A Wraith in Winter

Thorax’s pony ears wilted into his mane at the shriek of the train’s whistle. He stopped in the field. Even at this distance, it was still loud. Behind him, Snow’s wings flared out suddenly and the dragon whipped his head towards the train station again. After a moment, he roughly marehandled his wings with awkward claws, folding them against his back. “You say Ponies ride that thing?” he asked with a hiss.

“Yes,” Thorax replied confidently, stomping his hoof into the grass. “We do. It’s perfectly safe.” At least, the changeling believed it to be perfectly safe; he had never ridden one before. He flew from Equestria to the Frozen North, drawn by the burst of pure emotion. Changelings weren’t meant to go it alone. They needed others. And you’ve saddled yourself with the most awkward dragon in the world, brother, Pharynx whispered again. Thorax shook his head and felt his mane bounce. He couldn’t suppress his smile. “It’s fine,” he said. “Let’s go!” He trotted through the dirt path through the strawberry fields towards the train station.

Snow followed him, gripping his sword loosely and warily staring at the parked train. It was a typical Equestrian-style engine, colored candy pink and belching steam, with equally garish passenger and baggage cars. As the pair approached, Thorax noted the few passengers arriving. Many more Ponies stood at the train station and piled their luggage to leave. The changeling slowly stopped and extended his senses. The station was a mix of fear and apprehension. They’re afraid of something. Thorax glanced over his shoulder at Snow. He was slightly hunched, with a mild frown. His red eyes still scanned over the train, but he noticed Thorax’s look. “Is it meant to look that…odd?” he asked.

“Ponies like bright colors,” Thorax responded. “Uh, the sword might be an issue…”

Snow looked down at it and adjusted his grip. “I’m missing the scabbard.”

“We could leave it.”

“No,” Snow growled with narrowed eyes, then wrinkled his muzzle and blinked slowly. “I would prefer not to just leave Longclaw in a field,” he said in a softer tone.

“Longclaw?” Thorax asked. “You named it?”

“The Mormonts named it thousands of years ago. Lord Commander Jeor Mormont gave it to me.” The dragon gave it a lazy swing. “It’s Valyrian steel, one of very few left.”

“It’s expensive,” Thorax summarized. “Is it part of your hoard?”

“A what?” Snow asked and focused on the disguised changeling.

Thorax paused and felt nothing but honesty and confusing radiating from the dragon. Told you, Pharynx chuckled. “You know, your stuff?” he tried to clarify. What kind of dragon has a sword for his hoard?

“I suppose it is the only thing I own,” Snow replied slowly, still confused. The train whistle blew again, but this time the dragon didn’t jump.

Thorax sat on his furry haunches and raised a hoof to think. Dragons and Ponies didn’t mix well, despite the rumors about the new Princess supposedly having a dragon friend. Ponies had shiny things, and Dragons liked to take shiny things and sit on them. Dragons don’t mix well with anything, actually, not even themselves. Despite Snow’s visible hesitation to pass through the pink shield, he followed Thorax inside. Thorax himself was slightly worried that it would repel the changeling and burn away his false face, but his gray-furred hoof passed through without issue.

Thorax hoped Snow thought his shaking was from the cold and not fear. The dragon seemed to regard him fondly, with a flavoring of melancholy and nostalgia. Thorax reminded him of someone, but the changeling didn’t dare ask. The earlier burst of suspicion prevented the changeling from prying further. Whatever a ‘White Walker’ is, he’s clearly afraid of it. I’m not sure I want to know. Thorax looked over at the station again and blinked his pony eyes. Nopony had noticed the pair in the distance yet, but the emotions were still desperate. “Let’s go around,” Thorax offered neutrally.

“Dragons aren’t popular?” Snow asked with a bit of a quirked muzzle. “Or is it the sword?”

“Both?” the changeling said uncertainly.

“Smallfolk have every reason to fear an armed stranger,” Snow replied. “I can wait here. I’ve driven away all the ones in the field, it seems.”

Thorax cringed. The two approached through the several fields tended by Earth Ponies. Thorax enjoyed the sun on his false fur, and Snow seemed mesmerized by the city ahead of them. “It must be as large as King’s Landing,” he had muttered, but Thorax was more focused on the farmers ahead of them. The first Earth Pony, a yellow mare with a bandana, lifted her head from her row of potatoes and gaped at Thorax and Snow in the distance. Thorax waved his furry hoof and gave her a fang-free smile. The mare galloped away. It had been the same result with all the others they crossed paths with so far.

“I’m not sure that will help,” Thorax said. So far, all of the suspicion and fear had been directed towards the dragon and not himself. The changeling part of him said to keep the dragon around to draw attention away. His conscience reminded him, I showed him what we could do, and he accepted it. I won’t just leave my friend.

Thorax’s stomach growled, and Pharynx whispered, You didn’t show him everything. No amount of Pony food would fill that void inside him, and changing into a pony took more energy than he liked. “I’m with you,” Thorax said, forcing more confidence into his voice. “We’ll b-be fine.” He trotted down the dirt path, but took the fork away from the train station and towards the city. “J-just don’t mention, uh, skin-changers.”

“Agreed.”

As the pair entered the outskirts, Thorax stopped again to marvel at the architecture. The only other major city he had seen was Canterlot, stationed on its lonely mountain and gilded with gold and marble. The Crystal Empire was older; most buildings were squat little two story houses with crystal walls at the outskirts, but the buildings grew in size and splendor the closer to the palace in the center. Thorax resisted hissing and sticking his tongue out. Love and hope were in the air. The shield around the city seemed powered by it. If Chrysalis learns about this place, she’ll take it by storm. The thought settled into his empty stomach. She’ll throw every ‘ling she has left at it.

“We just walk in?” Snow asked warily. He stared down a mostly empty side street with his mild frown.

“Well, yes.” Thorax answered. “Why?”

“There’s no gate,” Snow explained. “Or guards. There’s no wall.” He paused and stared towards a Pegasus flying in the distance.

“Is that common where you’re from?” Thorax couldn’t resist asking.

“I suppose sieges are different when one can fly,” the dragon said dryly.

Thorax thought about Canterlot. “Yes,” he cringed. “It is.” He hurried at a trot and Snow struggled to keep up with him. The dragon seemed to struggle walking on his hind legs, and Thorax briefly tried to imagine him on all fours. Some dragons are like that, right?

The street was full of vendors selling their wares from several stalls and carts. Crystal Ponies and all three tribes waved at each other and bartered over their goods, haggling with a mix of bits and shards of sapphires. Thorax basked in the friendly atmosphere with a sigh and closed his eyes.

The emotions suddenly turned sour, and the small crowd quieted down. Thorax knew what the problem was before he opened his eyes. Snow was standing beside him. He stood taller than a stallion, with red eyes and short red horns. Black scales ran down his back, arms, and legs, but his belly was as white as snow. His wings were tinged red, and small white spikes ran to a spade-like tail from his head.

At first glance, the dragon looked terrifying. But Thorax had spend all morning with him, watching him stumble into the snow and flex white talons on black claws. His claws weren't’ very sharp, and the spikes and horns were surprisingly blunt. His startling red eyes seemed more youthful than piercing and menacing. His voice was soft and light for a dragon. Thorax hadn't asked, but he had to be young. Maybe fifty? That's young for a dragon.

The Crystal Ponies didn’t take the time to assess his appearance like Thorax. They gaped at the dragon, forgotten bits falling from hooves and teeth, then scattered to alleyways and inside buildings. Thick crystal doors slammed shut behind shimmering coats and tails. Thorax offered a wave and nervous smile to one mare and she fainted, slamming her muzzle into her crystal stall and tumbling into the street. Snow winced next to him.

In the time it took to sigh, the street cleared of ponies.

“I should leave,” Snow said bluntly with his frown. It seemed to be his natural expression.

“P-ponies are really nervous,” Thorax said. “You should try smiling. It might help.”

Snow looked down at Thorax and attempted to smile. His lips stretched awkwardly around his narrow muzzle.

Thorax’s brown eyes reflexively shrank in fear. “Don’t smile.”

Snow returned to his small frown and snorted. He looked over his shoulder back towards the fields. “I should just wait out there.”

Thorax thought about approaching somepony alone and trying to convince them to go meet Snow. His hooves shuffled against the cobblestone. Just leave him, Pharynx said. Find some isolated pony and drain them. Take their face.

No, Thorax argued in his head. They’ll connect me to Snow anyway. I’m here to make friends, not cause a panic.

Pharynx chuckled. Thinking like a changeling, brother.

Thorax lashed his fluffy tail. “L-let’s keep going. Y-you’re more l-likely to get into trouble without me.”

“True,” Snow nodded.

The next street was already deserted. Thorax suppressed a whimper. I’m right here. He’s not that scary. Snow walked to a quartz building, a furniture store from the sign, and stared at his reflection in the crystal. He turned his muzzle up and down, then smiled a bit more naturally. His teeth gleamed bright white, with small fangs at the front of his muzzle.

Smaller fangs than mine. The realization hit Thorax hard, and he looked down at his furry fake hooves. He couldn’t possibly be friends with anypony, not as he was really. The Queen ruined that at the wedding. Ponies were too afraid. He sat on his flank and sniffled.

“I appear to be the weakest dragon in the world,” Snow observed with a slight laugh. “A lance could run me through.” He glanced over at Thorax, and the bitter amusement vanished. He adjusted his grip on Longclaw so the blade faced away and knelt next to the disguised changeling. Thorax felt his eyes flash as he absorbed the genuine concern out of habit, but the tears disguised it.

Snow sighed. “I should leave. I will await whatever these…Ponies send in the field. I do not wish to cause you distress.”

Thorax opened his mouth to respond, but a voice cut him off.

“Step away from the Pony, dragon!”

Thorax snapped his head to the end of the street. An orange Pegasus in golden armor leveled a spear evenly between his front hooves. A brown Earth Pony and orange Unicorn stood below him with their own spears ready. The golden armor of the Royal Guard gleamed in the sunlight.

Thorax felt the absolute bafflement first. “Really?” Snow said so softly that he had to strain his pony-ears to hear it. The dragon carefully set the blade down, then slowly stood on shaky legs and raised his claws above his head. “I mean no harm,” he called out.

“Why don’t you step away from the pony, then?” the Pegasus called back.

Snow stepped away from Thorax and back against the wall.

Thorax found his voice. “I-it’s fine!” he stuttered and wiped a hoof over his muzzle. “H-he’s with me!”

The guards slowly approached down the street, eyes locked on the dragon. The Pegasus broke eye contact to address Thorax. “Come towards us,” he ordered. Thorax felt their fear as he slowly approached. None of it was directed towards him. The Earth Pony, the largest of the trio, was the most terrified. The Unicorn mare masked her fear with bravado. The Pegasus was clearly the leader; he forced his fear down and radiated stubbornness.

Thorax sat on his flank in front of them and waved his hooves. “I-it’s fine,” he pleaded. “I-I found him out in the snow.”

“Beyond the shield?” the Pegasus asked.

Thorax froze and desperately thought of a lie. “I-I work the fields. I saw him stumbling around from the edge, then fall over.”

“You should’ve gotten a guard,” the Unicorn rebuked.

“I-I didn’t see any!” Thorax lied.

The Pegasus grumbled something under his breath and landed. “Typical. What’s your name?”

“Crystal Hoof,” Thorax blurted out. Idiot. “His name’s Snow.” Double idiot, even if it's true.

The Earth Pony scanned him over. “You’re not a Crystal Pony,” he observed.

“Thanks for the obvious, mudhead,” the Unicorn snapped.

“N-no?” Thorax guessed. “I wanted to come here. I carried him through the shield.”

The Pegasus leaned in and whispered, “Did the dragon threaten you? We’re here to help.”

Thorax took a deep breath and forced his nerves to cooperate. “No. He’s really confused,” he said clearly. “He’s got no idea where he is right now.”

“What about the sword?” the Unicorn asked.

“It’s sharp?” Thorax offered. “He offered to pay me with it earlier.”

The Pegasus bit his lip, then tucked his spear under a wing and slowly walked towards Snow. The dragon remained against the wall with his arms raised above his head. He didn’t say anything as the Pegasus approached, eyeing the sword on the cobblestones with a nicker. “What’s your business here?”

“I am very lost, ser,” Snow replied. “I woke in the snow and found my way here.”

Thorax blinked. He didn’t mention me.

The Pegasus didn’t seem to pick up on it. He bumped the pommel of Longclaw with a hoof. “You just swing this around and frighten everypony?”

“I lost my scabbard. I am aware carrying naked steel is a challenge, but I would rather not leave it in the dirt.” The Unicorn approached and her horn lit up in a glow. The carved wolf glowed bright pink for a moment, then the glow flickered and faded away.

She narrowed her eyes and her horn glowed brighter. "You lace this thing with dragon scales or something? I can't grab it."

Snow stared at the glowing horn. “What are you looking at?” the Pegasus asked.

“Is that magic?” Snow asked. He kept his arms above his head.

“What?” the mare snorted. “Never seen a unicorn before?”

“No.”

The two ponies stopped and glanced at each other. “Have you seen a Pegasus?” the stallion asked and flared out his orange wings.

“Is that what you are?”

“Yes,” the orange stallion frowned.

“No.”

The Earth Pony approached with nervous hooves and ushered Thorax to follow him. “You see a pony before?” the Pegasus continued questioning.

“No, ser,” Snow answered neutrally.

“Not before Crystal Hoof?” the leader pressed.

Snow glanced at Thorax, then nodded.

The Pegasus’ muzzle pressed into a thin line and he mulled over the answers. “You have no idea where you are, you have no idea who or what we are, and only have that sword. That about covers it? Anything else you want to add?”

Snow stared at the stallion for a long moment. His eyes flicked up and down. “I am unarmed, ser. I apologize for startling your smallfolk. I suspect I am very far from home.”

“How’d you get here, then?” the Unicorn chuckled.

“I was stabbed.”

Thorax nearly choked on the raw honesty. What?

The guards seemed equally taken back. Their ears pinned and tails swished nervously. The Pegasus licked his lips and whickered, “You look fine.”

“I was not yesterday night,” Snow answered slowly. “I do not know how I arrived in your kingdom, ser.”

The Ponies shared a look. Thorax felt concern and confusion. “Well, how about you come with us and try to figure out where you are. You have a name?” the Pegasus asked.

“Jon.”

The mare picked up the sword with her mouth, carrying it lopsided by the hilt. Snow winced and watched the mare’s slobber drip onto the carved, snarling wolf. The mare slowly moved back, eyes locked on the dragon, but Snow didn’t lower his arms or make any aggressive moves. The Pegasus waved a wing and stared at Snow expectantly. Snow stared back and blinked. “Right,” the Pegasus laughed uneasily. “You wouldn’t know that. Follow me.”

Snow slowly followed the pony with his arms still raised. The mare trotted behind him, spear drifting in her magic. The Earth Pony left Thorax to speak quickly with the Pegasus. They conversed in a series of harsh whispers. Thorax trotted next to Snow and offered him a brittle smile. “I thought you said your name was Snow?” he asked conversationally. The guards were fearful and cautious, and Thorax hoped the conversation would convince them to relax.

“Jon Snow,” the dragon answered. “My first name is Jon. Snow is…” he trailed off. “Snow is a bastard name.”

“A what?” the mare mumbled and more spit slathered onto the wolf.

Jon almost lowered his claws, then thought better of it. “I am baseborn, outside of my father’s line.”

Thorax didn’t understand the answer, but pressed forward. “Well, my name is Crystal Hoof.”

“So you said,” Jon answered with a straight muzzle. “I thank you for your help. You saved my life.”

“I-it’s nothing.”

The four ponies and one dragon turned down an alley. Jon moved slower and his eyes scanned over the guards. Thorax blinked, confused by the sudden burst of wariness, and then the Pegasus and Earth Pony turned around. The group stood between two houses with crystal walls, and the alley was narrow. It was only once everyone stopped did Thorax register the tension from the guards. Jon shifted against the left wall.

“Right,” the Pegasus said and maneuvered his spear back between his forehooves. “Drop the disguise, changeling.”

Thorax froze and his false muzzle trembled. No.

The Earth Pony stepped forward and gestured with his own spear for Thorax to step forward. “S-step away, Crystal Hoof. He’s not a dragon.”

The Unicorn walked around the two and braced her hooves against the cobblestone. She spat the sword out and drifted the spear to her side. “You expect us to believe that sob story, dragon. I thought changelings are smart.” Her horn flickered with energy. "Bet you stole that sword from Sombra's armory."

Thorax stepped forward toward the Earth Pony. It took all his courage not to fall over. “P-please,” he stuttered.

“It’s a changeling,” the Earth Pony answered. Fear and nervousness emanated from him, and his pinprick eyes were locked on the dragon. He roughly pulled Thorax behind him; the disguised changeling stumbled against the right wall. Not me. They think it's Snow. Pharynx whispered, Run.

“I’m not here to fight,” Snow said. He raised his arms higher.

“You thought we’d just welcome a dragon with open hooves because of Spike, huh?” the Pegasus snorted. He twirled the spear and flapped his wings above his friends. “We’ll take you in. Just tell us about the others. Tell us about the towns.”

“I have no idea what you are talking about, ser.”

“You heard of changelings?” the Unicorn snarled.

Jon paused just a moment too long. “No.”

The Pegasus smirked. “Flare, cast the spell.”

The Unicorn’s horn erupted in light.

Thorax wasn’t the target, but his magic was weak from hunger. He was too close to the caster to avoid the residual effects of the illusion-stripping spell. He stared down at his hooves as the fur flaked away, revealing black chitin and ugly holes. He felt his fangs return to his muzzle and his eyesight blurred as the pupils burned away. The Earth Pony noticed out of the corner of his terrified eyes, and looked over his shoulder, locking eyes with Thorax.

The changeling raised a holed-hoof and rasped, “W-wait—”

The Earth Pony whinnied and bucked him against the wall. Thorax felt his fin snap against the crystal and his head spun. The pony seized him with a large hoof, throwing his spear aside, and slammed the changeling's head against the wall again, then the cobblestones. A fang rattled loose. His senses were flailing. The pony nearest to him was in complete panic; the other two weren’t much better. The dragon’s emotions burned brightly.

“Trench, stop!” a voice shouted, but the Earth Pony just slammed Thorax down again.

“It’s a trick!” the Earth Pony whinnied. “It’s a trick! Blast him! Blast him!”

Thorax watched as the panicking Unicorn, Flare, released a spell point blank into Snow as he dropped his arms. The pink laser splashed against his chest and slammed him into the wall. The crystal spiderwebbed with cracks, but Snow fell to all fours and wheezed, shaking his head and only bruised.

Dragon scales are resistant to magic, Thorax remembered distantly. Something warm trickled down the side of his head.

The Unicorn and Pegasus backed-up and shared a look of wide-eyed realization. Thorax’s senses were going mad, but he knew that look. Oh, real dragon. The Earth Pony smashed a hoof down on his back and Thorax felt a wing break.

The Pegasus looked back and snapped, “Trench, stop!” He dropped his spear and hovered above the Earth Pony, wrapping his forelegs around his neck and trying to pull him away. Trench reared up and struggled, whinnying with froth in his mouth. Thorax took the opportunity to cough.

Jon looked up at Thorax, then over at Longclaw. He had fallen near the sword, and the snarling wolf on the pommel was within claw reach. His eyes narrowed to slits. Flare noticed the stare and her horn sparked. A pink glow surrounded the blade, but failed to pull it away. Jon grabbed the hilt and stood, taking Longclaw in both claws. His wings extended and tail lashed to balance him as he rushed forward.

Thorax had watched Snow—Jon—move clumsily all morning. But in that moment, his claws danced on the cobblestones. He sidestepped one wild blast, then Longclaw caught another laser before it reached his muzzle. The metal shimmed and the spell bounced into the far wall. The Unicorn screamed in terror and thrust her spear forward with a burst of magic, but Jon deflected the strike with a vertical swing, then thrust the blade forward at an low angle.

It found purchase under Flare's muzzle and the sword tip pierced the back of her golden helmet.

Thorax felt the fear cut off suddenly as blood poured forth from her muzzle. Without breaking stride, Jon wrenched the blade free and nearly severed the mare’s head from her body and rushed towards Thorax. The encounter had taken only a breath. The Pegasus and Earth Pony still wrestled with each other above Thorax’s body, but the Pegasus reacted quickly. He leapt off his friend’s back and rolled along the cobblestones in the alley.

The Earth Pony snatched up his discarded spear and thrust it towards the dragon with wild eyes. Jon parried the strike, snatched the haft with one claw and jerked it down, and swept the sword across the pony’s throat with the other claw. The large Earth Pony collapsed on top of Thorax; the changeling felt the blood seep onto his back and broken wing. He scrabbled his hooves across the cobblestones and tried to pull himself free, but the stallion was still alive and crushing his lungs with his dying flails.

The Pegasus neighed a battle cry and lashed his own spear forward, using his wings to maneuver in the tight alleyway. Jon was driven back, but kept in the center of the alleyway, parrying or dodging the thrusts. He tried to knock the spear against either wall and lunge into range, but the Pegasus flapped his wings and flew back each time. Jon skidded back as well with each low thrust; his talons cleaved grooves into the cobblestone.

He's fought spears before, Pharynx whispered. You feel that, brother? There was only one source of emotion in the alley. The Earth Pony died choking on his blood; the Unicorn was dead from a thrust through the skull. The Pegasus was all fear and rage, and his thrusts grew wilder.

The dragon felt nothing and said nothing to the Pegasus. He’s killed before, brother.

Finally, the Pegasus overextended a thrust and Jon snapped Longclaw down. The shaft broke under the swing and the spear tip clattered to the ground. The Pegasus discarded the haft and flexed his forelegs. Short blades extended from the greaves on his hooves and he dashed forward. Jon clearly didn’t expect it and leapt back, nearly out of the alley and into the street.

A mare screamed, joined by a filly, then a stallion. Thorax felt a wave of pure panic engulf the area and his head throbbed. He extracted a foreleg from under the Earth Pony and pressed it against his head. His hoof came back coated in green blood. You’re probably going to die, brother, Pharynx advised. “Thanks, Pharynx,” Thorax mumbled.

A roar came from out of sight; Jon and the Pegasus reappeared in the alley. This time, the Pegasus was being driven back by savage hacks from the dragon’s two-handed grip. Jon didn’t flap his wings to take flight like the pony. Instead, his wings and tail moved on their own to balance him. The Pegasus dodged upwards and out of range of a horizontal swipe. Jon knelt, snatched the broken spear and flung it upwards with one claw. It was a poor throw that sailed over the pony’s head, but he reflexively dipped his wings.

Jon grabbed a dangling hind leg and pulled the smaller pony down, throwing him onto the cobblestones. The Pegasus whickered in pain, then brought his forelegs up and caught the downward thrust of the sword between his greaves. Jon stood over the pony and hissed as he forced the blade slowly towards the throat. The Pegasus pushed back, and blood seeped from between the greaves and trickled through his orange forelegs. The pony was losing, and the bloody sword point edged closer to his throat.

Thorax coughed and felt something in his chest rattle. Jon looked over at him, and Thorax felt a wave of uncertain emotions, then hard resolve. The dragon pulled the blade free and stomped onto the pony’s unarmored belly with a heel. The Pegasus coughed and lowered his forelegs; Jon smashed the snarling wolf on the pommel into the Pegasus' muzzle. The pony went limp, breathing shallowly through a broken, bloody nose.

Jon dropped the blade and pulled the Earth Pony entirely off Thorax. The changeling wheezed and coughed again. The dragon flipped the changeling over and scooped him up with his claws. His wings folded against his sides. “Can you hold onto my back?”

“I’m gonna throw up on you,” Thorax mumbled. He reached and looped his hooves around the dragon’s neck and slumped over his folded wings.

Jon hissed in discomfort, but picked up the sword with one claw and gripped one of Thorax’s forelegs with the other. “We need to move,” he said, more to himself than the changeling.

Thorax’s head throbbed. The wave of fear was spreading through the city. Screams and whinnies were everywhere. A mare ran screaming past the alley, not even realizing it was where the panic started. “Thorax?” Jon asked.

Thorax opened his mouth to reply, but no words came. He gagged and nearly lost his grip. Jon’s claw tightened around his foreleg and kept the changeling from sliding off his back.

The train whistle blew again in the distance, and the dragon turned towards it and ran.