Forgotten Wilds

Twilight and her friends stopped, panting hard as they took shelter beneath some fallen trees and stacked rocks that looked like ancient caves overgrown with moss. “What in the wide world of Equestria was that?” Rarity asked as she gasped for breath. Twilight just shook her head. The giant pony was new to her, as was the dragon looking thing. Looking up, she realized that she and her friends were well and truly lost. Without a map or even a sense of where they were going, they had no idea how to find the Wolf they were looking for.

They didn’t even know what he looked like. “Get some rest girls… we’re all sore and exhausted from running like that…” she said as she noticed Fluttershy barely holding herself up. The moment she said it, Fluttershy collapsed, Rainbow going over and sitting next to her friend. Rarity, though normally heavily against “roughing it”, lay down next to Applejack. Pinkie Pie stayed on her hooves, staring out of the opening to their “cave”. “Pinkie?” she asked and Pinkie looked over at her.

“I’m ok, Twilight…” She said, forcing a smile before turning back to the entrance.

“No you’re not… what is it?”

“That big bull dragon thing… it came from the direction of my parent’s rock farm.” Twilight’s eyes widened as she looked at Pinkie’s shoulders. The stiff set of them, the determined stance.

“You want to go check on them… don’t you?” Pinkie nodded and sniffed.

“Yeah. But I gotta stick with you girls.” The normally bubbly mare said, forcing a smile. Twilight smiled back as she looked back at the others.

“We gotta rest Twi. If we push ourselves again, Fluttershy ‘n Rarity are apt t’ collapse.” Applejack said and Twilight nodded as she sat down. As soon as Twilight was seated Fluttershy and Rarity dropped, panting heavily. Neither of them were used to this kind of exertion. Rainbow and Applejack stood at the entrance of their small cave, making sure nothing came in after them.

“Get some sleep girls. We’ll switch off with Pinkie and Twilight in a few hours.” Rainbow said and Pinkie all but collapsed onto the cave floor, curling up in a tight little ball. Rarity went over and lay down next to her. Twilight rested against one of the walls of the cave as Fluttershy curled up near Starlight. As her eyes drifted closed, Twilight curled up against the wall of the cave and was immediately sucked into a dream.

~Dream Realm~

Twilight snapped her eyes open and looked around. The dream scape was much different from the last time she was here with Princess Luna. “I suppose that makes sense… since Luna’s dead now…” she said to herself as she trotted down a hallway of doors. Each door had a different cutie mark over it. Looking at each one, she was surprised that she didn’t see hers or her friends. Until suddenly the doors raced passed her and six doors stopped around her. Each one had her friends’ cutie marks. Pulling a door with Rainbow’s cutie mark on it, she stepped in and saw Rainbow fighting an aerial battle against Changelings. When Rainbow saw her, she stopped and the dream stopped with her.

“Twilight? How are you in my dream?”

“Somepony has to manage the dream realm… and Cadance is already busy as the Princess of Love and the ruler of the Crystal Empire.” She said as she walked in and sat with her friend.

“So the dream realm just… picked you?” her rainbow maned friend asked and Twilight shrugged as the two of them sat down. “So… I guess we should plan our next move. Can we do that shared dream thing Luna did for us when we fought the Tantabus?”

“I’m not sure… Luna was princess of dreams for more than a thousand years. There’s no telling what she knew how to do…” Twilight sighed as she stared at the ground. “If I’m the princess of dreams… I wonder if Cadance is the princess of the sun now…”

“Maybe. But do you think that means we have more time than Umbra and Solaris said we did? I mean… maybe Cadance won’t raise the sun.” Twilight smiled a little as she lay down.

“Maybe… It seems my body is sleeping though. Unlike when Luna would wander our dreams, I’m not here physically. It’s just my mind.” Rainbow crossed her forelegs across her chest, hovering in mid-air.

“So you’ll be rested in the morning. I suppose that’s good. Umbra didn’t say we had to hurry.” Twilight nodded as Rainbow’s dream slowly began to start up again.

“I guess you need to get back to your dream. I’ll keep wandering.” She said as she stood up. Rainbow nodded and pounced at a Changeling as the dream picked up speed again. As Rainbow wrestled with Changelings and threw them around like rag dolls, Twilight walked out of her dream and closed the door. As she did, she noticed something going through another door out the corner of her eye. “Princess Luna?” She asked as she chased the figure. When she reached the door, she looked for any indication that it was someone familiar. It was strange. Pushing the door open, she peeked in and looked around.

The room was, for all intents and purposes, strange. It looked like a castle, but the pillars were in ruins, the throne was split in two, a giant axe still embedded in the ground between the halves of the throne. In front of the throne, its back turned to her, was a wolf with black fur and wings. “H…hello?” she stuttered as she walked into the throne room.

“I was expecting Princess Luna. I suppose the shattered moon means the Seers were right. Luna’s dead.” He said and she froze. He sounded familiar. Eerily familiar.

“Y…yes… are you… Shadow?” She asked and he turned and she held back a shriek. The wolf in front of her was, in fact, Shadow. “I… I saw Luna kill you. Queen Umbra showed me.”

“That’s right. She did. The darkness that Sombra placed around my heart corrupted me. When she killed me, the Darkness disappeared and I used my connection with Luna to remain with her. In her dreams. I am also reincarnated in a new life, a new body, this age. You must find him. Seek out the Shadow Clan. They have moved away from the dangers within the Everfree Forest. You will find them in the place known as Hollow Shades.” Twilight blinked and looked at him.

“But, Hollow Shades is a ruin. There was nothing there. I’ve been there with my friends when we stopped…”

“The Pony of Shadows. I know. You only saw the ruins of the old castle that once stood there. A spell lies on the ruins. I will teach it to you before you arrive there.” He said and she looked up at him.

“How will I know you…? I mean… him?” she asked and he looked off to the side.

“Ask for a wolf named Noctis. He is the prince of the clan you are looking for, as well as my reincarnation. He… may come off as relatively impertinent.” Shadow said and Twilight nodded, filing the name away in her mind. “Now, when you awake, keep your friends silent. There is a creature outside of your hiding place that will kill you if it gets a chance. Wait until it is gone before making for Hollow Shades. And run swiftly.” He said and she was pulled out of her sleep.

Dawn

It was morning. That much was obvious. Cadance was using her magic to keep a semblance of order to the day and night, despite the dying sun. Looking out the entrance she and her friends were hiding in, she pulled Rainbow’s sleeping body away from the entrance, keeping all of them quiet with her magic as they all stirred awake. When Fluttershy looked panicked, Twilight pointed with her hoof out of the cave. Seeing the creature prowling around outside Fluttershy clamped her lips shut as she went around to try and rouse the deeper sleeping members of the group, such as Rainbow Dash and Applejack.

AJ woke up and yawned, her eyes widening when there was no sound. Looking at Twilight, she followed her friends gaze to the creature sniffing the air outside. From the paws up, it looked like an average dog, if a lot larger. Once your gaze reached its body, that is where the appearance of “dog” ended and the visage of “monster” began. It would have made Discord proud to see it.

All four legs were covered in jet black fur that seemed to ooze darkness. Its body was covered in what appeared to be dried magma. Along its back rose black spines that seemed to rattle with every breath it took. Twilight didn’t dare to attempt to freeze it to get a closer look at its muzzle, but from the sight, it’s bottom and top jaw both would split in half, making its maw gape open wide enough to swallow a fully grown stallion whole. Its tail was long and spindly, much like some serpentine dragons, with a spade on the end and spines running from its rump to the beginning of the spade. The horns on its head were highly reminiscent of a dragons, framing its neck at angles that would allow it to open its jaws.

Its eyes were deep pools of black ink with two bright red pin pricks. Swallowing sharply, Twilight wondered how quickly this monster would catch their scent and kill them. She knew it was only a matter of time before it did. Squeezing her eyes closed, she felt Fluttershy cuddle in close, shivering in fear, never taking her eyes off of the creature. Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Rarity stood their ground in front of the rest of their friends. Though they were quaking in fear, they would defend their friends to the end.

“He’s here.” Twilight heard in her head and she looked around before her eyes went back to the entrance of their hiding place. The monster was staring right at them. Staring at it, she wondered why it wasn’t pouncing. Until she noticed that its eyes weren’t on them. They were above them. On top of their hiding place. Deciding not to go out and check, she remained where she was. A second later, a cloaked figure dropped down in front of their hiding place, wings flared out as an ominous growl echoed into the cave.

Instead of feeling a shiver of fear running down her spine, the rumble from the newcomer’s growl vibrated up through her hooves and tickled at her belly. Staring at his back, Twilight realized the voice that had echoed in her mind was Shadow’s. This was his reincarnation. Noctis. Hearing the demonic creature growl back, she looked around him and saw it was preparing to pounce. Before she could shout for him to move, the thing leapt at him. Instead of getting out of the way, he jumped to meet it, his forepaws slamming into its chest as he pushed off and took to the air, hovering just out of reach. The creature growled up at him, its eyes burning as it rolled impossibly fast to its feet.

As Noctis landed again, he raced back around and stood between it and them. Peering around him, she saw it pacing just far enough away he’d have to use his wings to reach it, and the split second between him spreading his wings and using them to propel towards it, it would be on him. Growling at it, Noctis stood his ground as it paced back and forth, trying to figure out a way to get around the predator and at the seemingly defenseless prey behind him. Hearing another growl, Twilight peered around the side of their hiding place and spotted three more creatures trying to sneak up on Noctis. Lighting her horn, she enveloped her friends and her defender in her magic.

Seemingly realizing what she was attempting, the first wolf-like creature leapt at them, its split jaws clamping closed on nothing as the eight of them disappeared. When they all reappeared, Twilight collapsed, panting for breath. She’d never had to teleport all of her friends before, plus one other creature that seemed immune to magic. “Well, that was fun…” Noctis said as he rolled to his feet, gently extricating himself from under Rainbow Dash. Dash hopped off of him and looked around. They were as close to Hollow Shades as Twilight could get them.

“You’re Noctis. Prince Noctis? Right?” She asked and he nodded.

“That’s me. I’m surprised I actually found anyone out there. Wait here.” He said as he helped Rarity up before walking through a large set of double doors. When they closed behind him, Twilight looked around. All around them, wolves were walking around as it if were a common occurrence for ponies to randomly teleport into their home. Looking at her friends, Twilight noticed that all of them were still tired. Rainbow was practically dead on her hooves.

“That was strange…” she muttered and Rarity nodded.

“I know what you mean darling. He seems… magic proof. Like it wants to slough off of him.” She said and Twilight jumped as the doors slammed open.

“I don’t care! They might know what happened and why they have returned, as well as what’s happened to the sun and moon!” Noctis shouted as he walked back to them, two other wolves right behind him.

“They are intruders in our home, because of you, and as such must be punished. As well as them being ponies so they must be responsible for the Moon’s destruction, as well as the Sun fading.” The male said and Noctis rounded on him.

“You can’t be serious! They came to us for our help, not to be accused of murdering their own princesses!” He snapped and the male drew himself up. Even with his wings splayed, this other wolf looked more impressive than Noctis.

“Husband… perhaps we should hear them out.” The other wolf said and Twilight turned her gaze to the apparent queen. She brought to mind Princess Luna and Princess Celestia. Kind a gentle, while still holding an air of absolute authority.

“As you wish, my queen. Say your peace, ponies. And then begone. We have no time to…” his last words were cut off as his wife pushed him to the ground and placed a paw on his muzzle.

“Be silent and listen.” Twilight looked up at her, thankful for her patience.

“We were sent here by Queen Umbra and King Solas… to find the descendant of a wolf named Shadow.” Hearing his name, the King looked at her, his ears perking. “Queen Umbra told us he will know how to restore the Sun and Moon, as well as return Princess Celestia and Princess Luna to life.”

Extricating his muzzle from under his wife’s paw, the king looked at her. “I’m afraid your journey here was in vain. Shadow has been dead for years, and his descendants were disavowed as traitors for his actions during the war against Sombra, letting himself be controlled. We will allow you to remain here to rest. Tomorrow, you and your friends will return home. I am sorry we cannot help you.” The king said and Twilight’s ears drooped as she turned her gaze to the floor.

“Oh… I… I understand… thank you for your time…” She said as she turned and walked back to her friends.

“My son, escort them to the guest rooms and allow them a respite. Tomorrow, you will escort them safely home.” Noctis nodded and walked passed Twilight, draping one wing over her shoulders as he led them out of the throne room. Twilight hung her head as the eight of them walked out of the room and turned down a hallway.

“I’m sorry, I truly am. If I could help you, I would, but I cannot go against my Father’s wishes.” He said and Twilight nodded.

“I understand, Prince Noctis… Really I do… Queen Umbra was so sure your people would help us…” She said and he sighed as they walked to the bedrooms. When they reached the guest rooms, he gestured for their escorts to go away.

“When you leave tomorrow, stop at the edge of the forest to the east. Wait for me there.” He whispered into her ear as he pushed the door open. Twilight blinked, nodded slightly, and walked in, her friends behind her.

“So what now?” Rainbow asked and Twilight looked around the room, her horn lighting as she scanned for listening spells or anything that could give away secrets.

“He’s going to meet us at the edge of the forest to the east. Noctis is going to help us. Even without his parents’ permission.” She said and Starlight blinked.

“But won’t he get in trouble?” She asked and Twilight nodded.

“It’s pretty likely that he’ll get in a lot of trouble for helping us against the wishes of his parents, since they are the King and Queen.”