The wind blew past the trees of a thick forest as most of the little creatures all hunkered down for the night. The crescent moon sat in the sky half blocked by the dark clouds, as the sound of a clam stream was just up ahead. The crackling of a fire gave light and warmth to the area around it. By it, three strange creatures slept around logs.
One was a purple dragon, with green scales, tiny wings, and a wizard hat.
One was a mighty red unicorn stallion in black armor.
The other, a creature indescribable by normal means. A pony face, a long serpent body, one leg of a dear, the other scally like a dragon, an arm of a lion paw, and one of an eagle claw, with a blue horn, an antler, a goatee, and long blond locks. An archer judging by his bow and arrows.
None of these travelers noticed the creature watching from the shadows. It slowly crept up by them with its mouth-watering, it licked its lips as he drew its mouth open.
From the creature's perspective, its prey all had an aura around them and prepared to sink its fangs into.
"Ouch!" Shouted the tallest one as it woke up instantly.
The other one jolted awake. "What! Are we being attacked"! Shouted the dragon.
"No, no I just got bit by a mosquito,' the strangest one said swiping the bug off of him.
"Hay you were asleep weren't you." The wizard argued.
"I was not, I just had my eyes closed for a second, I've been keeping watch."
"Uh-huh," said the dragon wizard as he and his friend both looked unconvinced
"Well, it's about time we switch any way who wants the next shift." Argued the strange one.
"Well, with you yelling, scaring us half to death, none of us can sleep." The wizard grumbled.
"Eeyep," yawned the Knight.
Suddenly a twig snapped and the three adventures stood up quickly, the knight his sword drawn, the wizard his staff in claw the archer grabbed his bow and arrow. With this, the creature was frightened and tripped out of the bushes by them. They all were about to attack when they suddenly came to a halt.
"It's just a kid," the wizard shouted. As the knight let down his guard relieved. The archer rolled his eyes and set down his bow. "What's a kid doing out here in the middle of the forest anyway." He grumpily expressed.
"I was just hungry and saw you ." He said nervously. He was a light blue pony with green eyes, a dark blue main, and tail.
"It's ok kid, but what are you doing out here? Did you get separated or something," asked the wizard.
"Uh no, I ran away from home," the kid sighed.
"Why would you run away and to a dangerous place like this?" Asked the archer grumpily.
"Oh, well you see back home, I'm just so different from the others, so I a lot of the time like sneaking away and doing my own thing." He scratched the ground with his hoof.
Yeah join the club, do you know how dangerous these woods are? Yelled the strange archer.
"Then why are all of you here then," asked the child.
"Simple were here to stop the beast terrorizing the town." He answered while laying with his feet up.
"Well actually that's why I'm here, this one's my bait..." He pointed at the wizard who squinted his eyes unhappily "...and that's my body shield." He said pointing at the unicorn knight who shook his head at the cocky statement.
"Oh so you're a band of hero adventure, do you have any cool stories?" Ashed the child excitedly.
"Actually, thing is."The wizard nervously chuckled, "We all just met actually. SO this would be our first.," he shrugged.
"Oh and what's your story," asked the filly whose tummy growled.
"Mine oh well," said the wizard grabbing a sandwich out of his bag and handing it to him. he took it happily but didn't eat it."I come from a wizard castle high in the mountains, I'm a guard dragon who..."
"Who, failed to guard your princess and got thrown in chains." The archer smirked.
The dragon grew an annoyed expression. "Excuse me I have magic, I was studying under one of the most powerful wizards." He argued back.
"Oh yes and yet every single spell you do. Back fiers. I've heard the tales." The strange one laughed.
"Yeah well long story short I guess," he sighed in defeat of his companion's words. When the squid king came and took the princess my magic failed and I got locked up. One day I'll rescue her," He said dreamily.
The tall one faked gaged."Good luck with that."
"Oh and what of you?" The boy asked the knight in armor.
"Oh yes please tell us your grand story with all the amazing detail and don't leave anything out." The archer grinned.
"Uhh, well uhh." He said in a country accent.
The strange one snickered."He fell in love with a troll." The archer laughed. the knight cried out SUGAR SMELL! in tears.
"Oh yeah, he's also really sensitive." The dragon sighed. "So sensitive that he can't do his knightly duty and got tossed in prison by the Griffin king."
"Oh, and what about you?" The child asked pointing at the strange archer.
"Me," he said pretending to be surprised, placing a claw on his chest. "Oh, did some stuff, ran around with a few gangs, invented rock and roll, and became a stand-up comedian before I was laughed out and tossed away in bars. " He grinned a cocky smile. "Now to get out of my imprisonment I took a deal, I was hired to catch the monster lurking in these woods who terrorize the town, these idiots I decided to use since apparently the beast is attracted to those who are love-struck," he said over dramatically with his eyes in the shapes of little hearts. He then laughed at his own joke before he rolled over onto his side away from them.
The boy raised an eyebrow which the wizard noticed."Oh, the beast is a changeling, a scary bug-like pony who sucks out ones loving soul". It's been eating off the animals leaving no dear to hunt for the local village.
"Ha, love ha." The archer laughed dismissively.
the boy narrowed his vision, "You don't believe in love."
"Love and friendship and all that mushy gushy stuff doesn't exist. Only suckers who are bewitched fall for such ploys."
Don't listen to him, look I'll take next watch and we'll all get some sleep, you can stay with us well keep you safe ok." The wizard offered.
The boy put down the sandwich despite his stomach growl and nodded before he rolled over and fell asleep by the warm fire.
The next day rose with the sun on the archer's face. He tossed and turned slightly irritated, but finally got up with a lion-like yawn. He looked around the little camp and didn't notice anything out of the ordinary at first, but soon saw the sandwich laying on the ground from last night. He looked at it curiously at first and then remembered that the boy was missing. Concerned, he began to enter his mind as he took off following the boy's tracks.
He ran through the woods in search of the child, when he heard something rustle up ahead. He forgot his bow and arrow so he took a fighting stance expecting it to be a changeling.
Suddenly he hears oh hello, he yelled and jumped off the ground and into a tree.
"Oh, I didn't mean to scare you." Said the boy.
"You didn't scare me, I just wasn't expecting you. Now why are you hear and not in at camp?" He grumbled.
"Oh I went looking for something to eat, and I found these." He showed the archer the eggs.
"Where did you get those."
"Oh well, you see. In that nest up ahead."
The archer then took a look over to where he heard the rustle and indeed found the hurt bird in question. Hmm, he looked at, in wonder. Alright we'll eat the eggs but I'm not leaving the bird here, he said as he picked it up, and walked back to the camp sight, the boy followed.
It wasn't long after that the other woke up to the smell of eggs over a fire.
"What's that smell?" Smells good. Asked the wizard.
"Oh, I found some phoenix eggs in the forest, thought it could make a good breakfast." Said the boy who was making scrambled eggs over the little fire pit.
With the knight awake and they all settled down for breakfast
"Yummy thanks kid, it's too bad we don't have any salt, or gem,s that would have made this perfect."
"Eeyup,"
The boy smiled.
After eating his fill and picking at his teeth with a little stick, the odd one stood up, flicking the toothpick-sized piece of wood away. "We also found our first sighting of that creature. This bird was attacked last night by the looks of it. But still seems to have lived."
"And what are we going to do with it," asked the wizard.
"We can use it to find the beast of course."
"And how do we do that?" The wizard raised an eyebrow.
"I know of a place to take it, why she'll even heal it I'm sure." He grinned, "Not too far from here, a little way deeper in the forest."
"Wait here in the forest, you're not thinking of going to a, a," the wizard began shivering in fear.
The big one was slow but he put it together and shook his head, "Oh no, nope no no"
He said shaking his head furiously, as he grabbed ahold of the wizard and the two shook in fear.
The boy confused by their action asked "What are they talking about."
"I know a witch." And she'll be able to help this bird and find that monster. Now come on or would you two like to go back to jail?"
The two shivering looked at each other and decided to follow, unhappily. As did the kid, who was happy to be part of the group. It may have been during the day, but the place still looked great with signs of spiderwebs and strange ghoul-like masks scattered amongst the grounds in front of a hut carved into an old oak tree.
They heard humming coming from inside, "Oh good she's home," the wizard squeaked before he began walking closer. The boy began to feel nervous with each step. All did, except the archer who couldn't care less.
When it opened, the three screamed at the figure terrified at the sight, of a horse striped black and white. She chuckle and said, "Now, now do not fear, I am friendly you see, now tell me why you are here."
With her strange tongue, the other three decided wearily to accept her offer, worried about what she'd do if they were to anger her.
"Where's that assistant of yours, we found this bird and it needs some care, also I was hoping you could track down its attacker for me," he grinned.
The witch, looked at the bird, for a second, then straight at the small boy. He felt weird as she looked at him with her emerald eyes. As if she could see right through him.
"She'll be a long, but you will find you are wrong. You do not need a spell to find that beast, it's closer than you think at least."
"Enough with the rhymes, just help us find it!" He demanded.
"Uhh maybe we shouldn't anger a witch," said the dragon.
The witch chuckled at that, "I Like your friend he is wise."
"He's not my friend." He said with a roll of his eyes.
"Don't tell such lies."
"You may act like you don't have a heart but please don't treat me like I am not smart. Now without something to trade, I must bid you a do, I have lunch to make, I must make my mushroom stew." She took the bird from his claws and closed the door in his face.
"Ugh well that was helpful," said the archer with an eye roll before he stomped off.
"You were the one who wanted to come here." Complained the dragon, the knight grunted in response.
Just before the boy could leave the witch cracked open her door. Making the small boy turn around with a slight jump.
"Do not worry young one, I know it's hard for your kin. But I can assure you, you'll find happiness in the end."
The boy looks at the witch, then his companions, and then back to the witch."You won't tell them will you he whispered with a pleading expression."
She smiled warmly before pulling out a little book and showing it to him."I know of your species' great legend, and why you still feed the way you do." She pointed at the book, which showed an image of a black beetle, "But what you seek can not be taken it has to be given. Otherwise, your hunger will consume you.'
"But how can I get it?" He asked before the dragon called, for him to come.
"Uh yeah." He called back and began to walk away.
The witch only nodded and whispered. "Just wait. It will not come too late. She said before closing the book along with her door.
The days passed by quickly. Every day for the next two weeks the little pony would spend the day traveling alongside the three in search of a creature. Out of the three of them, it was often the archer who keep track of his whereabouts as he play with some of the other fillies and foals. But as nightfall came and the hunger took over, he would make an excuse and take off from their camp sight to feed. The next day they'd find poor animals barely alive, and the archer would always take them to the witch's hut.
Today they found a squirrel, and the archer held it in his claws irritated, as he walked down towards his destination. As he did in the background was laughing and giggling as the sound of branches hit one another. It was the knight's play fighting with the boy. The archer rolled his eyes and turned on the two of them. "Would you stop acting like a child?" He grumbled at the red knight.
"Oh let them play." They're doing, no harm. Said a sweet soft voice that caught their attention. They turned to see a beautiful young buttercream pegasus mare, who could have been mistaken for a princess if not for her witch dress and brown cloak. She had pink hair and teal blue eyes that had a bit of a magical glow to them. it wasn't long before the boy and the knight played aging, the wizard joining them.
"Aww, now look at this poor creature," she said taking the squirrel out of the archer's arms.
"As he looked at her his demeanor drastically changed as it often did whenever in her presence. "Can't you help us find this thing with one of your spells?" He asked happily.
"Oh but I'm afraid I'm only a witch's assistant, my magic isn't strong enough for that yet." She fluttered her wings till she could bring the squirrel to water. Though I can heal this poor thing. "I just hope that soon we won't have to deal with that thing anymore,"
She giggled at the sight of him, as he turned back to the others grumpily. "Oh come now, let them be, can I offer you a cup of tea."
"Tea sounds great," he smiled a genuine smile. Still, it came off slightly cocky but she was used to his looks and quickly prepared him a cup.
"So who's the boy anyway." She asked as she sat down.
"Don't know, don't care, he said he ran away from home, something about being different."
She chuckled at that," that sounds familiar," she smirked.
His mouth twitched to another smile as he took another sip. "Yes well we can't help but be what we are can we, he said in a somber tone.
"Yes if only things were different." She replied.
"Yes if only they were," he said as he looked back at the boy, with a look of curiousness.
The day began to retire, and the three adventures with the small boy made camp as they waited for the creature they were hunting. As the wizard lit the fire and the archer gathered the wood, the boy snuck away as usual, he told the Knight. it was to use the bathroom,
He ran through the trees galloping his way as his stomach began. To grow hungrier and hungrier. He then jumped up into a tree and practically took flight. A feet that a normal boy could never make. He leaped from tree to tree like a squirrel, until he saw a small rabbit.
He narrowed his eyes as he jumped down, his teeth began to sharpen. "Here, little rabbit I'm not gonna kill you. I just need a little. Just a little for a few days." The boy shook his head and lunged at the rabbit with snarling fangs. Suddenly an arrow hit directly between him and the rabbit stopping him in his tracks. Furious like a beast he hissed in the direction the arrow came from. But he grew fear when he realized what he was hissing at.
The archer at first couldn't believe his eyes. But all emotion seemed to disappear from his face as he loaded his next bow. The boy shook his head and tried to run away but suddenly was caught by a net, that came from the archer. Soon the wizard and the knight came wondering what the noise was.
"Hay, hay why is he in a net," asked the wizard furiously, but as he went to go and free the boy his body burst into flames revealing his true form.
He was a black bug-like pony. A changling. The dragon jumped back in fear, as the archer cackled I'm his victory. We got it boys let's take this thing to the town. The knight stepped forward and picked him up?
"wait," the wizard said. "He may be a changeling but-"
"But nothing, we got what we needed, thank you very much."
"But he's just a boy." Claimed the wizard. But the archer said nothing and took off. The knight looked at the wizard, "changeling boy" he muttered before following the archer. The wizard sadly followed.
Soon morning came with a light fog, and the three adventures, went straight to the collection office turning in the beast. With the adventure over the archer wasted no time and took off on his own, the knight shrugged and decided to go after his sugar smell.
The town wasted no time putting together a stake to burn him. The creature sat in a cage. Hungry and starving, he thought back on what the witch told him. He shook his head as her words echoed around him. "It looks like I'll never be anything but this creature," he wined a bit.
the fog began to thicken and the knight in black armor settled by a tree. His thoughts dwelled on the last few days he spent with the changling. Playing together much to the archer's annoyance. He sighed at the memory sadly. The wizard was also caught in the fog and decided to sit it out in a small tunnel, he then grabbed a sandwich out of his bag and froze as he remembered giving the changeling one when they first met.
The strange archer had a smile on his face, excited to be free, as he swung his pouch of food around. He came back to the little witch hut and entered it with a grin. "Oh back so soon, said the witch assistant. He turned around with his eyes taking in the sight. Of the pegasus, the hurt squirrel in her arms, as other animals surrounded her. He smiled ridiculously and it took everything the archer had not to fall apart in her presence. Tho he would never admit he was bewitched."I'm glad you asked, you see I just got paid for catching that changelings, so none of your animals will live in fear anymore," he said as he took a slight bow to her, she giggled a bit at him before he continued.
"And I can think of no one else I'd like to share my reward with than you", he said as he held up the bag of food.
"I'll make some tea, and you can tell me all about how you captured it," she said as she looked down at the bight on the squirrel's back.
After explaining his story of capturing the beast he triumphantly gulped down his tea.
The witch assistant how ever raised an eyebrow. "Strange isn't it, I mean a young boy was the creature at hand."
"Oh yes, but who cares now I'm free, free to do whatever I want." He chuckled as he took a bite out of some bread.
"Yes but,"
"Oh come now, that creature hurt your animals didn't he." He sighed. And took a deep breath. "You know I only took the deal so I could see you, you were so kind to me when I was locked up, you are the only friend I got." He said just above a whisper, some what sadly.
"Yes, well, what if I hadn't shown you such kindness? What would you have done then?" She asked as she shook her head. "Don't you have a heart at all? Can you really condemn that child to death because of what he is?"
"And why not!" He pouted and turned away like a child."Others did it to me long ago."
"And here I thought you wanted things to change." She retorted with her arms crossed.
That surprised the archer and he turned around with a worried look on his face. "I have to go back." He flung his arrows on his back, the witch's assistant smiled just as the witch walked in.
"You will not be alone, take this and the truth will be shown," she said handing him a small book, before he took off.
A fire sat in the middle of town, the caged changeling next to it. Though it felt nice he knew what it was for, yet felt so weak he couldn't protest, as the guards picked up the cage and swung him over the pit. Suddenly just before he could be tossed into the fire a rock was thrown at one of the guards. They turn to find a knight running in their direction, pulling out his sword. "Unhand him." Shouted the big red pony in black armor. The guards brought up their weapons and defended themselves as he swung his sword at them. Just then a strange blast of light hit the pony right in the jaw.
"Oops sorry," said the wizard dragon who then created more blasts of light from his claws and swung them at the guards.
"What are you doing here?" They asked each other simultaneously
"Here to save the kid. You are?" They again said simultaneously. Just then an arrow shot at an oncoming guard.
They turned to see the strange archer, his hair blowing in the wind. The fog began to thicken as they gathered together.
"You came to,"they once again spoke at the same time.
"Yeah, yeah turns out I'm not as heartless as I act ok. We can't let that kid burn at the stake. Even if he is a changlings." He grumbled drawing his next arrow.
Another guard swing at him and with a few shots, he was down. Suddenly the old book the witch zebra gave him fell out.
The wizard opened it and his eyes grew wide. Hold on fellas I got an idea, he said turning to a page. He said something funny and did a spell blasting it at the guards. But the spell back fierd and hit the three of them instead."Uh, what did you just do?" Panicked the archer.
"Oh well it's a speed spell, only you were right. I cast the spell, and it hit us instead of hitting them, since my spells never go right. Now quick get to the boy, this spell doesn't last long." The archer smirked and set his sights on the boys cage. With one shot of an arrow, the cage locked was undone and the boy was free. He was picked up by the knight and the four ran off being chased by the guards into the fog of the forest.
After the four of them were sure they lost them in the fog they all turned to one another.
"Welp, we're never gonna be let in that town aging that's for sure." Chuckled the archer.
"What now?" Asked the knight.
"Yeah, we're wanted criminals." The wizard threw in.
"Hmm you know, I know a few places we could hide out, probably have a few journeys, what ya say." Shrugged the archer.
The others looked at him, a bit Con at first but smiled.
"And you boy, you can come with us." Said the archer. Look I'm sorry for what I did. Why don't we put that aside and be friends"
"I thought you said friendship and love doesn't exist, the wizard smiled.
"Eeyep."
"Excuse me I'm trying to be nice" he grumbled.
The others chuckled but then a burst of light came from him and he turned into a green changeling with a shine to him. he also felt full, like he'd never be hungry ever again.
"Woah what happened," asked the Knight shaking in fear.
The changling looked at himself and smiled. "It's true. I now no longer need love. I have it, love and friendship ship thanks to you." It's said that when a changling has that, they transform and will never need to feed again."
The four of them smiled together and took off into the fog. Happily to find that they all have a heart.
Author's Note
So I wrote this for the new blood competition. but this is actually one of my any ideas for a full fan fic, and at some point id like to write this one completely out. Fill free to give yor thoughts on the story and if you'd like to see this idea fully fleshed out. The hardest part of the competition for me was staying under 4444 words haha, And i definitely didnt get to do my ideas justice with such a low word count. Still this was fun to write atleast, and its my first competition so im excited to see what you all think.
