The Wolf of Everfree

Trixie's Dream Forest

Trixie once again found herself in the shadowy forest while she slept in her home. She was once again in the clearing she found before. The sound of howling wolves brought her attention to the trees. She saw the glowing eyes of the wolves as the entered the clearing. Once they were in the clearing, the wolves started singing a lullaby.

"Hush now, dear little lost lamb
Run with us through this forested land

The sweet, tender sheep will sleep silent
Your fangs will make them go quiet

You now have the wolf's haunting might
You are now a lord of the moonlit night"

As soon as the wolves were done singing, the wolfish creature emerged from the forest and pointed a claw at Trixie with a smile full of gleaming fangs.

"You will join us very soon, dear," the creature said.

Canterlot High School - The Next Day

Trixie was more than happy to be out of the hospital. Especially since Nurse Redheart insisted on taking a blood sample for further testing. Trixie didn't really understand why, but it was better than being cooped up in that hospital room. Her wounds had, amazingly, healed up without even barely-visible scars. Even the other doctors said that it was bizarre, but Trixie was happy with it.

Trixie had a strange time going to school to say the least. The entire time she was walking to school, she felt overwhelmed by all the sights, sounds, and smells of her environment. She woke up listening to people having a loud argument from seven houses away, smell car exhaust from two football stadiums away, and her eyes were hurting from the light of the sun. She had to put on a pair of sunglasses and tried to ignore the sensory stimuli.

Once she made it to school, someone glomped onto Trixie from behind. She looked and saw her friend Lavender Lace looking at her with tearful eyes.

"Trix! I'm so glad you're okay! I thought you died that night at camp!" she cried into Trixie's shoulder blade.

"Lav, it's fine. I'm okay. My wounds have healed and despite my senses, I'm feeling great and powerful!" Trixie said.

"Your senses?"

"Ever since I woke up in the hospital, I can see, smell, and hear things better".

"That sounds cool! What can you smell now?"

Trixie took a sniff in the air and smelled something strangely sweet. Like she was smelling a batch of cupcakes. What's more is that she could tell where the scent was coming from. The scent was rapidly approaching her from her right-hand side.

"Hey, Trixie! Glad to see you're okay!" Pinkie said, wrapping Trixie in an anaconda hug.

The rest of the Rainbooms joined their friend in giving Trixie their well-wishes. It warmed Trixie's heart somewhat so see her friends genuinely concerned for her health. But their closeness nearly overwhelmed her nose and Pinkie's voice left her ears ringing. It took everything in Trixie to keep herself from pushing them away.

"Say, Trixie, how about we celebrate your recovery by having a party tonight at my house?" Pinkie asked.

"You know what, that may be a good thing. I could use a bit of cheering right about now," Trixie replied.

"Good! I'll have everything ready by tonight! Be at my place by eight o'clock!" Pinkie said.

Trixie and the others went inside the school to go about their day. But Trixie had to be careful with her senses.

...

Cafeteria

Lunchtime couldn't have come sooner. Trixie was starving. She ate breakfast before she left, but her stomach was acting like she hadn't eaten for two days. Her mouth was visibly watering by the time she got her food from Granny Smith. She went to her usual table and began to eat.

Soon enough, Lavender and the Rainbooms all joined Trixie just as she finished wolfing down her food. They all seemed look at her in shock. As soon as she was finished, she looked away in embarrassment.

"Uh, sorry. I was just really hungry," Trixie said.

"Well, your appetite is a good sign that you're recovering," Twilight said.

"Yes, you certainly seem healthier," Sunset said.

"To tell you guys the truth, I feel great. Even a bit stronger," Trixie said.

"Do you still have the thing with your senses?" Lavender asked.

"Wait, what about your senses?" Fluttershy asked.

"Well, ever since I woke up in the hospital, my senses have seemed to sharpen," Trixie said.

"Like sight, hearing, and smell?" Pinkie asked.

"Yeah. In fact, I could smell Pinkie before she hugged me this morning," Trixie replied.

"And is enhanced sight the reason why you're wearing sunglasses?" Twilight asked.

"Yep. And I can hear things a lot better, too," Trixie replied.

"What can you smell right at this moment?" Fluttershy asked.

Trixie leaned towards Fluttershy and took a deep sniff. The scent she caught was something soft, familiar, and slightly earthy. It seemed to form a mental image in her mind's eye in the shape of a rabbit.

"You have the smell of your pet rabbit on you. You cuddled with him this morning before you left, judging from the strength of the scent," Trixie said.

"That... that's right!" Fluttershy said.

"What can you smell on me?" Pinkie asked.

Trixie took another sniff from Pinkie. It was something of a mixture between sweet and hot and bitter. But Trixie was somehow able to determine what it was.

"You forgot to brush your teeth this morning and you ate some raisin and oatmeal cookies for breakfast," Trixie said. "I can smell the morning breath from you".

"That's true!" Pinkie said with an exaggerated look of shock.

"Okay, that's pretty awesome! Me next!" Rainbow said.

Trixie sniffed in Rainbow's direction. She smelled like a combination of something cool and sweet, yet also rank and hot. There was another scent, too. It was something strong and somewhat reminiscent of fish.

"You just came here from gym class, as indicated by the BO I smell," Trixie said. "But you did at least take a shower this morning with vanilla-scented body wash. I can also tell you masturbated recently".

That last sentence had everyone in that group turn towards Rainbow, who looked like she was about to die right then and there. She blushed and looked away.

"That... that's too much info, dude," Rainbow said quietly.

"If it helps, I can tell that you should probably see a gynecologist about that. That smell isn't normal," Trixie said.

Rainbow glared at Trixie with shocked indignance, but she didn't say anything. The rest of the table were quietly giggling to themselves. Trixie thought her new senses were going to be very useful.

"Alright, I'm going to get a drink of water. I'll be back," Trixie said.

While she was making her way to the water fountains, someone bumped into her. Mashed potatoes and gravy got themselves on Trixie's shirt. Trixie looked up to see who she bumped into. It was Fido from the Diamond Dogs gang. And he was not happy about his mashed potatoes.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" Fido shouted.

That made Trixie get angry. A hot boiling rage built up inside Trixie's chest until it hurt. She felt heat rising from her body and every muscle in her body clench, her vision becoming red. She grabbed Fido by the neck and lifted him off the ground with one hand and no difficulty. She glared at him with ferocity burning in her eyes. Her eyes switched from violet to golden yellow and black veins became visible around her eyes. Fido struggled against Trixie's grip.

"How about you watch where YOU'RE going?!" she growled at him.

She then threw him all across the cafeteria until he slammed against the opposite wall. He slumped to the ground unconscious. Everyone in the cafeteria looked at Trixie in fear and shock. Trixie was panting rapidly and her hands were flexed in a clawing position. A hand lightly tapped her on the shoulder. Trixie whirled around to strike at the source of the touch, only to see Lavender Lace.

"Trixie! It's me!" Lavender said.

Trixie immediately calmed down at seeing her friend. The veins disappeared and her eyes returned to normal. She placed a hand to her head to calm herself.

"Lavender, I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean to get so angry," Trixie said shakily.

"Come on, let's get you some water," Lavender said.

As the two left, Trixie looked at her hand to see black veins pulsing under her skin. Maybe the animal that attacked her gave her something nasty, after all. Hopefully, Pinkie's party later will get her mind off of things.

Sheriff Silverstar at the Medical Examiner's Office

Sheriff Silverstar was meeting with the medical examiner and Tree Hugger, the wildlife agent they sent to investigate the matter.

"Well, what have you two discovered?" Silverstar asked.

Dr. Grim, the medical examiner, was the first to speak up.

"The cause of death was a bite to the neck, and there's extensive damage to the body. The missing organs and soft tissue indicates that the body was consumed after she was killed," Grim said. "Apart from that, there wasn't much to do"

Sheriff Silverstar looked to Tree Hugger next. For a wildlife agent working for the state government, she didn't look like one at first glance. She wore a tan poncho, a white T-shirt, green leggings, and leather sandals. And she was awfully young for one in her profession. But she was highly recommended by the wildlife agency, so Silverstar tried not to judge by her appearance.

"What have you found out?" Silverstar asked.

"I looked at any genetic evidence your lab techs could gather and I found something interesting," Tree Hugger replied. "The DNA I found was very similar to wolf DNA, but it was also different from a wolf".

"That's odd. Wolves have been extinct in this region for two-hundred years," Silverstar said.

"If there is a wolf with a taste for people, this town will have lots of bad vibes coming its way," Tree Hugger said.

"Still, I'll gather some other officers and local volunteers to form a hunting party. We need to find it and put it down before someone else is attacked," Silverstar said.

"If it's alright with you all, I'd rather not take part in your hunt," Tree Hugger said. "It's bad for my chakras to kill another living creature".

"I have no idea what 'chakras' are, but fine," Silverstar said. "I've gotta few calls to make".

Canterlot Memorial Hospital

Nurse Redheart was confused by what she was looking at. She had a drop of Trixie's blood under a microscope and was looking for anything out of the ordinary. It didn't take her long to find something.

She saw normal-looking human cells and what looked like a virus body. It was connecting to the normal human cells and changing them into something else entirely. The virus bore a lot of similarities between human papilloma virus and canine parvovirus.

"Maybe it's a DNA virus instead of an RNA virus," Redheart said. "Either way, Trixie does have an unknown virus. I have to contact her and get her to come back".

Before she could get any further with her research, Redheart's stomach began to growl. She got up from her chair and left the lab to get some food. As she made her way through the hospital lobby, someone made his way towards the nurse.

It was Jawbone Jed, the town hermit. Nurse Redheart recognized him since she helped him recover from a heart attack last year. He wore a brown hunting jacket with dark blue jeans and had moccasin shoes on his feet, even his prosthetic right leg. His face had scars across it from a hunting accident. He also said he lost his right leg from a bear attack. His gray hair was long and unkempt and the small beard added character to him. He removed the broadbrimmed hat he wore as he approached Redheart.

"Howdy, dear Redheart!" he said with his kind voice.

"Hello, Jed. Do you need anything?" she asked in greeting.

"Actually, I came to see you about a patient you tended to," Jed replied. "A teen girl who survived an animal attack?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't give out information about my patients without the patient's consent," Redheart said before walking away.

"Did the girl have bizarre symptoms?" he asked after her. "Increased aggression? Sensitivity to light? Heightened senses? Eye shine?"

Redheart stopped in her tracks and turned to face Jed. She walked back to him and spoke in a whisper.

"You know something about this?" Redheart asked. "I know she has an unknown virus, but that's it".

"I've seen this disease before, and what happens when people are infected with it," Jed replied.

"What is it?" Redheart asked.

"It's a plague that turns any infected person into something else," Jed said. "Something hungry and vicious".

"If the infected become violent, we have to find Trixie and quarantine her," Redheart said.

"No. We need to find her... and kill her," Jed said.

Redheart took a step back in shock. "What?! I can't do that! She's just sick!"

Jed's face became one of anger. He glared right into Nurse Redheart's eyes.

"If she reaches the final stage of infection, she and everyone around her will suffer more!" Jed said.

He placed a hand on Redheart's shoulder and looked at her with kind, yet sad eyes.

"Listen, come with me and I'll show you what happens to those infected with the disease," Jed said. "You'll see thing my way".

There was an honesty to Jed's words that caused Redheart to relax. Besides, he looked like he knew what he was talking about.

"Fine, but if I'm right... if she is simply sick, we bring her here for quarantine and treatment," Redheart said.

"If it'll make you believe me, then fine," Jed said before leaning forward. "But if she kills an innocent person, I will not hesitate to put her down".