The hellhound, Five as the humans called him, awoke with a stir, his body aching. As he opened his eyes, he saw a lush forest. Seeing the sunlight, he jumped into the shadows to escape being burned alive. But then he saw that the grass was not burning, instead, it seemed to shine in the light. Taking a slow step out into the light, he winced at the warm feeling in his paw, but relaxed when he didn't feel his flesh burn. 'How is this possible? Am I not on that inferno of a world?
Then he remembered what happened to him before he woke.
His friend, the one the humans called Riddick, was being threatened by a merc and Five attacked and killed him. But he had been wounded before he killed the human called Toombs and was dying from a shot to heart. Before he died, he saw his friend look at him with regret and sadness. Five didn't mind dying, as long as Riddick was safe and free.
He was brought out of his memories by a loud scream. He snapped his head towards where it came from and bolted to find what caused it and if possible, find a meal in the process.
Winona with Fluttershy and the Cutie Mark Crusaders
Fluttershy was enjoying a nice warm nap with the CMC after they had played with some of her animal friends and Winona after Applejack had left her in her care. They were all snuggled up under a tree in a clearing in the Everfree Forest that was away from the dangerous parts of the dreaded place. She awoke to the sound of shuffling bushes and a pair of several yellow eyes in the darkness. The trees over head didn't allow much light, but she knew a manticore when she saw one.
Very slowly, she began waking the Crusaders one by one, but when Sweetie Belle looked towards where the manticore was, she let out the loudest scream a filly her size could let out. This, unsurprisingly, made the beast reveal itself to it's next meal, growling and licking it's chops. Fluttershy and the fillies were too scared to move, but Winona stood and barked bravely in front of them to keep them safe from harm, but she knew she would only delay the inevitable. 'I can only hope they can get to safety before this overgrown cat uses me as a chew toy.'
She saw the maticore moving towards her and prepared to fight, but paused when it stopped suddenly. She noticed it wasn't looking at her or even at the ponies she was protecting, but pass them. Winona turned to where it was looking as froze at what she saw.
A large blue wolf like creature emerged from the darkness and stood over Fluttershy and the fillies like a dark protector. It had scales like a dragon and almost matched the manticore in shear size, but looked more ripped with muscle and had eyes that shined like eternal stars. It stared at the manticore for a few seconds and began to growl like a Timberwolf and changed from blue to red almost instantly, it's scales shivering like a snake's rattler.
It left the ponies and began circling around the manticore. The macticore circled back in response. They did this for a few moments before charging each other in a clash of claws and fangs. The wolf swiped at the maticore's face before it got a bite on the foreleg in return. It swung it's paw and slashed the big cats face deeply, causing it to let go and roar in pain before the wolf tackled it to the ground and started to rip out it's mane where the throat was. The manticore threw the wolf off and swung it's scorpion tail at it only for it to get caught in the wolf's jaws. It pulled and ripped the tail out from the base, causing the cat to bleed badly and cry out in pain and rage.
It charged and leaped into the air to get the jump on the wolf (no pun intended), but at that moment the wolf reached up and clamped it's jaws right on the manticore's bare neck with a vice like grip. The beast thrashed wildly to get it's attacker off before slowly going limp from the blood loss. Finally, after a minute or two, the wolf releases it death grip from the dead manticore and lets out a long and victorious howl.
Winona stared at the large wolf in shock and wonder. She had never seen a canine like this in all her life. And while he is scary, he did save not just the ponies, but her as well since she would have not doubt been killed had she fought. The wolf turned to her and in a deep, gruff voice he asked her. "Are you alright? No one hurt?" She noticed the ponies didn't react to the question, making her realize that they couldn't understand it, or him judging by the voice.
She turned back and replied with a smile. "Yea, thank ya kindly for us and all. Ah don't want to think about what would have happened if'n ya'll didn't show up like that." She saw a glint in his eye like he wasn't expecting a response.
After a moment though he smiled slightly. "Well, I'm glad I came by when I did. I don't like to see cubs in danger. And I can guess that you feel the same seeing as you were just about to throw yourself at this beast and fight it to the death." His smile grew wider as he spoke.
Winona felt a blush when she heard that. She tried to speak, but ended up stuttering. "I-I-I know that w-w-what Ah did w-w-wasn't t-t-the brightest, b-b-but Ah just couldn't let that overgrown varmint hurt my friends!" She managed to regain her composure half way and stared at the dead manticore with disdain
To her surprise though, the wolf just chuckled. "I wasn't insulting you or anything like that. I find it honorable to protect those weaker than yourself, even against an opponent that has a clear advantage over you. You have my respect." He bowed to her while still smiling.
Winona's check burned hotter this time, but for a completely different reason. She was always getting praise from the ponies the lived with and something from the other animals, but never in such a manner. She felt her chest getting warmer the longer she looked into those shining eyes of his. She shook herself before she lost her train of thought. She decided to change the subject quickly. "W-well, um, Ah'm Winona! Nice to meet'cha mister.....?"
The wolf's smile faded quickly. "I....I don't know. I was never given a name. My captors only called me 'Five'." The collie was shocked that he didn't have a name, but her attention became focused on his last sentence.
"Captors?" She was dreading and hoping that it wasn't what she heard, but the hope died when the wolf nodded.
"Yes, myself and many others like me were kept in cages. But that is a story for another time for I do believe that your friends are looking at me fearfully." He nodding towards the ponies who were indeed shaking in fear.
Winona sighed and shook her head as she knew that ponies were by nature skittish. But before she could try to calm them down, Fluttershy gasped and bolted to the wolf with a big smile and was looking everywhere to take in the creature she's never seen before. "Oh my goodness, I've never seen anything like you before. You look like a Timberwolf, but are much bigger and stronger than than they are." She then gasped at seeing the burn scars that adorned his flank and sides, as if something, or somepony, had done it on purpose. "Sweet Celestia!! You poor dear, who could be so cruel to do something like?!" Fluttershy had tears in her eyes, but had a look of pure anger. She looked in the wolf's eyes and in a gentle tone spoke to him. "Now don't you worry anymore sweetie, we'll take you back to home so you can heal and get better." Her voice seemed to make the great wolf relax as he was smiling again.
Winona smile as well before turning to gather the fillies before noticing that Scootaloo had an awestruck look on her face and was staring at the wolf. Winona giggled at this and nudged the filly, knocking her out of her trance, and herded the CMC to follow Fluttershy with the wolf right beside her, making her shift uncomfortably as he was more than twice her size, but it wasn't fear that made her fidgety.
Before she could dwell on her thoughts, Fluttershy began talking to the crusaders. "So what do you all think we should call him, girls?" There was a few names that didn't sound like they would, or even could, fit with the wolf. But one name stuck out.
Scootaloo brought it up. "Well, how about 'Ocean Blaze'?" They all looked at her, surprised at the name. After thinking about it, they all agreed that it was the best name and that it fit the wolf to a T due to his color changing when mad.
And so they all walked off towards Fluttershy's home, unknown to the changes that Ocean Blaze will bring to their lives.
Author's Note
Hey everypony!!! This has been sitting around gathering dust for I don't know how long and was supposed to be my second fic, but we all know what happened there. Anywho, the next chap will be pure third person and not like this chap. I just wanted to bring in the introductions and whatnot. So let me know what you all think!!
Stay brony all!!!
