Rockhoof placed a heavy hoof just over the embedded spear, ready to press down on the shaft when told to. "Ready," he noted out loud in case it wasn't clear.

"Alright, and..."

Their patient suddenly changed, becoming smooth of flesh and strange of limb. Where there had been a wolf, there was suddenly a human, surprising the both of them. Rockhoof suddenly pressed down, the spear passing right through the altered flesh with a low squelch, fresh blood running onto the cot beneath him.

The doctor cursed, quickly moving to bandage the new wound. "Alright, alright, keep up that pressure! Whatever he is, we don't want any more blood than we have to have." And whatever he was, he would try to treat them, as was a doctor's duty to do.

Outside, the formerly royal sisters watched over the camp quietly. Things were becoming quieter. Surprised ponies were settling back down, going to sleep for the time they had. It would soon enough be time to move, and they would be ready for it. Celestia had a larger wing over her smaller sister. "You are almost an entirely different pony when it becomes time to fight."

"Mmm? I am but one pony, dear sister." Luna yawned softly, a hoof raised over her snout.

"Of course, but I can scarcely recall when you used to fight so fiercely." Celestia inclined an ear at Luna. "What is your secret?"

"There is no grand design here. There was a time when we had to fight in such a way far more often, but you have buried it under many years of peaceful rule. For me... it was not that long ago." She raised her eyes to the moon she held dominion over, where her essence had been trapped for many years. "I still remember the need for such violence quite clearly. If we are truthful, I would rather not call upon it, to instead revel in the simple peace of the world you have made."

"And here you are, with me." Celestia squeezed Luna gentla with her wing. "I am thankful for that. How strange, to have the younger of the sisters so bravely defending the older like that."

Luna shoved her suddenly. "What are you implying?! We are not that different in age. Besides, were it to come to a duel--"

"--I would accept a loss if it brought a smile to your face." Celestia interrupted with a gentle smile. "Perhaps when this task is complete, we can do something more to your liking?"

Luna perked at that. "Truly? There are a few things I've had my eyes on. But only if you promise to put as much effort into them as I have for this. I want my sister to engage it with me, not simply at my side." Floating out from her side came a brochure. "Have you had much chance to watch an opera?"

Celestia's ears danced at that. "Only when I had to in the name of royal duties," she confessed. "What is the appeal? It's just a bunch of strangely painted ponies wailing at one another, isn't it?"

Luna frowned at that. "Hardly. They sing the story they are acting out. Much like Twilight and her friends are prone to doing, but in a far more stately fashion. This is one I wish to see." She bumped the brochure up against Celestia's side. "It will be performed in Manehattan for some time, so hopefully we can make one."

Celestia accepted the brochure in her magic, bringing it around before her eyes to see the painted faces of the stars of the show. She still clearly didn't see the appeal of it, but Luna's hopeful face was hard to argue with. "Very well. You've played along with my wishes for some time. After this, we'll make it a little trip, a celebration for everypony here."

Luna blinked, glancing over the camp. "All of them?!"

"The five of us," Celestia narrowed down. "The merchants will likely not be inerested anyway. Rockhoof may be interested in seeing it. Trixie and Garou are wild cards in this, but it won't hurt to invite them."

"Is that show mare capable of enjoying somepony else's performance?" asked Luna with a genuine tone. "It drives me to wonder." She stretched out suddenly, her wings going wide and brushing Celestia's aside for a moment. "My shift will end soon. Let us see that our new companion will recover."

"A good idea." They both raised up and started for the medical wagon and hopefully the good news that everyone inside was doing well. Celestia's magic glowed along the flap, pulling it aside as she poked her head in, looking without speaking, lest she interrupt anything delicate in progress.

Inside, the doctor was seated on a stool, looking Rockhoof over. The larger pony had a variety of bandages but seemed in good spirits. On a cot was some strange creature, smooth and furless save for a few bits of hair atop its head and on its face and between its uncovered legs. The thing had a great bandage over its torso, practically mummified there.

Luna poked her head in just to the side of Celestia. "What is that?" She pointed at the sleeping patient with a complete lack of subtelty.

Rockhoof lifted his shoulders softly. "Garou, so far we know, lass. He became that, maybe the blood loss? Couldn't rightly say in the end, but it is him."

"And he'll live," added the doctor before he dabbed something along one of Rockhoof's many little cuts. "And so will you, but let's try to avoid any nasty infections."

Rockhoof hissed softly at the disenfectant, but accepted the ministrations without flinching away. "Medicine has changed since last I knew it, but if it keeps a pony on their hooves, I shan't complain much."

Celestia inclined her head towards the doctor. "Thank you for taking care of our friends."

"And thank you," he retorted with a smirk as he worked. "The once-wolf there saved a friend of mine. She was ready to panic when one of those reptiles burst into her wagon like that. Whatever he is, he's alright in my book."

"And deserves to be covered." Luna took hold of a blanket in her magic, covering the poor biped's exposed bits and tucking him in gently. "There we go."

Celestia nodded softly. "He did well. We all played a part; what makes a team great." Her eyes turned to Rockhoof. "Almost done?"

"Almost done," answered the doctor, setting the dabbing cloth aside and starting a fresh bandage over the area. "Now you stop getting cut up, ya hear? Scars may make the mares titter, but there is a limit."

"Ah can't be promisin' anythin' there, Doctor." Rockhoof dipped his head and rose up when the last bandage was placed. "But thank ye all the same. I would have waited fer nature to do its thing, but I imagine this is better."

"For now--" The doctor gently nudged Rockhoof along towards his friends. "We should let him sleep. I'll be sure to let you know if anything changes."

Evicted, the three ponies wandered away from the medical wagon. Luna had an ear turned back towards it. "His shapeshifting seems to encompass more than we thought it had. What else can he become?"

"A changeling, perhaps?" mused Celestia curiously. "Not that there's anything wrong with being one, in the end, but I am curious."

Rockhoof lifted his shoulders. "A brother of the battlefield, and little more. I won't be prying' unless he cares to share on his own."

Luna softly swatted his side with a hoof. "How stoic of you! Still, you're not wrong. He's been a loyal partner on the battlefield so far, so we should respect that. Sister, I'm ready to try to get some sleep. Rockhoof, care to join me?"

He began to blush brightly. She frowned softly. "In sleeping and little else, you oaf." Luna rolled her eyes as she moved towards Trixie's wagon with an agitated twitch of her tail.

Celestia gestured with a little toss of her head. "Go on and get some sleep. I already volunteered to take the last watch. I doubt the creatures will return soon after that last match."

"Not if they have a shred of sense," agreed Rockhoof, trailing after Luna to try and get some rest.

Travel resumed, the schedule unchanged in the face of the attack. They began across the soft sands and hard rock patches of the desert. They avoided walking under the hottest portions of the day, but made good time elsewhen, pushing deeper into the dunes that held their targets.

Garou awoke, the first sign of it being the creaking of his cot under altered bulk as he rapidly assumed his wolven form, rolling right out of his bed to his four paws but not making it much further than that. The doctor gently nudged him right back where he had come from. "You were badly injured, but you'll be alright."

"I'm already fine," he argued despite not having the strength to force the matter. "How's everyone else doing?"

"They all have less full-body holes than you do," gruffly answered the doctor, pointing at the cot. "Rest and remember you only get one life, so maybe handle it with a little more care?"

"If I did that, who would be watching over you?" He rolled each limb one by one before hopping back down, looking a little more certain on his paws. "I'm going to go say hi to them. Thanks for the help."

Though displeased, the doctor didn't try to stop him again, and Garou jumped free of the wagon. He found Trixie first, hauling her wagon along. "Hey."

"Hey yourself." She looked over him and the great bandage wrapped around his torso. "I did warn you that looked painful. Feeling better then?"

"Yeah, shoulda listened." He smirked softly as he walked alongside her. "I didn't feel like sleeping the entire day away."

"If you can make those shields whenever you want, why were you stabbed?" Trixie's shoulders lifted. "They hardly seem to take concentration for you."

"I just make it look easy," grunted Garou, tail swaying behind him as he ambled along. "Just like you do."

Trixie smiled at that, understanding. "It's true, Trixie makes many things look easier than they really are. Still, hardly the way to finish a show. Let's not do that again, hmm?" She raised her brows as one. "Oh, I just remembered; Trixie negotiated for you and got them to agree to an even split. Isn't that generous of me?" She looked quite proud, waiting for adoration for her behavior.

"You're the best," laughed out Garou, remembering the others had already agreed to do it evenly. "Where are the others, by the way? Not that I mind a little Great and Powerful company, just want to know where everyone is."

Trixie tossed her head back. "I have the front of the caravan, seeing as I have to be here. Not like you were volunteering to draw Trixie's wagon along. The others are further back, looking for trouble. Turns out they haven't found any so far."

Garou snorted at that. "They're looking in the wrong place, the way I see it."

"Oh?"

"The trouble's right here." He let his tongue loll a bit. "Isn't a Trixie enough for any caravan to handle?"

"Hey!" Trixie stomped a hoof down into the sand as she marched. "Trixie is a blessing, not trouble."

"Since when were blessing not trouble?" He moved closer. "Want me to take a turn?"

"Hm?"

"Pulling the wagon."

She looked tempted a moment but shook her head. "You're still hurt. The Great and Powerful Trixie will not allow an injured fan to make themselves worse just for her." She raised a hoof to point behind herself. "In fact, why don't you hop up and let Trixie carry you for a while. You deserve a little nap."

Garou was ready to argue being fine, but thought better of it. Trixie showing enough care to pull him along meant something. He nodded quietly and hopped up, curling there in Trixie's wagon. "Thanks..."

Author's Note

In this chapter, no one dies. That's good I think! Typed from Anthrocon. Good morning!

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