Overgrowth

by Donov

Rating: teen
Tags: Dark, Adventure, Alternate Universe
Length: 1047

In a distant future, where Equestria and the rest of the world has been consumed by the Everfree forest. Ponies have been forced to set up safe havens all around Equestria, and the world has fallen into a chaotic state of disharmony and chaos.

It's been about five hundred years since the Everfree forest consumed the world. Life in the forest is harsh and peace can only be found in pony designed settlements called 'Safe Havens' where all kinds of intelligent life are accepted, but not all are welcome.

White is a Diamond Dog outcast, raised by a pony near Hoofington's safe haven. He has a rather boring and repetitive life, but when he stumbles onto an unconscious mare and her panicked brother in the middle of the woods near Ponyville, his life becomes a whole lot more interesting.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2017-04-12 19:03:33 UTC

Introduction

Ponies care for their young, doing whatever they can to protect their children, even if it means sacrificing everything they have or will ever get. It's commendable, really. Most creatures leave their young to survive on their own, unable to even think about sacrificing as much as the ponies do. I myself drew the shortest stick possible. Outcast, son of two Diamond Dogs from different tribes. My parents left me as soon as I was born, refusing to give up their spots in their respective packs to take care of a half-breed. The Tribes may have completely different views on life, but they all agree on one thing, Half-breeds are to be shunned together with their parents. So, logical solution? Leave the child and break all ties with the other parent. If not for an old pony stallion I would've died before I even got a chance to live.

It wasn't always like this, no, in the past it was peaceful and every child, no matter what they were, had a home and a pair of caring parents. Or that's at least what the stories and fairy tales say. A peaceful Equestria, ruled by godlike pony sisters. Though, If you ask me, that's a bunch of crap. If they were anywhere near godlike, they could have stopped this all from happening, they could have stopped the Everfree forest from consuming everything, growing out over both Equestria and the rest of the world. No, in the end, they were just a pair of glorified princesses without much real power.

But even though they weren't as powerful as most believed, the sisters still did one good thing. They ruled over the ponies in peace and harmony, ensuring a strong bond that would last till this very day. Even now, when the world is but a giant forest filled with death, the ponies still pull through with their friendship. They have formed multiple safe havens, trading posts where all kinds of creatures can feel safe and relax. Though, there are some who aren't as welcome as the ponies pretend. Diamond Dogs, Gem Wolves, Gryphons, and Dragons are all frowned upon by the smaller creatures because of our carnivorous nature or our more predatory appearance. So, I obviously tend to avoid these 'safe havens' cause at times, for me,  they feel even more dangerous than the forest itself.

My now dead father is the only reason I ever went to those places. He helped me learn how to speak, write and read, yet most ponies thought him mad for taking care of a 'wild beast' as they called me. He usually just laughed and waved them all off with a hoof before patting my head, telling me that he would never let them hurt me. I might not be much of an emotional guy, but I can honestly say I loved the old fool. The lengths he went through just to keep me happy... Well, most ponies don't hunt for meat.

But, in this world, nothing good last forever. Ponies started to shun my old pa as rumors spread about his actions out in the forest. They started to call him names, most based on either me or his animal hunting. He never let it show, but the constant bullying got to the poor pony. Yet, no matter how much they taunted and degraded him, he still refused to throw me out, calling me his 'little wonder'.

Pa died a few years after the rumors started spreading. He was already old and the extra stress just added to his failing health. The most shocking part was that the ponies changed their behavior around me after that. Whenever I went into the local safe haven, others would no longer call me names or glare at me. They only looked sad, asking me if I was ok. Over time, they started to warm up to me, local store owners giving me discounts and others around my age asking me to play with them, it was peaceful, but I still only saw monsters. I traded for the full prize, ignoring whatever discount someone would try to give me, I refused to play with the others, always telling them I was busy. I hated them all, those who dared mock, taunt and gossip about my father till his very death, to then just act like they never did anything wrong. Ponies have friendships, but those friendships are set within a strict norm, and my kind is not a part of that norm.

A few years later, when I was larger than the average stallion, I set out to find a new home. The creatures of the Hoofington safe haven pretended to be sad to see me go, but I got better ears than they realize.

I've been out and about for a good couple of years now, no place never seeming like the ideal home for an outcast like me. So, I travel, hunting when I'm hungry and sleeping when I'm sleepy. Life is simple, repetitive and boring. I'm now about twice as tall as the average Earth Pony stallion and my claws and teeth are enough to handle most dangers in the forest. My father's teachings help me when I come across something too big, bad and ugly for even me to face and I can speak my way out of most situations when I meet other intelligent life. Though, it's not often I get in a situation where I need to speak at all. Most others flee in panic when they see a big, white wolfish diamond dog with red eyes. My appearance has left such an impact on some that they even started spreading rumors that turned into legends in the general area where they saw me. And to be honest, the only thing about me that seems even a bit civilized is my red collar, a small emblem my father gave me hanging over my chest. It's also the only thing that lets me enter the many different safe havens without a guard interrogation.

So that's me, Ulfang White. Son of the old nameless pony from the Hoofington safe haven. A wandering, lonely carnivore without any real place to call a home, accepted in most safe havens, but not welcome.