The Crimson-Red Star

Leaf Storm awoke abruptly from sleep; a wave of shudders racked her body. She had slept longer than she thought. All she did was sleep, hardly ever speaking or moving, seeing only darkness in the cave and feeling the unpleasant auric chill, of which she had gotten used to, of her hallowed caretaker. And it seemed Thaney had returned once again.

Leaf Storm watched the alicorn skulk in like a living shadow, moving so quietly and yet so quickly, her ghostly movements smooth and confident. A thump from the other side of the cave walls and the smell she had unfortunately gotten used to told Leaf that her savior had just come back from hunting.

Unable to drift back into sleep, she was forced to listen to the alicorn ravenously strip the prey's skin off to feast on the meat underneath. She could hear the tearing and squelching of the meat, followed by the alicorn's fierce hunger, devouring the corpse noisily. As usual, she had to stop herself from vomiting at the sounds, but the images were forming in Leaf's mind, and no matter how she tried to think about something else, it would fail. It was all a bit too unreal.

It didn't help matters either when Leaf could only eat berries that her generous savior could forage; she was beginning to lose weight during the days since she was rescued, and the berries could stave off pangs of hunger for only so long. She had asked the alicorn to scout further beyond the forest, but Thaney had refused, wanting to stay close to her in case she was in any danger. Though she was grateful for Thaney's loyalty, Leaf wished the alicorn could forage just a bit further from the cave.

Minutes passed, and once her savior had finished her meal, the alicorn cleaned herself up by using some kind of odd energy Leaf didn't fully understand. She could hear Thaney getting up and trotting towards her.

A thought crossed Leaf's mind, and she found it strange she never questioned it before. "Thaney," she began, sounding a bit concerned, "how can you eat animals without getting sick?"

The tall alicorn sat in front of Leaf, her head tilted to the side in confusion. "I do not understand."

Leaf Storm thought her question very understandable, but perhaps no one ever questioned Thaney about it. "I mean, those animals could have sickness and disease," Leaf clarified, "how can you eat something like that? Aren't you worried about contracting something from them?"

"Oh, I see." Thaney smiled; her teeth still stained with blood. She was using her tongue to savor the blood. "I have a strong immune system; I can stomach anything that lives and breathes, though I have preferences. I am quite resilient to the mortal toils like sickness and disease, even my empyrean energy helps out."

"Oh, okay," Leaf murmured, looking a tad flustered. "I'm not sure I understand it all, but just be careful, okay?"

"Of course," Thaney replied, the tone of her voice sweet and gentle. She peered closely at Leaf. "How are we? The pain accosting your back legs. How do they feel?"

Leaf Storm didn't know; she barely moved since she was rescued by Thaney and taken here to rest. Leaf could feel the dull aching of her legs, and when she moved them, she could seldom feel their strength returning. Thaney has been treating her leg injuries with a fierceness. The alicorn would do something to her legs that made Leaf feel like there was something wrapped around them, something big and bulbous. The process was working two days now, and yet when Leaf would put pressure on her legs, they would buckle and a sharp pain would make her coat ripple with a short, cutting agony. Today seemed to be hardly any different.

Thaney frowned, seeming frustrated, but only for a brief moment. "Let me see," the alicorn said.

Though Leaf felt tired as she always did these days confined in this infernal cave, she was determined to see what was on her hind legs and what exactly Thaney was doing to them. She stretched out her hind legs towards Thaney to examine. What Leaf saw was as she thought: something big, round-shaped, and black. It looked like a smooth-rounded scab clasped tightly on her back legs.

A disgusted shudder ran down the back of Leaf's spine. She never seen something so odd and clean. She watched in horror as Thaney, horn glowing a pale white to get a better look at the scab, bent her head down and opened her mouth wide, wider than a pony's mouth should, as if the alicorn's jaw was unhinged, and used her sharp teeth to puncture one of the bulbous scabs.

Leaf saw wisps of black air seeping from the punctured holes, and she felt the giant scab deflate, much to her disgust. It split in the middle before shriveling to the size of a raisin. Thaney flicked it away into the darkness and studied Leaf's wound. Three thick, jagged tears snaked down from her leg to her hoof. The wound looked clean from the outside; Thaney had cleaned it while she was unconscious.

Thaney placed a hoof on the wound and Leaf jerked a little. "Stay still," she ordered, but Leaf found that impossible.

"Could you be a bit gentler?" Leaf implored, sounding frail and tired. She tried to not make herself sound annoyed or ungrateful, but Thaney could stand to not be so firm.

Thaney stared wordlessly at Leaf for a couple of moments. She then leaned forward and gave her an affectionate nuzzle against her cheek. Shocked into silence, Leaf tried her best to not flinch away; she wouldn't know how Thaney would treat her rejection, and she was too perturbed to find out and test the alicorn's limits.

"Of course I can," Thaney murmured, sounding like a doting and caring mother. "I just want you to be well, and I believe I know what the problem could be."

Thaney had healing powers because of her birth, but the potency and efficacy have been restrictive while she's on Equus, as Leaf often heard the alicorn complain about the slow recovery of her legs. It made Leaf worry.

"What's been wrong with my legs?" Leaf uttered gently, a sliver of fear in her voice.

"The process has been unusually laggard," Thaney grumbled, gazing seriously at Leaf's back legs. "I suspected something inside the flesh is preventing a full recovery, so I went on a hunt for a few timberwolves one day while you were sleeping."

Leaf was shocked. "You shouldn't have gone through that; those creatures are dangerous!" Though Leaf knew Thaney could take care of herself quite well, she was afraid for the alicorn's life.

Thaney gave a low chortle. "You are sweet to fear for my life and chastise me, but I am dangerous as well," she replied with a cherry tone. "I am more dangerous than anything else on this planet, I assure you."

"What did you find out?" Leaf asked, trying not to feel too unsettled by Thaney's last words.

"After snuffing out their lives, I examined their saliva, and I found that their bacteria have the peculiar property to inject an infectious toxin, preventing wounds from being properly healed," Thaney explained. "It would slowly corrode the inside of a creature, weakening the prey or victim and causing pain before devouring them. I had tested the saliva on a creature I injured and killed, pouring some of the spit into a wound on its neck. I then attempted to heal the injury, and although most of the wound was cleaned up, it never closed up properly."

Thaney did all of that? Figuring out that timberwolf spit was infectious and prevented proper healing? Leaf never thought Thaney was smart, despite being weird and scary.

"The infection caused by the spit inside your legs haven't progressed since I was able to wall it off from spreading by healing most of your wounds," Thaney said, going on. "My restorative gifts aren't entirely enough because of this universe's restrictions. However, now that I know what this is, I know how to get rid of it. I did not foresee myself doing this, but I'd do it for you, my little friend."

Though strangely touched by Thaney's words and her conviction to heal her, Leaf wondered what the alicorn could do. "Do you have a solution?" she asked hopefully. Leaf would like to use her hind legs without any difficulty.

Thaney nodded, looking eager. "I will use my tongue."

Leaf was silent, unable to fully grasp what she just heard. Confused, she asked, "Your...tongue?"

Thaney smiled. It was unnaturally wide. "I created an antidote," she said, clarifying. "I used the timberwolf saliva and my blood, combining the two. My empyrean energy was used to act as a catalyst for the change, mixing the two substances into an antidote. I tested it on the dead animal I killed, and it worked. It should work for you."

Shuddering, Leaf Storm cringed and fought the need to vomit. "But...ugh... Why is your tongue the cure?"

"I drank the antidote," Thaney said simply, still gazing at Leaf's hind legs and unable to see the mare nearly upchuck. "No container to store it in and no needle or tool to aid with proper injection. My tongue is long and flexible and can be used as an alternative." She stared at Leaf. "I will have to burrow my tongue under your skin and wiggle my way through the flesh to properly apply the antidote, which is my saliva."

"I don't know about this, Thaney. It all seems so... It sounds ridiculous. Are you sure it'll work?" Leaf asked, disgusted. She was skeptical and hesitant about the whole thing.

"Yes," Thaney answered. She didn't seem doubtful of this plan, in fact, she was confident it would work. "If you are concerned about the bacteria of the various animals I have killed and eaten, your worries are understandable but unfounded. My empyrean energy removes all traces of ill or harmful bacteria. I guess you'll have a little bit of my DNA swimming inside you, but that is no cause for concern."

Leaf Storm imagined Thaney's tongue slithering inside her hind legs and immediately thought about dismissing her solution and asking her to find some other way. If there was another way, Thaney would have found it, Leaf thought, gazing warily at the alicorn. She strikes me as the type to do anything she needed or wanted...no matter who or what said otherwise.

"I will try not to hurt you, Leaf," Thaney said, sounding genuine for the first time, at least to Leaf. "Hold the need to squirm and writhe; I do not want to make any crucial errors. Understand?"

Leaf Storm was reluctant to go through the whole ordeal, but something about Thaney's assurances caused Leaf to dip her head in trust. "Okay," she murmured, suddenly feeling bashful. "I won't like it, but I trust you."

Thaney smiled at that, nuzzling Leaf roughly with affection. "Once your legs are healed, we will be leaving this cave."

Now that was something Leaf wanted; she didn't want to be inside this stuffy old cave anymore. Laying down, Leaf told Thaney to begin with the treatment, holding back shudders of unease and disgust.

At first Leaf could feel nothing, waiting in fearful anticipation. Seconds pass, and when she begun to relax, Leaf Storm felt something wet and slimy brushing against her right hind leg, and she fought not to shriek. It slithered over to her wound and Leaf could feel her coat standing up. Thaney's slathering tongue was entering the wound; Leaf Storm felt it wiggle through the exposed, cut skin, widening and burrowing deep into her flesh. She could feel it snake down until she knew it was near her hoof.

Leaf was shaking, her eyes were bulging in shock, her heartbeat was fast, and she wanted to scream. It didn't hurt, but having something long and huge writhing in her leg was extremely unpleasant. She could feel Thaney using a wing to hold her gently, yet firmly in place. The tongue stopped, giving Leaf a brief respite, but then it suddenly began moving against the muscle. Leaf felt something, like a poke or prod; it was a slight, familiar pain that she pushed to the back of her mind. Like a dull ache. Thaney must've reached where it hurt.

Leaf began to feel something else. It felt cold, and it moved slowly, but it also felt soothing. Leaf felt the ache ailing her right hind leg beginning to lift, disappearing until the pain she felt had finally ceased. A slow, murmuring sigh escaped her lips, and she began to feel relaxed. The tongue inside her leg moved again and exited her flesh.

"That was exquisite," Thaney commented, her voice was cheery. "You have quite the unique taste; it is a shame you aren't an animal I could prey on."

Leaf Storm huffed, pushing back annoyance. Though she was thankful of Thaney helping her, she wished the alicorn wouldn't say such weird things, especially after what just happened. One leg was healed completely, and now Leaf has to experience the...unpleasantness of Thaney's treatment again on her left hind leg.

"How does it look?" Leaf asked her, looking back. "Does my leg look okay?"

"The antidote worked perfectly; you are absolved of the timberwolf infection in your right hind leg," Thaney answered, touching Leaf's other leg and examining it closely. "Hmm... The treatment should work on the other. After this, we can head outside."

"Where will you be going?" Leaf asked.

"To visit my brother," Thaney answered, positioning Leaf's left hind leg and peering at the wound closely. "I have not seen him since I departed from Dawn; he must be worried, so I need to reassure him that I am well and safe. I was hoping you would join me."

Leaf was surprised. "M-me?" she sputtered, taken aback. "I don't know yet, but before I do anything I have to go to my tent and see the damages; I have something there I want."

"I've been to see it."

"You...have?"

Thaney nodded. "I tracked the timberwolves' scent that hunted you down and found a small clearing near here. It was quite messy, but do not worry, it looked like your possessions were still there."

Leaf Storm blushed internally. "Thank you, Thaney," she murmured gratefully.

Thaney let out a low chortle. "No need to thank me," she replied sweetly, smiling and showing off her serrated white teeth, but Leaf Storm wasn't as unsettled as she was before. "After I apply the antidote on your other leg, we will visit your tent and gather anything you deem worthwhile. In exchange, you accompany me to my dear brother. Would you like that?"

Leaf Storm could feel joy washing over her auburn-colored coat. She still wasn't completely sure about Thaney, but she trusted her. This alien had saved her life, brought her to a secure place of rest, watched over her, brought her preferred food and cared for her, treating her injuries and even making an antidote to cure her legs so she could walk. Sure, she was really weird and very scary, but it always seemed her heart or whatever Thaney has was in the right place; she just does things in her own creepy way.

Leaf Storm supposed she could join Thaney after gathering what she needed from camp. She liked Thaney, despite the alicorn's odd eccentricities, and she had the thought that the alicorn liked having her around, calling her a friend. She also wanted to see who this brother of hers was, and Leaf had a feeling that she should keep an eye on Thaney.

It's not that I don't trust her, but she seems to value my input and listens to me. It's a weird dynamic, she thought to herself, stifling a small snort of amusement.

Leaf Storm nodded. "I'd like that," she said, feeling a surge of excitement bubbling inside her. "I really want to leave this cave."

"Then let me treat your left hind leg so we can go."

Leaf Storm stretched, feeling out her hind legs after Thaney's treatment. They felt strong, much stronger than before. She paced in place a few times, then she jumped to the left and then to the right, testing out her legs. Everything seemed to be great, and Leaf couldn't be happier.

She was standing at the entrance of the cave, peering out to the world; this was the spot Thaney watched over her, often sat on her flank and gazing out to the forest in silence, scanning for danger. The lush greenery overtook her sight, and she had briefly look away from the vividness after seeing nothing but dim darkness in the cave for days.

"Someone's elated," called a smooth voice from behind; it was Thaney. Leaf turned to meet her. "Your legs seem to be in working order, yes? Any discomforts I could alleviate?"

Leaf gave another long stretch and shook her head. "My legs are healed fully!" she exclaimed happily, straining to not bounce around like a filly. "They feel even better than before; my legs feel stronger, more capable. I don't know why, but it's probably my lack of use since the attack."

Thaney gave a low chortle, her pale white eyes wide. "Indeed," she murmured eerily, her long golden tail swishing behind her. She stood beside Leaf, staring out into the forest. "Try not to strain yourself too hard; your legs may be healed and functioning to their expected proficiency, I want you to...pace yourself."

Leaf didn't think she needed to do that, but Thaney wouldn't be saying something like that if it wasn't important, especially considering her legs. "Okay," she said with a shrug, smiling. She gazed around the tall thick-trunked trees and vibrant foliage. "Hmm... I'm not too sure where my tent is. Everything is all a blur after what happened."

Thaney placed a large wing over Leaf's back and caressed it soothingly. "Never you mind that, friend, I know where your...tent is," she said, turning her head towards a mossy pathway. "Follow me."

As the two trotted onwards, Leaf could tell that, despite everything being so lively and bright, she could feel Thaney's aura seeping off of her, flooding the area around them in a brittle chill. The alicorn was excited. Leaf was surprised that she wasn't as bothered by it as before, as if she was getting used to it. Thaney had told her that the more she spent time with the alicorn the less the aura she'd feel. It would start to be unnoticeable and normal.

Well, she thought to herself, animals and the like have noticed, and I'm thinking the wildlife doesn't appreciate Thaney being here.

When the two got to a clearing, Leaf Storm saw her camp in shambles during her frantic escape from the timberwolves: her tent was in tatters and dirt and debris was everywhere, and stains of old, dried blood lay at what used to be the tent's entrance.

She rushed over to the camp and trotted up the shredded tent where she was first attacked. Inside the tent wasn't much aside from her backpack, which was filled with a map, camping supplies, and rations. What she wanted was inside the backpack. She reached out for it, grabbing the strap firmly and hauled it outside where Leaf sat on the earth. She looked around for the zipper, gripped it, and opened her backpack.

As she's going through her backpack, a large shadow eclipses her body. She turned around to see Thaney looking over her.

"What you came for lies in that rucksack?" she asked.

Leaf nodded. "It's something I want to keep," she answered, digging deeper inside the backpack. She felt something smooth and hard. Finding it, she fished it out. "Here it is."

Thaney craned her head down to peer at the object. "A photograph?" she mused, sounding puzzled. "I see two ponies, a male and female, standing side by side, smiling. They look happy. This what you came back for?"

Leaf Storm nodded; her eyes became soft. "These are my parents," she told Thaney quietly. "Brindle Wind, my father, and Breeze Feather, my mother."

"I take it they were special to you?"

"Yes," Leaf murmured. "They died some time ago, in an accident. After they died, I left to live on my own, away from the village I was born and raised in. I had an interest in camping; my parents got me into it, and there was hardly a day I wasn't outside an hour or two away from the village and being under the stars enjoying nature."

"Then being confined into that cave was torturous to you?"

"Yeah, but don't get me wrong, I wouldn't have had a freak-out or something if I had to be somewhere like that," Leaf said hastily, turning to meet Thaney. "I was thinking about my health and my legs; the cave you brought me was a good place to rest. I was safe and secure; you watched over me and made sure I was okay. You saved my life. And, though you are weird, I like being around you."

Thaney's pale white eyes grew wide. "Do you mean that? Truly, you do?"

Leaf Storm gave a faint nod. "Of course," she answered, putting the picture of her mother and father back inside the backpack. "I'll be honest. I was scared of you, and I found what you do disgusting and downright deplorable; I feared that you would take my life, but then, despite everything I thought and feared, you are a good pony regardless of what you are. You didn't have to save or take care of me; you could have used me to get information and abandoned me to fend for myself. But you stayed with me, even asking me to travel with you."

Thaney stared in silence, her pale eyes boring into Leaf's. Then she gave another low chortle and the alicorn's eyes brightened. "I was told to not participate in my regular well-to-do's while on this planet, and that includes not harming any one of the creatures here without very good reason," she said. "I think I wanted to show how well I could behave, and when I saw you running from those timberwolves, I decided to do my best the only way I knew how. It has gone quite well so far, and now I have a friend I can protect. It's a new, welcome feeling."

"I never really asked much about you or where you came from aside the explanation you spoke of," Leaf said, feeling a bit guilty. "I do consider you my friend, and I trust you with my life after all you've done for me, so... I would like to know more about you, Thaney." She gave a small smile. "And I would like to tell you about myself...if you want."

Thaney nodded, faintly looking serious. "I will strive to learn about you, Leaf," she avowed. "I promise." She chuckled a little. "I sound like my darling brother."

Leaf Storm stood up, relishing the strength of her legs. She entered her ruined tent and found a small, dirty satchel next to a broken oil lamp. She grabbed it and put the picture of her parents inside before she slung in over her head. "Okay," she began, "there is nothing left for me here." She exited the tent. "Do you know where your brother is?"

Thaney smiled widely. "Indeed, I do," she replied cheerily. "I've got his scent."

Leaf Storm nodded. "Then, let's be off!"