A Warrior Among the Shadows

After the creature passed out the mane six took it to Fluttershy's cottage. The Cutie Mark Crusaders also tagged along to- Fluttershy assumed- protect the thing.

"Ah promise you, sis, it was tryin' to defend us. Please don't-" Applebloom's died on her tongue as the dog-like creature turned back into a unicorn mare in its sleep. The crowded cottage was silent for a moment.

"What the hay just happened?" exclaimed Rainbow.

"I-I'm not sure. I have never seen any type of magic like this." Twilight stuttered. "Fluttershy could you dress her wounds? I know this isn't your usual type of patient but if we move her, the thing might die."

"Of course I'll try to help her. After all, she saved the Crusaders."

"That reminds me," said AJ, "What in Equestria were yah three doin' in the Everfree?"

While she bandaged the mare's wounds, Fluttershy only caught a few words of the fillies' explanation. She had no idea how a runaway catapult, chickens, and broomsticks fitted into the same story, but these are the Cutie Mark Crusaders we're talking about.

As Fluttershy was looking over a scratch on the unicorn's muzzle she woke up. Due to the close proximity of the mares, Flutters couldn't help but yelp and scramble backwards.

The beast let out a ferocious growl and bared its teeth that were somehow getting sharper, menacingly growing longer.

Panic broke out in the little house. Nearby animals screamed and ran from the loud roar of a predator. The unicorns lit their horns in the process of casting a spell. Rainbow flew into the air. Applejack stood in front of the children and Pinkie, well Pinkie Pie growled back.

Then a soothing voice somehow cut through the cacophony and said, "It's alright, don't be scared."

But the mare -if you could really call her that- had fallen unconscious again.

A few days passed by but one or two ponies stayed to help Fluttershy if the "beast" as they called it, awakened. Fluttershy extremely doubted that a mare that saved three unknown children would attack her, but she seemed to be the only one to hold this opinion.

Fluttershy was also the only one to see the brief but heartbreaking look of terror in pony's eyes. And if anypony could understand being afraid it had to be Fluttershy.

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Crescent Shade woke up days later and was startled.  Well who wouldn't be when all you could see was a pretty mixture of yellow and pink? Then it squeaked and shuffled backwards swiftly. When the blushing pegusas stepped back, Crescent saw three unknown ponies and snarled out of reflex.

A clamor of noise rose but, miraclously, Crescent heard the kind voice of the yellow pony and she stopped.

"It's alright, nopony will hurt you." After the din died an alicorn stepped forward.

"Hi, um, hello my name is Twilight Sparkle and I'm the princess of friendship. This is Applejack and Fluttershy. Who are you?"

"Crescent Shade and I-"

What ever Crescent was cut off by raging wave of pain.

"Crescent Shade was it? Um, you shouldn't move your wounds are still healing." said Fluttershy.

"Nonsense! I don't get hurt, I heal!"

"Sugar it don't matter if y'all heal fast. You were hurt real bad." said Applejack.

And it was true. Crescent's fur was stained with dried blood and bandages covered her whole body. Luckily the scratches on her face had healed but her right ear had been shredded and was beyond repair. The claw marks on Crescent's left side would surely scar and patches of her fur had been ripped out. She also had minor scratches but they had not needed to be bandaged.

"Huh. I guess my body didn't heal while I was knocked out. I guess I'll have transform to heal this time."

"What do you mean..." Fluttershy began to ask but stopped. With eyes wide open and mouths gaping, three ponies watched as Crescent Shade began to change.

Her hooves twitched and switched into paws. Then her muzzle rearranged itself like puzzle until it was dog-like. Crescent's teeth got longer and her muscles hardened as they got stronger. The group of three's pulses to began to quicken as Crescent's pelt began to thicken. Then something strange happened. With all the fur the bandages fell off and revealed wounds that were healing.

When the transformation stopped Twilight asked, "Okay, seriously now, what the buck are you?"

"Since you've stayed and haven't ran away now... How long do you have? If you really want to know this could take a while."