We had decided to trek through the dead forest and even walk across a stone bridge as we passed a river, instead of taking the asphalt roads and walking alongside the coast to reach Seaddle for fear of encountering any more of Scarlet’s gang. Even so, the Olenian forests present other dangers such as hungry wolf packs prowling the forests for unsuspecting travelers. This shouldn’t be a problem as long as we follow the forest trails or whatever trails that survived we should be a-okay. The further east we went, the more greenery dotted the landscape, even passing the occasional bush.

It was also around the same time that I began pondering about getting armor because what I am wearing is inadequate as what I am wearing right now, which is nothing more than cloth, will not keep me protected, and since I’m taking on a unicorn shape, my chitin is unavailable, and as tough as it is, will not protect me from bullets. I look toward Orange and towards Cherry, especially at the armor they’re wearing, leather with bits of metal placed between any vital areas. Crude but it gets the job done.

My pondering was cut short when we heard howling. Immediately all three of us halted, weapons out. Waiting for whatever made that howl jump out. We didn’t have to wait long as five large hairless wolves soon appeared and began to circle us baring their teeth out,

“It’s a susilauma, a wolf pack, quick form a triangle!” I yelled out.

We formed a triangle ensuring that our flank is covered. Even if these wolves are different from what I remember two hundred years ago, dealing with them should be the same. In this instance, we are surrounded by a wolfpack. Orange looked at me and back at the wolves, her eyes darting widely as she kept her mouth on the firing bit, while Cherry just looked ahead with a smile adorned on her face levitating her machete close by.

One of the wolves charged at Cherry, but was swiped away with one machete swing, which the wolf landed hard on the ground. It got up with a slight limp and went back to circling us. “Hehe, if this keeps up, we’ll be having dog for dinner,”

Looking around I spotted a sixth much bigger wolf watching us, observing sitting on top of a fallen branch. “If we kill the pack leader the rest should go away,” I said, pointing a foreleg at the sixth wolf. Levitating my rifle I proceeded to aim at the pack leader, and I pulled the trigger. At the same moment that I fired, I felt immense pain and weight on my left foreleg.

Looking down a wolf had managed to get the jump on me when I was focused on the pack leader. Orange looked on with horror as she unloaded on the wolf killing it instantly, I could feel blood oozing down my foreleg, rolling up the now blood-stained olive green sleeve and coat, and saw the big bite marks.

“Aww, the doggies are going away,” Cherry said with disappointment. That was the only confirmation I received that I was successful in killing the pack leader. I could feel myself slipping in and out of consciousness at the amount of blood loss I’m experiencing.

“Cherry! Now is not the- Holy shit, Aurelia.” That was the last thing I heard when I fell and passed out.

I woke up after an undetermined amount of time and hearing the splattering of rain outside. Looking up and seeing a rocky ceiling which allowed me to deduce that I am inside a cave, looking around my rocky surroundings I spotted Cherry standing guard at what looked to be the cave entrance, I even spotted our saddlebags propped up against the rocky cave wall.

Then it hit me like a brick thrown towards me at full force, I nearly died, I should’ve paid more attention to my surroundings, but because I didn’t I nearly paid for it. I was fortunately lucky that the wolf didn’t snap a bone or worse.

My musing was interrupted when I heard movement to my side. I looked over and saw Orange walk towards me, with a relieved expression on her face. “I’m so glad that you're okay!” Orange says before glomping on me. I embraced her back as I sipped on the affection she was giving me, which slightly filled up my love reserves.

We were stuck in the embrace for a moment before Orange let go of the hug and sat down on her haunches. “How long was I out?” I asked.

“You were out for three and half hours.” The mare lifted my left foreleg, which was now bandaged, “We had to use your bandages.”

I nodded weakly, “I see.” Hearing the rain fall outside, “Guess we're gonna be stuck in here for a while.”

“Yeah, we got lucky that we found this cave before it started raining.” Then Orange scooted closer “So, are you gonna continue that story?” Orange asked with stars in her eye.

Chuckling, I responded. “Sure, now where did I leave off? Oh yeah, so I met that fawn…”

“Auli Dirsvir, hey that's a great name,” I said, enthusiastic at the prospect of meeting a new friend, Auli just looked sheepishly at me, but my inquisitive brain couldn’t resist but ask “But what are you doing here?”

Auli shyly stared at me “Oh um, my father works in the local guard, and I came here to see him, but I’m lost.” Tears threatened to spill out, and so I smiled intending to calm her, but it had the unintended side effect of showing all of my sharp teeth, which undoubtedly freaked her out and caused her to hide underneath the cafeteria bench.

“EEEEP! Please don’t eat me, your highness!”

Panicking, I tried to reassure her “Um, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to scare you, and I won’t eat you!”

“Promise?”

I held out a hoof “I Promise.”

Having calmed down, Auli went out of hiding, and walked toward me, hesitating for a moment before shaking my hoof.

“Now let's go search for your father,” I said when I felt my cheeks heat up as my stomach growled. “After we eat lunch.”

“Whoa, hehe, you went from haha, scaring a kid to hehe having lunch.” Orange was rolling on the ground laughing as she spoke, interrupting my story.

“Look, it was an accident!” I said, raising my forehooves into the air. “Anyway, after we ate lunch, I informed the maids who accompanied me previously. We entered back into the hallway…”

I had dragged Auli into one of the many black hallways of the Hive Spire illuminated only by fluorescent green lights. Passing by soldiers and maids alike, we reached a set of double doors guarded by two changelings wearing their dark gray uniforms, M35 Steel Helmets adorned on their heads, and MP-10s by their side.

They saluted me as I approached, “Hi, does this lead to the training grounds?”

The soldier on the left nodded. “Yes Princess, though what business do you have in the training ground?”

Looking behind me spotting Auli cowering underneath my tail, “Well, um, my deer friend here got lost looking for her father, is he here?”

Noticing the cowering fawn both soldiers nodded. “Yes, he’s here just through the double door.”

“And that's where I’m ending it for now.” Grinning widely at Orange’s scowl as she crossed her forehooves together.

“This is the second time you’ve blue-balled me, Aurelia,” Orange said, as she shot me a dirty look. “Is this retribution for laughing at your misfortune?”

Flashing Orange a predatory grin. “Maybe.” And refusing to elaborate after that.

“I think it's hilarious that Orange is deeply invested in this,” Cherry interjected with a chuckle, to which Orange flashed her a dirty look causing Cherry to laugh even more. “Haha, by the way, while both of you were talking, I brought our saddlebags with us.”

Floating over my saddlebags and fished out a bottle of Pilvinen Aalto, uncapped the bottle, and smiled as the refreshing sweetness of the mango and strawberry reminded me of a cool sunshine on a summer day. Drinking the bottle empty and returning the now empty bottle to my saddlebag.

“Looks like the rain has cleared out, we should be good to move out,” Cherry said after she looked outside. “Although the trek to Seaddle will be a little muddy.”

Orange looked at me with worry, “Aurelia, are you sure you can still walk?”

Getting up wincing in pain as I did so. “I think so, I’ll just have to limp on through, as long I don’t put any pressure onto my left foreleg, then I should be fine.” Orange nodded at my words although she still glanced my way with worry.

We got up and packed everything, and set out back into the Olenian forest. Walking eastwards hopefully towards the direction of Seaddle.

Limping through a forest, even if there are few shrubbery and greenery is tough, the muddy dirt certainly didn’t help, at one point Orange and Cherry had to help trudge through some of the terrain. Still after hours of walking we happened across a village surrounded by wooden palisades with wooden watchtowers at each corner. At the front entrance, there is a sign.

“This isn’t Seaddle.” Orange Said perplexed, she then noticed the sign, “Welcome to Smalstad, Aur-Starry know anything about this?”

“Ah Smalstad, a quaint little village, although last I checked it didn’t have any walls,” I said. “This could be a sign of civilization. Hopefully, they won’t shoot us.”

Chuckled Cherry said. “Heh, if they shoot at us, well let's just say that they’ll get a machete shoved up their ass.”

We got closer to the village a figure on the watchtower overlooking the front gate spotted our approach at which point the figure then waved to us. “Tervetuloa Smalstadin Matkailijoille!” I waved back and as we reached the front gate, it opened and a deer wearing a thick hide barding and a brown round fur cap, with a bow and quiver of arrows by his side.

The stag smiled. “Tervetuloa.” the deer said and beckoned us inside. He proceeded to escort us through the village full of life. I could see fawns playing in the streets, while various other deer tended to their duties, and talked animatedly with each other, all with smiles on their faces. Some even waved at us, as we passed by, and Orange enthusiastically waved back at those that did.. All of this brought a smile to my face.

The buildings that dotted the village were all thatched-roofed cottages built in 1017, a year after the Changeling War so they are relatively new.

“Umm, So where is he taking us?” Cherry asked.

Our escort’s ears perked up, “Ah, forgive me, but Equish, not good, take you to chief yes.” To which Cherry just nodded.

The walk to the chief’s hut was short, passing by a busy open marketplace. Once we reached the chief’s hut which was a longhouse with a thatched roof, our escort beckoned us to stay as he opened the door and went inside.

I turned to both Orange and Cherry, “This building built a long time ago during the Olenian Viking Age, was the only building in Smalstad that survived the UPA bombing campaigns.” Orange marveled at the piece of trivia, while Cherry just seemed indifferent.

We didn’t have to wait long as he walked back out. “Chief says come, I wait here.” With that said the three of us entered. Once inside we came upon a giant central hall, with a large, central hearth in the middle that is lit up emitting warmth and light. The walls are adorned with animal pelts and various weapons which range from axes to even shields, benches and long tables lined up on the sides of the hall. At the far end of the hall, a dais, and upon that dais lay a throne where sat an old stag with a medium-length beard wearing, a fur coat adorned with an ornate buckle where an axe lay attached to it, and adorned on his head is a conical flat top helmet with chainmail running down alongside is his neck. And on his helmet, there are intricate designs that depict some kind of past events.

The stag stands up with a smile on his face, “Tervetuloa or welcome as you say in Equish.”

Author's Note

Chapter 4 is out, hope you enjoy it.

I was inspired by the lore of Olenia in Equestria at War, to create a Viking-like settlement in the post-apocalypse.

Anyway, let me know what you think of this story so far. Is it good? Is it bad? please let me know, any feedback will help me tremendously. So feel free to comment or don't it's entirely up to you.