The Wolf and the Unicorn

Hope is the destination that we seek.

Love is the road that leads to hope.

Courage is the motor that drives us.

We travel out of darkness into faith.

--- The book of Counted Sorrows

I clawed at the soft stone as I slid ever deeper.  No purchase was ever made as my fingers slid through it as if it were nothing more then water.  Barely managing to grab a small breath of air as the liquid stone slid over my nose and eyes, pitching me into the darkness.  The seconds felt like hours as the earth swallowed me whole.  Lungs burning, arms pinned in place as there was nowhere to move anymore.  I wonder if this is what it is like to die again...

Time was lost to me by the time I felt my feet breaking through another surface.  The stone sliding up my legs feeling like someone grabbing me in the dark.  I kicked.  I tried to scream but the earth muffled my voice as it tried to flow into my mouth.  Small yellow and purple stars swirling in my vision as everything started to fade.

I awoke on a cold stone floor in pitch black.  Even my magically augmented eye couldn't make sense of where I was in this hellish cavern.  My ears perked in the darkness as I swear I could hear a voice echoing in the darkness.  Maybe it is Twilight or that bitch so I can gut her!

"MINE...  MINE... Mine...  mine... mine..."

What the hell?  Either way, it was a voice and a direction.  At least I thought it was a direction until I ran face first into stone.  Fuck.  Of course I didn't bring a flashlight.  Hmmm...  I dug around blindly in the pack slung over one arm, feeling my way through its contents.  The rough feel of my camo sliding across a hand.  Nope, not what I'm after.  Several cool round metal objects skidding around the bottom of the pack... That's ammo.  Not what I want either.  The rubber grip of the revolver dragging across my skin.  Where the hell are they?!

Thats when I remembered pockets.  A quick rip of velcro and two small tubes fell into my hand, and with a small cracking noise a little light erupted from my palm.  Glow sticks for the win!  Orange and green, not ideal but making lemonade here.  I kept the green clenched in one hand as I tossed the orange in a random direction, hoping the light would spill out into a passage.  By sheer stupid luck, the stick bounced off something furry.

"What the buck?"

"Twilight?!  IS that you?"

"Hex?  How did we end up finding you?  I didn't know you got dragged down with me.  Cadance and I are trying to get out of these caverns."

Bright white light spilled from her horn and washed away the dark, only leaving deep contrast against the dark crystals that surrounded us.

"By the way, this is the real Cadance.  The one you saw in the throne room is an imposter."

I really hope she didn't see me facepalm.  Either Cadance was really evil or she was an imposter.  No duh.

"Well, lets get out of here then!  Oh by the way, Nice to meet you Cadance."  I said to the very dirty and tired looking alicorn behind Twilight, who was staring at me with fear under her sleep deprived eyes.

I fell in behind the girls, hoping Twilight could find us a path out of here.  Sooner than later as I could hear wedding music starting to echo into the chasm holding us.

Thankfully, between the pink and purple ponies, they managed to find a winding way towards a light in the distance.  Even better was that it wasn't too far, just reflected over and over in the dark crystals.  Just a few minutes of walking really.  The evil Cadance must not really be that smart to drop someone into hell just a few feet away from it's gates.  More benefits for me I guess.

As the light loomed, the girls began picking up pace to a full gallop.  Completely forgetting that bipeds can't run that fucking fast.  By the time I was blinded by the light, Twilight and the Princess were racing across the plain outside Canterlot towards its main gate.  Fuck those ponies are a lot faster than me.

*facepalm*

They were faster because they had four legs.  I could have four legs.  Idiot.

I willed the flames to life, urging them to spread and consume.  Gold energy wrapped my body as I could feel it changing.  Fur sprouting where there was none.  The uncomfortable shifting feeling as bones slid and muscle grew.  Only a second to someone from the outside.  A lifetime of agony for me.  Pulse racing in my throat, I caught the girls in my vision and gave chase, my paws hammering against the ground in a steady beat.  Hands digging into the dark freshly tilled earth with every few strides, dragging me on.

Looking back, Cadance squealed and pushed herself harder.  Running just makes Hex chase.  The sweet pungent scent of her fear, the sour tones of their sweat.  The smells of prey.  The sounds of prey fleeing.  Faster.  I had to go faster.  A growl rose in my throat, rumbling out of me in bursts as my paws hit the ground and the distance closed.  The ponies were just getting through the massive wood and iron gate set into the walls.  The guards over looking past them towards the oncoming horror, and the doors began to close.

Soft earth sliding between my toes, parting against my claws.  The click of claws hitting stone, shock jumping up my legs as I neared the closing gate.  Closer... Closer still.  Only one chance at this.  I pushed with both legs and launched myself toward the narrow gap in the doors.  Wood tugging at my fur and scraping my skin as I forced my way into Canterlot.  Then, everything turned pink and all I knew was pain.

"Hex!  What the hell!  You looked like you wanted to eat both of us!"

As the pain faded, I found myself against the unforgiving wood of the town gates.  The strange thoughts fading...

"Sorry Twilight, the only thing that was on my mind was chasing.  You guys just left me so far behind, I had to catch up.  I guess I just got lost in the thrill of the chase.  Don't we have a wedding to stop though?"

Both ponies gasped and tore across the square heading toward the palace.  I guess they forgot.  It took me a minute to achingly get to my feet.  Seriously, that magic fucking hurts.  I think I have splinters in my ass.  No time to think about that though.  With a loping stride, I started up toward the palace, leaving stunned guards in my wake.

As I neared the palace, I could hear yelling.  Yelling that quickly turned to screams.  I guess Twilight started the party without me.  Rounding the final corner, I could see Celestia on the ground, horn smoking, surrounded by ponies who turned and ran.  Ran my direction, flowing around me like a stone in a river.

"HEX!  COME ON!"

Well, at least the girls wanted my attention as they ran past.  No chance to catch my breath I guess.  That thought quickly turned sour as I realized that my chance for life was fading as the purple shield around the city flickered and failed.  Thousands of black pony shaped dots descended on Canterlot.