Chapter 48

Unkind Wings

Angel sat reclined upon a pile of various luxurious velvety throw pillows that he had gotten Fluttershy to get him over the years that she had had him as a pet. The reason that he had so many wasn’t that they were the best or that they were the softest or even the most comfortable. In fact, there were beds of hay and grass that were far more comfortable.

No. The reason that he had such things was because he could get them.

While other animals would come, stay for a while, sometimes, a long while, he was the only one here that was a permanent resident. All the others were visitors. They were in his house and subject to his... and his Fluttershy’s rules. Reaching a white paw down between the cushions of this pile, he snagged himself a rare treat. An autumn king carrot!

Oh yes, the sugar levels of this crunchy treat were off the scales and he may have to chew many a stick after to par his little rabbity teeth down to prevent decay, but it was so worth it. After all, how often was it that he single pawedly- well, almost single pawedly- took down what had to be a threat to Equestria?

He paused and half pondered sharing this most succulent of treats with that Rat. An offering to remind the rodent of his part played in the creatures’ demise. He ran the reddish root under his ever twitching nose, taking in the myriad of delectable smells and decided against it. After all, he wasn’t cruel, he was only doing what needed to be done for the good of all.

Right?

‘Right’ he told himself, jaws opening wide for the well deserved treat.

Just as his teeth were about to rend, jaws about to snicker-snap, that’s when the delicate hoof came to turn the handle on the cottage door.

Mouth agape, as if on instinct, he quickly tucked his treat back into its place of hiding, something to savor for another time. He knew the yellow one would scold him for indulging in such a thing... Even question how he acquired it!

The door then opened, and he hopped over to greet his pony, once more. Something about this felt... familiar.

‘Must be the routine of this week’ he thought, greeting his... frankly exhausted looking pony.

“Oh, hello, Angel...” Fluttershy said, reaching down and splaying her bunny’s ears as she bestowed a lovely little petting upon his head.

Angel smiled, then after the show of affection, he did as he usually did and pointed to his open mouth and asked for food!

“Well... Okay... That would be the easiest way to gather everypony here... After all, there’s something I need to talk to all of you about...” Fluttershy said to him. “Would you mind helping momma feed all of our guests, Angel?” she asked, looking at him with large doey eyes.

Angel had to fight the urge to just ‘hop to it’. After all, she was still asking him to do a chore... but it was a comforting chore. One that promised that things would finally be getting back to normal.

No more horrifying things pretending to be ponies, no more scheming on his part, no more... of any of that, he thought to himself as the sound of kibble rang through the animals’ bowls.

‘Just my Fluttershy doing what she was meant to do.’ The sound of wet food splattering on plates for the hobbling Tux Cat, rascally raccoon, and ever prissy poodle Nigel, which as always, grossed Angel out, but brought the three out of hiding at a near frantic pace!

Fluttershy took the burrowing owl and rose mimic spider aside to present them with their meals so as not to upset the small collective. She looked as if she was about to speak when her wings ruffled in confusion and she looked around. “Has anypony seen Mr. Rat?” she asked, her ears dipping. “It’s not like him to miss a meal...”

Angel merely gave a shrug and patted the bottom of the food tin he had emptied for Tux Cat. “I, Angel Bunny do not know, perhaps he has finally left and is scrounging through a garbage can somewhere?”

“That’s not a very nice thing to say, Angel...” Fluttershy said a bit coldly.

“Yeah... and don’t put down trash cans!” Raccoon chittered as he licked his fingers daintily. “Ponies can throw some perfectly still good food away!” He then felt Fluttershy’s eyes set upon him. “Whhhhich I, Raccoon, know little about... here in Ponyville... as of recently... within the past three moons...”

Nigel turned up his nose. “Of course you would not. We would never be caught anywhere near such an unserviceable receptacle! I, Nigel, despite Fluttershy Pony’s kindest efforts, can not wait till his owner, Haut Monde returns, and brings both the proper bowl and food for him to delicately eat.”

Tux Cat let out a snickering mewl. “Meow-Stop-Leaves has seen all dogs eat. We cats are far more delicate, and Meow-Stop-Leaves was born under a bush!”

Nigel felt his hackles start to raise, but when he saw a disapproving glance from Fluttershy, followed by a clearing of her throat... he thought better and he whimpered a little in submission.

“Oh... I was hoping that Mr. Rat would be here so that I could talk to everypony all at once...” she began. “But maybe I can talk to him after the letter...”

Angel who, by this time, had ripped open a bag of greens to put into his bowl and was mid-consuming slowed his chewing, his ears perking at the word ‘letter’, his eyes widened in fright. “Letter?” he choked out, a few greens falling from his mouth.

“Yes...” Fluttershy turned to the little menagerie. “So... everypony... I’m sure you all know that I’ve been a bit more... absent... and I’m really sorry for that!” she sincerely apologetically said. “However, I’ve been really busy helping H.B... You... all remember her, right?” she hesitantly asked the group, minus Angel Bunny, who quietly grumbled to himself at the mention of those two letters.

Foxiekins who had been quietly munching his kibble during all this, hacked and coughed as he recalled landing on the cruples of what he thought was a lovely mare... only to be faced with... some... thing.

Tux Cat held his rather unresponsive tail in his paws as he remembered the day that Fluttershy brought that creature to the cottage.

Nigel only whimpered and pulled away, tail between his legs. “We remember the Not Haut Monde. We... can sense that Fluttershy Pony is going to say something... unpleasant. Even more unpleasant than ‘bath’ or ‘vet’ or even... goodbye.”

Fluttershy looked away, her forelock covering her face. “Well... Uhm... As I was saying... I have been trying to help her... A lot of my ideas haven’t been working...” She looked at her animal friends and shook her head sadly before taking a deep breath and trying to present herself as more cheerful. “However, this time is sure to be different!”

Angel’s chewing stopped and he swallowed the bitter greens with so much difficulty that he thumped his little chest, gagged and coughed!

“Oh! Angel! Are you alright?” Fluttershy asked, worriedly moving to her pet.

Angel coughed a few times more, his forearm stretched in front of him before he looked up at his pony. “This time?” he grunted, his eyes wide.

“Yes, Angel...” Fluttershy said, sighing. “I am very aware that you... Oh... Fet. Locks. Angel, we’ve had this talk before! I need to help her and if all goes well, this might be the last time,” she glanced away momentarily. “Unless I’m assigned to her again... but...” she took a deep breath. “If that happens, it won’t be for a long time, Okay?”

Angel fought to keep his various body parts from twitching and gave Fluttershy a forced smile followed by a nod that he hoped didn’t betray his true feelings. Though the moment her attention was away from him, his face and body turned into a very dower dynamo.

“As I was saying, I know that many of you don’t like H.B. and she can be really scary but...” Fluttershy braced herself for what she could feel was going to be the most likely result to this question, but she still held out hope for a possible positive outcome. “I was wondering if any of you could maybe- and only if you wanted to- possibly- and any of you can say no- be willing to maybe try being H.B.’s companion animal...” she finally asked, giving a very apprehensive smile to those gathered.

All the animals almost stopped what they were doing, whether it was cleaning their faces, chewing their food, stretching out, or simply sitting before they all looked away, bodies held in a mix of fear and shame.

“I... Meow-Stop-Leaves, would purrhaps think he could. However, what use is a cat who can hardly walk? If the pony creature needs much assistance, Meow-Stop-Leaves would be a poor choice.” The small black and white tiny cat mewled.

“I, Nigel, understand Fluttershy Ponys’ plight with... assisting... that...'' he growled. “Thing. However, we simply cannot! We already have an owner! Haut Monde! We know that he will return any day now! How would it look to Haut Monde if his precious Nigel took to caring for... that thing over him?” he whimpered-whined before taking a proud, apt, very shaking sitting stance. “I, Nigel, will remain loyal and true to his owner!”

Raccoon waved his hand and shook his head. “None of yous look at Raccoon here! We might be... able to adapt to any situation, but by Azeban, we are not crazy! Raccoon, all raccoons come to the pony places to be away from the things living in the Everfree!”

“Whooo, me?” The burrowing owl asked. “No... no.” they crooned.

“Foxiekins must also decline, the most beautiful pony, Fluttershy,” he said, titling his head. “Though the... H.B.... ‘pony’ has a very fine cruple to sit upon and perhaps the softest of manes and tails, that I, Foxiekins has put his paws into... I, Foxiekins would be of no help to the... H.B. ‘pony’ as we would be a terrified mess that would sure to be hiding in corners and... uhm... piddling himself... Many... a pony always acts like they want us foxes as a companion, until they encounter our delightful natural smell and hear our beautiful voices!”

“Rozze would consssider this offer...” The spider’s hissing insectoid voice reverberated. “However, the territory hass been claimed by the ssad faced sspiderss… Much competition... Few camouflage placess... Rozze would be... of little help... asss we hide... and ssstay ssstill when hunting...”

Fluttershy nodded sadly, disappointment pained her every muscle. “I understand. I thought that would be the result... but I thought I would ask this time instead of forcing all of you to come with me...” she said, trying her hardest to steady her voice.

All the animals gave her a sad, pained, uneasy look. After all, none of them wanted to disappoint such a gentle, loving, and kind pony... but at the same time, none who were present could bring themselves to put themselves in such a long term situation that could cause them so much harm.

Fluttershy took a deep breath before nodding. “Alright, I suppose I’ll just have to keep looking. Although, if any of you change your mind, I’ll be at H.B.’s house.” She then kissed Angel on the top of the head. “I’ll most likely be gone late tonight. After all, if all goes well, we’re going to have a party! There’s sure to be cake and food...”

She looked around with an inviting grin to see if the promise of after party treats would lure any in joining her.

Her grin faded because sadly, or perhaps predictably... it did not.

“Oh... Okay, then,” she said, walking out of the cottage door.

=========

As Angel watched his pony leave, disappointed as she was, there was an air of hope in her gait that he had not seen expressed in a very, very, very long time.

However, once the gentle soul of a pony was out of his sight, the only thing he could feel was a trifecta of intense emotions that caused his teeth to grind as he pulled down his ears and his back leg to loudly thump on the floor.

Anger and frustration boiled his blood as he realized how, stupid it was of him to just leave when that... thing had only just reacted to its allergen! It was in a pony vet place! Surrounded by pony vets! Pony vets that wanted to help and whatever dark magic, be it pheromones or sparkles would lure those pony vets into helping it!

This sudden sharp shift in the bunny’s behavior did not go unnoticed by the other animals.

“Is something troubling, Angel Bunny?” Tux Cat asked, wobblingly walking just behind said bunny.

Angel felt fear grip him as the feline’s words practically probed purringly into his ear. “No!” he shrieked, jumping away from the cat that was still more of a kitten if one were really to make an assessment.

Foxiekins joined his black and white comrade. “Really? Because I, Foxiekins, think that Angel Bunny is far more fretful than usual.”

Angel pushed his feelings aside and steeled himself. His brow furrowing as he took a more aggressive stance. “I, Angel Bunny, am understandingly worried over Fluttershy Pony going off into the warren of that clearly dangerous threat, yet again! Because, and I, Angel Bunny cannot believe that this fact must be restated: It is his sworn duty to protect his pony!” he shouted, before crossing his arms and staring at the duo. “Something that I, Angel Bunny, need to remind both ‘Meow-Stop-Leaves’ and ‘Foxie’kins know nothing about, seeing that one could never get an owner and one cannot keep an owner!” he said through stressed breath.

“Hey now! There’s no need for that sort of talk! Leave them alone!” Raccoon chittered, coming to their aid. “They have only been here for a moon and a half!”

“What would Trash Panda know about being adopted? How long has his striped tail been here leaching off Angel Bunny’s pony’s kindness?!”

Nigel jumped into the fray yipping and causing Angel to quickly hop back instinctually from the canine... a ridiculous looking canine, but a canine nevertheless.

“Please stop! All this negative energy is stressing Nigel out and doing none of us any good! It could affect the shine of his beautiful coat or worse... cause it to fall out causing him to look like a xoloitzcuintli or worse... an oversized chihuahua! One of better breeding but still!” she said, shuddering.

Angel felt all the animal eyes on him. He hated to admit that the dog was sniffing anywhere near to being right, especially when he sounded like a pompous puffy arrogant angora... but all this stress wasn’t helping him do what was truly important.

Come up with a plan to rescue his pony while ridding the area of that confounded abomination for good!

“You’re... right...” Angel said, through gritted teeth, bile being choked down at the very next worlds he’d have to utter. “I, Angel Bunny am... ssssorr-E!... for causing such drama... I, Angel Bunny, am just very worried about my Fluttershy and the time she’s spent away...”

Foxiekins sighed. “It’s fine... and understandable. Angel Bunny does love his Fluttershy Pony, though who could blame him?”

“Meow-Stop-Leaves wishes not to fight anymore... seeing that all here have eaten, may we have a nap together? Purrhaps when we wake, the Fluttershy Pony will have returned for nightly grooming? It has been too long since Meow-Stop-Leaves fur has been brushed!”

“What a great idea!” Angel replied, biting his tongue and keeping that it was something he’d expect to hear from a cat locked in his head. “Why don’t all of you rest? I, Angel Bunny need to take a hop outside for a bit to... calm down, get fresh air, and taste some sweetgrass...”

Tux Cat cocked his head and then yawned, not giving the very emotional rabbit any more mind even while he hopped out the window. Instead, he walked up to Foxiekins, who by this time had settled into an errant sunbeam and snuggled against him, laying his head on the vulpine’s big, fluffy, warm, comforting tail.

The fox thought about yarring and yapping at the kitten, after all, there was only so much room on his ververent green pillow. He was going to do this, until he felt the little ball of black and white starting to purr and decided against it.

“Foxiekins?” Tux Cat mewled, his front paws reaching to cover part of his little feline face.

“Hmmm?” Foxiekins let out a large yawn.

“Meow-Stop-Leaves has a secret... May he share?”

Foxiekins tilted his head and gave a little grin. “Yes, of course, little one!”

Tux Cat paused, peering over his paw, his slit eyes contracting. “Does he promise not to make fun or laugh?”

“Does this involve those tall hairless tailless cats that stand on their hindlegs and are very poor hunters?”

“...Yes...” Tux Cat answered after a long few moments, his whiskers falling.

Sensing sadness, Foxiekins pushed aside any notions of ridicule, after all, all creatures had ways of coping with their given realities, and this was a kitten! Kits of all kinds came up with strange stories.

“I, Foxiekins, swear on Renard’s bright bushy red tail, that there shall be no mockery from him.”

Tux Cat hesitated but then spoke, keeping his little green eyes from making direct contact with this voyeuristic yet perhaps valliant vulpine. “Angel Bunny is wrong... Meow-Stop-Leaves did have an owner at one time...”

Foxiekins opened his half closed eyes curiously. “Oh?”

“Meow-Stop-Leaves was born... weaker than this... his mother moved and he could not keep up... such is the way of where he was...” Tux Cat looked out the window, the bright summer sun was obscured by a dark equestrian cloud. “It was raining in the land of sad roses that day... Cried for mother many times... but she never came back.. Then a fast wet noise... Cried out again... Nothing... but then was lifted up... and called us Meow-Stop-Leaves. We rested against his chest... taken to a warm, warm house. The tall hairless cat fed Meow-Stop-Leaves for many a day, but then he cried when I, Meow-Stop-Leaves tried walking. He could see something wrong. Then he brought him to another who could help... Meow-Stop-Leaves saw the owner cry so much...”

“Did he have a... name?” Foxiekins asked.

“Do not remember...” Tux Cat said. “Just as Meow-Stop-Leaves does not remember where Fluttershy Pony found him.”

Foxiekins whimpered and nuzzled this ‘Meow-Stop-Leaves’. “I, Foxiekins, am glad Fluttershy pony did find Meow-Stop-Leaves.”

Meow-Stop-Leaves yawned and nuzzled back, stretching while making biscuits. “Does Foxiekins think that I, Meow-Stop-Leaves, will ever see that owner, or even the hairless cats who stand on their hinds and are terrible hunters?” he asked, curling up.

“If that is what Meow-Stop-Leaves wishes to find them, then by Renard’s fluffy tail, I, Foxiekins will help him find them,” the foxie fluff said. He waited for a response only to see that the cute little kitty had fallen asleep.

He smiled as he, and really all the creatures, save for Angel Bunny, did the same.

=========

Through the window, Angel Bunny frowned at the animals under his pony’s care.

“Any other day... I, Angel Bunny would see something like this and be... Happy! Knowing that all of them are so well cared for!” He hopped down and once again grabbed his ears and tugged down, grinding his teeth and thump-a-thumping his back leg rapidly on the ground to the point it nearly kicked up a dust cloud!

“How could I, Angel Bunny, be so stupid!?” He once again squeaked at himself. “Thinking that this time the plan would be different?” He took a deep breath and tried to think but the persisting heat of the sun threatened to fry his noodle.

He couldn’t decide what burned him up more: The brilliant eye of El-Ahrairah or the fact that his Fluttershy was still going to that ‘Heartbreak’ pony thing’s dwelling even after everything that had happened!

There was a time he would have loved that about her... A time that felt a world away, an age away, so many seasons ago...

“Angel Bunny’s Pony’s persistence in helping and being kind is what makes the Fluttershy pony... Fluttershy!”

He sighed and lifted a paw to block the sun from his eyes, suddenly and with much predictability, he felt his little throat dry up...

“Unlike the burning that I, Angel Bunny felt from that Monster, at least something can be done about this burning...” he thought as he hopped over to the nearby shaded pond.

“He stood up for a moment, ears swiveling out of habit before he bent down to lap at the cool, crisp, and most importantly clean waters’ surface.

“No reason to worry... This, Angel Bunny knows but-”

Just then, a flurry of feathers, screeching in the air, and a dreaded sound of something hurling itself towards Angel sent his prey sense into such overdrive that he involuntarily jumped nearly pony shoulder high!

In the moments between moments, when time seemed to slow, and Hazel’s lucky foot was on his side, he saw a falcon plowing into the ground in the spot where he would have been, only to screech and fly up into the branches of a tree!

Angel only hesitated a second before attempting to assert dominance in this situation. After all, falcons were a death sentence for many small (or even medium sized) mammals, even if he was within the outer limits of Ponyville!

“Hey!” Angel shouted, rapidly thumping his back legs against the tree this intruder was perched on. “Under Ovid Laws, both Wyld and Domestic, this is a no predation zone! What does a raptor like you mean by coming here?!” he angrily grunted as he caused the tree to shimmy and shake.

“Stop! Please! Mrs. Falcon apologizes! Hungry! Tired! Afraid! Seeking pony help! Need Sweet Pony help!” Mrs. Falcon screeched. “Is Sweet Pony here?” she asked, head tilting and eyes blinking in that ever so avian way.

“No.” Angel replied, no longer on full alert, but his hind legs still squarely aimed at the tree. “Fluttershy Pony is not here,” he said bitterly. “What does Mrs. Falcon want? Speak it or I, Angel Bunny will alert Ponies whose duty it is to remove Wyld predators!”

“No! Please! Mrs. Falcon’s nest! Her eggs! In danger! Mrs. Falcons’ mate threatens to leave her if we do not make a new nest far from the... prey chasing... thing,” she squawked, her feathers ruffling terribly, her words frantic.

Angel drew back from the tree cautiously and looked up at the sharp beaked one. Clearly she was shook, a rare thing to see from a bird of prey, especially in front of a species that she would put upon her menu on the regular. “What thing?”

“The Thing! The Thing! The nest wrecker! The egg smasher! The maker of sick chicks! The chaser of prey and the cuckoo bird chick in the pony’s nest!” she screeched.

“Where... is this thing?” Angel asked... “Also, please lower the screeching...”

“Near Everfree!” She turned and looked around before finding the direction. “There! That place with an old dead tree!”

Angel hopped up and looked in the direction pointed to him- which he already knew exactly where it was but a little plan was forming in his bunny brain pan. “Yes... I, Angel Bunny know what thing Mrs. Falcon speaks of...” he then looked up at the bird. “What does she expect Fluttershy Pony to do? This is the exact place she is going...” he said, frowning and folding his arms.

Mrs. Falcon’s beak fell open in shock! “Why?! Does Sweet Pony Fluttershy not see danger? Mrs. Falcon knew Pony eyes were not so keen... but thing is clearer than field mice in grass from here! Why?!”

Angel grunted and turned away half fiending sadness. “Fluttershy Pony has been lured into caring for the thing...”

“Caring for it? It is no member of the Ovid, Wyld, or Domestic! It should not be cared for! It should be chased out! Sent to beyond Everfree! Barren wastes! That’s where monsters go!”

Angel smirked a tiny smirk. “I, Angel Bunny, told my Fluttershy this...” He hopped to the other side of the tree, farther away from the cottage and any ears that hadn’t been deafened by sleep... “But his Fluttershy would not care to listen...” he then looked at his front paw claw. “I, Angel Bunny, have since tried to rid it, having to become a predator in his own right.”

“A rabbit predator?” Mrs. Falcon scoffed.

“I, Angel Bunny have been quite the Beast of Canterbannog...” Angel said, rocking on his hind feet. “Biting, burning, bone breaking,” he looked up at the silvery perched bird. “Even poison! I, Angel Bunny have done that all, and yet the... abomination persists... All of Angel Bunny’s methods have failed... Perhaps because they are slow and sneaky... If only he could make quick and precise attacks... Then maybe the thing would finally retaliate and throw off its pony skin and show Sweet Pony Fluttershy its true form... Then she would have no choice but to banish it.”

“Mrs. Falcon is fast, precise, and most importantly... deadly if need be...”

“I, Angel Bunny could not possibly ask Mr. and Mrs. Falcon to risk their lives, their next, the future place for their eggs and chicks!” He looked at his claws again...”Though, I, Angel Bunny, have a plan...”

“... For the sake of my eggs and mate... Mrs. Falcon is...listening.” She squawked, leaning forward to hear this plan from a rabbit...

Author's Note

Three more chapters. And then a small epilog. it's been almost a decade when I started this particular book. It will be in like November. Probs gonna publish these remaining chapters within this week. The chapter art is here And thank you to my editors Scared Ghost and ThePyschopath, Pyscho has actually published his own book (for sale) and you should totally check it out.