Wretched Hive 2: The Drooling Oasis

The nameless unicorn pulled the axle out from under the carriage. He carefully swung the pole around to test its potential. He shrugged and pulled at some of the splintered wood. The group needed weapons for this excursion, since the wagon offered so little protection. Cloud swatted the ground with a large plank.

"Any idea what we're up against?" Ranch asked, rubbing rocks together to sharpen them.

"Well, the bugs probably aren't the problem. We should probably expect something that looks like a pony, but isn't," Nameless replied.

"Actually," Foresight's voice called out from behind them. "The bugs are your biggest problem." The changeling smiled at the ponies.

"Don't you have some little song to play?" Ranch asked it.

The bug shook its head. "Nah, I only play that when there's someone to listen." It looked around, gesturing toward each of the stallions. "I count three. Where are the others?"

"Out getting water," Cloud said.

The bug took a step back and crooked its head. "Why must you ponies insist on surviving here?"

"You'd prefer we die here?"

It shook its head again. "You should be running. Running far away from here. Instead, every time I turn around you are trying something stupid."

"What do you care what happens to us?" Nameless asked, taking a couple steps toward the discarded axle.

"You remind me of ponies I used to know. Back when I was one..." It shook the sentiment off. "The greater point is I have retained a certain set of values. Long story short..." His jaws closed down on the thought. "It's none of your business."

"But why don't you help us?" Ranch asked the bug. "If you really were a pony, I'd expect you to know how important it is to help others..."

"I just happen to occupy a rather prestigious position in my hive. It took a lot of doing and it is precarious. So long as I do nothing more than talk, I will have plenty of deniability!"

"So why do you even bother?" Cloud asked, sick of the bug's disgusting voice.

"Good question." A dark smirked creased its fanged snout. "I could just do what is normal in the hive: Kill those whom we don't wish to see suffer."

Nameless lifted the pole off the ground with his magic, ready to swing.

"Calm down," the bug pleaded, taking a few steps back. "I don't kill ponies." It scoffed. "Can't promise that about the others, though..."

"Yeah? Why don't you just fuck off then?!" Cloud yelled at the freak.

Foresight looked into Nameless's eyes. "Do not fail to heed my warnings." It turned toward the other two and began trotting backwards. "I will make my leave for now." It shook its head as its wings began to buzz. "But do not think I won't return! If anything could stop me from going where I wanted, the Queen would have found it!" The bug cackled and flew out of sight.

Ranch turned to the others and smiled. "Apparently 'the Queen' hasn't tried swift blows to the legs," he joked. "Pretty sure that stops most things!"

"Nah," Nameless said with a smirk. "For that thing, you gotta go straight for the throat!"

The sun broke through the clouds, bathing the laughing stallions in orange. The mares and foal trotted back to the deconstructed wagon.

"We looked all over but we couldn't find any more supplies," Mrs. Cloud said.

"What about that oasis from earlier?" Ranch asked. "Ya got any of that water?"

Starch shook her head. "We couldn't find it a second time."

Ranch laughed. "Are ya serious?" He pointed toward a dune. "It's right over there! Easy."

"But we could see it from here last time," Mrs. Cloud observed. "I can't see it..."

Ranch sighed. "Then I guess we stallions gotta go get our own water..." He turned to Cloud and the unicorn. "Y'all want some?" They shook their heads. Ranch scoffed. "Fine, more for me!"

The brown earth pony trotted off into the distance. The others gathered around the broken wagon. The two stallions had finished their weapons; Cloud had fashioned a crude club, and Nameless had the axle by his side. The mares rested around the wagon and prepared for the long road ahead. Cloud and Junior had time to talk and play while Nameless searched the wagon for any scrap to reinforce his weapon.

Ranch returned from the dune, scratching his head. "I don't get it..."

"What's going on?" Nameless asked him, trying to hide his smirk.

"That oasis is gone. All of us took huge swigs and it didn't even dip... Now all the sand that way is dry as a bone and there ain't a drop of water or a cloud in the sky!"

Everypony looked up to confirm that the morning sky was pure orange and blue.

"Enough of this place!" Ranch yelled. "Everypony! Grab your stuff! We're heading North and we're going now!"

They trotted North, following the faintest tracks of the carriage. The tracks often veered left or right, only to rejoin the group further North; their kidnappers must taken the scenic route. After several minutes of walking, they had reached the rock that Nameless remembered from the night before.

Atop the rock sat the same changeling, whistling the same tune. The stallions glared at it, but neither party said anything. The bug glared at Mrs. Cloud, maintaining eye contact without missing any beats in the song. As she passed by, the song stopped for a moment.

"You are a strong mare," Foresight whispered.

"What?" Mrs. Cloud turned her head.

"In these desolate areas, there are two kinds of ponies: those that cry and those that don't."

"Oh, thank you?"

She turned her confusion away from Foresight and galloped to catch up to the rest of the ponies.

The changeling sighed in its loneliness. "Shame. I like it better when they catch on." It smirked and lifted its hoof back up to its mouth.

Mrs. Cloud found new strength in her hooves from the bug's compliment. She trotted back to her place in the small herd. The longer she trotted, the more sore her hooves became. In the distance, trees could be seen in the morning light.

The mare's heart skipped a beat. "I remember those!" she yelled to the others. "Appleloosa must be right on the other side of them!"

"Then let's get outta here!" Ranch screamed ecstatically.

The six galloped as fast as they could for the trees, but Mrs. Cloud couldn't keep up. The pain in her hooves shot up through her forelegs, and even her teeth began to hurt. She slowed down until her legs couldn't stand her weight. She collapsed and watched from the sand as her family and friends left her behind.

She called out to them. But her throat was filled with some kind of fluid, replacing her words with coughs. After several exhausting hacks, the mare opened her eyes to red staining the ground under her. Her head spun from the sight of blood.

Junior turned from the group, noticing mommy was missing. A light blue blob was in the distance behind him, so he galloped back that way. Sure enough, it was mommy. She looked very tired but happy to see him. Red dripped from her nose and mouth as she smiled.

"Mommy?! What happened?!" the little green pegasus said with a quivering lip.

"Oh... Hun..." the mare whispered. She reached an aching hoof to her son. He trotted closer. She stroked his cheek, embracing him and the pain. Tears dripped from her eyes, making the son uneasy. "I love you, son."

"You're gonna be alright, mom!" the colt whimpered. "Our house is right over there!" He shook in her embrace.

Mr. Cloud and the others neared the trees. They soon recognized this strange forest beyond the Appleloosan orchard acres. As the four stepped closer, four pairs of solid blue eyes peered out from the shade. Four bug monsters stepped out from the trees, hissing and laughing at the ponies. None of them were Foresight.

"Maple, run!" Ranch shouted toward his wife. The couple turned and galloped parallel to the trees, away from the others. Two of the bugs chased them.

Cloud turned to his wife and child and saw only Nameless. He dropped his weapon. The pegasus quickly turned and galloped in the other direction, toward a blob at the edge of his vision.

Nameless stood still. He lifted the axle with his magic and smirked at the changelings.

The laughing and hissing intensified.

He swung the pole around, smacking the bug on the right. It shook off the blow and charged at him. Nameless quickly abandoned the axle and his post. He galloped back toward the rock.

Nameless and Cloud soon found the wounded mare on the ground with her son. She looked up at her husband, blood dripping from her nose, mouth, and eyes. Her face reflected agony, sadness, and love.

"No!" Cloud shook his head. "No! NO!" He put a hoof on her shoulder. It was soft. "What happened?!"

The blue mare smiled. As she opened her mouth, Cloud could see that her teeth were all missing. The blood flowed out faster now. "I... I don't know," she said weakly. "Sometimes..." She took a breath. "It's just..." She took a labored breath. "Your time..."

"Fuck that!" Cloud yelled. "Please! You can't die on me! We're almost home! You can't--"

A bloody hoof touched his lips. "Cloud," she spoke through the pain. "I always... Loved... You..."

The family had one last embrace. Nameless looked behind to make sure they weren't followed. He could see the two bugs trotting toward them. He turned back to see Foresight behind the three ponies, a large frown creasing his face.

"What are you doing here?!" Nameless yelled at the changeling loud enough to break up the hug.

The green eyed changeling turned to the unicorn, its horn glowing. "What I can!"

It focused its energy and Mrs. Cloud felt strength returning to her limbs. The bleeding stopped. The mare slowly got to her feet. She looked down at her legs, amazed that the pain was gone.

"You need to keep off them for a while," Foresight told her, a hoof pushing her rump back down to the ground.

"No time!" Nameless interrupted. "Those bugs are still after us!"

The changeling pointed at Nameless, Mr. Cloud, and Junior. "You three, get out of here!" it commanded. "I'll keep them off of her!"

The unicorn and pegasus nodded. They grabbed the foal and galloped toward the rock in the distance.

"Why are you so nice?" the mare asked in an exhausted but painless voice.

Foresight kept his eyes on the approaching changelings. It sighed.

Finally, it turned to her. "I'm sorry."

"...about what?"

It turned from her and trotted away.

"Wait!" she yelled as loud as she could.

Foresight vanished into green smoke.