Chrysalis grinned, the light from her horn casting a sickly green glow on her teeth. “After my defeat at the wedding in Canterlot, I decided a more aggressive approach was in order. Which is why I opened the cocoons of my hive to embrace the manticore, chimera, and cockatrice. With such abilities infused into my drones, they’re unstoppable!”

Hunter winced, panting, “Why… show me?”

Her grin grew to manic lengths as she drew closer, almost touching her snout to his nose. “Two reasons, really. The first is to show you how powerless all of Equestria is before my creations. The second, well -” she gently caressed his face with a hoof “- imagine how easily this nation will fall once your abilities are added to my hive!”

His face lost all color. “What?!”

A sharp blow to the back of his head prevented any retort he had in mind.

Chrysalis’ grin shrunk down to a smile as she nuzzled his cheek. She closed her eyes and moaned softly, “Soon, my prize. Soon.”

She raised her head to stare down at the drones with a hardened expression. Take him to the nursery. Prepare him like the others.

They nodded. Yes, your majesty.

Hunter unwillingly rose into the air before being carried to a tunnel angling downwards. Once out of her sight, Chrysalis turned to stare at her newest generation, feeling the urge to laugh rising in her throat.

The sound of scrabbling rock stopped it just behind her tongue.

Her head whipped around to stare with narrowed eyes at the numerous tunnels around her. Seeing nothing, and hearing only the sounds of the hive, she unleashed a soft hum before relaxing her stance.

***

Okay that was way too close! I gotta be more careful where I put my fat paws or I’m ending up like Hunter. Can’t exactly save the guy if I need saving, too.

Sage removed her paw from around her mouth and let out her breath slowly once, twice, thrice. Once her breath had gotten back under control, she gently padded back down the tunnel to where it split off in three directions. A quick sniff was all she needed; the left tunnel smelling more of ponies.

Probably where they’re keeping prisoners. Or leftovers.

She gulped, making sure not to scatter any stones as her bounding leaps carried her down to where, she hoped, Hunter was going to be.

***

It was easier not to move, and the light from beyond his eyelids was hardly inviting. Any time his leg shifted, it jolted a surge of bright pain up his spine to behind his eyes.

Smells like a men’s room got puked up through a toilet.

The buzzing was softer, though there were more squishes and squelches than before. Like sponges lazily slurping across the stone floor. Every now and then, a harsh hiss would reach Hunter’s ears.

Great. Leg hurts, head hurts, bow’s broken, and I’m gonna be a changeling. Second worst day ever.

“I know you’re awake.”

He opened his eyes, not needing to move his head to see her face. “Figure that out on your own, Queenie?”

Chrysalis smiled. “Quite easily. And while I could spend hour upon hour extolling my superior mind, sadly I have a schedule to keep. I trust you’re comfortable enough?”

Hunter looked left and right, seeing his hands in a tight-fitting, stone pillory angled upwards to the ceiling he couldn’t see. “Nope”

Her smile reached her eyes as she lifted a hoof, shrugging. “Oh well. There’s only so much that can be done with stone, at any rate.”

“Shall we begin, then?” she asked, eyes widening with her grin.

Before Hunter could respond, Chrysalis’ horn lit up in a sickly green light. Immediately, he felt a slight pressure on the hinges of his jaw, just below each of his ears. Second after second, it pressed more firmly. Try though he did, it was not long before his mouth was forced open.

And even then, she did not relent.

Her magic pushed further, causing Hunter to groan out in pain. They came out with each exhale, escalating into screams. His eyes squinted shut, leaking tears as the pain grew, and grew, and grew.

Until his jaw popped free.

His howls echoed from wall to wall, through tunnels and crevices, and could faintly be heard for a full minute after they stopped. Breathing raggedly was all he could do, even as Chrysalis walked up and sat in front of him on her haunches.

With half-lidded eyes she smiled down at him, stroking his head. “Shh. Shh. It’s all right, little one. You’ve made it through the worst. All that’s left is a little snack, and then you can rest.”

A jagged gurgle mixed with a coughing sob was his only response.

***

Where the bark is he? I didn’t think I was that far ahead of the guards. Took me ten minutes to get here, and I’ve been waiting a whole hour!

A faint buzzing reached her ears.

She went still as the stones around her, eyes closed as breathing slowed. The buzzing grew louder, and soon enough a pair of guards flew by.

Their wings are moving faster than normal, but their speed hasn’t gone up. And I can smell…

Hunter!

Sage’s eyes remained closed, hearing the buzzing stop, and clank of a cell door. The clop of hooves started, faded, and stopped before repeating the process in reverse. A clang resounded.

She waited a full minute before opening her eyes just a crack. Two guards stood at attention, silently keeping watch, and as unmoving as the rocks around them.

Ohhh… woof.

***

He’d been tossed into a hole, and landed on his bad leg. As much as he wanted to scream, Hunter could only muster up enough strength to groan. The darkness seemed to suck away his energy as he shakily crawled on hands and knee, feeling around with his fingertips.

Rock. Wall. Pebble. Dirt. Moss.

…

Bone?

…

Skull. I’m touching a skull. A skull with a…

Horn?

Teeth are all flat, not a changeling.

Unicorn?

And…

More than just a skull here.

More than just one skull.

…

Gramps always said, “Make do with what you’ve got, boy.”

Grasping it by the horn he raised it above his head, bringing it down sharply to the ground. Again he repeated the action, time after time until all he held was the horn. Once more he swung through his previous course with another skull.

Upon the final strike a shard of bone flew free, slashing him across the face before landing some feet behind. A hand darted to cover his right eye, his breathing quick and harsh against the burning sting.

Hunter fell to the floor, curling up like a snail into its shell. The face his tear ducts were dry only aggravated the pain. Though he could feel the blood slowly seeping through his fingers, he rose to a sitting position, leaning against a nearby wall.

He reached under his jacket and ripped off a piece of his shirt. Pressing it firmly to the wound helped ease the discomfort despite the smell of sweaty, unwashed human, vomit and dead changeling.

Switching hands, his right began to roam until it came upon one of the horns.

Don’t know how much time I got. Need to hurry.

As quickly as he could manage, Hunter began to sharpen the bone against the unyielding floor.

***

Seriously? These guys have been standing here long enough for my legs to start cramping! When are they going t-

As if on cue, Sage heard two sets of wings hum to life, fly over her hiding place, and down the tunnel she had originally traveled.

Well it’s about time! A few stretches, and then me and Hunter are outta here.

After making sure she could walk without her muscles twitching like a squashed cockroach, Sage padded over to the cell door. The thing was nearly solid metal, save for a small flap at the bottom. A large deadbolt was the only thing holding it shut. Carefully, she lifted the handle, and pulled it out of the wall. She swallowed just as it came free, and gently let go, letting a smile spread across her face.

As she pulled on the handle, the hinges whispered a groaning creak.

Sage did not move, straining her ears to catch even the slightest hint of flying bugs. One minute passed, then two. By the fifth one she took a deep breath, letting it out at a controlled – if shaky – pace.

She opened the door all the way, and was faced with a foot of ground that ended at the lip of a large pit. One step in and she leaned her head down, whispering, “Hunter. Hunter? Hunter! You okay?”

A weak ‘mmm’ was all she heard.

“I’m coming down. We’re getting out of this crazy cave before Queenie McBuggy-Brain finds out.”

Without waiting for a response, Sage turned around and began her descent into the pit. She touched the floor about ten feet down.

“Hunter?”

The ‘mmm’ came from her left.

She crept forward, inch by inch, until her paw came across his hand.

He flinched.

“Easy, easy. It’s me, Hunter. It’s Sage. What happened?”

His hand drew her paw to the side of his face. Sage’s head tilted to the side, one ear pointing up as the other went out to the side.

“Uh… you got something sticky on your face.”

Hunter rolled his eyes in the darkness. Once more he guided her paw, touching his throat and lips.

“Is this… some kind of gag made of changeling goo?”

All it took was one nod for Sage to yank her paw away, repeatedly saying ‘eww’ under her breath.

Though the gag held his lips in place, Hunter could not stop the urge to smile.

After viciously rubbing her paw against the wall, she turned back to him.

“Okay, time to leave now. By the way, I’m so going to get you back for that. Can you walk?”

He took her paw and ran it down his left leg.

She gulped. “Uh… that’s a bone trying to poke through your leg. So, no walking. Good thing I’m stronger than I look. I’ll try not to make your leg worse, but no promises. Come on.”

Hunter lifted his arm, allowing Sage to sling it over her shoulder. She made it to the wall, and had him wrap his arms around her neck, before starting the trek upwards. Once she reached the top, Hunter carefully twisted his body so as not to hit his leg against the ledge.

If her green face was any indication, dragging him by his hood was not a favorable option. As Sage sat on her haunches and stroked her chin, the entire chamber became lit from the glow of a hundred green candle-flames.

Chrysalis stood not ten feet away, grinning like a madmare and flanked by a horde of changelings.

Both Sage’s and Hunter’s eyes darted to the other tunnels around them, only to find the glowing horns of more changelings.

“We’re gonna die, aren’t we?” she whimpered.

He nodded. “Mm-hmm.”

Author's Note

Don't forget to check out the rewritten Prologue, which is now Chapter, The 1st.

-Ru