I'm Scared

The frozen forest seemed never ending to Twilight. There was nothing but trees and snow, snow and trees, and the occasional cluster of dull gray rocks and boulders. The human moved flawlessly through the snow. Every movement was elegant and calculated. This, in juxtaposition with his weapon created quite the visual irony, at least to twilight. The bow he held with half drawn arrow was ridiculously small in comparison to his large body frame. Considering the bow was made for use by ponies it wasn't quite in his size. He seemed less than happy at the moment.

Maybe he's still upset that I'm thinking about him? Maybe he's just inherently in a permanently in an upset state. It makes sense for a predator. Noticing that the trek could last for hours with the hunter leading her, the mare saw fit to strike up conversation to learn more about the predator, or at least to pass the time.

"So Todd... the woods are beautiful this time of year. Usually its so dark and and mucky, but with the snow kind of gives a lightness to it don't you think?"

"Yeah, I guess Its not so bad out here."

"Do you have snow where you're from?"

"Eh, some places. It did where I grew up. Didn't really care for it."

"Oh, what was it like there?" Twilight had gained a sense of cheerful optimism that such an animal as Todd would be willing to open up to her. Maybe he wasn't so different from a pony after all

"What, my home town? It was just a place I lived. Nothing special."

Well, I guess learning about him is off the table for now. "Are there windigos where you're from?"

"Some people say so. The whole legend is just kind of nuts though."

Oooh! I guess I can ask about his people's ponylore! "Can you teach me the legend? What your kind know about them, windigos that is." Todd let out a sound that lie somewhere between a chuckle and an annoyed sigh. Twilight was slowly forming an understanding that she was vastly different from the human. In fact it would seem as though Todd was so substantially different from a pony that it would be quite some time before she would be able to fully understand him. Perhaps she never would. Get that out of your head Twilight, that kind of pessimism isn't scholarly. Its just like Celestia used to say 'Theres no such thing as never or ever'." She always liked that adage. "I'd love it if you'd be willing, but its okay if you don't want to."

"No, its fine. Well, basically the legend goes that when a human spends too much time isolated, particularly in cold weather and famine, they'll begin to crave human flesh and--"

"You mean they become cannibals!" Todd stopped his fervent trek for just a moment and turned a glare unto the startled mare over his shoulder as he stood horrifyingly still and spoke but one sentence,

"Don't interrupt me again, I mean it." and continued to walk and spin his tale. "So anyways, the belief is that their heart grows cold, and their inside is consumed and twisted by their desire. Eventually the the contortion spreads across the body until all that is left is a horrifying effigy of the human form. The wendigo is cursed to forever consume his brothers and sisters, his youngers and elders, but forever in agonizing hunger. They can be anywhere between eight and fifteen feet tall, they have claws that could tear a man in half without a modicum of effort. I've heard it said that they move with as silent as the falling snow, but when they call out in their unearthly voice its too late for escape."

"C-can they be, you know..."

"Killed? Yes, but often those who hunt them find that they are no match for such a beast. Except none of that is real. Besides, how could it even be a wendigo when there are no humans to become wendigos? On top of that I don't mean to be rude, but you need to toughen up. You can't even stomach talking about death, that isn't going to work if we are going to be hunting together."

"Um excuse me?" The pony spoke with disdain to hunters words, "I am not a preda-- I mean a hunter like you. I don't hunt living things. The most I hunt for is a good deal on quills." Todd again stopped, his back began to shake ever so slightly as he rapidly inhaled and exhaled. Soon he was to his knees, and without sparing a second, he fell to his back in a childlike fit of hysterical laughter. "What are you laughing about?"

"Y-you think you're not hunting," his words broke sporadically with laughter as tears welled in the corners of his eyes "but you're trecking th-throught th-the woods to help me kill a wendigo!" The words stung Twilight Sparkle. It was true, she was aiding a sapient primate in hunting a-- what was she hunting, it sure wasn't the windigos she knew.

Celestia what am I supposed to do?

Todd's laughter stopped as the young mare's head bowed. Well crap, I hurt her damn feelings. There's no way I'm going to get here moving like this. Her being sad is not working for me... but she's kinda adorable when she's crying... good to know for later. As Twilight sat in the snow with a silent tear or two falling gently on the fresh powdered snow. Now that she had been immobile for a while the cold began to sting at her body. Without warning she felt a warmth wrap around her. Twi raised her sight just enough to see Todd sitting, legs out in front him slightly bent. One arm was tightly shawled around her shoulders. He did not return the gaze, instead he looked forward into the snow. His countenance betrayed his feelings without anything distancing the pony from the man. Twilight could tell that Todd didn't understand how she felt, but it became clear to her also that he did not enjoy seeing her in this state. Well, at least not too much.

"Twilight, when I... when I was a kid my father started to teach me to hunt. Well, he took me out into the woods and put a rifle in my hands. It was a Winchester Model 70 he got from his father, and his father from his father. A real family heirloom. Well I looked at my father and I told him I didn't want to hunt, I didn't want to hurt animals. He took exception to that. He grabbed me by the hair and he picked me up and kicked my legs out from under me."

How can he keep the same facial expression while telling such an awful story?

"As soon as I got up he socked me real good. He looked into my swollen eye and told me 'a weak wolf is devoured by the pack', he picked up that rifle, and he put it right back in my hands. I always hated my father, and as soon as I got the chance I left home and never went back. What I'm trying to get at is that I don't want you to be a- a predator. I know you're having a hard time, but I promise you won't have to hurt a fly so long as I'm here. So, what do you say we get going and find us an imaginary monster, huh?" Twilight knew that sly smile. He was trying to get her to do what was good for them both. But there was no way he could make that up, right? He was at least being kind to me.

"O-okay, let's go."

"Good, I was beginning to think that--" He stopped. He looked about as if he had sensed some minute change, as if the air pressure was ever so slightly affected, perhaps even that some usually inconsequential snow flake had fallen wrong. "Get down low, now."

"Todd? Todd, whats wrong?" before he could respond a terrifying and primal howl pierced every fiber of twilight's being. It was here, and it was too late. The human stood strong and seemingly fearless. Little did Twilight know that his bravado covered the horror that welled within him. For a few moments as the wind thrashed violently through the boughs of rustling pines and firs. A pressure was building at the base of Todd's skull.

...Todd

...Todd

...Todd

...Todd

The wind whispered in his ear. And then, silence. No trees rustled, no snow fell. It was an absolute and peaceful science. It lulled the lavender mare's senses. In this moment she was safe, yet the hunter stood resolute.

What happened next could only be described as a blur of sensations. Gray and white streaks, moving impossibly fast over her in attempt to strike down Twilight's protector. Reds and yellows, enveloping the grays and whites eliciting a howl of agony. The human rolled backwards over Twilight's back, as the blur passed over the top of them both. Immediately the hunter was erect on two feet. In her vision fell a snapped bow and a burnt aerosol can of hair spray with a disposable lighter crudely rigged as a pilot light. Fifty yards from Todd stood a juggernaut of mangled pale flesh with a rib cage near fully exposed by rot and tearing of skin to fit it's new body. It was twice Todd's height, with a head resembling the skull of a deer, antlers and all. Scarce tendons and exposed muscles operated the jaws of the behemoth. The wendigo's limbs were elongated and narrow, and hanging from Its throat just under the jaw. Singed flesh and what what little hair there was to burn wafted in the air.

Weakened by the purifying effects of the silver, as well as the horrid burns covering its body. It was clear the creature was unfit now for battle, but none-the-less was preparing for the next strike. Twilight now noticed the champagne bottle filled with a strange fluid. Extending from the mouth of the bottle and bound to the glass neck by twine was a piece of wet cloth. In the other hand was a lighter. As he lit the cloth Todd peered into the eyes, or eye sockets, of his foe. The monstrosity began his charge, and the predator cocked back his arm. With each stride of the wendigo Todd came ever closer to releasing the bottle. When it was ten meters from the unicorn he was to protect the glass shattered against the rotted rib cage.

The flames clung to the mass of sizzling devil as it fell to the snow just beside the pair. It squirmed and violently seized and struck at the air. Decayed and festering flesh blistered, boiled and popped. After a short time the still burning wendigo had become still. Peace again oppressed the chaos of the battle into absolute silence. Todd looked toTwilight Sparkle with a sheepish grin and a pail face. His hands trembled and his lips quivered and spoke.

"How about we go home." It took two steps for the man to collapse into the snow. Rushing to the body Twilight saw the gash in his clothing which secreted a warm, sticky, viscous fluid. Twilight ripped away his jacket and under shirt revealing the massive abdominal laceration which was bleeding profusely.

"Hang in there Todd. We're gonna go home, just hang in there."