I love you, my little one...
***Timber Heart
A Tale about How Monsters can be good
By Spectrum Shine***
I must admit, Jackalopes are very fast. I really should be hunting a deer; at least they're slower than those damn strange rabbits. Doesn't make my life any easier, what with the ponies and their hatred of my race. It's even worse in a world where these equines dominate and I'm just a creature of forests. All I do is to protect my territory, but I don’t know why I do.
Most creatures expect to see a Timberwolves in a pack, but I'm the exception to that. My whole family had died in a terrible fire on the plains, and now I live alone. Now the many wolves in Everfree Forest know me as Jango, the survivor.
But they don't understand how bad it is. Imagine having to care for an entire territory alone, hunt alone. Live alone. It is a challenge I've faced since I was ten years old. I'm used to it though, and this was just another lonely day in my life.
I decided to stop hunting that Jackalope. I needed to find something better to eat.
I walked through the woods of Everfree Forest with care, always listening for the little noises that popped up here and there. There were birds, roars of female manticores calling their little cubs, sticks being broken by the creatures walking on them. Music of its own kind.
I heard the bubbling of the Tigris River. That was a good place to hunt deer, since they all go there to drink water. I walked a little farther before I saw the river. Of course, no signs of prey. Great.
A bush on my left suddenly moved. I froze, immediately on the defensive. I needed to check it out. I cautiously moved towards it, ready to strike. Not seeing anything, I reached inside and moved my paw around.
Achoo!
A sneeze. It was a... foal. A female unicorn with a small brown mane and yellow eyes with a honey-colored coat to be exact. She had a tail that looked strangely similar to a Griffin's and a cloth that kept her warm. I blinked my green eyes once more to the scene.
There was no sign of her parents. And with that thought, my belly rumbled strongly.
No Jango, don’t you dare! She’s helpless and without a family, just like you! Help her!
My good side was telling me this, but my evil side wanted me to feed on her.
“It's ok, don't be scared,” I grabbed the pony by the neck without hurting her. I looked at her little cloth. Pity I couldn't take with me. “What's your name? Oh yeah, you're too young to speak yet. You know something?” No answer, of course. I continued. “You are the first pony I've ever talked to,” I said with difficulty. Carrying her in my mouth made it hard to speak.
As I took her to my lair, I observed the forest. It was spring, and there were flowers everywhere, but most were dead. The noises of other animals could still be heard, but as the distance grew, they got quieter. The little pony sneezed again, the pollen of the flowers yet alive irritating her nose.
I felt the filly flinch when a carnivorous plant caught a squirrel. I don’t know if she had ever seen something like that, but judging by her reaction, she hadn't. The Everfree Forest was not a good place for a filly; wasn't not a good place for anypony really.
I walked a few meters more and there was my cave. Inside was a small puddle of water, animal bones, an improvised bed made with pieces of grass, and the rest of a carcass which now emanated a terrible odor. I carefully laid the filly on the ground.
She tried to stand, but her legs were not yet strong enough to support her. "Come on little one, you can do it." I spent my muzzle on her flank, gently pushing her. With two more tries, the filly finally stood. As expected, she walked rather clumsily around. I could not blame her, she was just a filly. She appeared to have only been a week old; I could still smell her mother on her.
The little one explored a bit around the cave, always followed by my eyes. Then she stopped in front of me. “What?” I asked. She laughed and seemed to be trying to say something. "What? Try again." I got no response. She needed time, I supposed. “Well... Where are your parents? Do you not have any? But I can smell the mare in your coat…,” as if to give a response, the filly rubbed on one of my wooden legs.
It was certainly a strange image, that filly trying to have affection for a monster like me.
Those two big yellow eyes blinked at me, and in that moment, a question formed in my mind. I could leave her in the forest, but she might die... What if I were to take care of her?
“How could you like me? A wolf made of wood, with a hoarse voice and green eyes? Have you seen my teeth? They are very dangerous. A Timberwolf like me should not take care of you,” The filly just sat in front of my legs. “It seems that your parents left you in this forest for some reason. Well, I’ll not let you die out there, so... Welcome. This is your home now. I'm Jango, your friend.”
The filly smiled innocently. She let out a yawn. Poor thing was tired.
“Sounds like you want to sleep. First, though, I need to know what I'm going to call you...”
I sat down. “How about Lily?” the little one murmured something unintelligible, apparently unhappy with the name. “Okay... How about Minka? It is a good name.”
This time, the filly smiled. She was happy. Minka was happy.
“Okay little Minka, come here.”
I grabbed her by the neck with extreme care and took her to my bed of grass. I put her in the center, and she smiled at me. I nuzzling her and smelled her, and was greeted by a cold tongue licking my muzzle.
“Well, well, looks like you really like me. But remember that I'm not your daddy, just a friend who will take care of you until I find your parents,” I said with my hoarse voice. I got into bed and put her between my paws, trying to keep her warm.
Minka yawned and curled up, making her smaller than the space between my big wood paws. I licked the top of her head, avoiding her horn.
“Daddy...”
“Did you...?” Minka was already asleep. “She's talking? And said daddy? No, she's already asleep,” I shook my head. “Am I just hearing things?”
I yawned, laid my head on the bed of grass, and fell asleep.
Five years later...
“WHEEE!”
Minka screamed, having fun. Now that she was older, she had learned to speak, but still didn't have a Cutie Mark.
I still remember the day she met a squirrel. I said that it would be my food. But Minka has such an adorable face that I let her keep Cloudy, the squirrel. He lives with us now, a part of our little family.
I was watching her play with the squirrel excitedly, jumping and laughing incessantly. Cloudy was naughty at the beginning, always annoying me, but he soon realized that I could turn him into food. So he stopped being naughty.
In all fairness, I couldn't deny that my life had changed, naughty Cloudy or not, and I can no longer remember life without Minka, my little one.
Minka stopped in front of me. “Daddy, can we go to Tigris River? Please...?” She gave her best “innocent and adorable” face. I feigned annoyance.
“Well...” I pretended to consider the options. “Only if I go together with you,” I said sitting down and scratching my back with one of my hind legs. “You're not big enough to go alone; maybe in a few years you can.”
“But I'm the daughter of the bravest of all the Timberwolves! Everyone is afraid of you!”
“But Minka, you...” Her eyes were sparkling and she had a huge smile plastered on her face. “Okay, okay. But promise me you'll come running if you see a pony coming from somewhere else!”
“Yes Daddy Sir, I promise, sir!” She put one paw on the head, like a soldier.
“Now, go and have fun, but come back soon!”
“Okeydokey! I love you daddy,” Minka gave me a peck on my cheek and ran off with Cloudy.
I shook my head and went up a small hill near to the cave. I just wanted to get some air. The day was wonderful, with lots of sunshine and butterflies flying around. I was surprised by the amount of flowers that remained alive in the forest.
I made my way to the top of the hill and laid down, just listening to the sound of birds and roars of manticores. I closed my eyes, remembering the past.
In the first week of her arrival, I had to ask a Manticore for help so that the foal could get milk. I was relieved to find out that the Manticore was glad to share her milk. Minka would have died if she hadn't gotten the milk. I would have felt so guilty had that happened.
I remember when Minka had stopped taking milk and thought she should eat meat, not grass. I had to explain to her that it was just us Timberwolves who ate it. I had to eat grass to show her what to do. I don't know how ponies eat that stuff. It has no taste!
When she turned two, she decided to go on a hunt with me instead of staying in the cave. I had been a mere foot away from a deer when she started screaming and scared the animal. The deer had chased us for 15 minutes, trying to hit us. We eventually escaped unharmed. Poor filly felt so sorry, but I wasn't mad at her. Granted, she would never go hunting with me again, but I wasn't mad at her.
I laughed at that. Simple times held so much meaning.
I looked at the sky and noticed it was time for me to go to the cave. Minka should be home soon.
I had been waiting about five minutes for Minka arrive when she came running, smiling brightly.
“Why are you smiling so?”
“I saw a pony, daddy, and he was a unicorn like me! He had something in his magical aura. It looked like a... a stick, but gray and more pointed,” she explained, skipping around in front of me. Fear gripped me. A lance. That's what the pony had.
“Minka come inside. I need to explain something.” She followed me into the cave along accompanied by Cloudy.
“Take a seat.” She sat down in front of me. “Alright. I need to tell you... Some ponies hate me and others like me. Any Timberwolf, really.”
“Why?”
“Because they think I'm a monster, just because I protect you and my territory.” I sighed and sat down myself. “Unfortunately, you are my daughter, and as such, they will hate you as well. Or at the very least, try to convince you that I am a monster. You must never go near them. But if you do meet them, and they try something, run away and find me. Daddy will help and defend you.” I nuzzled her face. “I love you, my little one.”
“I love you too Daddy!” Minka moved away from me and gave me a big smile, then jumped on me, attempting to wrestle me to the ground. We rolled around on the floor and I eventually ended up with her on my chest. “Will you be with me forever, Daddy?”
“Forever is a long time little one, and we all must die eventually. But I'll always be here.” I put my paw on her chest, signifying the heart.
“Uh?”
“The heart, my little one. That's where you keep everyone you really love,” I explained with a smile, showing my wooden teeth.
“So I will keep you forever here!”
“Good to know, little one. How about you, Cloudy, and I go to the prairies and irritate some prairie dogs?” When I said that, the filly smiled and rolled off me. Minka bounced towards the cave entrance and Cloudy climbed on her back.
“Come on, Daddy!” She ran out of the cave.
“Hold on!”
Four years later…
Minka had earned a Cutie Mark, a hazelnut and a leaf. Those were her favorite foods, so it was a fitting mark. She was very good at foraging. When Cloudy had found a mate, Norla, and had pups, she had been the one getting food, not Cloudy. I had laughed at that. A unicorn taking care of adopted squirrel pups and their parents. Our family had grown.
There was still a problem with her curiosity though. It grew more and more every year. I knew that she would soon leave, but she still loved me and I knew it. Never made it any easier, but then, it was never supposed to.
I was lying on the little hill when I heard her coming. Judging by the sound, she was running, and running fast. In seconds, she was in front of me, looking tired and worried.
“What happened?"
“The ponies, they're here. I heard them talking and they said that they came here because of you! They say you keep me as your prisoner! But you're my father! I'm your daughter, not your prisoner!”
That was it. My fears were coming to pass.
“Go into the cave and stay there. Do not come out unless I say so, no matter what happens!”
“But Dad…”
“Go! I will solve this problem. They will do nothing to you or me!” I shouted.
I got up and sniffed the air.
There you are...
I began making my way towards the ponies, Minka following behind. I stopped and looked at her. She had a look of confusion, almost betrayal, on her face. But she silently walked towards the cave. I resumed stalking towards the ponies. I soon found them.
“Look, it's the wolf!” screamed a gray pony.
There were seven of them, all unicorns holding large lances. I growled fury evident on my face.
I attacked first, leaping next to one and biting her face. I then jumped on a dark green unicorn. He fell and dropped his lance. I bit his face, leaving deep cuts, then left him on the floor. I turned to the others. The gray pony charged at me, but I dodged.
One of them laughed. "Now!"
“What?!”
I heard a shot from a gun, but I could not see where it came from or who fired it. But I could feel the impact. A single shot was all it took. My body began to fall apart. I was breaking into pieces. This is how Timberwolves die. I knew the process quite well.
In my last few seconds, I couldn't see anything. There was only blackness. It was my time. I reminisced on my life. Minka, my daughter, the foal I had found in the bushes one fateful day. Perhaps that's why something like this had not happened before. I needed to be a father for that little foal. Maybe Faust has sent me this duty, and now that I have fulfilled it, I can die happy... I can only hope the little one will remember me...
Please Minka, remember me… Please… Minka…
Daddy?
Stay back kid. It's still alive. It could hurt you.
Daddy? Daddy! DADDY!
The voice echoed in my head, and then I lost consciousness. Forever.
The End
