Wraithborn

(A/N: I have written this chapter with my eyes closed. I'm not kidding i'm writing this with my eyes closed, it helps visualize what i'm trying to portray.)

Applebloom's eyes shot open as Mr. Whooves fully changed. it was like...It was like he became a ghost. His eyes were twin pieces of faintly glowing light, wispy and insubstantial. His fur and coat bristled and seemed to disperse under her gaze, again like staring at mist. If one observed him out of the corner of their eyes he would have looked normal, but as she stared at him straight on, she saw that he was indeed not normal. The whole class seemed to hold it's breath, a faint breeze seemed to stir even though the windows were closed.

Cheerliee screamed, Mr. Whooves chuckled slightly, easing a bit of the tension that had gathered due to his sudden revelation. "A faey! I can't belive it!" Screamed Ms. Cheerliee in glee, confusing both the class and it's guest of honor.

"Why yes, how did you know that?" He asked snapping back into his substantial form, his eyes returning to their light cobalt blue.

"Well ugh...I...I studied them! In College! Majored in Mythology." She stuttered trying to hide a nervous blush. Mr. Whooves just chuckled at this.

"Cheerilee you and I both know you're a horrible liar." He said playfully jabbing the schoolteacher on the shoulder with a hoof. She just flattened her ears, her blush visibly growing to a nice cheery red.

"Well if the class is interested I could tell them about Faeys." He said, obviously luring the teacher. Cheerliee took the bait hook line and sinker, letting out a little squee.

Applebloom and Scootaloo both groaned, looks like they were going to be in school for a long time listening to some old stallion's story about his life.

That's what they thought anyway. Until Mr. Whooves began, clearing his throat and laying down on the floor. "Well let's see, I've been all over Equestria, and the land before it. You know, before Equestria was relocated because of the Windigo Spirits? It's been a hell of a ride for me along the way." He said, stopping for a moment to laugh at the outraged expression on Cheerliee's face as he openly cursed. Despite her reservations, Applebloom found herself smiling, maybe this was going to be interesting after all.

After the conglomerate of foals settled down, Whooves took a deep breath as he started.

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The broken forest canopy hung overhead as he silently crept through the undergrowth. Plant mass gave way under hoof as he silently treaded through the brush. His eyes were dead set on the prey, an Elk, alone in  the high woodlands he called hunting ground. The young teenager crouched as he readied a bow and notched an arrow. The wind swayed to the east, masking his scent to the unwary animal. The young one readied himself, exhaling softly into the cold as he stopped all movement. Instantly he felt the nipping chill on his spine, slowly it gripped his whole body. Hairs stood at attention as they were suddenly subjected to the now biting cold as it wrestled away all heat from the young boy. He himself didn't notice his bodies immediate discomfort as he entered tunnel vision. Time slowed down as he honed in on his target with a single stone tipped arrow. Pulling the string back he used a hoof to line up the arrow similar to how a pool player would line up a shot. Time stopped, all he heard was his breathing as he let go of the now tensed string, sending the deadly projectile on it's way. He watched in anxiety for a few seconds. It felt like a few millennia as he waited for it to strike. Would it be a glancing blow? Would it cripple the beast? Or better yet would it be a killing low? His azure blue eyes locked onto the male elk as it turned it's head to the projectile, for a moment it seemed to move out of the way, almost succeeding in dodging the deadly needle. But alas it was too late as the arrow struck home, right through the left side of the beast's skull as it lodged itself in it's brain. And the beast fell with a groan, the hunter let a held breath escape as he made his way over.

Another successful kill. Brush Hunter smiled softly to himself as he trotted over to the fallen beast. "Rest in peace friend, for your life shall not go to waste." He muttered as he used a hoof to force the beast's eyes closed. His clan looked upon the act of last rite he passed upon his kills with scorn. After all, who apologizes for their kill? Especially if it was needed to keep one alive. He didn't see it that way though, he saw each life as a life, not something to be taken, but rather a gift to be given. It saddened him that he had to commit such crimes against nature, but it was the only way to keep the clan alive.

Working quickly he cut away the skin from the meat underneath in nice even strokes. A lifetime spent honing this skill lent him deft hooves as he dissected the dead animal. Taking the fat, fur, skin, and bones, he left the meat for the ones who would actually use it. Smiling and satisfied with his game, he used his hunting knife to scrape away most of the large chunks of meat from the skin.

After a good half an hour of this he swiped away the sweat that had condensed upon his brow as he nodded in approval at his work. The fur was still matted with blood and gore and the skin still had small chunks of meat attached but those could easily be dealt with once he got back to camp. Taking one last look at his work he stored his things as he set off for camp with a smile. The guys would definitely be glad to hear this.

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"Wow! A full Elk? How'd you manage that?" Joked Skin Tanner as he whistled in appreciation, looking over the flayed skin and fur in front of him he grunted and smiled softly to himself. "Good Job Hunter, guess your father was right to give you that name ey?" Chuckled the older stallion softly. Brush just beamed in appreciation at the praise he received.

"Thanks Skin! I thought the buck would notice and get away like last time but this time I made sure my scent was downwind!" He explained, Skin Tanner smiled at the smaller stallion in front of him.

Skin Tanner was one of the Camp's oldest members. Gray now streaked the old stallions mane where once green held domain. His coat was a dark oak brown and his cutie mark was a patch of leather. His smile showed parenthesis and crow's feet lined his eyes, testaments to his age.

"Hey. Don't tell anypony this, but If I have any extra scraps i'll be sure to make you a new jacket, that old one's getting a bit too small for you." He winked as he whispered to the younger one, his left hoof came up in a mock attempt to show he was whispering a secret.

Brush Hunter's eyes shot open as he did so. A mixture of glee and confusion. "You'd really do that for me?" He asked looking up to the older stallion who looked at him in confusion. "Why of course dear boy! Why in the name of the mother spirit wouldn't I? You've always met your quota! And if you ask me, I think you deserve more respect than the other's let on." He said surprised at the humility the lesser stallion displayed, the boy was young for a hunter yes, but he was skilled and quick-witted. Never had the old stallion seen a hunter adapt that quickly when he startled his quarry. That boy carried himself like a true wraith. He hadn't even hear Brush enter into his tent when delivering his daily quota.

"Thanks Skin. That...that really means alot." Said the smaller buck rubbing his spikey light oak mane with a hoof. Skin Tanner gave a fatherly smile.

"Now go on boy! I don't think you've had any time to yourself as of late. Am I right?" Inquired the stallion, letting a small smile show when the boy became thoughtful.

"...Between housework, lessons, and hunting...you're right." The boy finished on a somber note looking at the floor. What he didn't see was a look of sorrow pass over the old stallion's sea green eyes.

"Well today is your lucky day! Go on! Git!" He said lightly nuzzling/shoving the younger and bewildered stallion out of his little shack. After the flaps closed he chuckled to himself. "He's earned it." He said shaking his head as he trotted back to work, these hides weren't going to clean themselves.

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  'Brush Hunter' slowly plodded through the teaming camp as foals ran through the busy stalls, playing. Silently he thanked the mother spirit for giving him some off time. Hunter wasn't a pony to complain but all the work of late...really wore him down.

He shivered and used a hoof to draw his tattered brown cloak tighter around his lithe frame. Once the issued coat had protected him from the perpetual cold of the mountain, but after years of wear and abuse it was nothing more than leather on his frame. It mattered little though, all the folks of the mountain grew somewhat accustomed to the cold, after all, they did call the mountains home.

"Hey Brush! Off day?" Asked a familiar voice off to his left a ways. Brush stopped and used his acute sense of hearing to pick out the sole voice from the throng of noise and when he did, he smiled from ear to ear.

"Alloy! Did the blacksmith give you an off day as well?!?" He shouted incredulously, straining his neck to catch site of his foalhood friend. And when he did, his grin nearly split his jaw.

There, pushing through the teaming crowds was a medium sized draft horse with bulging muscles. Easily the stronger buck parted the crowds as it they were water as he too spotted his friend. Brush in turn slinked through the crowd as if it was brush he was making his way through. Through years of hunting, the lithe earth pony had long since learned to quiet his hoofsteps. The general thud of hooves hitting dirt blocked out whatever little noise his hooves made as he ducked, lunged, side stepped, and twirled through the crowd.

Eventually the two met up half-way, each with jaw splitting smile as they hugged each other. "Oh man you don't know how good it is to see you again!" Said Alloy giving the now smaller Brush a bone-crushing hug.

"I know! Let go! You're killing me!" Wheezed Brush as his vision began to fade. Alloy quickly saw the harm he was doing and promptly let go, dropping the stallion whom he had lifted in his excitement back to the ground.

"Wow brother! All that time in the forge must do you some good huh?" Asked Brush after regaining his breath. Not much of a braggart, Alloy merely smiled.

"Hey! I saw the way you made your way through those ponies! I had to focus just to see your shape brother!" Replied Alloy with just as much gusto.

From there the two began talking about different things, about their different career choices and the challenges they faced on a daily basis. Alloy complained about blazing hot and humid air courtesy of the constant flame of the forge and the mist of the cooling water used to cool down infernally hot metals. He talked about the laborious task of swinging a hammer that weighed as much as mammoth bones day in and day out.

Brush Hunter talked about the dangers of bears, mountain lions, and foxes who constantly stalked him as he stalked his prey. He talked about the biting cold and frozen earth. He complained about missed opportunities and game that barely escaped. He talked about the long hours he had to wait as he stalked his prey. He talked about cunning it took to measure how far the arrows would go and if the wind was right to even approach prey due to the prior warning it gave via scent.

As the two friends reconnected and made up for lost time, they found themselves drifting to a foalhood playground. A sort of sanctuary which nopony knew about.

It was a grove of black trees buried deep within the forest.

"Hey I remember this place." Said Alloy looking up to the canopy which due to it's pigmentation, blocked out almost all sunlight.

In his reverie, he didn't notice his friend suddenly dematerialize and drift away as a horse shaped brown cloud of mist.

"Remember how we used to play together Brush?" The buck suddenly noticed his friends disappearance and felt a niggling sense of panic at the back of his mind.

"Brush?" He called again, only to be met with nothing. This part of the forest was quiet, even more so for a forest. One could clearly hear one's breathing if one concentrated.

"This isn't funny Brush!" He called out again, by now panic had fully blossomed as the stallion tried his hardest to creep through the gray undergrowth, ears and tail flattened. Unbeknownst to him, his foalhood friend was watching from inside

a tree, snickering.

"OOOoooo! Allloooooy! I amm the mooootttheer spiiiiriiit!" He said in a mock ghost voice. Alloy let out a yelp as he turned around and smacked what he thought was nothing. Instead it was the head of Brush who was now flying through the air courtesy of the blow.

All the fear from the unnatural silence left Alloy as his eyes grew wide. "Brush! Brush! Brother i'm sorry!" He said rushing over to the still body of his best friend, fearing the worst.

"Aww quit crying you big baby, A bear cub hits harder." Joked Brush, eyes still closed as he let the smile spread across his face. Suddenly he shot forward until he was face to face with his best friend. "RAAAAH!" He shouted in a scare tactic attempt. It succeeded somewhat. Alloy was so startled that he punched Brush right in the face, hard.

"Owww....okay. I take it back, you hit harder." Moaned Brush now gently rolling around in the grass holding his face. Despite himself, Alloy hat to chuckle.

"Your fault for scaring me. You know how i've always been." He said, barely keeping the chuckle out of his voice.

"Daaaah! I thought that quick reaction might have gone away." Moaned Brush still holding his nose with a hoof. Though this time he had gotten back up and was now glaring at Alloy who in turn gave a nervous chuckle.

The two stared off for a few terse minutes before they erupted in laughter.

"Aww man you got me good." Said Brush collapsing on the forest floor with laughter. Alloy soon followed him, holding his gut.

The two continued for a good while before they stopped and looked up into the sunlight through the cracks in the black canopy overhead.

"It's nice to see you again though." Said Alloy. "I see you've managed to hone your powers." Said Alloy remarking in the sudden disappearance of his friend.

"Yeah. I usually practice when I'm out in the woods." He replied not taking his eyes off the canopy.

Alloy turned his head to look at his friend after that last remark. "How can you...you know. Kill other beings? I mean I know you do it to get the essential parts. And don't get me wrong, the whole camp is grateful for you hunters and your hauls. But how can...you know...take the shot?" Asked Alloy sidestepping the words that he viewed as 'disgusting'.

".......It's easier after the first couple times." He replied not taking his gaze off the canopy. "I admit, it's hard. But that's why I don't go charging in like other hunters. They befriend those they're about to kill. I...I just do it. Get it over with. It's easier that way. Then...there's no one else to judge you." Replied Brush Hunter silently.

Alloy knew what his friend was trying to get at even through the jumbled words. The two sat in a comfortable silence for a while. And before they knew it, both had dropped off to sleep.

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"And I usually would hang out with Alloy from time to time. That is when i'm not hunting." Said Mr. Whooves. The class had become silent, enraptured by the older stallion's tales of boyhood.

"Where did ya live then?" Asked Applebloom, even though the tale had been nice, he hadn't been to particular on those details.

He seemed to wince at the question. "Well....I lived on Freedom Mountain, just past Everfree Forest." He said, his voice seemed to carry a solemn note.

Applebloom scrunched up her nose at this. "Ah've never heard of Freedom Mountain. And waddya mean it's past EverFree forest? I've seen it and I don't think there's a mountain past there!" She said.

He seemed to sadden at this, his ears deflated as he sighed deeply.

"I know." He replied simply.

Suddenly the spell was broken as the bell rang, signaling the end of the schoolday.

"Alright kids! Say Goodbye to Mr. Whooves!" Chirped Ms. Cheerliee. The class let out a collective "aww" of disappointment. Both Ms. Cheerliee and Mr.Whooves seemed taken aback by this as they stared at the saddened foals.

"I could come again tomorrow if that's okay." He said turning to Ms. Cheerliee who visibly brightened at this.

"I'd be honored if you came again." She said simply.  The class let out a collective 'YAY!' As he announced this.

"Hahaha! Alright! See you kids!" He said leaving ahead of the mob children swarming the hallway.

(A/N: :3)