Luna paused and looked around as she exited the saferoom building, unsure what the proper protocol was for a slave returning to service on her own. What she could only call the courtyard of the camp was next to deserted, the cage was empty and there was only a single pony visible on top of the fortifications; who seemed to be more focused on eating than standing guard. Only the sounds coming from the main building gave testament to the camp still being in use.

No, no worrying, no getting hung up on what to do. You don’t need somepony to hold your hoof all the time. Just go in there and see what happens. Taking a deep breath she nodded and set off for the warehouse. The sound of her hooves on the stone made the lone guard look up, but he simply gave her a friendly wave and went back to his meal.

She paused at the door, taking a few more deep breaths and trying to prepare herself for whatever would happen when she went in. Just as her hoof grabbed the handle, the door swung inwards, jerking her forward. Before she could regain her balance there was a gasp and something slammed into her, shoving her back the other way; limbs wrapped around her body, squeezing tight enough to knock the breath from her. It took much of Luna’s focus to restrain herself from lashing out to free herself while struggling to process what was happening. Her vision was filled with a mass of green that looked like somepony’s mane and smelled faintly of strawberries. Strawberries?

“B-Berry?” The word was gasping and breathless, barely audible even to herself but it seemed to do the trick as the crushing grip around her ribs eased as the mare released her and stepped back.

“Hey you! Back for more?” Berry was grinning at her. Behind her a black coated, collared pegasus stallion stood, his leash laying on the ground and his expression a small, knowing smile directed at Luna.

“Umm, aye.” Luna wasn’t sure if the creek in her ribs as she caught her breath was entirely in her imagination or not.

Berry’s grin widened and she let out a small chuckle. “I knew it, I knew you’d end up being a total slut, especially after that performance, I mean, damn! Kind of a shame we didn’t have more of the crew around, you might have actually set a new camp record.”

“Record?” She was doing her best to follow what the excited mare was saying and was sure she was only partially successful at it. She looked back to the stallion waiting quietly behind Berry, “Umm, yours?”

“Mine? Nah, no way. Even if I was into that there aren’t enough cocks in here that could handle trying to take me for me to even come close.” She picked up the stallion’s leash and sighed. “Now, as much as I’d love to see, and help, you get fucked senseless again, I gotta go.” She leaned closer to Luna and rather firmly booped her nose. “And you had better be coming back again soon. I still want that threeway with you, me, and bird-boy.”

The unicorn rubbed her nose as the hoof was removed. “Oh, and just a heads up, “ Berry continued before Luna could respond further, “I’d stay clear of the cage till the yelling dies down, they’re having a Quiet argument.”

Luna blinked hard and her lips formed a silent ‘what?’. She blinked again and shook her head. “Umm, wait… a loud, quiet argument?”

Berry rolled her eyes. “I know, I know.” Behind the earth pony, the stallion smacked himself in the face with one wing and hung his head. “I mean, I do get it, kind of. Not the appeal of them, that one I just…” She shrugged and shook her head. “But whatever. Lots of stuff around here I don’t get off to, but if somepony does find something that does it for them, have fun! But don’t expect everyone around you to always play along with your fantasy either. Why can’t ponies get that?”

“I… do not know?” It was the only response she could come up with, having fully lost any idea what was being discussed.

“Yeah, me either. But someponies just have to dig in and complain about it. Just be glad my brother isn’t here, once he gets going about this he just will not shut the buck up! Makes me wish I had a cock all the time so I could just shove it down his throat when he starts ranting.”

“Your brother?”

“Yeah, I mean, only fair given how often I’ve sucked him off. Maybe I’ll bring him by, he’s not a big fan of this place but I’m sure he’d love to meet you.” Berry gave her a grin so suggestive Luna could feel her cheeks starting to heat up. “Oh yeah, that could be fun.”

The stallion tapped a hoof on the ground and cleared his throat. When Berry turned back to look at him he lifted up the leg his PipSub was attached to and tapped it with a wingtip. “Berry, the time?”

The mare groaned and waved her hoof at him “Yeah yeah, not like Punchy really cares if I show up for my shift a bit late.” She turned back to face Luna. “But he’s right, we do have to get going.”

“I see,” Luna took a step to the side, giving the two room to move past her as they left the building. “In that case, do not let me detain you further. It was a pleasure meeting you fair Berry.”

“Oh yes, yes it was indeed quite the pleasure wasn’t it.” Berry winked as she started to move past Luna, paused, then turned back to her and reached out with a foreleg.

Luna tensed, preparing herself to be pulled into another crushing hug, then relaxed and looked down at the leg in puzzlement as it simply rested gently on her shoulder. Looking back to the other mare, Berry’s expression had changed, her wide, mischievous grin had softened to a warm smile. When she spoke, her voice was quieter, lacking the slightly manic energy it normally had. “Seriously though, Fading, you are doing just fine here, alright?”

“I… umm… thank you?” Luna looked down at the leg resting on her shoulder then back to Berry’s warm, almost gentle expression and gave her a thankful smile, feeling herself relax a bit. “I mean, thank you. This one is pleased she is performing to her mistress’ satisfaction.”

“Heh, oh you are, but I wasn’t talking about that, at least not just that.” Her hoof tightened its grip on Luna’s shoulder slightly. “Look, I’ve spent waaaay too long around my brother to not notice when a pony is seriously nervous about interacting with other ponies and I just want you to know you are doing that just fine so far.”

Luna lifted her leg to rest on top of the one Berry had on her shoulder and looked away from the mare’s face, blinking a bit of excess moisture from her eyes as she did so. “Thou art not wrong and I thank thee for thine words.”

“Good. Just remember that everypony, and griffon, definitely every griffon, here wants you to have fun and enjoy yourself. Don’t feel like you need to do anything to prove yourself or to make us happy unless that’s what you want. Gregor doesn’t let creatures who aren’t like that into the crew.” She paused and let out a thoughtful ‘hmmmm’ for a moment. “Alright, Nova is kind of a dick, but there’s a whole long story with him I really don’t have time for. But other than that, you really don’t have to worry about anypony here not liking you or getting upset if you don’t talk or act perfectly. You are doing just fine.”

Looking back to Berry, Luna felt herself yet again at a loss for how to respond to the mare. After a pause just long enough to start feeling awkward she nodded and squeezed Berry’s hoof tighter. “Thank you, again. ‘Ti- it is good to hear that said.”

Berry chuckled, reaching out with her other foreleg to pull Luna into a slightly less rib creaking hug. “Alright, now you get in there and have fun, and I better see you again soon!”

Luna returned the hug this time, enjoying the embrace. “I shall do mine utmost to do so as soon as I am able, on that you can be assured dear Berry.”

“Good, do that.” Berry broke the hug and stepped back, waving Luna towards the still open doorway, her usual wide grin returning as she did so. “But for now, go get yourself fucked.”

Chuckling, Luna made for the door, her head held high, eager to find out what awaited her and completely unprepared for the heavy smack to her rump Berry delivered as Luna passed her. She stumbled forward, only avoiding falling on her face by grabbing the door frame. Looking behind her, Berry and her stallion were already trotting off across the square, the mare looking over her shoulder and winking at Luna once as she went.

Regaining her hooves and letting out an exasperated sigh Luna stepped into the warehouse, pausing to give her vision time to adjust to the dimmer light as she looked around. The camp was noticeably more active then it had been earlier, pairs and larger groups of slaves and masters scattered around the floor enjoying the various equipment. The nearest group was a cluster of stallions gathered around two mares locked into place on top of a pair of wooden beams. The stallions, no there was a mare standing among them too, the doms were working over their current victims, a large tray of pleasurably painful looking tools set up near them for use in coaxing moans and whimpers from the bound mares.

Luna took half a step towards them, there was space for another mare, and quite a few doms. Her eyes dropped down, tracing over the numerous freely displayed cocks, each one hard, pulsing and swaying underneath the stallions, ready for a good slave to do her duty and milk it dry.

She stopped and shook her head, No, do not rush, do not just mindlessly jump into the first thing that seems like fun. Giving the wonderful collection of shafts one last appreciative look, she turned to the rest of the warehouse. The largest collection of ponies was around a ring of sandbags. Multiple masked ponies stood around cheering and jeering at four collared mares in the center who were in some kind of heated combat involving large rubbery sticks or batons.

Intrigued, she stepped closer, staying back far enough to not join the crowd around the ring but finding a place to get a better look. The weapons the mares were using looked odd, too misshapen and unevenly proportioned to be any type of competently designed implement Luna had ever seen. In fact they looked more like... Ah, not weapons per se, I really should have expected that around here.

As she watched, two of the mares teamed up on a third. They managed to knock the mare to the ground, one of them quickly rolling her onto her back and grabbing her hind legs. She forced them wide apart while the second slid one of the weaponized dildos between the now spread legs. The fourth mare in the ring took the opportunity to grab a strap-on harness that had been tossed on the ground, quickly slipping it on and attaching her own dildo into place on it. As the standing mare started to force her ‘weapon’ into the helpless one, the fourth leaped on her back, slamming her strap-on home to a startled shriek from her victim and a loud chorus of cheers from the audience.

Competing for the right to be the first to be used after the fight has suitably excited their masters? There were enough ponies watching to make good use of all four mares. Or, is there another reason? Perhaps the 'loser' is the first used as punishment? She did have to keep in mind this area was centered around feigning a lack of consent and struggling to avoid being properly ravished. Perhaps the more well behaved slaves were being used to subdue the unruly ones?

She could picture the scene, fighting inside the ring, overcoming the struggling mare, pinning her to the floor and holding her there, feeling her struggle and cry out beneath her. Luna let out a soft, moaning sigh at the thought, being used to restrain the defeated slave as the first master stepped up, forcing her legs wide apart, watching the master's readied cock plunging into her foe. She would get to feel the slave squirm and moan under her as she was taken, ravished, shown her true purpose in life,allowed to watch closely as master after master pumped their seed into the helpless mare. Perhaps she would even be allowed to clean each glorious shaft of the delicious fluids that would coat it after they had had their turn.

She had to bite her lip to keep from moaning at the thought. She made a mental note to ask about the competition when she could; there were few things as satisfying as a thrilling battle followed by a vigorous rutting. Still, they unfortunately seemed a bit too engaged to appreciate her barging in at the moment.

She looked over to the cage, thinking to perhaps simply wait there for some dom to select her for their choice of pleasure. Whatever argument Berry had been talking about seemed to be over, the hooffull of mares inside were all spread out as far as possible within the confines; each one being sure to convey quite clearly that they were not speaking to the others. Luna decided to avoid the pen for the time being. She looked back around the large room, noticing for the first time the lighted windows in what Gregor had called his office. She grinned and turned to head for the stairs leading up, of course a returning slave should present herself first and foremost to her Master.

The door to the office opened before she had covered half the distance. Her master stepped out, looking behind him and talking to a grey pegasus who followed him out. When he turned back out to the floor he paused, a grin on his beak as he saw her. He leapt off the stairs, gliding down to the floor just in front of Luna, who quickly sank into a properly submissive bow.

His claws clicked on the stone floor as he came closer, his shadow settling on top of her as he took his rightful place above his slave. She trembled slightly with anticipation, waiting for some sign from him what he wished for her to do. He reached out and ran his talons down her neck. “I’m glad to see you back here. Are you ready to serve your master again?”

“Yes, Master.” She forced herself not to moan or lean into the talon, it was not a slave’s place to be so bold without the leave of her owner. “This slave exists for your pleasure. It is always ready to be used however its master wishes, and master Wood’s aid has helped this slave recover quickly to be ready to serve again.”

“I see.” Gregor’s talons slid back up along her neck and under her chin, lifting her face up till she was looking at him. “And does the slave have any thoughts on how she’d like to be used next?”

Was this a test? Of course a proper slave shouldn’t care how she was used so long as it brought her master pleasure. Though, was he asking her this question rather than his slave? Hadn’t she just been trying to find something that looked enjoyable enough to try out? But there were so many options, so many things she didn’t even know were options yet. It would be so much easier to simply let him-

Her rambling thoughts stopped as he let go of her chin. She froze, sure she’d taken too long to answer. “Just to avoid misunderstandings again, clockface.” He took off his mask, holding it loosely to the side as he gestured for her to stand up.

Luna pushed aside a quick flash of irritation, he was right, she’d been stuck going around in circles in her mind over how to deal with the situation, but that didn’t make her any happier that she’d gotten herself into that position again. She stood up, closing her eyes and taking a few moments to clear her mind, Gregor waiting patiently for her.

“I apologize for-” she was cut off as he pressed a finger to her lips.

“Now now, none of that. This is still your first time here and it’s just better to do things this way till we get more used to each other's ways of communicating in character.” Luna nodded her agreement as he pulled his arm back and stepped closer, his voice low enough not to carry far from the two of them. “I don’t think I need to ask if you’re recovered and ready to go, but how’s Wood doing?”

She blinked, taken by surprise by the question. “He is good, I believe. He really was quite remarkable at helping me cleanup and recover, and yes, we talked about his own problems; as I am sure you were hopping when you sent him with me.”

He nodded to her, “Guilty as charged. Is he feeling any better?”

“Yes, he wanted to spend a bit more time alone to think some things over, but he is feeling better. We made tentative plans for later together,” She paused and looked around, though no-pony else was paying attention to them save the pegasus who had been following Gregor, and he was standing far enough from them not to intrude, she still felt uncomfortable talking so openly about these things.

Gregor clearly understood her hesitation as he held up a talon. “Alright, I don’t need the details, I’m just glad you were able to help him out. So now, we return to my first question, any particular thoughts on what you’d like to try next?”

She looked around the room again, so many choices, so many wonderful ideas. She turned back to Gregor and shook her head. “Neigh, there is too much for me to pick a single thing.”

“Hmmm,” a grin spread across his beak and he looked back, gesturing with a wing for the waiting pegasus to come closer, “In that case I might have an idea. Do you know about the Wastelands?”

“Not a lot, just that they are part of the Borderlands section, along with this area and the one called ‘The Core’ and something about them being, as the name implies, the more ‘wild’ of the three.” She started to curse herself for her lack of expected knowledge before catching herself and forcing those thoughts down.

“More or less. Around here it’s left to the Society members to get creative with their fun, out there is where the laboratory ponies get their chance to play around. It has quite the selection of creatures who are all rather single mindedly focused on ravishing anything they can catch.” His grin spread into a wide smirk as he nodded his head at the stallion next to him. “Steel here is planning on heading out on a, let’s call it a hunting expedition to find a few of these, and there’s room for a bit more ‘bait’ on the trip. Interested?”

Luna started to nod eagerly before forcing herself to calm down and think it over first. She only had a general idea what she was agreeing to, but the thought of being staked out and used to attract some feral beast who would use her as a brood-sow... she bit her lip to hold back a moan. Besides, ‘tis not like we would be alone, if things did get out of hoof there would be trustworthy ponies on hand to lend their aid.

She forced herself to wait a few more seconds, to be sure she had thought this through and wasn’t simply jumping in blindly, finally she nodded. “Aye, that does sound interesting.”

“I had a feeling you might like that.” Gregor stepped aside and gestured from the pegasus to Luna. “Steel, this is, as you no doubt figured out, the newest member of our little group, Fading Crescent.”

Steel stepped closer, giving Luna a polite nod. He was a tall, well built stallion with a coat the color of the metal he was named after. His lighter grey tail and mane were cropped short. Between his build, mane cut, and the way he held himself Luna was fairly certain he was a guard, or at least had been at some point. “I heard you put on quite the performance during your introduction, kind of sorry I missed it.”

She felt her cheeks threaten to heat up as she returned his nod. Gregor let out a quiet chuckle before gesturing at Steel again. “And Fading, this is Steel Plate. Any questions before I leave you two to get ready to head out?”

Is there? Luna tried to think of anything she ought to ask but failed to come up with anything pressing enough to inquire about so shook her head. “Neigh.”

“Alright. In that case you two have fun, I look forward to hearing how it went. In very great detail.” He winked at her before stepping back and turning away, heading off towards the crowd near the fighting pit.

Steel stepped closer and held out his hoof, which Luna shook. “Guess that covers introductions. Want to get back in character and head out?”

“Aye, clockface.”

“Clockface.” His expression changed, turning harder, his welcoming smile becoming a leering grin. “Time to see what the new fuck-meat can do. Hopefully you’ll give us a good show.” He stepped closer and pulled out a leash.

Fading bowed low, stretching out her neck so her master could more easily reach her collar. “This slave shall do her best to perform to your satisfaction.”

Her master paused a moment then leaned in to secure the end of the leash in place. “Wow, you broke hard, ha, oh you are going to be a fun one to have around here.” Fading beamed at the praise, though remained obediently in place. Steel took up his end of the leash and trotted off, leading the slave behind him, keeping the leash just taunt enough to drive home he was in charge without actually pulling her.

He led her back outside the warehouse and around to the alley on the side of it where the rest of the hunting party waited. Two stallions, an earth pony and another pegasus, were securing themselves into the harness of a small wagon. In the bed was a cage with two mares huddled inside.

They waved as Steel came close, their leader returning the greeting and stepping to the side so they could see the mare behind him. “Good news, Boss hooked us up with a third tasty little treat.”

Fading could feel both stallions look her over, appraising her. She kept her head down, but was able to see enough to feel she recognized the earth pony, she was fairly certain he’d been part of her ‘welcoming ceremony’.

“Ohhhh, he’s loaning out the new slut already?” She wasn’t sure which one of them was speaking. “Nice.”

Steel pulled on her leash and made for the rear of the cart. “Yup. You two ready to head out?”

“Soon as you get the new meat secured, yeah!” The pegasus looked back at them then shrugged himself more securely into the harness as Steel opened up the cage.

Steel nodded for Fading to climb up into the cage. “You going to do this the smart way, or do we get to have a bit of fun making you?”

She shook her head and approached the opened hatch. A small set of hoofrests were set in the cart to help ponies climb up. “This slave knows her place master.” With that she climbed up into bed of the cart. The two other mares were at the front of the cage, both with a chain connecting one foreleg to the cage bars. Fading took a seat next to an open manacle, presenting her foreleg to be secured. Once done, Steel locked the cage door again and flew over to settle in the cart’s driver seat.

“Alright, let’s get going.” The cart lurched as the two stallions started pulling, moving slowly at first till they’d cleared the alley then stepping up to a brisk trot as they pulled onto one of the larger roads leading away from the camp. The sound of their hooves created a familiar rhythm; Fading closed her eyes and focused on it, counting out beats in her head, it was the same timing she’d often heard from the guard's training fields. So, I was right about Steel, and likely his companions as well

“You going to sleep the whole way out?” The unfamiliar voice broke her out of her thoughts, she looked over to her fellow captives; one was a unicorn the other pegasus, and the expectant look on her face made clear it was the latter who had spoken.

“Pardon, this slave was merely lost in thought for a moment.”

The pegasus rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Ah, one of those. Looks like you got some company Honey.”

The unicorn looked up and snorted, “There is nothing wrong about wanting to stay in character Lilly.”

“True, except it’s going to be a really boring ride out there if we all just spend it whimpering and huddled in fear in our corners because we’re about to be completely ravished by wild beasts with no thought beyond fucking our brains out.” She winked at Fading then turned back to her companion. “You know, instead of talking about how excited we are that we are about to be completely ravished by wild beasts with no thought beyond fucking our brains out.”

The unicorn, Fading wasn’t sure if her name was ‘Honey’ or that was simply a term endearment from the pegasus, let out an exasperated sigh and shook her head.

Lily chuckled and leaned closer to Fading, “Notice how she doesn’t have a comeback to that.” She reached her non-shackled hoof over, “Wind Lily, and this stick in the mud next to me is Honey Drop.” She looked back at said mare, “And don’t worry, once we’re close enough to make it worth it I’ll get back in character fast enough to be ready for this”

Fading shook the offered hoof, her eyes shifting between the two Remember, there is no ‘right’ way to act, do not worry about being ‘wrong’, everypony has tried to tell you this. She took a slow, deep breath and tried to smile at the two. “This slav- No I, I am Fading Crescent.”

“See was that so hard?” Lily moved back to sit in her corner, next to her Honey Drop sat up and leaned against the side of the cage.

“Fine, you’re not wrong. So, Fading, how are you liking this place so far?”

Fading blinked, her mind racing to find the right… No, just, be honest, that is the ‘right’ answer. “It has been wonderful.” She felt a more genuine smile spread across her muzzle, “Everypony has been so helpful and welcoming. I hope I have a chance to come back soon.”

Honey chuckled and her and Lily exchanged a knowing look. “Wow, glad to hear it, thought you might be put off by how dull things are right now.”

“Pardon? Dull? Tonight has been nothing of the sort.”

Lily shrugged her wings and leaned back, “Well, guess it helps when you start the night off getting fucked by half the crew.”

“And don’t know what to compare things to.” Honey chimed in.

“True, and that.”

Luna cocked her head and looked between the two, “This is not the normal level of activity here then?”

Both laughed at that before Lily responded, “Nah, I mean it’s busier than it has been lately cause it’s a weekend, but no, this is like, half the ponies we usually have. Not just talking in the crew, the whole Tower’s been slow for the last few weeks, and it’s only going to be worst next week, so good thing you came when you did.”

“Is something going on?” She hadn’t heard of any trouble within the Society that would cause such a situation, surely Starsong would have told her if she’d known something was wrong.

“Ummmm, yeah, huge ceremony next weekend!” Lily waved her forelegs, causing the chain to rattle, accentuating her words.

“Oh, yes, the wedding.” Luna forced herself not to facehoof at having missed something so obvious. “I can see how that would keep many busy but, enough to cause that much of a decline?”

“I mean, royal weddings are kind of big news.” Lily started before Honey took over.

“But yeah, the rest are just getting ready for the real event here. A royal wedding is great for all the ponies that get to attend it I guess, but the Eternity Collaring is going to be so amazing!”

Both mares let out excited squeals, Lily’s hooves tapping excitedly on the bottom of the cart. “I know right! Cadance is going to go all out, and since she’s with Shining Armor you know that Twilight Velvet is going to have something special planned.”

“I’ve got five lashes riding on there being at least three separate tentacle pits.”

“Smart move, at least one is a given with her.”

Luna did her best to look interested but confused at their talk, the last thing she needed was to let slip just how much she knew about what was being planned. With any blessings of Fortune they wouldn’t- “So, any thoughts on what to expect.” Lily’s question shattered that hope.

“I… am not sure what to expect? I have not heard much rumor of the event.” That should be safe, and mostly honest, We have not heard much of what is expected by others.

Lily shrugged her wings, “Fair enough. I just hope it ends up taking the top spot for ‘biggest unplanned orgy’ from,” her expression grew nervous and she leaned in close, her voice dropping to a whisper, “The cupcake incident.”

Honey shuddered and flinched back. “I wasn’t even here for that one and,“ She shuddered again and shook her head.

Luna looked between the two, truly confused this time. “The ‘cupcake incident’?”

Lily nodded, looked briefly to Honey who looked around nervously then nodded, “You ever hear the expression ‘there wouldn’t be a rule telling you not to do something stupid unless some dumb foal’s already tried doing it’?”

“Aye.”

“Well, there’s a reason the Erotic Bakers Guild has one of the largest rulebooks of any non-root guild, and half those rules call out The Pink One specifically.”

‘The Pink One’? Cadance? No they already called her by name, and she is not much of a baker that I know of. Then who? Her eyes went wide as she realized the pony they were talking about. “You mean Pin-”

Her words were cut off as Lily lunged forward and pushed her hoof to Luna’s muzzle. “Shhhhh, the last thing we need right now is her to pop up.” Luna nodded her ascent and the hoof was removed. “But yeah, her.”

She waited for either of the two to say something else, when neither did for several seconds Luna turned to look out of the cage. At some point while they were talking the cart had left the decrepit buildings of the Ruins behind and they were now moving through a dry, desolate wasteland coated in something that looked like an equal mix of sand and dust. The terrain rolled in sloping hills, keeping visibility low. The hills were adorned by scattered, sickly looking plants or the dead husks of them, just enough to break up the monotony of the dusty sand, but not enough to provide any sort of cover.

As they passed by one hill that loomed above them the plain continued down into a shallow crater. At the bottom, a white and blue pegasus mare was being held aloft by a trio of creatures; they were vaguely pony shaped, though their flesh seemed half melted, and they quivered bonelessly as they moved. Each of the monsters had numerous fleshy tendrils coming off of its body in random locations which the three used to hold the helpless mare in the air above them as they fought for their turn to relentlessly fuck her.

Luna watched the scene till the bottom of the crater slid out of sight and a hoof touched her shoulder making her jump and twist around, much to Lily’s amusement. “Yeah, the Tentuars are fun…” she trailed off and looked back to Honey, “Is it Tentaurs or Tentataurs? I can never remember.”

“Hmmm, pretty sure I’ve heard both.”

“Eh, doesn’t matter.” Lily turned back to Luna, “Anyway, as I was saying, those things are fun, but they are nothing compared to what we’re headed for, Rapeclaws are the-”

“Hey! Spoilers!” Honey cut her off, causing Lily to roll her eyes and turn back to her friend.

“Seriously, where are we, a comic shop on new Power Ponies issue day? I know you want to be surprised but do you know just what a Rapeclaw is?”

Honey glared at the pegasus and begrudgingly shook her head.

“So all you know is the name, which tells you it’s some sort of clawed monster that wants to rape you; which is like half the creatures out here, and the half don’t have claws.” Lily looked back to Luna and shook her head. “Also, yes that is their actual name, no I have no idea why the buck we keep letting the lab ponies name these things either.”

“Yeah yeah, but it’s still something I didn’t want to know!” Honey cut in and stomped her hoof on the floor.

Luna tuned out the argument, neither of the mares seemed truly upset, their tone and expressions looked more like friends rehashing a common and familiar argument and their comments had brought up a point to consider.

As much as surprise is desirable, there is much to be said about knowing what one is getting oneself into. She lifted up her PipSub and tapped it awake. While the device’s own storage was limited, she had made sure to copy the entire section of the guide book dealing with The Borderlands into hers and it took only a few seconds to bring up the entry on Rapeclaws

Rapeclaws are the apex predator of the Wastelands. Following the destruction of…

She skimmed over the sections describing their origins and the lore behind them, reminding herself to actually sit down and fully read this section soon but for now she wasn’t sure how much time she had and wanted- She came to the section she was looking for and felt her jaw nearly hit the cart bed.

The diagram of the monsters’ most salient feature was incredibly detailed and it took her some effort to look away and read the descriptive next.

Being a mutated fusion of Diamond Dogs and Dragons, the Rapeclaws genitals are a fusion of both species’ most notable features leading to a creature with a dual canine genitalia structure, each one consisting of both draconic spined ridges and a knot at the base.

Luna looked back to the picture and bit her lip. Part of her noticed a dampness spreading under her but it was ignored, as was the way her breathing was growing fast and shallow.

A loud bark of laughter finally made her look up, both other mares were staring at her, Honey holding a hoof to her mouth to stifle her laughter, while Lily made no such efforts to hide her amusement. “Heh, see, heh, see what knowing gets you? Ha, somepony’s eager to get there now, isn’t she?”

Luna dismissed the illusionary PipSub screen and did her best not to blush. She was saved from having to reply by Steel turning around and tapping a hoof on the cage. “Not to interrupt you ladies, but we’re here.”

Author's Note

This chapter grew a bit too big and had to be split.