Coulter's Lupine

by lupinus

Rating: teen
Tags: Princess Celestia, Main 6, Gore, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Fluttershy, Adventure
Length: 5934

You collapsed in the only thing that breathed life into your fading body.

Did it have to be this way again? The same old happenstance that brought such misery.
If only I could have prevented the cold. Perhaps then it wouldn't have snared you.

A helpless rabbit in a trap, I watched you squirm. A sharp spear of ice shattered and pinned you. Yet you struggled wildly. I could not help. Our daughter depended on my temporary survival.

A tragedy. I swear upon it.

You collapsed in the only thing that breathed life into your fading body.
Coulter's Lupine.

Published 2012-06-13 18:24:02 UTC
Last updated 2012-06-15 17:58:37 UTC

Frost

First fanfiction. Be gentle. I'd like to see how many folks are interested in it before I venture further. Constructive Criticism is awesome. I hope it doesn't seem too rushed. And apologies if you all do not appreciate the length.

The night was not silent. The shudder of old wood floors and the whistle of wind through the trees of Sweet Apple Acres signified a time where things weren't quite right. A croak of a frog not too far off from the farm made the mare inside jump, pushing her blonde mane - matted with a nervous sweat, away from her face. She swallowed thickly, uncertain of what was happening.

It was quite like the night where Nightmare Moon had returned. The townsfolk were restless, and everypony couldn't sleep. She was certain that she heard Big Mac reading aloud upstairs to Applebloom, but her ears were far more focused on the world outside, green eyes almost plastered to the window pane.

The furnace in the living area ran low as the time slowly creaked to the midnight hour. A strong gust of wind squirmed through the cracks of the door and the freckled mare decided it was time to get some wood. While it was noisy outside, no one had come to give an issue of danger. Peeking out to the woodshed wouldn't hurt her a bit. Nudging the door open with a hoof, she turned back and called, "Ahm gonna get some wood. Be back soon!"

The wind whipped her mane into her eyes the moment she stepped outside, turning around to grab the door handle with her teeth. A moment's struggle that would have taken a dainty pony a good time to do, was done in seconds with a resounding click. She backed away, sticking her tongue out a few times in the hope the metalic taste would go away. It was at a time like this she envied unicorns. They didn't have to grab doors with their teeth.

She kept close to the ground as the eerie sensation of the night had not fled. The air smelled wrong, and she swore she could hear sc-

"What the hay?" The orange pony proclaimed quietly, looking beneath her as she heard a familiar crunch. One that shouldn't have been around until the fall. Frost! That was something mighty uncommon, time being that it was the middle of spring. The pegasus ponies would have corrected the mistake immediately if they knew. With that she came to the conclusion that they didn't know, and something...somepony else must have made the terrible weather on the farm occur.

"Applejack!" A familiar voice cried, and the mare's head shot up, eyes pinned with momentary fear. She sighed with relief and turned, spying a cyan blob in the air, and multiple ponies upon the ground. All of her friends had noticed the foul weather, too.

"Hey gals," She started, reaching to tip the hat that wasn't there. "Consarn it!"

"O-oh, Applejack, I-I saw it u-um..." Fluttershy stuttered, revealing the hat that was tucked underneath her wing. The earth pony decided it was best to keep it underneath the pegasus mare's wing for now. It was safe and the chance of it flying away was slim to none.

"Thanks sugarcube. D'ya think you can hold onto it for the moment? The wind is mighty powerful, and Ah don't want you to have to chase it around again." Fluttershy nodded with enthusiasm, feeling as if she had more than one purpose for being at the freezing farm.

"Some interesting weather we're having around here." Twilight spoke, hooves scuffling against the ground, "What are you doing outside?"

"Ah could ask you the same, Twilight," Applejack countered kindly, looking back to the woodshed. "Ahm in need of some wood. The furnace is goin' and the house is a pinch on the chilly side."

"Well what are we waiting for? This wind is ruining my wonderful mane and tail!" Rarity exclaimed, earning a few, light-hearted laughs. The group quickly went to the shed, grabbed the wood, and worked on exiting the shed. Fluttershy, the first to get out, bumped against something...somepony, and whipped around with a loud squeak.

"I'm s-so sorry! I..." The yellow mare began, but soon trailed off as her eyes followed the bipedal figure upwards. Her ears went flat and she gave another loud, terrified noise. Twilight soon followed with an abrupt statement, almost rude with the way it was worded.

"A yeti? What the hay?" Clearly female, the woman stood holding a bundle of furs. The ground beneath her feet had almost froze solid, snow slowly rising and melting at the same moment. Almost hellish eyes bored into the group, black sclera and bright purple iris an unnatural addition to the normal, happy Ponyville. Long ram-like horns protruded above fuzzy elf ears, long and covered in swirled whisps of fur.

She seemed well groomed for what the rumors on the snowbeasts proclaimed. Twilight analyzed, and noticed the garb of the mare- ...female. Had she just come from a formal event? Not many pony's dressed up beyond the gala, or some of Pinkie Pie's parties. Purple hues scanned the odd, pear shaped frame of the mythical beast, noting something else speckling the snow. Blood.

"Yes, a yeti," the female before them said roughly. It sounded as if she was in pain, and the ghoulish howls in the distance hinted at her pursuers. Fluttershy's eyes widened with worry for both the woman and the beasts at bay.

"A-ah do declare. This is something mighty uncommon in our parts. What brings you from your mountain, miss ah..."

"Tourmaline."

"Right. Tourmalin'" Applejack's drawl cut off the 'e' at the end, which the injured woman did not seem to mind. The beast's cloud-like tail swished behind her, the bright colored garbs she wore were discarded beside her, revealing a simple leather battle-suit. The mane six staggered back, only for the woman to set the bundle down.

"Queen Tourmaline?" Twilight exclaimed in surprise, capturing the attention of the yeti. A solemn nod sent the purple pony to the floor in a bow. "W-what happened?"

"Protect her. I will attempt a return if I survive," Tourmaline said and turned to the door. Twilight's question went unanswered, giving her the proof that she needed. Something had turned for the worst back at the mountains. The howls grew closer, and the snowy white fur upon her body ruffled at the chilling disturbance. Her back was garrish, leather shredded by vicious bites of the terrifying beasts of the Everfree forest.

"We will, Queen Tourmaline," Rarity said quickly, ushering Fluttershy and herself to the bundle. The smell of afterbirth still hung thick on the furs that wrapped the child, and the pink tinge to her fur suggested a newborn. "D-did you. Is she?"

"Yes." The answer was simple enough. The new princess had been born and the time had not been right.

"It will be an honor to protect your daughter - the princess - Queen Tourmaline!" Pinkie Pie, after a surprising time of silence quipped, making the newborn wake and cry. Reaching down again, Tourmaline picked her little yeti up and muttered a soft note that made her lips glow blue, placing a kiss upon the child's brow. Turning to Fluttershy, she knelt down and squared her gaze.

"I entrust you with Lupine's life." The yeti queen turned, "All of you. Inform Princess Celestia that the Reich of the Frozen Land has fallen. Danger is coming."

The queen barrelled out of the door just as a wolf lunged, earning collective screams from the girls inside. All of them huddled together around the child and Rarity used her magic to slam the door shut, sending a pile of chopped wood the flimsy thing as a barricade from death. The scuffle outside sounded intense. The angered, protective screams of a bleeding queen and the barks of multiple timberwolves faded into the distance, and one final, booming howl shook both the house, the trees, and the shaky old shack.

Twilight pulled the wood from the door and stacked it neatly again, turning to the bundle which had been crying for some time now. "Fluttershy, work your magic."

The yellow mare cuddled the child and nosed her heart-shaped muzzle. The child looked like an ape, as most yetis did, but with a few, elegant characteristics. It was the feminine side of the branch, she recalled. The men grew to be terrifying and often smelled bad. "Hello little one..."

Her voice was soft as she crooned and cuddled the infant, giving her hoof for it to suck. In an instant, the crying stopped, the tears vanished from eyes similar to her mother's, and sure enough she went back to sleep. Teal eyes grew teary with concern as she eyed the child, looking up to the others. "She's going to need a lot of attention... Lupine was just born hours ago."

"Queen Tourmaline must have been ambushed not moments after Lupine was born. She grabbed her child, exhausted and fled her kingdom. Her husband must have perished defending her." Twilight began to express her theory softly, as to not wake the child. The wind had stopped howling and the snow at the front of the shed had died down, hinting that spring had returned upon the exit of the Queen. "Being in a weakened state, she couldn't stop a few wolves from latching onto her, but she at least managed to protect her child."

"She must have fled for days! The mountain is so far away, Twilight!" Rarity exclaimed, looking to Pinkie Pie, who busied herself beside Fluttershy admiring the soft-looking wonder.

"We're going to throw you a party!" The pink pony whispered into that tiny, elf-like ear. It twitched and the little yeti squirmed before settling, a spit bubble upon blue lips.

"...As I was saying. She probably fled for days, unable to rest, and barely able to feed her child with the risk of the Timberwolves. Queen Tourmaline ran to the closest place, through an area where the wolves had to weave." The unicorn turned to Applejack, who worked on strapping more wood onto her back than before. "Sweet Apple Acres."

"I never knew it was a good place for weaving. Maybe I'll have to try it out sometime." Rainbow Dash said to herself more than anypony. She looked to Fluttershy, who muttered something that the group couldn't hear quite right.

"Excuse me, Fluttershy. Speak up dear." Rarity said, flicking her mussed mane away from her face. The wind had taken it's toll after all.

"Do...do you think the Queen will survive?"

A silence filled the room. If Twilight's theory had been correct, the answer was quite obvious. Though Pinkie Pie quickly stepped in to cover the somber reply from the magical mare. "Of course, Silly Filly. You don't think she would give up her future with her foal, do you? She's just going to go away for a little while, and she'll come back all brand new and stuff! Then we'll throw a "Reunion of the Queen and Princess" party!"

The group smiled at the kindness of the element of Laughter, believing for a moment that her words were true. A slither of ice underneath the door encased a piece of paper stained with blood. It seemed to be written in it as well. A magical mix of red and purple - a unique trait of the royalty on the mountain. Applejack cleared her throat after the ice melted, reading what it had to say. "Ah need t'heal. Ah will be back as soon as my body will allow me. Ahm sorry for the inconvenience, dear ponies. Pray that Celestia and her guard find me. Ah can't (cannot) disclose mah location."

Another, palpable silence encased the group, but again, Applejack spoke, "Well shoot...who is going to watch over her? She needs milk, and she needs a comfortable, non-hostile place to stay." Which the second listed all of their homes.

"She can stay with me." Fluttershy said, voice unwavering. "She looked to me and said that she trusted me with her child."

"Yes, but she also added that we all should protect her." Rainbow Dash included.

"Which is possible, but I would be more than willing to go to the doctor and have myself lactate for her." All the other ponies halted at that, realizing that Fluttershy was best suited to be a mother, having cared for animals like one for quite some time. With Rarity's busy life in the fashion business, Pinkie Pie's work at Sugarcube Corner, Applejack's work on the farm, Rainbow Dash's weather control, and Twilight's dutiful studies, there truly was no room for argument.

"If it ever becomes too much, I'm sure we all, as good ponies could chip in. Right girls?" Twilight chimed as Fluttershy grabbed the furs by her teeth. While the sensation made her want to gag, it was what kept the child warm. And a newborn needed the best kind of warmth. Fur was that option and she was going to stick to it.

The group went out of the shed and into the house, seeing a worried Big Macintosh and a red-faced Applebloom. The youngest of the family had always been the fastest to cry when things were scary. "Applejack, what's going on here? We saw a fight outside - was that a yeti and a timberwolf?"

"Yes. But you aren't allowed to tell anyone until Twilight sends a letter to Princess Celestia." Rarity chirped as she helped Applejack with the tinder on her back. The white unicorn placed a few in the fire and it roared back to life and the yellow pegasus worked on adjusting the filly upon the blankets.

"Pinkie Pie? Could you get some warm water for her? She needs to be bathed."

"Okey dokey!" The pink earth pony pranced into the kitchen and the rush of water was heard.

"N-not too hot. She's so tiny she would burn up." Fluttershy concluded, moving to stroke the baby's face with her hoof. Lupine wasn't a foal, she had realized, but the pegasus contained no knowledge on what to call a baby of a yeti. A cub, perhaps? A kit? A kid? The tiny nubs where her horns would grow had not pierced her skin yet, but they would in a few months time.

The situation had been written down. Rainbow Dash had sent for Spike and the letter was given an instant response by the Princess. A flash of gold alerted all to her approach as Fluttershy had lowered the baby into the very, shallow water. The pink came off of the infant quickly, showing off dazzling white fur.

Princess Celestia leaned her head over, a saddened look on her face. "Such innocence born into chaos. Let us hope that Discord doesn't sense this uprising."

"What would- oh." Applebloom started, blushing. Her fight with the Cutie Mark Crusaders had sparked the original reappearance. A whole kingdom disassembling would most definitely help him rise again. The little yetis tail curled between her legs and she gave a quiet yawn. Ears pinned back, but her body soon relaxed in the cozy water.

"Did Queen Tourmaline tell you who had sent the attack, Twilight Sparkle?" The princess asked, moving to nuzzle the moist ball of fur, significantly soaping up her tummy. Twilight felt a sense of adoration for the gesture to the child of the snowy mountains, but she disheartened at the question.

"No, Princess. I didn't hear anything about it. She merely said to tell you that her Reich had fallen. Her king is dead, we think." The princess closed her eyes with a sigh, shaking her head from side to side.

"Alright, well since you've given me all of the information I could require-" A note was brought to her attention by Pinkie Pie, "Oh. Oh. Right away. Guards!"

Guards had flown after the teleporting mare. Poking their head into the house. "Yes, Princess Celestia?"

"Start a search in all the area around Ponyville, through Canterlot as well. I don't know how far Queen Tourmaline has gotten, but she needs medical attention as soon as possible."

"Yes, my queen." One of them said, casting a brief smile to Twilight Sparkle, "Hey Twilly. I'll catch you around, alright?"

"Most definitely." The purple pony confirmed, giving him a happy smile.

"I will be hunting with my sister Luna. If you need to send me a note, Twilight, please do so. I will await anything valuable." The princess of Equestria turned her head and smiled, seeing that dawn was now peeking over the horizon. "I suggest that all of you get a good nights sleep. With a newborn on your hands, you will all need it."

Wings spread and the princess flew back to her home in Canterlot as fast as she had arrived, leaving the others to head their respective ways. With the little yeti now cleaned,Fluttershy grabbed the furs in her mouth and carefully hovered home. She had a lot of work ahead of her.

Failure

Thank you for the likes so far. It is very appreciated! Any errors should be pointed out, and brought to my attention! Thank you!

Failure.

It was night again. The irritating buzz of flies and the rip of feasting buzzards sounded not far off from the area where the battle took place. The sight was sorry, nature speaking. Trees had been toppled over by both yeti and timberwolf and craters of dirt where bodies had been slammed left definitive prints.

From a glance, it seemed as if the wolves had lost. White patches of fur and long smears of dried, royal blood ended at a lake where a few bodies mingled. The edges of the lake were encased in ice, a hound had long since given up its fight. Tail tangled in a viscious frost. Their body floated in the water, bloated with the mix of water and the start of decay.

A terrified yelp echoed from the middle of the small lake - a lone timberwolf burst from the water and made an attempt for the safety of the shore. Yet, in a moments time it was dragged into the depths and held there until the last bubble popped the surface. Their body floated up carelessly, along with a white, fur covered hand. The strangled gasp of the queen emitted from lips, bluer than usual. Her strength was dwinding quickly, and the shore was a ways away.

She prayed that the group she bestowed her child upon was fairing better than she. As she emerged from the water on hand and knees, the first observation made was mortifying. Her right arm was missing. Torn from her body by one of those savage beasts. It laid somewhere in Everfree forest, but the royal yeti was busied. Shelter was a must.

Looking at one of the dead timberwolves in the water, she reached over with her tail, hooked it, and dragged it to her. The leg was broken off in one sharp, anaconda-like twist. The queen began to eat, hoping that nopony that came around would be mortified at the fact her race were carnivores. As she chewed, the leg was set down and the worn cloth at her bustle was torn, wrapping it around her arm with her free hand and teeth to aid. It would stunt the bleeding enough, since her race healed quickly.

Otherwise, she disrobed to her undergarments, knowing that bloody armor was not the healthiest to stem infection. Looking to the moon with tired eyes, then to the area around her, she found a tree with a big enough crevace that she could hide in.

A queen. Hiding. I hardly seem fit for that title anymore. The majority of her people must have been dead from the surprise raid. It was a shame that her guards weren't as effective as Princess Celestia's. Her own walked on two legs and had spears and swords, for Celestia's sake. Chuffing to herself as she situated at the inner trunk of the tree, she triple checked if it was safe, whispering to the wind.

"Find me soon, Princess."

The first week of Fluttershy's sudden motherhood had not been kind to her body. She ached all over and the baby refused more than an hour of sleep for every six. The child must have been disturbed by the idea that her mother was no longer there. So in tune with the world, even as a newborn.

For now the mare cuddled the babe who cooed and purred, face brushed by stray strands of pink. The Queen's child was almost a replica, her hair a deep shade of blue rather than the unique black that her mother obtained. Though the pegasus could only assume that it would happen in time. Smiling, she nosed the yeti's cheek and received a delighted noise. Chubby hands puffed briefly against her buttercream coat which earned a gentle laugh.

While she was sore, Fluttershy had started to appreciate the adventure of being a mother to a child that she did not bear. The knowledge gained from the infant was valuable if she were to ever have her own. Teal eyes blinked in surprise. Her? A mother to a little foal? While she was taking care of the Queen's child, odd thoughts had sprung up in her head about the colts in Ponyville. Embarrassing thoughts that she couldn't have conjured up on purpose.

In the oddest of ways, she had begun to analyze and rate the men around her, from head to hooves, mane to tail. Everything! It must have been the hormones that induced the milk she fed the little yeti with. Since she felt motherly, and had no foal of her own, she must have felt provoked to make it happen. Yes. That made sense.

A tiny sneeze caught her attention and she noticed that over time she turned to look out the window, her pink mane covered the snowbeast's face completely, "Oh, I'm sorry."

Her voice was softer than ever, cherishing the quiet that the baby had brought into the house. The animals treated her with more respect. Even Angel had taken extra precaution to be nice around her, rather than smacking her with books. Violence with a baby in the house was not tollerated. Especially one who bore a higher learning capacity than the smaller animals she cared for.

"Hello Fluttershy! Might I come in?" The polite, warm voice of Rarity called against the wood of her front door. Shifting to a comfier position, she grabbed the furs with her hooves, secured the child, and glided to the door.

"Oh yes, please do." Lupine looked up at her with lightly glazed eyes, their color still unnerving for a baby, but magnificent. Maybe the black sclera helped them out with seeing certain things they needed to survive.

Twilight, she thought, would have a field day with learning about the yeti race.

Rarity opened the door with her magic. Her approach was cautious, not wanting to wake the baby if they were asleep. "Oh dear, Fluttershy. You look as if you haven't gotten more than a few winks of sleep!"

"Princess Lupine is a very um. Light sleeper. I think she knows her mother isn't here, Rarity." The yellow pegasus sighed, moving over to the loveseat where she could set the baby down. "I've done as much as I can to get her to sleep though. It's very...s-sad that my techniques don't work."

"Even your lullaby, Fluttershy?" The unicorn gasped quietly, a hoof coming to rest on her chest in surprise.

Fluttershy could only nod.

Before Rarity could shut the door, a head poked in looking somber. "Could we join y'all? We got some news on the queen."

Before them stood the rest of the mane six. The remaining four looked as worried as ever, Rainbow Dash scuffed her hooves along the floor, Twilight could barely look anyone in the eye, Applejack being polite, kept away from the door, and Pinkie Pie's natural energy seemed depleted.

"You may! I-I'll go get some tea started. Applejack? Could you watch Lupi- Princess Lupine for a moment?" Fluttershy asked kindly which the earth pony obliged with a hesitant happiness. The kitchen was within earshot of the group, opening up from the living room through a round arch. The group settled in the living room, Rarity giving them a curious glance.

"So what news do you bear of the queen?" Rarity pushed her hoof against the pillow she sat on. She did have a habit of hogging any couch that she sat on, but with the turn of events in the past week, she wouldn't dare draw too much attention to herself.

Fluttershy came back in with the tea, the majority of the group just now noticing Spike. He had heated it faster than the burner would have. Twilight ushered him to her side as soon as they settled down. The purple unicorn cleared her throat to begin the story.

"The smell of decay had repulsed a few who had been making their way to Zecora's house. They didn't want to investigate, so they had filed a report for it to be cleaned. The guards, instead, stopped the crew of pegasus and went to the scene, where they found a good number of Timberwolves mangled. Dead." Twilight paused, letting the information sink in before she continued.

"Timberwolves...they were the things attacking the Queen, right?" Rainbow Dash felt the need to clarify.

"Indeed." Rarity answered, giving a curt nod to the cyan pony.

"They also found an arm of the queen in the jaws of one in the lake. They had a few fish scope the bottom to see if Queen Tourmaline had perished there, but they found no body. It wasn't until further investigation that they saw her blood in a trail leading to a tree." Twilight continued, one of her hooves reaching to hug Spike close. She swallowed thickly.

"They found the Queen."

"Well that's a good thing, ain't it?" Applejack's voice was hopeful, confused as to why Twilight Sparkle looked so somber. Was the queen...dead?

"Yes." The purple mare looked to the side and let out a shaky sigh.

"Is she alive?!" Pinkie Pie leaned to almost touch noses with the unicorn across the way. The unicorn nodded her head frantically, pushing the pink pony away from her with care.

"Of course. But as...as I said. She no longer has an arm, and the saliva of a Timberwolf is wracked with bacteria. A fever is a terrible thing for a yeti to have, seeing as they live in a colder climate for a reason. Queen Tourmaline is fighting a ghastly infection. Right now, we don't know if she'll make it, even though her wounds are healing up nicely."

"Oh...oh no." Fluttershy looked to Lupine. The idea of her not having her true mother broke her heart already. Her eyes widened and she set her tea cup on the table, looking Twilight dead in the eye. "What can I do to help?"

"F-Fluttershy..." Twilight's ears shot up in surprise, face brightening a fraction.

"Same here, sugarcube. What can we at Apple Acres do to help?" Applejack's smile returned, feeling more confident with the kindness Fluttershy expressed.

"Well. I need to make a list of things we need to do, but I would like to see if we could make a salve that destroys infections safely. While they are working on it at the hospital, I don't think it's enough. Queen Tourmaline needs a boost." The purple pony took a sip of her tea, set it down, stood, and began to pace. "I think you could help me with that, Fluttershy. You deal with injured animals all the time and they have miraculous recoveries. What do you use, and can you amplify it?"

"I-I could, but Lupine needs a lot of my attention. I couldn't leave her alone for how long the paste took to make." Her wing drapped along the tummy of the infant, now noticing that Rarity had snuck something on her when they discussed the matter at hand. "O-oh! A diaper! How nice of you, Rarity!"

"It was the least I could do, and I know you're against mass produced things. I made ten, and all you need to do is wash them and dry them before they can be used again."

"I think Pinkie Pie could help you with the medicine. She does know how to bake, and I'm sure that her help will be the most valuable." Twilight concluded, seeing Pinkie's hair fluff up again with delight. Of course she would help. If it meant the yeti queen would get better, then yes, yes, yes!

"Ah'll go...um." Applejack started, realizing she had no idea what she could do. The orange pony looked to Twilight, expecting an order. It was well assumed that the element of Magic and Friendship was the leader of the group. She did know how to strategize effectively.

"You should get your brother, Big Mac, and help around the hospital. They must be up to their necks, working with her. They'll need other ponies to help with other patients." Twilight chewed on her lip, elaborating on the matter. "I mean, as in spreading friendship and notifying them if someone needs service. Saving a queen is a very big matter."

"Now Rarity..." She began again.

After a while of discussing the plans, the group dispersed in a rush, knowing full well that the work ahead of them would be exhausting.

Nurse Redheart scampered around the room where the queen laid. Two beds were placed together to keep the snowbeast comfortable. She eyed the charts, looked at the infection on the queen's back, and quickly decided that she needed to be on her stomach to let the wounds 'breathe'. Pushing her mussed pink mane away from her face, she looked to the doctor who came in to check the chart.

"How are things going, Redheart?" He called softly, looking to the queen with concern.

"She's woke up a few times, delerious that someone is going to attack her. I've sedated her five times today." A patch covered the nurse's flank, which drew further worry from the doctor.

"Did she strike you?"

"Yes, but it wasn't deep. I jumped away in time." The bandage came off. A long but thin wound ran through the center of her cutie mark. His breath drew and he placed a hoof above, inspecting it closely. "Honestly Doctor, I checked it myself. There is nothing to worry about."

"I still like to check. I care about all of my employees. Especially you." He pecked her forehead and heard a groan from the bed, ears perking. "Are you awake, Queen Tourmaline?"

"Whurf..." The yeti tried to speak, her stub of an arm moving as if she was going to rub her eyes. Pausing through her drugged mind, she groaned and tears flooded her eyes. Nurse Redheart's expression saddened deeply and she trotted over, sporting a very light limp from the stretch and pull of her own wound.

"Queen Tourmaline...please don't cry." She couldn't say 'it was just an arm'. The nurse herself couldn't imagine traipsing around on three hooves. Replacements didn't exist, even though she wished there were. A choked, hoarse sob emitted from the queen and her only hand came up to rub at her tired eyes.

"Lev." She mumbled, her tongue numb but capable enough to announce what she wanted.

"Y-yes, Queen Tourmaline. Ice chips are to your side. You have a bit of a fever, so it would be wise to keep hydrated. I-I'm sorry for your um..." Icy blue eyes swelled with tears of her own, growing sadder the more she stared at the bandaged stump of an arm. She turned, apologized quickly, and darted out of the room.

The doctor remained for a moment more, before he uttered something rather kind.

"This too, shall pass."

The queen sobbed, unwilling to believe that anything could become better. She bit her pillow and cluthed the side of her head beneath her horn. She failed her kingdom. Her king. Her daughter. Worry filled her as she heard the door swing open one last time. The doctor was just about to leave.

"Wai!" She croaked, turning to her side slowly. The yeti didn't want to set off the alarms. He looked to her with his own, kind blue eyes.

"Yes?"

"M-bab. My baby." The queen repeated herself, reacquainting herself with her tongue.

"She's safe with miss Fluttershy. Rest now." He smiled, seeing the brief flicker of gratitude in her eyes. Rolling back onto her stomach, the queen peered out the window. Daytime. Grabbing ice from the bucket not too far away, she crammed some in her mouth. Another handful went onto her back.

How pathetic am I, stuck in a comfortable bed when my people are suffering and my Lupine is not at my side... Eyes fluttered with a mix of relief and pain before she settled. Ice working into her wounds to heal her a bit faster than what was planned. Another handful of ice found her back again and she settled.

Through her tears, sleep sounded very satisfying.

A cry of pain emitted from just beyond the stone that kept her safe. Her kingdom was fighting for their safety. The child's safety. Who had brought such chaos and death upon them she did not know. The idea, quite frankly, was the least of her concern. Pushing again, she shuddered. Childbirth wasn't easy. The shocking boom of a howl caught her attention, shocking her deeply. They had made it here already? To her king? A slam against the door made her head whip and tail swish around her belly.

She needed to push.

The world around her grew fuzzy as she squeezed her eyes tight, claws digging into her palms as she put all of her strength into her pushing. In the end, a painful shriek exuded and she leaned forward, spying the bloody mess of a yeti between her legs. She picked her up just as the rock door crumbled. Tears flowed freshly down her cheeks to the sight.

A dragon-like creature had pierced her husband with a spear. He managed one, fearful, loving look to her before his eyes rolled up and he collapsed in the one thing that the cold breathed life into; Coulter's Lupine.

The dragon-thing spied her, acidic green oozing from its mouth. It burned holes into the floor and into the left arm of her husband. It ate it away and came to a brief halt, retracting from the life that still thrummed from his heart. Oh yes, her king was alive. The male yeti's chest was barreled and thick. It would take more than a short spear to pierce his heart. He needed to lay low and wait for the assault to pass...as for she...

A deep growl resonated from the Timberwolves that crept into her room, the candles went out just as her child began to cry.

"Run!" A guard screamed in pain as he was attacked. The queen, though exhausted, had no choice. Gathering her child close to her chest, she broke into a run, barely dodging the creature that had killed her mate. She kept her tail close to her leg, chest heaving. A timberwolf pounced as she breached the entrance of the cave.

Crunch.

The queen lurched, burying her face into her pillow. Events to consider, sleep was now impossible.