Mostly Routine Patrol

Shadow pranced ahead of Sterling. Six days had passed, and every night she’d tease him relentlessly with her flirting. On two nights she’d gone to bed first and clearly done something to fill the whole tent with her sweet, flowery musk to a level that he had to sleep with the flaps open, the only way to get fresh air.

The previous night he’d gone to bed first and had awoken with an erection that pressed against his barding so hard the outline was more like a hidden leg; and she was looking at it with wet lips, probably at both ends knowing her, he thought at the general memory. Now, ahead of him, she hovered at just the right height so every time he looked up at her, he could see her damp marehood.

Does she ever go dry, or is it some kind of curse she’s under? Maybe a ritual involving several long vegetables and her locked in a cell will cure her, he thought while gazing up at the moon looking down on them.

She turned around and grinned at him. “So, just wondering… but I’m a little self conscious. Do you think I’m cute?” she gave him the sweetest expression she could, which still had her fangs on display to him. When he looked at the ground she landed beside him. “C’mon, I must have something about me you like.

“Is it my eyes? My mane? My firm and well toned flanks?” she bumped hers to his. “C’mon. I need a stallion to tell me if I’m cute… and since you're the only one here, I have to take what I can get.”

He looked aside at her, thoughts of duty and respect on his mind. “I really like your mane.”

She looked at him deadpan. “And…”

“And, that’s all I’m willing to say on the matter.”

She huffed through her nose. “Fine, then I guess I’ll have to work with that. I’m scouting from above,” she said and hopped into the air and flapped her long wings he admired dearly. He actually liked everything about her, but for Celestia’s sake, he couldn’t act on them as an honorable Guard.

“Hey, Sterling! I see a town ahead, about two hours at your pace.”

He called his map to him and looked it over. “There’s no town on this road. Towns don’t just appear overnight.”

She flew to above him and left. “Well, maybe that map is as old as this forest. Towns can be built in a couple months, c’mon. Let’s check it out, got any speed left in those knees of yours?”

“I happen to be one of the fastest soldiers in the platoon, for your information.”

She looked down at him slyly. “Hopefully you can show me that’s not true with everything.”

With a roll of his eyes he took off and left a trail of dust behind him. “Wow, I thought earth ponies were the fast ones… wait up!” she flew higher and gave chase.

Forty-five minutes of galloping and flying later, they looked out over the town. It was unassuming, with wooden buildings and multicolored splotches moving from place to place.

Shadow dropped on top of his back and heaved a deep breath. “What… the… hay? Do you ever… get tired?” She inhaled deeply and let her wings splay out.

He looked back with a smile that sent chills down her back and to her tail. “I may be fast, but I can go for a long, long time.”

She gulped and slid over him a little to try and see under him, yelping when he bucked his rump and sent her flailing in the air. “Gah!’

“No time for your teasing. That town isn’t on the map, and we have to check it out. The mayor needs the permits and a certification of Royal approval on hoof authorizing them the creation and use of land dwellings on this route.”

Shadow got to her hooves and used her wings to wipe some dirt off herself. “Spoilsport. Fine, but my wings need a rest… and my legs are all sore now. Can you carry me, my big strong stud muffin?”

“You’re a soldier, walk it off and drink some water.” He turned and flicked his tail as he walked away. Shadow was unhappy with his refusal, again, but she noticed his tail swaying with his walk a bit more than she’d seen before.

Yes! I’m getting to him, I’m gonna get some. I’m gonna get some! Please let this place have a hotel and nice firm beds.

She followed after him and they walked down the sloping hill to the unknown town, several shouts calling to one another about approaching Guards. “Hey, do you think they see us? Just a hunch.”

He didn’t answer, choosing to ready a shield and stun spells. He watched where he walked, and she did the same using her enhanced sight and hearing to scan the trees around them and listen for hidden ponies in the shadows.

They arrived at the town’s edge to be met by several earth ponies. “Greetings and welcome to Earthtown; may the land be fruitful as you pass,” a mare announced and bowed.

“Uh, hey…” Shadow started from beside Sterling.

“Thank you for welcoming us to your town. Is the mayor available?”

“Mayor Stone is on his way, would you like some freshly harvested vegetable salad, maybe some juices fresh off the vine or tree?”

Shadow’s ears rose. “I’d like some juice, please.”

“Ha, nopony’s ever said no to our fresh made juice. Made the earth pony way, no offense, and I don’t know if any ever will. Please, follow me to the diner.”

...

“The juice was great, can I get some more? Second juiciest thing in here,” Shadow elbowed Sterling, who didn’t reply or respond.

“Something isn’t right here. Where’d everypony go?”

“Probably to get more food and snacks for us. We’re awesome, after all. And why didn’t you drink your juice? Can I have it?!” she asked hopefully. He pulled it back when she reached for it. “Hey, sharing is caring, right?”

“Come with me.”

I’ve been trying to, but you won’t jump my back and pound this like a baker making me have fresh hot buns. “Okay, why?” Shadow replied happily.

“I need to check the area. I don’t even see anypony outside.”

She swished her tail as he led her out, her eyes trying to see anything out of normal.

Once outside they noticed the town seemed abandoned. “Hello? Where’d everypony go?”

“I don’t like this. Stay ready for anything.”

A new voice spoke from an alley beside them. “As you should, little morsels,” there was a deep sniff, “ah. I can smell the feelings you have for one another. Lust is its own flavor we haven’t tasted for a long time. Why don’t you rest for a little while and let us share your experience?”

A green bolt of magic lanced at Shadow, but thankfully it was deflected by a magical barrier. She still whined at the attack and shied closer to Sterling. “How about I squash you bugs and let my friend here snack on you instead?”

“Ew! Well,” she licked her lips and looked at the changelings that were approaching around them, “maybe you’ll taste better with some salt and vinegar.” She hissed loudly back at them. “I think I’ll start with you,” she pointed to a random bug that stopped and pointed to itself. She nodded and saw the bug step back.

Several changelings rushed the shield. Shadow inhaled deeply and opened her mouth. Sterling didn’t hear anything, but he saw changelings drop to the ground, covering their ears. Her face was scrunched in concentration as he lowered his shield and quickly began casting sleep spells on the changelings writhing on the ground.

“Well, that was easy,” he said giving her a shove that broke her focus. She stumbled from his shove and looked around.

“Huh, that worked better than I thought it would. I heard echoes work on them, but… just, that’s neat.”

“Wanna help me tie them up?”

“Ooo, a little BDSM? Save some rope for me, I’ve been a naughty mare,” she moved closer to him and smelled him.
He stepped back.

“Hardly. Help me wrap these things up, then we can worry about everything else.”

She pronked in place. “Yes! C’mon, help me get these ones first. Hey, if these things can change into anything, could we have them change into both of us and we have to figure out who’s real?”

“No! You heard them, they’ll drain us dry.”

She snapped her attention to him and flicked her tail in frustration while he was looking away. I wanna drain you dry!

“Yeah, I know,” she sighed and returned to helping him tie them with complicated knots. “Hey, we just captured these things and… oh no! What about the ponies they’ve already taken?” She shouted and moved faster, looping steel lined ropes between the holes in the changeling’s legs.

Sterling moved the creatures in a large group and pulled the rope taut, until there was a circle of snoring bodies with a magically locked rope holding them together.

Shadow galloped to the diner and chirped her echo while stomping on the floor, before running behind the bartop. “What’re you doing?” Sterling asked the mare as she knocked over some bottles that were actually full of water in different colors.

“Looking for a secret room, just like in the novels.”

“I don’t think it works that way. We don’t even know if there are any ponies here, but if they are, why would they hide them in the- gyah!”

“I think I found it! Sterling?” She hopped over the bar and looked at the opening in the floor. “Wow, that’s a long fall. You okay down there?”

He groaned in reply, and when she landed next to him, he groaned again. “Gonna… get you for this.”

“What? All I did was save a few… woah.”

He got to his knees and looked out at the dozens of glowing pods, water from upstairs dripping through the cracks onto some of them in the massive cave the changelings had created. The pods’ green light showed them holding mostly ponies, with a gryphon or three as well as a group of diamond dogs. Shadow yipped in joy and ran to the nearest pod, hugging it. “I saved a whole bunch of ponies and… other things! This is the best day ever!

“This,” she gestured to the pods, “is why I joined the guard! C’mon, let’s cut ‘em free and have a celebration party with lots of booze and-” a drop of water from above landed right on her nose stopping her as she shook it off.

“No, we call this in and let the nearest guard contingent handle it.”

“What?! But, all these creatures…”

“Are going to be fine. They’ve been here for an untold amount of time and need professional help to recover. We can’t offer that. We’ll be releasing dozens of creatures with no idea what’s going on.”

She pouted and whined, looking between the pods and the twitching creatures within. “Can’t I just let one out?”

“I’m sorry, Shadow. We have to leave them and the changelings here until help arrives.”

She sighed and backed away, looking at the unicorn in the pod. She turned away and moved to the hole they’d fallen in through. Opening her wings, she lowered her rear to the floor so he could climb on her back, and, with a lot of struggle, clambered back up to the main floor. “When I thought of you on my back, this isn’t what I was implying.”

He hummed dismissively. “I don’t know what you mean.” Damn your flanks are firm.

“Whatever, we’re here, get off and watch the hole.” You were watching my hole, why didn’t you wanna get into that one? Jerk!

Once outside he focused and lit his horn, casting a spell to call for at least a platoon to their area. They dropped the sleeping changelings into the cavern and, in frustration, Shadow gulped down his juice. “Feel better?”

No, I’m out of ideas to get you inside me. “Sure, whatever. How long until help gets here?”

He shrugged. “About a day, tops. In the meantime, we’ve gotta secure the area and find a place to rest.”

“I’m sure there’s an open bed somewhere; I’ll go look. You watch the bugs.”

She left and returned quickly. “Find anything?” he yawned.

“Yeah, all these houses are furnished and everything. Probably just for their cover story. I found a room by the mayor’s office that has a great vantage point.”

“Okay. Oh, did you want to eat some of the peanut butter chips we brought?”

She cocked her eyebrow. “We didn’t bring any, just those ration chips that suck.”

He nodded. “Good, just testing you. We need a secret word or phrase to make sure we’re us.”

“Oh, like a safe word? How about cum-twat?”

He stumbled. “What?”

“Kumquat. What d'ya think I said?”

He shook his head. “Nevermind, must be the sleep getting to me. Using so much magic takes a lot out of a pony.”

"That’s not all I wanna get out of you," she grumbled to herself.