Chapter 1: Desperation
He lay there panting, his chest rising and falling rapidly. Sweat added a shiny glossiness to his pewter black carapace, and his eyes rolled back in his head as he enjoyed the afterglow of his previous activity. A larger hoof stoked his back. He let out a cute little sigh of contentment.
"Mmmm..." purred the larger female underneath him. Her breathing was even more frantic than his, which was to be expected, she was many years his senior. Too many some said, but what did that matter, "You were wonderful, pet."
Lifting up his head from her chest, he gave her a dopey grin, "was I?" He sounded surprised. She always liked that about him, everything was so new, so fresh.
She met his lips.
That was all the reassurance he needed.
They didn't linger long in her bed. They had work to do, that was what they were supposed to be doing anyways. He hopped off of her and then off the bed. The sound of his hooves thudded against the floor and he almost pranced over to her desk, "Come on, Ehicha. Weren't you going to show me how to cast this spell?"
She watched him nose open and book, the small little motion his head made as his eyes poured over the page, "We could, or we could have sex again."
"First magic then sex. And I'll even let you be on top," he said with a hopeful grin.
"Fine," she sighed defeated before she rolled out of bed and joined him at the table. She gave his flank a playful slap.
He squeaked and then stammered, "ma... ma... magic f-first."
That wide eyed innocent look he gave her was priceless. She zoomed in and stole a quick kiss," magic first."
They set to work. She lifted up the text in a green glow and walked over to the chalk board. Picking up a piece of chalk with a hoof she started to draw a magic circle. Upon finishing the circle she started to flesh out the magical formula floating in her mind and on the writing of the first symbol the chalk broke with an audible, "pop."
She inspected the broken piece, or what could have been called a piece of calk if she was being optimistic, with a hard look.
Ethica's hard look more like a pout in Nsogbu's eyes. He couldn't help but giggle at the elderly changeling mare's expression with her lip stuck out and her puffed out cheeks. Even looking silly she was beautiful, or maybe it was just that she was his first mate.
Flicking an ear toward the sound of scurrying hooves, she followed with a head turn to find him standing there with a fresh piece of chalk between his teeth. Reaching for, it he turned his head. Lifting an eyebrow she said, "I thought you wanted to learn this spell?"
He gave her a devious little grin, the chalk stick looking like an unlit cigarette. She rolled her eyes and kissed him.
It was only a bait to see if she would, he had won and he knew it. In the back of his mind he tried to figure out how she had went from boring teacher to heated lover. How many hours had his he fought sleep trying to pay attention and how many more to get her to open up about anything?
He was picked out of hundreds for his magical ability, but more so for his astute observation of others. The hunters of their race were outraged to lose a changeling with such potential for empathy that they almost went to war with the Priestesses of the Hive. They didn't. Or couldn't. The diviners of the will of the hive were answerable only to their Queen, Chrysalis.
Their tongues battled over the chalk for a short while before Ethicia's skill won out. She held out the chalk, giving him a victorious grin.
He smiled at her and then motioned for her to get on with it.
Talking the chalk from her mouth she immediately knew it was too wet to work with, so she cantered over to her desk to grab another.
Rummaging through the drawer, her ears picked up the squeaking of chalk over by the board. Looking up she saw that he had another stick of chalk and was furiously scribbling on the board. She watched in silence as the colt worked. Had this been a set up or was he just that impatient?
He finished his work and then turned to look at her. He let out a happy sigh. A thin blue membrane covered his clear gold speckled eyes, a defensive mechanism that shielded a changeling's eyes from both minor magical and non-magical damage. Then his horn lit up a vibrant green.
Black hawk like wings sprang from his back, flexing them he knocked over an empty glass that had been sitting on the table. It rolled towards the ledge and fell to the floor only to be caught at the last second by Ethicia's own spell.
Setting the glass back on the table she chided him for his clumsiness and then walked over to admire his wings. She hummed to herself in satisfaction as she ran her hooves of the wide part of the wings elicit a pleasurable little shiver from him.
"You didn't need me to show you how to cast the spell did you? You were just setting up a stage to show out weren't you?"
His eye darted up and to the left and he made a small circle in the floor with his right forehoof before he let out a mischievous, "maybe."
"Show off," she said before she pushed passed him and laid across the bed.
She heard him shift from side to side on his hoofs. She could feel his indecision, could almost taste his unsurity.
Looking at her with glazed over eyes he tired to feel her out. Was she disappointed? Did he do it wrong? Was he just wasting her time, trying to show off what he could do instead of trying to work towards things he couldn't?
She flicked her tail.
He stopped moving. She was so hard to read. Most of changelings could be read with ease. He was good at it, excellent even. She had never been this good at hiding her emotions from him before what changed?
Stretching his mental tendrils he brushed against a deep emptiness at his core. Was this because they were starving? That wasn't right, he wasn't completely on empty. He had some love, the love for his teacher and her for him. But, it wasn't the same as the love they brought in, the love the hunters harvested.
"You're thinking too hard, pet." she said snapping him from his thoughts, "It's giving me a headache."
He gulped. She looked at him with her rose colored eyes, a hungry look in them. A hungry look that poisoned her flirty grin into something predatory.
She could feel his emotions, could hear his thoughts. So, it had to be that he was short on love, the most important energy source for a changeling. Her being a wizardess, and an elder entitled her to more of the reserves than a lowly nymph.
"My little love, don't worry. Soon, our Queen will return with a feast for all of us," she said confidently.
He dispelled the flight spell and turned to look at his wingless back. He had perfected the spell so that he could join his sisters in the air; it was such a bother that males weren't born with wings. He didn't need to cast such a demanding spell anyways with his magic bordering on non-existent, he had wanted too.
He drug his hooves as he walked over to the bed, collapsing beside her. Feeling that same nagging hunger that was ruled his mind before their earlier love making he started to chirp like a little nymph much younger than he was, as if pleading for another taste of love or milk.
Ethica rolled over to face him. She saw the desperation in his eyes. He needed her, and even though it took her a while to admit it, she wanted him.
**EROS**
A twisted tower pointed it bony finger into the open sky, it like Chrysalis's palace was one of only two buildings that had a sky light. The rest of the kingdom existed in shadow, in the caves of the Badlands hidden under the Macintosh Hills. It was the twisted tower that the Priestesses of the Hive dwelled.
"Explain yourself, Obi!" roared Rogziel her frill stiff and her eyes filled with rage as she glared at the quivering mare laying belly down on the floor.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry," repeated the mare like a mantra. She held her eyes downcast unable to bring herself to look up at her elder's face.
Rogziel shook her head and walked around and kicked the younger in the ribs, "explain yourself, cunt!"
Several other elders watched from the shadows, nine in all. One of them, taller than the rest and a mare that had a grotesquely twisted lower jaw strode forward the black of her cassock hiding her hooves made her look like she was floating; her beady black eyes burned with like hot coals against the deep ice blue of her carapace.
"Obi, my little Obi, would you please tell us again what you saw?" she said in a sickly sweet tone. When Obi didn't answer, the mare sucked on her tongue for a moment before she asked again, "Tell us my dear or we will take turns tugging on your wings until we pull them off like wings off a butterfly."
"If I tell you will you promise not to hurt me?" sobbed Obi as she looked up hopefully at Daya.
Daya gave a curt nod.
Obi took a deep breath, "I saw the Princess of Love free or Queens pet. I saw our Queen fall and the rest of us with it."
"Blasphemy," spat another as she stepped forward. Her steps were heavy and slow.
Obi's bottom lip trembled as she looked at Nimisa. She looked like a frog with wings, a bloated belly, and a swayed back. But, she was afraid of her.
"I say we cut out her tongue and rip off her wings and leave her for the Stonewolves to devour," Rogziel said in delight, "I'm sure they wouldn't mind their meal well cooked after a day in the Badland sun."
"No, no please no," sobbed Obi.
"After we peel off her carapace exposing all that gooey softness underneath," added Nimisa shaking with excitement.
The five of the other six murmured and whispered about what she said and what her fate would be. Rogziel and Nimisa reiterated the need to punish her in the worst ways imaginable. Daya just stood there looking down on her with mild interest.
"She is in my domain," said the smallest of the council of nine.
Rogziel turned to the smaller mare and hissed.
"She is a blasphemer! An enemy of the faith! It matters not that she is an oracle like yourself. And it matter not that you were once Queen, Dhulhalasa!" Nimisa pressed her weight down on the mare, her spittle raining down on her.
"Stand down, Nimisa!" shouted Euridice, a mare not much bigger than Dhulhalasa. Her horn sparked to life, the light caused her face to disappear underneath her cold steel helm. It didn't shade her teeth; they stood out like white ivory, sharp, deadly and ready.
"There is no need, Euri." Dhulhalasa gave Nimisa a soft smile, "I'm sure she doesn't mean it."
Nimisa leaned closer to Dhulhalasa, putting her full weight on the dainty mare, "I do, you dry wombed hag."
Dhulhalasa's smile soured and she dropped to the floor. Without support, Nimisa stumbled and as she tried to find her feet she saw that Dhulhalasa had already found hers. The fat pig let out a breathless scream as the former queen ran her though.
The others did nothing. They said nothing as Nimisa fell to the floor. The watched as Dhulhalasa tried to pull free her horn, Nimisa's fat corpse tried to hold fast, but with a wet sucking sound like a mouth pulling off a cock, her horn was free.
Rogzeil glared into Dhulhalasa's eyes. She saw nothing. The blue membrane slid back revealing two milky white balls, blind from too many years in the Badlands sun.
After a few moments of tense silence Euridice spoke up, "I could have done it quicker."
The room was filled with mirthful laughter. Even Rogzeil in her anger managed to laugh at the Euridice's boasting. The laughter died down as they returned to the issue.
Dhulhalasa's sighed and then helped Obi to her feet. The mare was still shaking like a leaf. With the mare on her feet Dhulhalasa walked toward the exit, her many chains, each a symbol of her accomplishments, clinked with each step.
Obi looked at her and then back out the council and then down to Nimisa soaking in her own blood. These were changelings. She was a changeling. No, they weren't changeling; they were Priestesses of the Hive. They were the Will, every malice filled ounce of it.
"Are you coming?" asked Dhulhalasa from the door way.
"Yes, my lady," answered Obi. She quickly bowed to the rest and then followed her Mistress.
She walked down the stair, quietly, almost remorsefully. Dhulhalasa took her time; time was really the only thing she had left. She flicked an ear back ever so often to be sure that Obi was indeed following her. The young mare had a grace about her that she admired. But, she was also without metal. Time would give her that or take her life.
Dhulhalasa's took a right, exiting the spiral stair and headed along a candle lit hall that arced around the center of the tower. Rooms bordered the opposite wall. They were the sleeping quarters of the least of the Priestesses, mares that could yet claim even that, yet. They were still above all the others. The least of them was more precious than any hunter or wizard. An certianly above the rabble that fate had called worker.
They came to Obi's quarters to find her handmaiden, Niobe, a hulking mare with ears that folded down like a beagles.
Niobe bowed deeply and waited.
"You have satisfied our egos enough, maiden," said Dhulhalasa sounding irritated.
The hulk rose to her feet and the turned to open the door, "I've prepared a hot bath for you my lady."
Obi started to the door when a strong hoof pulled her back. She found her herself muzzle to muzzle with Dhulhalasa, "In the future, come to me with your dreams or your worries, even if you have to interrupt my sleep. I may not be the best company and I may dissagre with you. I wouldn't not however do you harm."
Thinking about what Dhulhalasa had done to Nimisa, she wasn't so sure, "I will Most Honored One."
"I'm just Dhulhalasa," said the mare as she let Obi go, "Good Night, little one."
Obi watched her walk away; years of service to her people had made her look like a relic. She could still see the mares face like petrified wood as she rounded the corner. Would she ever be so old or so wise? Shrugging, Obi turned and headed for the promised hot bath.
With a flick of her horn, the brass chain that marked her as a Daughter of the Hive was pulled over her head and carefully folded onto her vanity. Next came the pendant, it was nothing more than a small elliptical shaped obsidian stone wrapped in silver wire, a symbol of her gift, the gift of second sight. Forgoing her magic she started to pull her brown cassock up and over her head but was stop as a sharp pain spread out across her ribs.
"Let me help you with that, my lady," said Niobe as she grabbed the hem and pulled it the rest of the way off of Obi, almost looking like she had shucked corn.
Obi gave her a shy smile and then looked down at the water. Steam hung lazily over the surface. It looked so inviting. With practiced ease she slid down into the warm embrace, letting out a contented, "Ahaa."
As much as she wanted to lounge in the water, she couldn't. Grabbing the sponge she set to work she had to prove to the Honored ones that she wasn't a blasphemer or a liar. She couldn't convince herself that what she saw wasn't worth mentioning. A lump formed in her throat. She was never wrong.
**EROS**
The world was painfully bright. Opening her eyes, Chrysalis hissed at Celestia's sun lancing her with her false righteousness. Rolling over she grunted in pain. All she could taste was copper, spitting a glob of blood upon the earth confirmed her suspicious.
Looking herself over Chrysalis discovered that she had several lacerations and scuffs all down her carapace. The only thing that really worried her was her left hind leg, her canon protruded from her skin, white and bloody. Calling upon her stored power she found none, "hive have mercy on me."
Testing her wings she found them to be usable. She buzzed slightly and pulled herself up. Reaching out she searched for any sign of her army, she felt them but they seemed to be scattered. Through the channels she could feel their anguish, their pain, and their disappointment. And they were so few.
Chrysalis had no other option. Stretching out her mind she brushed against the mind of one who stayed behind and in a somber voice said, "Broken Arrow."
**EROS**
Yawning, Nsogbu stirred from his slumber. He nosed around the bed trying to find Ethica and her warmth. He found her bed cold. Well at this point he figured it could have been called their bed seeing as he hadn't slept in his own in several months. He opened his eyes and looked around the room.
Not finding any sign of his lover, he threw back the covers and trotted to the bathroom. His bladder felt like it was about to bust. Pushing past the door he spotted her, lounging in her tub, a tiny smile on her lips. He thought nothing of it. He relieved himself and then leaned over to kiss her cheek.
His eyes shot open. Pulling back like he was racing lightening he brought a hoof up to his mouth in shock.
"No, no, no," he whimpered before he leapt into the tub on top of her. He shook her several times, tears streaming down his cheeks. She would not stir. Sinking down in the water he pressed his face into her unmoving chest, and sobbed.
The room shrank and his stomach turned. He struggled to find his feet, just managing to get his head over the side of the tub, he vomited onto the floor. It wasn't supposed to be like this. She was supposed to live and teach him magic and other things, he found himself wanting the other things more. Looking back at her corpse he steeled his jaw. How could she do this to him?
His budding anger melted like wax and he lowered himself in the water again. Time seemed to move like molasses as he lay there with his forehooves wrapped around her, thinking about it all. The water grew cold and after several minutes of fighting chattering teeth he extracted himself and reached for a towel.
Empty, incomplete, hallow, were all good adjectives to describe how he felt, he thought. His hooves slowly made their way to the door. He had to tell somechangeling. He didn't know what to tell, but he knew he had to tell somechangeling something.
The door creaked open and he peaked out of the hall way. Several doors down he saw a cart and a few other changelings. Something was piled on the cart, something black and.... he eased the door shut and rushed back to the bathroom. That didn't make sense.
The hive mind was quiet. Little thoughts were passed in hushed tones. Images of the dead were passed and he retched again. All of the dead seemed to be the old and the young. The dispensable as he had heard Ethica call them with a hoarse laugh. In times of drought it was a common thing for the leaders of the changeling community to eradicate some of the population in order to conserve their love stores. Why now? What changed? Surely their Queen hadn't failed. Chrysalis couldn't fail, she was beyond failure.
Looking a mirror he saw that he was still crying. He sniffed and then took a deep breath. It didn't make sense. Why was he still alive? He was dispensable? He wanted death, he decided. He hiccupped and placed a hoof to his chest. If he was dead he wouldn't have to hurt so much. Frowning deeply, he looked back over at Ethica.
He joined her in the tub again. Her lips were curled into a small sad little smile. It was wrong and even vile but he couldn't help himself. He pressed his lips to hers, one last time.
A soft glow illuminated her horn. Pulling back, he looked at it curiously. Magic left when a creature died, why was hers still...
"I love you, sweet one," her voice said in his head. He bit his lip.
"I'm sorry I had to leave so suddenly it was my time. I don't have time to explain. You must get away from the hive. These are dangerous times and if you want to live, please live, you cannot doddle. You are not expendable. You are special if to no changelingelse but me. I don't want your fate to be the same as mine. If you love me you will leave. NOW GO!" her voice echoed in his mind.
He kissed her again and then jumped free of the tub. If there was one thing he learned in the first few days with her, it was to obey.