The Vampony Chronicles

The Vampony Chronicles
Chapter 4: The Haunting Howl of Living Timber

By: SteampunkBrony
Edited By: DoomManta

((A/N: minor gore))

I woke first, about twenty minutes later if the stove was anything to judge by. I smiled a little as I got up, my legs still a little weak from my earlier activities. I trotted over to the stove and added another few logs, latching the cast iron grate shut to keep anything too hot to be healthy from rolling out.

"Mmm..." Applejack muttered something in her sleep, I couldn't quite make it out it was so muffled by the pillow she had laid her head on. I smiled at the adorable scene that was the usually rough-and-tumble farm pony sleeping peacefully with her mane and tail loose. I pulled a blanket over her after casting a spell or two to clean her fur of sweat, blood, and anything else that may have given away the night's activities. I decided against doing the same for myself, electing instead to take a swim in the crystal clear pond outside.

I stepped out of the hut into the crisp night air, a small shiver running down my side from the sudden temperature change. The woods fell silent around me, the usual light rustle of night time critters stopping as I glanced around, picking out each subtle hint of life that I could. I could hear as an owl turned its head to face me, locking me with an unblinking stare that I met, and we stood locked in the wordless staring contest for a few moments until the owl blinked, hooted, and flew off. I chuckled at the bird's antics before placing a hoof in the water of the pond.

The water was a comfortable temperature, well cold, but comfortable. I waded in further, allowing my body to get used to the temperature. I could feel my muscles involuntarily clench for a split second as I moved deeper into the pond. I was soon deep enough that only my head and neck sat out of the water, my tail and mane floating in the water behind me. I braced myself and dunked my head beneath the surface.

The sudden cold on my face was refreshing, destroying any traces of sleepiness that were left. I lifted my head out of the water, tossing my mane back to rid it of the water. An arch of droplets glistened in the moonlight above me as the strands of my mane cut a path through the air before landing behind my head. I proceeded to use my magic to wash the small amount of dried blood off of my lips, and then made sure to rid myself of the rest of the hints of the night's activities.

I frolicked in the pond for a few more minutes before stepping out, using a weak heat spell to dry my fur. Steam wafted from my coat as I stood in the moonlight, gazing up at the stars. Like diamonds glinting on black velvet, they twinkled back down at me, causing me to smile. Luna's watching over me, me and everypony else. Celestia does so politically, however I have a feeling Luna handles things more... metaphysically. My musing were interrupted by a strange sound that reached my ears.

It sounded like a wolf's howl, one clear note that rose in pitch with its sudden start then slowly dropped off to allow the night to calmly resume its peace, however there were the undertones of a tree creaking in the wind. The sound was captivating and chilling at the same time because I knew of only one creature that made such a howl.

Timberwolves.

Normally they only showed up during zap apple season. Normally they traveled in packs.

This wasn't normal. No other howls answered the first, and it was fall, far past normal season for the timberwolves.

It's him... it has to be. The one that chased me. I thought as I looked in the direction the howl came from. I had no way of knowing for sure, however my gut told me that it was searching for me, and that it wasn't going to give up. That would take it right through the Acres. Oh no... My blood ran cold at the thought.

Applebloom was having a sleepover in the barn.

I had walked right past the barn, and now a rogue timberwolf was following my scent trail. I rushed into the hut, waking Applejack from her slumber. "AJ, there's a timberwolf nearby, it sounded like it was near the Acres!"

"The girls!" She replied, suddenly alert as I teleported to the Acres. I made a beeline for the barn, as I could hear the timberwolf's howls getting closer.

"Applebloom!" I called as I kicked open the door to the barn.

"Huh?" Applebloom said groggily as she woke up at my sudden intrusion. "What's goin’ on Twilight?"

"Get your friends, there's a timberwolf nearby, it sounds like it's getting closer." The filly’s eyes went wide after she heard this.

"T-t-timberwolf!" she stuttered before shaking her friends awake. I could hear Applejack's hooves on the path behind the house and barn.

"Hurry." I said, stepping outside as Applejack arrived. "I woke them up, they'll be out in a second."

"Twi! Teeth!" Applejack said urgently in a hushed voice.

"What are you... right!" I said, hoping Applebloom hadn't seen anything as I re-cast the illusion spell. "Thanks."

"No problem. I'll go wake Mac 'n Granny." She said as the girls stepped out of the barn. "You three int'a the cellar, Twi', I hate ta ask this of ya but can you keep watch?" Applejack asked.

"Of course. If you see a bright light out here, that means I'm holding it off." I said, nodding to Applejack. "Now hurry!"

Applejack nodded as the three fillies filed into the house's cellar. Now that I was alone I glanced up at the moon.

"Luna, if you can hear me lend me strength if that thing gets here before they make it to the cellar." I whispered my quiet prayer to the moon.

Suddenly the moon pulsed slightly brighter and I felt an electric sensation pass through me. While We may not be able to lend thou strength from this distance, The lunar princes' voice echoed in my head, We can however tell you this: Trust thine instincts, the Blessing gave thee the instincts of a predator, use them. Prepare thyself Twilight, the timberwolf draws near.

"Thank you, Princess." I said softly, as I heard a faint panting from the orchard. I prepared myself, taking a confident stance and facing the direction of the beast's approach. I let loose a flash of magic, just as Applejack stepped out the door. "It's here, get inside!" I yelled to them, my horn glowing with energy as I shut the heavy cellar doors with my magic.

I lifted a few nails and a mallet out of a bucket by the barn as Applejack took a glance back before slamming the door, and I could hear the sound of a bar sliding into place behind the door. I could also hear Big Macintosh's protests against leaving me outside, however Applejack reassured him that I could just teleport inside if I needed to. I looked back to the orchard, hearing the timberwolf growl as it reached the edge of the trees. I readied the heavy iron mallet and nails, aiming them for my foe as I released the illusion spell to save energy.

It stepped out into the moonlight, its amber eyes looking straight at me as I locked its gaze with mine. Neither of us moved as it stood there, each sizing up the other without breaking eye contact.

They say it is a bad idea to look a wild animal in the eye, as they see it as a challenge, now I knew why. Between us rose a tension as neither was willing to lose the staring contest, something instinctual telling me that if I did, it meant that I was somehow inferior or weaker than the timberwolf. I couldn't explain why I felt this, I normally would have just fired off as many spells as I could as fast as I could, in order to finish the fight quickly.

This time however, I felt confident, calm, and most importantly, powerful.

I can't say why, but I felt that I was the superior predator, the alpha. I felt that the timberwolf was challenging that, challenging the fact that this was my territory, my home.

I think it knew that I felt that way, that it was trespassing on my territory. I think it could tell that I was not going to run like last time.

I think it could sense that if it didn't leave, I was going to kill it.

The seconds we stood there felt like minutes, neither of us moving. I could hear one of the fillies crying, and someone loading a crossbow within the house. The crickets had stopped chirping, everything was silent. It was the calm before the storm.

Then, the storm hit.

With a growling bark the timberwolf charged, breaking eye contact as it rushed towards me. I gave a yell of my own, a primal war cry as I charged as well, the nails and mallet shooting forward, only one hitting as the two inch iron point shot through the timberwolf's ear. It didn't flinch as it kept charging, the distance between us disappearing in seconds.

At the last second, I slid low and thrust my hooves into the wooden chest of the timberwolf, leaving two deep hoof shaped gouges as the beast was launched into the air, back into the trees of the orchard. I followed it in, only one goal in mind: to force it into submission, or kill it if that failed.

I could hear it recovering from its flight up ahead, and took a leap, spinning in the air to lead with my rear hooves. I broadsided it with a satisfying thwack as it was sent flying into the trunk of an apple tree hard enough to leave a shallow depression in the bark. As it stood up I could see a few of the branches that had adorned its back had snapped off from the impact. It snarled and charged at me again, its head low to prevent me from pulling the same trick twice.

I dodged left and gave a kick with my rear hooves, but the beast was past me. I fell onto my stomach as it whipped around and pounced, its jaws wide. I rolled out of the way as it landed, using my momentum to get back on my hooves. It jumped at me again, making a swipe with one of its paws. I jumped up into the air, twisting so that I was leading with my front legs, pointing straight at the timberwolf's neck.

It started to get up as it realized it had missed again just before I landed, shoving its muzzle down into the earth of the orchard. I planted my rear hooves on its shoulders and reached around its neck, running on instinct as I wrapped my legs around its neck. It growled as it reared up trying to shake me off as I swung myself around, my head darting forward, aiming for its throat.

I bit down, the soft bark of its throat giving way to my teeth, flooding my mouth with its tangy blood. I twisted, letting go of its neck with my forelegs and dropped to the ground, taking a sizeable chunk of its throat with me. I landed on my hooves, my back to the beast as it made a sickening gurgle before collapsing to the ground, its yellow, bitter blood shining in the moonlight as it dripped down my face, and I spat out the chunk of its throat I had in my teeth. I turned back to it, looking it in the eyes as I stood tall. I could see the fear in its eyes, and its panic as it lay there bleeding out.

I took a step forward, raising my hoof before bringing it down on the back of the beast's neck with a sickening crack. It let out its final breath as the life faded from its broken body.

Thou fought well. Luna's voice echoed through my mind once more. Thou would make a fine warrior if the need for one ever arises. Clean thyself of thy foe's blood Twilight, and use thy magic to burn the body. The scene thou hast left, as well as thy appearance, would raise many questions.

"Y... yes princess." I whispered, lighting my horn as I conjured a flame, the timberwolf's body igniting quickly from the purple arcane flames. Soon it was consumed by the blaze and I tossed the chunk of its throat into the fire. I cast the cleaning spell once more and the timberwolf's blood vanished from my coat.

After a few minutes, I heard two sets of hooves approaching the scene as I watched the fire, the fact that I had just killed a living creature starting to weigh down on me.

"Twi'? You all right?" I heard Applejack say as she stepped into the clearing, eyes wide at the sight of the burning timberwolf. I could see Big Macintosh following her. He stopped at the sight of my fangs.

"Applejack..." He said.

"Ah'll explain later Mac." Applejack replied, her voice stern.

"But-" He was cut off by Applejack

"Mac, Twi' just saved our flanks, we owe her. We would have never made the cellar in time and those doors would have been wide open. 'Bloom and her friends would be dead, and us too probably, so for now, keep this a secret until you've heard the whole story, then decide. Ah trust her, you would too if ya'll knew the story behind it." She said as she walked up to me.

"I... I killed it..." I said quietly. I had been frozen, sitting in that same spot since I had lit it on fire.

"Twi'? You all right sugarcube?" She said as she stopped next to me.

"I killed it..." I muttered again, a tear falling down my cheek.

Applejack said nothing. I could see Big Mac relax slightly, and his expression of fear turned to one of concern, as Applejack pulled out a blanket and laid it over my shoulders. "C'mon now sugarcube, let's get ya back to the farm house. Mac, can you mind the blaze?"

"Eeeyup." he said as he set down the crossbow that was slung across his back. "Get her inside, and give her some of Gran's hot cider, should help," the crimson stallion said. "Ah'm sorry for makin’ assumptions there." He said, nodding to me before turning back to the burning corpse, now looking more like a large burning log than a body.

I stood at another prompt from Applejack and followed her back to the house in a daze, only hiding my fangs with more prompting from the orange mare. She led me into the kitchen and took a kettle off of the stove, pouring a mug of the warm cider within. She passed it to me and I took it in my hooves.

"Ah'm gonna go get 'Bloom an' the girls. Ah'll be right back Sugarcube." She said.

I nodded in response, still in shock. I took a sip of the warm, amber liquid in the mug, enjoying the soothing feeling as it traveled to my stomach. I could hear the cellar door open and the sound of Applebloom running to her sister. I could hear them being led upstairs to Applebloom's room, and the sound of the door closing behind them as they were put to bed by Applejack as Granny Smith walked in.

"Ya'll all right Miss Sparkle?" The apple family matriarch asked as she stepped in.

"I... don't know..." I said staring down into the mug of cider.

"That was a mighty brave thing you did, moon's blessing or none. Ah' thank ya for protectin' me an' my family." She said as she sat beside me. Wait did she just say moon's blessing?

"Did you just say moon's blessing?" I asked, as I turned to her.

"That ah did. Don't worry about me tellin' anypony, ah know that it ain't like the legends. My great grandaddy was one of the blessed, he was still alive when ah was growin' up. The blessin extends your lifespan ya' see. He explained to me what it was and why he chose it. Ah take it that my Applejack was helping you with that earlier?" She said with a kind smile.

"Y-yeah." I said, looking back down into the mug and taking another sip.

"Ya'll can let the illusion down now, 'Bloom's asleep and so are her friends. Mah hearin' ain't what it used ta be, but ah can still tell that." She said with a smile.

I let the spell fade as I heard Big Macintosh walk in.

"Mac, come to the kitchen, you too AJ." Granny Smith called out to the two siblings.

Big mac stepped in first, blinking at the fact that Granny Smith was sitting there calmly before taking a seat beside her. Applejack arrived soon after.

"Sorry, 'Bloom asked me ta stay with her till she fell asleep." She said apologetically.

"That's all right dear." Granny smith said as Applejack sat down beside me as I took another sip of cider. "Now Ah expect you two to keep Miss Sparkle here's unique condition ta yerselves. Ah trust you already know this, but Ah'm just makin’ sure. Some ponies don't take too kindly to this kind of thing."

"Ah know Gran'." Applejack said. "Ah already promised Twi' Ah wouldn't say nothin'."

"Ah figured as such dear. Mac?" Granny Smith said, looking in the stallion's direction.

"Eeeyup."

"Good, now, you two go get some rest. Ah'll be talking with ya in the morning, however don't go telling 'Bloom 'bout what actually happened tonight. Twilight spooked it off is all, that's the official story and the truth as far as others are concerned." She said sternly.

The two siblings nodded before heading to bed, leaving me with Granny Smith.

"Now Ah take it the fact that ya'll took a life today is eatin’ at ya'." She said as she refilled my mug.

"Yeah..." I replied, looking down into the mug again.

"Well, don't let it." She said warmly as she sat down again. "Sometimes you have to do the wrong thing for the right reason. Let me tell ya a story...

When Mac was born, it was right at the start of harvest, an' the farm was still getting started. This house was just a small shack then an' wasn't much more than shelter from the weather. We were the farthest from town back then.

Anyhow, my husband, Adam, had just come back with a portion of the harvest one evening when he heard a growlin' in the woods near the farmhouse. He decided to take a look see and spotted a bear prowling around back there. He knew he couldn't let it stay around near the farmhouse, what with Mac still being a newborn and all, so he tried a few things to run it off. Loud noises, traps, but nothing was working, and one evening the bear wandered its way to the barn where Adam was workin. It roared at him, but he didn't flinch as it charged him, he just picked up the heavy axe he used for chopping wood and swung at the thing. Now, Adam was no small stallion, he was almost twice 'Mac's size, and that axe was so big that only he could handle it. He landed it square in the side of that grizzly’s noggin, ah don't think ah'll ever forget that sound. He pulled out the axe and dragged the bear back into the woods.

Ah asked him later about why he didn't try scaring the bear off and he told me, 'Maria, it was him or me. Ah could see in his eyes that he wasn't about to leave, and that he was set on finishin' me off. Ah wasn't about to leave ya'll behind by tryin’ to be peaceful with an enraged animal." She said smiling sadly.

"We didn't bring up the topic after that." She said. "Now, do ya'll think that timberwolf would have let us be?"

"No..." I replied, thinking about what she had just said.

"An' you were protectin' yourself, your friend, an' yer family?"

"Yeah." I said, my mood improving a little.

"Then ya'll did nothing wrong Miss Sparkle. Now, head on home. Ah think ya'll sleep better in your own bed than in a strange one. Tell your dragon friend ah said hi." She said as I finished off my cider.

"Thank you." I said as I stepped out the door.

"Don't mention it. It's the least Ah can do after ya'll saved me an’ mine." She said with a nod as she closed the door.

I trotted off in the direction of Ponyville in decidedly higher spirits as the sky started to change color on the horizon.

Spike is not going to believe me when I tell him this... I thought as I glanced back at the orchard, a thin wisp of smoke still rising above the trees.