The Wolf and the Rainbow

Chapter Sixteen

The Warpspawn watched the five new combatants, as they kept a tight formation around Moon Howl. It was out numbered now, and these five are fresh to the fight. The daemon took a step back, but the wooden beasts suddenly snarled at it and prepared to fight… There was no escape, the Timberwolves came to fight, and they were going to have one.

When the warpspawn took another step, four of the Timberwolves scattered! Two went right, while the other two went left; this left the former alpha with Moon Howl. It didn’t act aggressive, it simply stood over the Charger, protectively, while he took a moment to rest himself.

The Timberwolves, that went right, quickly separated and attacked the daemon from both his front and rear. It could only try to fend them off with swipes and kicks, but the wooden beasts were too agile for it. Each chance the daemon had to strike, the Timberwolf it had targeted was already gone. Before long, the two had the Warpspawn backing up… Right where they wanted it.

The daemon was cut off guard, when the other two Timberwolves leapt from the building behind it. It didn’t have time to react, and their wooden jaws snapped down on to the daemon’s shoulders! Ripping, tearing, clawing; the Timberwolves did what damage was possible, black ichor spraying all over the place. All four were attacking it, and they were too fast for the daemon.

The Warpspawn barely caught sight of the fifth Timberwolf, bounding straight for it. When the daemon went to strike, one of the four snapped down on to his bicep, digging its wooden claws into the Warpsawn’s back. Black ichor leaked form the daemon’s body, unable to stop the oncoming attack.

The fifth Timberwolf leapt up, and clamped down on to the Warpsawn’s chest! Using both fangs and claws, the Timberwolf tore flesh, rending it to the point pools of black ichor puddled at the daemon’s hooves. When it snapped down another time, its wooden fangs tearing into muscle, the Timberwolf suddenly smirked. “What are you smi-URK!” Its answer came, when a sword was plunged straight through the daemon’s throat, ichor pouring down its chest.

Moon Howl, who had hidden himself on the fifth Timberwolf’s back and waited until it had latched down on to the daemon, now hovered in front of his foe. The two glared into the other’s eyes, as the Charger slid his sword deeper into the Warpspawn’s throat. “Your kind plagued, and ravaged, my last home… I will not allow you to do the same here.” He growled, twisting the blade within the daemon’s flesh. “Back to Helheim, with you!”

With that, Moon Howl ripped his sword to the side, the blade slicing through the Warpspawn’s neck. Black ichor sprayed out of the fatal wound, the daemon roaring in agony while it fell to the ground, twitching as its blood soiled the ground. The Warpspawn grasped its neck, trying to stop the bleeding, and tried to breathe… But Moon Howl’s cut was too devastating for it.

The remaining six watched, as the daemon slowly stopped moving, and lose the glow within its demonic eyes. Once it was dead, Moon Howl let out a victorious howl, followed by the five Timberwolves. Their voices roared and echoed around the pony village, allowing its citizens to know they could return, safely. Though, the first pony that arrived, didn’t give them the return they had expected.

A streak of rainbow flew past the Timberwolves, making them go wide eyed and look towards where it went, as Rainbow Dash crashed into Moon Howl! This caused the Charger to slide across the street, with Rainbow Dash on top of him, until a building’s wall brought them to a halt. “You big, stupid, dumb, idiotic; moron!” The mare cried out, banging her hooves on to the Charger’s chest.

The Timberwolves looked at one another, wondering if they should help their Alpha. But each one rapidly shook their heads at the other, almost like they were saying “Not me!” None of the wooden beasts wanted to face an angry mate, especially one that could knock their Alpha back so far.

“Forget all the other crazy stunts you’ve pulled! This is by far the worst thing you have ever done! Why did you take that thing on, by yourself!? You knew it was stronger than you, and that you couldn’t beat it!” Rainbow Dash continued, still beating her hooves against his armored chest. “You knew! Yet you still fought it all the way, and nearly died!”

By this time, the other Elements had arrived, and seen something their rainbow maned friend had missed. “Rainbow! You need to stop, now!” Twilight pleaded, the five mares rushing past the Timberwolves.

Rainbow Dash looked back at them. “W-Why!?” Her eyes were teared up; Moon Howl had scared the mare to death with his dangerous stunt and she couldn’t hold back her emotions at the moment.

Twilight pointed her hoof at Rainbow Dash’s own. “L-Look at y-your hoof.”

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow, before looking at her hooves. Both of her eyes went wide, seeing that they were covered in blood! She then looked towards Moon Howl, now noticing the blood covered stallion looking back at her. “I-I… S-S…” She couldn’t get her words out, the mare had been beating on the injured stallion, and had no idea! For all she knew, Rainbow Dash could have caused more problems for him!

Before anypony else could say anything else, Moon Howl starting laughing. “Even when I am battered and injured, Dashie will still scold me about how stupid my actions were!” He boasted, between his laughing fits.

Rainbow Dash blushed, the Charger still found humor in such a serious moment. “Why you-?” She was interrupted, when one of the Timberwolves, to get their attention.

The ponies looked towards at the proclaimed Beta Timberwolf, which was the former Alpha. The wooden beast looked at the Friendship Castle, its eyes narrowed aggressively, before looking back at them. It kept doing this motion, confusing the mares. “What is that there Timberwolf doin’? Why is he lookin’ at Twi’s castle?” Applejack asked, none of the other Elements having a clue.

Moon Howl, familiar with animal like instincts, knew what it meant. “There’s another threat.” He groaned, while trying to stand up on his hooves, Rainbow Dash doing her best to help. “The Warpspawn mentioned that it had a master, they must be at Twilight’s Castle.”

“So, we need to get to Twilight’s Castle?” Rainbow Dash asked, the Charger slowly nodding. “Well then, let’s get going!” She looked at the other mares. “You girls go on ahead; I will stay with Moon Howl until he-?”

“No!” The Charger blurted out, trying to stand on his own. “I can get there now, you will need my help.” Despite what he was saying, Moon Howl kept nearly collapsing on to the ground, his whole body shaking.

Rainbow Dash kept trying to brace the larger stallion, but his weight was too heavy for her. “No way, big guy, you’re in no condition to-?” Before she could finish, both Moon Howl and her were lifted off the ground, by one of the Timberwolves, and placed on to the Beta’s back. “H-Huh?”

Twilight smirked, watching the Timberwolves prepare to dash off. “Seems like the Timberwolves solved that problem.” She noted, flying up to Moon Howl. “Ready to go, when you are.”

Moon Howl nodded, before giving a slight growl to the Beta. It nodded, before growling to the other four, which nodded and rushed off, followed by the Beta. Rainbow Dash about lost her grip on the Beta’s back, but she was braced by the Charger’s large wing. “Hang on, Dashie… They are in pursuit tactics, so they won’t hold back until they have caught up to their prey.” He instructed, the mare nodding… Holding on a bit tighter, blushing a bit because of his wing still around her smaller frame.

Twilight was able to keep up with the five Timberwolves, and her two friends. When they came up to the Friendship Castle, she quickly used her magic and allowed the five wooden beasts to enter. “Do they know where this pony is?” She asked, hovering over the two ponies riding the Beta.

Moon Howl nodded, keeping Rainbow Dash braced against the Timberwolf. “They know where to go… If they knew about him, then that means they have his scent.”

The Timberwolves confirmed this, by sniffing the air around them. Each of the five looking, and sniffing, in certain directions of the main hall. The lead Timberwolf let out a bark, before dashing off, the other four right behind it. Though, the route they were taking was familiar to Twilight, her eyes going wide when she realized where they were headed to.

“T-They’re going to my study!” She announced, causing the pegasi to look up at her. “I have almost every copy of the books within the Royal Library, plus quite a few from the Castle of Two Sisters!”

Moon Howl got a worried look, as his gaze went to Rainbow Dash. “Why do I have the feeling, that is very bad?” He asked.

“If this guy is a unicorn, it is!” She replied, just as the Timberwolves forced the study’s doors wide open, and allowed them to see who was occupying one of the chairs. “Oh crap…”

The Unicorn Charger sat in one of the chairs, lounging back with a book opened within his azure magic aura. He sported an amused grin on his face, slightly looking at the group before returning his gaze to the book he was reading. “Huh, seems like you disposed of my minion… Oh well, he served his purpose.” The Unicorn Charger said, not bothered by the fact that the Timberwolves started to surround him.

The Beta Timberwolf lowered itself down, which allowed Moon Howl and Rainbow Dash to get off, then joined the other four. Moon Howl, with the help of Rainbow Dash, closed in on the unicorn. “Drop the book, and come-…”

“Quietly?” The unicorn finished, laughing at the idea. “What irony, a Dog and Savage acting civil… Those mares must have domesticated you.” He had a blue saddlebag suddenly appear on his body, through the use of his magic, and placed the book inside of it. “But, be silent. Something so savage barely has any worth to me.” His gaze went to Twilight, who landed and started to help Moon Howl, as the Timberwolves started to snarl at the unicorn. “Ah, Princess Sparkle. I must thank you, for the use of your personal study. You had the exact book I was looking for. Ponyville’s top Librarian, indeed.”

Twilight looked towards the Unicorn Charger, and suddenly flinched. There was a large magical aura around his body, a twisted one that could only be described as diabolical. “Who are you, and what do you want?” She demanded, glaring at him.

“So forceful, I like that.” He cackled, nodding. “I am Chaos Star, as for what it is I want? Well, you will find that out soon enough.” His gaze went back to Moon Howl, and suddenly gained a sadistic look on his face. “I cannot wait to enact my vengeance and repay that wound you dealt me, and caused me to be stuck in this current situation… Dog of the Emperor!”

That comment, despite him calling Moon Howl a Dog and Savage before, clued the Pegasus Charger in on who this intruder was… With a snarl, Moon Howl roared out his order. “Kill him! Rip out his traitorous tongue and leave nothing left, not even scraps!” He flared, his eyes filled with pure anger and rage, as Chaos Star began to laugh, hysterically.

The Timberwolves pounced! Aiming to maul their new prey, but the unicorn suddenly vanished in a burst of azure light, causing the five to collide with one another instead. His hysterical laugh continued to echo all around them, even over the sounds of the five Timberwolves slamming on to the ground. “Have fun, Dog… I will get my dues, once I have completed my mission here.” The laugh abruptly stopped, after his final comment.

The mares were frightened, the unicorn’s comments combined with Moon Howl’s sudden anger, caused all of this and more… The fact he reacted so, made them realize that this was no normal foe, especially how he called Tirek a mere ‘minion’. “M-Moon Howl, w-who was that?” Rainbow Dash asked, looking up at the stallion’s enraged face. The fact his helmet was on, made him look even more terrifying then he was already.

“A demon of my past.” He snarled, taking a deep breath to calm himself down, and then continued. “One I thought slain, before coming to Equestria.”