A Wolf Among Ponies: First Contact

Chapters

Night of Nightmares
The Morning After
Waiting Game
The Great Escape

Night of Nightmares

Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria…

Chapter One:
Night of Nightmares

“And so, with the chain they made from the sound of a cat’s footsteps and the roots of mountains, Night’s humility and the Twisting One’s honesty, they bound and held Father Fenris and left him within the Iron Wood. And they mocked him, and told him that now all the world was theirs, and that his Wolves would die without him.

“But he just looked at them and growled, and said, ‘All your deceits will be repaid! Twisting One, Night and Day shall cast you down and drive your monsters away as they will my wolves; and their children will control the world so utterly that not even the seasons will turn without them! And Night, Day will eventually tire of sharing anything with you. She will seal you away in your precious Moon and rule everything herself.

“But long from now, Night will escape and return and the Twisting One will go free again; and when these things that cannot be happen, there will be an end of all that the ponies have made and my children, the Wolves, shall cast you all down forever! And all shall once more be as it was meant to be!’

“And so we wait, and hope, and remember, because one day soon –!”

– The Prophecy of Fenris; Old Story of the Northern Forest Wolfpacks

The young white wolf crouched in the underbrush at the edge of the woods, staring at the great sweep of Pony dens silhouetted against the black of Discord’s Demense.

Weak ponies, living inside dens of stone, like Diamond Dogs!

Above, the full moon hung high and swollen. He raised his muzzle to it as if to howl, shuddered to see it shorn of the image it had borne for as long as his pack could remember. The Nightmare, loose in the world, but where? Will I find out? He shook himself. Yes, if Wyrd will have it so.

Ardi of the Great Northern Forests, nose and ears of Adelwulf, Alpha of All the Packs on this long scouting expedition into the lands of the Burning Queen, tongued his nosepad to check the scents – sweet woodsmoke and apples, the usual dung-scent of a pony farming town, and the ripe meat-scent of pony.

His plan had been to swim the river north of the pony dens, where a pony-built wall held back the stream and piles of something provided cover, then work his way back north along the edge of those fell woods. Everywolf knew ponies denned up at sunset; by now, when wolves like Ardi were in their element, they should all be asleep.

Only they weren’t. Lights shone from the pony-dens; more lights sparkled across the gaps between them, shining on herds of ponies out in the streets. Hundreds of them.

Just what, he thought, are those crazy ponies doing?

They wore clothes like Diamond Dogs, maybe against the chill in the air heralding winter snows to come. Whinnying laughter and equine voices – including the high-pitched neighs of pony-pups – drifted faint on the breeze that bore their scents to him.

Ardi rose and began to lope towards the pony town, slipping from cover to cover as the dens of wood and stone grew in size and the voices grew in volume. Dens decorated with pumpkins and hung apples and images of bones and skulls and bats. At the thought of bats, he glanced skyward, checking for any flier-ponies that could be aloft. Nothing but one small cloud, floating over the town near that tall point-topped pony building. Odd how it just hung there, so low. Shouldn’t the breeze drive it away? Pony magic?

He was close enough to make out the words in those pony voices, raised in what he recognized as joy, the amusement of happy ponies.

“Happy Nightmare Night!”

Nightmare Night? Did these ponies know something about the missing Mare in the Moon? If so, he had to find out.

Now he was slipping among the pony-dens, keeping to what shadows he could find.

The ponies wore clothes, yes, but not against the night chill. Not even Diamond Dogs wore cloth and leather so bizarre. Like all the monsters of Discord’s Demense plus some even The Twisting One couldn’t have imagined.

A herd of pony-pups in those strange outfits wandered between the dens, looking like weird pup-sized monsters escorted by older and bigger ones, earth ponies and spear-heads and fliers dressed equally bizarre. The nearest of these herds followed a pony dressed to look like the world’s biggest chicken. She knocked on the door of a pony den with her nose, using it like a woodpecker’s beak. Ardi was just close enough to hear their sing-song chant as it opened and they thrust the bags they held towards the pony standing there: “Nightmare Night! What a fright! Give us something sweet to bite!”

He shuddered, glancing up at the now-pristine Moon. The Nightmare again! He sank back into the shadows as the pony standing at the door dropped something that smelled good into their bags. Heh, right under their noses and they can’t smell or see me! Ponies are idiots!

And as that thought crossed his mind the air snapped behind him. A sharp white flash like summer lightning filled his eyes, and something like a mouthful of small sharp fangs cracked across his rump with a hollow thudding boom.

“YIPE!” Ardi leaped out of the shadows, howling, his nose filled with the scent of ozone. The ponies, both the little pups and the crazy chicken, stared at him. Amused whinnies broke out above and behind him as he shrieked, “It’s Nightmare Moon and she’s after me! HELP!”

He charged at the pony-pups before him, howling in terror. They scattered with high-pitched whinnies, and some laughter as well. The Earth pony mare standing at the door shrieked and jumped, sending her plate of food flying. Ardi heard the pony-pups giving savage neighs of glee behind him. It only redoubled his speed to escape whatever they planned for him. Every lupine horror story about pony witchcraft killing wolves filled his mind as he fled, clearing the assembled pony-pups with one leap and racing into the heart of the pony dens.

Into a town filled with magic-using, cruel, murderous, wolf-killing ponies.

#

“Hi, Rainbow Dash!” Pinkie Pie yelled up at the small storm cloud overhead. “Great prank, you really got that pony!” She looked after the vanished stranger. “Whoever he is.”

“Yeah,” Dash looked over the side and called down, wiping a tear from her eyes as she laughed. Beside Pinkie, Bon Bon looked down in dismay at her scattered treats. “Hey, sorry, Bon Bon. But I didn’t think that guy would be such a scaredy-cat.”

“My ginger and molasses Nightmare Night specials,” Bon Bon moaned, ignoring her. She tried to gather them up. Several of the foals with Pinkie aided her; the smallest of them – a pinto colt in a pirate costume – tried to snack on a piece he picked up. Bon Bon took it away and gave him a clean one. “Not that one, dear, it was in the dirt.” She glared up at Dash. “I spent all afternoon making them, and you ruined the lot! You’re not as funny as you think you are, Rainbow Dash!”

“Aw, simmer down,” Dash called back. “It’s Nightmare Night! Everypony deserves one good scare; and who’s dumb enough to take it seriously?” Bon Bon just glared at her. Dash rolled her eyes behind the Shadowbolt mask she wore. “Fine, I’ll pay you back for them tomorrow. Pinkie Promise.” Bon Bon still looked nettled, but nodded. Dash looked around and suddenly stared. “Ooh! There’s Applejack and Big Mac over that way, towards the center of town!” She added in a voice filled with evil glee, “I don’t think I’ve wished her a Happy Nightmare Night yet!” She got behind her cloud and pushed it off in that direction, the same direction the stranger had run off in.

Bon Bon glared after her. Pinkie Pie slapped her on the back.

“Aww, take it easy Bonnie, you know she’ll pay for them. And I’ll help you make new ones tomorrow.” She grinned widely, adding, “I’d love to learn a new candy recipe.”

“They’re only for Nightmare Night,” Bon Bon responded. “The recipe’s a family secret. But thanks anyway, Pinkie Pie.” She scowled after Dash again. “Does she actually expect us all to believe that story from last year, about her beating a dozen of those ‘Shadowbolts’ on the way to save Luna?”

“Aww, that’s Dashie,” Pinkie said as she headed off with the foals, doing a bipedal gait with an ease that would impress Lyra if she saw it. In the distance there came another flash of lightning and roll of thunder, together with a yell from Applejack. “But look at it this way, the worst thing that could happen tonight is behind you, so you can enjoy the rest of Nightmare Night!”

#

Four months ago –

“Pack-kin, come to me,” Adelwulf said to Ardi. He stood atop a giant flat dark stone, used by the Alphas of Alphas to judge and rule over their wolves since they first settled in the Northern Forests, before the Nightmare was sealed away by her sister the Burning Queen.

The younger and smaller Wolf approached, careful to keep his ears and tail properly lowered. The chill night wind whistled down from the Frozen North; the stars wheeled around the full moon above, drops of ice flung from Fenris’ coat when he was thrust into his prison by the treacherous alicorns and the Twisting One. He hopped up beside his Alpha and kinswolf, the stone cold and rough beneath his paws. Together, the two looked southwards across the forest and tundra, towards the pony lands of Equestria.

“I have a task for you.”

“I’ll do whatever the Pack requires, uncle,” Ardi began, quickly changing it to, “Honored Alpha,” at the ears-down and fangtips-displayed growl he got.

“Good to see you remember some manners,” Adelwulf said with a huff. “Better do to remember them at the next convocation of packs, unless you want Stark and his sons to tear your ears off for your flippancy.” He turned and looked at the sky again. Ardi followed his gaze to stare at the Moon. The Nightmare’s prison since the Times of Wandering, for as long as any tale howled out by wolves could tell.

But no longer. Her shadow no longer stained it, not since the night that had lasted for days.

Despite himself, Ardi bristled and whined, pressing against his uncle’s side. The Alpha bore it for a moment, before sending him back with a snap of his mighty jaws. Ardi lowered his ears in apology and all was well again. Adelwulf looked away again as though the interruption never occurred.

“Ardi, can you guess what I want?”

“For the Burning Queen to be cast down, for pony magic to vanish forever, and for all to once more be as Father Fenris meant it to be?” Ardi kept any sound of amusement from his voice. Even so he half expected his uncle to grab a mouthful of his ruff and shake it. To his surprise, the old wolf only woofed softly in agreement.

“Yes, I would like that,” he said. He looked at Ardi, and the wolf wondered if his golden eyes almost glowed. “But I will not hope for it to happen.” He indicated the full moon above. “That is what I want.”

“I think that is beyond my ability to bring you, Alpha,” Ardi said. As the older Wolf turned on him again, ears low and bristling, Ardi quickly added, “To know what has happened to the Mare in the Moon?”

The Alpha of Alphas cocked one shaggy eyebrow.

Ardi said, “What else could it be, uncle? We need to know what happened to the Nightmare,” he indicated the Moon while adding the low snarl that made her name a curse, hopefully turning her attention away. “Did she break free, as the Old Stories said? Is Father Fenris stirring to return and set things right? Has he already devoured her to begin the Fimbulwinter?”

Ardi didn’t bother hiding the hope in the last few words. Would he did, for then it would be but the Burning Queen left to fear.

Adelwulf’s next words took the hope from him. “I doubt Fenris did, else we would know of it more surely. But whatever has befallen, we must know.” He began to lope down from the rock, Ardi alongside him. Both headed away from the pack’s dens, the sounds of lupine yips and yelps fading behind them. “I have spoken of this with the Alphas of all the Packs, and we have agreed.”

“Agreed on what, honored Alpha?” Ardi looked out across the plain stretching off before them. He looked from southwards to east, where the forest began to thin. At the tree-swept horizon he could see a thing like a rippling serpent under the moonlight, together with brighter lights that came from nothing natural – the great river and the Pony city. On windy nights, if you listened here hard enough, sometimes you could catch the faintest traces of sound from the log walls and pony-dens of Stalliongrad.

“On this,” Adelwulf said, and his voice was such that Ardi turned all attention to him.

“We must needs know what is happening in the realm of our enemies, the ponies; but we cannot let them know that we still exist, that we still think and speak, else they would kill us.”

As in the Times of Wandering, when the Burning Queen and the Nightmare drove us from the fair lands into the Frozen North.

“I agree, uncle – Alpha.” Ardi thought of the Wolves slain in the great raid on Stalliongrad in his puppyhood. Not one of them betrayed their folk, even as they died under the plunging hooves and hunting spears of the ponies in the great square, forevermore to be called Red Square from their shed blood. Neither threats nor pleading passed their fangs, only final snarls of defiance. No Wolf had heard or seen it, but they knew it to be true.

Otherwise they wouldn’t still be alive.

“A Wolf from every Pack must go among them as far as they dare, and learn what has happened.”

“That is a good plan, Alpha,” Ardi said, wondering what poor fool from his pack would be sent.

“Those who are sent must be Wolves of cunning, intelligence, courage, and subtlety.”

“Those would be the best qualities in such a hunter, Alpha.”

“I am glad you approve,” Adelwulf said. He looked Ardi right in the eyes, golden gaze locking with a blue one, in a fashion that would have formed a challenge from any other wolf. “You escaped the rusalka that slew so many Wolves. Fear not, I alone know of your visit to the forbidden lake near Winterholt,” he said as Ardi began to stammer excuses. “You have spied on ponies outside their very dens; only Stark’s pup Geisterlaufer is a better scout.”

Ardi raised his head and tail high as his Alpha’s, the ruffs of his chest bulging out. To be compared to Geisterlaufer – Ghost Walker – of Winterholt Pack! If that Dire Wolf didn’t want to be seen or heard as he scouted, you didn’t see or hear or even scent him.

Adelwulf’s voice rose, as befitted the Alpha of all the Packs.

“You are my choice for our Pack. Go now. Do not return before the new snows have fallen.”

He loped away, back towards the comfort of the dens.

Ardi stared after him in disbelief. Only a few words escaped his muzzle.

“Why do I have such a big mouth?”

#

And so I crept down from the Northern Forests into the grassy plains and forests, and here, to this crazy land full of crazy, wolf-killing ponies, Ardi thought as he stopped to catch his breath. It caught in his throat as he looked around and realized something.

The crazy, wolf-killing ponies that are all around me!

Ponies in the oddest outfits were all around. Nearby stood one with a tied-back mane and tail that smelled of apples and straw and with a slight hint of smoke. She rubbed her flank and winced as at some soreness. Others passed close by, close enough that the wolf stiffened as he expected them to leap on him, hooves plunging as they trampled him into a rag…

“Great wolf costume!”

“Huh?” Ardi blinked as he looked into the face of the apple-smelling pony. She smiled at him and showed some teeth, as mannerless as everypony. Nearby two other ponies were sticking their heads into a large bucket of water and trying to catch apples in their teeth for some unknown reason. One of them, a mare, wore a cape and had horns like a bull on her head. Beyond them other ponies on a stage made music with their instruments; still more danced down before them. All of them wore a… “Costume? Oh, yes! Costume!”

“Well, yeah,” the pony-bitch – no, mare – who’d spoken said to him. Ardi looked around, his eyes widening as he realized something. “Ah mean, this here is Nightmare Night. It’s the right time o’ year ta be wearing a costume.” He froze as she reached out and felt a tuft of his fur. “Nice stuff too, feels almost real. Ya get this from Rarity?”

“Who? Ah, I mean,” Ardi hurriedly said, “I’m new in this – town! I meant to say town!” He grinned at her, careful not to show his lupine teeth. He doubted these “costumes” were that good. “Yes, this is my costume, and I’m only passing through, this is my first time here, I smelled the food and saw everything, I decided to take a look.” To his relief the straw-coated mare smiled back. She turned to the cart behind here from which wonderful scents arose.

“Hungry, huh?” She turned back around and offered him a plate with something on it, smelling of warm apples and sweetness and wrapped in dough. “Here, have a bite.”

No wolf needed to be asked twice if they wanted to eat. Ardi dug in, setting the plate on the ground and snaffling it up. It was hot and sticky and sweet and saving only for partly-rotten venison, it was the best thing he’d ever eaten. He looked back up to see the Earth pony mare dressed as what he now realized was a “scarecrow” eyeing him with something like amusement.

“Yeesh, ya didn’t have ta act that much like a starvin’ wolf!” She laughed. Ardi forced another grin as she said, “New around here, huh? Mah name’s Applejack. What’s your name and where’re ya from?”

“My name?” Ardi hesitated, wondered what to say, and took the plunge. “I’m… Long Walker. From the North.” He hoped that would serve. Before she could ask more, he said, “It’s been a while since I’ve eaten, is there any place around here where I can get some more food like that?”

“Hah, well, maybe not exactly like what y’all will find on Sweet Apple Acres,” Applejack said, “But I think we can find ya something ta eat around here.” She turned and headed for the weird chicken-pony from before, standing in the midst of that pack – no, the word is “herd” – of pony-pups. As they went closer Ardi began to smell something strange that left a sweet aftertaste on his tongue. Like spring honey or late autumn syrup from the maple trees but stronger. It came from the small platter Chicken Pony was taking from a scrawny stallion and a very chunky mare who must be with foal to judge by how her belly hung beneath her. Both of them wore what looked like oddly raggedy clothes. And was that yarn they had hanging from their manes?

Ardi just shook his head. Ponies were all crazy.

“You’ll give out the treats, Pinkie?” The stallion said to Chicken Pony.

“I sure will!” Chicken Pony, Pinkie, said proudly. Ardi wondered why ponies loathed their own young so much to give them these silly names as she said, “And I’ll be sure to tell everyone about the big post-Nightmare Night sale we’ll be having tomorrow! You and Mrs. Cake go and take it easy.”

Chicken Pony grinned so widely Ardi wondered her face didn’t fall into her mouth as she waved goodbye at the two. Then she turned and bounced up to both him and Scarecrow Pony.

He forced himself to hold his ground. There was something really strange about this one, even for a pony. “Hi, AJ! Hi, pony in a wolfsuit I met earlier but don’t know yet!” He wondered if she’d be as enthusiastic if the ponies learned who he was and trampled him. She held the tray out under both their muzzles. “Say, do you want some of the Cakes’ best home-made dark chocolate candy? It’s fresh made!”

“Reckon Ah will,” Scarecrow Pony said. Ardi barely noticed. Despite the apple before, he was still hungry and the smell of the food was maddening. He stared at it, not even noticing how the two ponies were sharing a smile before the palomino said, “On second thought, why don’t ya let Long Walker here have the first bite?”

“Okey-dokey-loki!” Chicken Pony said with a smile as she offered the tray to the wolf. Part of Ardi warned him to be cautious. The other part just went, Food! “Hi, Long Walker, I hope you enjoy – yow!” Scarecrow Pony snorted beside him.

“Yeesh, pardner, ya gotta act that much like a starvin’ wolf?”

“What?” Ardi looked at them both. He figured he had roughly a pound of the sweet-tasting whatever-it-was in his mouth as he tossed his head back and swallowed it in one gulp. Like a chunk of fresh venison. He growled in deep appreciation. “I’ve never eaten anything like that before. So sweet! What is it?”

“Err, home-made candy?” Ardi looked at the two ponies. Both of them had their heads tilted to the side and were looking at him oddly. He grinned nervously. Apparently he’d done something wrong. Chicken Pony said, “I mean, you have eaten candy before, right? Unless your family is so poor they only eat grass. I mean, I guess some ponies are that poor, though even my family had rock candy sometimes, and we were really poor, just a few dozen acres and nothing but gems to farm, diamonds and emeralds and rubies for ponies to decorate their homes with, not really good to wear… Hmm, maybe we weren’t so poor after all?” She looked ready to say more but the little pony-pups spoke up.

“Miss Pinkie Pie?” One very little pinto pony-pup with the crown of his head wrapped in fabric and a patch over one eye asked. “Umm, maybe we can go and get some more treats at the houses we haven’t visited yet?” The others with him murmured their agreement. Including one that looked like – a wolf?

Ardi prowled through the middle of the pups, head lowered and nosepad twitching as he sniffed his way up to her. He kept a wary eye on the two adult mares as he did; no wolfpack would so tolerate a stranger approaching one of their pups. She stood between one earth pony that looked like she’d been cut to pieces and sewed back together, and a tiny little spear-head in a cape and pulled-back mane – did she have tiny fangs in her mouth? Ardi ignored them both to sniff at the one in-between, wearing something like a wolf’s head and pelt. She looked out through the mouth at him with bright eyes. A few strands of unruly mane straggled from beneath the mask. After the first sniff he wagged his tail in relief. It wasn’t from a real wolf.

“Uhh, hi?’ She said to him in a scratchy voice, sounding nervous. She looked him over. She reached out and tugged lightly at his pelt. “Wow, great wolf suit. It’s even better than the one your sis made, Sweetie Belle.” She said the latter to the sweet-smelling fanged spear-head, who looked unimpressed. “Hey, how can I get inside one like that?”

“I don’t think you can,” Ardi said, fighting against the urge to grin. Not unless you want to get eaten by one. “And you’re supposed to be a little puppy?”

Her next words tore the amusement from him.

“No, I’m a Big Bad Wolf!” She tilted her head back and howled, or tried to. Ponies nearby, including Pinkie and Applejack, laughed and pretended to be afraid as she said, “I’m gonna eat up all the ponies of Ponyville while I pretend to be one, because that’s what wolves do!”

Wait, ponies think we can turn into ponies? Ardi shook his head in disbelief. These ponies really are crazy! They have all the magic, not us! He almost wished he dared tell them that Wolves knew better than to eat ponies, and had for centuries now, when Scarecrow Pony mockingly stomped up to the little pony. She spoke and her words were like the smell of serpents in summer, making him bristle in fear.

“Yeah, well, ya try eatin’ any ponies ‘round here and Ah’ll fix ya!” She snorted and flattened her ears in mock ferocity before rolling the little pony onto her back and tickling her belly. She whinnied in wicked glee as she said, “Mah family used ta fight off th’ Everfree monsters, an’ we’ll stomp any nasty old lyin’ wolves flatter than a rug if we catch ‘em in Ponyville!”

Ardi somehow managed to grin without showing fangs in his fear. Nothing could keep him from quietly backing away as the assembled equines whickered and whinnied laughter. He searched for an escape route. Nearby, where those ponies were making music, he saw a relatively open space where ponies in more of these costumes danced together. Maybe he could slip through there and get away unnoticed?

It certainly seemed that he wouldn’t learn anything about the vanished Nightmare here.

#

Behind him, Scootaloo licked her lips and went to eat some of the remaining candy, only to stop as Pinkie lifted it out of her reach.

“Uh-uh, ‘Wolfaloo’,” she said. Smiling and wearing a professor’s mortarboard that she’d somehow gotten from somewhere, she said, “No chocolate for you, it makes wolves and doggies sick.”

“It does?” She and her two friends asked. They looked at each other, embarrassed.

“Okay,” Sweetie said, looking ashamed. “Now we know why Winona got so sick that one time when we tried to give her treats.”

“What!” Applejack snorted at them. “That was you last month? Winona was sick for three days!” The fillies looked down, lightly trailing their forehooves against the dirt. “Ah never saw Winona be that sick before! Ah had to take her to Fluttershy!”

“Sorry, big sis,” Applebloom said as she looked at Applejack. “We were tryin’ for cutie marks as dog trainers, and this book said that it helped ta give treats.” She stopped as Applejack lightly nuzzled her behind her piled-up wig, smearing some of the drawn-on stitches.

“It’s okay, ya didn’t cause any permanent harm. An’ ya know better now, right?” All three of the fillies nodded eagerly. “Okay, then go on an’ have fun.” She laughed. “After all, it’s Nightmare Night!” The fillies laughed and went off after Pinkie, headed in the direction of the library. After they were gone, Applejack looked around, curious. Huh, where did that new fella get off ta? He seemed mighty all-fired worried for some reason. Like he had somewhere ta be.

Then she saw him, in the midst of the ponies dancing to the music, facing Lotus Blossom from the Spa. Lotus was dressed in what looked like some barbaric hunting outfit made of fur. She batted her eyes winsomely at him. Long Walker looked surprised. He looked around until his gaze settled on her. Applejack smiled knowingly. Friend, Ah can’t help ya there. He gulped. After a moment he began to dance slowly with Lotus.

Heh, so that’s how he wants ta spend Nightmare Night. Applejack smiled and turned back to the refreshments and completely set the odd newcomer out of her mind.

“Come on right up, ponies, and have some o’ Sweet Apple Acres’ best cider and fritters! Just th’ thing for Nightmare Night…!”

#

“I’m flattered, miss,” Ardi said to the flowery-smelling pony-bitch before him as she fluttered her long eyelashes at him. “But really, I don’t know how to dance.”

“What is to know, big bad volk?” She purred out in that Stalliongrad accent. She stepped closer, dressed in a “costume” Ardi recognized – the furs of a Stalliongrad kazak, one of the border guard who made a specialty of hunting wild beasts and monsters – including wolves. She smiled slowly. It reminded Ardi all too well of that rusalka in the lake right before she showed her fangs as the mare husked out, “I just want somepony to dance with, for just one dance. Is not so much to ask for, da?”

Ardi looked over in the direction he’d just come from. Maybe he could escape that way? He saw Scarecrow Pony there, giving him an evil-looking smile. Was she getting suspicious? Better act normal then. Normal for a pony, anyway. He gulped and turned back to the kazak mare.

“Rrrr, want to dance, Miss…”

“Call me Lotus,” She said, moving to stand beside him, herding him out into the midst of the dancing ponies. Ardi did so, feeling his heart rising into his throat. The sweet smell of pony sweat surrounded him, as did the whickers and nickers of equine amusement. “And dear wolf, I would simply love to dance. Oh, what is your name, anyway?”

“I’m Long Walker,” he said quickly. “From around Stalliongrad.” He almost bit through his tongue at those last few words. Hope she didn’t notice!

“Ah!” She had. Her eyes went wide with delight. “Almost neighbor.” A new light seemed to enter her eyes, and her smile took on dimensions that left Ardi feeling flattered and worried all at once.

She stood before him and began swaying back and forth before moving from side to side on her hooves, grinning the whole while. Somehow forcing himself not to show any fear, Ardi did the same. He hoped he didn’t do too badly. Dancing was not an art most wolves found any great need to master. He felt he must be doing well enough, given that she didn’t start to whinny, “Wolf! Wolf!” and set half a hundred angry ponies on him. Still, he held his breath until the song ended.

“That was lovely, Miss Lotus,”Ardi looked over at the band, and saw a pony all wrapped in bandages dropping what looked like a small bushel of shining bits into a basket they had before saying something to them. He quickly added, “But it looks like the dance is over, and…”

“And now, a special request from a special pony,” one of the band members said, pointing at Bandage Pony. That one hopped up and down in place before getting up on her hind legs like a bear or, urrgh, a Diamond Dog. As she did the band broke out into a much more energetic tune. It that sounded vaguely like the songs he’d heard once or twice as he listened outside of buildings in the villages surrounding Stalliongrad, the ones that reeked of malt and hops and potatoes and alcohol and that echoed to the rampant whinnies of excited ponies who left to sway all the way home.

Lotus whinnied with glee.

“Ah! Trust Miss Lyra to pick this one!” She and the ponies around them both rose up on their hind legs. “Come on, no, Long Walker, get up and dance!”

Ardi hesitated. He was pretty sure that if he could barely dance on all fours, then dancing on two like some trained bear was beyond him. But before he could flee Lotus reached down and snatched him up. “YIPE!”

“Don’t be so scared,” Lotus laughed as she tugged him against her, pony barrel against wolf belly. He felt the warmth of her body radiate through his own. He also saw the dancers around them were doing the same, hugging close to one another – probably helps them stay upright – with several of them using the opportunity provided to snatch a kiss or the like. He looked back as Lotus as the dance began, the music seeming to run all along his spine. Whatever she saw must have said ‘Yes’, for she leaned in close. He yipped and tried to turn away, only to catch a kiss meant for his cheek on his dewlaps instead.

Velvet pony lips brushed against his rough dewlaps. Despite what ponies, especially Stalliongrad ponies, thought of wolves, Ardi had never tasted a pony before then. Let alone felt the body of one against his own. A sweet flowery scent filled his muzzle. Lotus’s warmth and scent filled his head along with thoughts both exciting and shameful.

No, she’s a pony and I’m a Wolf, I can’t be thinking this!

Ardi wondered if he really felt his paws start to slide down the mare’s sides, and why he suddenly heard amused whickers and snorts from nearby. Rather high-pitched ones.

“My, now, you awful wolf,” Lotus husked out with a giggle as she let him come up for air. “You really are pony-eating beast.” She looked past him. Her dreamy eyes went wide and with a snort she shoved him away, dropping back down on all fours. Ardi fell on his back with a yelp and found himself locking gazes with some of the pony-pups from before. With them and looking on frowning was a mare smelling and looking much like the one he’d embraced, save for the pink coat, blue mane and tail, and sour look on her face.

“Oh! Dobrevyechyer, Aloe,” Lotus said, trying to look innocent. “I, ah, I was just talking about Stalliongrad with Long Walker here,” she pointed at Ardi. “I thought maybe he knew Baba and could tell me about her.” She stopped as the other mare stormed up to her, tail lashing.

“Tell you what about her, sister?” Aloe snapped, “How her tonsils are doing? You seemed to be examining his very intently!” She looked at him and snorted. “And must he wear such cheap-looking costume?”

“What!” Lotus’ ears went back before her eyes narrowed. She scraped the earth below her with one forehoof. “Sister, you will not speak to me in such fashion! Just because I wanted to have some innocent fun for one night…”

Ardi didn’t know everything about ponies, but some kinds of body language were universal. He turned and quietly slipped away, wondering if he should be relieved or dismayed to be leaving Lotus behind.

#

“Aww, take it easy, Aloe, Lotus,” Pinkie Pie said as she walked chicken-fashion up to the sisters from Stalliongrad. They looked at her, some of their tension dissolving. The ponies around them began dancing again while Pinkie said, “It’s Nightmare Night, after all. This is a night to be silly and have fun. So what if your sis had a little smooch with some new pony, Aloe?”

“I want us to be taken seriously,” Aloe said, setting one forehoof to her forehead as though fighting a headache. “Everypony in Equestria seems to think that Stalliongrad ponies are either wild plains runners or arrogant boyari,” she scowled at Lotus, who tried to look innocent, “Or scheming spies! Must you act so like ‘sensual Stalliongrad mare’, sister?”

“I can’t help if stallions like me,” Lotus said, tilting her head back. Aloe gasped as she said, “Maybe they’d like you too if you focused on something other than paperwork and counting bits.”

“Oh, don’t you put this on me!” Lotus fell back before her sister as Aloe said, her voice icy, “Somepony has to concentrate on business while her scatterbrain sister acts like we still lived in Stalliongrad, and spent every weekend out with kazaki,” she shuddered while Lotus looked dreamy, “hunting for wolves and monsters…” They both trotted off, arguing with each other while the foals with Pinkie watched with wide eyes. One tugged gently on her leg.

“Are they gonna be mad all night, Miss Pinkie?” Pipsqueak said to Pinkie. “I hate to think that they’ll be arguing all Nightmare Night.” The other foals looked unhappy at that thought too.

And that made Pinkie unhappy. Nightmare Night was supposed to be about the fun of being safely scared, not fighting! Especially for fillies and colts and especially – she gulped – this year.

“Naww,” Pinkie said, reaching down to tousle his mane. “They’re just like that. Ponies quarrel sometimes even when they like each other. It doesn’t mean the Windigoes are coming to freeze everypony.” The foals shivered at her words. Pinkie bit her tongue.

She looked and saw Aloe and Lotus embracing in forgiveness, if a bit gingerly. She frowned to realize that they must still be dealing with what Discord did to them when he was free, turning them into a two-headed pony with the heads on either end. It seemed like a lot of Ponyville’s ponies were still rattled and tense from what Discord did to them and the town. She’d decided to make this year’s Nightmare Night even more fun and over the top than usual to compensate.

Give everypony some really great harmless scares, and we’ll get it out of our systems and put Mister Meany-Pants-Even-Though-He-Brought-Chocolate-Rain Discord out of our heads! Huh, but how? I mean, unless Nightmare Moon shows up to help or something.

She slapped her forehead. Wait, that’s why I got together with Zecora and asked her to come and visit!

“Come on, everypony,” Pinkie said to the foals with a smile. It’s all up to me! I’m gonna make everypony happy tonight, we’ll all pretend that we’re scared, and tomorrow we’ll all laugh at the stuff we were pretending to be scared of now. “Let’s get over to the stage, I bet the Mayor is going to have a surprise for us all!” She headed for the stage, smiling to hear the foals’ laughter as they joined her.

#

Ardi stood on the other side of the herd of dancing ponies, next to where dark paths led into the forest of pony-dens. Keeping what distance he could from the crazy ponies milling about, he checked those darkened paths as possible escape routes. They think I’m a pony in one of those “costumes”… That can’t last forever…

In front of him stood a tub of water, with apples floating in it for some unknown pony reason; half a dozen costumed ponies stood around like Wolves feasting on a kill, intent on catching the bobbing apples in their teeth.

He choked down a whine as something twisted in his gut. Two of the ponies around the tub turned their heads and looked at him.

“Ya want something ta eat?” One of them said, sporting horns on her head and a scallop-edged cape.

“No… no,” Ardi said with a shudder, fighting down a snarl as his belly twisted again. Ugh, what was wrong now? Too much of that pony food they were passing around?

The music coming from the stage ceased; wolf and ponies looked up at the interruption. Where the pony musicians had been stood a pony-bitch, no, mare, wearing the world’s largest puffball on her head, with a matching smaller ball on the tip of her muzzle. Why did he feel like fog was inside his head?

“Thank you, everypony, and welcome to the Nightmare Night festival!” the mare’s voice rolled over the crowded clearing. The herd broke into neighing cheers, stamping their forehooves in applause. The same forehooves they could use to trample a Wolf they found among them…

The neighing and hoof-stamping faded as Puffball Pony continued.

“Now, all the little ponies who have been out collecting sweets should follow our friend Zecora to hear the legend of... Nightmare Moon!”

A flash of bright fire filled the stage, turned into a cloud of glowing fog roiling along the ground. Out of the fogbank stepped another pony, a black cloak covering all but her head. Gold glinted at her neck, black-and-white stripes covered her face beneath a flowing white mane speckled with black somethings. Raising her head, Striped Pony intoned in a voice like none Ardi had ever heard before:

“Follow me, and very soon,

You'll hear the tale of Nightmare Moon...”

The Nightmare? The Mare in the Moon and what became of her? Father Fenris was not only protecting his pup from Wolves’ enemies, but leading him to where he could learn the very thing he’d been trying to find!

His heart began to pound with excitement; his belly twinged again, this time radiating down his body before he fought it under control. Not now, not when I’m so close…

Then Striped Pony, Chicken Pony, Puffball Pony, and another he didn’t recognize in a tall belled hat and false beard all came towards him, leading a herd of costumed pony-pups including the little one playing at being a “big bad wolf”.

The real white Wolf forced a smile as Chicken Pony grinned at him.

“We’re gonna go and make our big offering to Nightmare Moon so she doesn’t gobble us up, that’s what!” Ardi choked and whined. He did so again as she leaned in close and hissed from behind one hoof, “Hey, that’s great! Play along and stick with us!” She trotted off after the pony-pups, and the Wolf did the same.

Ponies surrounded him on all sides, the smell of their sweat and the multiplied steady clip-clop of their hooves and the chatter of their voices. Striped Pony seemed to be in the lead; was she the Alpha of whatever was going to happen? The Nightmare’s spae-mare?

They passed through pony streets, under archways, past a giant tree set with windows and balconies. Many of them faked being afraid or spoke mock-fearsomely to the pony-pups with them of what the Nightmare would do to them if displeased with their offering of something to be eaten. Ardi just gulped and hoped fresh Wolf wasn’t on the menu.

Then they were outside the pony-made forest, crossing an open pasture towards a real clump of forest – gnarled broad-leaved trees of the south instead of the tall conifers of the Great Northern Forests. The deathtrap of Discord’s Demense loomed dark on the horizon to his left, while a Mareless Moon rode high in the sky.

Now that they were in the open, Ardi eased away from the main herd, where he could slip away easily if he had to. And throw up if that pony food in his gut acted up any worse.

His heart pounded in his chest like at his coming of age, where the older Wolves told him that “monsters” were inside the reeking cave before him. Then he went in to prove his courage by confronting them to prove his worthiness to Pack membership. He’d gone in, tail bottled out and bristling in his fear. When a pair of immense spear-head ponies charged at him from the darkness, wings flared like flier-ponies and fangs flashing, he stood his ground. They then threw off their robes to reveal the wings and horns to be made of wood, and his pack's Alpha Bitch and her daughter took him back out. Everywolf complimented him on his stoic bravery and cleverness in knowing it'd been a trick.

Ardi never told them that he didn't know it was a trick. He’d simply been too terrified to run. He didn't even think of anything beyond, that’s them! That’s the Burning Queen and Nightmare Moon and they’re going to EAT ME WHOLE!

And now here he was, off with a whole herd of ponies to bring some sort of food – he grunted as his belly protested again – to what they said was the Nightmare Herself.

She died, Ardi told himself as they entered the clump of trees. She died long, long ago when her greedy sister killed her and set her image on the moon to show to everywolf. The Burning Queen just took it down a few months ago, that’s why she didn’t raise the sun for days, it was more than she could handle, but everything is fine and after this I can go home and tell everywolf that the Nightmare is dead and…

The trees opened up into a clearing and the Nightmare herself reared up before him, atop some sort of altar of flat pony-worked stone. Ardi almost ran, peed, and threw up all at the same time before he realized the motionless Nightmare was made of pony-molded stone. As it was, his heart thumped loud enough he was sure the ponies would hear and one hind leg started twitching.

The ponies stepped up as Ardi fell back, staying near the trees in case he had to flee or hide. Striped Mare took position in front of the Nightmare statue, like an Alpha leading the Howls. She has to be the Alpha Bitch, spae-mare of the Nightmare…

The striped mare lifted a hoof from beneath her cloak; more gold rings glinted in the moonlight as she blew a hooffull of glowing dust from it and began her Howl.

“Listen close, my little dears,

I'll tell you where you got your fears

Of Nightmare Night, so dark and scary.

Of Nightmare Moon, who makes you wary.”

Above them, the magic dust boiled into another cloud which rose and reshaped into the Nightmare herself, a glowing monster with savage fangs and big eyes.

“Every year, we put on a disguise,

To save ourselves from her searching eyes.

But Nightmare Moon wants just one thing:

To gobble up ponies in one quick swing!”

The Nightmare swooped, almost sending Ardi into the woods. She didn’t seem to notice the Wolf, or even the ponies below her. An illusion? Pony magic? Like the disguises in the haunted cave of monsters?

“Hungrily, she soars the sky.

If she sees nopony, she passes by.

So if she comes and all is clear,

Equestria is safe another year!”

“Uh, Miss Zecora…” It was the little pinto-pup with the headscarf and eyepatch, tugging on the Alpha shamaness’s cloak. “If we wear costumes to hide from Nightmare Moon, so she won't gobble us up, how come we still need to give her some of our candy?”

Instead of taking him by the scruff and shaking him for the interruption, Striped Pony blew another fogbank from her forehoof and the Nightmare reappeared, floating above them all.

“A perfect question, my little friend,

For Nightmare Moon you must not offend.

Fill up her belly with a treat or two,

So she won't return TO COME EAT YOU!”

The glowing Nightmare dived on the herd and dissolved back into glowing fog which faded away. Pony-pups screamed like puppy Ardi had almost done in the haunted cavern, and then Chicken Pony neighed even louder.

“Everypony! Just dump some candy and get out of here!”

Her offering… Ardi shuddered and growled as his belly twisted within him. Blood pounded in his ears, loud as Chicken Pony’s voice. One or two of the adult ponies were looking at him, and a sudden fear rose in him. What if they know? Would he be the next Offering?

“Urrgh! No!” Ardi shook himself, almost falling down as all four legs shook like a pup’s in their first winter cold. Somehow he managed to keep on his paws. Had these ponies poisoned him somehow? What was wrong with him? He barely noticed the ponies as he half-whispered, half whined “S-see? It’s not t-true. The N-nightmare is dead, even her shadow on the moon is gone. We don’t have to be afraid of her anymore!”

With a supreme effort of will, he brought his rebellious body back under control. He stood still and smiled to see the ponies completely oblivious all about him. Above the clearing, dark clouds began to swirl around the moon.

The Nightmare was gone forever, and he and the Wolves were safe.

Thunder CRACKed overhead as though the world were splitting in half.

Ardi leaped and howled. Lightning lit up the clearing from above, coming not from within but beyond those swirling clouds. A moment later something massive and barbed and dark as old blood came flying out of them – no, out of the moon itself! He whined to see the things that pulled it. Flier-ponies with wings like bats and glowing cats’ eyes and mouths lined with wolfish fangs.

And his pounding heart stopped beating as he saw what sat within that spiked chariot they drew. A long horn, rising from an equine forehead. Wings spread wide, eyes agleam in the hooded cloak that hid her face, and a wild laugh floating down the night wind.

A horn, and wings, and that much pony witchcraft… For a thousand years only one pony in all of Equestria possessed those.

Only one.

Until now.

Ardi stood silent as his bladder let go, internally howling at his shaking legs to get moving. But part of him demanded that he hold his ground like in that “haunted” cave, that he be certain.

The ponies fell back in a terror that seemed scarce less than his own as the chariot paused overhead for a moment.

It’s not her, she isn’t real, it’s not her, she isn’t real, It’s Not Her, SHE ISN’T REAL…

Chicken Pony screamed.

“IT’S NIGHTMARE MOON! RUN!”

Ponies immediately stampeded in every direction, led by Chicken Pony and the herd of pups.

Ponies and one nauseated and terrified and wildly yelping wolf.

Terror and sickness chased each other though his mind as Ardi zigzagged into the trees, going for dense brush while the ponies fled for open country. He had to get away, he had to escape, he had to bring the news of this ultimate horror back to the Packs. Blood roared in his ears; his heart pounded even harder, and something clawed at his innards, demanding that he stop and empty himself. Ardi knew better than to obey that desire. Let him stop and as soon as the Nightmare found him, he would never need to worry about feeling ill or healthy again.

“Out of my way!” He howled the words as one group of ponies – Puffball, Jingly Hat With Beard, and one upright pup dressed as a dragon – appeared before him, staring in shock as he ran past into the woods and cover

If he made it, he would be safe.

If he made it.

If.

#

Ardi would never remember later how long he ran. Primarily because that was when the sickness inside his belly grabbed and twisted his entrails like a Wolf killing a rabbit.

Ardi dropped, gasping and whimpering at the gurgling noises escaping his belly, more at the sudden wild beating of his heart and the agony that savaged him.

Have to keep going, he thought, groaning as he forced himself to keep moving, through trees and streams and underbrush. He crept along, sticking close to the ground, partly for reasons of stealth but mostly because he doubted he could stay standing if he stood up. He looked around, blinking and growling to see that everything seemed doubled. He shook his head, let the nausea empty him out one end and the gut cramps the other and looked again. Good. He at least could see straight now. Trees ahead… That was where I was going, right? Moving slowly, he kept going forward. At least he thought it was forward, it felt like he was leaning to one side as he moved. Make it to the trees, and I’ll be safe.

In the distance he could hear pony yells and shouts, even panicked whinnies. He growled, ears flat and fangs bared. Those cursed ponies had poisoned him, they’d recognized him somehow and pretended not to while that Chicken Pony deliberately gave him something to sicken him. It was the only scent trail he could follow that made sense. They’d weakened him because they were all cowards, even when they had all the advantages they still feared Wolves. After they let him suffer they’d hunt him down and trample him to death for their amusement. Or offer him to the returned Nightmare. Ardi passionately hoped he was able to at least put a few scars on them when the time came. I am Wolf, son of Fenris; a Wolf loses only one fight, and that is when he dies. – URRRGH!

More, that he could stay silent. He doubled up for a few moments, gasping as another wave of nausea and diarrhea rippled through him before he could move again. Nothing indicated that the ponies knew wolves could speak or think. But if they did?

Ardi gaped in horror to see his packlands. The old trees surrounding the caves were burning, at least the ones that didn’t have dead wolves hanging from them. Flier-ponies laughed as they tossed another yelping wolf up and let it slam home on one of the hooks set into those trees, hanging as though put there by a butcher bird. His cousin Hildulf. She yelped and gurgled on her own blood before she went still. Spear-head ponies snatched wolves with their witchcraft and smashed them against rocks, made them tear at each other mindlessly until they dropped with fangs locked on throats in mutual death-grips, the Earth ponies whinnied wicked joy as they trampled panicked pups under their iron-clad hooves.

“No!” Ardi turned to flee for help, from Stark’s pack or one of the others, only to stop at the sight of what stood behind him. Two giant ponies leered down at him, larger than even Dire Wolves, one made all of white-hot stone and with a blood-red mane and tail of living fire, and another dark and cold as the Endless Night, stars glinting with evil mystery in her mane and tail.

The Burning Queen, bright as the sun on her flank, who brought that sun down to burn Wolves into ash.

And Nightmare Moon, who stalked wolfpacks in the moonlit darkness they so loved.

“But yes, my wolf,” The Burning Queen said, her voice a fiery furnace-rasp. She looked around. “Thank you ever so for informing us that wolves-that-speak still existed. Now nothing shall keep our herds from covering the earth!” She inhaled deeply of the scents of burning fur and wolf-flesh. “I so love the scent of burning wolves in the morning. It smells like the old days, when we did this all the time.”

“Indeed, dear sister.” The Nightmare said, her voice chill and soft as leaves blowing over a grave. “I delight in knowing that I found this wolf among my Nightmare Night offerings for this year! Really, sis, you shouldn’t have.”Ardi tried to turn away, but their magic gripped his head and belly with painful tightness, forcing him to look, forcing his eyes to stay open, as laughing and happy ponies killed his pack.

“And as for you, wolf,” the Nightmare said with a smile, “we have something special. Just for you!” She unfolded her wings and showed him a cockatrice. But why did it have the head of that pink pony? He recoiled. She grinned madly and shoved her face into his, gazes locked.

“Surprise!” Before he could turn away, he began turning to stone from the tail up, his horrified eyes locked on her happy ones. His belly twisted and heaved within as soft flesh became lifeless stone, and the last thing he heard was the dying howls of his pack mingled with the laughter of the Burning Queen and Nightmare Moon and that crazy chicken pony.

He held onto the anger those thoughts kindled in him as he forced his way along on shaking legs, wondering why his surroundings were starting to feel familiar. The fury gave him something to use against the sickness and shaking. Gasping, ears low and tail dangling, he looked around. No trees here, just a clearing, with the smell of ponies and a pile of candy set down before – NO!

She rose before him, wings outspread and horn raised and wickedness evident in those eyes and that fanged smile. Ardi cringed before the Nightmare as suddenly every single fear stewing in his poison-addled mind rose up before him.

“And here’s your big offering for Nightmare Night this year, O Nightmare Moon!” Ardi writhed against the multi-colored bonds holding him as the pony-pups led by Chicken Pony, laid him down before the gigantic ebon mare with wings formed of night itself. He froze as the Nightmare licked her lips while Chicken Pony said, “I made sure to give him something so he couldn’t run. I hope it doesn’t ruin the taste!”

“Fear not, my loyal ponies,” Nightmare Moon said, baring fangs and a cold fire alight in her dragon eyes as she said down at Ardi, “I like a bit of sweetness with some rank wolf meat!” And as the ponies all cheered and danced and sang, Ardi howled his agony as she ate him alive…

Where he found the strength he would never know, but somehow Ardi turned and ran for the trees, panting his terror. He wouldn’t dare stop until he collapsed in exhaustion, certain that if he looked he’d see the Nightmare leaving smoking hoofprints as she followed him, thrusting her fanged mouth forward for a bite of prime wolf meat. He could almost hear her voice as he ran away from the statue.

“No!” He gasped as that cold voice said, “Stop! Cease to flee thy Princess! I – I command it!”

Oh, Father Fenris, he really DID hear her! Ardi put his head down and forced himself to run on, ignoring the way his body begged for him to stop. Can’t stop now, ponies would finish me! He looked head and saw the trees of Discord’s Demense before him. I have to get in among them, have to chance the monsters, better manticores and dragons than the Nightmare!

Staggering more than running, he raced for the trees only to stop with a yelp as a wall of silvery light appeared before him.

Oh Fenris no she’s after me using her magic I have to GET AWAY!

Ardi set off along a sunken watercourse at an angle to the forest’s edge as the angry voice called after him to stop. He ignored it and disappeared into the dark.

#

“I SAID STOP! PLEASE!” Princess Luna Selena Nocturne took a few hesitant steps after whichever pony it was she’d seen in, what, that ratty-looking and foul-smelling wolf suit? She gasped when she saw them stampeding for the Everfree, remembering her reception in town. Do they fear me so much, they would chance Discord’s Forest of Death rather than speak to me?

Almost, she let him go to face the hungry monsters that would be drawn to him. At the last second she called on her magic and set a wall of moonlight between the foolish pony and the woods. He gave an almost canine yelp and fled off. Luna spread her wings and wondered if she’d have to catch them herself. But, no, he headed away from the Everfree, south instead of west.

The Moon Princess drooped her head; her star-speckled mane dimmed as she flopped down on her barrel before the statue of her former self. It rose triumphant and terrifying above her, looking almost to mock with that fanged grin. Luna looked down, saw the pile of candy left there by the foals. Foals terrified that she, Luna, would eat them alive unless they left it. With one silver-sabatoned forehoof, she pushed one lone piece towards the statue.

“Do they think me a dragon, or e’en a ravenous wolf, such as once served Sombra?” She looked down. Did I do wrong in accepting healing from the Elements, rather than obeying that bitter voice within me that begged for destruction, simply to wound my sister one last time? She snorted at the stinging in her eyes.

Hooves clopped over the dirt and stones behind her, she heard the soft jingle of bells and knew who it was before they even spoke. Her sister’s student, and her own savior from the Nightmare.

“Princess Luna? Hi, my name is –”

Luna stood up, composed as a Princess of Equestria should be.

“Star Swirl the Bearded. Commendable costume! Thou even got the bells right.”

#

Ardi shook and shivered as he staggered down the streambed towards a small hill that appeared before him. He smelled animals there, many animals, but his belly was so twisted with sickness that he couldn’t have cared less. Somehow he remembered the story told by his grandmother, about a crab inside a Wolf’s belly. It tore away one little piece of Wolf-flesh at a time and ate it until they died. Delirious, he rolled over and over, trying to get it to come out of him.

“Cursed crabs, cursed ponies and their witchcraft,” he groaned, suddenly sick again. When he’d finished emptying himself into the stream he rose and stumbled on, his fangs clattering together. “C-cursed Nightmare Moon and the Burning Queen.” He dropped against the streambank, shaking helplessly for several moments before he rose and continued heading for that hill. Maybe there’d be a den there, someplace he could hide out in until, until he got better? And then, then he could go back home to his pack?

A small cold part of his mind somehow untouched by sickness and delirium knew how this sickness would end. It jeered at his hopes. The most he could hope for was that he would be dead before the ponies got to him. He stumbled onward to the front of the hill.

Wait, hills didn’t have windows or wooden doors, did they? This, this was some pony house!

Ardi told himself to get up, to run, but all he could do was to drop and start convulsing, his paws kicking against the door. His heart raced within like it sought to burst free of his chest, worse than when he’d fled the rusalka.

“Go away! No candy here!” Thunder sounded in his ears, but he still heard that soft and distorted voice through it as it said, “Visitors not welcome on Nightmare Night!” He groaned and his convulsing body thrashed against that door. The voice spoke again, even softer this time. “Twilight? Princess Luna?”

The top half of the door began to open. Ardi knew he should accept what was coming for him, but some stubborn instinct insisted on fighting even when they was no way to win, no enemy to rend with fangs. It would be better than living to fall into pony hooves.

Better than revealing The Secret.

“Oh! Oh, you poor thing!”

Ardi looked with the last of his strength. A pony face looked down at him, a pony face with a long flowing mane and firefly lantern set on the ground below its head.

And it’s over, Ardi thought. The Nightmare is returned and my folk will never know until it’s too late.

The Burning Queen wins.

Darkness swept him away from all regrets and failings forever.

The Morning After

Chapter Two:
The Morning After

A kettle steamed on the large stone hearth that served as the cottage’s kitchen as Fluttershy moved about the main room, hooding glowgem lanterns and blowing out candles. Her animal friends snuggled in the burrows and holes that festooned the cottage’s main room, those who couldn’t find a proper bed curling up in odd corners to sleep. Occasionally she caught a bit of eyeshine flaring at her from some dark corner of other as one of them looked at her before turning in. Even Angel had hopped off somewhere to sleep.

They yellow pegasus looked around the main room. Only one small lamp glowed, light for her and to keep the flickering shadows from getting too deep and scary. With a half-sigh/half-squeek, she crossed to the hearth and poured herself a cup of chamomile with honey.

Fluttershy always sealed herself in her cottage on Everfree Road for Nightmare Night; the festivities had always been too much and too scary for her – especially after she’d faced down the real Nightmare Moon only sixteen months ago. This year’s had been good and bad. Good in that no colts sneaked over from town to prank the shy pegasus who lived at the edge of the Everfree; bad in that Twilight Sparkle had shown up at her door with Princess Luna, AKA the former Nightmare Moon. Even purged of the Nightmare by the Elements, the dark Alicorn Major was still scary. Loud and scary. Especially when Pinkie showed up with the little ones after the Princess had overwhelmed her and things really got weird.

The chamomile was having its effect as she lay on her downstairs couch sipping the warm brew. After tonight’s excitement, she didn’t think she had the energy left to go up the stairs to her bed.

No, just sleep on the couch tonight while the coals on the hearth burn down. Either way I’ll need a brushing and preening come morning. Dashie if she’s awake… She curled up on the couch with a soft whicker, long-lashed eyelids getting heavier and heavier, slowly closing over her teal eyes…

Only to fly open with a Yeek! As something thudded hard against her front door like a monster from the Everfree.

When Fluttershy returned to the floor she stared at the door with eyes wide. “G-go away! No candy here! Visitors not welcome on Nightmare Night!”

The noise repeated, irregular thumping joined by what sounded like something being very sick. The wary mare crept to the door, her wings half-spread. A late-Nightmare Night prank? She knew that for some fillies and colts in town, putting one over on her was considered hilarious – but what if somepony was really and truly in trouble?

“Twilight? Princess Luna?”

The thumping stopped as she reached the heavy door; pressing an ear to the wood, she could hear harsh and heavy breathing, more like a panting. Oh, Dash, Pinkie Pie, I hope this isn’t you pulling some prank!

Swallowing and hoping that if it was a prank, she wouldn’t be too scared at whatever costume they wore, she carefully opened her door. It took her a few moments to work all the locks on it. Living all alone on the edge of the Everfree, the town and her friends insisted that she be able to bar the door against potential monster attacks. Twilight had even magically-reinforced her doors and windows to where “nothing short of a dragon could break in.”

She sighed as she opened it, remembering how she’d argued – well, disagreed strongly – with her friends over it. It’s not the old days, when Ponyville was on the edge of civilization, and most of the really dangerous monsters killed each other off long ago. Except for the – gulp – dragons.

The door creaked open to show no costumed ponies; only Luna’s moonlight playing down over the road and town, the hoofbridge over the creek – and the pony-sized wolf curled up shaking at her feet. Wolf?

Fluttershy gulped as she remembered every story she’d ever read as a filly about a pony-eating – WOLF?!?

The only thing stopping the pegasus from hurling the door shut in a panic was the pitiful whine that rose from the reeking mass of fur at her hooves. She looked down, wrinkling her nose up at the sewer stench rising from the wolf. It looked at her, eyes rolling in their sockets, too weak to even growl. It shuddered and convulsed, shaking horribly for several moments, one hind leg kicking air where the door had been. That explained the knocking.

“Oh, you poor thing!” Fluttershy examined the wolf, a once-white-furred male, as quickly and thoroughly as she could without touching him as yet. She knew how dangerous a sick or wounded animal could be, and doubted that her Stare would do much if he bit her in confused panic. Another moment showed her that this wolf was not just horribly sick but exhausted. When she bent to look closer, he tried raising his head, only for it to fall back down as he vomited. The freshly-fertilized field smell from him showed he’d been heaving ballast from both ends.

“Take it easy, you poor dear,” Fluttershy said. “I’ll be back and helping you soon.”

Propping the door open, she hurried back inside, to the utility/storage/bathroom on the other side of the stairs. Her wings brushed the far wall as she reared up and started pulling things off the storage shelves with mouth and forehooves.

First a waterproof tarp and old blanket big enough to work him onto and slide him inside. She wished she had Harry here. The bear’s strength would be useful in getting the wolf inside. Applejack or Twilight or even Rainbow Dash would have been even better, provided they didn’t try arguing with her about bringing a dangerous predator into her home.

She wondered as much herself. But even as she did she hurried. That wolf might be dying, and he was on her front step. She had to help him. Back into the main room, to the hearth.

Rummaging through the firewood bin, the pegasus fetched a strong piece of cord and a stick of firewood that looked strong enough to stand up to his jaws. Just because he couldn’t bite her now didn’t mean he’d be so forgiving when he got his wits back. Back to the utility room, to the shelves by the hoof-pump and basin where she kept her veterinary supplies and potions.

Emergency bag – the one for carnivores – in her mouth, she hurried back to the front door. Behind her came chitters and squeals of fear as her animal friends roused awake by the commotion and fear of wolf-scent. She’d reassure them, but first things first.

The wolf still lay there, shivering terribly. His eyes were wide but seeing nothing as she unrolled the tarp beside him and with a grunt of effort, rolled him onto it. He weighed at least as much as herself. The wolf fouled himself again as she covered the shivering form with the blanket, and she winced. At least it’s an old blanket.

“Okay, now just trust me.” She leaned over him and whispered in the voice she used with frightened critters, “I’m going to be pulling you inside. As gently as I can.”

He merely whimpered. She frowned at the lack of meaning in it. Ponies ‘knew’ she could talk to animals, but even with the heightened intelligence of most Equestrian animals, most of her “speech” with them was more a strong sense of their emotions and an awareness of their body language. She should have been getting something from this wolf, but all she could sense was the pain wracking his belly and addling his mind. Nothing clearer than that. It’s like he’s a pony.

Shaking her head at that nonsense, Fluttershy took a firm bite on the tarp and began working it inside, hoof-width by hoof-width. As the smelly burden eased through the doorway her animal friends went wild, setting up a clamor of noise. She shivered herself at the sudden wave of panic filling the room. She pulled him left at the stairs, through the arch and into the stone-floored utility room where she could clean up after him.

When she reappeared in the archway, the rabbits and squirrels and chipmunks and birds and pair of weasels in the room all chittered and shrieked their panic.

“Uh, everyone, please? If you could just calm down?” Fluttershy flew to the center of the room, making sure they could see and hear and smell her. They calmed down as she said, “Now, I know he’s a wolf and that scares some of you.”

The weasel with his mate snoozing in one corner chittered loudly and abusively. Fluttershy gasped at his language.

“No, Shadow, I will NOT be feeding him to the Everfree monsters to protect you all! Shame on you even for thinking that.” She fluttered over to him, giving him a stern look. Shadow looked embarrassed as she said, “And such language! I suppose I know now where Angel has been getting it from.” Shadow chittered something very sharp. Fluttershy blushed. “Oh, you got it from him. Sorry about that. But still, please, manners when you’re here?” He sniffed but curled back up, watching the archway. She added, “And when I’m sure he’ll be alright I’ll close the inner door to the storeroom. He won’t be able to get through it, and you’ll all be safe.”

Fluttershy smiled and settled back to the floor next to hearth and fireplace, as quick and sure as Rarity when she made a dress, or Rainbow Dash when working the weather. First more wood onto the fire, flaring it back up from its nighttime banking. Then the kettle, dumped out the front door, refilled from the hoof-pump.

She’d seen the wolf’s symptoms before – all of them, courtesy of the CMCs’ attempt at dog-training cutie marks. Theobromine poisoning, worse than Winona. He must have gotten into the Nightmare Night candy.

More supplies from the shelves, and she started to mix a brew in the kettle worthy of Zecora. Salt and honey, enough so his body would accept the water to rehydrate him. Spewing out both ends like that, he could die from dehydration.

Next the special herbal mixtures from Zecora, augmented by non-alchemical ones from her own garden. Something for the convulsions, something from Zecora to slow that heartbeat down, and anti-emetics so he’ll keep it all down. Six times the dosages I used for Winona – he’s as heavy as a pony, four-five times Winona’s weight, and he’s got it worse. If he keeps it down, I’ll start with the diuretics so he’ll pass the poison.

Back into the main room and hearth, putting the brew over the fire to warm with a towel soaking in it. If he can’t swallow or keep it down, he can suckle on that.

Then back to the whimpering wolf on the utility room floor. He lay on his side under the blanket, rippling in convulsions. She wrinkled her nose at the foulness enveloping him even as she thought, good, his body is already trying to get rid of the poison. She checked his pulse on an artery along the thin and mostly hairless skin of his inner leg. It beat wild as a triphammer in a Fillydelphia ironworks, worse than her own heart when she’d first seen that dragon last year, in the cavern at Red Dragon Peak. She gasped. This was bad, as bad as a filly who’d grazed a stand of foxgloves. Bad enough to burst his heart and kill him if she didn’t do something drastic fast.

“How did you get into that much chocolate?”

She fetched the now-warm kettle from the hearth, almost burning her lips on the handle. Working carefully, she removed the lid and took out the potion-soaked cloth, setting it between his fangs so he could suckle at it.

“There,” she said softly. She gently tousled his ears, feeling the unponylike rough thickness of his shaggy fur. “That should help.”

Even so she watched, holding her breath, as the convulsing wolf worked it between his fangs. She released a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding as he slowly relaxed. But not enough.

Now for the drastic measures.

Fluttershy reached inside her veterinary bag, withdrawing a long, sharp lancet. It gleamed in the lantern light, leaf-shaped tip sharp as any Guardspony’s sword. A memory flashed through her mind of the way she’d once seen Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie both flatten their ears and nervously scrape the floor with their forehooves at the mere sight of the lancet. She had to grin at the memory. And they call me a scaredy-cat.

The wolf gagged, wet retching sounds mingling with the sound of his paws beating a drumroll on her floorboards. She hurriedly took a pipette from the kit, along with another potion of Zecora’s.

I wonder where he came from, the poor dear. Fluttershy wondered irrelevantly as she waited for the wolf’s latest fit of convulsions to calm. She kept well clear of those jaws, snapping like shears. When it passed, she made sure she had a clean cloth bandage nearby and looked at the inside of his hindlegs. Where’s a vein? Need to get this into you now before it gets worse.

Fluttershy mouthed the lancet as she rubbed his thin loin fur aside with one forehoof. She caught the faint blue tracery on the exposed skin, placed the lancet’s point to it, and pushed it in with infinite gentleness.

Dark blood began to flow from the puncture. The wolf didn’t so much as twitch. Better this than him yelping and fighting me over it, I can’t think of anypony I could get right now to help hold you down. Okay, now the pipette. She set down the lancet, mouthed the pipette and sipped it full of potion, then inserting it into the wound and lightly blew on the open end, sending the medicine into the incision. Fluttershy immediately took the pipette away and bound the wound in the bandage. Little use to dose him if it all ran out again right away!

She repeated the process twice more, once for the anti-convulsant, once for additional anti-emetic.

The wolf whimpered. Fluttershy gently ruffled the fur by his ears.

“It’s okay,” she half-whispered in her soft voice. “I know you feel sick now, and this hurts, but it’s to get rid of the theobromine, the chocolate, in you.” She frowned and said in as angry a voice as she could manage, “Who fed you chocolate anyway? None of my friends would, and no other pony in Ponyville would get close; did you snatch it from the Nightmare Moon statue after everypony else left?” She rubbed one hoof against her chin as she thought, speaking out loud. “But that would have been just a little while ago, and it’d take hours for the symptoms to hit. Where were you when Princess Luna was visiting? It’s not like you could hide in town…”

The wolf coughed, something gurgled inside of him, and Fluttershy flew back just in time to avoid an explosion of filth from the other end of the animal. At least he’s keeping it down…

She wrinkled her nose against the stench, so much worse than any similar mess a pony or other herbivore might produce. From the next room she heard sounds of disgust from her other critter friends. And fear as well. They knew what carnivore scat smelled like, and what it meant. She’d reassure them, but first things first. Fluttershy went to another shelf, took out a pair of bedpans. She felt a twinge as she did,
remembering Aunt Posey’s last few weeks and how she’d needed these. An uncharitable part of her thought, at least this time it’ll all be over by morning, one way or another. No weeks without sleeping, just one night. Fluttershy positioned one under his backside and the other under his head, making sure he wouldn’t be lying in his own waste. Then she used an old towel and cleaned up the mess he’d already made as best she could. She shivered at how heavy the wet cloth felt when she picked it up, and at the ripe sewer stink. Like Aunt Posey… How can there be anything left in you to be sicked out? Driving that thought from her mind, she opened her back door and set the towel in the garbage.

Only then did she turn to her other animal friends.

She quickly flew into the main room. Weasel and rabbit and squirrel and chipmunk all looked at her, chittering in fear and curiosity.

“Listen, everyone? Right now, if you don’t mind?” The animals slowly settled down. They knew enough about Fluttershy’s personality to realize that those words were the equivalent of a shouted order. As they did Fluttershy said, “I’m afraid that Mister Wolf is very very sick, and he’s going to be here for at least three or four days.” A new outbreak of fear-filled squeaks filled the room. Fluttershy ignored it, hoped she didn’t hurt their feelings by doing so, and said, “He’s going to be very weak, and probably very hungry when his strength starts coming back…”

More chitters. Yes, they were saying, that’s what we’re afraid of!

“But I’ll be brewing up some of my meat substitute for him, the soybean paste.” She looked at the weasel. “You remember Shadow, you’ve eaten it before.” She turned back to the other animals, ignoring Shadow suddenly pointing one paw at his muzzle and making gagging sounds. “Between that and me treating him everyone will be safe, I promise. But if you want to leave tomorrow morning and spend a few days in Whitetail Woods or the West Pasture, I’ll understand.” She waited and tried not to sigh in relief at their collective response. They would indeed be making themselves scarce for the next few days. Good. Given how badly ill that wolf was, she’d need to focus all her attention on him.

Provided he’s alive in the morning, that is. If not, maybe she could get some help from Big Mac or even Applejack to bury him at the edge of the Everfree, in the special plot holding those of her animal friends she hadn’t been able to help. And hopefully before word spread and half of Ponyville came to her front door, wanting to see something as rare as a wolf. Or panicked and demanding that she either kill the pony-eating monster or let them do it. Why couldn’t you have been something normal, like a chimera or manticore or even a cockatrice?

Thinking about that, she hurried back to his side. The medicine seemed to be helping. His shaking looked less severe. She’d thought his teeth were going to fall out before. Even his panting seemed to slow down. Still, he was sick and was going to go on being sick for some time.

“I hope you’re at least a little thirsty,” Fluttershy said, holding his head up while she set the herb-steeped cloth between his fangs. He worked it between them, giving her a good look at a fine set of gleaming ivories. She watched as they came together like shears designed to slice through bone and flesh. My bones and flesh if I’m not careful. Right now, however, the wolf was too weak to do anything other than lightly chew on the heavy towel. He quickly seemed to get all the medicine from it. When he whined again, he sounded a little less like somepony at Death’s door. She re-soaked and replaced the towel, again and again. When the kettle was emptied, she mixed another batch and set it on the fire to warm. If she’d given it to him down his throat right off, he would have sicked it all back up. This way it got into him more slowly, but it stayed down when it did.

Fluttershy still watched as he relaxed, looking exhausted. He still shivered, and she’d have to keep an eye on him for tonight with the medicine and fresh blankets to clean him off close at hand, but she began to hope he’d live.

“Okay,” she said, thinking out loud and too tired herself to care. “I’ll have to sleep on the sofa tonight to keep an eye on him and the rest of my animal friends.” She turned and headed for the door, yawning widely. “And tomorrow, after some sleep, go to the library and get a book on toxicology and about wolves. I suppose I should tell Twilight first, she and my friends can help me get him back out into the wild…”

“No. No tell anywolf.”

Fluttershy froze. I didn’t hear that.

Maybe the speaker heard her thoughts, for they repeated in a croaking, weak snarl of a voice, “No, don’t tell… Ponies can’t know… Ponies would kill us… Burning Queen… Nightmare Moon...”

Fluttershy turned and looked through the archway, still unwilling to accept it.

The wolf was up on his forelegs somehow, sitting up in the bedpan, soiled blanket falling off, his eyes unfocused and half wild. He looked at her unseeing, speaking – actually speaking Equestrian – to something that existed only in his mind and memories. She wondered if he saw her or somepony else entirely as he said, “Keep it secret… Keep it safe... Practice the pony-speech... I swear it on Father Fenris’ name... Learn what happened to the Moon… to Nightmare Moon... I remember what you said, uncle...” The slurred Equestrian trailed off into a complex string of growls, huffs, and yips.

Fluttershy wasn’t the scholar Twilight was, but she understood the difference between animal sounds and speech like ponies used. These were words, words in a wolf language. Moving with caution, she stepped closer to him as he slurred back into Equestrian, the tonal snorts and whinnies and nickers sounding so alien from that non-equine throat.

“I, I will keep The Secret… Keep it safe… Or slay myself, uncle. I promise.”

“No!” Fluttershy hurried to his side. His eyes were unfocused again as he flopped back down. She knew he didn’t hear her words, but she said anyway, “Oh, please, no, don’t do that! I won’t tell anypony! And you, you don’t have to be afraid, we won’t hurt you!” Even as she said it his eyes were closing as he drifted off into what looked to be a restless sleep.

Fluttershy stared at him for several long moments. Her thoughts dashed from one to another quicker than Rainbow ever managed to fly as she worked over what she’d heard.

That’s why my talent didn’t work, she thought as she glanced at the butterflies on her flank. I tried approaching him like an animal, like Angel or Harry, and he’s not an animal, he’s like a pony. He can think. He can speak. Which means other wolves can too, and they’ve hidden it from ponies because, what? She shook her head, pink mane spilling. Because they fear Nightmare Moon and the, what was it, Burning Queen?

The pegasus felt more confused than the wolf. She needed answers to a lot of questions, which meant… She gulped.

I have to take care of him until he gets better, and find out what he knows. She thought of what he’d said and shuddered. And stop him from killing himself when he learns he spoke to me.

Fluttershy quietly went to get some blankets and pillows from upstairs. When she returned the wolf still lay there shivering, if less so than before. She half hoped he would have vanished, some weird Nightmare Night prank by Twilight, or that Pinkie Pie would whip off that head and yell “Surprise!” No such luck.

Fluttershy carefully set one of the pillows under his head and the other under hers as she wrapped first him and then herself in warm blankets.

She knew she needed sleep, she was going to be even busier tomorrow than she’d thought, but for long hours she silently watched the wolf she’d saved and wondered just how crazy this would all get.

#

Fluttershy got little sleep that night. It seemed as though every time she began to drift off the wolf would start spewing again, or shivering with his convulsions, or gasping and choking as his heart beat wildly from the chocolate working its way out of his system. The near-zombie pegasus worked quickly each time, cleaned him up, kept him hydrated, got more batches of medicinal potions into him. By three in the morning she started him on the diuretics; by then he was lapping from a bowl instead of suckling from a wet towel and keeping most all of it down. At least from that end. Except for the size and stench and shivering, he looked like a big dirty-white puppy lying there.

All would have been well (if exhausting) if he hadn’t spoken several times more. Her hopes of learning that what she’d heard before were just a dream caused by her own fears and fatigue faded as he raved or begged with beings, wolves or ponies or something, from his own memories.

“So sorry, so sorry,” he half whimpered at one point. His eyes were locked on hers but she knew he didn’t see a yellow pegasus as he said, “Aunt, uncle, so sorry, I’ll never go to that pool in Ice Fangs territory again. But I had, had to know, to see what the rusalka really looked like…” His voice trailed off as Fluttershy hesitantly stroked his head. He whispered in what she recognized as a little-foal’s voice, “Am I in trouble?”

“It’s okay,” she said, knowing it was anything but okay. Lying through her teeth, she said, “You’re not in any trouble.” His eyes closed and he drifted back off to sleep, one haunted by nightmares to judge by his puppy-like whimpers and the way his paws scraped at her floor.

Cautiously, she left the room and headed to the bookshelf beneath the stairs, lit by the hearth’s glow. She wondered if she’d even find the book, it was old and she’d cleaned out some of her unread books a whole ago. No, there it was. Tales of Equestria: Time-lost Legends of Our Lovely Land. She looked at it, remembering how Twilight had sniffed at the author’s fondness for mixing in the wildest legends and fairy tales with real ancient history, going so far as to proclaim the author’s version of Megan in the Midnight Castle story “an obvious stand-in for Celestia in the time before her actual appearance”.

She’d made the mistake of doing that at Twilight’s attempt at a “literary discussion circle” in the Library, in the presence of the rest of her friends and other interested ponies. Fluttershy winced to remember the angry whinnies that followed as Applejack and Rainbow Dash and even Rarity all tried to convince her of the story’s factual nature, even as all three told different versions of it – the unicorn and earth pony versions as well as the pegasus version she’d been taught. Applejack in particular swore that her own family had personal accounts of the events that they shared with each other. That led to an argument about the unreliability of oral traditions and the tendency to exaggeration in “even the most honest recountings of an event.” Then Lyra Heartstrings had joined in with her wild ideas about Megan.

Fluttershy gulped. What followed that was memorable – Chaos like a second Day of Discord – but at least they forgave each other.

Eventually.

Fluttershy found what she remembered in the chapter on Beast Fables. A very old woodcut picture of a wolf, grinning evilly as it set a mare’s hide over itself and hiding behind a tree, obviously planning something awful for the two young colts coming down the trail. She flipped through them, remembering her own amusement at the author’s solemnly recounting that wolves could disguise themselves as ponies, that they’d served evil kings in the past as guards, and that long ago some giant of their breed tried to eat Celestia and Luna and even, she gulped, ‘a mad draconequis’.

Maybe those legends weren’t all as silly as I thought. Putting down the book, she edged to the archway, staring at the recumbent canine. How did he get into town? Was he disguised? She shuddered. You, you don’t really wear the coats of the ponies you eat, do you?

And if he did, then how could she do anything but had him over to the Mayor and her friends to be punished or at least caged? She didn’t want him dead, but if freeing him meant that he’d kill and eat ponies…

She checked the wolf again, emptied the bedpan down her floor toilet, cleaned him off yet again. The mess and smell seemed less than before; his intestines had finally emptied. And he’s keeping the potions down; time to increase the diuretic and let him pee the rest of it out like Winona did.

“I guess you’re going to live,” Fluttershy said down at it – him. The tufted ears twitched towards her, but he showed no other signs of noticing her words. His breathing slowed and he went back to sleep. Part of the mare wondered if it might not have been better for him to silently die during the night. No need to explain anything to my friends, no worries about what to do about his being able to speak, she looked at the fangs filling his mouth and gulped, and no worries about ending up in a wolf’s belly.

She lay on the floor the rest of the night watching him sleep, long pink tail peeking out from her own bundle of blankets, until her head drooped onto her fetlocks and her eyelids got too heavy to keep open.

#

“Darn ya, ‘Shy!” Applejack snorted, her ears back and her lasso ready. She and Dash flanked Twilight. All three wore their Elements.

“We were okay with ya befriendin’ that manticore, an’ the butterfly migration, an’ the cockatrice,” Twilight shuddered at those words, “but this here’s th’ last straw! Take yore mangy wolf and git! We can’t trust somepony fool enough ta help some pony-eatin’ monster get better an’ let him go!”

“Oh, but that’s not true!” Fluttershy said. “He’s not a monster! He can speak and reason just like a pony!” Her friends looked at her skeptically. She turned and spoke to the wolf. “Go on, tell them!”

The wolf said nothing. Instead he prowled over to Applejack. She recoiled, and froze as the wolf sniffed at her flank. The palomino snorted at him and he fled back to Fluttershy’s side with a whine.

She turned back to her angrier than ever friends.

“H-he’s just trying to be friends…”

The next thing Fluttershy knew, she was sailing out of the town with the yelping wolf beside her, a pair of horseshoe marks emblazoned on her rump and a yell trailing after her. “An’ stay out!”

Fluttershy looked at the wolf. He grinned and said, “Should I have asked if I could sniff her flank first?”

Then a Rainbow of Light crashed down on them with Applejack’s voice, loud as a wild thunderstorm off the Everfree – “HAY, SHY!!!!”

Fluttershy jolted awake with a squeak. Celestia’s sun was up, shining through the curtains of the front window. When her eyes could focus, she checked the wolf in the utility room – still sleeping, still stinking – then the clock in the main room. Almost eight?

With a yawn, she shook her head, long pink mane flowing. No, no, you know your friends, they’d never act like that.

The Everfree thundered again.

“Hey, ‘Shy!” Her front door shuddered as a hoof pounded on it. “Can y’all come out here? Ah wanna talk with ya.”

“EEP!” Fluttershy jumped to her hooves in an explosion of flying blankets and flaring wings. Applejack? Why? How? Hide the wolf!

She slammed the archway door, cutting off sight of the wolf but not the reek of his sickness, then with a gulp opened the top half of her door. The chill of the autumn morning hit her face like midwinter-cold water and she was fully awake.

AJ stood there, her old Stetson shading her eyes.

“Oh, hello Applejack,” Fluttershy whinnied. “Is, is something wrong?”

“What? Oh, naah,” the palomino earth pony shook her head. “Town’s just cleaning up after Nightmare Night. Just wanted ta check and make sure ya were okay. We kind o’ missed ya last night. Princess Luna dropped by and paid us a visit.”

“I know,” Fluttershy said, not without a small shudder. “She came here with Twilight, but Pinkie Pie upset her.” She noticed that Applejack looked a little embarrassed herself.

“Yeah, well,” she said, blushing a little, “Ah guess Ah didn’t do so well first time around with her last night, either. But she made up with everypony an’ we all had a great time before she left a little after midnight. Said she’ll be back next year, an’…” Her voice trailed off and her nose flared then wrinkled as the smell hit her.

“Ugh! What th’ hay stinks like that? Smells like your cesspool’s spillin’ over! Want me ta take a quick look at it?” She made to open the lower half of the door.

“No! I mean, no need,” Fluttershy hurriedly added to the startled Applejack. “Just one of my poor animal friends. He’s very, very sick. Somepony fed him some chocolate last night and it poisoned him. Like Winona. No need for you to help!” Fluttershy said, forestalling the next offer. “He’s going to be fine, but he’ll be ill for a few days, the poor dear. I’ll probably be a little scarce around town while I take care of him.” She opened the bottom half of the door and pushed out, pressing against Applejack. The palomino backed away, almost tripping over her own hooves and smelling of straw and sweet apples. “In fact, I’m heading over to the library for some books to help me figure out how to help him.”

“Huh.” Applejack frowned. “Ya sure ya don’t need any help? Me an’ the girls would be glad ta help ya out.” She rubbed her chin. “I gotta wonder how one o’ your critter friends got inta the chocolate; the most Ah saw was that one pony in a good wolf costume gobbling up a whole plate o’ Pinkie’s best right afore he danced with Lotus.”

“Oh, thank you, but no, it’ll all be fine.” Fluttershy said, wondering as she did if maybe she should ask them for help. Or even Lotus? She vaguely recalled the Stalliongrad-born beautician mentioning something about wolves once or twice, but nothing very specific.

“I, I will keep The Secret… Keep it safe… Or slay myself, uncle....”

“It’ll be fine,” Fluttershy gently insisted. No, no telling anything to anypony unless she wanted his death on her head. Finally noticing some rolled-up flyers Applejack had sticking out of a saddlebag she wore, she said, “What are those for?”

“Huh? Why the Sisterhooves Social, o’ course.” With a toss of her head, Applejack withdrew one and unrolled it. Fluttershy looked on an illustration of two ponies, one smaller than the other, both with stars set on their heads. Applejack re-rolled it and set it back inside her saddlebag. “It’s about time for it, after all.”

“Oh, that’s right, I’d forgotten in all the excitement. I suppose it just feels odd that you’ll be holding it, what with everything that’s happened already so far these past few months.”

“Nah,” Applejack said. “Best ta hold it now, help get everypony’s minds offa what Discord did ta us all. Ya’ll are invited if ya feel like coming.” She took another whiff and winced. “Or if ya want some fresh air. It’ll be next week.”

“Oh, thank you, but that all depends on how well the poor creature is doing by then.”

Angel Bunny hopped out the open door and down the creek, in the direction of a rabbit warren he liked to visit. Fluttershy sighed in relief, hoping he’d spend a few days there. He’d seemed jealous of the way the wolf needed her attention last night. And she wouldn’t have to worry about returning to find the delirious wolf having a fresh rabbit breakfast.

“Well, it was good to see you, Applejack,” the yellow pegasus gave the palomino an equine neck-to-neck hug. “I hope everything goes well for the Sisterhooves Social.” Applejack returned her thanks and set off back into town, backlit by the rising sun; Fluttershy watched her disappear down the road before she went back inside.

#

Mane and tail streaming and wings pumping, Fluttershy shot across the West Pasture below treetop level, Ponyville growing before her. “The most ground-bound of pegasi” normally preferred walking to town, but this time she needed speed. Passing between the clock tower and schoolhouse, she aimed for a huge oak tree on the West Side of town, festooned with windows and balconies. “Golden Oaks Library” was the official name, but most ponies called it “Books and Branches” or just “the Library”. Flaring her wings, she passed between two houses and touched down at the end of Library Lane, where a little colt of a purple dragon was taking down the last of the Nightmare Night decorations.

“We’re closed and –” A small dragon head popped up from behind the stack of boxes. “Oh, hi, Fluttershy!” Spike yawned and stretched, then picked up the stack. “Oh, sorry. We’re kinda not open yet, but you can come in if you wanna.”

“Oh, thank you, Spike,” She said as she followed him into the Library. In the main room, violet-glowing books floated from shelf to shelf as the purple unicorn rearranged them, returning the ones she’d had out on the tables for Nightmare Night and bringing out others. Twilight seemed oblivious to everything but her task, not even noticing Spike taking the decoration boxes to the basement.

The yellow pegasus stopped by the circular reading table at the center of the room, trying to get up the courage to disturb her friend’s concentration. Amid the stacks of unclassified books, she caught sight of some bright-colored covers – like paperback bit novels, but larger. Her mane flowed as she bent down to look at the one on top.

It was a thick magazine, with a garish cover of a giant Discord smashing Canterlot Castle under the title Terror Tales of Tartarus. Fluttershy winced, but then, modern literature never made much sense to her. “Oh, Twilight, here,” she said, picking it up and taking it to her. “I think you missed this one.”

“What?” Spike popped out of the basement stairwell. “No! I mean, those are mine and…”

Twilight looked back over her shoulder and froze, glaring down at the cover. She directed a furious glare at the little dragon, who made for the front door.

“SPIKE!”

He gave a yell and started to run, only to stop when Twilight caught him with her magic. She set him down before her and waved the magazine under his nose. He looked mortified, and Fluttershy felt her own cheek burning to be present for this. “What have I told you about leaving these, these,” Twi’s mouth worked, making her look almost as sick as the wolf, before she spat out, “pulp magazines laying out around the reading room? I’ve been getting complaints from the parents.”

“The fillies and colts don’t complain,” Spike muttered. He scratched a little curl of wood from the floor with one toe-claw, trying and failing to look contrite. “They keep bugging me to leave more down here.”

“Yes, and when they have nightmares later, their parents come and give me grief over it.” Twilight set it down with a snort of disgust. “Ugh! At least please keep them out of here, okay?”

Spike snatched it up, grabbed a couple similar magazines from the table. One dropped in front of Fluttershy, front cover up.

Tales from the Lunaverse, the title block read above a cover painting of the most terrifying Alicorn she had ever seen – another Nightmare Moon with coat of glowing lava instead of black night, in golden barding instead of silver, with mane and tail of yellow sunfire instead of a starry night sky, Princess Celestia’s sunburst cutie mark blazing on her flank instead of Nightmare Moon’s lunar crescent. Below, a subtitle announced The Coming of Solar Flare.

The pegasus froze, the poisoned wolf’s words echoing in her memory. “Nightmare Moon and The Burning Queen” – Luna and Celestia? They think the Princesses are MONSTERS?

Spike snatched the pulp away; seeing Fluttershy’s questioning look, he babbled an answer. “It’s an ‘alternate-history series’ – what if Celestia had gone Nightmare instead of Luna a thousand years ago and became the Mare in the Sun…”

Twilight shot him a glare. The little dragon fled up the stairs, somehow holding onto the stack of pulps. Twilight shook her head as he disappeared, then finally turned to Fluttershy. She looked tired, but smiled as she said, “Good morning, Fluttershy. Sorry about last night, Princess Luna said to tell you she apologizes…”

“Oh, it’s quite alright,” Fluttershy near-whispered. “I came here for some help with one of my animal friends. Tell me, do you have any toxicology books on theobromine poisoning and treatments?”

Twilight looked concerned. “Winona again?”

“Oh, no!” Fluttershy hurried through the rest. “It’s not Winona! Another critter got into the Nightmare Night chocolate last night and it made him really sick. I’m taking care of him, so a few reference books would be helpful right now.” Trailing one forehoof along the floor, she added, “Oh, and if you have anything about canines, you know,” she took a deep breath, “like dogs and coyotes and jackals and, and wolves?” She smiled and hoped there wouldn’t be any questions.

“Here you go,” Twilight said as she went to the shelves and scanned them professionally. Several books floated off them, glowing soft violet from her magic; two thicker ones separated out

“Here’s Helping Hoof’s Chirurgery for Canines, both volumes; they should help.”

“I’m sure it will,” Fluttershy said as Twilight floated both heavy volumes into her saddlebags. As she saw Twilight returning the other books to her shelves, she asked, “Oh, Twilight, if I may ask, just which books are those?”

“These?” The mare chuckled. “Oh, just some books on wolf legends. I thought maybe you were interested in the mythology of wolves, I don’t think any real ones have been seen south of Stalliongrad since before it became part of Equestria.” She began replacing them on the shelves, saying, “Not that it matters, they’re all just silly stories anyway. They don’t belong here.”

Fluttershy blinked. She’d never heard her friend speak poorly of a book before. Pulp magazines and paperback saddle-rippers, yes, but never a real book. Twilight noticed and started forward. Fluttershy opened her mouth to apologize but Twilight beat her to it.

“Oh, I don’t mean they don’t belong in a library! I mean they don’t belong where they were shelved.” She pointed at the stacks. Fluttershy saw the section was reserved for historical works as Twilight said, “They’re collections of Old Mares’ Tales.” She levitated one before Fluttershy. The cover showed several snarling canines, one of them looking rather too much like her patient for her ease, surrounding an oblivious filly. The title read, Cruel Canine Creatures of our Country. It flipped open. Fluttershy saw pictures like those from her copy of Tales of Equestria, only done here as old woodcuts rather than painted prints. Wolves donning pony hides, luring ponies to their doom, and drawn as though they spoke to ponies.

Fluttershy eeped as the book slammed shut and lowered to a nearby table. Twilight continued, anger in her voice. “The author was some hack who tossed in every sort of unsubstantiated legend and folk belief and Old Mare’s Tale about wolves and other animals alongside some factual information. Stories about wolves disguising themselves as ponies, or wolves eating ponies and then making their ghosts help lead other ponies into the woods,” she snorted in disgust as Fluttershy sighed, her friend was in full lecture mode now, “or aiding evil kings of old or even being able to speak! You know animals. Have you ever heard such nonsense, Fluttershy?”

“Huh? Oh, yes!” Fluttershy hoped her smile didn’t look forced. “Talking wolves, how silly! Hah. Anyway,” Hesitantly, she looked at the book with the legends. And picked that one up as well.

“Oh, Fluttershy,” Twilight groaned beside her. “You’re not going to be reading that nonsense?”

“Oh, but I enjoy stories about animals,” Fluttershy hurriedly said. “Even when they’re silly.” She set the book in her saddlebag and hurried to the door. “See you later, Twilight. If you have the time, that is.”

“Fluttershy!” There came a soft thump behind her of air rushing into a suddenly-empty space and a flash of light before her as Twilight reappeared. The pegasus stopped with an eep and a sudden flaring of her wings out to her sides as the unicorn, looking somewhere between amused and annoyed, said, “You didn’t think I’d let you get away with it, did you?”

She knows! Fluttershy tried to think of something to say that would save both the wolf and herself.

Twilight smiled as she took the books from Fluttershy’s saddlebag.

“You have to check these out first, remember?”

#

The rest of her trip to town was thankfully less stressful. First the Flower Trio’s shop and herb garden opposite Sugarcube Corner where she got some herbs from them that she recalled as being helpful for Winona when she’d been poisoned. True, she grew them in her own little garden, but not nearly enough for something the size of her current patient. Daisy and Lily and Roseluck were their usual less-jumpy post-Nightmare Night selves, and they shared stories with her about how Luna playfully scared ponies the night before. When she cautiously asked about wolf costumes the night before, Lily said she remembered seeing Scootaloo, of course, and she saw some stranger pony in a costume dancing with Lotus?

“Dancing?” Daisy snorted. “With the Stalliongrad Stallion-Eater? She was ready to drag him off, more like!” Fluttershy flushed crimson as Daisy added, “I’m glad you’re so shy and demure, Miss Fluttershy; between that Lotus Blossom, and Miss Rarity, and Sweetcream Scoops, it’s getting so a single mare can’t find a stallion in this town.”

After some polite commiseration, Fluttershy managed to get herself away from the flower shop, cantering down Library Lane to Town Square, where the farmponies should be setting up their market stalls for the day.

The archway over Library Lane opened onto a debris field – Town Square had been the center for all the Nightmare Night celebrations, and now all the decorations were coming down. Fluttershy couldn’t help but sigh in relief – all the skulls and witches and monsters and Nightmare Moon sigils gone until next year. Another few weeks and she’d see the sigils of the Three Tribes and Founders going up for Hearth’s Warming, along with the trees and tinsel. Threading between the stalls and Nightmare Night wreckage and ponies cleaning up, she started searching.

#

Saddlebags bulging and sack of Neighponese soybeans balanced between her wings, Fluttershy trotted back down the Everfree Road towards home, too heavily-laden to fly. She’d managed to get the meat substitute and remaining herbs without having to pay too many bits or get stopped by ponies who wanted to chat. Not even Pinkie Pie. Probably sleeping in after last night…

She was just grateful she didn’t need to take the time to go into the Everfree and get some of Zecora’s medicines. She liked the zebra herbalist, and talking with her about her distant home, but it took hours to make it out there and back again. What if the wolf died while she was gone?

Or what if he woke up and stumbled outside into Ponyville? Holding the sack on her back with her wings, she broke into a canter, not stopping until she reached her cottage at the jog in the road. Sliding the sack of soybeans off her back, she dug out her key with her mouth and worked the locks.

The door swung open, morning sunlight streaming in. The grass-roofed little house was quiet, no sign or sound of her critter friends. Or of a wolf moving about. Maybe he was still asleep or unconscious?

Or maybe he’s awake and ready to eat me? Fluttershy gulped and shivered, as suddenly every single ‘silly story’ from Ancient Myths rose up in her mind.

“Hi, girls!” Fluttershy said as she strode up to her friends, all standing at the edge of the Everfree Forest. Her friend shifted uneasily at the lopsided smile she showed them, as well as at the way her wings hung limp across her back. “Hey, thanks for coming here! It’s so great for you to come to the eating – meeting!”

“You said you had something to show us deep in the Everfree, Fluttershy,” Twilight said. She looked at her friend, curious. “Are you… okay? You seem to be acting oddly.”

“Oh, I’m just happy to be alive,” Fluttershy said, before adding under her breath, “and so well fed.”

“What was that?”

“Nothing!” Fluttershy smiled, making sure to keep ‘her’ lips over ‘her’ lupine fangs. She began leading her friends into the Everfree, saying, “Now let’s get going. My pack, I mean friends, are just so eager to eat, I mean meet, you all!” And as the innocent and trusting ponies preceded ‘Fluttershy’ into the forest, she pulled her mouth wide and pushed her head back revealing a ferocious wolf that grinned toothily and licked his fangs before following them to meet the pack.

Fluttershy gulped, recognizing the silliness of the idea even as she pulled the sack of soybeans inside. Just because wolves ate ponies long ago didn’t mean they did it now. Griffins didn’t, after all. And look at the stories ponies once told about Nightmare Moon! She’d heard for herself how hurt poor scary Princess Luna was last night when the local ponies fled from her (Fluttershy winced and reminded herself to send Luna a letter to apologize for her own reaction) and told the old stories about her eating foals. She’d never done that, even when she was Nightmare Moon.

No, Fluttershy thought, she was just going to conjure forth Night Eternal and kill everything on the planet when the world froze over. Even if wolves can’t do all the things the book said, it doesn’t mean they aren’t dangerous.

Flutts gulped. Why did she have to have this morbid imagination?

“Umm, hello, wolf?” She listened at the utility room door. No sounds inside. “I, I’m here with some food and medicine for you.” No response. Grabbing the handle in her teeth, she carefully opened the door.

The stench wrinkled her nostrils; her shadow fell upon the empty tarp and crumpled soiled blankets. Bowl, bedpan – Where’s the wolf?

A low growl came from the other end of the utility room, the alcove for her bathtub and garderobe. She looked up in shock into two blue eyes blazing from the shadows, followed by the silhouette of the wolf.

It came at her snarling, muscles working under that dirty and matted white coat as she froze, unable to even think of using the Stare. Her wings shot out to either side in shock, instinctively seeking to make herself look bigger. She swore she could feel the fangs at her throat.

No, please please don’t, no!

And the wolf yelped and shrank back to cower against the shelves, staring at her as he yelped in a voice filled with utter terror, “PLEASE DON’T KILL ME, BURNING QUEEN!”

“EEEP!” Fluttershy whinnied, rearing up with wings widespread, backlit by the sun coming through the doors, turning her yellow coat into molten gold.

The wolf’s eyes went even wider as she said, “No, no! I won’t hurt you!” She saw how he cringed, ears down and submissive. Confused, she said, “I, who do you think I am, anyway?”

“The Burning Queen,” he said, and she realized he was still delirious. “Demon Queen of Ponies! Betrayer of Fenris! Killer of Wolves! Day herself! You came here to kill me for entering your land and…” His eyes somehow went even wider. She wondered that his face didn’t fall into them. “AHHH! NO, I SPOKE! I MEAN, I DIDN’T! YOU DIDN’T HEAR THAT! I…” His eyes rolled back and he collapsed shaking to the stone floor.

Okay, Fluttershy thought as she laid down beside the wolf, setting one of her wings across him to help keep him warm.

What the hay was all that about?

#

Ardi awoke from nightmare images of monstrous ponies alternating between pouring that sweet-tasting poison down his throat and dancing with him to find himself in a den whose scent he didn’t recognize. He groaned weakly, feeling as though he’d been drained of life. The wolf tongued his nosepad and sniffed deeper.

Ugh, he thought, shuddering and not shivering. I must be covered in my own scat! Which Wolf took care of me? He gulped at the thought of what he’d owe them afterwards. He’d meant to get back home to his pack before the snows came, but with the hunting and other work he’d owe this Wolf or Wolves he’d be lucky to be home this time next year and –

Wait. He tried moving and felt something lying across him, something soft that tickled. And he felt the warmth of a body nearby. It didn’t smell like a Wolf, it smelled like a –

“Oh, are you awake?” The softest and gentlest voice he’d ever heard half whispered in his ear. “Are, are you okay now? I’m not going to hurt you.”

He froze as he placed it. Earlier, an equine form, backlit by the sun with golden coat ablaze and wings outspread.

The most terrible vision in the mind and heart of every Wolf born. HER. The Burning Queen, bright as the sun on her flank, who brought the sun itself down into their dens and chased the survivors into the Frozen North so her herds could cover the world.

Hush and be quiet pups, we have to go hungry tonight unless we want the ponies to kill us with their witchcraft or call The Burning Queen to burn us all to ashes in our dens…

The Burning Queen. Demon Empress of the witch-ponies.

Lying right beside him.

Ardi never quite figured out how he got out from under the sheets and started racing for the door to the small room – No, it’s a pony den, I’m INSIDE ONE OF THEIR DENS – but he did it. His heart seemed to thunder inside him and it felt like his body kept trying to fall sideways with every step forward he took. But nearby, through some circular opening? Yes! Sunlight and free open sky over the good green earth below! Freedom!

“No, no! Please don’t! I want to help!” Ardi refused to listen to that voice and its lies. He risked a glance and snarled to see no alicorn but instead some flier-pony, her wings half-spread as she chased after him. Something about her eyes dragged at his own. He tore his gaze away at the last moment and with a victorious yelp leaped for the hole in the wall.

And slammed full into the closed, magically-reinforced window. Something cracked sharply. Agony smashed between his ears and down his backbone. He dropped to the floor, scraping at the mortared stone underpaw to try and rise. He had to get away, escape before that flier trampled him or carried him so high into the sky his spirit could never find his packmates again.

She was on him. Her face looked into his, filled with worry and dread. Of what? Not him, surely! He fought to rise, baring his fangs right into her face as she fought to hold him down. He remembered his alpha’s words to young pup Ardi. A son of Fenris wins every battle but one, his last.

Ardi drove his fangs for her face. He’d mark this sun-yellow flier for life before she killed him.

She squeaked like a mouse found by a hungry pup. Emboldened, he snarled and closed in, licking his fangs.

Her face went from fearful to furious as her eyes shot wide.

“Don’t you DARE!”

Ardi couldn’t move.

Her eyes were wide and locked on his. His awareness of the floor beneath him, the animal-scents all around him, the distant birdsong outside, all faded until her angry gaze was all he knew. He snarled at himself to rise and run, to attack, to do something, but to his horror all he could do was lower himself to the floor in full belly-to-ground submission. His ears down, he whined miserably as she said, those eyes still blazing with dominance, “I am trying to HELP you, you crazy wolf! I understand that you’re frightened for some reason, and that you’ve probably never been in a pony house before, but that is NO reason for you to act like this, mister! So calm down! Un-der-stood?”

Ardi could do little more than whine in agreement. As he did the winged demon seemed to calm herself. That power in her gaze faded. He found himself instinctively licking at her muzzle, placating her as he would have Aunt Ava or any Wolf above him in pack hierarchy. To his surprise she seemed to understand what it meant.

“It’s all right,” she said, running one hoof along his head and neck. He cringed back, expecting an attack, but she just kept gentling him. He whimpered. He would not just die, he would die shamefully, like so many wolves did at the horns and wings and hooves of ponies. Shushing him, she said, “I’m not going to hurt you, okay? I just want to get you back into the back room so you’ll be safe. I don’t want other ponies to find you here, they might not understand.”

Ardi wondered what there was to understand. Maybe she wanted to do keep him for her own amusement? He rose, moving slowly and painfully. That poison from the chicken pony still twisted his guts, though not so badly as before, and his head throbbed from hitting the glass.

He began staggering towards that back room. He almost fell.

Suddenly something warm and sweet-smelling pressed up against his side. He yipped in disbelief at what his nose told him.

No, it was true. The flier-pony pressed against him, supporting him the way younger wolves supported elders who could still make their way around a den site. Her long flowing mane hung against him. He stuck his nosepad into it and sniffed. It felt rough yet soft against his wet black nose, and smelled even more strongly of flowers and warm dens and a loving dam then the rest of her. She eeped once more and shivered at the touch. But she didn’t pull away.

Together, they made their way back to the piled blankets and towels. Ardi sniffed them and recoiled in disgust. They reeked of sickness and weakness.

“Oh dear,” the flier said in that soft voice. “You really did make a mess of this, didn’t you?” Ardi looked at her weakly. She shot him a look, eyes wide with concern. “You were poisoned after all, though I’m sure that whoever did it wasn’t planning to hurt you, they just didn’t know…” As she went on in similar vein, all the while gathering up the old fouled blankets and setting fresh ones down, Ardi wondered about this flier. If a Wolf acted like this around their pack, they’d become the Omega before two shakes of their ruff, scorned and given the worst of all tasks unless and until they proved themselves worthy of more. He couldn’t help but to think that ponies must be somewhat similar at least from what he’d seen of the Stalliongradders. But this one? One second she seemed so helpless he wondered how she’d lived this long, and the next? He shuddered in memory.

“There,” she said, showing him the fresh blankets. He warily laid down on them, giving a yip as she set a pillow under his head. She took away the pans filled with his waste, dumping them somewhere in the shadows at the other end of the den. He wondered what sort of crazy pony he’d found that would do this for an enemy.

The flier-pony crossed over into the larger room, to return a few moments later bearing a tray in her mouth. What looked like a loaf of crusty pony bread lay on it, brown instead of black like those Stalliongrad ponies ate. Ardi remembered seeing them sometimes when he sneaked close enough to peer into windows of pony dens near the city. He definitely didn’t remember anything like the scent coming from it, though. Like meat but different, somehow.

“Here you go,” she said, sounding happy as she put the tray down before him. A sort of funny-looking paste filled a depression within the bread bowl. “Here’s something for you to eat so you can get healthy again. I feed it to all my meat-eating animal friends.” He sniffed at it and bristled. A sharp and musty odor lay under the other smells, reminding him of herbs his grand-dam used to make him eat when he got sick as a pup. He looked at the flier warily. She must have read his thoughts, for she said, “Oh, those are just some medicines to help make you better. Herbs I grew in my own garden, and some alchemy my friend Zecora made, not that you’d know who she is…” Her voice trailed off as he watched her coldly. “Oh, would you like me to eat some to show you it’s okay?”

She lowered her pony muzzle into the bowl like a Wolf into a kill, scooped up a small amount of the paste, hesitated. She looked at him.

Ardi watched her silently.

With a gulp she swallowed it. It seemed to go down hard to judge by how she acted, but nothing happened. She didn’t go into convulsions or the like.

“See?” She said, cheery. “Now you try some.”

Ardi put his muzzle into the bowl and all but gulped the contents down. He hadn’t eaten since before being poisoned, and even if this stuff failed to satisfy it was food that he could keep down. As he did so he wondered how he’d escape from here. Thankfully this pony seemed some foolish sort who thought of him as a mere beast. He’d play along and stay silent until he could sneak away.

The secret was still safe.

“So,” she said, out of the blue, “Who’s ‘The Burning Queen’ and why did you think I was her?" Ardi felt his eyes going wide. "And why would you have to kill yourself just because I learned you can talk?”

Author's Note

Be warned, this chapter has a rather gross scene in it involving Flutts giving some emergency medical care & Ardi's reaction to the poison. It's nothing much to me but it might bother some folks.

Waiting Game

Chapter 3: Waiting Game

Fluttershy touched down before the great tree of the Library, folded her wings, and silently nosed the door open.

“Twilight?” she called in a softer than usual voice. “Spike? Anypony?” To her relief it looked empty inside, but then, she’d timed her visit for the mid-day slow period. Okay, just make this quick so I can get back home before my, well, guest can get into trouble.

Stepping inside and hind-hoofing the door shut, the yellow pegasus headed for the shelves that she remembered as having the reprints of the old readers from her own fillyhood, keeping her hoofbeats against the wooden floor as soft as she could. Ah, there they were – McHoofey’s Basic Reader, right alongside Edifying Truth’s Early Equestrian History: True Tales of our Lovely Land and Mercator’s As the Pegasus Flies: Equestria and Its Neighbors.

With mouth and wing she slipped them into her saddlebags; now all she had to do was to write her name and the titles in on the slip at the front desk, and she should be able to leave without having to –

“Fluttershy!”

The pegasus froze. “Yeek!”

She turned her head to see a familiar purple unicorn coming down the stairs. Twilight Sparkle walked over to her, craning necks in an equine hug before saying, “Where have you been since Nightmare Night? Nopony’s seen you for days; did Princess Luna scare you that much?”

“Uh, no. I was busy caring for that critter – you know, the one with the theobromine poisoning?”

“I remember you telling me. How is he?”

“Recovering, but he’s still weak.”

“I was talking to Rarity and Rainbow Dash,” the unicorn continued, “They haven’t seen you since before Nightmare Night. We were wondering if we should drop by for a visit.”

“Oh, no!” Fluttershy shrank back, eyes wide. “No visitors! He’s still sick! And scared! He’s… not used to ponies – he’s okay around me, but anypony else would spook him.”

“Oh…” Twilight resumed. “Yesterday when I saw Rarity, she was saying something about you missing Spa Day, and she seemed upset about something else, too.”

“Ah! I’ll be sure to apologize to her. And to Aloe. And to Lotus, too. I wouldn’t want them to think I didn’t want to see them anymore. I’ve just been too busy.”

She smiled and hoped it didn’t look as strained as she felt. Turning to leave, she hesitated, and asked as casually as she could, “Er, Twilight? Did you ever hear anywhere of, errr, Princess Celestia being called ‘The Burning Queen’? Or wolves being able to talk like ponies?”

“Huh? No,” Twilight furrowed her brow. “Maybe something in connection with The Song of Syhlex and non-ponies fearing her after that, but that would have been nine hundred years ago.”

Her horn glowed and a massive hardwood-bound tome floated over. Fluttershy wondered if it was the oldest book in the library, older even than the one she'd seen a few days ago. The hasps on the cover were of bronze,old enough to have turned green. They creaked stubbornly as Twilight opened it to reveal an old woodcut illustration.

The pegasus tried not to gulp as she saw the picture, printed in faded ink onto actual pre-paper papyrus – a fearsomely-drawn Celestia flying over a pack of lean and baying silhouettes like but unlike stylized Timber Wolves, their pointy muzzles tilted back as though howling to or at her. Tree silhouettes flanked them, and beyond them all stood a mountain with some sort of oddly glass-like city on it.

The book slammed shut with an eruption of musty dust; Fluttershy gave a little jump as Twilight floated the tome back to its place.

“These ‘accounts’ are so old, they’re as much Old Mare’s Tales as anything else – half-forgotten stories about shapeshifters that replace ponies, wolves-who-speak pretending to be ponies to eat other ponies, and witch-kings that vanished with their kingdoms.” The unicorn carefully returned the book to its shelf as the pegasus watched, keeping silent.

The Mare in the Moon was just an Old Mare’s Tale, Fluttershy thought. Nightmare Moon was just a make-believe goblin for Nightmare Night. Until it all happened for real…

She inhaled a calming breath, drew in the nose-tickling scent of the library tree, the dustiness of the books, Twilight’s warm mare scent and the fainter sharpness of Spike’s.

“Just an Old Mare’s Tale… Anyway, I have to be going with these books –“

Her hopes of escaping without more questions were dashed as Twilight levitated them from her saddlebags.

“Now, Fluttershy, you know I have to personally record what’s checked out,” the purple unicorn looked at the three books as they floated before her. “You've been forgetful about that lately. McHoofey, Mercator, Edifying Truth…” She gave Fluttershy a sly grin. “What, helping some foal with their studies?” Fluttershy got ready to nod but froze when Twi giggled. “You’re not teaching that sick animal friend of yours, are you?”

“Oh, no!” She thought fast, seizing on the out Twi had just given her. “Or yes – I am helping a colt from the school. He’s kind of embarrassed about it – doesn’t want anypony to know I’m helping him.” She snatched the books out of Twilight’s aura with mouth and wingfeathers, slid them back into her saddlebags. “In fact, I have to meet him at my house right now!” She started for the door, only to stop at Twilight’s voice.

“Sure you don’t want some help?” Fluttershy gulped as Twilight said behind her, “I’m starting to help tutor the Cutie Mark Crusaders. It’d be no problem adding one more to the list. I figure I owe you something for bringing Princess Luna by and dragging you out to see her that night.”

“Oh, no no no!” Fluttershy rushed through her words. “It’s all fine, really! He’s very shy, not like me at all.” Twilight really looked dubious at those words, her tail lashing against her sides. Still, she said nothing more as Fluttershy added, “Have to get going, need to pick up some groceries, too busy to chat, we’ll talk later, bye!” She all but flew out the library, almost slamming the door behind her. Once clear of the library and under Celestia’s Sun in the cool of early November, she took a deep breath again and sighed. So that was done. Fluttershy wished she dared to ask her friends for help, but she remembered how the Wolf reacted when she’d revealed that she knew he could speak.

She’d jumped back, ears down and wings flared as he’d leaped to his feet, a fangs-bared predator.

“You…” He stared at her, eyes wide and ears down, halfway between a belly-to-ground submission posture and crouching for a snarling leap that would end with his fangs in her throat. “I, you, WHO DID YOU TELL?!?” He half stumbled towards her, still weak, but his fangs gleamed like knives and anger snapped at the fear in his voice. “How did you learn I can speak?”

“Eeep!” Fluttershy rose from her crouch and backed away, making sure to watch him without staring into his eyes. No need to antagonize him even more right now, to judge by the way his tail bottled out and his hackles bristled. “Nopony, I swear! And I heard you talking when you were delirious! Something about the Burning Queen and Nightmare Moon, and some great dark wolf lord named Fenris, and maybe a bit about the end of your world, but that’s it! I promise, nopony else knows.”

He came at her, bristling and growling. She got ready to use The Stare, but at that point he collapsed with a sickly groan followed by wet gurgling coughs. She snatched the bucket she’d been using for him and let him empty himself. Thankfully it was less of a mess than the day before. The poison must be working its way out, she thought.

“Can’t tell,” he moaned when he finished. “Please, you can’t tell. We’ll all die if you tell. Please, flier-pony, please… Don’t kill me with your magic…” He passed out and laid helpless as the bucket dropped from her hooves to clatter against the earth floor of the room.
Fluttershy gaped at him in disbelief.

Days later and she still shook her head at the memory.

He thought I was going to kill him?

With MAGIC? I’m not a unicorn!

Shuddering at that disturbing thought, she trotted towards the Everfree Road and home.

#

Fluttershy lay on the rug before her couch, McHoofey’s Reader open between her forehooves. Beside her lay the pony-sized white wolf, her foalhood copy of My First Hearth’s Warming balanced between his forepaws.

The cottage was quiet; Angel Bunny and her animal friends were making themselves scarce. Only her and the wolf, his canid-carnivore scent pulling at her equine hindbrain, urging her to run – no, fly – from the predator. He needs a bath really bad, but he won’t get into the tub and I don’t dare take him to the river… Flaring her nostrils, she took a deep whiff of the incense bowl she’d lit to help offset the rankness.

“All right then.” She pointed at the foal’s book with a butter-yellow hoof. “Can you read that line right there?”

The wolf sniffed the hoof, then looked back at her, less cautious than their first lesson with the McHoofey’s a few days ago. Then he followed the hoof back to the book and his furry brow creased as he began working through the words.

“All through the night, Clover, Pansy, and Smart Cookie kept the fire of Friendship alive by telling stories to one another,” the wolf read, the words clear if oddly accented. He looked at Fluttershy. She nodded and he continued. “And by singing songs, which became the carols we sing today…” His ears twitched as he looked down at the next word and growled “Ev… Ev…”

“Sound it out, Ardi,” the pegasus looked over, indicated the word with a butter-colored forehoof. “Ev… En… Tchu…”

“Ev…en…tu…a…lly?” He shook his head. “Eventually, the warmth of the fire and singing and laughing reached the three leaders and their bodies began to thaw.” Ardi sniffed and asked, “Am I doing well so far, Flutter-flier?”

“Very well,” she said, hoping she didn’t condescend. Ardi was an adult among his folk or so he’d told her, she didn’t want to treat him like a foal. “Now go on.” Fluttershy saw Ardi look at the next section. His ears went down slightly as he read it.

“And as they – thawed, the Fire of Friendship even began to melt their hearths…”

“No, no, it’s ‘melt their hearts.’ Hearts, not hearths. You’re getting it wrong.”

He stiffened, fangtips showing.

“Oh, Ardi, that’s not what I mean. You’re missing the tone mark.” He looked at her blankly. She pointed at the line he’d read. “See? The tone-marks between the words. That’s the mark for nickering, not whinnying. Otherwise, they’re spelled the same.” She continued as Cheerilee would with a young colt in the schoolhouse. “Hearts – nickering. Hearths – whinnying. Hearts – Hearths. See?”

She wondered if she needed to say more; griffins and minotaurs often had problems learning Equestrian because of the tonality. His eyes lit up at her words.

“Pony-speech like wolf-speech, then!” He gave a tongue-lolling grin. “We have words that sound the same too but are not – Tones!” He looked thoughtful. “Like ‘kill’ and ‘eat’.” He made two snarls that sounded the same to Fluttershy, or nearly. She made herself stay beside him rather than take to the air as her instincts told her to.

“You’re doing wonderfully, Ardi." Fluttershy felt a little surprise at how fast he was picking up written Equestrian, and his speech was much more fluent now as well. Ardi was much more clever than she would have guessed. Then again, he said his people have hidden from ponies for almost a thousand years. His tail wagged at her words. “Maybe we can start you on something a little more complex, like the Happy Mare’s Home Journal.” She looked at the magazine on the side table by the incense bowl; not just any issue, but the Winter Prep issue. That reminded her, she’d need to start stocking up for winter. That usually filled the utility room and half of upstairs; maybe she could move Ardi upstairs?

Beside her, the wolf continued in that growling accent.

“P—Princess Pl…atinum, Com—Commander…Hurry Cane, and Chan…cell…or Pudding Head agreed to share the beautiful new land, and live in Harmony ever after…wards.”

“…And together, they named their new land –”

“Equestria,” the pegasus finished the sentence for him, then extended her wing and hugged him. “Ardi, you did great.”

The wolf just stared at the book in his paws, eyes wide, his breath coming in a soft panting huh-huh-huh. Fluttershy wondered if something was wrong.

Ardi tried to hold his ears steady, keep his paws from shaking as the realization hit him.

All through his travels, he’d seen markings like those throughout the Pony lands. Only now he knew what those marks were – pony-speech, killed and frozen to speak anew after the words died away! Like petroglyphs on den-cave walls, except with frozen words instead of pictures! And she was showing him how to make the frozen words speak again! To him! To a Wolf!

We Wolves would never let anywolf live who knew secrets about us like this! He glanced at the yellow flier-pony beside him. But she helped me... Why does Fate have to be this cruel?

The yellow-feathered wing lifted, hovered half-open over him.

“Ardi? Is something wrong?”

A low growl escaped his throat; Fluttershy felt an instinctive urge to take to the air before she realized it was Wolf for “No.”

“Flutter-flier?” He looked up and past her, to the closed front door. “What is happening in town? Are they,” he shook himself and she saw how his hackles lifted slightly, “hunting for me?”

“No, Ardi, nopony is hunting for you, or even looking for a wolf.” Fluttershy spoke carefully. She did not want a panicked pony-sized predator in close quarters with her. He relaxed as she said, “At most I heard Lotus complaining about the ‘wolf-suited pony’ that ran out on a dance with her.”

“Lotus?’ Ardi sniffed and shook himself. “I do not remember her. I remember little beyond fleeing the Nightmare.”

“Given how sick you were I’m not surprised, you poor dear.”

He scratched at his ear with one forepaw as though in thought.

“Not matter. Now how get away from Pony-dens? Wait until dark and then slip away through town?”

“Oh, no!” Fluttershy thought of how to explain it to the wolf as she stared at her, curious. “Not right now! This is soon before hibernation time for the Everfree creatures. And this year has been, well, difficult for them.” She closed her eyes and shuddered. Difficult for them and everypony else thanks to Discord. In only a day he’d upset the Everfree beasts so badly. And what he’d done to her with but a touch? You’ve been kind for long enough! She shook herself and looked at the patient wolf. “They normally avoid the town, but right now most of the food they would have had stored away is gone and we’re the closest source for more.”

“More food?” Ardi said, looking at her. He said calmly, as though discussing the weather, “They will eat ponies?”

“They might try,” Fluttershy said. “But they won’t get any. The town asked ponies to volunteer for a watch, we used to have one but that was long before I moved here. They keep an eye on the town at night and if they caught anypony they didn’t know wandering around they’d ask qeustions. If they didn't like the answers, they'd arrest them.” Once again he looked confused. “I mean, they would, oh, put you in a cage. I suppose.”

Ardi shivered. “Cage me,” he said, “kill me.”

Fluttershy doubted that would happen, even if some ponies did fear wolves almost as much as true monsters. But for some reason Ardi seemed convinced that ponies were savage.

She remembered what he’d said that first night after he discovered she knew he could speak. The utter panic in his voice and eyes. She knew that ponies weren’t total pacifists. There was the Guard, and some local towns had their own patrols – the Apples were once such for Ponyville, receiving it as a land grant in exchange for guarding against the Everfree monsters and raising Zap Apples. Sometimes Applejack still seemed to see herself as the town defender. But cold-bloodedly killing him? She wondered how poor Ardi could have ever come to believe that of ponies.

“Flier-Pony, I mean,” He growled and closed his eyes, as though thinking carefully on what he would say. “Thank you for hiding me, Fluttershy. For saving my life.” He hesitated, gave her an odd look. She wondered what was wrong. Then he spoke one word.

“Why?”

Fluttershy blinked. “Why what?”

“Why did you spare me, when I was helpless, when you could kill me or give me to your Alpha?”

“What?” He winced and she bit her tongue at frightening him. “Ardi, I, well…” How to say it? She took a deep breath and said, “Because it’s what we ponies do.”

Ardi looked down, his ears drooping and tail folded close in worry. She barely heard him mutter under his breath, “Not what all ponies do. Not what Stalliongrad ponies do.”

Fluttershy wondered what else to say. She sighed. This conversation was going nowhere. Rising to her hooves, she checked the pot of herbal medicine warming on the hearth between the teakettle and the beans. The combination of smells tickled her nose as she lifted the pot with her mouth and poured the potion into a small wooden bowl carved with pegasi in flight.

The mixture was a Zecora special, a mild diuretic with added Zebra alchemy to build back the patient’s strength. And well-diluted; she’d been tapering him off since the full-strength potions of the first couple days. Normally she’d have ceased the potion by now, but Ardi seemed to be taking a long time to recover.

He took a larger dose for his size than Winona and he’s a Wolf, not a dog. Maybe it doesn’t work as well on wolves. Or the theobromine hits them harder and takes longer to purge out. I’ve never treated a Wolf before…

She set the bowl down before her “guest”; Ardi sniffed and wrinkled up his muzzle.

“Smell bad,” he said, growling his distaste. “And makes me pee.”

“It’s supposed to, to make sure the poison’s out of your system.” Fluttershy said. He looked unconvinced.

"Wolves would never make so much trouble over sick packmate." He sniffed at the bowl and gave a growl. “You have to get better Wolf way.”

“What is the ‘Wolf way’?”

“Rest a few days, maybe three, maybe four,” Ardi shrugged. “Get better or…” He seemed to stiffen before looking away, hanging his head. “Or… ask pack to leave food behind until get better.”

Fluttershy was curious. Did he just lie to me? And what was he saying before about Stalliongrad? Never mind. She looked at Celestia’s sun outside and gasped. It was already past noon, and if she wanted to resupply from the stands in town square she’d have to hurry.

He watched silently as she put her saddlebags back on.

“Ardi,” she said as she did, “Now listen. Later we have to discuss how we’ll be sneaking you out of town. I want to be sure you’ll get away safely.” She headed for the door. “And I’ll have to get some things for your trip home, like food,” he licked his chops, “and more medicine.” He growled his disgust. She smiled. “Oh, it won’t be so bad. I’ll be gone a little bit, but I’ll be back.” She pointed at the storeroom where his pallet lay. “Just stay there and you’ll be safe. Nopony will come here…”

Her front door shuddered under the pounding of somepony’s hooves.

“EEEP!”

Yellow pegasus and white wolf both shot to their feet – her wings flaring, his fangs showing, both with tails tucked and ears pinned back.

“Fluttershy?” Rarity’s voice came through the door; a faint growl rose in Ardi’s throat.

“No!” Fluttershy whispered, silencing the wolf with a hoof. “Upstairs, Quick!” She indicated the stairway with her muzzle. “Stay quiet, and keep away from the stairs and windows!”

Ardi pulled back, turned, and almost teleported up the stairs. The yellow pegasus waited until he vanished into the upper-floor loft, then fluttered to the front door and opened the top half. “Er, hello, Rarity.”

The elegant white unicorn smiled back at her, gem-blazoned saddlebags hanging over her sides. Some strands of her normally-perfect amethyst mane hung loose; her eyes looked a little puffy, and her breath smelled of Vanilla Oat Swirl. Something’s wrong…

“Fluttershy, darling,” she repeated, a faint quaver in her cultured voice. “I was just going into town for the Spa and some shopping, and decided I simply must pay you a visit. Nopony’s seen you since Nightmare Night except Twilight. And some of the market-stall ponies in the square.”

“Uh, I’ve been caring for a sick animal,” she repeated the now-familiar cover story. “He got into the Nightmare Night candy and it poisoned him.”

“I know… Twilight told me something about you seeing to some wild beast from the Everfree.” She shifted her weight on her forehooves, back and forth, like Fluttershy herself when she was about to turn and run. “May I come in?”

“Eep! Oh, yes, of course. Sorry—” She shot the bolt and opened the bottom half of the door.

Rarity trotted inside, hooves echoing on the wooden floor. The wolf reek hit her and she recoiled, nose wrinkling. “Ugh! It smells almost as bad as Discord!”

Fluttershy shuddered; Rarity’s face went from annoyed to apologetic. “Oh, Fluttershy, I’m so sorry. I, I didn’t think.”

“No, no, it’s all right,” Fluttershy said softly as her friend nuzzled her in apology. Discord, who drove us all mad…

“Er, pardon me for asking, but is something wrong? Uh, are you having a problem with an order?”

“No…” the marshmallow unicorn’s lip quivered for a moment. “Not an order…”

#

Ardi shot up the stairs, into a part of the pony-den he’d never seen before. A large open room, half-filled with pony things. Looking and sniffing around, he doubled back past the stair opening, to the other end near the wall, then went on his belly by the railing. Now he could see anything coming up before they could know he was there, waiting.

Be like Ghost Walker – no sound, no scent…

Birds twittered from overhead, where sunlight peeked through pinpoint holes in the thatched roof. He swiveled his ears to catch any sound coming from below, tongued his nosepad for any scent.

His ears caught first Fluttershy’s voice, then another. Then his nose caught another pony scent, like-unlike Fluttershy's. Mixed with – flowers? And sweet fruits and – pup’s milk? What? Does this new she-pony bathe in it?

He settled down to listen. Pony-speech, back and forth, Fluttershy’s and a louder, more rhythmic one with the pitch of another she-pony. Nothing he could make out that suggested they were coming up after him; he began to relax and looked around.

To his left, a pony-bed against the wall, next to one of those windows, beside other pony furniture he didn’t recognize. Ahead beyond the stairwell, another window before a pool of sunlight on the wooden floor. Beside that, a wall of stones like the “hearth” below, but smaller. And to his right from wall to wall, boxes and bales and other things he’d seen in pony dens and some things he’d never seen before, not even on that Night of the Nightmare.

One caught his attention; a strange arrangement of pony fabrics, like but not like those “costumes” from that night, in some sort of frame hanging from the roofbeam. He shifted to get a better look and sniff at whatever it was.

And he scraped his foreclaws over the wooden floor. He froze. It sounded loud as a shifting rock. Did those downstairs notice?

“Darling,” the sound of hooves on the floor below, going to the stairs? “Just what do you have up there?”

SCAT!

#

Fluttershy mouthed the teakettle’s handle, brought it over from the hearth to the table with the two cups. Rarity was skittish from the moment she walked in the door – something bothered her, but she wouldn’t say what. While the pegasus poured out the honeyed tea and tried to work up the courage to ask her, the unicorn’s ears perked up at a faint scratch overhead.

“Darling,” she rose from the couch, “just what do you have up there?”

Fluttershy set the kettle on the table to clear her mouth as Rarity started over to the stairs, hooves clopping on the wooden floor.

“No!” she squeaked as she put herself between the unicorn and the stairs. The last thing she or Ardi needed was for Rarity to go on a panic-stricken stampede through town. “He-he’s not used to ponies; it was all I could do to get him to trust me enough to help him – if he saw you, he’d spook!” Thinking fast, she added, “Oh, I heard that when Luna was in town for Nightmare Night she visited you, too?”

“What? Well, yes, Twilight asked me to make an outfit for her so she would be less, well, intimidating.” Rarity tossed her mane and gave one of her artistic sighs. “I did what I could do in the limited time given me, pity I never finished my costume, but of course I still worked a small miracle in that time.” She held her head high, before drooping and snorting. “And then Pinkie Pie and the foals with her came in and yelled something about Luna eating a princess, of all things! Poor Princess Luna was so horrified she tore my creation from herself and fled the Boutique!”

“I’m sorry to hear that your lovely dress was ruined,” Fluttershy said. Inwardly she sighed in relief. Rarity seemed to have forgotten about seeing her guest. Fluttershy added, “I imagine it would have looked lovely on Luna.”

“But of course dear.” Rarity gave a small laugh. “Everything I make looks lovely. Nearly everything, anyway.” She looked at Fluttershy and smiled. “Which reminds me, I hoped to ask you if you could model for me again sometime.”

“Oh, no no!" Fluttershy set her hooves wide, fearing that she might collapse otherwise. “Rarity! You know what it was like for me that time I modeled for Photo Finish! I was so miserable!”

Rarity nodded in agreement

“I know. Dear, I’d not ask you to appear on stage before crowds, just in the Boutique for moi. As a favor? After all, I’ll need somepony around,” her voice began to break, “Now that… that… that…” Her sapphire eyes filled with tears and she collapsed back onto the couch, one fetlock thrown over her eyes.

“BWAAAAAAAAAA! I’VE LOST MY DEAR LITTLE SISTER!”

#

Ardi’s ears flattened at the outburst from below; he crouched back behind the stair railing, looking for a place to hide if he needed to.

WHAT?

#

“What? Oh no! You mean Sweetie Belle’s run off to Canterlot, or into the Everfree? I can get Rainbow Dash and Applejack, and we –“

She stopped as Rarity set a free forehoof to her lips.

“No dear, nothing quite that dreadful,” Rarity said from under her other forehoof. “But nearly, I assure you. My sister and I fought terribly the other day.”

“Oh,” Fluttershy said, feeling both relieved and worried at the same time. She loved her friend, but she knew how fussy Rarity could get at the best of times. And right now, as they all dealt with the fallout from the Day of Discord, everypony was even more on edge.

“Well, she’s a sweet filly, I’m sure she’ll forgive you.”

“Dear, that is not the point,” Rarity said, rolling back onto her barrel. “The point is I want to convince my sister that I do care about her, but she’s not even speaking to me right now. She’s staying at Sweet Apple Acres and declaring herself Applejack’s sister now! Can you imagine?”

“I guess I have to,” Fluttershy said under her breath. She heard the scrape of claws from overhead. Rarity glanced up. Hurriedly, Fluttershy said, “Well, the Apples will be hosting the Sisterhooves Social, maybe you can go through it with Sweetie and make it up to her?”

Rarity just looked at her, her blue eyes watering and lip quivering.

Oh no, Fluttershy thought.

“BWAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

#

Ardi winced again at the cry from below. Whatever was up with Loud Pony, she and Fluttershy sounded too busy to come up the stairs. And making too much noise to possibly hear him moving.

Silently, he rose from the floor and started exploring the upper den like stalking a deer, moving carefully, keeping clear of the stair opening and well back from the windows. Sniffing past some shelves filled with unidentifiable pony things, he came across an obvious pony bed, like but unlike the ones in Stalliongrad cabins.

The wolf sniffed at the thick quilt, decorated with butterfly petroglyphs; like all the rest of the den, it bore the sweet yet fearsome scent of its owner like flowers around a dragon’s den. But no others.

This must be where she sleeps – alone? No pack around to keep her warm?

Mingled in with Fluttershy's scent in the rest of the den were a multitude of other animals. A rabbit was most prominent, but so were ferrets and squirrels and mice and many small animals that a Wolf would gladly devour.

Pets? Other former and now slain prisoners? Just thinking of them made Ardi shiver.

He took a cautious look through the window just beyond the bed, flanked with fabric curtains. A pony-path wound south between two split-rail fences, flanked on its left by pony fields and pastures and its right by the twisted blackness of the Everfree Forest. Alone and so close to Discord’s Demense? He shuddered and backed away, wondering how much magic the flier-pony must wield to live so close to the Twisting One’s legacy.

Dropping onto his belly, the white wolf skidded past the edge of the stairwell to the other window, the one by the warm wall of stones with the sound and scent of chickens.

Chickens… Meat… Not that pony-bean paste, but real MEAT…

Ardi licked his chops as he approached the window. He saw what was on the other side of it and froze in mid-drool.

Again, Discord’s Demense stretched before him, gnarled and fell and darker in full daylight than under a moonless night.

#

“Oh, dear, it won’t help in the least,” Rarity sniffed when she could speak again. “That was the source of the problem! My dear little sister asked me to enter the Social with her, but I simply thought of all that dirt and mud,” Rarity shivered elegantly, “and I just couldn’t. And then she ran away!” She whimpered, but didn’t break into tears again. “My adorable little sister is going to become an uncouth apple farmer and It’s! All! My! Fault!”

“Maybe if you talked it over with Applejack?” Fluttershy said as her ears picked up more movement overhead. Ardi must have overheard Rarity’s meltdown; what if he panicked?

Desperate to convince the unicorn to go, she tossed out the first thing she could think of as she glanced to the side and saw that book of Equestrian Wolf tales with the picture of a savage wolf slipping into a pony’s hide. “I’m sure it’s not all that bad... Maybe you could convince Applejack to switch places with you and you could still take Sweetie through the Sisterhooves Social?” Rarity glanced at her, her eyes going wide as she continued, “Maybe if you hid under an illusion or the like?” She got ready to say more but stopped as she saw Rarity rubbing her chin.

“Nothing that drastic, not like my and Twilight’s little project… But maybe if I was willing to get,” she gave a dramatic shiver, “dirty in the mud, and if Applejack was willing to loan her Stetson? I could always visit the Spa later…” Her eyes went wide and she embraced Fluttershy. “YES! YES! YES! Darling, you are SUCH a great friend! That idea will work perfectly, thank you so much for suggesting it!”

“Oh, uh, don’t mention it.” Fluttershy wondered just what she’d suggested. She winced at the sounds of claws clicking overhead. Rarity looked up again, her ears turned forward in obvious interest. The pegasus continued “But I’ve taken up enough of your time, and I want to let you get ready for your, ah, great plan.”

She choked as Rarity went by her and again headed for the stairway.

“Darling, I apologize, but I have got to see what’s making all that noise! What do you have up there, a timber wolf?”

“Oh, no!” Fluttershy got between Rarity and the stairs. “But he’s very shy, he’s afraid of ponies, you’d just scare him.”

Rarity just smiled and walked around her, looking into the storeroom as she passed. Fluttershy backed up to block the stairs, wondering what she’d say. He’s alone, he’s sick and frightened, he won’t hurt anypony…

“He can’t be much shyer than you –” Rarity’s horn glowed as she tried squeezing past her friend.

And the canine reek from the blanket pile in the storeroom really hit and she recoiled, nose wrinkling.

“On second thought…” Rarity croaked out as she wheeled for the door. Rarity threw the door open with her horn, gasped as the outside air drove off the wolf reek. “Ugh! That’s worse than when Opal got so sick that one time.” After stepping outside and taking a few deep breaths, she turned back to Fluttershy. “I have some errands to run, and there’s the Spa. Maybe you could take just a little time to join me, darling?”

“I’d like to,” Fluttershy said. She thought of something Ardi said. “Oh, Rarity, this will sound odd, but, did you ever read about how the Stalliongrad ponies deal with wolves?”

“Huh?” Rarity blinked at her. “Why the sudden interest in Stalliongrad?”

“I suppose I wanted to know something to discuss with Lotus and Aloe when we visit the Spa.”

“Well,” Rarity shrugged as they went outside. “Not much. Just that they have stories about wolf attacks, and a special guard to hunt them down. They even have a statue commemorating some invasion by wolves one winter some years ago. They killed them all in the main square.” She snorted her amusement. “As though you can be ‘invaded’ by animals! But you know what Stalliongrad is like, Lotus and Aloe told us how happy they were to leave more than once.”

“The poor frightened wolves.” Fluttershy said. She thought of what Ardi said and more, of his reactions to some of her suggestions. Things were starting to make more sense. “Oh, Rarity, you don’t know if they tell any stories about the wolves, oh, I don’t know…” She circled one hoof in the air, trying to look nonchalant, “Talking or anything like that, do you?”

Rarity gave her the sort of look she might direct at an adult mare asking if Clover the Clever, Private Pansy, and Smart Cookie were coming for Hearth’s Warming this year with gifts to put in their saddlebags. Well, any adult mare other than Pinkie Pie, anyway. Fluttershy blushed and hid behind her long mane.

“No, Fluttershy, they don’t tell stories about wolves that can talk, those all died out centuries ago, probably before Luna was exiled. Or so I remember from studying ancient history in school."

Fluttershy looked at her in surprise. Wait, they once did exist? I mean, still do? She hoped her sudden interest wasn’t too obvious. It must not have been, because Rarity trotted down her front walk and over the bridge to the road,

“Now can we please get going? I’d like to get that shopping done sometime today.” She smiled and added. “Besides we have simply got to get you to the Spa. Helping animals is very noble dear, but you need to see you yourself as well!”

“I’d love to, if it wasn’t any trouble,” Fluttershy said as she closed the door and trotted off beside her friend, hoping that nopony else dropped by while she was gone.

Or that Ardi could hide if they did.

#

Ardi padded down the stairs and across to the front door, claws clicking over the wood. His movements before were slow and weak; now with his captor gone they were firm and full of purpose. Like most Wolves, he could recover quickly when he needed to. Even when I don’t have the pack threatening to leave me behind if I can’t keep up. He snorted at the story he’d told the flier-pony. Leave food behind? She knows nothing about us! You keep up or you die, as Fate wills and your strength permits.

He froze and gulped. She knew one thing, The Secret that Wolves had kept since the Time of Wanderings, before the Mare in the Moon. That wolves could TALK and weren’t the brute beasts ponies thought they were.

And he also knew one thing more, a Pony Secret every bit as vital. He stared down at the “books”. He now knew those pony petroglyphs were frozen pony-speech, and that he knew how to make them speak again. Why did she show him that – how to make the dead words live and speak again? Now he knew, and could show other Wolves how to do the same.

And the “book” on top lay open, to a page showing a Pony picture of a Wolf, dressed in the skin of a Pony, luring Ponies in to be killed and eaten. Curious, he turned the page and froze. On the other page, spear-heads and fliers and Earth ponies gleefully trampled the Wolf from the first picture under their hooves. He could almost hear the dying howls. The flier bore a long mane and tail and looked entirely too like his host.

He closed the book with a shudder.

She knows too much. And so do I.

First things first. He checked the door. Unlike the doors of Stalliongrad Pony cabins, it had a top half that could be opened separately, and there were simple slide locks on them both. He shot both bolts and pushed against the door with one shoulder. It rattled but held. Good.

He took a few moments to check the rest of the pony-den, reeking of the fearsome scent of its owner. The den-within-a-den where he’d been staying, with the reassuring scent of Wolf coming from the pile of soiled blankets.

His act had worked; the flier-pony thought of him as a near-invalid, and while for some reason she had yet to turn him in or kill him, he held no illusions over what would happen once she knew him to be hale again.

“So, you’re healthy, are you?” Flier-Fluttershy said in that soft voice of hers. Looking innocent, she trotted over to the door of her den. “You can walk? Run?”

“I think so, yes,” Ardi said, not bothering to hide his skill with Equestrian after days of captivity. He just felt thankful that he’d found somepony willing to help. Maybe they weren’t all bad? “I want to thank you for all your help, Fluttershy.”

“If you really want to thank me, that’s easy,” Fluttershy said as she opened the door to reveal a herd of ponies there, spear-head and flier and earth including the Poisoner, hopping up and down with another plate of sweet-smelling death balanced on her head. All bore hunting spears set in lance harnesses and wore wolfskin capes like Stalliongrad kazaki. Ardi froze and snarled as she finished with, “You just have to give us a good chase before we kill you!”

Ardi raced off yelping in terror as Fluttershy and the herd pounded after him, steel-shod hooves striking sparks from the stones as the whinnying wolf killers followed in hot pursuit.

The white wolf shook himself, continued checking the room, sniffing for anything odd. Shelves of boxes and bags and glass bottles that smelled of natural herbs and odd things that tickled his nosepad; a basin with a hoof-pump he’d seen her use. Another, smaller window opening onto the same scene of field, road, and fell woods as the one above. A door to outside, bolted.. He heard chickens beyond and wished he dared snatch a few.

Then through another door into an even smaller room with a big tub of shiny white stone set on four metal hooves. Shelves with brush and comb and odd-looking bottles which smelled like flowers. And a large basin of the same hard white stone set into the floor beneath a lifted wooden lid. From its dung-scent and hoofmarks on the floor to either side, Ardi guessed that this was for dumping scat; lifting his leg, he sent the now-used potion into it.

All that done, he returned to his chamber to think, circling around before settling in on the pile of stained blankets.

Until now his plans for the she-pony who saved him for whatever odd and doubtless self-serving reason were simple. She knew too much. Kill her and flee as soon as he had the strength, but before she could turn him in. It would be simple enough. She was foolish to live alone away from the pony-herd, inside a den with no room for her to fly in. He would just leap when she wasn’t watching and clamp his fangs into her soft throat. Snap her neck, slice through the great veins so she bled out, clamp down against any breath so she couldn’t cry out.

The vision rose before his mind's eye of a dying Fluttershy gazing into his face, horror in her eyes.

He shook himself. His aunt and uncle always did say his imagination was too strong.

Anyway, she would be dead and he could sneak out the back door and flee into the shadow of the woods. He shuddered to think of what might catch him there, but given a choice between the pups of the Burning Queen and the monsters of Discord’s Demesne, he’d take the latter.

Because no matter his personal feelings or his fears or even the part of him which spoke against hurting his captor, he had to escape. His pack, all the packs, needed to know that the Nightmare was returned. The packs knew enemy enough in the Burning Queen. But the Nightmare too? What next, would the Twisting One be set free?

More, he’d broken the oldest law of the packs. A Pony knew he could speak, that all Wolves could speak, and yet lived. Ponies lived to hunt and slay Wolves. And that was when they thought of them as mere animals without reason. Did they know the truth, all his folk would die.

And he had done this thing. So long as it was just the lone flier, he could have killed her without trouble. Well, save for that stare she gave him. He snarled his misery to think of it. Was it not enough that flier-ponies could control the weather and hurl lightning down on Wolves, or seize them into the air and slay them? Did they need the power to make a Wolf want to show throat and belly in submission with just a look? Anyway, so long as it was her, it was one thing but now? When she told the flowery-smelling one, and the others? When all the ponies knew? And their fury descended upon Wolfkind?

He shivered, hackles rising. Of all he could have done wrong on this hunt for information, how could he let The Secret out before ponies? What evil spirit watched over his whelping to choose THIS fate for him?

Ardi shuddered at the knowledge of what would happen to him when he returned to Adelwolf and his pack and told them the truth. Having his ears and tail torn away and being made gangrel, denied family and den in this world and for all eternity, outcast forever, would be the best he could hope for.

But he had to do it. If his folk faced their death, if the Pups of Fenris the First Lupus Major were come to their final battle because of him, the last thing he could do was to make sure his pack knew of his evil foolishness so they could make ready for the end.

And if that meant he had to kill every pony in this cursed pony-den to escape, he would.

Ardi returned to his pile of blankets and laid down facing the open door. But it took a long time for him to sleep and find dreams. And when he did, the laughing faces of the Nightmare and the Burning Queen faced him at every turn over the burning bodies of his slain pack.

#

Fluttershy returned as the sun was setting, wreathing her house in shadows. She opened her door.

Or tried to. It rattled but stayed shut.

“Umm, hello? Is somepony there?” Fluttershy tried to think which of her friends and neighbors would drop by and then lock the door. Nopony she knew, and besides, something told her she’d have heard it when they found Ardi in the back. Maybe – she gulped – a burglar?

In Ponyville? Not unless the CMCs were trying for cutie marks in housebreaking.

Then Ardi locked it. He's more clever and wary than I thought. But I wish he wasn't so scared of ponies.

She fluttered up to the second story, slipping in through the back window. She usually left it open in all but the worst weather for any of her little animal friends like squirrels and birds who didn’t use the front door. Shadows slithered over the floor and along the walls inside. She dropped to the bedroom floor and as she did, she felt a sudden tension in the air. She couldn’t explain it, but she knew, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that her guest was awake and heard her.

“Ardi?” She called down the steps. “I’m back. I hope I haven’t caught you at a bad time.” No response, but she heard the softest click of toe claws against her wooden floor. She started down, wondering why he made no noise or gave any greeting. What¸ she thought with some amusement, is he getting ready to pounce?

She reached the bottom of the steps, looked around the room.

“Ardi? Where are you?”

As she spoke she felt more than heard a sudden soft whisper of movement to her left. Two spots of ghostly blue eyeshine focused on her from atop her sofa, like old stories about the pale corpse candles in marshes – lights borne by drowned ponies, coming to lure you to join them.

They rose and their owner came at her in a rush.

“Eeep!” She was half a length in the air before her mind processed what she’d seen. Ardi, hiding behind her sofa. If she’d come in by the front door she would have passed right by him without even noticing. Like he was… lying in wait for me? She shook the thought away. Ardi might be a Wolf but he could speak, he was a thinking being, not some savage monster from a horror story.

“Flutter-flier,” Ardi said. “Did you bring meat?” His ears were set back and there was something about the way he moved, like he felt unease. He nosed at her saddlebags. Then, his voice sounding wary, “How talk with pony-packmates go?”

“Oh! Ardi,” she said, sighing with relief. “I’m so happy it was you. I’m so silly. I thought it might be somepony who wanted to hurt me.” He seemed to wince at that. “My talk with Rarity went well, and it gave me some ideas for sneaking you out of town.” He bristled and made a low whine. “Oh, no, no, I promise, nopony but me knows that you can speak! Please come along, I have some things here for you.”

She went into the living room and Ardi followed. She noticed how he still kept out of line of sight of the windows. She faced him in the center of the room close by the fireplace. The herbal medicine still bubbled in its pot. Ardi sniffed and made sure to keep her between him and it. Fluttershy had to smile. So like a foal.

He noticed her smile and stiffened, starting to bristle.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Fluttershy realized what the problem must be. “I’m smiling, not snarling. Ponies show their teeth when we like something or somepony. Maybe you could try it. I mean, if you want to.”

Hesitantly, his dewlaps parted and she saw gleaming fangs parted in a lupine grin.

“Wolves smile too, when something makes us happy,” he said. “Like hunting. Or…” he seemed to be trying to find some word. “Ending a – threat.”

“Oh! Well, that’s… nice.” Fluttershy wondered at the way he stared at her. From an animal, one of her critter friends like Mister Bear, she would have been put on guard. It would have set off the warning bells for 'in a dangerous mood, be ready to use The Stare if needed'. But Ardi was such a perfect guest. “I just wanted to tell you that I think I know how to get you out of town quietly. It’ll just be another day or so.”

“Really?” He turned his pointed ears towards her, very attentive. “How? I sneak out at night after all?”

“Oh, no,” she said. “Too much of a chance of your being seen by ponies working or traveling late, or pegasi working the overnight weather patrol shift. You’ll be leaving during the day.” She turned to her saddlebags and pulled out a poster. “See?”

She watched as he slowly worked the words out. “Sis-ter-hoof Social?” He looked at her. “What is this? How will it make me easy to sneak out of town?”

“Oh, this is something the Apples do every year,” Fluttershy rolled the poster back up and put it away. “They have contests and races for every mare and her little sister in town who wants to participate. Six-legged-races, obstacle courses, pie-eating contests, everything.” He still looked confused. She imagined that wolves didn’t get very many pies to eat.

“How does it help?” He sniffed and let his tongue loll in a lupine grin. “Will you tell everywolf I am your littermate, your little sister?”

“Oh, no, Ardi,” Fluttershy said. She rubbed him by his ears. “That would be just silly.” She went to the stack of books by the sofa, selected the largest one in the stack. Selecting the largest one in the stack, she set As the Pegasus Flies before him and opened it to the Central Equestria Small Towns section.

He leaped back, tail tucked and ears down. “Pony witchcraft!” he yelped. “Burning Queen!” His gaze was locked on the open pages at the sight of Celestia standing rampant at the eastern side of the area map, the sun rising behind her.

“Oh, Ardi, this isn’t anything magic! It, it won’t do you anything.” Looking nervous, he walked back over to the open atlas. “It’s called a ‘map’. It’s like a picture of the land seen from above.” She bent down, turned a page with her mouth. “See? This is Ponyville. There’s the town…” She indicated a mass of squared-off black dots near the center. “…and the river…” Her hoof traced a blue squiggle down the page. “…and here’s my house, right at the bend in the Everfree Road.” She pointed to one of the squared-off dots, sitting by itself next to a large dark mass. “You do see that, right?”

Ardi woofed deep in his throat. She almost guessed his thoughts. Another Pony secret…

“This is the Everfree.” She tapped the dark mass to the left. “And Whitetail Woods, on the other side of town.” Another tap with the hoof, on another dark mass that seemed less sinister. “And down here, to the south…” She swept her hoof down near the bottom, onto a riot of little circles and squares covered with parallel lines, “…is Sweet Apple Acres. That’s where Applejack and her family will be having the Sisterhooves Social the day after tomorrow. Everypony in town will be there, or nearly everypony anyway.”

“While they watch sisters-thing, I sneak out of town to north?” Ardi looked at the map again.

“Yes!” Fluttershy said, delighted. “It’ll be easy. There’s a lot of little streams flowing from the Everfree along the West Pasture. Lots of little ravines overgrown with brush. We just have to keep low and follow them by the edge of the woods until we’re about a league north of town, where it starts to run off into the foothills by Ponyville Dam.”

“Wall of earth holding back lake?” the white wolf broke in. “I remember it.” Then his voice dropped into a growl, low and menacing. “On way to Ponyville-den. Smelled Diamond Dogs there.” He finished with a long complicated snarl and a snap of his jaws. Fluttershy blinked. She wasn’t a linguist, but she understood a curse when she heard it. He looked at her balefully. “Will not hide with Diamond Dogs!”

“Oh, no, Ardi, that wasn’t what I mean at all.” Slowly he relaxed. “I meant that the roads and trails north, back to your packlands near Stalliongrad, start there. Once you’re on them you should be safe so long as you travel by night and keep under cover by day. It would be so much easier if we just told ponies that…” She let her voice trail off at his warning growl. “Anyway, the hard past will be getting you out of town, but once we’re there, the rest ought to be easy.”

“Maybe,” Ardi said. The wolf looked at the map, sniffed at the image of Celestia like he expected her to bite him. He shifted from paw to paw, whined softly.

“Ardi? What’s wrong?” Fluttershy lightly touched his shoulder. He stiffened like he expected to be hit. “Oh, I’m sorry, is that bad manners among wolves?”

“No, I….” He sighed tnen closed the book with one paw, snatching it back like he expected the book to hurt him somehow. Remember what he’s let slip about how wolves fear ponies and our magic. “Need somepony to show me way north to foothills,” Ardi said. He hesitated as though picking his words carefully. “I do not remember it from being sick. Somepony has to help, but only pony I know is you.” He looked at her, his eyes pleading. “Will you help me, Flutter-flier? So I can go home and tell,” he swallowed again, nervous. “Tell everywolf that we are safe?”

“Ardi, but of course I’ll help you!” Fluttershy nuzzled him. He yipped in surprise. “You’re my houseguest and my friend,” He made a sort of choking sound at that. Maybe she’d better check to be sure he was well. “I’ll be happy to help you. I mean, if you want my help. I don’t want to be a bother.”

He looked at her in confusion, one ear hanging. “No, no bother. I will be happy to have you there when I leave Ponyville-den and, and rest of my troubles behind.” He yawned widely and rose slowly. “Maybe I can sleep now? I wish to have rest for trip.”

“And I want to make sure you have some food to take with you,” Fluttershy said. She turned and headed for the basin and hoof-pump. “I’ll make some more of my soybean paste right away.”

She sighed in contentment as she started mashing the soybeans. For once a problem would end simply and quietly around here.

#

As she set the pot of mashed beans on the hearth fire, Ardi returned to his pile of blankets. He thought of what the days ahead would bring and of his decision, for his sake and the sake of the packs.

In two days’ time, Fluttershy and I will be heading out of this town. I can return to the packs with word of the Nightmare’s return, and the alphas of the Packs can decide on how to handle this. He drew himself up. They are wiser than I. They will have word from the other packs' scouts. They know what needs to be done.

He looked at the wall, as though he could see through it to spot Fluttershy, that strange, strange flier-pony.

And I will have silenced the one pony who knows we can speak, who saved my life. Her death is the price for our safety. Her death is the price for my weakness. It has to be done.

He snarled low at himself for thinking of her gazing at him with pleading eyes as her neck shredded between his jaws, the taste of her blood filling his mouth. He’d been weak already. More weakness would just make everything worse.

It has to be done. It is the scent-trail Fate has given me. Because then we Wolves will be safe.

Forever.

The Great Escape

Clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop…

Her long pink tail lashing, Fluttershy trotted along the edge of one of the streambeds that ran through the West Pasture. She wore saddlebags underneath her folded wings, full as though packed for a trip.

Below in the brush-choked gully, she could hear the faint pad of paws and swish of something pony-sized moving through the undergrowth.

Her hooves clopped against the packed earth and sweet grass of the pasture, clipped short after the last hay harvest. The streambed’s little gully curved away from the blackness of the Everfree towards town, then away to the Nightmare Night grove she normally avoided. Despite her love of animals she knew enough to avoid the wilderness surrounding Ponyville except when she had her friends along.

Or on a day like this when she was trying to sneak a full-grown and jumpy wolf out of town without causing a mass panic.

Okay so far, Fluttershy thought as she passed the clock tower. Cheers and excited whinnies came from Sweet Apple Acres ten furlongs away, faint on the wind. Closest approach to town; now to make it back out without notice.

She froze at the sound of another pony’s hoofbeats, getting louder as their owner approached.

“Stay there,” Fluttershy whispered into the streambed; the rustle in the brush that had been pacing her ceased, gone silent as death itself. “Somepony’s coming.”

A sky-blue earth pony cantered towards her, pink mane pulled back by a headband.

“Miss Fluttershy!” Lotus called as she came upon the pegasus. Fluttershy shrank back with a faint smile as the blue Spa pony came up to her. “Is so good to see you again, Aloe and I have missed you at Spa. Nothing is wrong, is it?”

“Oh, no, nothing at all,” Fluttershy hoped she didn’t sound nervous. Nothing but me sneaking a pony-sized wolf out of town. “I was just taking a shortcut across the Pasture while everything’s nice and quiet. Everypony else is busy right now, after all.” She swept one wing out towards Sweet Apple Acres. Off in the distance, she could hear the excited whinnies and neighs from the Sisterhooves Social. She hoped Rarity’s plan was working. She hated to think of her friend fighting with her little sister. “I hope I’m not keeping you from anything, I know how busy you and Aloe get.” Please go so I can do this without getting caught.

“Oh, no!” Lotus gave a soft laugh. “Spa is closed now because of Social, most of town must be there. I just wanted to get few things from market.” Lotus brought her tail up and lightly swatted the saddle bags she wore, the finest hoof-sewn sturdy cloth decorated with her cutie mark, a gift from Rarity. Fluttershy remembered how delighted Lotus was when Rarity gave them to her and Aloe on one of their weekly visits. “I just need to be getting some things for dinner. Oats, honey, all of that.”

“Well don’t let me keep you,” Fluttershy moved to the side, giving Lotus room to leave. “I have to be going myself.” She froze. Was that a low snarl she heard from the underbrush? She gulped and looked to see if Lotus noticed anything. By the innocent look on her face, she hadn’t. Fluttershy’s racing pulse slowed slightly. “Better hurry to get everything done before the Sisterhooves Social ends.”

“Yes,” Lotus said, sounding almost wistful. She looked towards Sweet Apple Acres. “I wish Aloe was filly; would be fun to go and do Social.”

“It would, but I really need to be going. Oh, not that I want to run off like that,” Fluttershy hurriedly added at Lotus’ wounded expression. “I just have to really take care of something on the North End.” She pointed a forehoof at the windmill peeking over the rooftops. “It won’t wait. I’ll be sure to drop by the Spa later, I’ve missed you and Aloe so.” That part at least was no lie. She enjoyed being taken care of by the two sisters, and drinking the hot and very sweet Stalliongrad tea they made.

Lotus nodded at her, turned to leave… then froze in mid-gait. Fluttershy gulped to see her sniffing the air. It reminded her of Ardi. So did the suddenly intent look on her face. Like Applejack and Rainbow Dash when they thought they heard a monster sneaking around.

“Oh dear, nothing’s wrong is it?”

“I do not know,” Lotus said, slowly. She looked around. “For second I thought I smelled something I haven’t smelled since Stalliongrad.” She snorted and tossed her mane. “But what would big stinky nasty wolf be doing here?” She trotted off back towards town, the sound of a chuckle trailing along with her.

Ardi’s not a big stinky nasty wolf! Well, he’s not nasty. But I’m sure he can’t help smelling the way he does. Fluttershy bit her tongue at the last second.

She watched Lotus disappear into town, then went to the edge of the shadowed ditch and whispered.

“Ardi?”

Nothing. She wondered if he was even there or if he’d sneaked away while she spoke with Lotus. Then a slightly paler patch of shadow moved closer and a pair of blue eyes peered at her, seeming half-lit from within.

“Pony Fluttershy.” He sounded tense, and his half-lowered ears and close-tucked tail displayed his lupine unease to her. Fluttershy wanted to set her wing over him in comfort like when she’d taught him how to read. The poor frightened wolf.

He moved out of the shadows cast by the afternoon sun. That was one more reason she’d waited until later in the day. Aside from the Social drawing most of the Ponyville ponies to watch, the sunlight would cast deep shadows along the streambeds and ditches. Ardi assured her he could hide in them. He hadn’t lied.

“Pony Fluttershy,” he said again, sounding wary. “Is strange mare gone?”

“She is,” Fluttershy whispered. She looked around. Nopony was visible. She dropped down into the ditch beside him. “Everything is safe now.” He moved closer, and for an instant, she felt uneasy. His movements, setting his paws so carefully against the rocks and dirt, never taking his eyes from her, crouched low… If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was stalking me and about to pounce.

“Is it much further to woods?” He asked, sounding somewhere between eager and as uneasy as herself.

“Not much further,” Fluttershy said. She fluttered back up the bank and looked to see the closest trees of the grove, less than fifty lengths away. “And remember, once we’re there, I’ll lead you to the shortest path beading back north. And then we’ll part.” Ardi gave a shiver, but his gaze never left hers. She added, “I, I do like you, Ardi. I think you’re a friend. I hope we see each other again after you get home. Er, provided it wouldn’t be a problem for you.”

“I,” he glanced away, “I hope we meet again somehow, pony Fluttershy. If Fate permits.”

She smiled at him. He shivered and looked away. She glanced around and trying very hard to look as nonchalant as possible, started for the grove and the quiet forest beyond where so few ponies went, and where none would be today.

Beside and below her, Ardi weaved from shadow to shadow without a sound. He didn’t even pant.

He’s so very good at this, but then he would be, what with the, she gulped, predation he does. But he can’t help being a carnivore. I’ll be sorry to see him go.

I just wish I could convince him that ponies wouldn’t mind wolves being able to speak. It’s not something he needs to hide.

#

Just a little further, and I can kill Fluttershy quickly and quietly.

Ardi hated the thought, it sickened him, but he held it first and foremost in his mind. The Secret must be kept, due to his weakness. She alone knew. So she alone needed to die. It’s for the pack and all Wolves, not just me. He thought of what his pack would do, what all the packs would do, if ponies learned of them and how many ponies and Wolves would die then. Remember that and don’t be selfish. Nowolf ever said duty and loyalty were easy.

Fluttershy glanced back at him and smiled, her eyes soft and a sense of trust in her scent somehow.

He smiled back at her, ears tilting forward and tail wagging slightly. She nodded reassurance.

“Not much further,” she whispered, her voice soft even for her. She pointed ahead. “If you were up here I could show you how close we are to the forest.” She turned and hurried on.

He wanted to tell her that he could smell it, the scents of sweet maple sap and soft rabbits and good clean dirt far away from pony-fertilized fields and warm deer, the last odd this close to so many dens, or did ponies make friends with even non-speaking deer? Deer. Ardi remembered how venison tasted, best of all when the blood was still pumping after a chase and you felt so alive when you tore through their throat…

As he was going to do to Fluttershy.

Just remember, make it quick. One quick leap and bite right through her throat. He remembered learning how to hunt, making his first kill, the way the deer had thrashed and gurgled as he kept a grip on its throat and tore through the windpipe.

An image of the sweet-smelling Pegasus flashed through his mind, her eyes locked on his own in horror and disbelief as she died with his fangs in her throat.

“Fluttershy,” Ardi whispered to her, pitching his voice as though this were a hunt, which in a way it was. She stopped and looked at him. “You know that I – am grateful, for your kindness? And that I wish it were possible for me to greet your other friends?” He wondered why he said this but went on. “Only it is, is not possible. Fate does not permit it” She looked at him, her eyes wide and curious as he finished with, “Many things we wish are not possible.”

“I know,” she said, though he wondered if she still wished otherwise. “It’s alright. I’m just happy to be helping you. You’re my friend, after all.” She moved out of sight.

Ardi stared at the spot where she’d stood. Just three heartbeats long he wanted to leap before her and confess everything, beg her forgiveness.

The pack. Your aunt and uncle, your cousins and the little pups. Everywolf’s kin and friends, all dying because you weakened. Because you got poisoned and made a mistake. You know what it would be like.

Hildulf, twitching as the hunting spears impaled her like a butcherbird’s prey.

Stalliongrad kazaki in wolf-skin capes, whinnying as they skinned the carcasses of Stark and his sons.

Winterholt’s alpha bitch Stoneheart leaping onto their spear points, pulling herself down the shafts to mark at least one pony before she died.

Flier-ponies in jousting harnesses diving to the attack; magic blasts from spear-heads tearing wolves apart, their voices cut off in mid-howl.

And in the sky above them all, the Burning Queen herself, horned and winged, calling down the sun itself. Snow and ice flashing into steam, Wolves burned to wind-blown ash before they could even fall.

Ardi sighed, hardened his heart, and followed Fluttershy -

Stop thinking of her name! You can't kill her if she has a name!

The pony he had to kill.

Her life, or all the Wolves…

But that voice inside would not stop nagging.

#

At the Sisterhooves Social, a smiling Pinkie Pie stood at the Sugarcube Corner baked-goods stand, setting two apple cupcakes (made with Sweet Apple Acres apples, of course, she didn’t cheat her friends) down before Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo. Past them she could see ponies getting ready for the first big event, the race through the mud puddle. She caught a glimpse of little Sweetie Belle’s snowy coat and candy-cotton mane and tail. Pinkie kept her laugh to herself to think of the fun trick Rarity and Applejack would be pulling to help remind Sweetie of how much her big sis really loved her. Did they really think they could keep a secret like that from her?

“Maybe we can do this sometime, Rainbow Dash?”

“Next year, maybe,” Dash said to Scootaloo as she licked her lips at the sight of the food. “Right now let’s eat.”

“Here you go,” Pinkie said, “Two nummy-yummy deliciouseriffic cinnamon and apple cupcakes, and they cost….”

Pinkie’s voice trailed off as she started vibrating.

Pinkie Sense! Left ear twitch-twitch-flatten, a shiver in my right shoulder, three twitches of my dock… Omigosh, Fluttershy’s in danger!

“Uhh, Pinkie Pie?” The pink party pony barely heard Dash as she waved one hoof in front of her eyes. “Equestria to Pinkie! What do these cost, again?”

“Oh! Uh, nothing!” Pinkie grinned, the frogs of her hooves itching with the desire to start running right now. Gotta save Fluttershy! But have to keep it secret! Wish I knew why… “Hey, tell ya what Dashie, why don’t you and Scootaloo watch over the cupcakes and other yummy goodies! Have to run and wash my clock and wind up Gummy! I’ll be back soon! You can do that, right? Besides, Scootaloo wanted to do something together with you.”

“Huh?” Dash blinked in confusion. Scootaloo looked delighted, her little wings buzzing in her excitement. “Sure, I mean, yeah, but I’d like to know what the heck…”

“We’ll do a great job!” Scootaloo hurried behind the counter and started to yell, “HEY PONIES! FRESH CUPCAKES HERE! CAKES AND, UH, OTHER STUFF LIKE THAT! GET ‘EM WHILE THEY’RE HOT! Half off to anypony who buys for their sister!”

Pinkie raced away as a wincing Dash looked like she would rather be anywhere else as ponies hurried over to take advantage of the deal. I’ll make it up to the Cakes later, Pinkie thought as she took off at a full gallop, earth exploding under her hooves as she shot through the orchard. A leap over a split-rail fence and she was racing north on the Everfree Road, Apple orchards and Carrot fields on her right and the Everfree on her left. She didn’t question it; her Pinkie Sense would know the quickest route even if she didn’t. Gotta save Fluttershy now!

And keep it all quiet!

#

“Ardi? We’re here, you can come out of that ditch now.” He looked to see Fluttershy gazing down at him, her soft pink mane almost a halo around her face. Like that first night when I thought I saw the Burning Queen. Ardi gave a shiver.

“Oh, you’re not cold, are you? I can give you a blanket if you need it to stay warm on the way home.”

“I’m fine,” Ardi said with a snarl, wishing he felt less conflicted about all this. She was a pony, after all, an enemy of Wolves. An enemy who’d treated him well, but still, even if she meant Wolves no harm, what when the rest of them found out they were folk and not beasts? Like the Stalliongradders? He hurried up beside her, placing his paws carefully to make the least noise. Even so every click of a toeclaw on stones or slither of falling gravel sounded like a hunting horn to him as he moved to stand beside her. Her eyes were still full of concern. He looked away. “I’m fine. I won’t need any blanket.”

He looked around, sniffing and turning his ears to catch every sound. Fluttershy’s warm scent, tinged with fear, and faded smells of various animals and ponies that were by here sometime in the past. Still a lot of noise coming from far to the south, excited whinnies and neighs. A loud cheer went up and he froze. It died back down and he relaxed. They were in the midst of a copse of bushes, some looking bare already with winter coming but others stubbornly holding on to their leaves. A few were even still green. From pony magic?

And before them a thin grove of trees, nothing like the gnarled old evergreens of the Great Northern Forests, tall and straight as a hunting spear and smelling from some pack’s scent marking. These were narrow, their bark peeling away like the paper from Fluttershy’s books, their remaining leaves broad and multi-colored. A little further in the woods he could see the trees growing thicker and bigger and closer together, but still looking more like some farm-pony’s field than a real forest. Among them led a broad beaten-down trail where the passing of time and ponies had pounded the dirt flat.

“The forest starts here,” Fluttershy half whispered. “Just follow the trail; it’s safer than the Everfree and it’ll lead you far enough away from Ponyille that you can head back north without being seen.” She removed one of her saddlebags with a wing and set it on his back. He yipped and glanced around. Nowolf there. Good.

“I’ve put some supplies in there,” Fluttershy tightened the straps holding it on him. He growled softly, very softly, at the unfamiliar feel. “Food, water, some of my medicine if you need it though I think you won’t. There’s a blanket too,” she said, looking away shyly as he glanced at her. “Just so you don’t get cold.”

Ardi turned his head back, opened the bag’s flap with his teeth, and sniffed at it. He snorted and sniffed again.

“That blanket is the one your aunt left you?” At her nod Ardi said, “I, I can’t take it. It came from her, you told me. You keep it, pony.”

“Oh, no,” Fluttershy responded. They began walking deeper into the woods, the distant sounds of whatever pony festival dimming into silence. “She said that I should never hesitate to help someone who needed it, who or whatever they were. She’d want me to give it to you.” She smiled to say it. Not the way some higher-ups in the pack would grin at him when they tossed scraps his way, but warm and real and trusting.

Ardi froze, eyes closed as he fought his fears one last time.

Hildulf and Stoneheart on the spear points, Stark and his sons skinned, the Burning Queen melting the soil to seal in their ashes. All the Wolves, all the Packs, all the sons and daughters of Fenris dead and gone forever. Because you didn’t have the cunning to not get poisoned, or the willpower to remain silent.

“Ardi? Are you alright?”

She died when you first came here. This is What Must Be, and you are only the vessel it works through. He remembered hating that explanation when he’d heard it before and a whimpering pup asked when his sire and dam were coming back. But now he was an adult. Now he knew better. He turned towards Fluttershy. They had privacy here. She wouldn’t be found for days and he’d be long gone. Best to distract her and then make it one leap and bite. She deserved to die quickly. None of this was her doing.

“Er, Flutter-, I mean pony?” He pointed one paw back along the trail. “Maybe you can look back and let me know if anywolf is coming from the town? I… think I smell somewolf, I mean pony.”

Fluttershy looked at him in confusion, but she turned and looked away, giving him a marvelous view of her throat. Right there, the spine and windpipe and great vessels in the neck. It would be only a moment of pain.

He gathered himself, crouching for the leap.

One pony or all the Wolves of the North. There is no chance, no accident. There is only destiny, What Must Be.

The words did not comfort. But at least it would be quick and --

“HEY FLUTTERSHY!”

Ardi somehow changed direction in mid leap and vanished into the deepest of the nearby bushes with barely a rustle of leaves to mark his passing.

He growled soft and low. Now what? He peeked and froze. He could feel his tail curling close in fear as he saw which pony spoke to Fluttershy.

It was Her. The pony who nearly killed him.

The Poisoner.

#

“Eeep!” Fluttershy found herself a length in the air at the surprise, nothing odd for her. She looked and relaxed at the sight of a cotton-candy pink mane and tail. “Pinkie Pie! What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be selling food at the Sisterhooves Social?” Pinkie looked up at her, coat damp with sweat, sides working as though she’d galloped all the way from Sweet Apple Acres. She looked – worried? Fluttershy wondered if it something she’d done, and she said, “Not that I’m telling you what to do, of course. But I was hoping for, well, a little privacy.”

Pinkie Pie waited for Fluttershy to return to the ground before she started speaking.

“Huh? No, it’s okay, we have all the privacy we want out here in these really lonely woods where anything could happen with nopony noticing.” She shook herself and said, her voice almost holding a quaver, “It’s almost as spooky as Nightmare Night!”

Fluttershy wondered if the shrub Ardi hid in seemed to shiver at those words. She remembered what he’d said about Nightmare Night and Pinkie and getting sick from her treats; he simply refused to believe it’d been an accident.

“I guess it is,” Fluttershy said, “Though at least Princess Luna isn’t here. She’s kind of scary…” She kept her eye on the bush, still holding its leaves for now, a month after the Running of the Leaves. There were others nearby, about one of Ardi’s leaps away; maybe he could sneak past Pinkie Pie using them and get away? If so, she needed to give him the chance.

“Yeah, Princess Luna,” Pinkie said, as she set herself between Fluttershy and the shrub. “I mean, we all thought she was being scary to celebrate the holiday, but she wasn’t. She just wanted to be friends and I, uh, kind of made a mistake and hurt her. Which I’m really really sorry for.”

“I’m sure she knows that, Pinkie.” Fluttershy tried to figure out where Ardi was. She thought she heard a soft rustle of leaves and saw a slight shiver going from one bush to another. But it wasn’t much further away. Ardi could have crossed from it to her side in just a few moments. Why wasn’t he running? Moving away from Pinkie and closer to the bush, Fluttershy said, “But maybe you could write her a letter and send her some cupcakes? I’m sure she’d like that, and the sooner the better.”

Her pointed remarks seemed to escape Pinkie’s notice. She trotted along, once more standing between her and the hidden wolf.

“Maybe I will!” Fluttershy’s hopes crashed as Pinkie added, “Urrr, sometime later.” The pink pony bounced around the pegasus, her head snapping around. “Wow, it sure is spooky out here. You kinda expect to turn around and see,” she stopped, wheeling around to face the bush, head down, “BAM! A monster! Bblbblbbl!” She stuck out her tongue and shook her head. Fluttershy knew she heard Ardi gasp and growl then. Pinkie looked at the bush. “But then you look and realize it wasn't a monster and you were being a big silly-willy-sillypants and scared of nothing. Boy, you really feel dumb then, huh? And sorry if you hurt somepony."

Fluttershy cringed at the sound of a choked off lupine whine. Pinkie binked. "Huh. Say, is there a poor lost doggie in there? Maybe I can give him something to eat.”

Fluttershy’s mind’s eye filled with the image of the panicked wolf racing away from Pinkie Pie and back into Ponyville, possibly right into the middle of the mares and fillies leaving the Sisterhooves Social.

In an instant she found herself settling down between Pinkie and the bush. She caught a glimpse of off-white pelt as she did.

“Pinkie Pie!” She said in her strongest voice, which would be called ‘mildly annoyed’ by most ponies. Pinkie froze as Fluttershy said, “There’s no dog there. There’s nothing here for anypony to be scared of.”

“Huh, well, duh,” Pinkie said, waving her hoof dismissively. “I know that. I mean, you’re here, right? And you know how to handle animals. Ooh!” She hopped up and down. “Like remember that one time with the dragon? And how you made it back down even though you were scared to death? And then with the manticore when we healed Princess Luna?” She looked past Fluttershy, right at the bush and the wolf beyond it. Fluttershy gulped, but Pinkie said in a slightly less bouncy then normal voice, “Or when you kept your promise to Photo Finish for so long even though you were unhappy? Just so you wouldn't hurt anypony who trusted you?”

“It wasn’t easy,” Fluttershy answered her. She wondered where all this was coming from. What did her modeling career have to do with anything? “Photo was so demanding, and I knew it made Rarity so unhappy, but I wanted to try and get Photo to accept some of her dresses and to keep Photo happy.” She sighed and shivered, memory taking her back to the nonstop photo shoots and publicity. “But I really didn’t like it very much at all.”

“So why did you do it?”

Fluttershy looked at Pinkie. The party pony wasn’t facing her. She was posed like Winona on a “point”, staring right at the bush where Ardi hid. From what she knew of wolves, she could almost see him holding perfectly still to avoid drawing attention. And Pinkie’s voice, so oddly unlike the normal her. Did, did she somehow know?

“I promised,” Fluttershy said, wondering now just what was going on. “I said I’d help her so I did. That’s it, Pinkie Pie.”

“I wouldn’t break a promise I made to a friend.”

#

I wouldn’t break a promise I made to a friend.

Ardi stiffened at those words. Upon first hearing and seeing the Pink Poisoner, he half expected Fluttershy to point him out to her. It would be so easy. All she needed to do afterwards was to say that he’d stolen from her and that she meant to lead him to be captured or slain. Cornered as he was he’d have no choice but to fight, but meanwhile Fluttershy could fly away.

And if he died in the fight, as he half expected – something about that poofy-maned pony made him think of the stories told of the Twisting One and his mad powers; or tales told of lone wolves who accepted wanderers into their dens and made them into dinner – then whatever she said about him talking would almost certainly be ignored by other ponies. What proof would there be?

And yet, rather than yell and run or fly, she’d stood her ground and kept trying to give him a way to escape. She gave him a keepsake from her dead kin that she must have known she’d never see again if he took it. She was protecting him like a dam with her pups, or a packmate to their fellows, with no consideration of herself. If the ponies caught her now, after defending him, wouldn't she be in as much trouble AS him?

Did I actually think she’d betray me?

Ardi took his old plan and tore it between his fangs.

He didn’t care if the ponies dragged him back, poisoned him again, and flayed his pelt. He wasn’t going to hurt Fluttershy.

He looked up and froze as blue eyes seemed to lock on his own.

She knows I’m here!

Then the poisoner turned away, and Ardi knew he’d escaped detection.

“We-ell…” The poisoner rubbed her chin with one hoof. “Okay then! You can take care of yourself.” She tousled Fluttershy’s mane. “Just remember to call for Aunty Pinkie if you ever need her!” She turned and bounced away back towards the pony-dens.

“I’m a year older than you,” Fluttershy muttered in an annoyed tone after she left. She turned to the bush. “Ardi? Are you okay?”

“I am,” he said as he slithered out of the bush. Leaves barely rustled as he did. But Fluttershy managed an eep as he rubbed his cheek against hers wolf-fashion. Her soft warm scent put him more than ever in mind of a den, filled with the close company of other wolves, pups and elders, male and female, and all of them sleeping soundly.

Maybe if one pony knows about us, it isn’t the end. A very alien though came to Ardi then. And maybe, just maybe, more than one might know someday, and we’ll still be safe?

“Ardi?”

“Just thinking,” he told her. “My pack won’t believe me when I tell them about this.” He looked her in the eye. Her eyes widened as he said, “Or that you know, and we can still be safe.”

“But Ardi, you said your pack would never forgive you if somepony knew they could still talk…”

“They will once they know how much you can be trusted,” Ardi said. A vision of mocking and snarling wolves rose in his mind’s eye. Bah. My uncle is pack alpha, the alpha of alphas, They'll listen. I'll convince them. He half lowered his ears and said, “I mean, I’m pretty sure they will. Besides, if worst comes to worst I’ll just return here and stay with you.” He broke off and looked her in the eyes. “May I?”

“You’ll always be a guest with me, wherever I am.”

“Thanks,” Ardi said. He shared one last nuzzle with Fluttershy, gave her face a slurp. With one smooth silent leap he turned and raced down the trail away from that town full of crazy ponies, with Fluttershy’s pack resting on his back.

To the Great Northern Forests and home.

#

Fluttershy gulped a little to see just how far and how quietly Ardi could leap. If he’d ever meant to ambush her she’d never know until too late. She relaxed. Now don’t think that. He’s a friend. He may be a little scary when he’s not ready to run and hide, but he’d never hurt you.

Fluttershy turned to head home, wondering if she would ever see him again. She hoped so. And who knew? Maybe next time everything would go well and she’d be able to introduce him to other ponies.

Those thoughts kept her occupied until she got back into town. She saw many mares and their little sisters in the streets, their hooves clopping over the dirt. Pinkie Pie seemed to be apologizing to Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo about something. Most ponies were whinnying and neighing about the events of the Social. Including one pair in particular.

“Fluttershy, dear!” Fluttershy smiled as Rarity trotted over to her, little Sweetie Belle at her side. The pegasi’s eyes widened – was that a layer of mud on Rarity’s normally-pristine coat? Her friend must have noticed, for she said, “Oh, this?” She slapped her tail, also a mess, against her side. “Just the side-effect of mending fences with Sweetie Belle.” She nuzzled her little sister, who returned it with affection. “We were going to go and get cleaned up at the Spa. Why not come with us?” She pointed her hoof at Fluttershy’s stained yellow coat. “You could use the attention, if I do say so.” Rarity looked back at Fluttershy “But where have you been, dear?”

“Oh,” Fluttershy said, glancing off towards the north. “Just saying goodbye to a friend. “ She saw the question in Rarity’s eyes and said, “Nopony you know yet.”

"But I hope you get to meet him and his friends soon."