Crows feast on the flesh of the fallen Schweine (pig men) carcasses as I feel my body slowly begin regenerating from the toll of this little skirmish. My Canid brothers began gathering our fallen into a pile as my canine body returned to its human form. I gazed at my lightly sun-kissed skin, the crimson liquid of battle slowly dripping off of my arms beginning to stain the grass below. My tunic lay on the ground mere feet from me in tatters. I run my hand through my unkempt brown hair, lightly rubbing in the blood absentmindedly. As my eyes drifted across this land of death, my reeling mind decided to recount on how I had wound up in the current situation.

The settlement of Transylmania was established not too long after the banishment of Discord by the princess of the night, Luna, herself. Of course, now that the princess is back, she has seen it fit to try and...modernize the small village along with herself. I was born to a human woman and a canid male. Many of the village elders looked upon my parent's union as an abhorrent thing. Though the village was filled with bat ponies, known as thestrals, who were wrongfully persecuted as being avatars of the Nightmare, they still had their own intolerant views too. I wasn't given many chances to prove to them that I was more than just some abomination though, since I was never given a chance to have a lasting job. For the most part, I was shunned and only lived in my family's house.
I made myself useful to my parents, since there was little else I could do, and decided I would work in the fields behind the house, no matter how man taunted or laughed at me. This seemed the life that I was destined for so I never dreamed of anything more, knowing this was my station. My parents were my friends, as were my tools, and that was fine with me.

It was a normal day in what was given the title "Thestral Capital" there wasn't much hoof, paw, or foot traffic near our little house at the end of Transylmania and I was cooling myself off in the evening sunset. I had taken off my tunic, allowing my chest to cool off. As the breeze blew across my damp chest, I closed my eyes and shivered. I was soon brought out of my relaxed state as I heard a sharp intake of air causing my eyes to shoot open and behold a golden-coated, brown maned, golden eyed, blushing beauty looking at me. She wore traditional buffalo attire, the feathers indicating she was a full-fledged member and seen as an adult. Her breasts were held by beautiful, foux leather traditional dress and a brown vest. The dress extended until near her knees and tribal bracelets were a bit above her hooves. My eyes quickly flicked back up to her eyes and face where I , once more, noticed her blush. I looked quizzically at her before I put my tunic back on and set my sickle against the house before walking up to her.
"Good evening." I begain, wiping my hands on my tunic. "Can I help you?"
The buffalo just stood there blushing as my brown and blue eyes gazed in hers. She shuffled her hooves and moved about nervously. I looked in her eyes a bit longer, my mismatched eyes almost searching her golden globes for an answer. My cheeks slowly began to heat up as the silence grew making me look the lovely buffalo over again. This time, however, my eyes were drawn to her hands that were clasped around a bag of bits.
"My father sent me here." she said, pulling her eyes from mine. "He said I should ask for 'white Fang.'"
That almost made me jump back. My father was named White Fang and always said his tribe knew the buffalos, even fought each other at one point, but that was in the past. What could this have to do with that?

"Cody, Little Fang, who are you talking to?" boomed a familiar gruff voice from behind me.
I turned to answer only to see my father, a black furred wolf peppered in the gray of age. His blue eyes had the look of someone that saw a lot in his life yet still had a fire burning behind them. His brown-gray mane was in a ponytail showing the look of an experienced elder. He slowly scanned the two of us with a raised brow before settling on me.

"Little Fang, who is this?"
"My name is Little Strongheart. My father told me to to give you a letter he wrote." the buffalo said bringing out a rolled parchment which my father deftly took before heading back into the house.

I was sitting across from Little Strongheart with my father at the head of the table re-reading the scroll before letting out a sigh and re-reading it again. I've never seen my father so concentrated and serious before and that was saying something. Little Strongheart was fidgeting a bit as my gaze settled on her. I noticed her cheeks slightly flush as her eyes slowly drifted to my chest. Though she was, admittedly attractive, she was weird, at least, if the way she was acting was any indication on her usual self. My father cleared his throat a bit to gather our attention.
"Little Fang, it looks like you are being called upon by the buffalos." he said wit a bit of a huff. "They request you be a part of a cerimony, one that will forever bind our races."
"A cerimony?"
"Yes, Little Fang."
"Why am I needed for it? Surely you would be better..."
My father leveled a glare of light irritation but also...sadness? He breathed a heavy sigh before wrapping the letter back up.
"No, son, not this time." his ears laid against his head as his gaze dropped. "You are the only one that can do this and the only one I can trust."
That last line made a small smile touch my face but a frown immediately took its place as my mind wandered to the implications and serious nature of the request. 'What in the name of the great moon could the problem be? Can I actually do what my father expects of me?' My eyes wandered to the face of Little Strongheart, who looked at me with a look of worry and understanding. I could feel my cheeks heat up a bit as her eyes lingered in me though, causing me to look away.
"Thunderhooves wishes for you to accompany Little Strongheart to the ancestral buffalo grounds after she stays with us for tonight."
"Where is she even gonna sleep?"
"Your bed."
That was enough to cause an inferno behind my cheeks and for a lot of thought to die in my mind. My bed? What exactly was my father thinking? It's like he was trying to get us together or something. I mean, that would be fine with me, she is one beautiful bovine but how would she react to this? I looked over to, said buffalo whose face was now as red as a ripe tomato but she wasn't giving any signs of disagreement causing the fire behind my cheeks to spread.
"Just remember I want my grandchildren within the next couple of years." my mother joked while setting down the meal in front of everyone.
My mother had a little meat on her bones but that added to her charm, much as a certain pink earth mare he had heard about. Her brown hair was a healthy color and sheen and her brown eyes showed where I got my earthen brown orb.
"Well, you know, dear, we could always get more pups of our own." my father pulled his wife to his lap and proceeded to nibble on her earlobe coaxing giggles.
I had to look away. You know, most thought that love and romance degraded through the years but if this was what my parents were like after over twenty-five years together, I call bull shit. My eyes happened to glance to a red-faced and enchanted Little Strongheart watching the display of my parents. I cleared my throat to stop the high school sweetheart-esque playing out in the room. My parents looked at me like I just tossed iced water onto them and I heard a squeak from where Little Strongheart was.
"Um...this doesn't make much sense." I spoke not able to look my parents in their eyes after they practically scarred our dinner guest.
I heard the distinct cough of my father causing my mother to get off of him and sit by Little Strongheart and begin to lead her away from the room. My father's gaze focused on me with a serious aura radiating from them. When I slowly returned his gaze, he let a tired sigh one more escape his muzzle. "Cody, our country is in the cusp of war." he finally said, his gaze now having a slight edge to it. "I know it, Thunderhooves knows it and I'm sure the princesses are sensing it." his gaze softened and a soft, weak, smile touched his features. "Our people will not survive another war for the princesses without a stronger bond with the Buffalo clans."
I felt my eyes widen as realization began to dawn on me. A stronger bond was something that could be achieved a few ways but only one was certain to work.
"Father..."
"You and Little Strongheart are to be that bond. She will be your head mate and you two will make a pack, a clan, all your own."
My father got up from his table and approached a wall where sacred items were kept, an enchanted metal blade that was unlike any most would see, serrated edge, serrated teeth, fat and skinny at the same time. The magic stained the blade black and prevented wear and rust. The blade was from and ancient kingdom apparently called Timber Wolf if the sheath treated leather was anything to go by. There was also a double bladed axe that was with it which was also stained black from preservative magic. Even the handles of both were stained by the magic, darkening them considerably.
There was also preserved hide armor recognized mainly by the canids and the buffalo as warrior armoring. The tanned leather tunic was much different from his own, thicker and having a slight magical presence to them.
"When you leave tomorrw, you will don this armor and take these weapons with you. They will be our gifts congratulating your union. No doubt your mother is giving your mate her gifts as we speak."
"Isn't this a bit sudden?" I barked defensively.
My father just looked me in the eyes, quelling the temporary fire of rebellion with his look of certainty.
"This will happen, Little Fang. Life has demanded it!" he growled back "Your land demands it!"
Any resistance I had was quashed as my father laid a hand on my shoulder. I looked into his face and my heart twinged in pain at his hurt expression.
"You are too good for this damned town, my pup." he said quietly "This place has you only blending in the background. It shames you and calls you a monster because you aren't a sun damned vampire! You are called upon to be better than this and I won't let you you throw it away."
That shut me up and cinched it for me. This was happening. Truth be told, I had no reason to stay here anyway. My father was right in the regard that the thestrals didn't like me and I didn't much care for them either.
Before anything else could be said, however, a scream pierced through the air outside. I leapt to my feet and my father's muscles tensed. A smell soon followed, one I knew I could only smell faintly but knew. The rusty scent was just bare there but my father had to cover his mouth from its intensity for him, it was the scent of fresh blood. My father darted out of the room to check on mother and Little Strongheart. I quickly followed and found my mother holding a shaking, screaming Little Strongheart. There on the floor was a canid with an arrow sticking out of his chest.
"Fenris!" my father howled before he took his spear from the wall and ran out the door.
I was about to follow but something held onto my arm, Little Strongheart. She looked at me with pleading, watery, eyes. My mother looked at me with a worried expression and I had no idea how to react.
Another scream rang through the air as well as some pained squeals. I thought I could hear something making its way toward us and I made up my mind. I patted the worried Strongheart's hand and ran to the "gifts" my family was gonna give me quickly taking the blade in my hand and taking off its leather sheath. I then darted back to see an armored schweine walking slowly to my mother and Strongheart. His hand was about to unbuckle his pants before his vision rested on me. Then he just smirked as he aimed his sword at me. For some reason, just knowing what he was about to do was enough to cause a feral, vocal growl to erupt from between my teeth as I darted to the fat would-be rapist. I rolled away from his rather clumsy swing causing him to only cut my shirt but allowed me to dig my blade into the bit of gut hanging under his armor at an angle and swiftly slice a clean line before ducking out, having to tear a bit of flesh that was snagged on the gutting hook area. It may have only hit fat but, by the squee the pig snorted, you can tell he wasn't expecting that. I just smirked and ducked under his next scared swing. Seeing my next target, I lunged at a small, unprotected area of his armpit and felt the blade sink in before darting back out, checkmate. Fresh heart blood dribbled down his armor as more escaped beneath it and trailed to the floor. The swine dropped his blade and brought his arm to the wound and tried to run, only to slip in the blood. I was only following my instincts as I slowly walked to the downed enemy, who was looking at me pleadingly, and slit the animal's throat.
The gurgle of the dying schweine was enough to make me realize what I just did. I looked at my newly christened knife and dropped it and took a step back. I barely heard someone say my name before I felt a surging in my gullet. I hunched over and emptied my stomach into the pool of blood on the floor. I was used to eating meat and hunting game but what the fuck did I just do? Another wave hit me as more bile leapt from my mouth. Tears were forming in my eyes; tears of remorse and ones of pain as more acidic sick threatened to surge through my mouth.
I was snapped out of this, however, when arms clung to me wrapping around my chest. I looked to the side and saw Little Strongheart crying into my shoulder. When I tried to move, she just squeezes tighter and cried harder. My stomach settled but my tears now flowed freely from my eyes, my innocence was dead but my life was now stronger. I let her hold me as she wept until my mother came and placed a gentle hand on her and she clung to her.

Author's Note

Please enjoy and feel free to critique.