The door slowly swung open.

As the nurse said, Rarity had drawn the curtains shut and moved to sit on top of her sheets, huddled into a ball with her head between her legs.

Slowly… the six visitors approached.

Rarity heard their steps and looked up in alarm, her fear quickly giving way to outright terror.

“N-no…”

What remained of her mane shook along with her head as she whimpered, bloodshot eyes widening to the size of plates as she inched away.

“No, don’t…”

The gown did little to cover the extent of her injuries: welts, cuts, stretch marks, bruises, and blackened bits of frostbitten flesh showed visibly even with the low amount of light, and especially with the large patches of fur that had fallen out.

Rarity whimpered again and turned to look for a hiding spot, but her legs hurt so much and her chest felt so constricted and tight…

“Please…” Rarity begged as she screwed her eyes shut and fat tears rolled down her gaunt face. “Please…”

She had seen the looks on their faces the moment they entered and it was just as she feared. It was too much to bear for her heart…

When something warm touched her shoulder, Rarity weakly pushed back, her chest rising and falling with shallow breaths, her ribs pressing against her dry skin.

“No, no… no…”

“R-Rarity.”

“No…”

“Please… l-look at me. K-kinda hurts to talk, huh?”

“…”

Rarity trembled uncontrollably as she looked up into her friends’ faces.

Love.

Comfort.

Warmth.

Concern.

Understanding.

…

Forgiveness.

“No! No!” Rarity wailed with a shake of her head, scattering tears all over her gown and sheets. “I don’t deserve it! Please don’t!”

Smiling and with wet cheeks, Rainbow Dash hugged her.

“I hurt you so much!”

Applejack hugged her.

“I did horrible things!”

Pinkie Pie hugged her.

“I don’t deserve forgiveness…”

Fluttershy hugged her.

“I don’t deserve this…”

Twilight hugged her.

“I’m… so… ugly…”

Spike climbed onto the bed and hugged her. “You kidding? You’re still the prettiest pony in Equestria.”

Rarity cried her heart out, finally warm and safe.

Author's Note

Note 1: In Algonquian mythos, anyone that partakes in cannibalism is vulnerable to becoming possessed by a spirit that transforms them into a wendigo. Descriptions vary, but the most common traits of a wendigo are 'a creature that is both the picture of gluttony and starvation'; a wendigo is grossly emaciated and constantly hungers for flesh. Exposed muscle and bone as well as antlers are also associated with them.

In FiM, wendigos are spectral horse-like creatures that feed off negativity and are beaten back by positive feelings, particularly friendship.

As a fan of mythological creatures, especially the more obscure ones, I adore both versions, and it is what inspired me to try and mix them together.