Husklands

Chapter 1

Ever since the Elements of Harmony were returned to the Tree of Harmony, the Everfree forest had started to become a much more peaceful and welcoming place. The poison joke had slowly decreased in population and thanks to Fluttershy, the manticore that roamed freely never bothered anypony. The scary looking trees and thorny vines also seemed to vanish, with many beautiful flowers and exotic plants blooming in their place.

Of course, the clouds still moved on their own and somehow a ghostly fog would accumulate at night from time to time, but for the most part, the forest had become much more hospitable. This made it the perfect place for Twilight and Shining Armor to take a morning walk and spend time together.

Cadence was at the spa relaxing and they planned on meeting up later for lunch. It had been a while since they had seen each other. Shining and Cadence were always busy ruling the Crystal Empire and Twilight had found herself being looked up to more and more for leadership. So it was good to be able to get away and just have fun for once, even if it was only for a day or two.

"...and don't even get me started on the ponies who try to become my friend just get close to Cadence," Shining Armor continued with his conversation. "Oh Prince Armor, why don't you and I share a drink and become best buds so I can complain to your wife about how life isn't fair and it's your fault." He huffed loudly.

Twilight let out a slightly amused laugh. "Sounds like you've had your hooves full."

"Oh yeah," Armor replied. "You have no idea how glad I am to be here and not back in..." he stopped suddenly, staring straight ahead at something in the distance.

"Is something wrong BBBFF?" Twilight asked when he didn't complete his sentence.

"What? Oh right. Yeah, I'm fine," Armor assured. "I think we should head back now." He stepped out in front of Twilight to prevent her from going any further."

"Why?" Twilight asked. "We've only been walking for ten minutes."

"I know," Armor answered. "I just think we shouldn't go any farther than this." He wasn't doing a very good job of hiding his motives with his obviously fake smile. He never could hide his emotions from Twilight.

"Why not? What's over there?" She could tell he was hiding something. This suspicion was only reinforced when she tried to look around him and he stepped out in front of her again. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," Armor replied. "Come on, let's go this way." He started pushing her back in the direction from which they had come.

"Shiny stop," Twilight protested.

"Hey look over there. What's that."

Twilight had had enough. Something was causing Shining Armor to act like this and she was going to get to the bottom of it. Before he could corral her back any farther, she cast a teleportation spell to get around him. What she saw when she did this though, was something that she was not prepared for.

"Oh my gosh!" Twilight yelled.

About thirty yards away, slowly staggering down the trail from the north was a changeling. He didn't look good. His large blue eyes were only half open and a trail of blue, dripping blood was being left behind him.

Twilight quickly ran forward, not caring what Shining Armor had to say.

"Twilight wait!!!" Armor yelled after her. "We don't know if it's friendly!" He started running to her.

Twilight stopped ten feet in front of the injured changeling. He looked even worse up close. He was covered in long cuts and deep gashes. His left leg, the most notable of his injuries, was cracked open and the bottom half hung from looked like blue jelly and spaghetti noodles. He dragged it across the ground as he limped, leaving a blue streak. Twilight gasped in horror at what she was seeing.

The changeling looked up at her, staring blankly with a tired emotionless expression. He didn't move, he didn't advance, he just stood there. Twilight didn't blame him either. She didn't know how far he must have walked, but it was incredible that he was able to walk at all with his injuries.

Shining caught up to Twilight and tried to put a hoof on her shoulder, but before he could, she dashed forward toward the changeling who had started to fall forward.

She caught the changeling in her hooves. His breathing was so faint and ragged and his heart beat was weak. She didn't have much time. "Shiny I need your help!" she said desperately.

"What? No! Put that thing down!"

"Please Shiny! We cant just leave him! We have to help!" Twilight pleaded.

Armor sighed. He didn't want to do this, but he knew his hooves were tied. If he didn't help and the changeling died, Twilight would no doubt blame him and push him away. If he did help though, and it died anyway, than at least he could comfort her. He did feel a little bad after suggesting that they abandon it. Seeing it like that was a little overwhelming.

"Okay, okay," Armor finally said. "What do you need me to do?"

Twilight was already applying magic braces to the changeling shredded leg. "I need you to put pressure on these two wounds," she said pointing to two large gashes that ran parallel to each other, no doubt caused by the teeth of another changeling.

Armor did as he was told, putting his hooves down on each of the gashes. The changeling coughed as he did this. More blue blood spattered onto Twilight's hooves, which were already covered.

"Crap!" Armor exclaimed. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, you're fine. Keep pressing down. We have to stop the bleeding."

Armor continued to push as Twilight finished the spell to keep the changelings leg from flopping around and causing anymore damage. The purple magic bubble that wrapped around the leg wouldn't last for very long. They needed to move him to somewhere that they could get proper treatment. Before they could do this though, they needed to stop as much of his bleeding as possible.

In an attempt to do this, Twilight quickly materialized a hard light disk with her magic. "Move your hooves," she instructed to Shining Armor, who did as he was told. She applied magic construct to the changeling's open wounds carefully and then cast another spell to fix it to his exoskeleton.

The changeling coughed up more hot, sticky blood as he was operated on. Why couldn't these ponies just kill him? Why did they have to torment him by keeping him alive? He was no good. He didn't know anything useful. He would be better off to them dead. Finally, after one more spell from the purple alicorn that was treating him, he passed out. The pain was just too much for him to handle any longer.

"What happened?" Armor asked. "Is he dead?"

"No, no, he's just passed out," Twilight answered, relieved that they hadn't lost him. "We need to get him out of here though. We cant do anymore for him here without the proper resources."

"So to the hospital then, right?"

"No, too far," Twilight replied. "The magic braces wont hold for that long. Come on Twilight, think." A light bulb came to life in her head. "That's it," she said. "Fluttershy's cottage is nearby. I know for a fact that she keeps a big first aid kit in her kitchen."

"Alright, lets go then." Armor carefully picked the changeling up in his magic and placed him on his back.

"I'll fly there and let Fluttershy know that you're coming," Twilight said. "It will be better if we have everything ready by the time you get there." She didn't wait for a reply. Instead, she opened her wings and took off into the sky.

Shining Armor looked at the changeling on his back and sighed. This was going to be a long day.