Caught in Her Web

by Some Leech

Rating: teen
Tags: Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Romance, Comedy, Queen Chrysalis, Sex, Stellar Flare
Length: 5333

Chrysalis, after having spent the night at Stellar Flare's house, attempts to gain a better understanding of her host.

Queen Chrysalis, after having collapsed outside of Sire's Hollow, is recuperating under the care of Stellar Flare. Consigning herself to play nice, lest the townsfolk become suspicious. She begins to gain a better understanding of the village and its denizens, in particular the middle aged unicorn who was gracious enough to help her. The Changeling finds the mare curious, to say the least, and attempts to gain her trust. After all, the pony would make a valuable ally.

Kinks include: NO KINKS!

Artwork by Pencils

Published 2018-08-23 03:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2018-08-23 03:00:01 UTC

Sticky Situation

Chrysalis, former queen of the changelings and tyrannical despot, had been reduced to this. Choking upon a blueberry scone, sending flaky crumbs flying through the air before they fell to the table below; like so many failed plans and machinations she’d had for ponykind.

“A...are you alright?” Stellar Flare stammered, concern in her voice as she watched her guest struggle with the unassuming breakfast pastry.

Reaching for a glass of orange juice, to wash down what remained of the offending tart, Chrysalis fought to comprehend what she’d just heard. In truth, it wasn’t the breakfast which had caused the issue but, instead, what her gracious host haid just said. “Excuse me,” she muttered, “you did say his name was Sunburst, correct?”

“Why, yes!” the orange unicorn responded genially. “My precious little colt. I do wish he would come to visit more often, but I know Cadance keeps him busy in the Crystal Empire. After all, he is the kingdom’s Crystaller,” she continued, proud of her son’s exploits.

Chrysalis winced, the mare’s words striking her like an ice-pick to the temple. Not only was the fruit of Stellar’s loins an important member of pony society, but he was directly in league with that infernal Starlight Glimmer and her band of miscreants. Gulping down the remainder of her beverage, she sat the glass down. “Could you top me off, I’m simply parched,” she commented, attempting to buy some time while formulating a response.

“Have you ever been to the Crystal Empire” Stellar casually asked, levitating the carton of juice over and refilling her guest’s glass. She’d only been once herself, preferring the small town life over the hustle and bustle of big cities.

“Only in passing,” Chrysalis groaned. Truthfully, she had only been there briefly, to usurp the leadership of the Empire, although she certainly wasn’t about to admit to kidnapping the Princess of love, her husband, child, and Sunburst as well. It had been the very incident which had led to her feverish contempt of Starlight Glimmer and the loss of her hive. A grand twist of irony; her only visit to the Crystal Empire, and sole encounter with Stellar’s son, had played a part of her most spectacular failure.

“Maybe we could go sometime, I’m sure Sunburst would be thrilled to meet a changeling matriarch and that he’d be more than happy to give us a tour of Cadance’s castle!” the cheerful orange unicorn mused, nibbling at her breakfast. While she wasn’t sure how enthusiastic her son would be, given how introverted he was, Stellar was relatively certain she could talk him into allowing them to visit.

“Perhaps at some point, but tell me more about Sire’s Hollow,” Chrysalis ventured, seeking to redirect the conversation. She’d really rather not have migraine inducing discussions this early in the morning.

“Oh, I’ve lived in Sire’s Hollow for ages! The town was founded…” Stellar leapt onto the subject with gusto, discussing the minutia of the city’s founding in painful detail.

Chrysalis smiled and nodded, finding herself fortunate that the mare was so passionate about the topic. While relieved she’d steered the exchange away from the particularly vexing subject matter, the changeling had little actual interest in Sire’s Hollow. As far as she was concerned, it was simply another random equine settlement which dotted the landscape of Equestria. Even though she was thankful that Stellar had taken her in after collapsing outside of town, having suffered from near starvation and exposure, she wasn’t overly concerned with the village. If anything, the only extraordinary feature of the locale was that nopony knew who she was. It was amazing that her notoriety hadn’t reached the backwoods where she’d found herself, but Chrysalis found herself exceptionally lucky for it. Were it not for the fact the changeling had gone unrecognized, she’d likely be in a prison cell, instead of a quaint cottage.

“And that’s why we have three dentists in town!” the unicorn concluded, smiling proudly at her guest. Though Stellar had a passing interest in the history and heritage of the town, she was far more interested in what the future held for her village. Finishing her scone, she daintily wiped her mouth with a napkin before clearing her plate from the table. “So, tell me again, what brought you to our cozy little hamlet?” she asked, gathering up the changeling’s dirty dishes.

“As you’d surmised, I’ve come to...expand my horizons,” Chrysalis said, watching as the unicorn cleaned their breakfast flatware at the sink. Stellar had initially assumed that she’d arrived in area in search of an expansion site for her hive. Although she hadn’t given a direct answer, the deposed queen was still going to operate under the pony’s inference.

“Well,” Stellar said, turning to face her guest, “what would you like to do today?” She’d taken a keen interest in the changeling, in part due to her curiosity for the species, but also because Chrysalis seemed to be quick witted and bore a sharp tongue. It was rare to meet another mare as strong willed as she, not to mention one of nobility.

“You tell me, what is there to do?” the insect-like horse countered, grinning cheekily at her host. Stellar Flare was...interesting. Naiveté of her species aside, the pony came off as exceptionally capable, especially so in regards to erotic endeavors. It was no surprise that the unassuming unicorn held a seat of power in Sire’s Hollow, given the air of dominance about her. Chrysalis saw a bit of herself in the mare, perhaps why she found the equine tolerable in comparison to most.

“How about a nice stroll around town? I could introduce you to a few ponies, show you some of the shops, and it would be a nice bit of exercise,” Stellar offered, trotting over to the changeling before elbowing her side. “It’s not like either of us are exactly spring chickens now, are we?” she chuckled, holding a hoof up to her face like a filly who’d just told an inappropriate joke.

A corner of Chrysalis’s mouth turned up at the comment. Really, for a mare she’d only recently met to openly jab at her age, spoke volumes of just how bold Stellar was. The slight smile faded rather quickly, as the queen realized just how precarious her situation was. If any of the townsfolk recognized her, knowing exactly what she’d done in the past, it would be game over.

Taking note of her guest’s distress, Stellar acted quickly. “We don’t have to, if you’re not feeling well,” she said, patting the changeling’s shoulder comfortingly. For all she knew, the queen may still be recovering from her exhaustion from the day before.

“It’s not that,” Chrysalis muttered, turning her head. “I’m merely concerned that others may not be as welcoming as yourself,” she continued, staring wistfully out the window. Another half truth, but one which would have to suffice. The villainous mare could have easily concocted any number of lies to fool this middle aged unicorn. She was, after all, a master of deceit, able to trick the eyes with her body and the mind with her tongue. For whatever reason though, she wasn’t inclined to do so with Stellar. Perhaps it was a measure of guilt from being rescued, or the inkling of a kindred spirit in the pony; regardless, she couldn’t quite put her hoof on the source of her quandary.

“Oh nonsense, there’s nothing but good folks in Sire’s Hollow!” the orange unicorn tutted, gingerly taking the changeling’s hoof in her own. “If anypony had the audacity to act out of turn, they’d have to answer to me,” she stated, her words, standing in stark contrast to her warm smile, becoming somewhat hard and cold as she concluded.

Chrysalis was somewhat taken aback. This pony had a heart of steel and clearly wasn’t one to be trifled with. Over the years, she’d encountered all manner of creatures which held false bravado; the overwhelming majority of them would crumble under the slightest pressure, breaking and losing their resolve in the face of adversity. Stellar Flare was different though, the pony held a iron will, the likes of which she’d rarely seen before. Despite herself, she blushed at the unicorn’s words. In all her years, there’d been perilously few who would ever stand up for her, and fewer still who ever actually had.

“Sure, why not,” the changeling flippantly said, her wings unveiling themselves as she stretched slightly. Going out for a bit was rather appealing, especially after having had a good meal the evening prior. She’d need to buy as much time as possible to formulate a plan; without any minions, or a hive to serve her, making tactical moves would be difficult, to say the least. Chrysalis, upon first spying Sire’s Hollow, had intended to make the village her hideout for the time being. Even though it would only be a temporary solution, it still seemed like the most viable option.

“Come on,” the orange mare said, tugging her guest towards the door, “I’m sure you’ll love every minute.” Stellar Flare was profoundly proud of Sire’s Hollow. She’d toiled for decades to bring in new businesses and, with them, additional citizens. If there was one problem the village suffered from, it was a dwindling population caused by just how remote the location was. There simply wasn’t really anything to draw fresh blood into the area and she’d worked tirelessly to change that. The town had, under her guidance, received a facelift as well as a few modern shops. Sadly, the success was negligible, at best. Sure, a few ponies had moved in but, in the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t nearly what she’d hoped for.

Chrysalis smiled weakly, trotting behind her host and through the doorway into the mid-morning sun. As the two made their way circuitously through the town, they would stop periodically as Stellar would interject with information about the various buildings or shops. While Chrysalis was no entrepreneur, she could certainly appreciate her guide’s passion for such endeavors. Besides an odd look or two from passing townsfolk, their stroll was actually quite relaxing. The ponies they’d encountered had all been pleasant, shaking the changeling’s hoof or, in one case, bowing slightly for her. Taking their greetings in stride, she’d smiled back, giving kind words of thanks and greeting to each one they’d met. Granted, she had decided to wear her crown out, which probably assisted with first impressions, but she’d only done it out of habit. Crisscrossing throughout the settlement, the pair stopped at a smoothie stand after an hour or so.

“So,” Stellar began, sipping her beverage, “any particular locations catching your eye?”

“Well, if I were to build up a hive here, it would likely be outside the city walls. The architecture, while suitable for pony needs, isn’t exactly optimal for changelings. In theory, I could establish a hive below the town, but I’m unsure if it would compromise the geological integrity,” Chrysalis replied thoughtfully, taking a gulp of her mango and tangerine smoothie. Looking over, she noticed her companion studying her intently. “What? Is something on my face?” she asked, tilting her head slightly.

“How many are in your current hive and how long would the construction take, I’m curious,” Stellar pressed, knitting her brow.

Chrysalis shrugged, taking another gulp from her fruity drink before continuing, “About two hundred in my old hive, and it would likely take months, or even years, to build a new one.” In the blink of an eye, she realized she’d just made a fatal error. Glancing over at her companion, she could tell that something was amiss. The pony was looking downward, her eyes moving as if reading some unseen map. The moment she took note of Chrysalis eyeing her, she stopped, her expression returning to the regular, cheerful smile which the mare favored. “You ok? Seemed like you had something on your mind there,” the changeling asked, attempting to tease out the source of the unicorn’s consternation.

“Oh, just trying to do some logistical balancing. There may be a plot of land to the north which could suit your needs; it’s on a hill which isn’t that heavily wooded, so clearing it wouldn’t be too terribly difficult,” she commented without missing a beat.

“Maybe we could go survey it at some point,” the changeling noted. She still wasn’t exactly sure what the mare had been thinking. Of course, it could have been something mundane, as she’d said, but something told her there was something deeper that the pony had been processing. “Do you have any plans for the evening? I’m curious to see what an esteemed mare, such as yourself, does with her afternoons,” Chrysalis inquired, diverting the unicorn’s attention away from the ruse of hive placement.

“Normally, I’ll just cozy up with a good book before hitting the hay,” Stellar answered, tossing her empty cup into a nearby trash bin. As she’d gotten older, and even in her youth, truth be told, she’d never considered herself all that interesting. She’d always been perfectly comfortable with her own company, or a small group occasionally, but had never been much of a party goer and wasn’t really interested in sporting events.

“Surely there’s something we could do to entertain ourselves this afternoon,” Chrysalis mused, rubbing her chin conspiratorially. Scheming aside, she really wouldn’t mind doing something to unwind. Spending time with Stellar served a dual purpose; firstly, it allowed her to move about with relative impunity and secondly, the more time they could spend together, the quicker she could earn the pony’s trust.

Stellar’s eyes went alight as she recalled something which may hold her guest’s interest. “I just remembered, we are holding a movie night at the town hall just after sunset today. Twice a month we show a film for the public and anypony is free to attend,” she explained. The town had procured a projector from a distributor in Manehatten just the month before, the same type used for Broadway productions, and tonight’s showing would be only the second of its kind. They’d even gotten a number of movies at a hefty discount to keep on hoof for such shows; admittedly, most of them were somewhat dated, but that didn’t mean they were any less entertaining.

“I don’t see why we couldn’t,” Chrysalis said with a nod as the two meandered back toward Stellar’s abode. She’d never actually been to see a film before so the idea intrigued her.

“Well then, do you think you can find your way home?” the unicorn quizzed, looking up at the changeling.

“I presume so, why?” the deposed matriarch asked, squinting down at the pony.

“I’ve got to go and get a few things done at the office. If you’d like to tidy up around the house, I’ll meet you there in a few hours, and then we can go on our date,” Stellar casually said, turning to trot off towards her workplace.

The changeling didn’t know how to respond to the notion of a date, so she simply nodded in agreement. As she slowly traipsed through the city streets, Chrysalis mulled over the pony’s words. She wasn’t sure in what context Stellar had meant the word ‘date’, whether she’d simply meant it as an arranged event, or as a formal romantic encounter. Before she knew it, she was standing outside her host’s home and, after letting herself in, she set herself to work. After rummaging around, she found some cleaning supplies and took to some light dusting of the furniture and sweeping. With her magic, it was a paltry matter, hardly taking any effort at all, but the chores gave her time to think, and learn a bit more about the mare who’d given her shelter. Steadily working from room to room, Chrysalis took note of the various decorations and items which lay neatly arranged. Books, a handful of pictures, papers, anything which would shed more light on Stellar’s character and history. The majority of literature and forms she’d found were regarding the town’s business ventures, in some some form or fashion. The changeling paused at the door of her host’s room, a flash of trepidation passing over her before choosing to enter. The unicorn’s bedchamber was, like most of the house, neatly kept and practical. A pair of nightstands flanked the bed with a large dresser standing to one side of the room. There wasn’t much to clean and, although she was tempted to snoop through the mare’s effects, she abstained. In all likelihood, Stellar would notice if something were out of place and the last thing Chrysalis needed was to compromise herself.

The next few hours practically flew by. After having finished her chores, Chrysalis lounged on the couch with a mystery novel she’d purloined from a bookshelf in the room opposite. While the book served as a temporary distraction, her mind soon wandered, as it often did, to scheming. Knowing she’d be residing in Sire’s Hollow for an unknown amount of time, she began to formulate a strategy. Detesting camaraderie and any sort of openly affectionate displays, she resigned herself that such actions would be nearly unavoidable for the near future. If she were truly to woo the populace of the backwater town, through changeling charm and sorcery, she’d first need to make everypony comfortable with her. Now, this could normally be circumvented entirely, being able to assume the form of a pastel equine at will, but the townsfolk already knew that a changeling matriarch was in their midst. As such, other, less thrilling, tactics would need to be employed. So, for the time being, she’d need to ‘play nice’ with her mammalian neighbors, if only to curry favor and set their minds at ease. Machinations of conquest and subterfuge aside, her eyelids slowly grew heavy and, unfortunately, the changeling eventually dozed off on the comfortable piece of furniture.

“Wakey-wakey sleepy bug,” a voice softly called, dredging Chrysalis from her slumber.

Groggily opening her emerald eyes, the changeling spied the chipper unicorn standing beside her. Stretching her legs, she yawned and licked her lips. While the nap wasn’t planned, it had been quite refreshing; after all, she’d spent the bulk of the past few weeks outdoors. Looking outside, she realized it was already well past noon, the sun starting its descent over the horizon.

“Sorry I took so long, a mare’s work never ends,” Stellar chuckled, setting down a stack of forms she’d apparently brought home from work. Most of it was bureaucratic paperwork, annual renewals for property rentals or tax adjustments, but they needed to get done.

Chrysalis’s brow furrowed as she looked at the offending forms. “Surely,” she began, her attention shifting to the orange pony, “there’s someone you could task with this?”

“Nope, it’s just me,” Stellar replied, her smile faltering slightly. She’d asked the town for an assistant but, sadly, the budget for another position just wasn’t there. Maybe once a few more businesses moved to town, and with them the increased tax revenue, but, for now, she was left to handle such matters herself. “I presume you have assistants for such mundane affairs?” the pony groaned, levitating a pen over to sign off on the first form in the stack.

“Hardly, we never had much red tape to deal with. If I had though, I would have relegated it to an underling, yes,” Chrysalis said, staring at one of the forms. She couldn’t make heads or tails of it, the entire sheet was covered in little numbered boxes, each of which was filled with figures, locations, names, dates, or some combination of the four. “Simply demand the ponies pay whatever you tell them,” she continued, sneering down at the paperwork with contempt.

“If only it was that easy,” Stellar chuckled, her focus shifting to her guest, “unless you’re offering to do it for me.” As amusing as it would be to sic a changeling matriarch on some of the more belligerent ponies she had to deal with, it wouldn’t work as effectively as placing a lien on their property. There were far more dire threats to a business owner than physical violence.

The queen thought for a moment, weighing her options. Although she abhorred any sort of paperwork, finding it dreadfully boring and infuriating, she knew that, were she to leave it all for her host to complete, she’d be left fritter away her time without a single source of amusement. “How can I help? Surely a queen can assist with such trivial matters,” Chrysalis intoned, picking up a sheet and examining it.

“Well, you could arrange some of the stack,” Stellar said, sliding over the lower half of the sheaf of papers. “There’s a form number in the corner,” she continued, pointing to the area of the form Chrysalis held, “just arrange them by type. That’d save me some time.”

The changeling grunted as she began sorting the pile. If she’d still been in the hive, she would have set a number of drones to task on something so menial. No mare, especially one as talented and charming as Stellar, should be subjected to such onerous work. The two worked diligently in silence, each focusing on the undertaking in unison. Thankfully, between the two of them, they completed the task within an hour, the changeling sorting and filing while the unicorn signed off, or rejected, the various forms.

Stellar and Chrysalis surveyed the neatly arranged groups of papers on the desk. “Well then, that went much quicker than expected,” the orange mare chirped, grinning up at her guest. “If the whole ‘Queen’ thing doesn’t work out for you, I’ll be sure to take you on as my assistant,” she joked, playfully nudging Chrysalis with a giggle.

“Mmmm,” Chrysalis hummed. Though her host wasn’t aware that she was no longer the ruling queen of a hive, she knew the unicorn had meant well. Still, the comment stung a bit. Here she was, overthrown, her kingdom in shambles, and having failed time and time again. Was this really what she’d been reduced to; some mere secretary, taking shelter in a naive pony’s home? She steeled her resolve, shaking off her doubts as she looked down at the good-natured mare. Oddly enough, she drew some modicum of strength from this. Stellar, her confidence and stalwart resolve, despite only having herself to rely on, was inspirational, even for a pony. “What time is the showing? We wouldn’t want to be late,” she asked, realizing that the afternoon had quickly snuck up on them.

“It should be within the hour but it never hurts to be a little early. Besides, that way we’ll get the best seats,” Stellar stated, trotting over to the exit. “Please,” she said, opening the door and sweeping a hoof towards it, “after you.”

Chrysalis couldn't help but chuckle as she passed the little pony. The two were soon on their way to the town hall, which lay only a block down the road. Reaching the entrance, they were greeted by an usher who showed them inside. The reception hall, an expansive room which served as the hub for various offices in the building, had been converted into a humble little theater. Rows of chairs adorned the floor before a projector screen, neatly spaced to allow viewers room to sit comfortably. In the corner sat a refreshment stand, complete with beverages and a popcorn machine.

“A valiant attempt,” the matriarch noted, surveying the area. Though it was by no means grandiose, it it seemed to serve its purpose. Only a few ponies, mostly older ones from the looks of it, sat patiently awaiting the show.

“Go find us a seat, I’ll get us something to nibble on,” Stellar said, flitting off to the snack cart.

Going to the rearmost row of chairs, Chrysalis claimed two in the back corner. Though it may have been paranoia, she’d always preferred to be near an exit while in a public venue. Soon enough, the orange unicorn trotted over, a tub of popcorn and two fizzy beverages held aloft by her magic. Hovering one over to her companion, she seated herself next to the bug-like equine. Chrysalis took the drink, and helping herself to a sip, she leaned over to her associate. “So, what’s playing?” she asked, looking about as the lights began to dim.

“Sanguine Sonata, it’s an older horror film about a vampire pony,” Stellar whispered, watching as the projector illuminated the screen. She’d never been the biggest fan of scary movies but, as the saying goes, beggars can’t be choosers.

The two sat in silence, watching the film as they quietly snacked on the popcorn. Chrysalis, while not particularly scared or anxious, found the movie entertaining in just how clichéd it was. Her partner, however, didn’t seem to be as amused. Looking over, she realized the mare appeared legitimately terrified during several of the scenes, cowering in her chair or squeaking like a mouse on occasion. While initially amusing, she’d actually started to feel a touch of pity for Stellar as the show dragged on. During the final scene, in which the vampiric equine was staked through the heart with a blessed hitching post, only to feign death in one final cacophonous screech, the unicorn practically leapt upon the changeling in a fit of dread. Taken aback by the unexpected action, her irritation quickly dissolved as she understood the nature of the mare’s action. Wrapping a foreleg around the terror stricken pony, she patted her head, attempting to console her. As the movie concluded, the lights in the makeshift theater brightening while the credits rolled, the two looked at each other.

“S...sorry about that,” Stellar stammered, withdrawing from the changeling as she made an effort to save face. Easing herself down from her seat, she began heading towards the exit, her guest following closely behind.

“Eh, don’t worry about it,” Chrysalis mumbled. A part of her wanted to ruthlessly tease the pony, perhaps shifting into a nightmarish parody of a vampire, but another, deeper part of her screamed for her not to. She couldn’t fully explain it, but it just didn’t feel like the right thing to do.

The changeling and unicorn walked back to the house in silence, enjoying the cool night air. Reaching the mare’s home, and knocking the dust from their hooves at the door, the two entered. “I’m just going to take a shower and head to my room, feel free to make yourself comfortable,” Stellar said, still a bit on edge from the movie. Even though she knew monsters like that weren’t real, they still set her on edge, for whatever reason.

Chrysalis nodded, not knowing exactly what to say. Picking up the novel she’d began earlier, she wandered off to the guest room she’d stayed in the night previous, before flopping on the bed and listening to the sound of the shower running as the unicorn washed herself. The day hadn’t been particularly eventful but, even still, she was pretty tired. Her body, even though nourished and rested, was still making up for lost ground after having gone without proper care while on the run. It wasn’t long before she heard the soft sound of water cease, signalling her that she’d be able to clean up herself before hitting the sack.

“Um, hey,” Stellar said, appearing in the doorway while toweling her mane dry. “Is the bed alright?”

“It’s sufficient, why?” Chrysalis countered, eyeing her host with suspicion. Something seemed to be troubling the mare, but she couldn’t be sure exactly what.

“Well, I do have a queen size bed in my room, plenty of space if you’d like to join me,” the unicorn mused, blushing slightly at the offer.

“You wish to bed me?” the changeling said with a chuckle, that was until she saw the mare’s face redden even further. “I meant in the literal sense, but it’s not like we haven’t been intimate already…” she continued, grinning wolfishly.

“Oh hush! You know good and well that was because you were starving for love and besides, I’m sure you’re used to being surrounded by your brood so I didn’t want you to feel lonely,” Stellar shot back, scrunching her snout defensively.

Chrysalis’s smile faded at her host’s words, yet another reminder of everything she’d lost. True, she’d almost always slept by herself while in the hive but, in a very real sense, she was surrounded by her progeny. She shrugged, sliding over the side of the bed and getting to her hooves. “Sure, I’d hate to turn down such a gracious host,” she said, watching as the corners of the pony’s mouth turned up, “or disappoint such a cute mare…” The changeling stopped dead in her tracks as the words left her lips. ‘Did I really just say that,’ she thought, closing her eyes to clear her mind for a moment. Intended or not, the compliment seemed to cheer up the unicorn, who was now beaming at her from the doorway.

“Well you know where I’ll be, feel free to join me whenever you’re ready,” Stellar said, trotting off to her room.

Heading to the shower, Chrysalis played and replayed the scene which had just unfolded. For the life of her, she hadn’t intended to say what she’d said; it just sort of came out. She wouldn’t have thought that something so seemingly trivial would be as disconcerting as it was, but that had never happened before. Of course she’d complimented ponies in the past, but always as part of a ruse or charade, this had been a spontaneous utterance in the truest sense. Quickly washing up, and drying herself, she trotted back to her room, stopping at the door before wistfully glancing down the hallway to her host’s chambers. Taking one step, then another, she continued down the hall. Poking her head inside Stellar’s room, she spied the pony lounging on the bed, a small pair of reading glasses perched on her snout as she poured over, what appeared to be, another mystery novel.

“Ah, there she is,” the mare softly said, setting the book down and patting the open mattress beside herself. “Come into my parlor, said the spider to the fly,” Stellar teased, caressing the blankets before breaking out in a fit of laughter. “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself!” she snickered.

Chrysalis gulped. Of course the mare had meant it as a joke, but something about the look in her eyes and her tone made the changeling’s heart skip a beat. The notion that she, a changeling, were to be the unassuming prey of some greater predator, was discomfiting to say the least, yet oddly thrilling. Crossing to the bed, the queen slowly crawled under the covers, wiggling a bit to get comfortable. Turning her back to the pony, she soon felt movement.

“Well, I’m probably going to doze off soon,” Stellar yawned, snuffing a lamp which sat on the nightstand. “Just poke me if I snore too loudly,” she muttered, resting her head on the pillow before closing her eyes.

Had it really come to this? Queen of the changelings, having lost her hive, now in bed with a unicorn. Chrysalis stared at the wall for what felt like hours, replaying all of the events which had led her to where she now lay. Suddenly, she felt movement again as a hoof wrapped around her torso. Inexorably, Stellar wriggled closer, embracing her in a hug. Looking over, Chrysalis realized that the mare was fast asleep and, judging from the silly grin on her face, dreaming about something pleasant. The warmth of her fur, the fluffy blankets, and soft light of the moon creeping through the window; somehow, for whatever reason, it was all extraordinarily soothing. Before she knew it, she’d drifted off to sleep; held in the hooves of a mare she’d only recently met, and one who’d saved her from an unknown fate.