Thorax felt his wings getting tired, it had been a long flight after all. Even though he’d spent it transformed into a pegasus, which had stronger wings than his natural form, the strain was noticeable. The sky was also turning pink, the sun having halfway sunk beneath the horizon. Even if he was stronger, he wouldn’t be able to fly much longer. It was time to find a place to spend the night.
To feed! His belly reminded him, but he had no intention of following through on that particular urge. It was why he had left his hive, after all. As much as it had been a moral choice, it had been a practical one as well. The hive was starving, the love they had conquered during the Canterlot invasion already dwindling. Despite the losses the hive had sustained during that debacle. New soldiers were bred to replace those who had fallen, or worse, deserted like him . Noling would miss him if he was gone. He wasn’t much of a soldier, and far too compassionate to be a good harvester. He was just another mouth to feed. They’d be better off without him.
So he told himself.
His real reason for leaving was that he couldn’t do it anymore. He couldn’t keep on killing. It made him sick whenever a pony was brought in to be drained dry, or if it was lucky, placed in a cocoon to be nothing more than a living battery.
So he left, and he felt better for it. He was constantly hungry of course, not willing to do the things he had to do in order to keep himself well fed, but that was nothing new. In fact, he had grown stronger; being constantly on the run, stealing food whenever he could. He was stronger on his own living on scraps than he had been for a long time when he had to share everything with his brothers. Turns out pony food could keep you alive. Oh, it did not still the hunger, not one bit, but it fueled your body, built it up.
He squinted at the horizon, spotting the edge of the forest he had been flying over all day. Good, he wouldn’t like to have to sleep in it. There was something unnerving about the thick dark trees of the Everfree, something he’d rather not find out. Sleeping on the ground was preferable to being attacked by who-knows-what.
“Score!” He cheered as he spotted a building by the edge of the forest. It was a big one too, a big red building, a barn! He would sleep warm, soft and safe tonight. Hay may be poor food, but it’d do in a pinch, and it made for a decent mattress.
He landed just out of sight from the barn. A flash of green turned him into an earth pony stallion. From what he had seen of farms, they tended to be run almost exclusively by the wingless ponies and he didn’t want to stand out. A smirk spread across his muzzle, he knew ponies. Even if they discovered him, he’d just be another bum looking for a place to spend the night. Worst case scenario they’d ask him to leave, in which case no loss, ponies were nice. They wouldn’t attack you on sight. Best case, he might even get some food out of compassion.
“Beggars can’t be choosers.” He mused to himself as he snuck up to the barn. He’d rather not be seen either way. He was an outcast after all, no need to take risks when you didn’t have too. He’d steal some hay, maybe even a few eggs if he was lucky and then he’d be on his way.
He didn’t know where he was going, not really. Where could he even go?
Though he had noticed that his journey was taking him closer and closer to Canterlot. The city was the site of his greatest failure. Greatest epiphany too for that matter. The place was full of love, maybe he could get a job, blend in. Find somepony so full of love that they didn’t mind him feeding on them.
Maybe, those were plans for later. First he had to sleep.
Nopony saw him sneaking up to the barn. The door gave a soft creek as he forced it open, but not loud enough for the nearby house to overhear he was sure. The lights were on and he smelled something delicious cooking. His stomach twisted, but he ignored it. Other ponies eating was a good thing. It meant that they were busy.
“And who are you?”
Thorax froze in the doorway. The barn had not been as empty as he had hoped. There was another pony in there, the owner no doubt. Thorax looked him over, it was the largest pony Thorax had ever seen. The red stallion towered over him, nearly as tall as The Queen, and much wider across the shoulders. Definitely not a fight Thorax could win, not in his emaciated state.
“I am sorry, I’ll just leave.” He said diplomatically, backing away from the hulking stallion who frowned at him. “I was only hoping to spend the night on your haystack, I swear.” A few steps and he’d be able to outrun the pony, he was big, but didn’t look that fast.
“Nnnope!” The deep voice caused Thorax to pause again. Did he intend to fight anyway?
“I’m sorry, I’ll leave, okay. I don’t want any trouble.”
The stallion shook his big large head once more. “Nnnope.”
Thorax let out a deep breath. Okay, he was a trained soldier after all. He could do this, even if he didn’t really want to. He took a fighting stance and prepared to transform into something with fangs.
“Nnnope.” The stallion repeated himself, taking a few steps closer, towering over Thorax once more.
“Is that the only thing you can say?” Thorax shot back, eyeing the stallion’s exposed thoat, one quick bite. It wouldn’t even be lethal, and then he could run away, well fed…
“Nnnope.” A wide smile was spreading across the stallion’s face, which put Thorax off his guard. “Ah can say other things as well, ‘case you hadn’t noticed.”
“Okay… like I said, I don’t want any trouble.” Thorax said, relaxing.
“It’s alright, you’re not the first we’ve had.” The stallion held out a hoof “What’s yer name?”
Thorax panicked, looking at the hoof, then at the ground. “Eh… Name’s Earth Hoof.” He chipped out, giving a nervous smile of his own and running a hoof through his mane. “Nice to meet you sir.” He took the huge stallion’s hoof in his own scrawny one. Instead of the bone crushing grip he expected, it was a gentle one, firm, but still gentle.
“Ah know how it is.” The stallion began, like Thorax/Earth Hoof had any idea what he was talking about. “You can sleep in the house, sister’s away in the Crystal Empire. Granny’s made carrot casserole.”
The laconic stallion then released his hoof, trotting past the startled changeling, nay earth pony.
“Eh, okay. That sounds nice.” He said, following the pony. “Thank you for the kind offer mister…?”
“Big Macintosh.” The stallion replied. “And don’t mention it.”
Thorax loved ponies, they were so kind and generous. So giving with their love. He would have no trouble finding a place to settle down in this land.
“So tell me about this Crystal Empire?” He began as he followed Big Macintosh into the farmhouse.
Author's Note
This story was written and edited in 45 minutes during the Alone panic prompt at Quills and Sofas Speedwriting
