to her once these ponies got their hooves on her. And, of course, rage… Bitter, angry rage that these horses, once again, got to decide what to do with her. 
Shiva’s arms dropped, and she saw Celestia’s face brighten for the smallest moment. Though her hopeful look faded as Shiva fixed her with a look of utter loathing. 
“You’ve given me nothing but harm,” Shiva growled. Then, she clapped her paws together.
Magic burst from her body like a flash bang grenade. Everyone – even Celestia – ducked back, shielding their eyes. And as the magic burst from her body, Shiva threw herself over the edge of the bridge, and let gravity carry her into the water.  
The cold liquid stung the scars on her back. Shiva could feel the breath she had taken push at her pressed lips, demanding to be sent out in a hiss of pain. But Shiva didn’t dare lose her breath. She couldn’t afford to resurface yet. 
Some of the ponies stared down at the river in horror, locked on where Shiva had landed. Thankfully, the current was strong, and Shiva’s burst of light had blinded them long enough for her to slip away from their recovering eyes. The pegasi weren’t as easy to fool, however, as they flew back and forth over the surface. Shiva forced herself deeper and let the current carry her along. 
Her chest began to hurt as the pegasi continued to search. Shiva felt the beginnings of panic. Thoughts clouded her mind of her drowning in this river; her dead body floating to the surface and being dissected by Twilight. It was only barely countered by the thought that they’d probably do the same thing anyway if Shiva resurfaced. Although then, she’d be alive, and capable of feeling the pain. 
Shiva got so focused on the flying horses and her own slowly increasing need for air, that she failed to account for the hum of water growing oddly louder in her ears. The current picked up speed. And just as Rainbow Dash stamped the air with a groan of frustration, Shiva felt the water shift downward.
Air – albeit water-clogged air – suddenly surrounded Shiva. She was free-falling; she had been sucked down a waterfall! As the agonizingly small pool loomed below her, Shiva managed a gasp of air, and put herself into a fetal position. Water once again flared up around her, and her body barked painfully against the ground.  
But Shiva refused to let her breath go. And through the thin veil of water, Shiva watched as the pony castle slowly drifted away from her.
When she was sure the winged horses were still focused on the castle, Shiva allowed herself to poke her nose up and take a breath. From there, she began paddling, trying to send out as few ripples as possible. The clear water flowed through Shiva’s fur, icy cold. The current tugged her along like a wet version of the leash her master would sometimes put on her. Despite her still feeling some anger at being controlled, Shiva surrendered to the current, and let herself drift downstream. 
Don’t worry, Master,  Shiva thought. I’m coming for you. If you’re still alive, I’ll find you. 
  Please. Please be alive. 
> Chapter 7: Lights in the Dark
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

For the next three days, Shiva alternated between drifting and swimming. Swimming and drifting. The river was alive with fish, though hunting them was far different from hunting on land. Shiva found herself cursing the aquatic creatures several times until she finally managed to snap up some sort of silver-scaled fish that got too close to her jaws. As the fish crunched in her teeth, Breaker briefly flashed before her mind with a pang of guilt, but hunger managed to shove emotion to the side. The river water was fresh as well, and allowed her to quench her thirst, and the trees that grew along the bank gave Shiva a place to rest when the cold became too much for her.
But as Shiva dealt with cold, hunger and thirst, the thought of her master clashed against the worry that the ponies were right. That Shiva had been fused to the human. That Shiva finding her was as likely as the armored horses she constantly saw cruising the sky to give her tea and crumpets if she let them find her. 
No, she’s gotta be alive, Shiva thought desperately. I’ll find my way back to where I woke up, and I’ll find something. A trail! A sign! Maybe even her. She’s gotta be there.
Because I don’t know what I’ll do if she isn’t.
After three days of swimming, Shiva was forced from the river as she spotted ponies ahead of her combing the shorelines. Sneaking off into the forest gave her some cover from the pegasi, but she still had to be careful to cover her tracks, lest some of the earth-bound ponies tried to follow her.
It was daunting; Shiva barely slept. She hardly got anything to eat, and fear seemed to pulse in her gut to the point where she almost expected the forest to come alive with ponies every half second. But, her patience and determination won out. And five days after leaving the river, she was rewarded when she came across a familiar looking trail. There, Shiva picked up a scent. It was faint – at least a week old – but it was there.
Her scent. She had passed through here before being caught by Breaker.
Still careful to avoid attracting attention, Shiva raced after her trail. She kept a careful eye out for ponies; ducking into the brush every time she saw one of the pegasi overhead or heard the crunch of branches. But the lack of ponies was a small comfort. For eventually, Shiva followed the trail to its end. And there was nothing.
Shiva sniffed around where she had ended up. It was a simple forest clearing, but her scent – no matter how faint – was here. It led off back towards the trail, but as far as Shiva could tell, there was no alternate path away from the clearing. It was as if Shiva had just been dropped into existence at this very point.
Her ears flattening, Shiva tried to force her nose to find something. Anything that could indicate Master was alive. Something to show Shiva could find her and protect her. But the best she got was a microscopic scent of Master’s hair. 
And even that was entwined tightly into Shiva’s own scent.
It’s not true! Shiva thought frantically, even as her nose grew numb from the tracking. She can’t be fused with me.
But with no other evidence, the truth slowly wormed its way into her head. Master was a part of her now. She had been fused into Shiva’s entire being. And from the looks of it, her personality, her soul… whatever had made her, well… her had been sacrificed in the process. 
Shiva gripped at her head. “Master?” She thought. “Master, can you hear me? Please talk to me!”
But her Master’s voice didn’t come. Only the faint croaks and chirps of the forest registered to her mind.
Shiva slowly fell to her knees. 
“They’re wrong,” she whispered. “You… I can’t let you die like this! I can’t…”
But Shiva didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t rip the arms from her body. She couldn’t rip her brain out and try to pick the Master out. 
She fell to all fours, her body beginning to rock with sobs.
Master was gone. Her mind refused to block the realization anymore. Master is gone… I failed her.
Grief chased the fear of ponies from her mind. Shiva’s head reared back, but she didn’t howl. She screamed. Magic flared from her being, crackling across the forest and into the sky.
Master was gone. Shiva couldn’t save her. She was trapped on an alien world; where magic was a real and tangible force, and the dominant species on this planet wanted her either captured or dead.
Her head lowered, and her body rocked with sobs. Not even in the cages had she felt this alone and afraid. At least there, she had the goal of surviving or escaping. But now? 
Now she had nothing. No idea what to do or where to go. 
“Now what?” her mind asked. She had no answer.
The cracking of branches barely jarred Shiva out of her grief. She glanced up wearily as the familiar faces of timber wolves formed out of the foliage. 
Shiva didn’t even care. She lowered her head to the ground and did nothing to stop their approach. As they surrounded and slowly circled her, she shut her eyes and waited for death. At least in death, she might have a chance of finding Master again.
Right?
But just before the timber wolves could lunge, an odd BONG-BONG-BONG sound emanated. The timber wolves flinched away, their leaf ears flattening in pain. The BONG-BONG-BONG sounded again, and the timber wolves gave up, racing away with cries into the foliage.
Barely caring, Shiva glanced up again as the noise maker appeared from the tree line. She sighed as she beheld another mare. Or, Shiva thought it was a mare. She was a dirty white with dark stripes crisscrossing over her back. A mane stuck straight up in a Mohawk. Gold rings encircled her neck, one of her front hooves, and even looped around one ear. Strong cyan eyes narrowed at the sight of Shiva.  
It looked like she was the only one, but the only emotion her appearance brought forth was despair. No matter what Shiva did, she couldn’t get away from these equines. Shiva turned away, her sobs bubbling back up her throat again. She waited for the horse to scream or attack her or do whatever. 
But instead, the mare spoke. 
“What a strange creature you are, and how sad,” she said in a deep, African voice (Master must have known an Africa; it was the first thing to pop up in Shiva’s mind). “What has happened to you, that has gone so bad?”
Shiva glanced up at her, but the mare tilted her head, pity flashing in her eyes. Shiva looked back down. 
“M-My Master’s dead,” she whispered. She flinched; getting stabbed with a rusty dagger would hurt far less than having to say the horrible truth. “Ponies hate me… and I don’t know what to do.” She shivered with sobs as her eyes shut. “I-I don’t know what to do…” 
The mare tried to hush her, but when she heard her get closer, Shiva jumped away, keeping her back away from the mare. 
“Don’t!” Shiva barked, flinching at the look of shock on the mare’s face. “Don’t... please don’t hurt me.”
The mare’s eyes flicked to the scars on Shiva’s back, and her hoof lowered, understanding dawning on her face. She sighed. 
“Much pain, you have endured?” she guessed. She raised her hooves. “I will not add to it, please be assured.” 
Shiva shook her head. “What’s the point,” she whimpered. “I-I don’t know what to do.” She lowered her head. “I’m stuck in this place… and ponies want to hurt me.”  
The mare winced. 
“They fear you,” she guessed with a sigh. “A cruel passage I have been through too.” 
Shiva looked up. “They… fear you?” she asked.
“Ponies fear what they do not understand,” she said. “Because I live in a forest, from town many want me banned.” 
Shiva rubbed at one of the scars on her arm. “Well,” she said darkly. “Have they ever dragged you from your home and whipped you for it?” 
The mare covered her mouth, her eyes wide, but Shiva didn’t break her gaze. The mare was the first to turn away.
“Then, when I tried to defend myself,” Shiva whispered, looking down at her arms again. “I took it too far, and just got in more trouble.” She clenched her claws. “I haven't slept... barely ate..." Her head bowed. "I'm so tired of fighting."  
Her eyes shot open when she heard the mare approach again, but the mare raised her hoof to show she meant no harm. 
“If you are willing to trust,” she said. “I have stew that is simply a must.” 
Shiva slumped down. On the one hand, she didn’t want to trust another equine again. But, on the other hand, she was going to get found by something out here. 
And it wasn’t like she could do anything else. 
She rose. “Sure,” she mumbled. And she followed the striped mare into the forest. 
“My name is Zecora; if it matters to you,” she added. “If you don’t mind me asking; who are you?” 
Shiva sighed. 
“Shiva,” she replied. “If you don’t mind me asking… why are you rhyming?” 
Zecora touched at her throat, but chuckled softly.
“Forgive my nursery rhymes,” she said. “The only words I know are of olden times.” 
“Huh,” Shiva noted. “Okay.”

#

Shiva wasn’t sure how her Master had known about Africa, but the hut Zecora led Shiva to seemed to just scream the word at her. It was built into a gnarled old tree, and inside were several different masks hanging alongside what looked like potion bottles. In the center of the tree, a fire pit sat with a cauldron bubbling away. 
Shiva couldn’t smell anything poisonous in it, and when Zecora offered her a bowl, it turned out to be the first thing Shiva had that wasn’t tainted with humiliation or stuffed with sugar.
As they ate, Shiva told Zecora her story. The ‘zebra’ - as she was actually revealed to be – gasped at Shiva’s mention of Breaker, and her eyes grew conflicted when Shiva mentioned how she had gone overboard in protecting Spike. 
“I-I just couldn’t stop myself,” Shiva tried to insist. “He had hurt me for so long, and I didn’t know what to…”
Zecora just raised a hoof. “A difficult situation, I won’t argue there,” she assured her.
With those simple words, Shiva felt a huge surge of gratitude towards the zebra. Instead of getting angry at her, she just understood. Shiva had to resist the temptation to hug the zebra.
“Please continue,” Zecora continued. “Fluttershy used her Stare?”
Shiva’s ears perked, but Zecora chuckled. 
“The ponies had come through, searching for Spike,” she explained. “I assume they would arrive; the dragon they seem to like.” 
“Well… yeah,” Shiva admitted. “I guess they did.”
From there, Shiva explained about Luna’s interrogation, and her denial about her Master’s fate. She described her heart-racing chase through Canterlot, and her dive off the waterfall.
“But… it was all for nothing,” Shiva concluded. “I made it back to where I arrived… and that’s where you found me.” Her head bowed. “Looking for a Master that was already gone.” 
Zecora’s eyebrows knit in sympathy, and she pat Shiva’s shoulder. Shiva tensed at the touch, but Zecora’s touch was comforting, and her voice soothing. 
“You poor child,” she whispered. “What was done to you must be reviled.” 
Shiva looked up at her. “But now the ponies are hunting me, and I don’t know where to go.”
Zecora rubbed her hoof, looking down at Shiva’s body. 
"And you don't believe it wise," she offered. "To return to Canterlot; I only advise," she added quickly, seeing Shiva's back fur flared. 
Shiva turned away. "Please don't make me go back there," she whispered. "I can't."
Zecora sighed.
“Foreign you might be,” she replied. “But like a Diamond Dog, many will think. If ponies are too much, maybe Diamond Dogs won't push you to the brink.” 
“Diamond Dog?” Shiva asked. “Wait…” 
She looked out the window. Luke had been called a Diamond Dog. 
Above the trees, Shiva spotted a familiar looking mountain. With a start, she recognized it as the mountain where she had been held. The cave looked familiar…
Shiva gasped. That’s where we had been held!
She had lost sight of Luke when the ponies grabbed her. But he knew what she had suffered. Maybe he’d be willing to help her. 
As if fate was answering her, a long, hopeful howl broke the small silence. Shiva and Zecora rose, eyes widening in shock. 
“Luke?” she whispered. 
Zecora’s hoof brushed Shiva’s shoulder. “Go, child,” she said. “Be at peace in the wild.”
Shiva smiled, and gratefully nuzzled the zebra.
"Thank you," she said. 
With the zebra waving her off, Shiva shot from her hut and raced towards the sound. She let out a howl of her own.
“LUKE!” she howled. 
“White Wolf?” his howl answered back. “WHITE WOLF!” 
Her spirits lifted, along with her tail and ears. Shiva shot deep into the forest, hoping against hope. 
“HERE!” he howled again.
“HERE!” Shiva echoed back.
In mere seconds, she shot over a bush, dove under a fallen log… and nearly collided with him. 
For a moment, the two jumped back, staring at each other. It was him, Shiva could confirm with a wagging tail. It was Luke! The whip scars were still prominent against his dark fur, but he looked fuller than he had been in the cage. And the scared, broken light that had pervaded his silver eyes was gone, replaced only with relief and admiration. 
Shiva couldn’t contain herself. Her fur exploded with light as she gave a cry of sheer happiness. To his credit, Luke tried to repeat her howl… only to get cut off when she cannonballed into him and pulled him into a rib cracking hug.
She didn’t care that she knew next to nothing about him. She didn’t ponder how he had managed to get here. All that mattered was that he was there. There was still hope in this world; someone that she could trust. Someone that had treated her with kindness, or at least had stood against adversity alongside her. It wasn’t much, but for the white wolf, it was enough.
Shiva and Luke barely got the chance to calm themselves from their romp in the trees, before a small ‘Aw…’ cooed behind her.
Shiva whirled around, her eyes gaining a haunted light. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were watching with big, doe-like eyes. But further behind them, Twilight and Rainbow Dash, along with two mares Shiva didn’t recognize, were rapidly approaching.
“Fluttershy!” Twilight called. “Don’t let her get away!” 
Shiva gasped and backed up. Anger fought against fear. Yet… Fluttershy and Pinkie didn’t approach. Fluttershy’s happy look faded. She briefly glanced back at her friend, before giving Shiva a sad look. The look, however, soon changed to fear.
Shiva’s haunted look changed to a glower. Her fur pulsed with light. A small part of her pleaded for her to bolt. 
But this time, Shiva didn’t see the reason why.
Luke stood next to her, silver eyes narrowed in hatred at the ponies. As the mares backed up, a white, rope-like tendril wound itself around his neck and shoulders. And with odd electric pulses forcing their way into his body, his fur began to glow a strange midnight blue.
Shiva felt power coursing through her. More than the fleeting bits that had guided her from the pits and from Canterlot. This was a constant, soothing pulse of strength and willpower, straightening her stance, and sharpening her senses. 
She could see the ponies beginning to tremble. She could see Rainbow Dash hiding her fear as she pawed the ground, striding forward. 
These ponies had captured her. Humiliated her and tortured her. Up until now, Shiva had been alone. But now, with the diamond dog by her side, Shiva realized that these ponies had never been in power. 
All this time, they had been afraid of her. Afraid of what she could do.
And after what they’ve put me through, Shiva thought as she began to advance on them. They SHOULD fear me.
So why don’t we show them? 
> Chapter 8: Get Off My Back
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shiva had to give credit where credit was due; some of the mares didn’t go down without a fight.
Fluttershy did though; a simple beam of magic close to the body, and she was either down for the count or pretending to be to get out of the fight. The other five seemed to think she was down for the count; they screamed in rage and shot out after the diamond dogs. Luke grabbed Shiva and dove into the ground. As the mares converged around the hole he left, Luke suddenly popped back out of the ground like it was water, catching Rarity and slamming her into the hole before Shiva buried Rarity’s neck. The unicorn struggled to pull her head free as Shiva and Luke took off, luring the other four mares after them. Beam spells, apples and cakes skimmed past the dogs as they shot through the foliage. Rainbow Dash swooped down on them like an angry bird, Shiva’s barriers the only reason she didn’t manage to separate the two dogs.
Yet Shiva had no intention of turning this battle into a chase. The power coursing through her was not like the magic she had stolen from the mares. This power ebbed and flowed as Luke fought alongside her. She could feel Luke by her side. She could hear his heartbeat; she could sense his muscles tensing, readying to strike. 
Even better, she could almost hear his thoughts. His plans on how to attack the mares.
Though, her ears flicked. His technique was unrefined. His plan simply resorted to let ponies sneak up, then hit.
Try more finesse, Shiva suggested. Much to her surprise, Luke paused, glancing at her.
You… heard my thoughts? He asked without speaking.
Shiva looked down at the link between them. Their gaze mutually went to the mares close behind them. Glancing at each other again, the dogs grinned. 
Jumping behind two trees, they stretched their link out like a trip wire. Shiva envisioned the link becoming solid. 
And sure enough, just as Twilight, Applejack and Pinkie raced by them, the link tripped the mares up, sending them toppling over themselves.
“Did you forget me?” Rainbow Dash taunted, soaring down towards Shiva.
Shiva tried to flare her barrier, only for Luke to jump in front of her. Rainbow Dash’s hooves slammed into Luke’s claws, and for a split second, Shiva feared that Luke was going to get launched into the air. 
But the dog held fast. Rainbow Dash’s smug look turned to shock as the diamond dog managed to hold her in place, growling and straining.
Cautiously, Shiva envisioned giving more power to him. His groans and straining decreased. Rainbow Dash’s shock turned to fear as he pushed her back. Then, with a mighty shove, he knocked her back and kicked her towards the recovering pile of mares.
Dodging under Rainbow Dash’s flailing body, Pinkie aimed a massive cannon at them, firing the pink pastries.
“I’d much rather be doing this in celebration,” Pinkie noted, firing another cake. “Even if this is kinda fun!” 
Shiva spun in front of Luke, deflecting the weaponized pastries with barriers and beam spells. As she exploded a cupcake, however, another beam spell streaked towards her. Shiva caught the beam and deflected it into Pinkie’s cannon. The device exploded into cream, sugar and magic, throwing the pink mare back and sending her somersaulting away. 
Twilight gasped at her friend’s fall, before growling at Shiva, Rainbow Dash and Applejack converging behind her.
“You’re not getting away from us, Shiva,” Twilight growled. “Even if we can’t beat you, the Royal Guard will find us soon enough. Just give up.”
Shiva and Luke pulled themselves up.
“Forget it,” Shiva growled.
Rainbow Dash smirked.
“Suit yourself,” the cyan growled, before she and Applejack charged, Twilight firing another spell behind them.
Luke jumped in front of Shiva, and Shiva tried to channel more power into him, but a beam spell knocked her off course. As she stumbled away, Applejack and Rainbow Dash slammed into Luke, bombarding him with kicks, strikes and blows. Luke started to fall back, his growls cracking with fear.
Shiva dodged another spell from Twilight and channeled as much power as she could into Luke. Yet even as a barrier surged around him, Applejack jumped back and yanked a lasso. The lasso shot at Shiva before she could realize what it was for, and caught her around the neck, yanking her towards another spell from Twilight.
Luke gasped, and tore through the barrier she had put up, knocking Rainbow Dash off course before football tackling Applejack, throwing her into Twilight. 
Shiva’s heart leaped in hope, and she deflected Twilight’s spell, tearing Applejack’s lasso off. Shiva barely got the chance to recover before Luke was thrown back into her, Applejack bucking him into the white wolf while Twilight blasted him backward with another spell.
Shiva caught him by the paws, and lightning channeled through them before she hurled him back. The mares prepared themselves for his attack, but Luke and Shiva’s thoughts briefly exchanged, and he adapted, yanking Shiva by their link and hurling her towards them instead.
Unprepared, Twilight was barely able to come up with a bubble shield before Shiva hit them, blasting them back with an electric shockwave. But these three seemed to be the strongest of the mares, and all three of them regained their hooves.
Rainbow Dash then looked up, and her grin widened. 
“It was fun while it lasted,” Rainbow Dash said. “But it’s over now.”
Shiva didn’t need her pointing to figure out that there were probably a lot of ponies converging on them right now. Her ears folded. She had let her power fool her; believing that they could take on just the six mares and not accounting for the fact that more might come.
I can’t take that many on,Shiva thought.
Luke looked down at her link, then up towards the mountains.
I know who can, he said. Dragging her along, he took off for the mountains. Shiva followed like a shadow, trusting his instincts over her own.
“Oh, no you don’t,” Rainbow Dash growled, racing after them.
Shiva and Luke couldn’t afford to let the mares slow them down. Chancing a small glance back, Shiva’s heart dropped at the number of pegasi winging through the air towards them. It looked like most of Canterlot’s guard had been emptied just to pursue her.
Another beam spell from Twilight nearly caused her to lose her footing, while a charge from Rainbow Dash knocked Luke to his side. Shiva managed to yank Luke up, and the two dogs kept running, but Rainbow Dash was already coming around for another attack.
“We don’t have time for this,” Shiva growled. Channeling her power into Luke, she grabbed him and threw him at Rainbow Dash. The pegasus wasn’t expecting this maneuver, but before she could alter her course, Luke enshrouded his fist with magic, and sunk it right into her face.
The mare was blasted backward, and fell deep into the forest while Shiva and Luke continued to run. Applejack and Twilight briefly paused, before Applejack yanked out her lasso again. 
The lasso managed to snag Shiva by the tail, but the wolf was prepared this time. Shiva channeled her own power through the rope. Applejack cried out as a tendril shot up her lasso and wrapped around her neck, draining the strength in her and causing her to collapse.
“No!” Twilight screamed, but Shiva cut Applejack’s rope again and raced away. The trees faded away around them, and they ended up on a flat stretch of mountainous soil. Luke’s tail began to wag, while Shiva’s tucked.
Twilight managed to teleport in front of them, forcing Shiva and Luke to a stop. Behind them, the Royal Guard converged, slowly moving to surround them.
“Like I said,” Twilight gasped, exhaustion triumphing over smugness. “Nowhere to run.”
“So, you say, pony,” Luke growled. His link glowed, and his thoughts said something different to Shiva.
Extend your sparkling magic. Deep into the Earth. You’ll feel them!
Intrigued, Shiva set her claw down on the ground, making it look like she was kneeling from exhaustion. And she felt them. 
As her links spiraled down into the earth, she sensed the presence of several diamond dogs. Dozens, and those were probably only the ones near the surface. She could feel their shock and surprise as small tentacles of light likely seized them out of nowhere, but the strength they had earned digging out gems and jewels from the earth was rapidly sharing itself with Shiva. And that strength empowered her magic as well, though it was rapidly claimed by Luke.
With Shiva stuck in place, the strength-converted into magic. Channeling through her like a catalyst, Luke rose up with a howl, and a ball of lightning formed in his paws.
Twilight gasped, and tried to flare her horn at him, but the diamond dog struck, throwing her to the ground. The Royal Guard tried to converge on him, but with the strength of a dozen diamond dogs channeling through him, Luke spun to meet them… and his ball of lightning turned into a beam of energy. 
Ponies went flying into the air, screaming as they were hurled back into the forest. In seconds. Yet, as their screams rang in Shiva’s ears…
She found herself back in the pits. Hearing the same screams emanating from the ponies after Shiva had blasted and burned them.
Then a fresh scream ripped through her memories. The one Twilight had given right before Shiva had tried to hurt her. Right before Fluttershy stared her into submission.
Shiva spun. Luke had the purple mare by the horn, and was leering at her with triumph.
“NO!” Shiva screamed. Shutting her eyes, she felt the link fade. All the strength from the diamond dogs left her. But it left Luke as well, who suddenly dropped Twilight with a gasp of unexpected exhaustion.
“S-Shiva?” he stammered as she forced herself between him and the mare. “What…?”
“You can’t!” Shiva stammered, panic in her eyes. “You can’t! She’ll take us! She’ll hurt us for this!”
“Who?” Luke demanded. “She can’t beat us! She deserves to suffer like we suffered. Work long and hard in the mines.”
Shiva’s ears flattened, and her teeth bared. “Putting her through the same torture we went through?” Shiva demanded angrily.
Luke backed up at the anger in her eyes. “Why not?” he protested. “They did it to us!”
His words were true. Shiva knew they were. Part of her wanted to back down and let it happen. But the memory of what happened when they had attacked this particular mare shined bright and clear in her mind. And she couldn’t risk history repeating itself.
“Not all of them,” she growled. “Not her!”
She glared back at Twilight, wishing she didn’t have to defend her. Wishing that she could just hate the mare and wish the worst on her. But Shiva knew what ‘the worst’ entailed, and she could not bring herself to believe that anyone – even the ponies – deserved a fate like that.
“Shiva…” Twilight whispered, shame in her voice as she reached for the wolf. “I…”
“Get out,” Shiva snarled. 
Twilight’s ears flattened. Her hoof withdrew. “But I…” she tried to say.
“OUT!” Shiva screamed. Her magic flashed ominously, and the protégé of Celestia gave a small squeak of fright before teleporting away. 
Shiva slumped, wanting more than anything to pass out. But the anger of her former ally kept her from rest.
“What was that about?!” Luke demanded. “You suffer from them. They put you through torture. And you let them leave?” 
Shiva turned back to him. Her gaze was calm, despite his anger, and she forced herself to stand tall. 
“They did that because they thought I was a monster,” Shiva said. “I won’t let them be right about me.” 
“Who cares about them being right?” Luke growled. “They should be punished! They should know how it felt…!”
Shiva’s fur flashed, and Luke’s anger faded. He backed up as Shiva bore down on him, her fur glowing like a second sun.
“This is my power!” she growled. “My curse. My blessing. And I’ll use it the way I see fit.”
Luke shifted to his haunches, his tail tucking. A flare of sympathy shot through Shiva; she knew that fearful look all too well from their time in the cage. She sighed, and her glow dimmed.
“Now you’ve helped me so far,” Shiva said. “Heck, you’re a better friend than those ponies ever were. But if it’s going to stay like that…” Shiva took a breath. “Then you need to follow my lead. You have to trust me.” 
Luke winced. He gazed longingly at the glow of her body. For a split second, Shiva feared that he would attack her; try to claim her power for himself. 
Instead… Luke sighed, and bowed before her.
“You freed me from the ponies’ pits,” Luke said. “You have a power I’ve never seen. And it saved us.” He looked up. “But you can’t let the ponies run roughshod over you. An Alpha who bends to another…”
“Is no Alpha,” Shiva replied. “I know.” Her ears flattened. “And I can assure you… no pony will ever be allowed near our territory again.” 
Luke flinched again. Shiva’s heart raced at the worry in his face.
“Then… you might not like where home is,” he admitted.
> Chapter 9: A New Home
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shiva found out what Luke was talking about soon enough.
The home of the diamond dogs already seemed like a rough place to live. The caverns stretched deep into the earth, twisting and curving into an impossible maze. The air was dusty and choked with the stink of hard workers. In the branching tunnels, Shiva saw diamond dogs of every shape, size and dog breed working hard, dislodging the glittering jewels and gems from their stone prisons. 
However, all too soon, she saw it. Two diamond dogs were piling gems into a cart… and a scared pony was chained to the cart, ready to pull it.
Shiva froze in place, staring at the pony. Luke noticed her hesitation.
“Diamond Dogs need work horses,” he tried to explain. “Best way to cart gems and jewels.” 
“She’s… chained,” Shiva whispered. Her ears flattened as she saw lash marks. Her own lash marks throbbed in empathy. “D-Did they beat her?” she asked, turning to Luke. 
She got her answer as the two dogs finished filling their cart. One of them grabbed a bull whip, and turned to the pony. 
“Yah!” he cried, striking the mare. With only a flinch and a whimper, the pony started to pull. 
“Faster,” the diamond dog barked, striking her again.
Shiva’s tail tucked. The memories of the pit. Of the whip. They were overwhelming her mind.
She felt Luke’s paw on her shoulder. Heard his voice trying to soothe her. But it wasn’t enough.
She saw the whip get raised again. She shot forward, her fur flaring with magic. With a bark of rage, she lunged at the diamond dog, knocking him backward with a barrier. The diamond dog scrambled back, his compatriot hiding behind his cart as Shiva glowed with anger. 
“I will kill you if you touch her again,” Shiva snarled, her fur pulsating.
The diamond dogs stared at her in shock.
“Magic diamond dog?” the one with the whip mumbled. “How does diamond dog have magic?”
“Tentacles!” his compatriot gasped, pointing at the tendrils curling around her. “Like the ones that grabbed us!” 
She quickly glanced at the diamond dogs partner, who had been inching towards a cudgel. He wisely backed up as her eyes bore into his.
“Shiva!” Luke barked, racing next to her. He jumped between her and the other dogs. “Why help them?” He indicated the pony, who flinched at his gesture. “They do the same to you. They deserve this.”
“Always been like this,” one of the dogs offered. “Good, strong work horses. Work long and hard in the mines.” 
Shiva glared at the pony, who was cowering and whimpering before her. A throb of disgust shot through Shiva – she could see why Luke would be angry. Why was she defending this equine scum? They had done far worse to her. 
Yet, as Shiva stared down at the mare, she didn’t see an equine. She saw herself, scared and resigned to a life of pain and torment. That had been her. And she couldn’t live here if that was the norm. 
Shiva glared down at her paws, still sparking with magic. Something could be done.
Something had to be done. 
She turned back to Luke and the dogs. 
“Who’s in charge here?” she asked.

#

The dogs led her to a wide-open chamber. Gems and anything that glittered covered the area, almost like a dragon’s horde. Yet it wasn’t just treasure; Shiva spotted swords, coins, shiny scraps of metal. Basically, anything that was shiny, like a nest for the world’s largest convention of magpies. But it wasn’t magpies tending to the shiny bits, neither was it dragons. It was diamond dogs. Dozens of the wolf-man hybrids either dumping the shiny objects into piles or simply gazing transfixed at them.
In the center of the horde sat what looked like a throne Celestia herself had discarded. The back rest formed what looked like a rising sun, with the metal bands representing sunlight chipped and broken off. On the torn feather cushion sat a bulky looking diamond dog with the head of a German Shepherd. He radiated an intense energy, and the moment Shiva entered the chamber, his eyes locked on her, and stayed on her as she crossed the treasure room to his throne. 
Luke followed behind her, along with the diamond dog who had carried the whip. Between them was the work horse Shiva had saved. She was still collared and chained, but Shiva held the chain in her paws, and refused to let either of her male companions take it.
Shiva’s heart hammered as she drew closer and closer to what had to be the diamond dog Alpha, but the memory of her time in the pit and the whimpers of the mare behind her drove her forward.
I can’t let this continue, Shiva thought. I won’t let this continue. Her claw sparked again, and she held it to her chest. I lost my Master to have this power. I have to use it to do something good. Luke was a good start, but he’s only one diamond dog.
“Alpha,” the diamond dog with the whip – Whipper, Shiva decided to call him – called forward, sinking into a bow. “We bring new diamond dog. Powerful female. Wishes to speak to you.” 
The Alpha rose from his throne, regarding Shiva with a hungry light in his eyes. 
“New diamond dog?” he asked, his eyes running her up and down. He hummed in approval. “Quite beautiful.” He nodded. “I approve.”
Whipper whimpered in glee, though the Alpha was soon distracted by the work horse behind Shiva. His brow furrowed.
“Why bring work horse here?” he demanded.
“Because work horses are not going to be used here anymore,” Shiva declared, hoping she sounded braver than she was starting to feel. “You are going to strike the chains from any equine here. Then you are going to throw them back into Equestria where they belong, and ensure they never come back.” 
The Alpha stared at her for what felt like an eternity. Behind her, Shiva could feel Luke’s anxiety, while Whipper shot him a grin. 
Finally, the Alpha threw back his head and bellowed with laughter. His laughter rang through the cavern, and despite none of the other dogs being involved in the conversation, they began to laugh as well. Shiva had to resist the temptation to chuckle as well; this guy’s laugh was admittedly contagious.
Focus, Shiva, she forced herself to think. If any other girl said that, they would likely be punished. But you are not just any other girl. And if anyone’s going to be punished around here, it’s not going to be you.
Finally, the Alpha gave one final ‘HA’ and descended the rest of the way from his throne. He stood right before Shiva, giving her a less than stellar view of his chest and allowing her nose to fully get enveloped by his stench. He gripped her by the ear, ignoring her bared teeth.
“I will do none of those things,” he growled at her. “You, on the other paw, will bear me strong male pups.” He pulled her closer. “You understand?” 
Shiva could feel Luke’s anxiety growing. Now or never, she thought.
Her claw lashed out and caught him by the neck. And her magic channeled to life. As all his power was sucked into her, she was able to lift the Alpha off the ground. Every diamond dog stopped what they were doing, staring at her in shock as her entire body glowed like a star. Her fear faded, replaced by anger. She could easily imagine this guy as that obnoxious prince or as Beast Breaker. 
But she would not murder him. Not this day. 
“You are going,” Shiva snarled, her voice like a demon. “To strike the chains from every work horse here.” Her claws dug into his skin, threatening to rip his throat out. “Then you are going to send them back into Equestria where they belong, and ensure they never come back!” 
Lighting flashed from her form, blasting several approaching dogs back, and the remaining dogs yelped as thunder BOOMED through the cavern. She drew the Alpha closer, feeling a surge of catharsis at the fear in his eyes.
“Do YOU understand?” Shiva growled.
The Alpha Diamond Dog – the biggest, baddest one of them all – whimpered like a long-lost puppy, and nodded. She released him, and he scampered off into the tunnels with his tail between his legs, still whimpering like he was going to soil himself. The dogs all watched him run away, gave one scared look at Shiva, and then scampered off, all yelping and whimpering as well. 
Shiva turned back to the mare, who had slunk back to the end of her chain. Shiva lifted her claws, and the mare flinched like she was going to strike her. But Shiva only slashed at the chains, and with a burst of lightning, the chains clattered to the ground. The mare stared at the chains fragments, before looking up at Shiva in shock. Shiva ascended to the throne, and stared back at the mare with loathing in her eyes.
“Leave this place,” Shiva told the mare. “And tell every other pony what you saw. If you or any of them come back…” Shiva bared her teeth. “I’ll slaughter you where you stand!” 
The mare yelped, and dashed away, crying her eyes out. Luke and Whipper stared at each other, as Shiva sat on the throne, sighing in repressed relief.
“Shiva,” Luke said, drawing her gaze. “How are we supposed to mine for gems now?”
Shiva’s ears flicked, while Whipper stepped forward.
“Diamond Dogs need work horses,” Whipper insisted. “To push carts and carry gems. How we supposed to mine now?!”
Shiva glanced down at her claws again, but she knew terrifying them with magic wouldn’t work forever. Then she remembered Luke, and how she had felt stronger when her link bonded to him. Cautiously, she extended a link to Whipper, and as the light tendril entwined around him, Shiva felt the familiar surge of strength.  
Her tail began to wag again. “I may have a few solutions,” she declared.

#

Twilight paced angrily behind Spike as he lowered a gem into the hole that Shiva had disappeared down. Behind her, her five friends glanced at each other with worry. 
“Are you sure this is going to work twice, Twilight?” Spike asked. “I mean, I know it worked when we were looking for Rarity, but…”
“Diamond Dogs aren’t smart, Spike,” Twilight insisted. “And we need to get that wolf back. There’s so much she needs to answer for, and so much we can learn from her.” 
“Is that going to include hurting her?” Fluttershy asked passive-aggressively.
“She hurt us!” Rainbow Dash snarled. “She’s more than asked for a fight.”
“A fight we started,” Fluttershy whispered. 
The aggression faded from Twilight’s face. She followed Fluttershy’s gaze. She was staring up at the mountain where they had found Shiva. At the cave where, not that long ago, ponies had been beating and hurting other creatures.
“Girls,” Twilight tried to insist. “We’re not like that. We’re better than those ponies.”
“She don’t know that,” Applejack said, pointing down into the hole. “’S far as she’s concerned, we’re just trying to drag her back to another cage. Maybe intending to punish her for what she did.” 
“Well, why shouldn’t we?” Rainbow Dash argued. “She murdered ponies. She went after Blueblood.” She paused. “Not that I’m saying that jerk probably didn’t deserve a good kick or two, but still…”
“Those ponies tortured her,” Fluttershy said darkly. She looked down. “I don’t know why she went after the Prince, but I do know that we hurt her. And we’re not going to make things better by dragging her back.”
“Well, what can we do then, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked. “Sit on our hooves and wait for her to hurt more innocent ponies?”
Almost as if fate was answering her, Spike peered down into the hole and gasped. 
“Guys!” he yelled, drawing their attention. 
The mares raced over… and gasped. Crawling up out of the hole were several dirt strewn ponies. Mostly earth ponies and pegasi, but all of them crawled their way out of the dirt and into the sunlight. The ponies were blinking and shivering like they hadn’t felt the sun in a long time. 
One of them, a mare so scuffed with dirt she looked like brown was her natural color, saw the mares, and raced over to them.
“T-The Elements,” she whimpered, kissing Twilight’s hooves. “Celestia be praised… I thought we’d never get out of there.”
“W-Who are you?” Twilight stammered. “Where did you come from?”
“I-I’m…” the mare looked down, tears of relief and fear staining her cheeks. “Oh, by the alicorns, it’s been so long since I got to use my name, uh… Sugar Belle.” She looked over at the others as they crawled, moaning, back to the surface. “We were work horses for Diamond Dogs. For so long, we had to help them find jewels, cart them around. It…” 
She quivered and threatened to start bawling. Rarity darted forward, and despite the dirt staining her fur, she embraced the sobbing pony.
“It’s alright – it’s alright,” Rarity comforted the mare. “I know how horrible it is. You were very lucky to escape.”
Sugar Belle hiccupped, and shook her head. “Didn’t… escape,” she got out.
“Huh?” Rainbow Dash asked. “But… how did you get out of there?”
The mare looked up, almost as if she could see a bird in the sky. She smiled softly. 
“This… beautiful white dog,” she whispered.
Twilight paled. Her ears flattened.
“She saved me,” the mare whispered. “She saved all of us.”
Twilight gazed across the field. Dozens of ponies were crawling out. Whatever Shiva had done, it looked like she had just freed every pony that had ever been held by the diamond dogs. Twilight could feel Fluttershy’s glare on her back, her silent ‘you were saying?’ hanging in the air.
“What d’ we do, Twi?” Applejack asked.
Twilight glanced down at the hole. Spike had abandoned his fishing line to help another mare out of the hole. And with all the ponies around, no one noticed the fishing line get yanked, hook, line, sinker and everything, into the hole. 
She sighed.
“Let’s get these ponies to Ponyville,” Twilight declared. “We’ll write to Celestia, explaining what happened. And then we’ll let her decide what to do next.”
> Chapter 10: Celestia's Verdict
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Princess Celestia,
As you know, two days ago, we captured a white female Diamond Dog (or Howlite Howler, as I will refer to her) outside of Dragon-Shy Cave. We had come looking for Spike, who had gone missing, and found this diamond dog utilizing a strange form of magic to murder the pony Beast Breaker. 
At first, I thought that the Diamond Dog was some kind of monster. But an investigation proved that the murdered ponies had been engaging in unspeakable acts of brutality and abuse towards her and – according to her account – dragons, griffons and other forms of life. Spike would have joined them if not for her timely intervention. 
However, before you could pass judgement, the diamond dog escaped. We tracked her to the edge of Diamond Dog territory, where Rarity had previously been a… guest… of their kind. And there… we found several ponies recently freed from Diamond Dog enslavement. When we questioned them, we found out the Howlite Howler had personally freed them. 
We aren’t sure how to respond to this, and currently, we have several returned citizens of Equestria to tend to. Please let us know what you would like done with our new guests, and what should be done with the Howlite Howler.
I look forward to your quick reply.
Your faithful student, 
Twilight Sparkle.
Princess Celestia re-read the letter several times, to make sure she understood it correctly. In front of her, Princess Luna stood, fidgeting and rubbing her hooves.
Celestia finally sighed through her nose, folding Twilight’s letter. 
“My sister,” she finally said. “Did you not say that these canines were said to worship your moon? Was that not the reason why I allowed you to question her?”
Luna ducked her head. “I-I did,” she admitted.
“And how did you handle this creature that should have looked to you as a goddess?” Celestia asked. Her tone was questioning, yet Luna looked up in defense.
“I-I thought she was lying!” Luna said, her voice cracking. “I thought she gave me nothing but falsehoods and claims that ponies had committed unspeakable sins upon her!” She turned away, clearly not believing her own words. “But then I looked into her mind... and I saw the truth." Her eyes closed. "I saw what she was put through."
Celestia's cold look faded at the sight of Luna's regret. Though her ears pricked as Luna's eyes opened, narrowed in anger.
"And I saw Blueblood’s face in her memories. Ordering her torture.” 
Celestia narrowed her eyes. 
“It is unfortunate Shiva had such an… adverse reaction to his presence,” Celestia noted. “Until he has recuperated from his injuries, I will not be able to question him.”
“Then what is to be done in the mean?” Luna asked. When Celestia looked at her, Luna inclined her head. “I assure you, Celestia; I see the error of my ways now. I had come to the wolf expecting a monster, and found only a scared woman. It is a mistake I will not repeat again.” 
“Granted, the fear she has gained is not without reason,” Celestia admitted. “Though it is hard to maintain sympathy for those who deliberately poke at the eye of the beast.” Her head hung. “Even when they are my little ponies,” she added sadly.
“Then I ask again,” Luna said. “What’s to be done?”
Celestia was still quiet for another minute, gauging her sister’s reaction. From the flick of her ears to the tremble in her hooves.
“Find Shiva,” Celestia finally ordered her sister. “And learn what she is up to.” A quill and paper floated over to her. “I remember Twilight’s last report on the Diamond Dogs. They gave up Lady Rarity, yes, but only because she was too much of a handful. If Shiva is offering them something better than work horses, I want to know exactly what she’s given them, and if it will threaten our borders.” 
“And if it does?” Luna asked worriedly. Celestia didn’t even hesitate.
“Inform me immediately,” Celestia declared. “And scared woman or not, we will ensure that Shiva commits no further harm to our subjects.” 
Luna nodded and left the throne room with a flash of light.

#

Shiva yanked the tendril hard, pulling a mine cart full of gems from the tunnel. Other diamond dogs, all glowing with the links of Shiva’s magic, easily tugged several more carts along. It had only been a few days since Shiva had overthrown their Alpha, and yet they were raking in more jewels and food than they knew what to do with.
“Still miss the work horses?” Shiva asked a nearby Diamond Dog.
The dog grinned at her. “Let them stay in Equestria,” he declared. “We got the Howlite Howler.”
“The Howlite Howler!” the other dogs cheered, yanking more gems from the depths of the earth. 
Shiva turned, spotting Luke back in the treasure horde. As his silver eyes found her brown eyes, he nodded in satisfaction. 
Shiva’s tail wagged as she gazed upon her new pack. A part of her worried for what the ponies might do, but for now, she was able to dismiss it. 
These dogs appreciated her. They loved her. With them, she almost felt like she had Master back. 
Her heart throbbed at the memory of her lost Master, but then she remembered: Master wasn’t really gone. She was a part of her. 
She was the Master. 
Huh, Shiva thought happily. I like how that sounds.
She would protect this new family with everything she had. They would live happy, fat and free. And if the ponies wanted to stop that from happening, then they were clearly bad, and would deserve to be stopped. 
Yes, Shiva decided. That will work.