> Child of the Swamp
>  by Topazzia
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sun was at its highest. Starlight, Apple Jack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie were at the edge of the forest, just south west of Ponyville, by the railroad. They slowly went through the trees, following Starlight with her map. 
AJ scanned the dark overgrowth, “It coulda’ just been a bug, or the wind?”
Starlight grinned, dodging around a bush, “Better safe than sorry.”
Rainbow fluttered just outside the tree line, following the group. “How’d it even get tripped? Those things are super easy to spot.” 
Pinkie Pie bounced along at the back, “Yeah, Gummy plays hide and seek better than those Spensors.”
Starlight looks back, expression critical. “They’re called sensors, there’s no ‘P’.”
Pinkie skipped past her, “Mmh, Spensor sounds better.”

Starlight approaches a tree, and nailed to it is a plate with a green gem on it. She looks up at it, and then turns to the other ponies. “Alright, spread out and look for any trace of… anything.”
Fluttershy hesitates at the shrubberies edge, “I hope it’s not a timber wolf.”
Rainbow hovers upside down next to her, “Just stay close, besides, we should be able to spot a timber wolf.”
AJ begins walking into the trees, “Smell them too.”
Starlight waves a hoof, “Just a print will be enough.”
Pinkie looks back from where she stood in the thick over growth. “What if we find a fax?”
Starlight’s eyes narrow, trying to comprehend what she just heard. But Pinkie bounced into the bushes, disappearing with a rustle of leaves. 

Pinkie bounced a ways off. Trees covered the sky, making it very dark. She slowed as it became harder and harder to see. The others voices were muffled as she began looking around the forest floor. She took a few steps over and saw a flicker of light under a bush, she dropped into a crouch and something in the bushes moved. She slowly moved closer, sniffing the grass, until her head was under the leaves. The light came back in the form of eyes, two dark amber eyes. Pinkie smiled, “Oh thank Celestia, it’s just a pony, that’s a relief, I thought you were some soulless, flesh eating, blood thirsty, merciless creature of the abyss.” 
She pauses, expression blank. “You’re not… right?” 
The pony stayed under the bush, eyes still glowing. 
Pinkie smiles again, “It’s not safe to be alone out here, especially when something tripped over Spensor and probably forgot their fax.” 
Pinkie starts at a growling sound, it came again from under the bush. “Was that you?” 
The bush pony growled again. 
“Didn’t have lunch yet huh? Yeah, me neither, here.” 
Pinkie reaches a hoof into her mane and pulls out a cookie, placing it in front of the bush pony. It stared at the cookie, they waited. Pinkie pushed it closer, “It’s for yooouu.” She whispered. The bush pony locked eyes with her. Pinkie continued to smile, then looked back to the other ponies. She opened her mouth to call them over, but the movement under the bush drew her attention again. The bush pony was sneaking away, Pinkie followed silently along the leaves. The bush pony looked back and saw it was being followed, Pinkie smiled as it froze, looking at her.
“Do you wanna come? I think the others’ll wanna meat you!”
She gestures in the direction of the others, the bush pony looked over, and back at Pinkie, who stood by, her hoof still out. 



The bush pony slid out, still crouching. It was a mare, her dark brown mane, long and filled with debris, fell over her face and almost touching her elbows. It stuck together and was oily and matted with mud. Her coat was a dark grey, in the similar state of her mane and tail. Her bones showed with lean muscles, better defined by her wet fur. Pinkie still smiled, she offered a hoof to help the mare up. The mare looked at the hoof, and to Pinkie’s eyes. She made strange sounds similar to a crocodile, with clicks and low throat vibrations. Pinkie smiles still, eyes wide at the partial communication. “It’s okay.” 
The mare slowly stood, her fur shedding bits of bark and dried dirt. The mare kept eye contact, and distance as Pinkie led her through the bushes to her friends. 

Starlight calls out, “Anything?”
Rainbow calls down from her position above the trees, “Just trees!”
AJ yells from under her, “Told ya!”
Starlight glares out at the voices, “A tree can’t trip the alarm! I cast the spell to react to large animals!”
Pinkie calls over to the others as she returns, “I found something!”
Pinkie sang as she strolled up to the ponies, they turn to look at her. She was alone.
Starlight tilts her head in confusion, “What’d you find?”
Pinkie looks to her side, then back to the bushes. “Come on out, it’s okay.”
She waves her hoof for something to come out. Everyone’s eyes go wide and stare at the glowing eyes under the bush. 
“What’n tarnation?” AJ breathes out in surprise. 
The mare crawled out, but she only came out halfway, eyes flicking between movements of the ponies approaching in awe. 
Starlight tilted her head curiously, “A pony?”  
AJ looks across to her, “So it wasn’t a tree?”
Rainbow settles onto the ground, “Where was she?”
Pinkie tosses her hoof back, pointing into the dark forest. “Over there.”
Starlight rubs her chin with a hoof, “I guess that explains no sign of wolves or bears, this pony must’ve set off the sensor.”
Rarity approaches the bush pony, offering a hoof to help her up. “What’s your name darling?”
The mare didn’t answer, only stared at Rainbow as the Pegasus’ mane glowed in the sunlight.
Starlight steps forward too, “Where did you come from?”
Fluttershy looks on sympathetically, “She looks scared.”
The bush pony whips her head around to stare in surprise at yellow Pegasus. She inches over to her, brushing along the ground. The bush pony emits low clicking from her throat, while also letting out a raspy mewling sound. Fluttershy’s eyes widen, “What?”
AJ stares as well, “What was that?”
Fluttershy steps back as the bush pony moves closer, “She spoke, or… Growled?”
Starlight stares in confusion, “Okay, so… What?”
The bush pony begins sniffing at Fluttershy’s wing, then growls urgently. Fluttershy looks down, “Oh, uh, okay.”
She lifts the wing just slightly, reaching for the canteen strapped under it. The bush pony hisses and bites down on the canteen, its sharp teeth removing it flawlessly from the Pegasus’s side. Fluttershy flinches away, squeaking her surprise. Everyone pulls back as the bush pony bites down on the canteen, removing the top with a crunch and a snap. Rainbow slides defensively in front of Fluttershy, “What the heck!”
Pinkie tilts her head, “Wow, she musta’ been thirsty.”
Rarity steps back, “My goodness.”
Starlight stares in awe, “Those teeth…”
The bush pony leaves the empty bottle on the ground, turning to Rarity, who also had a canteen visible on her side. The bush pony lunged for her, and the unicorn tosses the canteen away with magic. The bush pony whips around and desperately grasps for the bottle, clutching it as she bites it open as well. Starlight takes hers and Rainbow’s canteens, opening them, and setting them gently beside the bush pony. Starlight watches with urgency, “Girls, I don’t think this is a pony.”
AJ keeps eyes on the bush pony, “You sure? Looks like one.”
Starlight looks at the farm pony, “How many ponies you know that have glowing eyes, sharp teeth, and speaks like an animal?”
Rainbow shrugs, “A wingless bat?”
Pinkie bounces over to the bush pony, Starlight’s eyes widen, “Pinkie be careful!”
She looks at Starlight, “Don’t worry, I asked if she was evil, she said no.”
Starlight stares blankly, “You asked if she was evil, and she said no?”
Rainbow leans close to see the bush pony’s face, “So she can speak.”
Pinkie shakes her head, “No, but I’m sure she would be drinking our souls instead of water if she was.”
Rarity stares at Pinkie, “What a relief.”
Starlight nods to herself, “Okay, well… We should head back, Fluttershy? Ask her if she lives around here.”
Fluttershy inches over to the bush pony, as she tipped the last canteen over the grass, nothing coming out. “Hey, um, what’s your name?”
The bush pony turns to look at her, but says nothing. Fluttershy tries to smile, “Do you live around here? We can walk you home.”
The bush pony stares a second, then suddenly looks devastated. AJ gestures a hoof, “What’d you do?”
Fluttershy steps back, “I don’t know.”
Pinkie sits next to the bush pony, looking up to Starlight. “Can she come with us?”
Starlight hesitates. Then she waves a hoof. “Alright, I’ll go reset the sensor, we’ll bring her back with us.”
Starlight turns to leave, AJ closes in close, whispering quietly, “You sure about this?”
Starlight gestures her muzzle to the bush pony, “She seems comprehensible, and so far she hasn’t tried to hurt us. We’ll keep an eye on her and keep her away from the town just in case.”

The bush pony collapsed, eyes forced closed. Pinkie stopped bouncing and stood over her, smile fading slightly as she reached a hoof out to help. The bush pony whimpered, and took a deep breath. Starlight looks back, “What happened?”
Pinkie held the bush pony in her hooves. Rarity rests a hoof on the boney creature’s shoulder. “The poor thing’s exhausted.”
Apple Jack walks over, crouching down. “Alright, get her on.”
Pinkie lifts the bush pony over AJ’s back, Starlight turned and began walking as Apple Jack kept up pace.
They got to the castle and took the bush pony into the bathroom, Rarity dashed to the kitchen. Starlight wrote on a scroll, it was a list of multiple different sensor numbers, and each one had nothing written to the side. What Starlight wrote by the one she just reset, was ‘Equestrian-not pony’. 

Rarity entered the bathroom, levitating a large pitcher of water beside her. Apple Jack and Fluttershy were scrubbing soap into the bush pony’s fur, Rainbow stood by. Rarity set the pitcher and a cup down by Fluttershy. Starlight looks up as AJ walks out of the bathroom to her, a stern look on her face. The unicorn teleported the scroll away, “How is she?”
Apple Jack sighed, “Well, We got a name, I think.”
Starlight’s eyes widen, “Really?”
AJ nods, “Fluttershy said it was ‘Mud’, or that was the word our new guest said when she asked her.”
Starlight looked at the ground, clearly thinking. “Mud… Well, sounds Equestrian, or it could be anything. Never heard of anyone named just ‘Mud’.”
AJ shrugs, “Well she’s prolly blacked out a couple times now, and can’t seem to lift a hoof on her own. Maybe we should take her to the hospital.”
Starlight stares from across the hall through the bathroom door, directly at the creature lying in the tub. “That sensor’s been inactive for a very long time, it would’ve been tripped several times by her unless she just got here.”
AJ nods, “Ponyville’s the only town for several miles, and ya don’t get to lookin’ like that by takin the train.”
Starlight shakes her head, “Pony towns, and cities… She’s not a pony, and definitely doesn’t speak Ponish. The nearest non-pony settlements are the Diamond Dogs, and the Dragon Lands.”
AJ sighs, shaking her head as she looks up at Starlight. “Start with where ever’s closest, maybe some pony’s seen her.”

Starlight looks back into the bathroom, “I suppose…”
> Chapter 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fluttershy and Starlight sat in the chairs against the examination room wall. Mud lay on the bed while Nurse Snowheart began looking her over. She felt up and down Mud’s arm, and held her head to look with the ophthalmoscope. 

Snowheart set it down, motioning with a hoof as she lifted the stethoscope, “Please sit up Ma’am.” 
Fluttershy reaches up and nudges Mud’s hind hoof, “Please sit up.” 
The bush pony sits up, eyes foggy with tiredness and boredom. Snowheart lifts the scope to Mud’s chest, “I suppose you have a name?” 

Fluttershy answers, “Her name is Mud.” The nurse notices Mud’s sharp teeth, but keeps calm, only glancing critically. “Is she from around here?” 

Starlight shrugs, “We’re still trying to figure that out.” 

Snowheart lowers the stethoscope, “Miss Mud, have you been experiencing any pain or discomfort?” 

Fluttershy speaks up again, “Mud, does anywhere hurt?” 

Mud looks at the Pegasus, pausing before shaking her head slowly. Snowheart looks at Fluttershy, “She can’t speak?” 

Fluttershy smiles sympathetically, “Not Ponish.” 

Snowheart turns to Mud, “Well there’s nothing I can find on the surface, we can do a blood test, and see if there’s anything running through her system.” 

She picks up the small reflex hammer, tapping it on Mud’s leg. The bush pony’s head flinched up, looking down at the nurse, hoof curling from the sudden jolt of nerves. Then the other leg, Mud looked on curiously, lowering a hoof onto her leg to keep the nurse from hitting it again. 

Snowheart puts the hammer down, “Her reflexes seem alright. Do you know if she’s had her shots?”

Starlight shrugs, “Don’t know, she hasn’t told us anything other than her name.”

Snowheart nods slowly, “I guess we’ll find out. If you’re not in a hurry, I can get the doctor and we’ll start with blood samples.” 

Starlight looks up at Mud, “Go ahead.” 


Snowheart turns and leaves, Fluttershy stands up and rests a hoof on Mud’s shoulder, “You okay?”

Mud nods, keeping her eyes on the floor. 

Mud sniffed the bandage around her elbow, she whimpered as she felt the soreness while prodding it with a hoof.

Starlight notices, resting a hoof on it to stop her. “Don’t pick at it, it has to heal.”

That Mud must have understood, because she met Starlight’s gaze, and lowered her hoof back to her side, but still looking down at the bandage. 

Nurse Snowheart came back to the front desk, passing papers to Starlight. “We’ll let you know what comes out of it tomorrow, and keep her hydrated.”

Starlight turns and nods gratefully, “Thanks, we will.”

They leave with Fluttershy waving behind her, “Have a nice day.”

Mud lifted her hoof just above the ground, limping alongside Starlight. Fluttershy moves up on the bush pony’s other side, smiling sympathetically. “How about we go by Sugar Cube Corner, Pinkie should be there.” 

Starlight nods, eyes glued to the papers in front of her. “Sure, sounds good…”

Mud looks at Fluttershy suspiciously, letting out a low growl. The Pegasus shakes her head, “No, they’re not going to take your blood. It’s a bakery, they sell cakes and cookies, sometimes coffee.”

Mud tilts her head, any ill emotions fading. She remembered what Pinkie called the small discs of nice tasting dirt, she called them cookies, and Mud wouldn’t deny a chance to get more now, especially feeling so weak from losing what felt like all of her blood. 

Fluttershy led them through the front door, Mud followed slowly with Starlight close behind. The bush pony dropped low, whipping her head around to each pony in the building. Her eyes were wide, sniffing the air and the floor anxiously. But she followed Fluttershy to the counter. 

The bush pony slid around the corner, intent stare suddenly fixed on the open cupboard against the wall. Mrs. Cake looks down with surprise as Mud crawled flawlessly into the small space, curling up in the shadows so only her glowing eyes shone up at them. 



Fluttershy moves around to see just as Pinkie bounced in, the Pegasus gestures a hoof. “I’m sorry Mrs. Cake, she’s new.”

Cup shrugs, “It’s alright, I guess we weren’t using it anyway.”

Pinkie sticks her head into the cupboard, “Hi Mud!” She pulls back, smiling at Starlight. “Is she all better now?” 

The unicorn shakes her head, “Not yet, but she seems okay now.” 

Fluttershy looks inside the cupboard, “Are you okay?” 

Mud was lying on her side, staring with glowing eyes at the yellow pony’s face, calming as they began to close. She chirped quietly, beginning to drift off.

Fluttershy looks up at Starlight, “It looks like she’s fine.”

The Unicorn touches a hoof to her chin, looking at the cupboard ponderingly. Pinkie jumps up, “She likes that too?!” 

Fluttershy glances at the pink pony with concern, before turning to leave. “I have to go check on my animals real quick. Can you two keep an eye on her?”

Pinkie waves a dismissive hoof, “Hakuna matata.”

Fluttershy leaves, while Starlight looks at Pinkie questioningly, “Hata what?”

Pinkie just smiles, “Zecora says it all the time.”


Starlight paced back and forth in the library, looking through book after book. 

Apple Jack walks up, causing the Unicorn to stop and look up. “How’s the newcomer?”

Starlight hums, “Just fine… Hey, have you heard of the Chupacabra?” 

The orange pony raises a brow, “Only that it don’t exist, what ya’ll up to?” 

Starlight looks at the book hovering in front of her, “Trying to find out what Mud is.” 

AJ nods, “Its wet dirt.” 

Starlight gives a side glance the farm pony, “Not mud mud, Mud the thing that’s definitely not pony.” 

AJ shrugs, “Could be a pony, ain’t ya heard of ponies born with extra things?” 

Starlight brings up another book, “Yes, but for so many things, reflective eyes, multiple canine teeth, seems to have heightened sense of smell compared to a pony, she doesn’t even speak a language, just growls and grunts.” 

AJ looks over the unicorns shoulder at the book, “So she’s a cat pony? There’s things like that.” 

Starlight looks at her, “No, I don’t think she’s part cat… But that’s interesting.” 

She floats over a book with a paw on the front. 

Apple Jack turns away to see all the books piled up, “What have you not found? We could narrow things down.”
Starlight sighs, “Everything really, books on known species, bestiaries, and even the Tartarus archives. There’s nothing.”

Apple Jack lifts a hoof, “Has Twily gotten back to you?”
Starlight shakes her head, “Not yet, I doubt she will until the end of the week.”
“Well, maybe Mud’ll tell us.” The Earth Pony turns to leave.

Starlight sits down, lifting another book. “I guess so…”
> Chapter 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mud woke to quiet tapping on the wall beside her, she opened her eyes slightly. Her body felt sore, and weak. Pinkie’s face appeared in the opening of the hiding place, smiling and eyes wide.

“Wakey wakey.” She whispered, “I’ve got something for you.” 

Mud looked at her through partly closed eyes, not understanding what this pink thing was saying. But then Mud suddenly caught the sweet smell of cookies, pulling herself out of the cupboard to see if there were any. 

She saw the plate on the floor, stacked with the small circles of the dirt cookies. Mud didn’t care if they weren’t prey, they tasted great. Mud slams a hoof on top of the pile, pulling it closer to the cupboard. Pinkie jumped away, prancing back into the kitchen. 

Mud ate one cookie, chewing it slowly. They were warm, and gooey for some reason. But that made them better, making them almost sweeter. Then she shoveled the rest into her mouth, licking the crumbs off the plate and floor. Mud slid out of the cupboard, arching her back in a stretch, extending her front hooves. 

She followed Pinkie into the kitchen, licking her lips as her mouth felt dry. In the kitchen, Pinkie was moving back and forth, pouring ingredients into several bowls. Mud didn’t care, she followed the scent of water to the sink, but found the basin was only filled with weird rocks and stagnant foaming water. She glared at it, confused as to the state of the water even though these creatures carried clean water with them. 

Pinkie appears next to her, “You don’t have to do those, you’re our guest, I’ll take care of it.”

Mud reaches a hoof over and taps the faucet hard, groaning in frustration. Pinkie points at the handle, “You pull that.” 

Mud looks at it, tapping the handle with a hoof. Water began pouring from the faucet, Mud’s eyes went wide. She gripped the faucet with both hooves, putting her muzzle under the stream. Pinkie stepped back as water ran down Mud’s chest and onto the floor. 



“I guess I’ll clean that up too.” She bounces back over to the bowls, continuing her baking.

Starlight walks in the front entrance of Sugar Cube Corner, approaching the counter. Mrs. Cake was there, the blue mare looks up. “Hello Starlight.”

The unicorn approaches the counter, “Hi Mrs. Cake, is Pinkie here?”

Mrs. Cake nods, pointing a hoof at the doorway. “In the back, and Mud is too.”

Starlight smiles faintly, “Can I go see them?”

The sky blue pony dips her head, “Go ahead.”

Starlight goes around the counter and walks into the kitchen. She sees Pinkie and Mud sitting at the table, Mud was lapping something from a bowl, probably cereal as the box and milk carton were also on the table. Pinkie looks up as Starlight approached, “Hi Starlight!” She shrieks, startling Mud into spilling the bowl of milk. Starlight glances at Mud, “Everything okay?”

Pinkie waves a hoof, “Yeah, we were just having lunchfast.”

Mud shoves the empty bowl to Pinkie, grunting irritably. 

Pinkie pours more cereal and milk into it, as Starlight sits in one of the empty chairs. Mud pulls the bowl back quickly and starts lapping up the cereal again. Starlight looked almost relieved, “Just make sure she’s drinking water.”

Pinkie holds her head up proudly, “Done and done.”

The Unicorn fixes her eyes on the Bush Pony, “I’ve sent letters to the security offices of nearby towns, we’ll hear from them in a few days. If they find anything about a grey coated mare named Mud, that doesn’t speak Ponish, maybe we’ll find out where she came from.”

Mud finishes the bowl and reaches over, snatching the box of cereal and biting the corner off. Pinkie quickly takes it back. Starlight tilts her head, looking on with concern. “She’s still not speaking?”

Pinkie smiles at the unicorn, “Not really, but I think I’m getting the hang of it.”

Mud growls again, Pinkie gestures to her while pouring cereal from the new hole in the box. “Like that, it means ‘more’.”

Starlight blinks, “How do you know that?”
Pinkie pours the milk, “She says it when she wants more.”

Starlight pauses, turning to get off the chair. “Well, bring her by the castle when you’re finished. We fixed up one of the extra rooms for her to stay in, and bring Fluttershy when she comes back. I want her to talk with Mud.” 

Pinkie waves goodbye as the unicorn walks out, “Can do Starry!”

Mud looks around the at the massive room she sat in, barley noticing as the yellow Pegasus walks in and sits in the chair to her right. Mud sat on one that looked similar, but it was much wider so several can also sit on it. The room itself was strange, with a large red pelt covering the floor. There was a hole in the wall, with charred wood oiled in it, and a large shimmering spider looking thing hanging from the ceiling. 

Fluttershy spoke softly, drawing Mud’s attention with the ability for her to understand them completely. “How are you doing Mud?”

The grey mare stared for a moment, “Fine…”

The Pegasus smiled, “That’s good… I was wondering if we could talk.”

Mud relaxed slightly, looking at the floor. “Okay.”

Fluttershy waited a second, “Did you come to Ponyville by yourself?”

Mud only looks at her, not saying a thing. 

The Pegasus continues, “Is there someone that might be looking for you.” 

Mud quickly turns her gaze to the floor, mind reeling. Fluttershy’s comforting expression starts turning concerned, “Do you have any friends, any family?” 

Mud tenses, her hooves curled anxiously. She closes her eyes tightly, trying to suppress her emotions.

Fluttershy hops down, walking over to sit by the mare, “Oh Mud.” 

She sets her hoof on the Mud relaxed herself, taking a deep breath, she lifts her hooves to cover her face, while shrugging off the pony. Mud grumbled, “I’m fine.” 

Fluttershy looked sympathetic, speaking softly. “It’s okay, we want to help you, anything you can tell us will be great.” 

Mud looks up, all signs of sadness gone, replaced by cold annoyance. Fluttershy moved around to stand in front of Mud, locking eyes with her. “Where are you from?” 

Mud sighs, looking away. She was thinking really hard, Fluttershy could tell. 

But then Mud spoke, “The Swamp.” 

Fluttershy’s eyes widen, her smile returning. “Where’s that?” 

Mud looks at her, confusion suddenly filling her eyes. “In the Forest…” 

Fluttershy nods slowly, question filling her gaze now. “Do you know where you are?” 

Mud stared, muttering, “I don’t know… The Flatlands I suppose?” 

Fluttershy gestures around her, “You’re in Ponyville, in Mid-Equestria.” 

Mud reclined in her seat, looking completely stunned. “How far is that from The Swamp?” 

Fluttershy shrugs, “We don’t know what swamp you’re talking about. Is it Froggy Bottom Bog?”

Mud frowns, “It’s in Kelpie Territory.”
Fluttershy leans forward, “Is that what you are? A Kelpie?” 

Mud widens her eyes, “Are you not?” 

The yellow mare extends her wings, “I’m a pony, also the others.” 
The Kelpie let her face fall into her hooves, groaning. “I thought something was weird, Kelpie’s aren’t Flat Teeth!” 

Fluttershy gets up, “I think that’s all we can do for now… We made a room for you if you’d like to rest a while.”

Mud hesitates, staring ahead, pondering what she’d just found out. But she mutters again, “Okay.” 

Mud looked around as she walked up the hall, eyes wide at how massive it was. She followed the yellow Pony, passing by large wooden panels along the wall. They stopped by one of them. Fluttershy pushes it open, “Until we can figure things out, this is your room.” 

Mud’s eyes go wide seeing it appear from behind the wall, this castle must be bigger than she thought. She stepped inside, “You things like big huts…” 

Fluttershy tilts her head to that, but points to the bed. “If there’s anything we can get you, extra pillows, less blankets?” 

Mud looks at the massive bed, approaching slowly. Nose twitching as the musty smell hit her, she pokes it. “What is this?” 

Fluttershy looks on as the Kelpie jumps onto it, freezing as it molded around her hooves. “It’s a bed, you sleep on it.” 

Mud settles to sit. “Big nest…” She muttered to herself. 

Fluttershy turns to leave, “Will you be okay?” 

Mud looks at her, expression blank. “Yeah…” She mutters, turning away from Fluttershy. 

Fluttershy gives the Kelpie one last worrisome glance before closing the door. Mud looks out the large window, seeing the vast expanse of land. She felt strange being in such a different place, everything was an opposite from what she was used to. Mud lifted her hooves up and down, feeling the ‘bed’ deform with ease. She lay on her side, curling up with her tail across her face, hiding from the light that flooded from the window.
> Chapter 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A warm smell wafted over Muds face, making her eyes blink open. She looked to the side, seeing Pinkie Pie standing there, her abnormal smile seemed to have never left her face. The pink mare had set a plate on the bed, “Hey sleepy head.”

Mud slowly sat up, keeping her eyes on the pony. Pinkie’s smile turned sympathetic, “Fluttershy said you were ‘distressed’. I guess that means our sad, so I brought you cookies. There’s nothing better than fresh chocolate chip to make a pony feel better… Or whatever you are.”

Mud didn’t understand the noises she made, but assumed the pony was giving her the cookies. She was not expecting the sudden feeling of resistance, causing her to mew in surprise as she lifted herself up. 

Mud had gotten used to getting up from sleeping as quickly as possible, with everywhere else she slept was terribly uncomfortable. But now she struggled to pull herself up, for the first time in her life she felt well rested. 

The Kelpie leaned over to sniff the cookies, her mouth watered at the smell. There was something about these lumps of dirt, but she just couldn’t put a hoof on it.

Pinkie trotted around and sat next to her on the side of the bed, “I’ve never heard of Kelpie’s. I wonder if Twilight has, she’s really smart.” 

Mud lifts her head, swallowing the hot cookies she’d been chewing. She growled and clicked, as what Pinkie heard. 

But Mud heard, “Look, I don’t know what you’re saying.”

Pinkie only smiled, “Yeah, she’s great, I think you’d like her. She’s the Princess of Friendship.”

Mud gave up, rolling her eyes and continued eating cookies. Licking up the melted chocolate and crumbs off the plate, she finished them off. 

Fluttershy walks into the room, “Hi Pinkie, hi Mud.” 
Pinkie jumped down, “Hi, what’s up?” 
“Is Mud busy?” The Pegasus approached the bed. 

Mud lifts her gaze, hesitating with a blank expression. She lies down partly, meowing something. Fluttershy gestures with a hoof, “We just want to ask you some questions, it wouldn’t take long.”

Mud frowns at her, and then sits up, not moving. 


Fluttershy’s faint smile fades at Mud’s stern behavior. Pinkie steps up, putting a hoof around Mud. “Come on, we can give you a tour of the castle afterwards.”

Pinkie’s strength surprised Mud as the pony pulled her off the bed, dragging her along the floor. The Kelpie frowned, wondering why these things are bothering her so much.

Starlight was in a large light blue room, a giant glistening table in the middle. It was surrounded by tall white chairs, each one with a strange colored symbol on the top. She turns to see Mud trudge into the room, “Ah, you made it. I hope you don’t mind.” 

Mud ignores her, even though she couldn’t even guess what the pony was saying. Fluttershy followed just behind, Starlight then remembered, “Oh right, Fluttershy, can you go over what we talked about?” 

The Pegasus hesitated, catching Mud’s glare. “Um, sure.” 

She steps up next to the cutie map, “Mud? We have a map here, can you tell us where you come from? Show us on the map?” 

Mud sat near enough to see the table, and all of the small mountains and details. But she didn’t answer. 

Pinkie leans close, whispering to one of Mud’s flattened ears. “I’ll be right back.”

She bounces away, leaving the Kelpie to glare at the Unicorn. 

Starlight looks at her worriedly; Fluttershy looks back at the Unicorn with the same expression, then back to Mud. “We’re sorry if you don’t want too, but this is important.”

Mud bares her teeth, letting out a low hiss as she approached the Unicorn. She stopped, growling over her shoulder to Fluttershy. Then turns on the Pegasus, growling something else, and stomps out of the room. 

Starlight stares in bewilderment, “What did she say?” 

Fluttershy looked on at the doorway, “She said she doesn’t know what a map is, or why we even care about where she came from.” 

Starlight looks at the table, and the vast expanse of the world shown on it. “I suppose we shouldn’t bother her anymore, we’re on our own for this.” 


Mud hissed irritably, following her own scent trail back to the bedroom, not noticing Pinkie Pie was walking behind her. The pony smiled and caught up, “Hey, where ya goin’?”

Mud didn’t look back, she only huffed. 
Pinkie continued to follow, noticing Mud’s expression. “Hey, you want that tour now?”

Mud sighs, looking up at her. Pinkie smiles and puts her hoof around the Kelpie, “Come on, it’s a good distraction.” 

The pony pulled Mud off the path to the bedroom, and back down the hall. Mud groaned with annoyance, as Pinkie brought her back to the living room. 

“You know this room, it’s pretty great.” She gestures a hoof in a circle, “We decided to make it here after AJ kept spilling her coffee on the Cutie Map.”

Pinkie Leads Mud up a staircase, “That one with the giant map is the Map Room, we meet there every so often for those meetings Starlight likes to do.” 

She brought Mud into the Library, “This is the library, you can come here to read whenever you want. Starlight’s here most of the time.” 

Anger fading, Mud looks around the massive room. It was decorated with a large tree against the wall, it looked like ice, but wasn’t cold. The Kelpie sniffed at the books while Pinkie approached, her head tilting with interest. “What’s your favorite book?” 

Pinkie set a hoof on the one Mud was sniffing, sliding it off the shelf. She looked at the cover, “You sure? You don’t seem like the ‘Harry Trotter’ type… But you would look cute with glasses, I think Twilight has a spare set around here somewhere.”



Mud licks the book cover, cringing at the foul taste. Pinkie puts it back, “You can’t eat these, no matter how real the pictures look.” 

Pinkie begins walking, and Mud follows without the pony’s ushering. 

Pinkie Pie pushes open the large balcony window, and stands by. Mud glances at her while walking out to the rail, her amber eyes widening at the site. Just like the window in her room, but that was a glance. This time, she was out in the open, up high in the air. She could see the entire Pony camp scattered below, and off in the distance. There was a river, rushing through a thick forest just beyond a separation of grass. There wasn’t a rotted willow in sight.


The last place to visit was the castle yard, and that’s where Mud stayed for the rest of the afternoon. Pinkie Pie returned, finding the Kelpie curled up asleep against the crystals protruding from the ground. She walks over and nudges the Kelpie’s shoulder, “Hey, come on, you can’t sleep all day.”

Mud lifts her head, watching as the Pony’s tail disappeared back into the castle. She stood up anyway, arching her back in a big stretch. 

Mud looked at the door, but instead turned to look down at the Pony Camp. Her ears turned in that direction, but sounds were drowned out by rushing wind. She took a few steps, stopping to glance back. No one was there in the doorway, so she kept walking, down to the buildings.

Pinkie looked behind her, seeing the emptiness of the hall. She called back, “Mud?”

There was no answer. 

Pinkie ran back to the side door, glancing around the hall. She steps out the door, standing in the grass as she called out again. 

“Mud?!”

Pinkie’s eyes land on the town just down the road. Realization suddenly hit the Pony, making her pupils shrink. 
“Oh…” She looked back inside, and then started in a run down to Ponyville. 

Mud glanced up at the tall, pale, grass covered huts. She let her amazement take over, causing her eyes to widen and jaw to drop. This Pony camp was unlike anything the Kelpie had ever seen. The huts she saw, the geyser pool in the middle, and dozens, maybe hundreds of Ponies. But what Mud really noticed was the smell, with the entire place having a pleasant haze of warm sweetness. It all felt like a dream, unlike any dream she ever had.

The dark pelted mare stood out amongst the various colors, like a dead tree in a flower field. Standing out enough to draw stares, her eye contact making the selected Ponies hesitate. But none of it bothered Mud, as it was just as strange for her, and worse she remembered she couldn’t talk with them to explain herself. 

But her own uneasiness didn’t last long, as Mud kept walking. Sniffing the air and ground, she found that it was impossible to differentiate the smells, as they were all new to her. All she could do now was use her eyes, spotting the large strangely decorated hut that resembled its contents, cakes, cookies, and ice cream. 

Pinkie Pie bounced on her hooves up the path through town, halting beside the Kelpie. 

“Found’ya!” The Pony smiled big, glancing at Sugar Cube Corner for a second. But Pinkie moved in front of Mud, “You could’ve asked to come into town, but it’s getting late, see?” Pinkie points a hoof at the sky.

Mud turns to look, realization struck as she saw the sun was dipping low. This Pony was telling her it was late. Mud glanced around at the buildings, looking for something else interesting. But Pinkie set a hoof firmly around her shoulder, pulling her into a walk back through the way she came.

The Kelpie resisted, rearing up and tossing herself out of the grip of the pony. Pinkie watched as Mud gestured with her head at the market, growling something. Pinkie smiled anyway at Mud’s prudence, “All right, but only for a while. Starlight’ll start to notice you’re gone.”

The sun began to set, making town square flood with shadow. Most of the trade booths were closed now, and Ponies filed down the streets, returning to their homes. 

Mud and Pinkie went from each of the still open stands to the next. The Kelpie thrust her nose into bouquets of flowers and baskets of fruit, trying every smell she came across. 

Just as the flower sisters began repackaging the unsold flowers, Lily looks up to see two large amber eyes staring at her. Mud sniffed the flowers still set in their displays, and over to the purple pony behind them. 

Lily stepped back, hesitating before smiling, “Uh, can I help you?”

Pinkie ran up, sliding to a stop beside the Kelpie. “Hi Lily, I was just showing our new friend around.”

Lily nodded to the flowers Mud's gaze was fixed to, “Would you like to buy something? I can make it quick, we’re technically closed.”

Pinkie taps Mud’s shoulder, pointing at the flowers. “Hey Mud, you want some?”

The Kelpie stared at her, growling with uncertainty.

Pinkie smiles, and turned back to Lily. “Two orders of daisies please.”

Mud stared at the plate of tiny white flowers that set in front of her, and her gaze flicking up to see the shiny yellow coins Pinkie pushed across the counter. Pinkie stacked one plate on the other, and pointed a hoof to a bench. “We can sit over there.”

She picks up the plates in her teeth and carries them over, Mud following curiously. 


Once they sat down, the Pony lifted one of the plates of flowers with a hoof, offering it to Mud. The Kelpie took it, but only held it to her muzzle. She sniffed it suspiciously, wondering why this Pony thing gave it to her. 

Pinkie tapped Mud’s shoulder, “Hey, you eat it, like this…”

Mud looked on as Pinkie licked up a mouthful of the tiny flowers, chewing and swallowing them like it was nothing.

Mud looked at her own plate, beginning to wonder what flowers actually tasted like. She’d never eaten flowers before, at least not in a while. 

Mud lifted the plate, licking only a few daisies. She lifts her head, keeping the flowers in her mouth. They were sweet, and felt like they were melting on her tongue. She lifted the plate up, tilting it back to pour the rest of the daisies into her mouth. Mud held them there, the smell of nectar filling her nose. 

Pinkie looked on, “I guess Kelpies like flowers too.”

Mud swallowed, looking back at the sun. Pinkie did too, finishing off the last bit of her plate. 

The Pony hopped up, setting herself to jump in place in front of Mud. “Let’s head back, if you like flowers, you’re gonna love what Apple Jack made for dinner!”

Mud followed Pinkie, but only just keeping up. She wanted to stay by the pony, but glanced back at the Pony camp, wanting to explore it more. But she didn’t want to do it without someone who actually knows what to do. 

So many things about this new territory were different, complete opposites as what Mud was used too. But there was one thing Mud did know, the one thing she absolutely loved about this place.

Not a single other Kelpie in sight...
> Chapter 5
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fluttershy entered the bathroom to the sound of the shower running. She peeked in and saw Mud, frowning, sitting in the tub covered in soap. Pinkie Pie stood beside the tub scrubbing her with a brush. 

To the sight, the Pegasus tilted her head with a curious expression. “What happened?”
Pinkie looked back at her, smiling big as she continued to run the brush across Mud’s shoulders.
“Oh, hey Fluttershy! She rolled in the flower bed outside.” 


Fluttershy’s expression only became more questioning, “…why?” She glances at the Kelpie, who'd only grown a snarling look on her foam covered face.
Pinkie shrugs, “I don’t know, could you ask her?” 



The Pegasus straightens her posture, letting out a sigh as she walks up beside the tub. “Maybe later, Starlight said she got the report back from the hospital, she wanted to speak with Mud.” 
Pinkie jumps up excitedly, “Can I go too?!” 


The Pegasus gestures a wing, “If you want, it won't take long.” 
Mud gave her a worried glance. 

Pinkie set a hoof on the Kelpies shoulder, “Aw, don’t worry, it’s not so bad.”
Mud looks at her, worry fading slightly. But she let out a low groan, hunching over the foaming water.

Starlight sat on the couch in the living room, Fluttershy beside her. Mud sat in the reclining chair across from them, a towel under her as she was still drying off. 

Starlight passes Fluttershy a clipboard, on it were papers. The Pegasus glances over them briefly, to Mud’s anxiousness. Then looks up, “Well, we already knew this, but you’re not Pony. But still closely enough related.”

Mud listened, that’s not the worst thing I’ve heard. Her face formed a certain expression.


Fluttershy hesitates before continuing, “It’s been a couple days, how are you?”
Mud shrugs, grunting what Fluttershy heard as “Okay I guess.”
Fluttershy’s eyes widen with interest as she looks at the paper again, “It looks like you’ve got a naturaly high immune system, so that’s good… But.” She looks up at the Kelpie, who’d now become concerned.
“You’ll still need shots for a few, but that shouldn’t be too bad.”

Mud stares a moment, meowing a question.
Fluttershy gestures a wing, “It’s a type of medicine.”
The Pegasus lowers the clipboard, “But there is something else.”


The Kelpie waves a hoof, growling for her to continue. Fluttershy shares a glance with Starlight, then looks at Mud. “You… are a carnivore aren’t you?”

Mud hesitates, growling again while holding a hoof to her own chest. 
Fluttershy curtly shakes her head, “Yes, you are a Kelpie, but Kelpies… Eat meat, right?”
Mud nods slowly, gaze falling to the ground as a frown forms. 

Fluttershy gestures with a hoof, “You probably suspected this by now, but we don’t do that stuff here.”
Mud pauses, raising a hoof to her chin as she thought. But she shakes her head, waving that hoof dismissively while growling. *whatever, it’s not like I need too. I wasn’t good at it anyway*

Fluttershy nods slowly, “That’s… good, I guess. It’s definitely not allowed, so if that won’t be a problem then we can be done now.”

Mud didn’t change her expression, but the Pegasus went on, “We can make another appointment to see if you’ve made progress recovering, but it seems you’re doing well.”

Mud calms enough to meet the Pony’s gaze, meowing her response. 
Fluttershy nods, a smile forming. “Then that should be it, is there anything we can get you?”
Mud’s gaze was on the floor again, expression indifferent as memories began coming back.

The kelpie left the living room with a stalking posture, her agitation visible. Starlight and Fluttershy looked on with worried expressions, just until they couldn’t see her. 

Starlight turns to Fluttershy, “You didn’t ask her, why?”
The Pegasus looks at her sternly, but it turns to sympathy. “Do we really need to, it’s a personal subject.”
Starlight straightens up, setting out a hind leg to get off the couch. “I get it, but if we really are trying to help her, then this counts as a problem.” She drops down and takes a few steps.


Fluttershy looks at the floor, her thoughts conflicting. “I guess, but we can’t just accuse Mud, how can I even approach her?”
Starlight shakes her head, “Just tell her we know, maybe she’ll come clean.”
The Pegasus hesitates, and then smiles faintly. “Alright, I’ll try tomorrow, it seems like she doesn’t like being pried at for long.”
Starlight nods, “Good, I’m going to see if I got a response from Twilight.”

To the Unicorns excitement, a scroll did indeed appear, but not until that evening. In the library by the balcony window, the letter burst up from the mail cauldron in a ball of fire, and Starlight whipped around to see it hovering there. She gripped it with her magic and unrolled it, reading the words closely. 

Dear Starlight, 
I was not expecting a letter from you so soon, and with such an interesting subject of conversation. I wish I had seen this sooner, but now it may take some time to research from my position. 
Keep trying where you’re at, keep me updated, I’ll be keeping a hoof on this while I continue my assignments here. If there is anything else you need do write to me again, I can’t wait until I come see you again, and this new species you’ve discovered. 

I want to know everything you’ve found out. 

Twily, 

Starlight’s excitement fades, but she glances over the letter again, keeping a smile as missing her friend brought a pang of sadness deep down. 

Ever since the defeat of Chrysalis, Tirek, and Cozy, Twilight had been taking trips to Canterlot more often, each time she went growing longer, and her time in Ponyville growing shorter. She’d been taking lessons from Celestia and Luna, as well as helping in the reconstruction of the castle. 

Starlight and the others waited eagerly for Twilight’s letters, as it became the only time to talk with her while she was in Canterlot for a week to a month. But the times she came back were what they waited for the most. 

The Unicorn glanced up, focusing on her thoughts about what all she had found out about this Kelpie, anything she could ask Twilight to find. But this guest wasn’t an open book, and with Fluttershy being the only one to understand her made things slow. 

Fluttershy, understand, hmm… Starlight thought a moment longer, looking up to see the moon dragging almost to midnight. 


She gathered a few more books from the shelves, and walked over to sit at the large desk in the middle of the floor. But as she began reading, her eyes closed slowly, and before getting past the first page of the first book, she fell asleep, her horn “tunked” on the desk as she dozed off.
> Chapter 6
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mud frowned at the yellow Pegasus, resenting the sleepily made decision to let this Pony thing into her room. 


Fluttershy was forcing a friendly smile, every sign was completely visible. But Mud also picked up the vibrations from her rapid heartbeat, and the smell of fear emanating from the Pony’s short fur as Fluttershy approached the bed. 

“What is it?” Mud grunted, “This is the only time I’ve ever been able to get full nights of sleep, I’d like to not break that stride.”

Fluttershy tilts her head, becoming curious. “Oh? Why?”
Mud let out a low hiss, “Whatever, what do you want?”

The Pegasus flapped her wings, lifting herself up to sit next to the Kelpie. “Do you have trouble sleeping? Or did?”

Mud thought hard, her grogginess making it difficult. She sat hunched next to the Pony, letting out a sigh as she met Fluttershy’s gaze. “You’re not going to leave me alone, are you?”

Fluttershy looked sympathetic, “I won’t force you, but it would help us to know more about you. And it would help you, to talk to someone.”

Mud straightened up, her thinking visible as her gaze drifted away from the pony, and brought it back. 
“So just talk?”


Fluttershy nods, a smile forming. “Even if you don’t feel like you can, if you’re shy, that means you need to talk to someone even more.”
Mud’s expression softens, looking around at the crystal walls and ceiling. “I guess… could you tell me how you built this place?”



Starlight flipped through a book, she looked closely at the pages. Then stopped, her eyes going wide as she read each word. Excitement welled up, causing her to stand and declare her victory. 

“YES!”

Apple Jack who was in the library with her, whips around in surprise. “Wut!?”

She watches as the Unicorn puffs into sparks, appearing in the empty air a centimeter from the Earth Pony’s nose. 

The Unicorn lifts the book up to AJ, setting a hoof firmly on the page she found. “Look at this!”
AJ looks at it, “Ah, see it… What am I lookin’ at?”
Starlight sits back, holding the book in front of her as she directed her reading with a hoof. 

“This is a book of old myths and stories from the Earth Pony shores, most of them were written by the Mighty Helm. And there’s a piece here that mentions Kelpie’s!”


Apple Jack looks at the book, “Well they ain’t myths, one of ‘em is sleepin’ here.”
Starlight nods, “Exactly, that means the rest are somewhere. Somewhere Ponies have been!”

AJ realized then, “Gatcha Starry, what else does the book say?”
The Unicorn turns the book to herself, “Well, it mentions Kelpie’s love water, and frequent areas like swamps.”

“Well the only swamps we know about are in the Everfree and Hayseed.” AJ points a hoof at the book.

Starlight nods, “That’s just it; the book doesn’t mention Everfree or hayseed. Here, it says “Long ships stopped by the river of land, the narrow canal rapped the mountains foot, and its mountain that shown its shadow on the shadow of Pony.”

Apple Jack tilts her head, “Shadow of Pony, How’s that a Kelpie?”


Starlight shrugs, “Don’t know, but it fits. Look here.”
She levitates another book over to the Earth Pony, “This book is filled with fairy tales and ghost stories, many of which are old and from the beginnings of Pony settlements back in the day. It’s the only one that has a couple stories about Kelpies. But the words they use only translate to Kelpie, that’s why.”


AJ looks over the two books, “Any place mentioned where they come from?”
Starlight turns the pages of the first book, “About… Here, the Mighty Helm had to cross the land bridge in order to reach the north eastern shores in Luna Bay.”

“So the Kelpies are on the land bridge?” Apple Jack shifts to stand, eyes widening in attention.
Starlight smiles big, “Yes, the same land bridge the Zebras use to cross over into Equestria.”



Mud had reoriented herself on the bed so she faced the Pegasus, listening intently to the things she said. Using crystals to banish monsters, chaotic weather patterns, the sun and moon in the sky at the same time, and the castle, the castle that grew from a seed like a tree. 

It was all so amazing, so hard to believe. Mud tilted her head, narrowing her eyes. “And all this really happened?”

Fluttershy nodded, “Every single one.” She smiled, then lifted a hoof. “Are there any things like that where you come from?”


Mud looked down, mind bogged down by all the things this pony had told her. She lifts her head, “I can fight any Kelpie and win.” 


Fluttershy’s smile didn’t leave, but her eyes widened. The Kelpie wore a proud toothy smirk, her posture improving. 
“Really? Any Kelpie?” The Pony urged on.

Mud lifted a hoof to her chest, “Yup, I’m the best hunter too, those Dirt Pelts couldn’t catch a rock.”
Fluttershy leaned forward, “It must have been difficult, with all that water.”
Mud shook her head, “Not at all, Kelpie’s are great swimmers.”
The Pegasus shifts her hooves excitedly, “That would be interesting to see…” An anxious spark flashed through her brain. “Was there anything else that may have made things challenging?”


Mud tilted her head, looking off at the wall. “No… No, I don’t think so.”
Fluttershy pulled back slowly, “What about… Plants?”

Mud looked at the Pony like she had a frog on her face, “Plants? Why would plants be a problem?”
The Pegasus flitters a wing, “Oh, well, some plants can… Do things to you.”
It didn’t take long for the Kelpie to suddenly remember, “Oh, I guess Rainbow Weed would really mess things up.”

Fluttershy’s eyes widen, expression turning to surprise. “What’s that?”
Mud points a hoof up at her own eye, “It’s a weed that makes things go all weird. Like colors, like a rainbow. Didn’t take long for Kelpies to figure out a name.” 

Fluttershy sat still, finding she was surprised, even though she knew. The Pegasus blinked, “How often do you use it?”

Mud stared for a moment, but answered as a frown began to form. “Not often, it was the only thing that helped.” She turns her gaze to the floor. 

Fluttershy’s shoulders drop slightly, and she leans close, a sympathetic look forming. “You had problems, like what?”

The Kelpie huffs with agitation, ears flattening against her head as her gaze flicks around. She thought for a moment before muttering. “Some of the others, other Kelpies, they always messed with me. I couldn’t walk a fox length without seeing one those Dirt Pelts looking to ruin my life.”

Fluttershy’s eyes widen with apprehension, she pauses a moment as Mud goes on.

“It’s always been like that, they steal my prey, attack me when my back is turned, and chase me away from water.”

Fluttershy shuffled close enough to sit beside the dark mare, “Is that why you used the plant?”
Mud nodded, “It was the only way I could sleep… When I actually got the chance.”
Fluttershy extended a wing across the Kelpie’s shoulder comfortingly.

Mud looked up with surprise, the pony smiled. 
“If it makes any difference, I know how you feel.”


The Kelpie was taken aback by the comment, ears upright as her thoughts spun frantically. 
Fluttershy continued, “I had problems with bullies when I was little, but then I met Rainbow Dash.”
Mud hesitated, listening on. 
“I made my first friend, and ever since, I didn’t care what others thought of me. Now I have all my friends to help whenever I need it.”


Mud’s panic faded, hearing the sincerity in the Pony’s voice. 

But it didn’t last, the Kelpie straightened up. “Well, I didn’t need help.” 
She put on a confident face, “I’m not helpless. I fought, and beat, each one of those mongrels!”

Fluttershy smiled amusedly, “Oh, did you?”
Mud grinned, “Yeah, they were all just jealous because I’m a better hunter and fighter.” 


The Pony leans off the edge of the mattress, “Well, your new friends are here to help.”
Mud stared in bewilderment as the Pony dropped down, and walked over to the door, and watched her leave.

The kelpie was left alone, her gaze falling on the floor again. She huffed, mind filling with dark thoughts. Mud grunted angrily, “I’m not helpless…”
She stands up on the bed, hissing loudly as her fur rose along her spine. “I am the best Kelpie! No one can beat me!”

She stomped in a circle on the bed, stepping down with a growl. “I’m stronger than anyone, no one can stop me.”

Her anger rose until her ears burned, memories returning, growing the snarl on her face. Mud stepped off the bed, and up to the window. She looked out at the expanse of land.

“I can do whatever I want.”
> Chapter 7
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mud was horrified, her expression unchanging as she backed away slowly. 



Starlight’s excitement faded to questioning, “What’s wrong?”
Fluttershy was equally disturbed, “What’s wrong Mud? We can get you back to your home.”
Mud froze in here defensive posture, mind reeling. Fluttershy stepped forward, “Mud?” She reaches out a hoof. 

Then startling everyone, Mud hisses loudly and jumps away from the Pegasus, running out of map room into the hall. Starlight rushes after the speeding grey mare, “Mud wait!”
Rainbow Dash jumps into the air and glides after them, with Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie running after. Mud darts around the corner and slides into the living room, jumping over the couch to hide behind it. 

She peeks over the top only to duck again as Rainbow hovers through the doorway, Starlight just behind her. The Unicorn looks over the arm of the couch, seeing nothing on the other side. Rainbow looks around curiously, “Where’d she go?”

Mud held her breath under the long piece of furniture, watching the pink hooves of Starlight step around. She slid out and crawled to the door, starting into a run as she heard the blue pony’s alerting shout. 

Then she froze instantly, everything in her view shrouded with a sparkling blue hue. Mud struggled and flexed her muscles, but didn’t budge. Then she rotated around to face Starlight, whose horn was lit. The Unicorn looked on with concern, “What’s gotten into you?” 
She approached slowly, the other ponies close behind. 

Fluttershy steps up as Starlight sets Mud gently on the floor, “Mud, why did you run like that? We thought you’d be happy.”

Mud frowned as the magic lifted off of her, she growled and clicked a response. Fluttershy lowered her voice, “Why not?”
Mud looked at the ground, not speaking after that. 

Fluttershy shares a glance with Starlight, then to Mud. “We should give her second.”
Mud lifts her head to glare at the Pegasus, then stands to walk away, head lowered. 

Starlight turns to the others, “Okay, Fluttershy, stay with her. The rest of us will go back to the map.”
The yellow Pegasus glances back at the Kelpie, “Are you sure?”
The Unicorn gestures a hoof, “If something’s wrong, you’re the only one who can find out what.”

***	

Mud hid under her bed, feeling the crystal floor cooling her hot chest. The anger remained, as she took deep breathes. 

She heard the door open, along with the pile of things she stacked to block it sliding across the floor. She glances to the side, spotting the four yellow hooves move along the floor to the bed. Then there was the soft voice of the Pegasus, “Mud? Are you in here?”

The Kelpie cupped her hooves over her flattened ears, gritting her teeth in frustration.

Fluttershy continued, “If you’re upset about something, let’s talk.”
Mud glared at the hooves, wishing for them to go away. But they stayed, along with the voice attempting to convince her. “Please come out and talk to me, we’re trying t help you. Mud?”

Fluttershy walked around the bed, glancing out the window as she scanned the floor, eyes landing on the elevated crack leading to the underneath of the bed. 

Mud watches the hooves more, and the blue eyes that dropped down to spot her hiding. The Kelpie hissed irritably, turning her head away. Fluttershy gave a sympathetic look, “Hey, why are you hiding?”

“Go away…” The grey mare growled, lifting a hoof to cover her face. 
Fluttershy flapped her wings, bringing herself to the other side of the bed, peeking under it again to see Mud’s covered face. 
“It would be better if you told me what’s wrong.”

Mud met her gaze, anger replaced with a hint of sadness. “Please, I don’t want to go.”
Fluttershy sat back, looking down at the gap between the bed and floor. “If you’re afraid of something, tell us what it is.”

Mud immediately slid out from under the bed, mane frizzled and eyes wide. “I’m not scared of anything!” Her expression turns serious, “And I’m not going anywhere!”

She stops over to the middle of the room, “You can’t tell me to do anything!”

Fluttershy’s eyes widen at the response, but stood and spoke calmly. “You’re right, we can’t force you to do anything, but I’d like to know what’s bothering you.”

Mud calmed a bit, fur settling along her spine. “It’s nothing. I just don’t want to leave.” 
She gestures a hoof around the room, “This place is way more than I could’ve dreamed of, I don’t want to go back.”

Fluttershy tilts her head, “What’s so wrong about your old home… Is it because you were bullied?”
Mud grunts, “No! I told you, I can beat any Kelpie that comes around.”
The Pegasus flicks a wing, glancing to the side as she begins to suspect nothing more out of the grey mare. She looks up, “Fine, you don’t need to tell me anything, we’re going to see for ourselves.”

Mud’s eyes widened, “What?”

Fluttershy nods, “If you won’t come with us, I guess we’ll find our own way to you home.”
Mud steps forward, clearly panicked. “You can’t be serious, you can’t go there!”

The Pegasus shrugs, “I have to, I’m the only one who can talk to Kelpie’s at the moment. But Pinkie and Rarity will still be here.”

Mud froze, staring at the Pegasus in disbelief. Fluttershy met her gaze, feeling a sense of dread deep down. “Why, is there something we should know?”

Mud didn’t speak, her words caught in her throat, and mind drawing blanks all over. She only stared.

Fluttershy nodded, “Okay, you can join us whenever you feel like it, I think we’ll be talking in the map room for a while.”

There was only silence as the Pony turned and walked out the door, the amber eyes watching her filled with panic, and the Kelpie felt a strong urge to opening her mouth. To warn Fluttershy.


But she kept quiet.
> Chapter 8
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Starlight focused on the land bridge, watching it shimmer on the table’s surface. Nothing to great caught her attention, no such town or any sign of civilization that usually shows. There was only an old looking road, trailing from the turn of rail tracks and fading before making it halfway over the mass of land. 

Apple Jack and Rainbow Dash stood on either side of the Unicorn, also looking. Starlight turns to see Fluttershy returning, “Hey Fluttershy.”

The Pegasus didn’t look up, “Hi.” She approached the table, “Mud won’t be joining us.”
Starlight tips her head, “I guess it’ll be up to us to find whatever “swamp” she came from.”

Apple Jack grunts, “We ain’t havin’ much luck at that.”

Rainbow points a feather at the map, “There’s nothing there; should we look somewhere else?”
Starlight sighs, stepping back to get the others in front of her. “We could always go look for ourselves.”

Apple Jack gestures a hoof at the table, “An how do you think we do that? This place is probably miles in all directions.”

The Unicorn nods, “We just need to look in the most obvious places,” She walks up and points at the coastal area of the landmass, “Right around here is where we might find swamps, or maybe a river leading to one.”

She looks up, “I guess it comes down to when we want to leave.”
Rarity waves a hoof, “Now now, should you not tell Twilight where we are going?”


The Unicorn raises a hoof, “If I send her a letter now, it would probably be a while before she responds. Besides, the state Mud was in, I don’t think we should waste any more time to try and find the rest of the Kelpies.”

Rarity and Apple Jack gave Starlight the same look, one of criticalness. 

She dismisses them as she turns around, “It’s not like we’re looking for a fight,” She eyes the area on the table, “We just need to know where they really are.”


After a moment Starlight turned to the blue Pegasus, “Rainbow, can you go down to the train station and see if there are any stops close enough to here?” 
She taps a hoof on a small conjunction of roads just near the edge of the land bridge. Rainbow takes a quick look at the map, and flew up into the air. 


“Can do Starry,” She glides out into the hallway. 

Apple Jack looks at the Unicorn, “When we leavin’?” 
Starlight turns to her, “We can leave on the next train heading that way.” 
AJ tilts her head, looking critical. “And Twi?” 
Starlight hesitated, glancing around at the others expectant gazes. 

She sighed, “We should be fine, but I could write a letter. Although it may take a while before we get a response.”

AJ sighs, raising a hoof to touch her hat. “Ah suppose you’d know best.” She starts walking to the door, just ahead of Starlight. “Ah be right back, if this is anything like the last several times we go out, I wanna make sure everything’s alright back at the farm.”


Rarity became alert at that, “Oh yes,” She quickly follows, “An excellent idea Apple Jack.”

Starlight watches them leave, and turns to Pinkie and Fluttershy. “Do you two need to go?”
The Pegasus looks at the ground, “I really shouldn’t, what if Mud needs something?”
Pinkie bounces up on her tail like a spring, “I got nothin’ to do, I can keep an eye on her while you’re out.”

Fluttershy flaps her wings and hovers just off the floor, “She’s in her room, but she’s acting a bit strange, you’ll have to be gentle Pinkie.”



The Earth Pony waves a hoof, “Aw, you know me; I’m as gentle as a cloud.” She smiles innocently, reaching into thin air to pull in front of her, to Fluttershy’s shock, a canon. Pinkie speeds away, pushing the party artillery out the door and down the hall. 


“Oh my…” The Pegasus looks on with Starlight, who took a step forward. 

The Unicorn glances up at Fluttershy before walking out, “Everything gonna be okay?”
Fluttershy hesitates, and smiles curtly. “Yes, it should be.”

Starlight continued out the front door, trotting the dirt road into Ponyville. Her thoughts centered on what the possibilities were for what Zecora could tell her, if she knew about Kelpies, where they are, if she’d seen any. Or maybe nothing, the Zebra might not know.



Anything would help right now. Starlight thought as she strode up the weed lined path through the tall dark trees. It wasn’t even night, and the sound of crickets and other insects chirped and buzzed. 

The Pony could barely hear the rustling of mice or scratching of birds as she neared the interior of the overgrowth. The warm weather was perfect for the forest plants, causing them to grow into impenetrable walls. Starlight stepped around a low hanging branch to see the gnarled yet polished oak tree, the naturally grown windows sending candle light into the clearing. 


The door was shut, and a mist hung in the thick plumes of leaves as more smoke poured from the chimney. Starlight stopped at the door, lifting herself slightly to see through the window. 

The Zebra was there, holding a book with one hoof and moving around the cauldron in the middle of the floor. The wide cast iron vat bubbled out the orange goo, of which Zecora tossed in seeds and sticks as she passed it.

Starlight tapped a hoof on the door, “Zecora? It’s me Starlight, can I come in?”
The Zebra looked up, calling back, “If you wish to visit me, by all means, I’m not vary busy.”



The Unicorn smiled and sighed, preparing herself for the repeated rhyming Zecora would soon speak. 

Starlight slid the door open, feeling the heat from the fire pit. She walked in and sat just off of Zecora’s invisible pacing paths.

The Zebra glances over, “You have the look of some pony in thought, hopefully it’s a subject I was taught.”
Starlight’s ears angle forward, “I hope so. You see, recently, we’ve been letting a newcomer stay in the castle.”

Zecora closed the book, dropping a final leaf into the cauldron. She stands and hooks a large ladle in her hooves, dipping it and stirring the orange substance, looking up to focus on the Pony. 

Starlight continued, “She’s… not a Pony, she comes from the west.”
Zecora tips her head, “And what is she, if not a pony?”

The Unicorn shrugs a hoof, “Have you heard of Kelpies?”

Zecora stops, touching a hoof to her chin. “I can’t say really, her appearance maybe?” 
Starlight nods, “Yeah, she looks like a Pony, except for sharp teeth, glowing eyes, a dark coat…” 
The Zebra smiles, and grips the ladle again. “Sounds like a bat, though even you could see that.” 

Lifting a hoof, Starlight went on. “Yeah, we considered that. But I found in a book, Kelpies were a myth that came from the Western Land Bridge.”

The stirring halts again, and Zecora turns to glance over the book spines on the shelves. She walks over to a deep grey colored one, settling a hoof on it. 

“Unfortunately my Pony friend, I only have stories from that end.” She pulls the book out, and flips to a page. Passing it to Starlight, the Unicorn saw that the whole page was scribbled on with black ink, the form of a strange creature, surrounded by a language she didn’t know.

Zecora went on to translate it, “Nomads that returned from Equestria long ago, brought stories of encounters with Ponies, Dragons, and Driads.”

Starlight turned the pages, seeing one grotesque depiction after another. 

“Before the Pillars and Princesses, monsters flocked by the masses.” 

Zecora walked up, turning the book to a certain page, one that had the depiction of a dark figure. It had no coloring for the eyes, and it was mostly smudges of black, but it didn’t resemble a Pony.

“Three times bigger than any Zebra, a bite more deadly than a cobra. It hides in water, and rivals even the most feared hunter.” 

She sits down in front of the Pony, “It was said they roam all forms of terrain, but they always return to the lands of most rain.” 

Starlight looks up, “Mud said she came from a swamp, that’s a high precipitation environment.” 

Zecora tips her head again, “Oh they speak do they? I suppose they’re not so different, from we who bleat or nay.” She lifts a hoof to herself. “I’ve no recollection of how they sound; only the stories say that they howl like a wild hound.” 

Starlight glances to the side, “Well, that is true. Only Fluttershy can talk to her.”
She looks down at the book, seeing the apparent image of a massive Kelpie. “But Mud isn’t big, she’s just about my height… but everything else sounds right.”

She turns more pages, “Is there anything about where they live? A map maybe?”

Zecora shrugs, “Monster territory had no end, when that book was first amend.” 

Starlight stands up, lifting the book to the Zebra. “Thanks Zecora.”
The Zebra smiles, “A pleasure, even if it wasn’t leisure.”

Smiling, the Unicorn turns and walks away, stopping halfway in the doorway. She looks back, as Zecora put the book on the shelf. 
“Hey, I’m going to the Land Bridge with some of the others. But Mud will still be at the castle, if you wanna see her.” 

Zecora smiles back, “I would like that very much, to see a living myth as such.”

Starlight walked back to the castle, thinking Rainbow must have gotten back by now. She also thought about Mud, and what Zecora’s book said. 

Three times the size of a Zebra… She began thinking, how could the stories describe Mud, she wasn’t any bigger than a pony. Then she remembered Celestia, and other Ponies who have grown bigger than average. 

Hmm, Spike… How old is Mud, could Kelpies grow differently than Ponies?
The image of what a fully grown Mud would look like formed in her mind. The equinoid towered over everyone, baring large teeth, bright amber eyes, and a muscle build that could rival Tirek. 

Sweet Celestia, I hope that doesn’t happen.
> Chapter 9
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sand and gravel clunked and scraped under the wheels as the train thundered down the tracks. 

Starlight stepped onto the platform, looking left to right for any sign of life. There was none but their own, and the other train passengers. 

Fluttershy, Apple jack, and Rainbow Dash walked out to follow the Unicorn. The Ponies stood still on the aged wood planks, starting at the hiss and clunk as the train pushed forward. It left slowly, the four Ponies watching it slide down the tracks.

Rainbow shifted her gaze to Starlight, “When is it gonna be back?”
Starlight paused, trying to remember. 
“I think it’ll be back here the same time tomorrow.” She lights her horn and pulls a map out of her backpack, unrolling it. 

While Fluttershy and Rainbow gathered around the map, Apple Jack glanced around at the environment. 

What caught her eye was three barrels, stacked on their sides, two on the ground and one on top. She stepped closer, seeing the withered details. 

The wood planks were rotted, and fused together. The Metal strips were entirely red with rust, and the lids were gone, revealing the emptiness. 

Apple Jack glanced along the ground to the deck, noticing the ground rising into a hill against the wood platform. It would have been the train platform was at least shoulder height to a pony, but now after so many years of neglect and dust build up, almost buried the wood. 


Looking past the other three friends AJ saw the remnants of another barrel, completely splintered and the red metal rings. 

Starlight looks up and out to the field of grass in front of them, spotting a dirt path leading into the overgrowth. It was just barely visible, with the grass being close to chin high next to a pony. The Unicorn steps over, positioning herself directly in line with the narrow road to see it properly. 

She looks back at the others, who had watched her move away. “Over here, it looks like it leads somewhere.”

Rainbow flaps her wings, lifting herself into the air and hovered. She followed just over head Fluttershy and Apple Jack as they trotted over beside Starlight. The four of them looked down the barrow path as it stretched into the distance, not seeming to end. 

Starlight looks once at the map, and rolls it up. “Well, we better start walking.”
Rainbow watches as Starlight takes the lead, “And, for how long?”
Apple Jack walks in after the Unicorn, “We’ll find out won’t we.”

Starlight felt the bare ground that made up the path, looking down to see that the sand covering didn’t shift around her hooves. It was only bleached with sand and sun, while being solid rock. It must have taken years upon years of trampling from Zebras, Ponies, and whatever other creatures to have made this path a permanent scar on the terrain. 

Other creatures, except Kelpies… why? Starlight stared ahead as her mind worked on several thoughts, as she felt the gentle breeze roll over the tall grass. It carried the scent of dry grass, despite everything being fully green. 

The only sounds for an hour were the wind, buzzing of insects, and the crunching of hoofs on dead grass. Large grasshoppers lobbed themselves into the air, gliding away from the approaching ponies. They weren’t like the ones seen around Ponyville, these ones were more than three inches long, and bore various designs along their bodies. Their sheer size was enough to draw Fluttershy’s attention, more so than the other three ponies, all of which stayed focused on the road.


***


Another couple hours later, Rainbow settled to the ground, continuing on hoof. Starlight was eyeing the map again, and had fallen back in pace, letting Apple Jack take the lead. Fluttershy was back by several paces, as every time she’d see a supposed path, or tunnel in the grass, she’d take a peek to try and find small rodents or reptiles to talk with. 

A while longer, Starlight looked up from her compass and map. “Whoa ponies.”
Apple Jack stops and turns around, while Fluttershy quickly walked up. The Unicorn looks at the map, and up to the left, and right of the path, out into the wilderness. 

She gestures her muzzle to the right, northward. “We can start that way.”
Rainbow tilts her head questioningly, “Why not just follow the path?”
Starlight folds the map and holds it up, “According to the map, the coast is both north and south of the land bridge. If we’ll find any sort of swamp it’ll be those directions.”

She turns to face the wall of grass, lighting her horn to break the stem bases and push the stalks to the ground. Stepping off the sun heated stone road, to the softer padding of grass was a relief to her hooves. 

The environment changed almost instantly, with large boulders and gnarled oak trees dotting the landscape around the traveling ponies. Hills rose and fell in the distance, and the ground fell out to large dips no longer hidden by the grass walls. 

Clearings, piles of shattered stones, clusters of trees, even small ponds. All manner of land formations made the flat prairie into a patchwork of nature. Birds and rabbits dove for cover at the approach of the ponies, making their appearance only the second before vanishing. 

Only Fluttershy took notice of the wildlife, having to be guided from her distractions by Rainbow as Starlight’s path was redirected by rocks and streams. 

The Unicorn eventually stopped, squinted her eyes, and viewing the horizon. 
AJ comes up beside her, “Why we stoppin’?”

Starlight points a hoof at the distance, pulling the binoculars from her backpack. “Over there,” She looks through them, seeing a dark green line more clearly. “Looks like trees, a forest most likely.” 

Rainbow Dash groans, “And we’re walking there too?”
Starlight puts the binoculars back in their pocket, “It’s a good sign we’re getting close.”

Fluttershy, who was then holding a large frog in her hoof, looks up, “Well I’ve been having a great time.”
AJ looks around at the shrubs and shorter weeds, “Certainly a different look to things than back home, much more wild.”
Starlight nods as she continues forward, “Doesn’t look like anyone’s touched this place in forever.”



The sun hadn’t set completely, but the shadows cast by the hills rendered the entire land to darkness. The four ponies halted by a large oak tree, AJ pulls a lantern out of her backpack and sets it on the ground. 

Starlight looks around at the pitch blackness, only the crystals dim aura from inside the lantern shown the other three ponies around it. “I guess we should stay here tonight.”

Rainbow Dash sits against the tree trunk, letting her backpack slide off onto the ground. “Finally, I thought we wouldn’t stop walking.”

Starlight lifted the tent with magic, setting the pikes into the ground. Apple Jack walks up and takes her aside, “Starry? Can we talk?”

The Unicorn follows, “Sure, what’s up?”
AJ sits down, having a troubled look on her face. “On the train over, Fluttershy told me about what Mud said.” 

Starlight guessed in her head where this was going, but waited for the Earth Pony to finish. 
“Do ya’ll think she’s hidin' somethin’?”

Starlight smiled sympathetically, “I think she’s just scared, but we’re doing this to help her, and maybe us.”
AJ shook her head with a sigh, “We did help her, now we’re out here tryin’ to help more. An’ somethin’ just don’t feel right.”
Starlight lifts a hoof and rests it on AJ’s shoulder, “I suppose with you worrying like this, you won’t let anything happen to us. But I’m positive everything’s going to be okay.”
> Chapter 10
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was close to noon, and after nonstop walking, the far-reaching wall of trees now loomed overhead, now more intimidating than it had looked from a distance. The trees stood from sixty meters, to clusters of even bigger ones. 

By living next to the Everfree Forest for so long, the sight didn’t intimidate in the slightest. But there was still a familiar sense from seeing the overgrowth. 

The Ponies stared up at the wall of green in front of them, eyes wide and mouths agape in amazement. Starlight was the first to step forward, “Alright, let’s get moving before it gets dark.” 

Apple Jack gestures a hoof at the greenery, “Well now everypony just be careful, we don’t know what’s in there.” 

Fluttershy glances around as she followed, “Oh, probably snakes, scorpions, and wolves.” 
Starlight looks back at her with a critical look, “Anything else?” 
The Pegasus nods, “Oh there’s much, much more.” 


The forest grew dark instantly, the canopy blocking out most of the midday sunlight. Vines dangled over every branch and shrubs concealed the ground. There wasn’t much stealth, with hooves snapping twigs and crunching leaves. Along with any such maneuvering of the vines caused the branches above to rattle and shed bits of wood. 

Starlight’s horn projected a shield that did pushed the vines aside, as well as the necessary light to see the trees around the ponies. 

Apple Jack flicked her ears in every direction she heard a step, or possible huff of breath. It became apparent to Fluttershy as well, than Starlight. 

The marching stopped, and the shimmering from Starlight’s horn dropped out, there was silence for a while.

Her eyes adjusting to the darkness, Starlight peered through the trees, only seeing what was illuminated by the beams of yellow light that speckled the ground. 

There were rustles, but not anywhere ground level. Birds flitted across the canopy, the chirping sounded distant as the Ponies concentrated. 

Rainbow’s more adjusted Pegasus eyes focused on the shadows, suddenly centered on a pair of what looked like eyes. But only for a second, as when she realized what she’d just seen, the glowing yellow eyes blinked out. 

The blue Pegasus lifts a hoof, pointing it in the direction of her discovery. “There! I saw something!”

The others look, but don’t see. Rainbow extends her wings defensively, “I saw something… Somepony’s watching us.”
Apple Jack’s head jerks up in response to a few leaves falling past her face, seeing a large figure move across the branches. “Ah think yer right.”

Then there was a heavy thump, the vibrations rattling a nearby tree. And a puff of hot air, like a grunt from a large animal. 

The ponies watched with wide eyes as the creature in front of them slowly rose up, standing at its full height. The murky blue fur and black mane were visible, the eyes shown bright from the large head that turned down to look at the ponies.

Starlight stared in amazement, Three times the size of a Zebra… This looks like four!

Two other Kelpies of equal size appeared on either side of the first. One was tan with dark blotches down his sides, and the other was deep grey. Their shining gaze was a mix of boredom and confusion. 

The first Kelpie sniffed the air, and looked over brightly covered visitors. A growl rose from deep in his throat, along with muffled clicking. His jaws barely opened to emanate the question through his teeth. 

Starlight shifted nervously, “Uuh…” She nudges Fluttershy with her hind leg.
The Pegasus gulps, and steps forward, forcing a smile, “Um, hi?”

The Kelpies looked at each other, and back to the Ponies. The blue one lowered his head slightly to Fluttershy’s level, while the other two cautiously moved around to either side of Rainbow and Apple Jack, sniffing the air curiously. 

The blue Kelpie growled again a question. Fluttershy calms herself, gesturing a hoof to the other three Ponies. 
“We’re Ponies, my name is Fluttershy.”

The blue Kelpie looked past her to them, intrigue beginning to fade from his eyes. He tip his head, grumbling something. 

Fluttershy hesitated, “Um, are you Kelpies?”
The other two Kelpies looked up, the tan one rolling his eyes. He growled to Fluttershy, and looked back to Apple Jack, who continued her stern look. 

Fluttershy looked back at the Kelpie, “It’s just… Mud isn’t nearly as big as you.”

The blue Kelpie grunts, and Fluttershy looks back at him. 

“She’s a Kelpie, from the Swamp I guess.” 

The grey Kelpie sits down, turning away from Rainbow, who had her wings spread defensively. Grey looked over at the yellow Pegasus. He growled questioningly. 

Blue looked up at Grey, growling something as Fluttershy watched. 

Starlight whispered to Fluttershy, “What are they saying?”
The Pegasus whispers back, “They know about the Swamp, something about a Tribe.”

Starlight’s eyes widen, “Ask them where it is.”

Fluttershy hesitated as the Kelpies spoke to each other, raising a hoof slightly to get Blue’s attention. The Kelpie looked down at her, ears angled forward. 

“Um, sorry to interrupt, but do you know where the Swamp is?”

The Kelpies shared a glance, while Tan huffed and stood up. Blue shrugged, grumbling while doing the same, and pointed a hoof into the shrubs. 

Fluttershy looks into the dark trees, and back to Blue. “Can you take us there?”
Blue grins, shaking his head. He growled again while taking a few steps aside. Fluttershy tilted her head questioningly as the group watched the three Kelpies trod into the bushes together. 

Starlight moves up beside Fluttershy, “Did you get their names?”
She shook her head, “No, but that one called himself a Loner.”

Rainbow flapped her wings, “What was their deal?”
Apple Jack watched the bushes the Kelpies left through, “Pro’lly never seen Ponies before. But what were they? Mud’s a little thing compared to those Kelpies.”

Starlight nodded, “I read one of Zecora’s books, it says Kelpies grow really big, maybe even bigger than those three.”

Rainbow glanced at the trees filled with shadows. “So there’re more of them?”
Starlight gestures a hoof, “Sounds like it, if there’s a whole Tribe, there might be civilization out here.”

Apple Jack walks up, urging the Ponies to move on. “Let’s get to it, before some less friendly biggin’s find us.”


Further into the forest, the sky became overcast. Later the trees changed from oaks to balsa and willows. The ground glistened with condensation, and the leaves on the ground were rotted to black soil. 

Eventually a mist filled the space between trees, and the clouds overhead grew darker, limiting the Ponies’ visibility to almost nothing. 

Starlight kept her horn glowing, leading around the large thorn bushes that came up from the mist. She kept her gaze down, watching the ground to find the right path. Around trees and bushes, and then large pools of water, dark murky water covered with leaves and algae, made worse with the deep shadow that stayed over the apparent swamp.

The Unicorn continually checked her compass to make sure not to get turned around, but it came to being stuck on a peninsula. Starlight looked around, seeing land ahead of them, but a decent sized gap of water that would make reaching it difficult. 

Fluttershy stayed closer to Rainbow, and Apple Jack walked up beside Starlight, also glancing at the water. The Earth Pony spotted a dead branch on the ground, “How ‘bout that?”

Starlight looks over too, and grasps it with magic. She lifted it over the water vertically, setting it gently into the water, testing where the shallows were. 

The Ponies went further in, trees only just beginning to thin out and even more, deeper, water pools scattered everywhere. It came to Starlight testing the water again, and again, until in every direction forward was deeper than the stick, which was the height of a pony.

Starlight hummed, looking around to see any path ahead. But this potential runoff from a river was too wide for herself and Apple Jack to cross. 

The Unicorn looked back to her friends after testing the water depth again, leaving the branch submerged. “We gotta turn around again.”

Just then the water sloshed, and Starlight nearly fell into the dark soup of black algae and debris as the stick was jerked down into the stirred up silt. 

She pulled back without resistance, stumbling as she lifted the branch up. The stick was now half its size, the end frayed and cleanly sheered. The ponies stared with shock, and looked down to the ripple of water that circled their island. 

Apple Jack stepped forward, leaning over the water. Fluttershy reached out a hoof, “Be careful, don’t get so close!”

The ripples stopped right in front of AJ.

The Earth Pony looked down at the bubbles that began to rise near the water’s edge, and the shine of glowing green eyes that looked up at her. 

Apple Jack jumped back as fang filled jaws shot up into the air her throat was a second ago. The skinny attacker thumped her mud covered hooves to the ground, soaked algae covered face wrinkling in a hound like snarl. 

Rainbow Dash stepped in front of Fluttershy and Starlight, “Get back!

Apple Jack jumped back, dropping into a similar pose as the small Kelpie. Fluttershy instead pushed past her blue friend and put out a hoof, “Stop! We’re not here to hurt you!”

The sludge Kelpie let out a low hiss, mimicking an almost perfect crocodile. She growled and made an advancement of a few steps, her back arched up and tail lashing. The Kelpie resembled a cat in behavior, but made sounds like a large reptile. Just like Mud.

Fluttershy lowered her hoof, and stood firm. But her response to the growl was filled with caution.
“Fish?” The Pegasus muttered.

The Kelpie grunted harshly, back slowly lowering. Fluttershy shook her head, “No, you shouldn’t eat fish. You can have vegetables.”

The Kelpie hissed again, and stomped across the small island to descend flawlessly into the water.


Starlight looked on, seeing the ripple of water again. The Kelpie was swimming at a speed unlike the Unicorn had ever seen. 

Apple Jack sighed, “We close yet Starry?”
Starlight looked at her, “That Kelpie was about normal size, I’d say yes.”

Being more cautious around water, and without a testing branch, the Ponies weaved around trees and thorn bushes. The swap becoming hotter and less waterlogged the further they went. 

But then everything changed. The trees grew fewer apart, and grass covered the ground instead of piles of muck and leaves.

And eyes, lots of eyes. 

Kelpies began appearing one after another, giving curious glances from where they crouched and stalked amongst the lowest undergrowth. 

Many of the Kelpies followed, and eyed the brightly colored strangers with every emotion. They moved silently, not a single twig snapped under their hooves. All the noise in the swamp made were distant crickets, and the hoofsteps from the ponies. 

It was an eerie revelation to Starlight, as she noticed the Kelpie’s silence. How do they do that?

But then strange formations in the tall weeds drew her attention. Large round rocks, but strange and oddly formed. 

On passing one, Starlight saw a small opening with a pair of glowing eyes staring at her. 

A shelter? She looks up at the sudden clusters of the same forms of woven weeds, mud, and rocks. Shelter-s!

It was a whole camp, or village. So many Kelpies too, their dark coats blending perfectly with the ground, and only a few of the huge kind sat still. But these ones looked different; their coats had long white lines forming patterns around their bodies.

Some kind of symbolic body paint?

She saw clay bowls as well, some shattered on the ground. There was so much to hint at the Kelpies being civilized, but it was on the line of just being the definition of primitive.
> Chapter 11
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Starlight had no idea where she was walking to, but she led her group into a large clearing. At the far side across from the circle of huts, was a massive rock, with a much bigger “hut” that melded with it. 

Sitting in front of the boulder however was worrying, forcing Starlight to stop in the middle of the clearing. 

The Kelpie looked up, and straightened the posture of his sit. This Kelpie was big, not like the others. He was clearly the dominant, some kind of alpha. He wore the same white lines over his massive bulging muscles, and hugged round bones that showed under his thick fur. 

This Kelpie was easily as tall as an Alicorn, but his build was like a Yak, or a Buffalo even. 

He looked at each pony, eyes large and tired. He smiled, teeth like Dragon’s, the air was filled with a calm rumble as he attempted a greeting, growling as he gestured with a wide hoof. 

Fluttershy hesitated, trembling at the sight of this almost mythically proportioned creature, and all the Kelpies staring at her. 

Starlight prodded her with a hoof, “Come on, say something.” She whispered, glancing at the slowly approaching viewers. 

The Pegasus took a deep breath, “Um, we come in peace?”
The Massive Kelpie looked at her, not moving. His gaze went over each pony, becoming more confused. 

Starlight looked back at the small crowd that had formed, several of the dark colored equines sneeking up, brushing along the ground to sniff the at the strangers. 


Only a couple bushed out their fur, standing tall and lashing their tails. One of the stallions doing so shuffled close enough to Apple Jack that the orange Earth Pony shot him a stern look, making the Kelpie step back with a surprised look in response.

Some of the gathered Kelpies lost interest quickly, either sliding back into the clay mounds through their small entrances, or just walking off into the shadows. 

The rumbling from the larger Kelpie drew Starlight’s startled flinch, and Fluttershy’s nervousness as conversation began.

The stallion raised a hoof to himself, letting out low clicks and growling from deep in his throat. Fluttershy paused, forcing herself to speak. “Oh, okay. Um, I’m Fluttershy.”

Starlight leaned close to whisper, “What did he say?”
She looked at the Unicorn, “This is ‘Crush’, he’s the Tribe Chief.”
Starlight’s ears pricked up, “Oh, can you ask him about Mud?”

Fluttershy nodded curtly, “I’ll try.”

Crush growled, tilting his head as he eyed the Pegasus with question. Fluttershy gestured to herself, “I’m a Pegasus.”

Crush’s brow lowered, becoming suspicious, growling another question. 
Fluttershy became equally confused, “Um, well, I’m a Pegasus.” She extends her wings, “I don’t know how to explain it.”

Crush narrowed his eyes at Starlight and to Apple Jack, studying their appearance. Then he asked Fluttershy again.

She folds her wings, “We’re from Equestria.”
Crush stared, as wells as the other Kelpies. 

Starlight looked around at the chirping between the murky creatures, “They’ve never heard of Equestria.”

Fluttershy raised a hoof to her chin, thinking only a moment. She looked up at Crush, “Pony Tribe…”
Crush angled his ears forward, pausing before grumbling more. 

Fluttershy nodded, “There’s lots of us, entire cities even.”

At that, Crush narrowed his eyes, and shared glances with other Kelpies, all who were thinking the same thing. The Chief lowered his large head to meet Fluttershy’s level, letting a hostile growl rumble out.

The Pegasus eyed him with a hint of panic, “We’re here because we found one of you near our home.”

Suspicion gone, again, Crush’s eyes widened. Fluttershy went on, “Her name is Mud. Do you know her?”

Crush hesitated, straightening his posture. The look on his face showed he was thinking hard, but it was a different Kelpie stallion that growled in response.

Fluttershy looked over at the deep blue Kelpie, “We just found her, and she stayed with us for a couple days.”

Some of the Kelpies grumbled to each other, one of them stepping up to growl allowed. 

Fluttershy looked at him, “Yes, she’s perfectly fine.”

That got some strange looks from the kelpies watching, some glares, and others becoming weary. 
One stallion grumbled a question allowed, and a mare hissed in response, only making more Kelpies turn to the Ponies with hostility. 

Several Kelpies began backing away, fur rising on their backs. The Crush looked around, becoming concerned. 

Starlight leaned close to Fluttershy, “What’s happening?”
Fluttershy looks at her, “I don’t know, something’s wrong.”

A stallion thrust an accusing hoof to the Ponies, hissing at them, and to Chief Crush. 

The big Kelpie growled loudly to the others, waving a hoof for silence.
Rainbow Dash stepped back, her extended wings blocking the Kelpies from Starlight and AJ. She looks back at Fluttershy, urging demandingly. “Do something!” 

The Pegasus waves a hoof, to get Crush’s attention. “We’re not dangerous, we just wanted to find someone to help us.”

The big Kelpie growled, and showed his teeth. 
Fluttershy hesitated, “Sick?” she backed against Starlight. 

All the other Kelpies began lowering into pouncing stance. 

Starlight projected a magic shield around them, just as a deep brown Kelpie stallion hit it with a thump after leaping over. The sudden magic filled the dark camp with pale blue light, Kelpies startled backed away and blinked in surprise. 

Fluttershy stepped up to the barrier, looking out at the dozens of dark figures that hid in the shadows. “Stop! We’re not sick!”

Crush stood, and loomed over the small blue dome. He lifted a hoof to tap heavily on the top of it, then the other, setting himself onto his hind hooves. The massive Kelpie Chief raised his front hooves high into the air and behind his head.

Starlight stared in fear as the tree trunk like hooves came down and slammed on the shield. 

There was a loud glass like crack, and long lines scoured the magic dome. Crush reared back again at the evilly amused Kelpies watching, and Starlight’s shock at the force of this stallion. 

She threw out her hooves, sending the shield into a harmless wave of magic to knock anyone else off balance. Apple Jack swung around and grabbed Fluttershy, pulling her back and towards where they entered the camp. Starlight and Rainbow followed at a sprint, all eyes turning hostile at their bright distinguishable coats. 


The murky water splashed up at Starlight’s sides, and the black algae covered trees blurred past as the Ponies galloped for their lives. 

Howling sounded close enough for alarm, causing Starlight to look back. She saw at least a dozen dark shadows moving quickly a silently behind Apple Jack, who stayed at the back of the group. 

The second Starlight looked forward again, in time to swerve around a thorn bush. It brought her closer to the edge of a wide creek, where she caught the glimpse of tow shining eyes under the silt stirred water. 

The Unicorn ducked as a Kelpie flew out of the water, missing Starlight completely and hitting the ground. 

The Ponies ran for a while, the pursuing creatures not even slowing, but instead they quickened, the gap between the two parties closing. 

Apple Jack looked back, seeing the glints of narrowed eyes and open fangs only a few meters behind. She looks up to the other ponies, “Run faster!”

Starlight looks back, trying to think. She remembers the shield, and how the Kelpies must be used to the swamp being so dark. Starlight charges her horn, and shoots a flare spell into the ground ahead of her.

The small candle sparked and flamed, the pops and crackles growing over the few seconds it was left behind the sprinting ponies. Just as the Kelpies were a few hoofsteps from it, the flare exploded in the mud, sending the glowing dust into the air with a flash of blinding blue light. 

The murky furred creatures yipped and squeaked with terror as they veered around the sudden fiery blast. 

Daylight shone through the tree again as the ponies left the swamp, and into the forest they kept running. 

Only a few of the Kelpies continued the chase, keeping a clear distance in case Starlight used another spell. But not for long, as they came into the forest, the Kelpies slowed. 

As Apple Jack was the last to leap out of the overgrowth, Starlight looked back from the grass into the trees. Seeing not a single shadowy figure, or glowing eyes, she sighed. Starlight sat down with a thump, breathing heavily. 

Fluttershy fell over, and Rainbow next to her. Apple Jack shook out her fur, taking her hat in her teeth and beat against her hoof. 

Starlight looked back into the trees, then at the yellow Pegasus. “What happened back there?”
AJ flipped the hat back onto her head, “They clearly ain’t hospitable.”

Fluttershy sat up, looking confused. “I don’t know, they said we were… Infected with something?”
Starlight lifted a hoof to her horn, recalling how the Chief was able to crack the shield. 

Rainbow Stands up, “Should go back? Tell them we’re not.”
Starlight looks at Apple Jack, the two shared the same look. 
“No.” Starlight stands as well, “We’re not even prepared for this. We’ll have to come back later.”

Apple Jack nods, “We did what we came to do, we found the Kelpies. And they’re dangerous.”
Fluttershy waves a hoof, “They just misunderstood us, they just wanted to protect themselves.”
Starlight looked up at the afternoon sun, “Then we give them time, let’s get moving before they catch up.”
> Chapter 12.1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Returning to Ponyville was a relief to the four ponies, having the entire train ride to sit in silence, quietly taking the time to rest from the harsh discovery. 

Starlight recalled every sight she could, writing it down in every detail she could remember. 

Huts, made from arranged sticks, with thatch and clay filling out the entire structure, and rocks and much larger branches set firmly against them. 

The formation of earth made them difficult to pick out from the rest of the trees and overgrowth, especially in the natural darkness of the Swamp. The huts were made in clusters, every one either the same heighth and width, or various sizes. They could have been melded together to form a more concealed fashion, or to make much larger rooms.

The clay bowls Starlight spotted, guessing they must be for water, or mixing things. 

What seemed more interesting were the much larger Kelpies, like the ones from Zecora’s book, or even the Kelpie Chief. Each of those of that size had white streaks and patterns painted along their long matted fur. As well as those same Kelpies sat stone still, only on the outskirts of the camp. 

And the apparent difference between big and small Kelpies, something Starlight probably wasn’t going to find out soon. But what she could, Fluttershy was the only one who heard what each of the dark creatures said, or growled. 

Starlight looked up from her parchment to the yellow Pegasus, “Hey Flutt.”

She looks up, broken from thought, “Yeah?”

“You okay?” Starlight smiles, attempting to cheer up her friend. 

Fluttershy nods, “I’m fine, it’s just… I could have talked to them, if I had another chance.”
Starlight raises a hoof, “Don’t worry, we’ll be back. If you don’t mind, I need help with something.”

Fluttershy pauses, and sits up straight, smiling. “Sure, what is it?”

The Unicorn readies her quill, “Can you recall everything each of the Kelpies said?”


In the castle library, Starlight then wrote a letter. Explaining the experience the best she could, and requesting any insight from the Princess of Friendship. 

Starlight stops and looks up, just as Apple Jack enters. The Earth Pony walks up, glancing over the letter with approval. 

“Y’all wrote down everything?”

Starlight nods, “Yeah, I just hope she’ll get this soon.”
AJ waves a dismissive hoof, “Worryin’ ‘bout nothin’, remember we’re not in that big a hurry.”

Starlight turns away, looking at the letter. “We should. This is another species we can talk to, we can help them.”
AJ rests a hoof on her shoulder, “An’ we will, just don’t count on things happenin’ at once.”

The Unicorn looks at her, unconvinced, but beginning to coming to. Apple Jack continued, “With everthin’ goin’ on right now, we gotta take thing’s one at a time. Sides, the Tribe is doin’ alright fer the most part.”

Starlight sighed, “I get it,” she floats the rolled paper into the Sending Fire. “But I can try.” 

The paper turned to ash, then magic fumes, swirling into the air when it flickered out of sight. 

Apple Jack watched it go, and smiled to Starlight. “I guess it would be best she read that before she comes in two weeks.”
The Unicorn flinched with realization, “Oh shoot, I forgot!”

Mud eventually came around to tolerate being near Starlight, though still refusing to tell or hear anything about the Tribe. All Starlight had to think about were her own thoughts throughout those two weeks. 



The day Twilight came to the castle had Pinkie too excited to sit still. The pink pony waited outside, running between each of her party canons that lined the front yard. 

Until midday, there was no sign of the princess. But she appeared in the air, wings spread to glide slowly on the breeze. Beside her was the small distinct companion that followed her everywhere. And the two closed in over the castle.

Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were the first outside, waiting for the arrival. The Pegasus swung her wings once and shot into the air, while Pinkie only jumped with joy. 

The streak of colors zoomed past every window around the crystal structure, along t=with the constant yelling of “Twilight’s here!”

Starlight in the library, jolted at the shouting, and ran to the stairs. Rarity, Fluttershy and Apple Jack met her in the main hall. 

Pinkie hooked the trigger string with a hoof, a grin forming. ”Almost there…”

In Mud’s room, the Kelpie opened her eyes and turned sleepily on the pillow, Rainbow’s yelling only being jiberish noise to her. She let her eyes close again, ignoring the racket.

Ranbow landed next to the other ponies, just as Twilight settled on the dirt road, Spike next to her. The Princess’ eyes brightened, “Hello everypony!”

“Now!” Pinkie yanked the string.

Mud’s head jerked off the pillow, back arched and fur bushed out. The loud boom from the party cannons kicked all the sleep out of her, and left her gritting her teeth with ears flat and eyes wide. 

Twilight stood under the falling confetti, and her friends mobbed her with tight hugs. Extending her wings, Twilight pulled everyone closer, feeling their warmth. “It’s so good to see you.”

Rainbow pulled closer with an arm over shoulder, smirking, “Isn’t it always?”
Spike reached out a claw, “Yes, it is, can I breath yet?” He was trapped between Twilight and Fluttershy. 
Rarity pulled him out, holding him up to her cheek. “Spikey Wikey, it’s so good to see you.”

The dragon smiled, lifting his arms to barley reach past the Unicorn’s hooves. 

Twilight folded her wings, settling onto all four hooves to stand. She looked around and past Starlight, “Now, I believe we’re missing somepony –or somekelpie, I should say.”

Pinkie pointed to the inside of the castle, “Yeah, she was sleeping earlier.”
Rainbow gave a huffed laugh, “She’s awake now, and probably really ticked off.”

Spike looked up at the Pegasus as the group walked back inside, “Is that bad?”
Fluttershy nodded, “She had some… Colorful, things to say last time Pinkie set off a party cannon inside while she was sleeping.”

Rainbow flapped her wings with a glare, “And chased me for some reason, as if I would wake a pony when they’re napping.”

In the living room, Twilight unlatched her saddlebag. The sound of metal as she set it on the coffee table drew Starlight’s attention. 

“That doesn’t sound like weekend essentials.” The Unicorn lifted a hoof to push open the bag, but Twilight kept it shut with magic.

Twilight smiled and waved a hoof, “It’s for our new friend.” She looks to the doorway, “If we’ll ever get to meet her.”

Fluttershy entered the room, and close behind Mud stalked in after. The Kelpie’s head was low, hackles raised, and tail twitching with agitation.

Twilight’s eyes widened in amazement, and leaned closer to Mud’s level. The Kelpie stopped, and stared. 

The Alicorn’s curiosity was different than the first time Mud met the ponies. A feeling of caution came over Kelpie as Twilight closed in, her large purple eyes sparkling. She circled the Kelpie, stopping with their muzzles only an inch apart. 

Twilight extended a wing behind her, flicking it at the bag she set down. “Bring me the necklace!”
Starlight tilted her head questioningly, but lit her horn, aiming it at the bag. 

What floated out of it was a necklace made from small gold plates, and three gems embedded to it. 
In order of a small red gem, a larger green one, and a small blue.

Twilight took it, and unhooking the clip to ready the jewelry, held it in front of the Kelpie.
Mud stared at it, opening her mouth to ask what this pony was doing, but Twilight was quicker.

She looped the plates around Mud’s neck and set the latch, so the heavy front hung over the Kelpie’s chest.

With another light of her horn, Twilight turned the green gem in the middle. The ring it was welded to turned clockwise, and a small shine sparked deep inside it. 

Everyone stood still, waiting.
> Chapter 12.2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was silent for a moment, nobody even moved. 

Starlight spoke first, “What’s happening?”

Twilight stepped back, “Nothing we can see, but it might take a while. All she needs to do is keep the necklace on, and keep talking.”

The weight around her neck made Mud freeze in place. Her nerves were uncomfortable with the foreign object. She wanted to take it off, but waited until Fluttershy would say something to find out what the two purple ones were saying.



Fluttershy looked at Mud, gesturing a hoof at the necklace. “Don’t take that off.”

Mud let a glare form, and she started her way to the couch. Her front legs bent from the irritation, making her walk off balanced. 

Starlight caught some of Mud’s mumblings, sounding exactly when the Kelpie would cuss judging by Fluttershy’s reactions every time. The Unicorn rolled her eyes, excepting the short attitude. 

Twilight fell back on the other couch with a sigh of relief, her wings falling down beside her. “I should have taken the train.”

Rainbow flies up and lands on the arm of the couch, gripping it with her hooves to lean over the princess. “So, whatchu wanna do now?”

A levitation spell suspended the Pegasus in the air. Twilight leaned forward, grinning at her. “I’ll let you know, but sometime I want to run a few tests with… Mud, was it?”

Starlight was about to respond, but Mud did first. The dark mare lifted her head, angling her ears to Twilight, eyes wide. She growled in surprise, tail flicking about. 

Fluttershy looked over, “What?”

Everyone turned, looking curious. Mud sat up and pointed at the Alicorn, meowing loudly. But it was pronounced with long “a” sounds, like crude vowels. 

Twilight looked on confidently, “Yes, it’s working.”
Mud looked at her, growling worriedly as she understood most of what the pony said. The Alicorn waved a hoof dismissively at her, “Don’t worry, nothing bad is happening.”

Starlight blinks at Mud, and turns to Twilight. “What is that thing?”

“It’s a special little spell I put together, I’ll tell you about it later.”


***



After lunch, which was mostly sandwiches, Starlight, Mud, and Twilight gathered in the Library. Twilight laid out on the desk only a few scrolls and a book, directing a hoof at each as she informed Starlight. 

“I have only ever read about Kelpies once, when Rock Hoof came back from Pone Henge, I read up on the Mighty Helm. Turns out they encountered Kelpies a long time ago, but the translation made it out into a different word.” 

Starlight glanced over at Mud, who was still eating a sandwich. “What did the Mighty Helm find out?”

Twilight levitated the book open, turning to a certain page. “It says here they can shape shift.”
The Unicorn looked at the book, “Like a Changeling?”
Mud stopped before taking another bite, and looked at the ponies. She growled with what sounded like “Wut-z shinj-ing?” But it was faint in the mixture of growling and clicking. 



Starlight shook her head, “Nothing you are, at least, I think?”
Twilight stepped up to Mud, “Can you turn into anything?”

Mud stared, taken off guard. She thought a moment before growling “No” and held her sandwich again to eat. That was the only word she could form completely while wearing the translator. 

Twilight raised a hoof, “What can you do?”
Mud straightened her posture, raising a hoof proudly to her chest. Speaking with her mouth full, making it harder to understand her growls. “I can swim, hunt, and fight better than anyone.” 

Starlight heard the broken sounds, and rolled her eyes. But twilight was more fascinated, nodding and waving a hoof for Mud to continue. “Aaand, anything else? Like… Can you breathe fire, or breathe underwater?”

Mud hesitated, “I… can see in the dark.”
The Alicorn whipped around, quickly writing the new info on one of the scrolls.

Mud hunched over in boredom, letting out a snort as she looked around. Twilight circled her and wrote on a parchment with her quill. 

Starlight flipped through the book and skimmed over the words. She looked up as the Alicorn lifted out Mud’s arm, squinting closely while the Kelpie stared with caution. 

“Wow.” Twilight’s interest made its way up and down Mud’s arm and to her shoulder, along with tough prodding from the Princess’ hoof. 
“Her structure is very interesting.” She moved to the other side, lifting Mud’s other arm.

The Kelpie pulled away, “My structure?”
Twilight nodded, “Yes, it’s common in some species. But I predict you’ll be growing a considerable amount.”

Starlight then remembered, she hadn’t given the report letter to Twilight yet. 

“Yeah?” Mud huffed, “No scat, I’m LonerBlood.”
Starlight flinched and looked up, that was a favorite swear the Kelpie used often.

Twilight only tipped her head, “LonerBlood, what’s that?”
Mud rolled her eyes, lowering to tuck her hooves under her chest. 
“Ponies…” She muttered as she rested her head against her arm, curling her tail over the rest of her body. 

Starlight gestured a hoof, “Mud, can you stay awake for a minute longer?”

“No.”

Both the Ponies stepped aside, talking quietly so not to disturb the Kelpie.
Twilight grinned amusedly, “Well she’s cheery.”
Starlight nodded with a sigh, “Sorry, Mud’s just like that.”

“Have you tried talking with her?” Twilight sat down, Starlight did the same.

“We tried, but whenever we ask about her, or whenever we bring up her past, like the Tribe, she just locks up.”

Twilight smiled assuredly, “Then don’t, just be there for her.”
The Unicorn looks up at her with a surprised look. 

“A few years ago, I was just like her.” Twilight shuffles to sit beside Starlight, resting a hoof on her shoulder. “And so were you.”

Starlight looks over at Mud, who was fast asleep now, her deep sounding breathing almost heard. The Unicorn thought for a moment, turning her gaze at her hooves. 

Then she smiled faintly, “She’s alright, I guess she’ll come around eventually.”
Twilight winked, “Eeevantually.”