The night was unusually chill, even for autumn. There was a scent on the breeze. A mixture of chill air and dead leaves, with just a hint of decay. Though it was night, the shadows cast by the moon and stars seemed to be deeper, hiding untold horrors within. Said shadows made the large, gnarled trees seem ominous and threatening.

Dark Meadow shivered as he stood next to the gateway that lead to the small outpost watchtower that he shared with the other five guardsponies. The torchlight cast long shadows over the clearing surrounding the watchtower. He shivered again, his dark blue fur most hidden under dull grey iron army. He wasn't used to wearing such heavy armor. It was uncomfortable, slowed him down, and made flying more taxing. However, the added defense made up for any discomfort.

His magenta eyes blinked and scanned the treeline. He shook his head roughly, jostling the open-faced helm that did little to hide his long black mane. He gently readjusted it, careful not to stab himself with the spikes on the ends of his iron-shod shoes.

He blinked, trying to get the sleep out of his eyes. He hated being on night duty. He always felt tired. It didn't help that the forest felt truly hostile at night. Though that was probably from the slow encroachment of Timberwolves into pony territory. Something had been riling up the 'wolves, beasts, monsters and other forest creatures. Both the Council and the Diarchy didn't really know what or who was doing it, nor the reason why. Not that the Guard got much information out here anyway.

Meadow shuddered and rolled his neck, trying to get the soreness and stiffness out. It unfortunately did little. He turned and craned his neck. He could see the pale form of Snow Blossom through the window of the tower, illuminated by the small fire within. Her pink eyes scanning over the treetops, ever so often flicking towards, what he assumed was, the other nearby watch towers. She paused and looked down at Meadow. A smile creased her lips and she waved down at him. Somewhat stupidly he waved back, with his own awkward smile. He saw her giggle then return to scanning the forest.

He sighed and he turned back towards the trees, trying his best to make the armor less uncomfortable. Though, no matter what he did, the heavy suit maintained it's irritations.

The wind shifted. The scents of it changed. An overpowering, thick scent of rot made Meadow's eyes burn. He gagged, blinked the tears from his eyes, then swiftly his eyes scanned the trees. A pair of vile green lights suddenly bloomed within the darkness of the treeline. Followed by two more. The four more. A icy spike of fear ran down his spine. His breath caught in his throat. His heart pounded in his chest.

He stamped a hoof, snorted, and clamped down on his fear. He took a deep breath and roared. "WOLVES!"

As he did, they came.

Out from the trees, stepped wooden things. Thin legs of wood wrapped in vines and veins of fungal growth, and ending in paws like mushroom-caps that had sprouted thorns, stepped out of the treeline. Heads emerged from the shadows following the legs. A muzzle of fungal flesh, covered in scraps of wood, bearing rows thorn-like teeth. Eyes of a sick green glowed in wooden sockets. They stepped out fully. Their barrels were skeletal cages of wood. Within lay thick masses of fungal growth, from which emerged tendrils that linking the nightmarish things together. The large growth seemed to beat like some kind of heart, lit from within by a pulsing pus yellow light. A yellow-green cloud fumed from the thorny maws of the creatures.

Meadow flared his wings. He heard shouting from within the tower but he couldn't make out the words. There had to be a dozen of the fungal monstrosities.

One prowled forward, exhaling more of that sickening cloud. It seemed to inhale, sniffing the air with it's nonexistent nose. Then it's head turned and looked directly at Meadow. A unnatural shriek tore from it's mouth.

Meadow's ears pined back as his eyes narrowed. A snarl tore from his throat. His wings flared out and his iron-shod hooves pawed at the ground. "Come on." He growled. "Come on!"

A distorted barking snarl ripped from the lead wolves maw. Suddenly it dashed forward.

With a cry, Meadow charged to meet it. His hooves tore clods of grass from the ground as his wings beat. He lifted off the ground, his hooves still grazing the grass beneath him. The wolves' own paws torn ruddy chunks from the grass as a yellowish substance dripped from it's jaws.

Meadow threw his fore hooves forward and roared.

They hit.

Meadow's hooves slammed into the wolves' muzzle with a sickening snap. The wolves' head snapped to the side as its whole body shuddered and fell to the side. The light within it's eyes died as the beating it's "heart" slowed with the same dying light.

Meadow slowed his charge, skidding to a halt and panting for breath, his forelegs hurt. He shook his head then paused. He felt the blood drain from his face as realization dawned on him. He raised his head and looked around slowly.

He was surrounded. They drew him out. One guard would make for easy prey, especially since they now surrounded him.

There were cries from the tower and he snapped his head back. Ironhoof, Thunder Spark, and Midnight Snow stood within the gate, trying to keep even more wolves out of the watchtower's enclosure. Behind them, Snow Blossom's and Duke Starlight's horns were ablaze with light. Great streams of flame erupted from their horns washing over the wolves.

Meadow's head fell. Tonight, Equestria would lose another watchtower.

He snorted. A growl left his throat. If he was going to die, he die taking these things with him!

He glared around at the wolves snarling, snapped and pawing at the grass. "Well?!" He snapped as he rose onto his hind legs and flung his forelegs wide. "What are you waiting for?! Come get your dinner you monsters!"

As if that's what they were waiting for, the wolves charged.

One leaped and Meadow turned to meet it. His hooves lashed out and crushed its wooden skull in a spray of yellow. Yet as he did, something bit into his right wing. He screamed, twisted, and slammed a hoof into the offending wolf's face. It died yet it's teeth tore at his wing. Movement caught his eye and he whirled to strike another wolf, only for a lance of pain to erupt from his left leg. Swiftly followed by thorny teeth punching through his right hoof's armor like it was paper.

He roared and swung, another wolf fell. Yet for every one he slew, two more took their place. Every attack found a gap in his defense.

His heart pounded in his throat as he desperately fought to survive.

'I'm going to die...'

Suddenly, a scent filled the air. It cut through the stench of rot and decay.

Roses.

Everything seemed to stop. The wolves, no longer attacking anything seemed to sniff the air in confusion. Even the sounded of battle at the gate stopped.

Something red floated into Meadow's vision.

A rose petal.

It was followed by another. Then another.

The air was suddenly filled with rose petals.

The wolves then, suddenly and surprisingly, backed away from Meadow. He couldn't suppress a chill as, at the same time, he felt a presence behind him. Slowly and painfully he turned.

Within a slowly falling cloud of rose petals, there was a figure. It wasn't a pony. He could see that it stood on two legs ending in black boots. A bright, almost blood, red hooded cloak covered the creature. Though it was easily smaller than he was, he couldn't suppress the almost overwhelming feeling of menace this thing gave off.

A pair of forelimbs emerged from the cloak, each held what looked like a small crossbow. As they rose to either side, a thick, shadowy, mist-like substance began to roll off the creature.

Then it moved.

It's whole body seemed to shift like the shadows themselves, becoming a whirling slim pillar of black and red color. The creature appeared to grow more arms as it move, each with another crossbow.

There was a moment of silence where everything was still save for the whirling creature.

The silence died as the erupted with bolts of black "light." Meadow froze as bolts flew right past him, emerging from the whirling creature's crossbows. Cries and shrieks of wolves filled the air.

As swiftly as the volley had started, it stopped. The whirling creature returned its cloaked bipedal form, its forelimbs disappeared within the cloak. Meadow hesitantly looked around. All the wolves that had been surround him lay dead, bolts of slowly fading black "light" protruded from there bodies like some kind of obscene flowers. However the wolves near the gate were very much alive and had turned towards the creature.

A limb appeared from the cloak. It held what appeared to be a small wooden box. With a light toss the box was flung to the ground. Then it seemed to explode. A pillar of wood erupted from it and swiftly morphed into a massive ballista!

Meadow blinked the jumped as the front of the ballista rotated to the right. There was a dull hum that slowly grew in intensity. It grew to a fever pitched. A sound like a downpour of rain erupted from the ballista as it simultaneously swung around and unleashed golden streams of light. The bolts tore the remaining pack of wolves apart in mere moments. Then the ballista stopped, shrank back into a box, and disappeared.

Meadow blinked, unable to processes what had just happened. He felt light-headed. His legs felt weak.

He suddenly found himself on the ground.

He felt so tired.

He closed his eyes.

He was so cold.

He couldn't feel-

The sound of crunching grass made him open his eyes. He saw a pair of black boots.

He follow the boots up into the shadows of the cloak. Within the hood glowed a silver left eye and a blood red right eye.

"Hey dumbass."

The voice that came out of the cloak made him blink. It sounded like a filly. A filly who knew far too much. He shuddered.

"Got yourself caught out in the open hmmmmm? Drew you out pretty easily huh? All it took was one charging wolf and you went off and got yourself half-eaten... mostly eaten... Actually I'm honestly surprised that you're still conscious." The "filly" continued. Those eyes seemed to look him over. "Oh.... You're losing a lot of blood." A bright white grin of sharp teeth appeared within the hood. "Say, Guardpony, you wouldn't happen to be a virgin would you?"

Something about that grin and the way she phrased the question made even Meadow's weak and addled mind fill with fear.

"Don't worry. You're going to be just fine by the time I'm done with you."

Meadow doubted that.

Princess Aurelia Celestia, recently Ascended Alicorn of the Sun, absolutely hated emergency meetings. She'd been sleeping somewhat peacefully, even with everything going on, and a maid andguard had come to wake her up.

She blinked somewhat sleepily around the large round table. The Council of Six (Three actually. Since Hurricane was off.... somewhere, Puddinghead was...... somewhere else... and Princess Platinum couldn't be bothered to show up. Celestia was too tired to think.) sat around the table. Her Sister, Argentia Luna, sat next to her. However she seemed to be busy looking over reports and wasn't really listening.

"This is the fifth attack on our watchtowers!" Clover snapped loudly. The dark blue, violet maned mare had noticeable bags under her eyes. (Most likely from staying up studying.) "Sixth, if you count the fact that two got attacked in the same night!"

"I'm aware." Private Pansy nodded. The grey, pink maned mare looked exhausted.

"What are we going to do about it?!" Clover was clearly angry-tired.

"We're spread too thin." Smart Cookie said with a sigh. The Tan, brown maned mare shifted through various scrolls. "We built too much, too fast, with not enough guards for each post." She looked over at the Princesses. "What do you think Princess?"

Celestia blinked. "Oh? Am I allowed to have an opinion?" Celestia asked aloud, too tired to even worry about proper etiquette. "I thought I was just a figurehead for ponykind to gather around and gawk at."

The three other mares winced at Celestia's words.

"Actually... I was asking Princess Luna." Smart Cookie said weakly.

"Hmmmm?" Luna looked up in confusion. "Did you say something? Apologies Councilors, I was reading the reports."

Celestia bit back the glare she wanted to give her sister. She took a breath. 'I'm just tired.' She thought to herself.

"What are your thoughts of the situation Princess? The watchtowers, the number of guards posted?" Smart Cookie asked.

"I'm more curious as to this Red Hood creature that intervened at the north-eastern," Luna shuffled a couple scrolls. "and eastern watchtowers. Both? In one night? They're miles apart and the attacks happen within roughly half an hour of each other."

"According to the report from Snow Blossom, it took the severely wounded Dark Meadow and disappeared." Smart Cookie looked down at her scrolls. "Where we don't know." She shook her head and looked back at the scroll in her hooves. "It was bipedal, wore a bright red cloak, used a pair of crossbows that it held in its forelimbs as weapons, and wielded magics that she had never seen."

Suddenly there came a loud commotion from outside the Council Chambers. The sounds of shouting and.... orders to halt?

A filly's voice could easily be heard from the other side of the large pair doors. "When I said I was going to meet who was in charge." There was a loud bang and the doors exploded open and slammed into the walls hard enough to leave cracks in the stone. There was a boot print left near the bottom of the doors where they used to join.

A red cloaked figure carrying a Pegasus stallion almost double her size, strode into the room. "I wasn't asking."

Celestia blinked from the figure to the Pegasus. She immediately noticed that there was something wrong with the Pegasus. His fur was white, and his mane black. His red eyes seemed to stare off into the ether. He looked ragged and wore badly damage armor. Most notably, his wings were like those of a bat. Additionally, a pair of fangs protruded from his mouth and his ears were slightly more pointed (and fluffier).

The figure gently sat the stallion down. Once there he did move.

"Stay." The figure said as a group of gold armored Royal Guards made to enter the room. The figure straightened and turned to look at the guards, all of whom froze. "Fuck off!" She snapped and the guards scattered.

Celestia blinked in shock. What, was that?

The figure turned back towards the table.

Clover was the first to recover. "What is the meaning of thi-"

"Shhhh!" The figure hissed and pointed at Clover.

Instantly Clover's outrage was quelled.

The room fell silent. The figure pulled down her hood. A pale white mostly hairless (Save for the blond mane atop her head.) face greeted them. It'd have honestly look cute, were it not for the silver left eye, the red right eye, and the unnerving sharp-toothed grin that she wore.

"Ladies. You have a problem." The filly creature finally spoke up. Her tone sounded somewhere between amused, bored and irritated. "I've been around for a few weeks and from what I've seen, you've got yourselves a shit show. You've got beasties breathing down your neck, and more timberwolves than you know what to do with. The guard that's supposed to be protecting you have got shit for armor, are obviously poorly trained, if Guardpony here is any indication." She gestured to the stallion. "You've got your Royal Guard in this fancy shit that's not much better than tissue paper. None of the guards here even raised a weapon, which leads me to believe that they used to be House Guards that didn't do anything besides look intimidating." She spared a glance over her shoulder causing the few guards that were peeking in to bolt.

The creatures snorted and shook her head.

"And what do you propose we do creature?" Clover asked. "You don't appear to be much older than a filly by your appearance, why should we listen to a word you say?"

Suddenly the torches around the room flickered as a breeze suddenly filled the room, rustling the scrolls atop the table. The shadows seemed to deepen. The glow of the creature's eyes intensified.

"My name is Tanya." Any hint of mirth was gone. A chill ran down Celestia's spine. "I was dropped here alone. I kill monsters and I survive off the blood of beasts. I've witnessed what you'd called a country and I find it wanting." The air grew chill. "Here's the deal. I fix your guard and I murder your monster problem. In return, you help me find my boyfriend and the Bitch King. Oh... and as to your recent uptick in timberwolf and monster attacks..." She paused and reached into her cloak. She pulled out something and threw it onto the table. The head of a large eagle, it's eyes wide and beak agape in horror, splattered onto the table causing Clover to shriek and the other mares to recoil. Save for Luna and Celestia.

Celestia knew that kind of head.

"You've got yourself a Griffon problem." Tanya stated. "Based on what I've seen, they still have a hate boner for your Pegasi, and in turn all of Ponykind."

Every mare stared at Tanya, whose unnerving grin returned in full force. "I'll throw in getting rid of the Griffons for free. Bastards think they can just shoot at me? Please..." She somehow managed to giggle without a hint of mirth.

"So, do we have a deal?"

Author's Note

First chapter featuring Tanya. No I'm not starting off with Menethil's perspective. I have a plan, and I have a world to build.

Also, first chapter of the rewrite (Not counting the prologue). This is going to be very different fro m the original version, and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.

Next Chapter: 'The God'

What I've been listening to on repeat to keep me writing.