Author's Note
Be warned this is a sketchy story with slavery and corruption. However it has its place and I hope that you enjoy the story.
A Wolf's Prey
****
We called it; The Great Exodus. Nine hundred years ago, our old world was dying. There was a virus that would infect and internally destroy all living organisms, and it was intent on the extinction of our race. At the time, we humans were once over seven billion strong, but our numbers had dropped to 45 thousand. Just as all hope was lost, she came. With hair like the sun and fur like snow, she led the last pockets of the human race out of our dying world, and into the thriving nation of Equestria. Her name was Celestia; an alicorn with unimaginable power, and a heart unlike any other. Our ancestors were treated as outcasts by the ponies of Equestria, and the Equestrian parliament immediately began to try everything they could to send us back to our dead home. But Celesta ignored their demands, and gave us a new home. To the east of Equestria, across the glimmering ocean and far away from the ponies of Equestria, was our new haven. The land that was given to us was known by the ponies as The Starswirl Islands, but it was soon renamed by our ancestors; Valdrun. The land was lush and fertile, and our race began to survive once more. However, as it is in our nature, humans don't survive... we thrive. After half a century in our new home, we discovered a crystal like material that housed unfathomable power. Soon, we humans began to develop machines and tools that would technologically boost our race far past the primitive ponies. We were able to create airships and planes that were powered by the crystal, that allowed us to defend our home and share our wealth with the rest of Equestria. But they wanted nothing to do with us. In Equestria, there was a civil uprising against our race. Ponies began to think that we were a threat, and must be tamed. At first, the parliament sent letters of demands, telling us to cease all technological, and military development; but our ancestors ignored the demands, reassuring that we were no threat to the citizens of Equestria. What happened next... was unfathomable. Orders were given to round up all humans that lived in the equestrian lands, and execute them. Thousands of innocent men, women, and children; were put to the sword as millions of ponies cheered and cried for blood. We did not know of these actions until it was to late... our home was invaded. Hundreds of thousands of Equestrian soldiers began to invade our land and slaughter our people, and when the ponies believed they were victorious, we struck with the wrath of the gods. Our airships, fighters, bombers, and laser weaponry slaughtered the ponies that invaded our land; and we soon reclaimed our home. The Equestrians were in absolute shock, they believed that their army was unbeatable, and the loss of 82% of their military force caused a panic. The parliament immediately sent a letter to my human ancestors, pleading for forgiveness and mercy from our military might... We refused. There were now only 55,000 humans in existence, and every single one cried for justice. Two months after our reclamation of Valdrun, we struck at the equestrian homeland. One by one, every city fell before the might of our race. The Age of Man, had only just begun.
****
Screams of anger and delight, the pounding of a wooden hammer, the despair of innocent lives, and the searing of flesh. These were the only things to be expected from a slave auction. As I entered the building, i noticed that it smelled of alcohol and burning fur. The building itself is an elegant opera house, but it has been temporarily repurposed as an auction house for the day. It saddened me that a building of such beauty was being used in such a vile way. I then noticed a woman approaching me, and I could tell from her clothing that she was one of the wives of Baron Maxis; the man who invited me to this wretched place.
"Welcome Mr. Wolf," she said "My husband is upstairs in his box seat, and we would be honored if you would join us. I really didn't want to even associate myself with the Baron, but refusing his offer might bite me in ass down the road. So I nodded and motioned for her to lead the way.
She began to slowly pass through all the commoners on the first floor, while making her way to the stair case on the far side of the room. A man in a suit and tie stood guard, and could easily tell by our clothing that we weren't the typical civilian. He stepped to the side, allowing us passage up the stairs, and bowed. I hated this status I possessed, but the other option would be even worse. As we reached the top of the stair case, I could hear the sounds of laughter and clinging glasses. The Baron's sixth wife led me down the hall, and turned into one of the first booths. It was large, and i was able to count at least 15 other people before a man in bright red clothing spotted me, "Ah our man of the hour!" the man announced as he approached me, "Ladies and gentleman, I would like to present to you; Captain Richard Wolf of the 77th tactical Fighter Squadron!" The others briefly applauded before returning to their conversations. The man put his hands on my shoulders, "I am truly delighted that you could join us today before you returned home."
"How could I resist the offer of the great Baron Maxis," I said with a fake smile on my face.
He laughed, "My dear boy, you need not bother with my title. After all, you are my nephew, and a blood member of our Clan." I internally scowled at the remembrance that this man was my Uncle, but I continued to smile and put on a good show for him. The Baron motioned for a human servant carrying glasses filled with fine wine, "How was your final year at the Citadel?" My Uncle continued as he handed me a glass from the silver tray, "I've heard so much from your father, but I still can't believe it. My own nephew, a hero of the human race."
"Thank you Uncle but really, its not that important," I said before I took a sip from the glass.
"Nonsense, I've heard of your deeds; You destroyed 27 resistance aircraft in one day, not including the assault cruiser you singlehandedly downed!" My uncle took a sip of the wine and laughed.
"My squadron should take most of the credit, I'm only as good as my wingmen are."
"You should really learn when to accept a complement my child." The baron then turned around and raised his glass, "Because the Captain is proof that we are the superior race, and that no savages are ever going to defeat us!" The crowd then raised their glasses and cheered.
I shook my head, annoyed with the ignorance these people displayed; the resistance was becoming more desperate, and even though their losses were high, they were still taking territory from us.
"It's starting!" One of the guests yelled.
"Come my boy," the baron said while walking towards the balcony, "Lets enjoy the show."
A slight rage began to burn within me, this man speaking of these sentient beings like they were objects. It was embarrassing, being a part of the same bloodline as this animal. I believed in my cause to fight the resistance and protect the citizens of the human race, but I knew that my ancestors would be disgraced to see that we have taken slaves once again. I took a rather large sip of wine, and followed my uncle to the balcony. I was able to squeeze myself between the Baron and a man that I had never meet before. I watched as more men began to enter the building and walk into the crowd that was gathering in front of the stage. I never understood why an event like this was so popular, all this pain and suffering... its many things, but it is not entertainment. In fact, that was the most upsetting thing; most of these people here weren't going to bid on a new worker, most were here to watch. Slaves costed a pretty penny these days, and only the rich and prestigious could afford one. A fat man in formal attire then walked up on the wooden stage in front of the crowd, and began to "Advertise."
"Are you all ready for this months Canterlot Auction!" The man shouted to the crowd.
I scowled as the crowd cheered and hollered in delight, Fucking animals
"Well I'm glad to hear that," The fat man continued, "Because this is by far one of the best set of workers i've seen in a while." The man then turned to his side and motioned for the first 6 ponies to arrive on stage. "As is customary with the auction, we begin with the colts and stallions."
I watched as six ponies were forced up onto the stage, each different in color, size, and age; each gagged, and only waring a single piece of cloth that was wrapped around their waist. The stallions were always an important commodity these days. So many jobs required physical labor that most humans were reluctant to do. Farming, metallurgy, and airship manufacturing, were just a few of the many jobs that stallions were purchased for. I watched as the stallions were forced onto numbered blocks by men with electric prods.
"Now let the bidding begin!" The fat man yelled.
Bidding was odd in this city. Due to the size of the auction, a deferent method was used that could be related to a silent auction from my elementary school. Human servants stood near their masters, with radios in hand, and would tell the auctioneer that his or her master was bidding on a certain pony. The auctioneer would then take a note of the name and bid amount, and would motion for his lackeys to write the number of the current bid below the blocks of their merchandise. The bidding took place in five minutes per set of six ponies. Once the time was up, the person with the highest bid, won. The ponies would then be taken into the back, and branded accordingly.
I watched in disgust as set after set of stallions were brought up on stage, purchased, and then branded. The branding is what enraged me the most at these auctions. You could hear the screams of pain from behind the curtain, and smell the burning flesh and fur... but the most revolting thing was the cheering from the crowd.
"That was our last set of stallions," The fat man said as the stallions were being forced into the back. "And now my dear fiends, it is time for the best part of the auction!"
Oh god no
"These whores are in prime condition, beautiful shape, and ready for anything you wish for them to do." The crowd began to whoop and holler as loud as they could. "Ladies and gentleman," The fat man announced, "I give you the Mares of this months auction!"
As the man motioned to his men at the side of the stage, six mares were forced onto the stage. My eyes widened in shock as I saw that each mare was wearing absolutely nothing. The glass in my hand began to shake, as I witnessed the horror I saw before me. Each mare had their wrists tied behind their back, a collar around their neck, and a cloth gag in their jaws. But the true horror was what was between their legs. A rope that was tightly tied from the front of the collar to their bound wrists at their backs. The rope was grinding into their sex, causing a liquid to drip from the rope onto the ground beneath them.
Never have I seen such cruelty in my life: These innocent creatures treated like cattle before the slaughter. I then felt the baron's eyes upon me. "Now my boy... my gift to you," A hand was placed on my shoulders, "I will purchase any one of the mares you see tonight... for your own personal use."
I swallowed in horror at the barons offer, "Wow... I uh," I began to stutter, not knowing how to respond.
"Think of it as a gift for safeguarding the human race."
I was finally able to pull myself together, "Thats fine uncle, but really, I don't need a mare."
"Nonsense!" The baron laughed, "Every Man needs a young healthy mare to screw from time to time. It's only natural." I mentally cringed at my uncles vile words, but before I could say anything, the baron pointed to the auction block and whispered, "Any one you want."
My mind went numb, me owning another living creature... it was unthinkable. I watched as set after set of mares were brought to the stage. I can't. There is no way I can do this.
As another set of mares were taken off of stage, my uncle spoke in a sinister voice, "Your running out of options nephew. I'd pick soon before all the good ones are taken away."
I cannot own another sentient being, its not right. It's against everything I stand for.
The fat man yelled out from the stage, "And now we saved the best for last!"
"Times up Richard," My uncle stated, "its time to make a choice."
My mind was still clouded, If I don't chose one, my uncle will destroy me... he already believes that I'm an Equestrian sympathizer, and if I don't chose one, he will do everything he can to purify me from the Clan. I tried to speak, hoping to tell my uncle that I had no interest in a pony, but I knew that would not work. I cannot chose, I won't... I-
My eyes widened as a pony was brought out onto the stage. She was a pegasus, unlike anything that I had ever seen. She was a pearly white pony with a golden mane and tail. Her eyes were a dark pink, and she had black markings on her muzzle, calfs, and belly. Her body was smooth and curvy, and she was obviously quite fit. Apart from the bindings and collar, she didn't even look like a slave. She was obviously in discomfort from the rope between her legs, but she wasn't crying or fighting like the rest of the mares on stage. The expression on her face was one of defeat, and she didn't even fight the man who was escorting her on stage. I watched as she was placed on the number four podium.
I could tell my uncle was still watching me, "ah... I think you've found one." His gaze moved from me to the stage, "Let me guess, number four?" I was only able to nod, still captivated by the beautiful mare. "Then she is yours."
My uncle then moved into the back where his servant was standing and grabbed the radio she was holding, "Pull number four Charles, for my nephew." He then gave back the radio and returned to my side. I watched as the auctioneer commanded one of his men to grab the mare from the podium. A man swiftly grabbed her arm and yanked her off stage.
I felt a hand on my shoulder, "Well my boy," He said with a sinister tone, "Lets go claim your prize."
****
Most of the commoners left the theater after the last set of mares were taken off, and many of the high class citizens were now making their way to the back of the theater. When we finally reached the back of the stage, I nearly gaged as the smell of seared flesh reached my nose. I could see crying mares being taken by their new masters with a severe burn on their arms, no doubt the mark of their master's house or clan.
"Maxis!" A man yelled as he approached my uncle, "I welcome you, and may I say that it is an honor to have you and your nephew here in Canterlot."
My uncle shook his hand, "The pleasure is all mine Bruce, how is your niece?"
"She's doing well sir," the man smiled then pointed at the fat auctioneer at the back of the room. "Charles is waiting with your new merchandise."
"Thank you," My uncle then turned to me with a smirk on his face. "Lets go Richard, no point in just standing around."
We walked towards the auctioneer who was untying the rope that was attached from the collar to her wrists. As we neared, the auctioneer turned and smiled, "Ah Maxis, I thank you for your purchase," He reached out his hand, "Not many people would drop 250,000 Marks on a single slave."
The baron shook his hand, "There is no price that I will not pay for my nephews satisfaction."
The fat mans belly shook as he turned to me, "So this is the great Richard Wolf!" He exclaimed, "I am honored to have a man with your status attending our auction."
I didn't respond, my eyes were still transfixed on the pegasus before me. I don't know what it was, but she looked familiar, like something from a dream. Her eyes were also transfixed on me. Her bright red-pink eyes were scanning my body, almost like if she knew who I was. I was about to speak when I felt the air behind me heat up. The mare's eyes then widened with horror as she gazed upon the object behind me. I turned around to see one of the auctioneers lackeys holding a white hot branding Iron.
"Stand aside sir," the man said, "Just a quick brand and then she's all yours."
I didn't move. I looked at my uncle, "This really isn't necessary," I pleaded.
"It is sir," The auctioneer said, "It's the law that all slaves are to be branded with the mark of the owner's house or clan." I tried to say something, but I knew it would have been pointless. I stepped aside and stood beside my uncle.
"Don't worry my boy, the fur will grow right back," My uncle said.
The mare tried to back away from the man with the brander, but another man forced her onto knees with her right arm held out. She began to struggle and scream, but the man kept her in place. I closed my eyes as the man brought the brander into her right arm. I could hear her scream with pain as her skin began to sizzle with the hot iron's touch. After three seconds, the man pulled away the iron and the mare was forced onto the ground. I opened my eyes to see tears flowing down her face as she was pined to the floor by the man behind her. She was audibly crying as the man began to tie her wrists and ankles; leaving her completely immobile. A man then came and spread her wings out and began to cut out the lower feathers, like she was a pet bird. She began to cry louder as her ability to fly, was now taken away from her. Once the man finished with her wings, they were then tied behind her once again.
"Alright sir," one of the men stood up and said, "One pegasus mare clipped and branded. She is all yours now."
I couldn't speak, I was fixated on the mare that was crying freely into the wood floor. The horror I had just scene before me, silenced my words more than any battle I have ever fought. I then felt a hand upon my shoulders, and a cold breath in my ear, "Well would you look at that..." My uncle said, "I'd say thats a worthy pet for the Wolf Prince."
