//-------------------------------------------------------// The Ashen Wolf -by Raccoon Writer- //-------------------------------------------------------// //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 1: The ending of one life, and beginning of another //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 1: The ending of one life, and beginning of another P.O.V. None The sun was rising on another day, shining through the windows of the Hospital. The hospital staff were preparing for the long day of work they had ahead of them. *Beep….beep….beep…* To the doctors, nurses, and certain patients, it was just another day. Another day of saving lives, and attempting to save lives. But to one teenager, it was his last *Beep…...beep…...beep…* He had two tumors...both were inoperable, and both were killing him. Chemo did nothing to them, and there were no other treatments he could qualify for. *Beep……..beep……* To say he was prepared to die would be a lie. No one, not even a solider, is prepared to die. He had merely accepted that his fate was inevitable, and went on living his life as normal as he could. *Beep………beep……….* His friends were...downtrodden...at first. They tried their best to pretend nothing was wrong, but as time went on and he began having difficulty even lifting a plastic spoon...well, they cried. He had made a pretty big impact on their lives, cheering them up when they were sad, helping them with everything that he could, and yet they could do nothing to help him. *Beep…………...beep………….* He felt his time coming, but he had no last words. A nurse passing by saw the heart rate monitor was close to flatlining. Panic quickly ensued, with doctors trying to save him. They either didn’t know, or didn’t care, that his time had come. Well that and his terminal condition. *Beeep………..* He knew his end was aproaching, so he prayed to the gods he worshiped. He prayed to the Father of Time, Nox, and the Mother of Creation, Vex. He prayed, not for a better life, but for a life filled with challenges and hardships...more so than in his current. Unbeknownst to him, Vex and Nox were listening, judging his worth as compared to his request...and as fate would have it, his worth far outweighed it. *Beep…….Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-* As his final second in the realm of the living ended, so did end his bindings to his physical form. His soul was carried into the cradle of life, the spectral plane, and there he spoke with Nox and Vex. They asked him many questions...but one they asked carried more weight than the rest. They asked him why he would want a life with more hardships, rather than one without. His response was simple, respectful, and confident. “So that I may again learn all that I have learned, and more.” The gods shared a look of surprise, and respect. Many a mortal had asked for a harder life after theirs...but no mortal had ever answered that question in a way was not self loathing, or saddened. They decided they would grant his request...but with toexception. He would remember his previous life, and would be placed in an adults body. After that, he would be on his own. He, of course, agreed to the terms. That was the last act in this life. He opened his eyes to a forest, small rays of sunshine coming through a thick canopy of leaves..and Rainbow apples. After learning how his now quadruple, wooden, body moved, he used a small creek running nearby as a mirror. He was a wolf...of sorts. His body was comprised of wood, white ashy wood, red leafy ears, and orangish-red eyes. His only thought was...well it was more of a question “What do I even eat?” P.O.V. Ash After I questioned my idiotic first comment, I examined myself extensively. I decided to call myself Ash, half because of the nature of my appearance, and half because I loved The Army of Darkness. ‘So, I am plantlike in every aspect physically...as far as I know...yet I have the shape of a predator. I don’t feel hungry, so chances are I have either already eaten or I photosynthesize.’ I thought to myself. Before I could question my new form more, I heard voices...faint at first, but steadily getting louder. They were getting closer to me, so I hid amount the bushes. After a while, I saw a mismatched Frankenstein’s monster looking creature, and a purple pegicorn. “Eris, why are you following me?” The pegicorn asked “Because Twilight, I feel Chaos in the air...well that and Fluttershy wanted me to keep an eye on you. She’s concerned for your well being.” The mismatch creature said ‘Okay, purple pegicorn is called Twilight, and the other one is Eris. Are the populace of this world talking animals?’ I asked myself, before slowly following after them. After a few minutes, the one called Eris stopped, did a full 180, and stared at the bush I was hiding. “Are you really going to stalk us?” She asked...me “Eris...who are you talking to?” Twilight asked ‘She can...how can she...well might as well answer if she can see me.’ I nod “Very well, enjoy the view from back there then.” She said, before turning and walking again “Eris! Who’s out there?” Twilight asked, clearly annoyed “A new species.” She stated ‘So, not only am I in a new world, I am an entirely new speci- Purple Horse Psycho alert’ I thought when I saw Twilight’s face widen into a grin akin to that of Hannibal Lector’s smile. “New...species?” She said, snapping her head in my direction I bolted in the opposite direction. ‘And we’re running!’ I thought to myself as I ran. Even when I rammed into a stone wall thing, I didn’t stop. I didn’t stop until I reached the edge of the forest. Upon which I noticed a town, and a cottage next to the forest. The cottage was surrounded by animals of all sizes, and there was a butter Pegasus. ‘Animal lover much?’ I thought to myself. I started to recede back into the forest, but then I took notice of something else. I was leaking sap, and starting to get tired. ‘Must of happened when I hit that wall. What are the chances that Pegasus is a vet as well?’ I questioned before walking limping over to the cottage. I made it to approximately 2 yards away from the cottage before I collapsed and my vision darkened. ‘Damnit me, why do you always have to get hurt within five minutes of arriving somewhere?’ The last thing I heard before I blacked out was “Oh my…” //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 2: Talking ponies, and vicious relatives //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 2: Talking ponies, and vicious relatives P.O.V. Ash It had been two days since I first made contact with ponies, if you call ‘passing out from loss of fluids in front of a pony’ contact. The one I passed out in front of, the butter Pegasus, was called Fluttershy. She was a vet of sorts, taking care of her ‘animal friends’. From what I could piece together, she was keeping my existence under wraps. I would say she was amazing for that, but as I was kept in a metal caged pen...well you could assume what I thought. The bars were rusty, weak in certain areas, but I decided to earn her trust. She kept me in a back room of her cottage, and the walls were thin enough so I could hear what was going on around in the house, and partially hear outside the house. Due to me having nothing but free time, I got acquainted with my new form. I found that I was fast, strong, and felt almost no pain. I couldn’t really compare how I was to other creatures, but I was faster than the mice that dropped off the water and opened the blinds. They had brought fish at first, but after I tried it once I never ate it again. It changed me, made me a bit more feral, and made me crave it more...like crack, or meth. So, fortunately I nipped the becoming feral problem in the bud...but unfortunately I still crave it. I only hope that it will fade away. During the day three, I heard four new voices. Her friend, Rarity, was dropping off Applebloom, Sweetie Bell, and Scootalo for a sleepover. Those three rushed off to the southern part of the house, screaming something about crusaders and cutie marks. I drifted to sleep shortly after I heard animals panicking, and I awoke to screaming...from outside the house. They were outside, and being growled at by something. ‘Well, guess it’s time to prove I’m not just a monster.’ I thought to myself, taking a running start at one of the weaker sections of the cage. I broke through it, and my momentum carried me through the wall. ‘That’s one way to get outside.’ I looked around, and spotted the foals. They were surrounded by Timberwolves, and they were slowly converging on them. ‘So, either I try to reason with member of my kind who seem to be feral, or I start breaking wood.’ I thought to myself, leaning more towards diplomacy...but then I saw them huddle together, resigning themselves to hugging...almost as if they were accepting an inevitable death. ‘Breaking wood it is' thought as I lept over one of the wolves and positioned myself over the three foals. My size easily trumped theirs, and I seemed to have halted their approach. That’s when the largest of their pack stepped forward, and spoke. “Move aside outcast.” She said in a raspy voice “Hmmm...no thanks, I’m quite comfy here.” I said “Our prey is under you, now step aside. I don’t want to have to kill you.” She said again “Nooope.” “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She said, before growling orders at the others surrounding me. ‘One liner before a fight time.’ “You obviously…” I said, turning constantly to (attempt) to keep an eye on all of them. “...do not knooow…” I focused on one who looked like he was about to pounce “...who you are FUCKING WITH!” I yelled, causing two to rush me. I opened my maw, and clamped down on ones throat. It fell apart almost instantaneously, leaving nothing but the vine that made its jugular. The other clamped down onto one of my forelegs. I expected pain, yet surprisingly I felt nothing...well I felt a tingling, but other than that I felt nothing. A swift kick sent him flying, missing the teeth that were currently stuck into my left hind leg. The others were a bit hesitant after that...I guess they were expecting me to be weaker than what I was. Wait...was my kind a weaker subspecies of theirs? Oh who cares, this needs to end. Maybe now would be a good time for speech? If you want to lose more of your pack, Alpha, then please do continue in your assault. I offer you only one chance to run, as this blood sport is far to costly for you." I said, hoping and praying that this would work...I cared little for myself, but these three little 'uns had families waiting for them. My words seemed to have worked, as they gave one final unanimous snarl, they backed slowly away...into the forest. I waited till the stench had fully gone before I moved. When I moved, I moved as far away form them and this cottage as I could. I entered the forest, and took a path that looked familiar. A couple of hours later I ended up in the same clearing as when I first arrived...the rainbow apples, the shade, the little creek. 'If I was a christian, I'd call it The Garden of Eden...but I ain't a christian, so I will call it Sanctuary for now...at least until I can think up another name for it.' Upon closer inspection of one of the apple trees, I decided to give it a good old wack. That turned out to be a bad idea, as the tree wacked back in the form of lightning. 'Well then, I guess I have to rename you now. I shall call you, Shocking Skittle Trees! I thought to myself, smiling on the inside. It was only then that I noticed the scent of the apple trees...like a mixture of cookies and bubblegum. It was oddly pleasing to the senses. 'Now...I guess I shall make a fox burrow. Don't want my cousins to find me vulnerable after all.' After about two hours my 'little' fox den was complete. I had put it in between two of the trees, which was no easy feat....SHOCKING ain’t it? Anyway, after I was done, the sun had since set. I decided that sleep would be a good thing. I crawled into the burrow, blocked it with some dirt, and fell fast asleep. ”Come to me...” Author's Note Poorly written, but its the best I can do on two(ish) hours of sleep. I’ll edit it at a later date, but for now Imma pass out. Feel free to comment, tell me what I'm doing wrong...hell, you could tell me that this story is absolute garbage and I'd probably still reply with a thanks. I mean, it wouldn't be a nice thanks, but you get the idea. Have a nice day/night/afternoon/evening folks!