The sentence of Hunger

Hunger could still remember the first day that he meet what he would call 'this pack of dumb delusional suicidal idiots.'

After 'securing' the deal with Celestia, he was sent to ponyville...

It was a cold night, in the just new base of operations of ponyville three bat ponys were doing different activities, they had arrived four days ago with the task to prepare for their first expedition, and they got told that their 'Commander' should arrive today.

A bat mare with white fur and a long dark blue mane had her eyes closed, bags under her eyes, she was polishing her armor which ironically was very unfitting for her white fur, cleary the armor was for stealth, but her fur shouldn't aid in that task. When she was nodding off, suddenly her eyes shoot open and revealed a clear blue sky in her bloodshot eyes, she looked around the room, she was glad that this place was practically made for bat ponys, but it was kinda disconcerting not having any windows, "Buck me, when in hell the commander will arrive?" her voice full of nerves and tiredness, her name was Star Finder.

In the same room, a stallion was keeping himself busy doing wings push-ups, he had a defined musculature, light grey fur, and a pale blue short mane, his eyes the same color as his hair. His expression was trained to be neutral and unreadable, even when he was sweating because of the exertion of the exercise his face remained unenthusiastic, "He should arrive at any second now... or perhaps hour..." his voice was deep and didn't have any tinge of emotions contaminated it, His name was Calm Dusk.

The other mare in the room, which already had her night guard armor on and looked extremely bored, had her right hoof in her cheek she just glared at Star. Her fur was a dark shade of greyish-purple and her mane was a royal Purple color, she and her mane looked like it was a little bit shorter than most, her eyes a shimmering crimson, "you know how are these stuck-up commanders ranks, probably gonna take his sweet time to arrive, also you should do yourself a favor and take a powernap." She looked at Star up and down, "You should really have taken some sleep aids if you wanted to change into a full night shift." her voice sounded a little tomboyish and scratchy, her name was Moon flare.

Star groaned, "No kidding, but they won't sell me without a prescription and I forgot to ask in the royal armory, I don't really have the bits to go for a check-up either." Star looked at the barracks, "Maybe I could take a power nap, but I want to make a good impression, and if he found me sleeping I feel like he would make me do laps around the base all night."

Flare scoffed, "Ho please, as he would care, I bet he was practically dragged to direct this place, after all only the three of us offer to be transferred here." She looked around the reception room, and smiled, "Kinda nice, more space for us, I'm right big guy?" She looked at Dusk who only grunted, not in confirmation or in negative, he just grunted.

Star looked at the place too, "Well, I guess is a good chance to-"

Star was shut up at the sound of three nocks in the front door, Flare wipe the drool that she had on her cheek and walked to answer the door, Star Eyes widen and she fiddled to put her armor on before she open the door, her armor looked a lot more light than the nigh guard or royal guard armor, probably meaning she was a scout.

Dusk stop doing his exercises and proceeded to put his armor in a practice way, his armor being the standard version of bat ponies.

When flare was at the door, she look back to see Dusk ready and Star just dropped her helmet and cursed under her breath, Flare just roll her eyes and waited for her to put the light helmet on her head, when she finished she open the door, ready to do the standard military salute... Only to find a crate in the door and a grey pegasus flying away.

Flare raised an eyebrow, She looked at the rest of the team, "Did someone order a package?" they both shook their head, Flare even more confused at the medium wooden box, which now notice that it had air holes, "Hey, come give me a hoof." Without saying a word, Nigth proceeded to take the box with Flare and enter the main room.

Star looked curious, "Is that... a livestock box?"

They manage to hear the smallest of grunts of annoyance inside the box, Flare shrugs, "It appears so, it does have the direction of the base..." Dusk keeps a stoic expression, Star passes her tongue around her fangs, Flare just looked at the two of them and just shrugs again, "I'm gonna open it."

Star sputters at that, "W-what? Shouldn't we wait for the commander!?"

Flare didn't stop, trying to find purchase in one of the corners of the box, "The commander is not here, and maybe whatever is inside needs to be fed or something." 'That And I'm kinda curious to see what is inside of this thing.'

Star looked like she wanted to protest, but didn't find an argument good enough, so she just sigh, "Fine, but you are responsible if the commander gets mad..."

Flare just shrugs, when she swears to find something, she suddenly hears a loud *pop*, when she looked she notices Dusk opening the top part with minimal effort, She grumbles to herself, "I almost got it, fuking show-off."

But before she could complain, even more, they noticed the contents of the box.

In the box was a small little goat, with crimson eyes with slits and almost imperceptible horns on the top of his head, his fur white and mane grey.

Star looked dumbfounded and Dusk furrows his eyebrows, flare raised one of hers, "A kid?" At that, the creature looked annoyed and gave the lookers an expecting glance.

The ram was a chain from the bottom of his body to the top, and in his mount was a gag, not letting him speak.

Star was the first to act, in an instant, she manage to take the chain off the creature, not caring if he was dangerous, just caring for the fact that it was probably not older than five years old.

Before anyone could object, he was free and moving his jaw, Star in a patronizing voice pat the goat on the head while he was still in the box, "Omg, why would you send here little guy? are you going to be our pet?"

Every time Star touch his head, he flinched, then he suddenly bats the hand away, "Do not touch me without a good reason, goddammit, fuking ponys sending me like I was just fucking livestock."

The two mares open their eyes wide in surprise that he was able to speak, while Dusk just raised an eyebrow, and before they could react, the little goat jumps out of the box and start to stretch his body in an unnatural form.

Star manages to gain some of her withs, "W-What are you?"

And Flare recovers completely, "Or more importantly, WHO are you?"

Hunger looked between the two that ask him the question, "I'm in the body of a Ram and My name is Hunger, And I will assume that you are my squad."

Flare remains neutral, perhaps waiting for some kind of punchline, but after a while, Start started to shake her head in Denial, "no way... NO BUCKING WAY, I LEAVE THE DAY GUARD FOR THIS?!" Hunger raised an eyebrow at the sudden outburst, but she didn't stop, "I thought I was gonna get lead by an experiment DEMON HUNTER, and now here is a fuking animal saying is gonna lead us!?" Hunger narrows his eyes and opens his mouth in disgust, "They bucking lie to us! This thing is impossible that is older than a six-year-old and here they send us this to lead us!?"

Dusk looked disapproving at Star while Flare looked a little surprised a the outburst, but then shook her head, "Relax maybe he is just lying."

Hunger rolls his eyes and took the letter that he had down one of his forelegs, presenting it to Flare, with a little trepidation she took the letter, when she open it and looked at the royal firm of Princess Celestia, she open her eyes wide, "No way..." she started to read the contents of the letter, her hoof shaking in rage and impotence, star complexion just got worse, "NO BUCKING WAY, It is true, what in Tartarus the princess is thinking?!"

Hunger roll his eyes, "Good question, I didn't a-"

Star pointed to the Ram "Shut up! JUST, SHUT UP! I DIDN'T SIGN FOR THIS, I SIGN BECAUSE I WANTED TO PROVE TO MYSELF AND THE OTHERS THAT... UGH, WHY I'M TALKING TO YOU!?"

She was to stomp out of there when Flare threw the scroll to the floor, "Buck this, supposedly today we were about to get some action, not foal sitting a bucking ram, I don't know all of you but I will get some."

Hunger opens his eyes wide, "Wait-!"

Not hearing his words, Flare took her horseshoes and wing blades, Star looked like she thought for a moment then nodded and grab a spear that she had close by and fallow Flare, Hunger looked dumfounded, and when he was about to follow them, hoofs stop him, "Tell me ram, what happened to your species?"

Hunger looked up to see Dusk giving him a neutral stare, Hunger looked at the stallion for a moment, then the suicidal mares that are leaving his sight, "The rams were driven to practical extinction, I'm not allowed to say by what, but that is the best answer that you are gonna get out of me, now help me stop those idiots."

Hunger tried to bypass the hoof of the colt, but then he was pushed back, "Then is better that you stay here, I will make sure that they come back safely."

Hunger blinked at the sudden push that made him fall to the ground, when he managed to recuperate himself he saw how he was already at the front door, "You idiot, You can't protect them if you don't k-" but he didn't listen, he closes the door and Hunger heard a click, "W-what?! YOU FUKING MORON, HOW I'M SUPPOSED TO REACH, I HAVE TO BODY OF A FUKING KID GODDAMMIT, UGH." Hunger run at full speed and try to reach by jumping, but it was too far for him to reach.

"THOSE FUKING COCKSUCKERS." as fast as his tiny body could, he tried to push the box where he had come from, but it still had his chains and in his little body he couldn't move it, "You have to be kidding me!"

Hunger looked around, trying to think of a way where could fix this.

'I need to eat to grow something... They better had filled the pantry as I fuking ask for.'

Hunger had managed to open the door, It took him a while, how long? he didn't know, he didn't have time to check the clock.

His tiny body overworking itself, his legs burn him and he felt pressure growing in his chest with the burn of his lungs, his back hurt because he force his body to grow something that was not ready to grow in him yet.

He thought many times of just letting them go to a secure death, of just waiting for them to disappear and let his life be easier, but when he was about to give up on devouring the food, he remember the sun bitch and how sure he was going be put to blame even when they literally try to kill themself.

So he had to do something.

Even if it was to bring their body back because then the methods of their dead wouldn't coincide with his tiny body.

It was better than nothing.

After entering the everfree he follows the new tracks of ponys, he was biting the inside of his cheek to keep his concentration, the dirt dirting his hoofs, his eyes getting blurry from the overexertion.

'I HATE BEING A FUCKIN KID' his mind screamed because knew better than waste oxygen, he tried his best to remember the way outside of the forest, hoping that his sense of direction didn't get rusty or ruined after what he did to survive the seal.

On the way, he found bodies of minor demons, nothing big, all of them small fries, they were lucky that didn't find anything major... then he felt it, the sense of incredible hunger that even in his weak state he could feel at full force, he needed to speed up, but his body couldn't go any faster.

'I FUKING HATE THIS FUKING SMALL BODY.'

When he felt like he was about to fall unconscious because of the lack of oxygen, he saw three blots of colors in the distance, he knew it was the bat ponys.

'Fuck, if I remember well, that thing can't hear or see, only vibrations of the floor.'

using all the oxygen that he could waste, he screamed "WAIT, DON'T KEEP GOING, THERE IS A HALF-COMBINED DEMON THERE."

He looked at how they stopped, taking a deep breath he manage to get some of his vision and strength and proceeded to sprint again, the first voice to greet him was the neutral one of the stallion, "What are you doing here? how did you get out?"

Hunger put himself in front of the Hidden demon and the squad, "That is not important, you ca-"

The voice of flare interrupts him, "I will not let a foal tell me what to do."

She tried to pass by him, but Hunger follow her and try to push her, "Stop!, that is practically a full aspect! you are not ready for that!"

Annoyed, Flare just pushes him away with a little too much force, "If you are so scared then go back with mama, let the adults handle the demon hunting."

Hunger falls to the ground, his body failing to work properly, he heard Star huff, "Don't interfere."

Hunger again tried to stand up, but again his body didn't respond as he wanted, He heard the stallion get close, "why did you come? you are still not ready."

Hunger grits his teeth at the frustration, "no you fuking moron, listen to me, all of you are not fuking ready!" finally he manages to stand up.

The forest seemed to have a life of its own, moving shadows shifting around them, again he heard Star, "I'm tired of people telling me that, I WILL PROVE THEM WRONG."

Hunger shook his head, "YOU ARE NOT LISTENING, WHY AREN'T YOU LISTENING!?" Hunger took a deep breath and tried to relax while he felt around to find the danger, before he could feel it clearly, now it was muffled, he had the smallest of clues of where it was, but probably it have activate his aspect to hide their presence.

The stallion put a hoof on his shoulder, his voice filled with a tinge of compassion, "Listen, I understand how you feel, but you have to go back."

Hunger shook his head, "No..." The stallion looked like he wanted to object, but then he continues, "Is too late, if we leave now... is gonna follow us." The stallion looked like he wanted to say something, but Hunger interrupt him again, "Can't you fucking listen!?, use your bloody ears!"

The stallion looked confused, he tried to, but there was nothing, "I think is just your imagination, don't let y-"

"No you fuking twat!, YOU CAN'T HEAR ANYTHING AT ALL RIGHT?!" The stallion looked confused, then hunger pick up a stone and throw it to a tree 5 meters away, the stallion looked at the stone, expecting a tump, only to don't hear anything, even when the rock hit the floor.

For the first time, his face shows emotions, his eyes going wide, his ears trying to move around to find any sound, to hear the crickets or the wind, he looked at the two mares which were getting away, and he saw his mouth moving but no sound was coming out, none that he could hear, "What is going on?"

"Go with them, it is gonna ignore me since I have a hand" The stallion looked at the kid by his side, confused, but now that he was aware of the danger he could feel how the fur on his back was standing up, cold sweat coming out and his instinct trying to tell him that something was wrong, he needed to act, and when he saw at the mare for a moment and then the little ram, he was surprised to not see him, he wanted to panic, but he maintained calm and hoped that the words of the ram where true.

Running fast while he tried to keep aware of his surrounding with the little senses he had left, he manage to be by the side of the two mares, they looked at him and how he was paranoically looking around, Flare talked, "What happened?"

The voice of the stallion remained controlled and measured, taking his spear by his wing claw, he looked around, "There is something close..."

Flare snorted, "W-what? really? did the little foal manage to spook you?"

Star spoke, "Please, he is just a foal, he fears all-"

Dusk silently her by hitting a big stone and aiming at a far tree, the two of them were surprised and looked at the hitting spot, Flare ready herself, "did you see something?!

He keeps his guard up, "Is not that, the thing is that you can't hear the things far away... or the wind for that matter."

Star and Flare looked confused, The ears of Flare moved, "Wait... It is true, it is too quiet..."

Star prepares herself, "what is going on?!"

At the start they didn't have a formation, when Dusk noticed this, he spoke calmly, "Make a triangle formation!" they doubt for a moment...

A moment too much.

Suddenly star feels incredible pain in her side, her light armor doesn't quite manage to save her from the blow.

Later she hears something getting broken, and she screams expecting pain corresponding to a broken bone, but there is only the dull ache of her side getting hit, when she opens her eyes she sees she got hit by the butt of the spear of Dusk, the spear which lies now broken.

Dusk and flare seem trying to look around, star stands up "w-what happened?"

Flare speaks with a trembling voice, "I-I don't know, I saw a shadow jumping to you, but then Dusk move you out of the way, before I could attack the shadow it was already away!"

Star fiding her own spear in the ground tries to find the enemy too, in the panic of the situation forgetting to be in the triangle position to cover all sides.

Flare's heart was pumping blood fast, it was true that she fight with the demons in the entry, but this time was different, she felt it, her hair standing up in attention, her cold sweat, the feeling that someone was staring at her with the intention to not only kill but to rip her apart... but no matter what she did, she was unable to find him.

The voice of that "Child" echoed in her head, 'YOU ARE NOT READY.' 'WHY WON'T YOU LISTEN.' 'HE IS PRACTICALLY A FULL ASPECT.' words of her tribe started to come back now that her life was in danger.

Thestrals once hunted the creatures of the night side by side with Princes Luna, knowledge was lost but some remain.

One of them was "the more ' pieces' of their aspect they had, the more powerful they were."

Terrible foes were the ones with a full aspect, which made her think of how accurate was 'practically a full one.

She still was alive! she still could survive if it was not an instant death! right?

...

Death.

She dodge to the side by pure instinct, but instinct was not good enough.

She felt a blunt hit to her side, she was half hoping that was Dusk again, maybe he pushed her to the side.

She was not so lucky.

The creature learn it know knew who had the sharpest senses, so it acted accordingly.

It hide its presence until it was in position, then in a flash jumped aiming at Flare, Dusk tried to help her, but that was a mistake, he was so preoccupied with helping her that he didn't see the sudden appendage hit him in the chest, while another of that appendage tried to hit Flare, she tried to dodge, but she was hit in the side, in the armor.

Surely that armor should had save her from the blow, right?

It was true, it manage to absorb most of the blow, but a great dent in her right flank was the price.

she hit a tree just like Dusk, his chest plate managing to save his ribs, but the pain was still there.

Star froze when she saw her two companions get hit and practically fall to the floor unconscious.

She kept telling the others that she would prove herself as capable as the others.

Not be mistaken, she is capable, but the reality was that she was never in a true fight to the death before... and even worse, a monster like this, she manage to see the creature, a creature with a lot of hands which appears to be like the minotaurs, but there was nobody, there were only hands.

Hundreds of them, many different, every appendage moving as they had the same mind, working together to move in strange ways without doing the minimum of errors in their movement.

She was unable to move, before the demons they killed made sense, they had eyes, sometimes they walked on four or two legs, and they had one mouth, but this... this didn't have any of the common things that made her understand that was a living creature.

Her mind didn't manage to recuperate in time to make her move.

Not even the scream of her companions snap her to her senses.

With a full body slam, she was crushed into a tree, but it didn't stop there, the hands using the tree as a base hugged her to it, and with the strength of a crocodile maw, they started to crush her, a piercing scream manages to scape her lugs before the pressure was too much to even scream.

Flare tried to stand up but her injured leg was unable to move, she was about to just stay there in shock at what she was seeing, but she saw how blood started to get out of star's mouth and maybe her bones or the bark of the tree was starting to give up, then she remember something important.

'You have wing blades you bucking idiot!'

In a swift movement, the two contraptions of her wing activate and two blades extend, in a quick flap of her wings she flies directly at the creature trying to crush his new teammate.

she was expecting it to dodge, maybe even get hit.

But all she got was her body stopped in midair, many hands grabbing her by the same blades that she tried to cut the creature, before she could react, she was pulled into it and hugged by the barrel.

She tried to struggle, but a sudden pain in her wing stop her for a second... Her eyes opened wide, the creature slowly was preparing to rip her wings.

The wings that she was so proud of, the wings that she used to wield her main weapon and main way of moving.

She was scared, but maybe thanks to the adrenaline and line of thought, she manage to remember something vital, her wing blades were her main weapon, but she still had her hoof daggers.

Making pressure with the frog of her hoofs, the dagger suddenly injects out, stabbing the hands that were grabbing them.

She could swear that a shriek came out of the creature, later she was on the ground next to the Star, the creature hiding again in the shadows.

Falling to the ground, her body manage to stop pumping so much adrenaline, and once the stupor of the moment was gone she felt it.

Her wing was killing her... when she looked at the base of it, she manage to see that her left-wing base was torn a little, and probably wouldn't hold her weight if she tried to fly, she could only hope with proper treatment it wouldn't leave any sequels.

She knew that she was still not out of the woods, so trying her best to balance her weight, she manage to use her three good hoofs to stand up.

When she looked at Star, she saw how she didn't stand up, her eyes white, telling her that she probably pass out of shock.

when she saw Dusk, she saw him crumple on the ground, grabbing his uncovered chest which had an ugly bruise on it, when she saw the place next to him, there was the chest plate with a dent on it.

She shook her head, she had to concentrate, they still were two standing, they still could get out of there with Star! they only had to deal with this thing!... she moved to Star's side and looked around.

Tension ensues for a while, Dusk managing to recover but not risking getting close to Flare, having his backside to a tree.

They moved their ears from side to side, uselessly trying to hear something, anything at all.

But then Flare notices something wrong.

It was not the enemy.

It was something missing, to be precise the tip of the spear of Calm Dusk.

Before she could warm her partner, it was too late, like an arrow, the tip came out of the left of Dusk, hitting and managing to pierce his armor, he let a grunt of surprise and pain, but not wanting to get the drop in him, he looked to his left.

It was only a diversion.

Flare was unable to reach him before the creature did, not with her wings unusable like this.

The creature using the distraction rapidly moves to the right of him and takes to the ground, before he could react, he falls to his side, provoking the tip of the spear to go even deeper inside him.

Thanks to the blinding pain, he was unable to dodge the direct hit to the head that the creature gave him.

Flare didn't know what to do, if she threw her hoof daggers she would be helpless against the creature's attack.

She was to much hurt to run there and stop it.

One of the hands put all his fingers together and extended, making something like a spear, probably it would be easily deflected by the armor of Dusk, but he didn't have the chest plate.

Flare manage to scream a "No!" before the creature started to move its hand.

Then in a flash, a white blur moved to the center of the mass.

The hands moved in an instant trying to intercept the projectile, but it was too sharp, that only worked to slow it down a little before it impacted the mass of hands.

Flare's eyes open wide and looked in the direction where the projectile had come, there saw the little Ram with blood coming from his mouth, a glare directed at the creature, it was showing his sharps teths which were now missing one of the bigger ones... and in his back, it had a black hand?

Flare was confused, she could swear that the teeth of the ram were like the ones of a pony.

But before she could ponder even more, she finally manage to hear how the sounds of nature came back in an instant.

A piercing whale came of the creature which scamper away.

Flare couldn't help but get hope in her chest, they had won, right? the creature had run away from the serious wound, right?

but before she could celebrate the voice of Hunger took her out of her stupor

"We need to hide now!" he run to Dusk's side, when she saw how the hand grab him she flinched for a moment, but when she recovered she saw how he took his armor off, flip him to his not injured side, then he proceeded to move it slowly away of the place.

Flare woke from her stupor and flexed her frog, in an instant the dagger disappear and she put Star in her back, she cringed when she brush in her tear wing, but she mare up and fallow the little ram, not caring anymore about how small it was.

In a moment, they hid under a hole in a dead tree, with some effort Hunger aided her in putting Star down, the last to enter was Flare.

They were breathing heavily, Hunger looking outside of the hole, Flare had to ask, "What in the buck was that!?"

She cover her mouth knowing that screaming was not a good idea, Hunger looked at her and shook his head, his expression stern, "I called it Limb ripper... Also, scream if you want, it already started to hunt us again, so our sound doesn't matter."

Flare stiffened at that, "W-what!?" Flare tried to hear the wind or nature, but she didn't hear any of them, just like when the fight started, "W-What we will do!?"

Hunger got close to the hurt companions, "For starters, I gotta see how badly hurt they are."

She notice how his hand was touching the floor, for her apparently convulsing, "W-what the fuck happened to you!? It was that thing!?"

Hunger Ignores her for some seconds, then while he uses his hoofs he checks for the damage, "Is copying the vibrations that we are doing, it should hide our presence of the creature's senses, I kinda needed a small space like this to effectively worked."

She was confused, but before she asked more, she saw his grim expression, "S-something wrong?"

Hunger lick the gum of his recently ripped teeth, then looked at Flare, "The guy won't have any serious organ damage, but a major vein was struck, and the spear is not really helping to keep it plug." Flare wanted to ask him how he knew, but then remember what happened the last time they didn't listen, Hunger Continues, "This one has a pierced lung and many fractures all around her body, that and internal bleeding which if you see her lips" Hunger pointed to them, Flare notice how they were a little purple, Means that if we don't patch them up, they guy will die in approx 2 hours and 32 minutes, while the mare can survive but it will have permanent damage probably to her brain if we don't fix her body so oxygen may reach every part of her body as it should."

Flare got pale, she could believe what she was hearing, 'Buck, how all when to Tartarus so fast!' She looked at the ram, which looked like it knew what he was talking about, "Can't you do anything at all?!"

Hunger shook his head, "No in this state, I still don't recuperate full control over my aspect to manually feed her cells or to make her heal properly, and you all didn't give me time to prepare a medic kit too."

Flare bite her lip and looked at her hurt wings, "M-maybe I can fly back to base and get you one?"

Hunger scoffed, "You would be lucky if you manage to get out of the forest with your wing still attach, and if you over worker you may lose that wing."

"Then what we will do!?"

Hunger looked at the two hurt persons, "We could A, pray that the thing doesn't find us until the morning-"

Flare looked mad, "No bucking way, that would take too long!"

Without even flinching, Hunger furrowed his eyebrows, "Or B, we would have to kill that thing."

Flare lose all the wind in her sails, she looked two her squad teammates and then to the outside of the hole, "A-and how would we do that?!"

Hunger huffed, "I manage to eat the body of the things you leave behind, it gave me enough juice to shoot one of my tooths like it was a bullet, but it won't be enough if I don't know where it is..." he furrowed his eyebrows even more, "and I may know a way to help me kill it before it gets to us..."

Flare looked hopeful, "How!?"

Hunger sighs in defeat... "you see..."

All after that, so be it for Hunger or Flare, it was all a blur and fogy, they knew that they manage to kill the creature, how they managed to get away with the two unconscious teammates, How Hunger manage to patch them enough in the base so they may not have any permanent damage.

Then how he contacted the castle so they may send medics.

And the rest was history.

Now in front of the statue where all of his squad was, he was kinda impressed that they didn't quit when less than a month ago they were hit with a close encounter with death, he had to give them credit where he could.

They had clearly a wide backpack where surely they had their armor and other supplies.

Dusk had an ugly scar on his stomach while the other looked mostly unharmed.

He still thought that there were dumb suicidal idiots though.

Star got close, "It's my idea or the eyes just get a little brighter?"

Flare looked directly at the statue... he could swear that her eyes were a shade more clear of crimson now, "Yea, I think so."

Hunger clears his throat, "Hi, welcome back-"

The two mares jump at his voice and Dusk just raised his eyebrows, Flare glares at the statue, "Hunger, what the buck?"

The statue snorted, "Sorry for welcoming you back, it was very out of the line for me."

Star just looked confused, "I think she means the fact that you look like a statue now, sir."

Flare nodded, Hunger sighs, "Show a monkey technology and it would think it is magic..."They all looked offended, "No I'm not, in fact, a statue, this is a statue where I'm sending these messages, I'm indisposed at the moment."

Flare raised an eyebrow, star manage to speak, "Everything ok sir?"

"I will be fine, I should go to the base in some hours now, also if you see a griffin there called 'Gilda', you shall not bother her."

Star saluted firmly, the others when saw this and follow her lead, "Yes sir."

Hunger was really pleased that they were in fact, being respectful, "also, in my office, there should be a compendium of the demons of the area, read it while you don't have nothing to do, now I gotta go, I'm getting tired"

When his senses were back to normal, he saw one of Gilda's yellow eyes, second, he felt like one claw was forcing open his right eye, "are you there dweeb?"

Hunger tried to blink, but his eyes were kept open, "Yes, why?"

Gilda moved her head away, her face had a little worry but now it came back to normal, "Well, having in mind that I called your name for like 2 minutes, and you didn't respond, I guessed that something was wrong."

Hunger smiled, "Aww, you c-" Gilda cover his mouth with her right claw, then pointed with her eyes to the other side of the bed, when Hunger looked he saw Fluttershy's which was giving a soft smile.

Hunger was kinda glad that the full 'I don't care for sappy stuff' Gilda was back, it just prove his hypothesis that she was probably with the guard down because of her sleepness drunkenness, Gilda clear her throat and spoke, "I already pick up the stuff that I found and dropped in your old room."

Gilda took out her claw, Hunger was smiling at her, "Thanks Gilda, do you mind giving me a piggy ride? I think it is time that I take my leave, the last thing I want is to overstay my welcome."

Gilda looked happy, Hunger manage the hear the voice Fluttershy whisper, "Is really not trouble at all... I wouldn't mind if you stayed for a while."

Gilda looked at Fluttershy, clearly that she was unable to listen, "What did you say?"

Fluttershy hides her face behind her mane, "N-nothing..."

Hunger manages to look at her, "Don't worry, this time I will not run from you when you try to speak to me." that made her look a little better, but she still looked sad, "And I promise that I will visit if I can."

That did the trick, she gave a small soft smile, "Okay... you are welcome to come at any time." When Gilda was about to take the sheets off him, Fluttershy stop her, "Y-you c-can keep them for now if you want..."

Hunger smiled at her, "Thank you."

Gilda smiled at her too, and pick up Hunger, "Dweeb, I swear that every time I pick you up you are lighter."

Hunger snorted, "What, Do you want some tips to lose weight?"

Gilda scoffed, and walked down the stairs, "I'm perfectly fine at my actual weight..." then she stopped for a moment, "I'm not fat, right?"

Hunger rolls his eyes, "No Gilda, you are fine."

Gilda gave a cheeky smile, "See? I knew it."

When they were passing through the living room, Hunger heard the voice of Angel, his voice with a tinge of disappointment, "Wait, are you leaving?"

Since Gilda couldn't understand the rabbit, Hunger spoke, "Wait a moment, Angel is speaking to me." Gilda stopped and raised an eyebrow when she saw the little bunny, "And Angel, here I thought you would be happy that I would have gotten out of your hair."

Angel gave an annoyed huff... then a sheepish smile, "Well to tell you the truth is that I kinda enjoyed speaking to another pony that was not Fluttershy... Even if you are a Ram."

Hunger just roll his eyes, "Come on, is not like I wouldn't try to come to visit, I already promised that I will come again when I can to Fluttershy."

Angel gave him a knowing smile, "I'm sure you will, bye."

Hunger saw how the bunny scampered away, he didn't like the smile that it gave him, but he was not in any condition to follow him to ask him, "Ok, you can keep going, thank you."

Fluttershy came right behind them and said goodbye by waving her hoof to them, "Goodbye, please come visit again... If you don't mind of course."

When they were out of earshot, Gilda spoke, "She is not all that bad, normally I would get annoyed by that kind of demeanor, but she is ok in my book."

Hunger smiled, "Glad that you are making more friends."

Gilda scoffed at that, "Dweeb, please, I hardly would call that Friendship."

Hunger just rolled his eyes, "Well, baby steps Gilda, baby steps."

There they stayed in comfortable silence, that until Hunger felt a ping of someone trying to open the front door, then he groans, "I should probably make a magical key too..."

Gilda gave him a sideglance, "What?"

Hunger sighs, "Just please, pick up the pace."

Gilda raised an eyebrow, but didn't ask, she was about to grab him and fly the rest of the way, but then remember the first reaction that she had that day... That and how she was pretty sure that he would hate heights, even more, having in mind that he almost died because of them recently.

So she just pick up the pace.

Hunger looked at how Lynn was following them very closely, he almost forgot about her.

After a while, they were at the entrance, a thing that he was thankful for since he could feel like they were trying to force the door open.

When he arrived he heard the voice of Flare, "What are you waiting for!?, help me out here!"

Hunger groans loudly, "Stop, goddamit, just stop, the notification is starting to get annoying!"

Flare stopped trying to rip the door off the hinges, "W-what? the griffon?"

Gilda stopped a few steps from them, still hiding Hunger in the sheets, "Sup!, the name Is Gilda!"

Star looked confused, "W-what? you just sounded different?"

Hunger sighed, "Gilda, please show me to them."

Gilda smirked at that, moving the body to the side, showing Hunger, "Here is the baby."

Hunger groans, "Come on Gilda, don't embarrass me in front of the others, this is the second time that this happens in front of them." Flare looked like she was doing her best not to laugh, while Star saluted alongside Dusk, Flare cleared her throat in an attempt to swallow her laughter and When she saw her companions, she follows their lead, Hunger snorted, "at ease."

They stop saluting, Flare was the first to dare to speak, with clear amusement in her voice, "So any reason why are wrapped like a baby Sir?"

At that, Star gave a glare to Flare, while Hunger thought for a moment, "Well having in mind that some parts of my body still are dead and need to get a kick start in the heat, I would say it helps me heal."

Flare's smile dropped in an instant, all three females ask at the same time, "Dead?"

At that moment Flare's eyes finally manage to see how his horns were bigger than before... and one was missing, and the braking point didn't look clean at all, "Sir... what happened?"

Hunger tried to shrug, but that hurt his back more than he thought it would, so he only leave a hiss of pain, before someone could ask something, he spoke, "I will give a debriefing in a moment when we are inside, but basically, I fell from the sky after an Ursa mayor hit me, then when I hit the ground all my organs become the equivalent of a smoothie, then I had to make my cells to eat the broken and dead ones so I may actually survive, which cause my body to get a little small again."

Gilda just gave a dumbfounded expression, while the others got their eyes wide, Flare spoke, "W-what? How?"

Hunger looked at Star, "Well, how did they fix up Star?"

Star looked surprised that she was put on the spot, but spoke "Well, they kinda had to put the bigger parts of my bones back in their place, then after securing it and extracting the ones that couldn't be put back, I was cast a spell which helps the bones to not move, then I was fed a potion that would reunite the bones and heal them together."

Hunger deadpan, "And the short answer?"

Star looked confused, then after an awkward silence she murmured, "Magic?"

"Yuperuny, I used what for all of you would be magic."

Star and Dusk looked like they were fine with that answer, but Flare just furrow her eyebrows, "And you couldn't have done the same with us before?"

Hunger rolls his eyes, "One, I can't exactly instruct your body to rebuild itself when I don't know your body, second, You would have to be by my side until you fully healed, third, I Didn't have a lot of control over my powers when we meet, so no, I couldn't, I am good at cheating dead and life, not at making miracles."

Flare raised an eyebrow, "Okay, now I don't know if you are bucki-"

Before she could finish, she was hit in her side by Star, "It is understandable sir, after all, you did stabilize us, trying to explain to us medical jargon must not be very easy."

Flare winced at the hit, "Yeah, whatever."

Hunger cleared his throat, "As lovely as it is the night, I think is about time we get inside."

Flare jumped at the change of subject pretty easily, "well, I tried to open the door, but the key won't even fit."

Hunger chuckles, "I will explain during the debriefing, for now." HUnger uses his magic to open the door, he hissed a little because of the force he had to use, but got his bearing back quickly, "Let's enter."

Flare sputters, "What? It was that easy?!, wait... Did you use magic!?"

Hunger rolled his eyes, "Debriefing, now go to the canteen and eat something if you want, I need to check with the patients for now."

Flare Looked like she wanted to protest, but after Star and Dusk saluted, Star bite her by the tail and start to drag her inside, she protest but don't give a major fight.

Gilda stayed looking for a moment there, "So who are they?"

Hunger just snorts, "Yeah, I forgot to tell you who they are, Technically they are my squad, but I tell you the details later, I want to check with Panther."

Gilda just shrugs, "you better, or It's gonna be a very awkward sleep in here."

Hunger was about to give a normal response, but then he thought he needed a little payback, "Don't worry, they probably won't hear your mo-"

The feathers of Gilda stand up, and he could feel her flush even from where he was, "DWEEB I SWEAR I WILL DROP YOU IF YOU FINISH THAT!"

Hunger just snorted.

When they arrive at the corridor of the infirmary, Hunger noted Nevermore looking sadly at the broken statue...is he crying? 'o shit, right, I told him that...' "Nevermore?"

The crow stopped crying for a moment, then a black shadow shot directly at his head, which made him panic a little bit, Thinking that maybe Nevermore would take his eyes, but then he felt how this was hugging the top of his head, "HUNGER! You are alive!"

His manly voice threw him in a loop again, but he was getting used to it, "Yea, me too, I will guess that the statues crack?"

Nevermore nodded into Hunger's head, "Yes! you told me that if the statue broke it meant that you were dead! and wend I checked it this afternoon, it was!"

Hunger chuckles at that, Nevermore stops hugging him and didn't look amused, "Yea, that was not because I died, it was because Gilda broke it in two."

Gilda stopped walking to the bed of Panther and stiffen at that, "A-are you speaking of the statue?"

Nevermore raised an eyebrow and looked at Gilda, then shooked his head and looked seriously at Hunger "... If I were your familiar... would I be able to feel when you die?"

Hunger just snorted, "Yes we are speaking of the statue, no, you are not in trouble, and also, yes Nevermore, you would be able to feel my death, and also you would know my position most of the time, the only exception is when I wish to hide it from you... Also, you could speak telepathically to me and also may speak all idioms that I know."

Nevermore nodded, looking very conflicted, "And also count with an extended lifespan... right?"

Hunger sight, While Gilda looked confused, it was not the first time that she heard one side of the conversation of Hunger with animals, but still make her curious.

Hunger looked directly at Nevermore, "yes, you would have a very long lifespan, it would only change if I were to die or I took the benefits from you."

For a normal person that would be a great deal, but Nevermore looked more conflicted than before, but then shook his head and looked with resolution at Hunger, "I noticed something when I thought that you were dead, At that moment I was truly sad and felt alone again." Hunger looked at the swollen eyes of the crow, his eyes full of determination, "If it means to protect and care for my only new family, then I will become your familiar."

Hunger eyes went wide, "A-are you sure?" Nevermore nodded, Hunger smiled, "Then I will make the ritual in front of the others, they may need in the future to have one too."

Nevermore smiled, then proceeded to stand up in the only horn of Hunger, Gilda spoke, "Dweeb? what were you talking about?"

Hunger noticed that they were beside the gurney of Panther, "you will see later, now do me a favor and put me beside Panther."

Gilda took Hunger, but first, she put her in her claws very much like he was a newborn in the arms of her mother, "Why, did the little baby want to see the Panther?" Hunger roll his eyes, seeing like her teasing didn't work, Gilda just snorted, then place him by the side of Panther.

Hunger proceeded to lean his head in Panther, "It was time that you came back." his voice sounded strained, and he was giving heavy breaths, "here I thought that you would leave me without treatment."

Hunger rolls his eyes, "Well, excuse me for nearly dying and not being able to come in two days." Hunger concentrated on his power and reach out to him, his new organs were overworked and the cell was noticing that they weren't his, starting to reject the vital organs, Hunger groaned and concentrated, infusing the organs with the 'essence' of Panther, later he cleanse his body manually and recover a little the cells of the organs.

Panther let a groan of satisfaction, "That is a lot better, it really was starting to get annoying how much my insides burn." he still sounded tired, but he was not breathing so heavily.

Hunger just huffed, "Ho shut up you big baby, my organs no long ago were pudding, and do you hear me bitching about it?" Gilda flinched at that, she was still not used to hearing how Hunger's body was so badly injured and how he survived.

Panther just snorted, "Well excuse me 'Mr. I passed 400 years in a bowl of acid', but not everyone can get used that that level of pain." Hunger's face suddenly changes to one of seriousness, the air becomes heavy and everyone in the room started to have a cold sweat... All except Panther, which had a face mirroring Hunger, "sorry, I overstepped."

Hunger leaves a shaking sigh, and the vibe of the place goes back to normal, "Dweeb? All good?"

Hunger nodded, "Yea, let's get out of here and go to the debriefing, my body still needs to rest."

Gilda nodded and pick up Hunger, after leaving him in her back, she goes to the canteen, fallow by nevermore and Lynn.

The crow noticed the Cat, "Hmm? who are you?" the cat acknowledges him but does not speak, Nevermore tilts his head.

Since he was in the head of Hunger he manages to hear him, "Lynn will help me with some stuff in the future, I will show you who she is later, but she is not able to understand you for now."

The raven looked confused, "That... Is not normal, but I guess I'm fine with that."

After a while, they arrive at the location, before Gilda flashed her light, she saw the 3 pairs of eyes glow in the dark, when she got closer all of the flinched a the change of lighting, Flare groaned and spoke, "Buck me, please tell me that she is not gonna stay for long..."

Gilda looked annoyed, but before she could give her a sharp remark, Hunger beat her to the punch, "That really depends on Gilda, I will not kick her out for now, even more, when she is now my le- hoofs, I mean hoofs."

Flare just groans a little more, but doesn't speak, Gilda just smiled a little at Hunger, and without much effort, she sits him at the table, then she sits behind him in a chair.

Hunger proceeds to use his magic to take the sheets off him, showing his irregular chest full of bruises, and his stiff back legs which had some black dots, Star flinched, "That... that not looks right."

Flare looks closer, "Yea, I guess not."

Dusk looked neutral but It was obvious that he was looking at the back legs, "necrosis?"

Hunger nodded, "Yes, I was able to not let deteriorate most of the dead cells, and also stop their digestion of them by external means, but I'm not perfect, my 'concentration' and power are not at my peak and I also need to sleep."

Flare stood up in her chair and touched one of the ends of his back legs, she retire the hoof immediately because of how cold they were, then frown, and touched again, "Buck, they are too cold."

Hunger nodded, "Yes, where it stands, I will be able to fix my body to 'working' in 3 days, so I will need you to do something to keep the most daring demons at bay."

All of the bats ponys flinched at that, and Star's voice got shaky, "W-We won't have to f-fight other like t-that one, right?

"Hunger shooked his head, "No... for now anyways, I just need you to put what left repellent I have, but let's speak about that later, now let me bring you up to speed."

He explained all the events that happened.

How he worked a little in a way to more permanently keep demons at bay.

"so you are making runes that should make them keep to certain zones?"

"If they worked like they should, yes, but I need to round up the compatible ones together so they may hunt each other, the thing with demons is that they will not cause damage to their aspect of they to kill each other in certain conditions."

Flare raised an eyebrow, "Like which?"

"If they need it to eat, If they do not do it out of malice, if they only defend themself if they don't kill out too much of them... there are other methods, but that are the most important ones, I think that happens because when a demon kills another, instantly at that moment, a powerful force makes sure that another of the same type is born, if not, a devil will be born."

Star gulped at that, "A devil? what is that?"

Hunger sighs, "They are... the consequences of killing too many demons of the same type, they are born by the remnants of the negative thoughts of the battle in which they died and the aspect they represent..."

They all looked confused, Dusk had a serious expression, "they are stories, in my tribe... of creatures that supposedly were demons... but that they were a lot more crooked and powerful."

Hunger nodded, "Yes, they are bad news, I still can't make a new instrument that let me know where they are, but I can feel how they are about to start being born again, the worst part is that they will only let the demons of their aspect be born if they noticed that is 'safe' to them to be delivered again or when they are killed."

Flare spoke, "It is safe to kill them?"

Hunger face didn't change, "Yes and no, if a devil is killed, the aspect that they represent will not get worse, but they will 'evolve' so if they need to be born again, they will not die so easily in the same way that they were killed... but where are losing focus, let's keep going with the debriefing."

He told them how a pink mare keep trying to follow him, and how he had to use all his skills to manage to avoid her, now he always makes sure that she is around 20 meters away or has something obstructing her view.

All three ponys blinks in confusion, while Gilda snorted, "Dweeb, I think that was Pinkie Pie."

Hunger blinked, "You mean that pony that keeps pestering with your alone time with Rainbow?"

Gilda laugh a little, "I can't believe you manage to avoid her, how did you do it?"

Hunger thought for a moment, "Her 'Hunger' is very particular, and also fuking scary, I literally feel how she somehow teleports around, but thankfully, when she 'teleports' I can feel the location where she will appear before she actually there, so I just dodge her by just running away when she does that."

Gilda laugh harder, "dude, I wish I had that power."

Star speaks up, "Hum, Sir? may I speak freely?"

Hunger raises an eyebrow, "Sure, go ahead."

Star clears her throat, "I think... she only wanted to give you a 'welcome to ponyville party'"

Hunger stay still for a moment, "A party?" he stays still for a moment more, But then Gilda manages to perceive an imperceptible shudder that he did, "Like, full of ponys?"

All the bat ponys raised an eyebrow, "Yes? that happens to us anyways."

Gilda noticed that Hunger shudders harder, while the bat ponys noted that he starts to have a cold sweat, "Thanks, but no thanks, I really don't deal well with large crowds... of ponys, thank god I fallow my senses and I hide from her the first time I felt her."

The bat pony exchanged looks, Flare spoke, "Sir... do you have something against ponys?"

Hunger deadpan at her, "Flare... they literally sent me chain in a box here when I supposedly have to command you..."

Gilda look flabbergasted, and while the bat ponys winced at the memory and the first impression that it gave them, Gilda hit the table, "THEY DID WHAT?!"

Hunger just gave a heavy sigh, "They indeed treat me like I was an animal, scratch that, probably an animal would have a smoother ride than me, I literally remember being dropped like 20 times on my way here, thankfully, the chains where really thigh, so I didn't hit the walls a-"

"dweeb..." Hunger's blood had gone cold, he slowly looked at Gilda, the face of pure fury that she had and the vein in her forehead was a comically big blood vessel treating to pop, it would be extremely funny to Hunger if it was not incredibly terrifying to be in front of, "of who was the great idea?"

Hunger just stared at the void of her eyes... and the void stare back, Hunger blinked and broke the spell on him, "I think I overhear the name of someone called Glorious Armor and Chancellor Neighsay, something that I was clearly nothing more than a farm animal and stuff."

The three bat ponys flinched, even more, Flare gave a sigh of defeat "Ok, now I get why you don't like ponys... Is not like the night guard is seen more than a group of bloodsuckers."

Gilda had a far looked in the distance, "How important is he?"

Hunger gave her a deadpan, "No, I can't let you kill him, not because I like them, believe me when I say that the world would be a better place without racists like them, but more in the sense that I know that they are high in the chain food, and if you were caught you would be in serious trouble."

Gilda gave him a defiant look, but after he didn't budge even in her death glare, she sighed, "Fine, but if he causes more trouble and he is in the way, I can't promise that I will contain myself."

"Before my squad loses their shit, don't go saying things that probably count like a felony in front of technically 'guards'."

Flare just smiled, "Nah sir, it is fine, He had made big trouble for us thestrals, so we are very aware of his xenophobic tendencies, probably would be called a hero in our ranks."

Hunger rolls his eyes, "Yea, but don't let actual ponys hear that, most of them are pretty squeamish in terms of 'hurting' others...Also don't commit a crime in front of me, if you do, I would have to act accordingly"

When he said that, he looked at the three bat ponys, but not at Gilda, which cause her to raise an eyebrow, "Do I count on that?"

Hunger shook his head, which cause Flare to raise an eyebrow, "Playing favorites sir?"

Hunger scoffed, "Actually no, I'm bound to act only if I see a pony, no a griffin, if you want to blame someone, ask my boss, I don't make the rules, now let's move on."

He told them about the Zebra living in the everfree, he spoke when the three elements of harmony decided to brake in.

Star looked surprised, "so the pupil of princes Celestia destroy the door?"

Hunger nodded, "Yes, she told me as much, later she attack Gilda, maybe it was because she misjudge the situation, but assault is still an assault."

Flare looked surprised, "And Celestia didn't try to clean her case?"

Hunger chuckles, "Ho, believe me, she did, but even she had to play by the 'rules', rules that she tried to brake but failed to do so."

Flare leaves a sigh, "I don't know if that is reassuring or not."

Hunger shrugs, "I think it is, if she didn't play by that set of rules, I would be very scared."

He then told them about the Ursa attack.

Dusk frowned, "I can't believe that they give so much freedom to their foals, if in my clan they were responsible for doing something like this or even trying to do so, they would be severely punished."

All three females nodded, Nevermore just looked dumbfounded.

"Well, that is all, I will not bore you with the details of my recovery, you only need to know the following things." Hunger proceeded to puke one bottle of the 'repellent' that he had, all in the room except for Nevermore looked surprised or even disgusted.

Flare spoke, "Did you just...?"

Hunger shrugs, "is a lot more effective than saddlebags, since my stomach is enchanted to be the equivalent of a pocket dimension."

Gilda looked in morbid curiosity, "But you don't like... digest the stuff inside?"

Hunger shook his head, "I can choose what things I want to digest, and my stomach can support anything as you already know Gilda."

Gilda nodded while the bat ponys looked dumbfounded, "yeah, I remember you telling me that."

Before his squad could ask any more questions, he continued, "Anyways, this thing has a strong demon repellant, I need you to spray it in the points I will point you in the map later, that should keep demons of coming to town, since I will not be there to calm then down." Hunger thinks for a moment, "also I will train you all in actual demon control/hunting, mostly to prepare you all for the devils."

Flare looked confused, "didn't you tell us that killing too many of them is a bad idea?"

Hunger scoffed, "Well, because it is, we will not actually hunt them unless we can't really help ourselves, even then we will have to keep count of the ones that we kill and make notes of the changes that are made in their aspect if we noticed."

Dusk got closer, "Then how will you train us?"

Hunger smiled, "I will train all the things you need to take them down, thankfully, I teach all the basic things to Gilda, so if she feels up to it, she can replace in the more 'personals' training."

Gilda gave a crooked smile, "Can I beat them to the ground as you did to me?"

Hunger snorted, while the bat ponys look skeptical, "Yes, indeed you can, also you will get paid for it if I can convince Luna to officially 'hire' you."

Gilda's smile becomes a more sincere one, 'So if that happens I would have an excuse to stay...' she made a faux salute, "Awesome!, thank you, sir!"

Flare scoffed, "I doubt that a civilian can challenge us, that we were taught how to fight on our respective tribes."

Hunger smiled, "Maybe, but she has shown me great potential and is a fast learner, that and griffons do have a great sense of battle."

Gilda proudly nodded, "Yup, we have a coliseum and everything!"

The bat ponys look surprised, Flare dares to ask, "Do you still use it?"

Gilda nodded again and in a bragging tone she spoke, "of course, is usually used in mates or flocks disputes, that and the occasional Honor duels."

The bat ponys look curious at that, while Hunger snorted, "Of course, that would be a constant thing."

Gilda in faux outrage scoffed, "What do you mean? after all, there is nothing more thrilling than roving the rights to a partner to the ones that cannot fight back!"

Hunger was surprised that she really didn't get mad, "I didn't know that is a thing..."

Gilda sighed in resignation, "Officially? no, but a lot of Griffin thinks it is better that way..." Gilda looks pensive for a moment, "I didn't do any moves in anygriffin since it would be annoying to have to deal with the occasional bitch getting in the way." Suddenly Gilda remembers that there are in fact 3 bat ponys and a crow in the room too, her feathers stand up a little.

Hunger clear his throat, "I would guess that's why flocks are a thing?"

Gilda nodded, relaxing when she saw Hunger's eyes, "Yes, is kinda easier to protect your rights when there are multiple hens, you know?" Gilda molds over something for a moment, "That, and the inflections of males also add to that."

Hunger nodded, "I see." 'so that may be why she is interested in a no griffon partner, Then he looked to the group, "Leaving that behind, I will show you now something that you may need to do in the future." The bat ponys looked intrigued, "Nevermore, it is time." Hunger forces his right foreleg to move in front of him, like a trained falcon, Nevermore perch in his foreleg, and they exchange glances.

Nevermore ruffle her feathers for a moment, "Do I have to do something?"

Hunger nods, "You will have to drink a drop of my blood, also, do you care if I give you an actual name?" Nevermore looking at him confused, HUnger gives a sheepish smile, "I kinda gave you that one as a joke about an old story of another world."

Nevermore looked perplexed at that, but then nodded, "You did tell me that where you come from there are 'actual' names, so I will be happy if you gave me one close to your heart."

Hunger smiled, "Then a very fitting name probably would be Alden."

The raven twisted his head, "What does it mean? is not another joke, right?"

Hunger shook his head, "Nah, It means 'old or wise friend'"

The raven smiled, "That sounds nice."

Before he could continue, Flare speak up, "So sir... are you losing your mind, or are you actually speaking to a crow?"

Hunger snorted, "you would be surprised how smart are 'animals', I would say that all you need to understand them is to 'listen', but in the more literal sense you need magic or a special talent."

They all look surprised, except Gilda, which was already used to only hearing one side of the conversation, Star managed to get her voice, "Could you... teach us?"

Flare scoffed, "Please, we are not unicorns, we can't do that kind of magic."

Hunger chuckles, "and that is the reason why only unicorns can do magic, all of you are so fixated on how easier they got it in the world of magic, that you don't even try to use it."

Star looked hopeful, "Then we can truly use magic!? even if we are not a unicorn!?"

Hunger nodded, "Yes, there are other methods to actually access 'active' magic, but later, I have to do this ritual, you should probably pay attention to this, this is magic without using actual horns as a focus."

Hunger looked at the soon-named Alden, then his look become serious, "I, Hunger, here I grant to you the name of Alden." Suddenly the room felt a lot more heavy, and all of them noted how both their eyes started to glow in a non-existent light, "so you may pledge your servitude to me, your life will be bound to me and you shall only meet your end the day where I don't need your services anymore or the day I meet mine." Then they felt how their fur and feathers started to stand like someone was casting very powerful magic, a soft chime sounded in the background, "once our destinies intertwine, you shall be granted the benefit of having you're all dedicated to me and my wishes, but fear not, I shall treat you with the respect that you deserve, never asking you to do something that will go against something that you don't believe or understand" suddenly a strange symbol appears in the eyes of Hunger, Star looked at the horn of Hunger, expecting to be glowing to cast all this, but they weren't glowing, "do you accept?"

Alden nodded, "I do."

"Then you shall ingest a piece of me, so our destinies may be one, ever bound by something stronger than blood will ever do." Hunger proceeded to bite his tongue, letting a little drop of blood accumulate on it, then he proceed to show it to Alden, which doubt him at the start, but then drink the blood.

Suddenly a red glow started to emanate out of Alden, the points of his wings becoming red, then blue then going back to black, his eyes shined with red, then they become a deep dark blue, his eyes becoming slits just for an instant, then going to their normal state.

Just like it came, all was finished.

All in the room felt just like they witnessed something sacred, The only thing that Flare manage to say was, "What the buck!?"

Alden just blinked, "Did it work?"

Hunger had a heavy breath, his body sweating like he just ran a marathon, but then he gave a cocky smile, "Yup, it was kinda weak, but it worked."

Alden looked confused, he blinked and then he proceeded to check himself over, "I don't feel different, are you sure?"

Hunger grinds get wider, and looked around, "yes, just look around."

Alden did just that, only to find everyone looking at him with astonished faces, all their eyes open wide, their mouths and beak open, Alden felt nervous, "S-something it wrong?"

Flare manage to recover a little of her voice, "Did... did that crow just talk?!"