The Turbulent Woods of Cauldron Valley

Chapters

Chapter 1: That Last Step's a Doozy
Chapter 2: A Walk in the Woods
Chapter 3: Wave to the Nightmares, They Say "Hello"
Chapter 4: A Rough Night
Chapter 5: The Daring Rescue
Epilogue: A Change(ling) of Pace

Chapter 1: That Last Step's a Doozy

Murky shook some fatigue out of her head as Ms. Writ wrapped up the afternoon lesson on Equestrian geography. Geography was, admittedly, one of Murky's favourite classes; she didn't know much about the wider world of Equestria, so she actually had to pay attention.
However, paying attention wasn't on the menu for the filly today. Her eyes decided they wanted to wander. She froze, however, when she thought she saw a unicorn filly outside of one of the school's windows, looking back at her with a wide-eyed expression.

"Honey Syrup," Murky whispered without breaking her gaze, "Is there always a unicorn outside the school?" She asked.
Honey looked over. "...Oh! That's the ghost filly," She concluded, "We call her that because she's always just outside the window; no one's ever actually talked to her."
Murky watched the 'ghost filly' closely. She thought she could see them shivering.
"...She's cold," Murky said softly, "We should help her inside, shouldn't we?" She asked.
Her staring and soft speech had started to draw attention from a few other schoolfoals.
Honey bit her lip, "Well… I guess so," She murmured.

Murky abruptly stood up, throwing on her scarf and back blanket.
Ms. Writ looked at her, "Murky, is something wrong?" She asked abruptly.
Murky didn't waste time replying. She quickly ran to the door, cracked it open, and ran out into the lightly snowed schoolyard.
"M-Murky, wait!" Honey chirped, hastily wrapping her own scarf as she darted out after Murky.
Ms. Writ looked at the rest of her students, "...No, you may not leave 10 minutes early like they did," She answered preemptively.

Murky watched as the 'ghost filly' began darting away from the schoolhouse. "W-wait!" She called, giving chase. Murky wasn't the most staminetic runner, but being taller than most fillies allowed her to slowly close the distance.
Honey, meanwhile, had to take flying leaps just to keep up, her wings flapping all they could to propel her forward.
The 'ghost filly' ran towards the forest. Cauldron Valley's woods were infamous for their strange, almost tropical foliage despite how cold it got in the winter; they were believed to host all manner of strange beasts.

Murky paid these rumours no heed. She was finally gaining on the 'ghost filly' proper, and running became easier once she passed the forest's edge.
Honey kept decent pace as she followed the other two fillies, "Murky, stop! Th-the forest is dangerous!" She chirped.
Murky shook her head, and kept going.
Now deeper into the forest, the air was surprisingly temperate. Still cold, but warm enough to pass as a cool spring afternoon, rather than a frigid winter's day.
Murky watched as the ghost filly deftly crossed a fallen log that was spanning a gorge; one with a flowing river at the bottom.

Murky followed suit, nervously hopping onto the fallen log. It let out some creaky noises beneath her weight.
Murky looked at the 'ghost filly', trepidatiously beginning to cross, "Please, wait! I just want to help you warm up!" She attempted.
The ghost filly actually did stop, turning to Murky.
Murky continued step by step across the log. She didn't notice the sounds it was making; at least, not until the most important one.
SNAP!!
Murky screamed as the log collapsed beneath her, snapping in two; the rooted half barely hung on, as the upper trunk tumbled into the water below.

Murky yelped as she felt Honey's legs wrap around her front legs, the young pegasus flapping as hard as she could. "I-I got you, Murky!" She attempted, even though they were still descending.
Murky watched in awe as the 'ghost filly' leapt from the side of the gorge, grabbing her other front leg and attempting to help her up.
Murky whined lightly as she was slowly pulled up towards the lip of the gorge. The two winged ponies were actually doing it! …For a couple minutes, anyways.
Honey yelped as her wing cramped, very suddenly going from barely providing lift to being dead weight.
The 'ghost filly' tried her hardest, but failed to hold the weight of herself and the two other fillies now reliant on her for altitude.
The ghost filly and Honey screamed as they began plummeting towards the water.

Thankfully, the hang time had given Murky just enough room to recompose herself.
Murky grunted lightly in effort as a stripe of her mane glowed purple, pulling the two other fillies close as a thick purple shield ballooned around them.
They hit the water with a loud splash; the shield thunked loudly against the rocky shallows of the raging stream. Murky yelped from the impact of hitting the shield, but managed to keep the shield intact. That was, at least, until the rooted half of the fallen tree snapped free of the earth holding it in place, the toppled stump smashing into the shield.
The shield glistened brightly with effort, being thrown into the wall of the gorge; they were over land, at least, but the third impact. Murky yelped again as they hit the wall, the shield shattering into purple sparks. Murky passed out from the effort; she had trained her magic with her mother over the past few moons, but three heavy impacts was too much for her.

Honey opened her eyes slowly as she felt Murky's grip go slack on her.
"Murky…?" She whined softly, wiggling free of Murky's leg.
She looked up at the walls of the gorge. Her wings wouldn't take her that far. She then looked back at Murky, who was passed out, and lightly scraped up from shielding the other two fillies from the tumble against the wall.
"Murky!" Honey Syrup whined, "Please, get up! Please!" She begged.
The 'ghost filly's eyes opened slowly.
Honey looked at her, "Y-you!" She shouted, voice cracking.
The 'ghost filly' whimpered and cowered behind Murky.

"This is your fault! I-if Murky hadn't seen you, she wouldn'tve run to the forest, a-and we wouldn'tve fallen, a-and…" Honey Syrup's voice became unsteady as she began to cry. She didn't know Murky was just passed out.
The 'ghost filly' looked away, their green eyes evading Honey's gaze, "I-I'm sorry," She whimpered.
Honey didn't reply at all. She just sobbed into Murky, clutching the unconscious filly as if she were the only solid thing left in the world.
The 'ghost filly' looked at her own hooves, "Th-this is all my fault…" She whimpered, "I-I should've stopped… I didn't think she'd climb the tree."
Honey wasn't listening. Her head lifted, and she stared at Murky's face, "Please… Please wake up, Murky…" She whimpered, tears still running down her cheeks.

Tincture stared at Hastily Writ with an expression somewhere between horror and rage. "What do you mean they 'ran off again'?" She asked.
Hastily Writ shrank slightly, "I'm very sorry; you know how they are. Murky does tend to march to the beat of her own drum, and-" She was cut off.
In addition to Tincture, Tinned Syrup was also standing before the teacher, only slightly more composed, "...I left for half an hour to get a treat for the foals for the end of the week. You did not think to stop either of them!?" She asked exasperatedly.
Ms. Writ shuddered, "They have a history of leaving school a bit early, I assumed they were just leaving to see Tincture early or somethi-" Once again, she didn't have time to finish her thought.
"That excuse is not acceptable," Tincture growled, "Because of you failing to assert authority over your students, two fillies are now lost."
"And," Tinned Syrup began to add, "The only witness we have says he saw them running into the woods."

Ms. Writ's eyes squeezed shut, "I'm sorry!" She yelped, "I should have told them to wait until after class!"
Tincture calmed slightly as she saw the distress Ms. Writ was in. "I'm sorry, Ms. Writ… You have to understand, as the parents of these fillies, we're just… Quite worried. It has already been close to an hour and no one has seen hide nor hair of them," She expressed, setting a hoof on Tinned Syrup's shoulder.
Tinned Syrup closed her eyes tightly, "Th-they do have a tendency to run off," She admitted, "W-we should at least give them until sunset… Perhaps they went off to play by their lonesome," She stammered.
Tincture sighed softly, ears pinning back. "That's a possibility… Perhaps they just want some time alone," She conceded.
Truthfully, neither mother was particularly appeased by these supposed explanations, but that wasn't the fault of Hastily Writ, who now looked quite terrified, cowering behind her desk.

Chapter 2: A Walk in the Woods

Murky groaned softly at the sight that greeted her when she awoke. Both Honey and the 'ghost filly' were staring at her with tear-stained eyes and cheeks, and her blanket had been draped over her.
"What happened…?" Murky croaked.
Honey's eyes widened, and she hugged Murky tightly. "M-Murky! You're awake!" She squeaked, "I-I'm sorry! I should've flown harder, I-I should've…"

Murky hugged Honey close as the filly began to sob again.
"Honey… I'm okay, I'm just tired…" Murky murmured softly, before looking at the 'ghost filly', who was now attempting to slink away.
"W-wait," Murky said, making the 'ghost filly' freeze. She turned to face Murky.
"I-I'm sorry y-you fell," The 'ghost filly' whined, slowly pacing back over.
Murky finally had a chance to get a good look at her.

The 'ghost filly' was a bit larger than Honey Syrup, and had a mint-green-and-pink-striped mane with a light magenta body. More importantly, however, she had both a horn and wings; she was an alicorn.
This fact trumped Murky's odd train of thought, "You're an alicorn!" She squeaked.
The 'ghost filly' shrank back slightly. "I-Is that a bad thing?" She asked nervously.
Murky shook her head, "No, but… Usually, alicorns are princesses. Why are you out here all by yourself?" She asked.
Honey was finally calming down, slowly looking up between the 'ghost filly' and Murky.
The 'ghost filly' shivered a little, "I-I… Got really lost," She admitted.
Honey finally composed herself enough to speak up, "But I see you outside the schoolhouse all the time!" She squealed, "Wh-why don't you come inside?"
The 'ghost filly' looked down. "I-I'm scared of the other ponies…" She admitted, "For example, y-you're both very scary. Especially wh-when you chase me."

Murky huffed softly. "You could've at least said something," She reasoned.
Honey blinked, "Wait, if you're not a ghost… Do you have a name?" She asked.
The 'ghost filly' nodded, "I'm Nymph," She introduced softly.
Murky gave a weak smile, "Well… It's nice to meet you, Nymph… Thanks for diving in to help Honey save me," She said softly, trying not to be vindictive. It seemed that this filly somehow had worse social skills than she did!

"I couldn't just let you fall," Nymph said softly, "You did want to help me… Even if I was too stupid to accept it," She murmured that last bit.
Honey huffed a little, "W-well… We need a way back up," She said, "M-mom'll be real mad i-if we're not home for dinner."
Nymph looked up, "I-I can help!" She chirped, "I-I know the woods well."
Murky groaned softly as she stood up, "Okay…" She said softly, "Lead the way," She requested as she slung her blanket over her back.
Honey scoffed slightly, "You're just going to trust her?" She asked.
Murky shrugged, "We don't have much of a choice, Honey… I can't fly at all, and I don't think you could fly all the way up," She admitted.

Honey gulped slightly as she looked up the high walls of the gorge, reluctantly uttering a soft, "Fine," Before turning to Nymph, "But I'm only following you because Murky says we should."
Nymph gulped a little and simply nodded, beginning to lead the way along the river.
Murky looked around at all the dark foliage, coloured odd shades of blue and dark teal.
Honey stuck close to Murky's side. "It's all dark and scary here…" She whined softly.
Nymph nodded a little, "Sorry," She said softly, horn illuminating. It was a warm, green glow, matching her eyes, "Is this better?"
Honey nodded a little, "Thank you…" She murmured softly.

Nymph would lead the fillies through a wall of vines, walking into a cave. It quickly opened up into a massive chamber underground, hewn of black stone festooned with all sorts of glowing plants and fungi.
"Woah…" Murky murmured softly.
Nymph smiled a very small smile, "It's really pretty, isn't it?" She asked.
Murky nodded a little, "It is," She replied softly, "It's surprisingly quiet, too…"
Nymph blinked, "There's… Dangers," She admitted, "The worst ones are Helmintides."
"What's a Helmintide?" Honey asked abruptly.
"They're these big worms… They're scary. Even scarier than ponies," Nymph admitted.
Honey gulped a little, "I hope we don't run into one…" She admitted.

As they walked, Murky felt her stomach growl. She winced lightly, looking away a little.
Honey blinked, "Didn't you eat at school?" She asked, looking at Murky.
"Using my magic like that makes me hungry," Murky admitted.
Nymph nodded a little, "My magic does too… I've gotten familiar with the plants here. I'll find you something to eat," She promised gently.
Nymph began looking around, trying to find something to feed her new acquaintances.
Honey also looked around. Mainly because, if a Helminth attacked them, she really wanted Murky to be able to use her shield.

Honey Syrup's eyes eventually landed on a beehive. "Wait, there's bees down here too?" She asked.
Nymph nodded a little, "Bees are scary…" She admitted, shivering a little.
"There's nothing to be afraid of!" Honey said, prancing over to the low hanging hive. She knocked lightly on the short trunk of the tree, watching the hive sway. It was a much larger hive than Honey was used to, but the bees that streamed out to address the disturbance were surprisingly normal.
"Um, excuse me," Honey Syrup said, "I was wondering if we could have some of your honeycomb," She explained, calmly allowing the bees to land on her.

Nymph watched with wide eyes, "Does she always have this effect on bees?" She whispered to Murky.
Murky nodded, "All the time. One time one of the colts in class ran directly into the tree where the bees make their hive; just before they stung him, she just walked over, said hello, and they went all calm," She explained, "I think it's because she always rolls around in flowers."
Murky watched as Honey silently negotiated with the bees for a few moments. A few more bees streamed out of the hive, chewing off a piece of one of the larger combs just outside of it. Honey took it carefully in her mouth and walked over, bees slowly dispersing from her as she came back.
"Here!" Honey said as she laid it gently on the ground, "They have lots to spare because it never gets cold enough for them to hibernate; this is all extra."
Murky smiled a little, "Thank you, Honey," She replied softly.

Nymph looked at the honeycomb and licked her lips. It did look quite tasty; she'd stolen tastes of it before when she'd found remnants from other animals' pilfering of the hive, but had never gotten a full piece.
Murky carefully lifted the honeycomb from the ground and lightly smacked it against the stone, breaking it into more manageable pieces.
"I don't need all of this… I'm pretty sure I'd die of sugar," Murky joked with a giggle.
Honey took a couple small pieces for herself and looked at Nymph's longing expression. "You can have some… I'm not that hungry, anyways," Honey invited.
Nymph barely uttered a "thank you" before snatching up one of the larger pieces, licking honey from her lips as she swallowed her piece more or less whole.
Murky sighed softly as she ate the pieces of honeycomb. It was sickly sweet; perfect for a rush of energy to get her magic kicked back on.

After their snack, the three fillies pressed on.
"I still can't believe they just gave you that much, Honey," Nymph expressed.
Honey giggled gently, "Neither can I! Usually they only give enough for a little snack, not a big meal like that," She commented.
Murky shrugged, "Well, you said they had lots. Maybe they wanted to offload some inventory on us," She supposed, using a phrase she had overheard in the market several times.
Nymph nodded a little, "It's probably good… A lot of the plants around here can be dangerous. Dreamweave and Shademare are the worst," She expressed, with a small, emphatic "blugh".

"What do they do?" Murky asked.
"Dreamweave makes you fall asleep if you eat it, and if a Shademare's nettles poke you, you see your worst nightmare even when you're awake," Nymph explained.
Murky gulped. "Shademare sounds awful…" She whined softly, "I get nightmares sometimes, and I wake mom up screaming."
Honey frowned a little, her ears drooping, "That's awful, Murky…" She replied.
Nymph nodded a little, "What are they about?" She asked.

Murky took a deep breath. "There's this… This really tall unicorn; as tall as Princess Celestia. And she's always just… There, punishing me for doing things wrong. Like, if I walk with my head held too high or if I stumble over something, she just yells at me," She explained, shivering a bit as she recalled the dreams, "She always calls me a failure, a-and I usually believe her because she doesn't stop," She explained with a small whimper.
Honey stopped walking to pull Murky into a hug, "You're not a failure, Murky," She promised, "You're smart and you can do magic!"
Murky smiled a bit, her eyes slightly wet. "Thank you, Honey," She replied gently, nuzzling the filly.

Nymph blinked as she stared at the two, her pupils dilating slightly.
After a couple minutes, Murky and Honey stopped their embrace, and resumed walking.
Nymph shook her head and followed suit, her horn illuminating as they stepped out of the caverns and into a low-lying swampland. It was higher than the gorge; they had been going uphill for a while. It wasn't enough, however. They still had a long way to climb.

Honey looked at the ground. "What's with all these pointy stones?" She asked, squinting at the triangular protrusions in the dirt.
Nymph froze. "There… Aren't stones here," She corrected, "Run!" She orders.
Murky and Honey did not question the command; Nymph had been a trustworthy guide so far.
The reason for Nymph's panic was soon made obvious.
The stones started moving, drawing up large segments of skin. Slowly, an enormously long mouth formed, as the teeth interlocked.

A massive worm took shape, hissing loudly. It was longer than fifty ponies, and nearly a quarter of that length was a flailing, twisting mouth.
Honey only needed half a second of a look to scream, willing herself to run faster.
Murky, however, wasn't doing so hot. She was still tired from breaking their fall earlier.
Nymph watched in horror as the worm began gaining on Murky. Nymph bit her tongue. She had to do something.
She spun on her hooves and lunged at the worm.

Honey and Murky watched in shock as mint green and pink flames engulfed Nymph's body.
From the flames emerged a large, bipedal creature, with a scorpion's tail, large, clawed hands; and a large, mandible-bearing head.
"Enough!" Roared the creature, arresting the worm with its large claws. The worm very abruptly began to thrash, attempting to backpedal from the beast that was now pinning it.
The beast's tail plunged into the worm twice, before throwing it away, sending the worm screeching away from the three.

Honey was hiding behind Murky now, "N-Nymph?" Honey squeaked.
The beast looked back at them, before the flames kicked up around it again, returning to the magenta, pink, and green alicorn filly they were familiar with. Nymph's eyes were thick with tears. "I-I couldn't just let it hurt you…" She croaked.
Murky blinked. She remembered history class. "You're a changeling!" She exclaimed, walking over to Nymph.
Nymph attempted to backpedal, but squeaked as Murky lunged at her. Instead of being attacked, however, she was hugged.
Nymph was confused.

Murky smiled gently, "It all makes sense now: You can fly and use magic, you're scared of ponies, and you didn't want to be caught," She declared, as if she'd just put together the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.
Nymph nodded a little, "Wh-why are you hugging me?" She asked.
"Because you just saved our lives! What else can I do?" Murky asked.
Honey decided Murky's reasoning was airtight, and with some hesitation, joined in the hug.
Nymph's eyes only watered more, "B-but I'm a monster…" She whined softly.
It was Honey's turn to speak up, "A monster is what you do, not what you are. And last time I checked, monsters don't save fillies they just met," She commented.
Nymph began to cry as she whimpered a small thank you, weakly hugging the two fillies back. They took a few minutes to allow her to cry out her feelings, before the changeling calmed herself down. Night was beginning to fall proper, after all.

Murky helped Nymph to her hooves, but the changeling collapsed back to the ground.
"I… I don't use my beast form much," Nymph admitted, "It makes me really tired…"
Murky and Honey shared a look.
"I'll carry you," Murky said gently, "Honey, help me get her onto my back," She requested, removing her back blanket.
Nymph, with some assistance, crawled onto Murky's back, and Murky set the blanket over her.
They then began walking, as Nymph rested on Murky's back.
"I-I still don't understand why you're being so nice to me…" Nymph admitted in a soft tone.
"Well… Honey is very nice to me, even though I'm weird and a problem sometimes," Murky supposed.
Honey blinked, "You're not a problem, Murky…" She protested.

Honey did, however, want to change the subject. "So, if you're a changeling, and we already know you're a changeling, why are you still disguised as a pony?" Honey asked.
Nymph hesitated. "Well… When I first got here and started exploring, I was always cold," She explained, "So I became a pony to give myself fur. I always wore my pony disguise, even when it did get warm out, because it was fuzzy and comfy. Since I was so young when I first disguised myself as a pony, I have a harder time looking like a changeling than I do like this," Nymph explained.

Murky blinked, "So your disguise takes energy to maintain?" She asked.
Nymph nodded, "It depends on the form," She explained, "The closer a disguise is to our true self, the easier it is to maintain. I have a horn and wings as a changeling, so an alicorn is the easiest form for me to handle. But because I used it so much when my magic was still forming, my pony disguise is more familiar to my body than my actual changeling appearance."
Murky nodded, "Oh… That's why your beast form tires you out super fast. Because you're all big and huge and have claws and stuff," She figured.

Nymph simply nodded, and her eyes closed. The warmth of the pony she was laying on was starting to get to her tired head.
Honey blinked, "You can sleep, Nymph," She said gently, "We just have to keep moving up, right?" She asked.
Nymph nodded, "If we keep following the gorge, it eventually gets back to ground level," She explained.
Nymph felt sleep claim her quickly, leaving the other two fillies to navigate the woods.

Chapter 3: Wave to the Nightmares, They Say "Hello"

Tincture paced back and forth. "They're still not back yet, they're still not back yet…" She repeated over and over in a mumble of a tone, "It's after dark, and they're still not back yet."
Hazy looked between Tincture and Tinned Syrup. She understood their worry, but the panic was getting out of hand.
Angel was sitting on Tincture's back, trying to calm her. "Tincture, please… Murky's a strong filly, I'm sure they just wanted a slumber party or something," She expresses.
Tincture shook her head, "Murky's never slept anywhere other than in this house; she must be terrified," Tincture hissed in reply, "Don't confuse the issue. She should be home by now."

Tinned Syrup nodded, "My little Honey can't stand the dark," She expressed, "Those two must be terrified, all alone out in the woods…"
Bottled Lightning rubbed Tinned's shoulder gently. "They're both good foals, Ms. Syrup. I'm sure they've found somewhere safe to huddle for the night, out of danger," She attempted to reassure.
Tinned Syrup began to sob into her hooves.
Hazy sighed softly, "Alright, Tincture, on the couch, now," She ordered.
Tincture took a moment, but with a few taps from Angel, was persuaded onto the couch.

Hazy stood before Tincture and Tinned. "Alright, huns. Both of you, eyes on me," Hazy demanded.
Tincture stared at her, and Tinned Syrup looked up from her hooves.
Hazy lifted up, and set a hoof on each mare's forehead. "Now, you two calm down, 'kay? Take a breath," She huffs.
Tincture and Tinned Syrup took a long moment as they felt a sudden wave of calm wash over them. Tincture had experienced Hazy's supposed magic once before, but this was a much stronger dosage. Her vision briefly went blurry.
Tinned looked at her hooves briefly. "I'm not… Huh…?" She sputtered.
Bottle bit her lip, watching as Hazy took her hooves away. "How hard did you hit them this time?" She asked.
"Hard enough. I'd like to get some sleep tonight," Hazy replied, "You two feeling okay, huns?"

Tincture nodded a little, "Mhm… I feel a little dizzy, but…" She blinked a few times to defog her vision, never to finish her thought.
Tinned Syrup started laughing, "Oh, goodness… My eyes are all wet," She said, "I must look like a wreck!"
Tincture gently pulled Tinned Syrup into a hug, "You look fine," She promised.
Angel smiled a little, "Hazy's got it, that's for sure," She whispered.
Hazy sat down, "I didn't mean to make them cuddly, but maybe it'll be good for them to bond over something healthy," She supposed.
Bottle sighed a little, "They're going to be messes in the morning," She commented, letting the two mothers bond.
Hazy smiled slightly at her handiwork. She was worried about the fillies, too, but trying to look for them in the dark of night would be an exercise in futility. It was nice to see the two mares getting along; even if they were a bit "addled" at the moment.

Honey Syrup yawned. It was late at night, moonlight faintly illuminating cracks in the forest floor.
"I'm getting really tired…" Honey admitted.
Murky sighed softly, "So am I," She replied, "But one of us needs to be awake… You can sleep on my back, with Nymph."
Honey blinked, "Are you sure you'll be okay by yourself?" She asked.
Murky nodded, "I will. I'll wake you if something's wrong," She promised, stopping briefly.
Honey carefully lifted the blanket and climbed on top of Nymph. Nymph whined lightly, but didn't stir, even as Honey draped the blanket over herself and Nymph.
"Tie my scarf around you two so you don't fall off," Murky requested.
Honey obliged, tying the scarf around Murky's torso.
Murky grunted slightly from the weight of two fillies on her back, but kept pressing on.
"Good night, Murky…" Honey whispered softly.
"Good night," Murky replied.

Murky kept walking, despite the extra weight. Her mother said she was strong. Tinned Syrup said she was brave. Murky wanted to be both of those things for her friends when they needed it. No, everyone needed her to be strong.
She kept walking. Maybe for another hour. She was starting to get sleepy, when a sudden pang of pain awoke her. She looked at the cut on her leg; it was a small cut, and hadn't even bled. She waggled her hoof a bit.
"Ow," She murmured softly.
She kept walking, newly invigorated by the slight pain coursing from her hoof.

She froze for a moment as she thought she heard a familiar voice.
"What are you doing out so late, young mare?" Asked a hissing, female voice.
Murky's eyes darted around, only to hear laughter.
"Oh good, you remember me. I was worried you'd forgotten your rightful mother," Said the voice.
Murky whimpered, "N-no," She croaked, beginning to pick up her pace through the forest, "No, you're not mom! I know who you are, a-and you're not mom!"

The voice only got louder. "Oh, Murky. Silly silly Murky. I may not have raised you, but I still own you. You are my daughter, and mine alone."
Murky's eyes went foggy as they became wet with tears, but she kept running, "No! No, you're not mom! Mom loves me, and you don't!" She cried.
She froze as she looked up. The figure of a tall, pink unicorn stood before her. Miasma.
Miasma scoffed, "You don't honestly think she loves you, does she?" She asked, "She only loves that she can keep you away from me, your true mother. She doesn't raise you right. Only I can teach you properly."

Murky backed away slightly and cowered. "N-no," She whimpered, beginning to sob, "No, mom loves me! She wants me to be happy!"
Miasma laughed. "As if! She only cares about herself. She just wants to prove to the world that she's 'better than me', yet her child is a rebellious brat who runs off after strange forest creatures," She scoffed.
"No," Murky whimpered weakly, her voice only getting quieter as Miasma continued to pelt her with insults, "No, no no! Tincture loves me! I ran off because she taught me to take care of others!" She squeaked defiantly.

She felt Miasma standing over her. "Stupid, stupid filly. You can justify it all you want. The truth is, Tincture raised you poorly because she did everything I didn't do. She doesn't discipline you, she doesn't set any expectations; you will grow up to be a lazy layabout who acts as a parasite to everypony around her," Miasma growled.
Murky began sobbing, cowering on the ground. "N-no…" She begged weakly, "M-Mom loves me…"
Miasma just laughed, "If all of the above wasn't enough, you're not even a unicorn. You're a pathetic mud filly, fit only to carry things like the dead weights on your back," She scoffed.
"Th-they're my friends," Murky sobbed, "They love me j-just like mom does…"
Miasma continued to berate her. Murky kept crying. She couldn't get a word in edgewise as the tall unicorn relentlessly berated her, the filly cowering on the forest floor.

Nymph groaned softly as she awoke some hours later.
She looked around, noticing that she was oddly low to the ground.
She then heard the sound of Murky crying.
"Murky?" Nymph asked softly, slowly sliding out from under Honey and walking around to Murky's front.
Murky sobbed, cowering beneath her hooves. "N-no… Mom loves me," Murky whimpered, "I-I make her proud, she said so."
Nymph gently pulled Murky's hooves away from her face.
Murky looked up at her with fearful, bloodshot eyes.

"Murky, what happened?" Nymph asked gently.
"M-Miasma's right behind you!" Murky squeaked in a panic.
Nymph looked back briefly. Not a soul. As she turned back, she put two and two together, as her illuminated horn highlighted a small cut on Murky's leg.
"Murky… It's just a bad dream, okay? She can't hurt you," Nymph promised gently.
Murky sniffled, "I-it is?" She asked.

Nymph grabbed Murky's hoof and waved it in front of her.
Murky stared for a long moment, as if she were waking up. "I-it's that plant, isn't it?" She asked weakly.
Nymph nodded, returning Murky's hoof to the dirt, "That's all it is," She said gently, "Just a nightmare… Come on, we'll get you home," She expressed.
Murky allowed herself to stand up, following Nymph through the woods. Nymph could tell that Murky was still under the influence of the plant by how her ears twitched, but started making idle conversation to distract her.

Murky yawned as they kept walking. The plant's poison had worn off now, so she was finally no longer running on fear. "Mmm… I'm really sleepy now," She expressed, "You two together were kind of heavy…" She admitted.
Nymph nodded, "We'll rest for the night, then," She decided softly.
Murky slunk to a low bush, crawling under it so she was hidden. She laid her head on the ground and closed her eyes, letting her body come to rest.

Nymph sat in front of her. "I'll keep watch," She promised softly.
Murky nodded, "Okay… Good night, Nymph," She said gently, "I'm proud of you."
Nymph blinked, "Y-you are?" She asked.
Murky nodded again. "Yes. You're going so far out of your way to protect us and make sure we get back home. I hope we can still be friends once we're back to town," She expressed.
Nymph bit her lip, and rubbed her leg awkwardly, "I… I'll think about it," She expressed.
Murky nodded a third time. "Okay," She replied softly.
Before Nymph could think of something to talk about, she was cut off by Murky's soft snoring.

Bottle, Hazy, and Angel looked at the two mares who were now collapsed in a heap together, passed out.
"Do we… Wake them up to separate them?" Angel asked sheepishly.
Hazy gave a small smile. "I think they'll be fine. They'll probably still be a bit wacked out in the morning, anyways," She commented.
"You must've hit them really hard, then," Bottle remarked.
Hazy nodded, "I just wanted to make sure they'd relax, hun. You saw how they were," She reasoned.
Bottle sighed a little. "I mean… I can't imagine losing a filly," She expressed, "Besides, Tincture and Murky are very close; I'm not surprised she's as worried as she is."
Angel blinked, "Plus, there's a lot of rumours about the dangers of the woods… Even town guardstallions generally avoid it, especially at night."

Bottle bit her lip. She was starting to feel hesitant about allowing the fillies to stay out overnight.
Hazy looked at her, "I know that look," Hazy said, "Don't you go running off on us tonight, hun."
Bottle sighed a bit, "I won't, I just… It bothers me," She expressed.
Angel rubbed Bottle's back gently, "We can organize a whole search party in the morning, okay?" She promised, "We will find them. We just need to plan," She expressed.
Bottle nodded, "I think sleep is our best option here… We'll go talk to the mayor in the morning," She expressed.
The other mares concurred, breaking for the night.

Chapter 4: A Rough Night

It had only been a few hours before Murky awoke, shaking her head a bit. She felt an odd weight press against her.
"Nymph?" Murky asked softly.
The changeling was curled up against her side. "I-I was cold," Nymph admitted.
Murky nodded a little, "Oh," She replied softly, "You can borrow my scarf, okay?" She offered.
Nymph blinked, "Y-you mean it?" She asked.
Murky nodded, standing up with a small grunt. Honey was still asleep on her back… Murky envied the pegasus' ability to sleep so soundly.

Nymph carefully untied the scarf from around Murky's torso and wrapped it around herself. It was more like a short coat, given its length and how the changeling had put it around herself. Nymph was thankful for the warm clothing; it still radiated with Murky's body heat.
Nymph looked around. "We're getting close, I think" She says, "The canopy thins at the highest point of the forest."
Murky nodded. "Then we keep walking," She declared.
Nymph blinked, "A-are you sure?" She asked, "You didn't sleep for very long," She expressed.
Murky simply nodded, and Nymph began leading the way.

Murky looked at Nymph as she walked. "So… How long have you been alone in the forest?" She asked hesitantly.
Nymph frowned a little, "I-I… A long time. Since I was a baby," She admitted.
Murky blinked, "Oh," She replied, "So you've just been spying on town and living in the woods for most of your life?"
Nymph nodded solemnly.
Murky gently nuzzled her, "Well, you're not alone now," She promised gently.
Nymph blinked, blushing lightly at the filly's touch, "I-I'm not?" She asked.
"Honey and I are here, aren't we?" Murky proposed.
Nymph nodded a little, "I guess so…" She admitted softly, "But when you get home, you'll leave. And then I'll be alone again," Nymph whined.
Murky shook her head, "You can come with us," She offered, "You don't have to be alone anymore."
Nymph looked at Murky's tired, battered up face. Despite everything, there was a small smile on it. "I-I'll think about it," She said softly, "Ponies a-are still scary," She expressed.
Murky nodded a little, "You don't have to decide now," She promised gently.

Tincture and Tinned Syrup woke up at around the same time. Which was good, because they were muzzle to muzzle, holding each other rather intimately. An odd spot to sleep… Especially given that it was in the middle of the floor of the front room. The fire hadn't even completely burned down yet; hot coals still worked away at a couple of large pieces of wood.
They stared at each other for a long moment, with Tincture slowly rolling aside. Her head was spinning from Hazy's influence, as if she had a mild hangover.
Tinned took a gasping breath, but Tincture hushed her lightly, gesturing to Hazy, who was asleep on the couch.
Tinned Syrup's eyes briefly flicked to the door. Tincture nodded in agreement. They both quietly crept to the door, heading outside into the early morning air.

Tinned Syrup took a deep breath, shaking herself off. "Ugh, my head…" She murmured gently.
Tincture nodded sympathetically, "Coming down from Hazy's influence is rarely pleasant," She admitted with a light wince.
"This isn't your first time?" Tinned Syrup asked.
Tincture nodded again, "Far from it. Before Murky came around, there were some nights where she had to calm me down just so I'd sleep," She admitted, her ears drooping a bit.
Tinned Syrup gently slid over and wrapped a front leg around Tincture. She didn't say anything, but the two mothers shared a weary gaze.
"...We'll find them," Tincture promised softly. She didn't know if she was assuring herself or Tinned Syrup.
Tinned Syrup's head came to rest on Tincture's shoulder. "I know we will," Tinned replied, "Hah… Mother always knows best, doesn't she?"
Tincture's ears flattened, pinning to her head. "...Not always," She murmured.

Tinned Syrup blinked, "You say that like you have personal experience," She said.
Tincture nodded slowly, "I do," She replied, "As does Murky."
Tinned Syrup froze, words failing to come to her.
"I've… Told you many times that Murky is a special filly," Tincture continued, "But I've never had time to explain without her being around."
Tinned nodded slowly, "Well… You have a chance to elaborate," She supposed.
Tincture sighed deeply.

"Murky is not a natural-born foal. She wasn't even born to begin with; she is a magical conjuration in the form of a younger version of myself, born from my own memories, both those repressed and not repressed," Tincture explained, "In essence, she is a physical manifestation of me trying to heal my own traumas. When I protect her, I'm protecting myself… In a manner of speaking."

Tinned Syrup's mouth was agape. She had known magic could do some bizarre things, but this was beyond her wildest dreams. To conjure a child…

"I've slowly pieced together the memories she's inherited… Some are good. The curiosity brought on by Bottle and Hazy's magic, Angel's indomitable spirit to treat other ponies right. She even has some of my talent for creation, though hers manifests differently than my own. However…" Tincture's ears flattened as she continued, "She also inherited the trauma. The mortal terror I felt, living under Miasma. Her fear of failure and crowds are born of my own. Every time she wakes up with a nightmare, it's because she's remembering a memory I gave her."

Tinned Syrup sat up straight. This was a lot to take in; no wonder Tincture didn't want to say this around any of the foals, nevermind Murky herself. "Okay, but… If she's a younger version of you, why does she look so different?" She asked, punching herself mentally for such an unimportant question. It was, however, the only one that came to mind.

"As part of my training… Miasma instructed me to make a concoction. It was a powerful brew; one not found in any spellbook. It was her attempt to make me into a second version of herself," Tincture explained.
Tinned Syrup gasped slightly, "She wanted to turn you into a version of herself?" She asked.
Tincture nodded, "Miasma summoned creatures from tartarus to do her busywork in the castle. It made her very powerful, but also took its toll on her. She planned to anchor summons to me from then on, but to bind to such a creature, a unicorn's magic was needed. Not an earth pony's," Tincture explained.

"Did… Did she ever follow through, after you completed the spell?" She asked.
Tincture shook her head, "I was too fragile after taking the spell. It was not a typical transformation spell, like those imparted onto a pegasus or unicorn becoming an alicorn after a grand trial. It directly sapped my magic to force it into a horn. The height and colour changes were actually unintentional; just a consequence of attempting to morph my presence into something closer to Miasma's own. She was… Not pleased when she learned my own spellcasting ability was limited. Earth pony magic is designed to interact with the world we tread; hence my affinity for conjuration. So, she…" Tears began to fall from Tincture's cheeks, "She began forcing me to get stronger. I was beaten, starved, deprived of sleep, scolded… And even though Murky never went through that part of my life, she still has those memories. The years of beratement and being told I was worthless."

Tinned Syrup hugged Tincture gently as she began to cry.
"And now, she's t-terrified," Tincture stammered as she continued, "She's lost alone, after dark, in a place she's never been. Because I've always asked her to tell me where she's going, she probably feels as though she's failed me… M-my poor little foal…"
Tears trickled to the ground.
It was Tinned's turn to be the strong one, though the thought of her own daughter being in a similar predicament did inspire her own dreadful feelings. Tinned Syrup held Tincture tightly as the unicorn cried.
"It's okay, Tincture," Tinned attempted, starting to choke on her own held-back tears, "We'll find her, and y-you can tell her all the ways you love her no matter what."
They sobbed into each other. What else was there to do? They were both mothers who had lost their children, after all.

Some stops for food and naps later, the three fillies were making decent progress. Day was beginning to break.
"I think I can see light!" Honey exclaimed excitedly, having woken up a couple hours ago.
"Maybe the adults will come and find us when morning comes," Murky supposed.
Nymph blinked, "Yeah…" She replied distantly. She was almost hesitant to continue to lead her two friends out of the forest. She finally wasn't alone anymore, but if the two fillies left, she'd be back to being by her lonesome.
Her train of thought was broken as she heard a rustling in the undergrowth. Her eyes darted around, as did Murky's and Honey's.

The three pulled tight together, attempting to look like a larger target than they were.
Nymph winced lightly. She was still tired from using her beast form earlier. "I-I can't protect us," She admitted in a soft whine, "I wouldn't be able to maintain my beast form."
Murky nodded a little, "Stay close to me, then," She insisted as she carefully led the other two fillies along. She listened carefully for more rustling. She heard the sound of something burrowing just beneath the surface. Then, silence.
Honey's eyes widened as she looked up, "ABOVE!" She screamed, as a Helmintide dove at them from the branches.

Murky reacted quickly. The worm hissed as it struck the suddenly present purple bubble, its jaws opening to wrap around the protective sphere, jagged teeth scraping on the surface like nails on a chalkboard.
The shield sparkled lightly as it was torn at.
Murky grunted, closing her eyes as the stripe of her mane glowed bright purple.
The worm thrashed and tore at the shield to little effect.
Honey breathed heavily, the sight of the Helmintide's angered jaws making her panic.
The worm clenched its tentacular maw around the shield harder, pressing in.
Murky whimpered, "T-too much pressure…"
Honey gulped at Murky's remark.
Nymph's eyes darted around for some sort of resolution, but saw none.

Honey found one, however.
"Murky… Three steps forward," She requested.
Murky slowly paced three steps forward, the shield moving with her. It shrank slightly, the filly's magic beginning to fail her despite the mortal danger.
Honey took a deep breath as she looked up. A wasp's nest in the tree.
"H-hold on just a little longer!" Honey chirped, darting over to the tree and bucking it as hard as she could.
The wasp's nest fell and cracked over the shield. Large, angry, red insects swarmed out, stinging the first fleshy thing they found: The Helmintide.

The worm ignored the first few stings, but soon dozens of angry insects were coating it, stinging it relentlessly. The worm hissed angrily; what had once been a vice grip on the shield became a pair of hopelessly waving, flailing tendrils, attempting to bat away the angry insects.
Murky's shield shrank more as her magic attempted to fizzle out.
"Nymph, help me!" Honey squeaked, hefting part of Murky's weight onto her back.
Nymph took the other side, and the fillies began to run away from the now flailing worm and the swarm of angered bugs.
"I'm sorry," Honey whispered softly as they ran.

Murky's shield collapsed into white and purple sparks as her magic finally gave out, her mane fizzling.
"Did I do it?" Murky asked groggily.
Honey nodded, "You did, Murky…" She expressed, hugging the earth pony tightly.
Nymph joined in the hug, "Y-you both did," She expressed softly.
Honey sighed softly, "I-I wanna go home," She whined, tears in her eyes, "I-I wanna see mom and hug her and tell her I'm sorry we ran away."
Murky hugged the two a bit tighter, "I do too, Honey… We'll find them," She promised gently, "Or at least, they'll find us."
Nymph bit her tongue. Now wasn't the time.

Chapter 5: The Daring Rescue

Bottle awoke as soon as her room began to lighten. She immediately climbed out of bed. They had two fillies to find, and wanted to start getting things on the road as soon as possible; every minute of daylight was valuable.
She walked downstairs, noticing that Tincture and Tinned Syrup had seemingly already left. "At least they're on top of things," Bottle muttered as she roused Angel and Hazy.
Angel and Hazy weren't too happy about being woken up. "C'mon, you two. The mama bears are already up and on the prowl," Bottle remarked.

Hazy's eyes shot open, "They're already gone?" She asked. Bottle nodded, and Hazy cursed, "...Alright, let's get going to town hall then."
Angel's Kiss didn't even bother saying anything. Truth be told, it had been bothering her, too. She darted outside, briefly noting two sets of hoofprints in the snow.
"We're on the clock," Angel commented.
Bottle and Hazy ran to keep up with Angel as she darted towards the mayor's office.

Angel crashed through the door, tumbling head-over-tail as she struck the counter, looking at the groggy receptionist.
The secretary looked at her amusedly, "Well, at least you used the door this ti-" They were cut off by Angel's frantic tone.
"We need a search party ASAP," Angel instructed, "Murky and Honey Syrup went into the woods last night, and now Tincture and Tinned Syrup are going after them," She explained hurriedly.
The secretary's eyes went wide. "They went into the woods?" They asked.
Angel nodded.

The secretary walked to the back of their area and pulled on a large rope; a loud bell began to ring. A bell reserved only for emergencies.
"You, out. I'll get the mayor; get ready to tell everyone what you told me," They said.
Angel nodded and zipped out the front door, looking at Hazy and Bottle. "The mayor'll know. You two try and catch Tincture and Tinned before it's too late," Angel demands.
Hazy Stupor was taken off-guard by Angel's sudden assertiveness, but her and Bottled Lightning nodded, heading off towards the forest.

Tinned Syrup's ear twitched as she heard the distant ringing of the bell.
"Are they calling an emergency meeting…?" She asked softly.
Tincture nodded, "Probably about the fillies. Let's keep going," She insisted, horn glowing brightly as she illuminated her way through the woods.
"Honey! Murky!" Tinned Syrup cried, to no response, "They must be deeper in," She sighed.
Tincture looked as they came to a large gorge. "This is quite a drop… Murky wouldn't dare jump it," Tincture expressed.
"I don't think Honey would, either… She's not a strong flyer," Tinned expressed.
Tincture nodded and pointed in the direction the water was flowing, "Let's follow the river. We can always backtrack the other way," She said, beginning to lead the way downstream.
Tinned followed her closely.

Bottled Lightning looked around in the blue light cast by the arcing electricity between her hooves.
Hazy looked at the dirt, "Fresh prints down this way," She observed, pointing.
Bottle nodded, following the trail, her lightning lighting the way.
They noticed the sharp turn by a gorge.

Bottle peered over the side, "Yeesh, that's a drop… Let's hope the kids didn't take the fast way down," She expressed.
Hazy looked around until she saw the horn roots of what had once been a fallen tree in the ground. "...We don't have to hope," Hazy said grimly, "These roots are freshly torn. I think they fell."
Bottle winced, "Oh, Celestia…" She murmured, before she spoke up, "We follow the river, then. If they fell, they would've ended up downstream," She said, beginning to walk in the direction of the water's flow.
Hazy stared at the stump briefly, but turned and followed after Bottle.

Angel looked over the gathering crowd of groggy ponies. "Okay, listen up!" She shouted, "We have two fillies and two mares who've gone off into the forest, and we need to find them! Pair up, and we will scour the forest until they are found!" She declared.
She spent the next few moments discussing strategy; moving in ranks of ponies not too far apart, so no group would ever fall out of communication with at least one other. Most of the town was shocked by Angel's sudden display of leadership skills; the farmers were not. She was the organizer for planting, watering, and harvesting for a reason.

Murky's ear twitched as she thought she heard shouting. She couldn't make out what it was; just that it was at all.
"...I think they're coming for us," Murky said, picking her pace up.
"Th-they?" Nymph squeaked.
"The adults! They're coming to find us," Honey exclaimed, quickening her pace to match Murky's.
Nymph followed after them quietly.
Another call. This one was louder.
"Mom!" Honey cried into the dimly lit woods, as if that would help.

Nymph's eyes squeezed shut, "C-can we talk for a minute!?" She squeaked as she came to a screeching halt.
Murky stopped, but Honey Syrup took longer to realize her group had fallen behind her.
"What's wrong?" Murky asked gently.
"I-I'm just… Scared," Nymph admitted softly, "S-scared the adults will take you away from me, b-because I'm a forest monster," She expressed.
Murky shook her head, "I won't let them," She promised, looking over at Honey Syrup, who was sitting on a low branch as she waited for them.
Nymph looked up at her with watery eyes.
"Mom's really nice," Murky promised, "Just trust me, okay? She won't take me away," She insisted.
Nymph nodded a little, and the two fillies ran to catch up with Honey Syrup.

Tincture's eyes widened as she heard a quiet echo of a filly's voice.
"They're this way; I hear them," Tincture said frantically.
Tinned Syrup simply nodded, following Tincture's lead as they jumped down a short cliff, landing on soft dirt.
"Murky!!" Tincture shouted.
Tinned Syrup blinked as she heard a faint, "Mom!" in the distance.
The two mares quickened their pace more; a full gallop, now. Tinned Syrup even flew, scouting ahead.
They ran and flew as hard as they could, calling out to the voices of what they believed were their foals.

They froze as they caught a glimpse of two familiar fillies. One in red and blonde, the other in dazzling shades of yellow. They were bruised; beaten, really. Murky had some small cuts on her leg. Honey Syrup had several visible bruises. Both of them were covered in dirt.
"Mom!" Each filly cried out in unison, dashing across the clearing.
Tincture embraced Murky tightly, as did Tinned Syrup to Honey. The fillies sobbed into their mothers, clinging to them tightly.

"Murky, thank Celestia… I was so, so worried about you," Tincture expressed, holding Murky close, telling her how much she had missed the filly.
"Oh, my sweet innocent Honey… Where have you been? Why did you run away?..." Tinned Syrup asked, pelting her sobbing daughter with questions.
Nymph watched the reunion from behind a bush, tearing up a little. How could she have been so selfish? These fillies very clearly needed their mothers, and their mothers needed them.

The reunion was cut short as Tinned Syrup winced at a sudden pain in her leg. She looked down at the white, jagged stone that had cut her hoof.
"What in the…?" She trailed off.
Honey Syrup followed her mother's gaze, screaming as she saw the rock.
Murky looked up, noticing the trail of jagged stones through the dirt. The fillies both quickly shoved their mothers out of the clearing as the ground began to twist and contort, a large set of four toothed tentacles erupting from the earth, zipping together into the hideous, familiar sight of a very, very large worm.
Nymph watched in horror. She had to do something.
Nymph was still tired, but she couldn't risk it.
Green and pink flames whirled around her body as it morphed and changed into the large, bipedal form it had taken on earlier.

This worm was much larger than the one she had fought off, but Nymph had to try. She lunged at the worm, arresting it in her claws. It roared and screeched, a tendril of its mouth lashing at her face. The thick chitin of her beast form would protect from the wounds, though of course, any additional strain would only shorten her time like this.
Tinned Syrup screamed at the second monster she'd see this afternoon. To her surprise, however, Honey did not have the same reaction.

"Go, Nymph! You can do it!" Honey cheered.
Murky joined in the cheering as Nymph attempted to wrestle the worm. It was, however, a slowly losing battle for the changeling; the worm's body began coiling around her, entrapping her. Its flailing, toothed tendrils slowly beat her back, as she found one, then both of her clawed arms restrained. Nymph roared in pain as her body was slowly compressed in the ever encroaching grips of the worm.

Tincture watched this, noticing Murky's worried reaction.
"N-Nymph!" Murky stammered.
Tincture blinked. She realized what she had to do, "Help me take care of it, Tinned! Go for the base of the jaw!" Tincture called, pushing Murky back behind some bushes, her horn illuminating as she fired a large blast of light at the thick worm.
With the instruction, Tinned Syrup pushed Honey back and flew into the air, gathering speed before diving into the worm, kidding at its lower jaw. The Helmintide roared and hissed, its grip loosening as it now directed its attention to the adult pegasus.

"We won't let you hurt these foals!" Tincture roared, seizing a pair of the flailing tendrils with her magic. The worm was a large target; she couldn't hope to pin all of it in place. However, she could reduce the danger for the other mare, who was currently winding up to deal another blow.

Nymph squeaked as her form finally gave out; in a flash of green and pink, she was back to her small, alicorn disguised self, still trapped in a coil of the worm's tail.
Murky and Honey looked at each other and nodded. They had a friend to save.
They dashed out, Honey leaping forward and biting the worm's tail, making it reel away, coil loosening just enough for Nymph to slip free. Murky dove for the changeling, catching Nymph on her back before regaining her footing and running to the opposing side of the clearing, Honey following after them.

The worm screeched again as Tinned Syrup's back hooves slammed into the side of its head, tentacles flailing around as they tried to snatch up the pegasus.
Tincture fired another large blast of light. It struck a tentacle, burning a part of it clean off.
Though it was a clean hit, it wouldn't be a sign of good to come; Tincture was caught off-guard as the worm's tail whipped into her, sending her tumbling across the ground.
"Tincture!" Tinned Syrup yelped, her sentence cut off by another yelp as a toothed mouth tentacle struck her, wrapping around her tightly.
Tincture quickly stumbled to her feet, firing off several beams to try and get the worm's attention. A few of them did hit, but only managed to draw the ire of the worm's tail, which now coiled tightly around Tincture, slamming her against the ground.

"No!" The fillies cried in unison, watching as the Helmintide achieved the upper hand.
This was short lived, however, as a large streak of blue lightning raked up the worm’s side.
"Let her go, beast!" Roared Bottle, her mane's stripe a blazing white as another lightning strike loosed from her hoof, making the worm drop Tinned Syrup to the ground.
"I'll tire it out. Hazy, get ready to pounce on it," Bottle ordered.
Hazy Stupor nodded and began running around the side.
The worm roared at Bottled Lightning and dove at her.

Bottle rolled to the side, leaving a large column of electricity in her wake. The worm hissed and convulsed as it dove headfirst into the cascade of bolts.
Hazy leapt on the worm's head, pinning it beneath her front hooves. "TO TARTARUS WITH YOU!!" Hazy roared.
The worm hissed and screeched, its once predatory movements reduced to uncoordinated, messy flailing.
Bottle grabbed a hold of a wiggling tentacle and clamped it between her hooves, lighting it up with large flashes of blue lightning.

The worm convulsed and writhed, until it finally laid limp on the ground. The smell of cooked flesh emanated through the clearing.
Hazy panted, waiting a few moments before she stepped off of it. "We… We did it," She said, panting, her stance trembling, "It won't hurt anypony anymore."
Bottle looked around, "Is everyone okay?" She asked weakly, her mane fizzling as she finally released her grip on the now partially fried worm.
Tincture groaned gently, "Nothing I'm not used to…" She murmured softly.
"Ugh… Just some teeth marks," Tinned Syrup huffed, slowly standing to her hooves, looking at the numerous cuts on her torso.
"Murky, Honey? Where are you? You can come out, it's safe now!" Tinned Syrup called.

"Over here," Murky said softly, walking out from behind a set of bushes with Nymph on her back and Honey Syrup at her side.
Nymph was passed out now, badly worn from her fight with the worm. Numerous cuts and even what seemed to be a broken front leg were visible.
Tincture and Tinned Syrup ran over to their daughters.
"N-Nymph needs help," Honey whined, looking at her mother with pleading eyes.
"Who is…?" Tincture trailed off as her gaze settled on the passed out faux-alicorn on Murky's back.

"We should get her to the hospital," Murky said.
Tincture nodded, "Tinned, can you still fly? We need to be out of here as fast as possible," She stated. She only needed one look at the bleeding wounds to know it was serious.
Tinned nodded. "I can. Follow my voice, okay dears?" She requests.
The group began making their way out of the forest, focusing on making it out as fast as possible. Few words were shared; the urgency of taking care of a bleeding filly took precedence.

Epilogue: A Change(ling) of Pace

Nymph awoke with a soft whine. There was a stiff blanket laid over her, and she was laying on a strange bed.
"M-Murky? Honey?" She whimpered nervously. Nymph looked around the room. It was surprisingly warm and homey.
She watched as a gray and blue mare walked into the room… She remembered this mare. She threw lightning from her hooves. Very scary.
"Ah… Good morning, sweetheart," The mare greeted gently, "How are you feeling?"
Nymph instinctively slid under the covers a bit, trying to hide herself.

"It's alright," The mare cooed gently, rubbing Nymph's head, "I won't hurt you, okay? I promise."
Nymph flinched at the touch, but relaxed at how gentle it was. For all Nymph knew, she had died and…
"Is this heaven?" Nymph asked softly, "A-am I dead?"
The mare chuckled softly, "No, dear. You just got beaten up by that big, mean worm," She expressed, "You're in the hospital."

Nymph's eyes widened, "Wh-where's Murky? Where's Honey?" She chirped.
The mare smiled warmly at Nymph, "They're resting and spending some time with their mothers," She answered gently.
Nymph looked down, frowning lightly. "Oh," She replied dejectedly.
"Do you need anything, little one? Are you hungry, thirsty…?" The mare asked gently.
Nymph looked up at the mare, "If this isn't heaven, who are you?" She asked abruptly, ignoring the question.
The mare gently rubbed her head, "I'm Bottled Lightning, sweetheart," She introduced gently, "You're Nymph, right?"
Nymph squeaked a little at hearing her name. "H-how do you know my name?" She whimpered.
"Murky told me… She was very worried about you," Bottle replied gently.

Nymph closed her eyes, allowing her mind to catch up with all this information. The gentle rubbing of her head relaxed her… Maybe this mare wasn't so scary. She was kind and spoke softly.
Bottled Lightning smiled. "You were very brave, fighting that worm," She said gently, "Your mother would be very proud."
"I-I don't have a mother, miss," Nymph admitted quietly.
Bottle flinched. "Ah… I'm sorry, sweetheart…" She replied gently.
"It's okay," Nymph replied softly.

The room fell silent, Bottle continuing to rub Nymph's head gently.
Nymph whined gently as she felt Bottle's hoof pull away. "C-can you not stop?" Nymph requested softly.
Bottle gave a small smile, "Hah… I suppose I can stay a few more minutes," She decided, returning her hoof to Nymph's head.
Nymph nuzzled lightly into the hoof. "Thank you, miss…" She murmured softly.
Bottle smiled gently.

Nymph whined softly as the hoof was pulled away, looking up at Bottle. "C-can I come with you?" She asked softly as Bottle walked to the door.
Bottle smiled gently, "Alright, sweetheart," She replied, gently walking over and helping Nymph out of the bed.
Nymph's wings flared and her horn briefly glowed its warm green as she stretched, taking a deep breath.
Bottle smiled as she led Nymph out into the waiting room.

Angel's Kiss was sitting in the room. "Oh, there you are," She said, voice gentle.
Nymph poked her head out from behind Bottle, looking at Angel with wide, curious eyes.
Angel hopped down onto the floor, smiling gently, "Oh, hey kiddo," She greeted gently, "You're awake now, huh?"
Nymph nodded. "I-I am," She replied gently.
"This is Angel's Kiss," Bottle introduced gently, "Angel, this is Nymph."
Angel gently paced forward, "It's okay, Nymph," Angel promised, "You're safe in town, okay? Bottle and I won't let anyone lay a hoof on you."
Nymph simply nodded. "O-okay," She stammered weakly, allowing herself to trust the two mares.

Tincture sat on the couch, sighing deeply. She couldn't forgive herself. Her filly had run away from school, and had gotten all beaten up out in the woods.
Hazy looked at her. "I don't like that look," She said, sitting next to Tincture, "What's on your mind, hun?" She asked gently.
"I need to protect her," Tincture said, "I shouldn't have ever let her leave the house, I should've just had her stay home, and I could have taught her, and-" She flinched as Hazy hugged her.
"Hey. I thought we were doing better than that," Hazy cooed gently, "She's gone to school for over a month… She has a friend, she's happy. Kids'll do stupid things, hun. You make sure you're there to take care of them, but you can't just lock 'em up when something goes wrong," Hazy expressed.

Tincture bit her lip. "It-" Her voice caught in her throat, "It doesn't matter now. She's home, snug in her bed, resting up after a quick bath," She reasoned, speaking quickly.
Hazy sighed softly, pushing Tincture over. Tincture yipped as she was laid back on the couch, blushing as she felt Hazy crawl on top of her. Hazy gently laid on top of her, nuzzling her head into the crook of Tincture's neck.
"H-Hazy…?" Tincture stammered.
Hazy smiled a bit, "There's the Tincture I know and love. Meek, a little unsteady… Cuddly…" She said gently.
Tincture blushed a bit, her front legs wrapping around Hazy. "You… You like it when I'm meek?" She asked softly.
Hazy nodded, "It's better than you acting big an’ haughty," She commented.

Tincture blinked a little. "Is… Is that what I sound like?" She asked, suddenly very self-conscious.
"You're just… A bit smothering, when it comes to Murky, that's all," Hazy said gently, "Being a mom isn't just protecting her… She needs a chance to mess up and learn from the consequences."
Tincture sighed a little. "I guess…" She replied softly, hugging Hazy a little tighter.
Hazy smiled a little. "Tincture… You've never had a kiss, have you?" She asked gently.
Tincture looked away. "I… I haven't," She conceded.
Hazy pushed herself up, looking down at Tincture, who blushed. Hazy just smiled, leaning forward, connecting her lips with Tincture's.

Tincture's eyes went wide. She didn't fight it, but she didn't embrace it either.
Hazy gently pulled away with a soft mwah~ and returned to her snuggly position on Tincture's chest.
Tincture blinked, staring at the ceiling blankly.
Hazy giggled. "You're cute when you try to process things like this," She expressed softly.
Tincture sighed softly. "You're not going to stop teasing me until I calm down, are you?" She asked.
Hazy smirked, "Not a chance," She chuckled.
Tincture smiled slightly, "If I'm 'big and haughty', you're stubborn to match," She joked.
Hazy sighed softly and nuzzled into Tincture gently, "I'll give you that, hun," She snorted.

The two mares looked up as Angel came through the door. The pegasus blushed slightly. "Uh… Put a pin in it, you two, we've got a filly in tow," Angel commented.
Hazy slid off of Tincture with a light huff. The two mares shared a brief look, but watched as Angel pushed the door fully open to allow Bottle and Nymph inside.
Hazy gently paced over, smiling warmly at the filly, "Hey hun," She greeted warmly, "You feeling better?"
Nymph nodded, "Mhm," She replied quietly. She watched as Tincture approached her, squeaking as she got pulled into a hug.

"Thank you," Tincture murmured gently, "I-If it weren't for you, my daughter wouldn't be home, sleeping soundly in her bed. I don't know what anyone else told you, but you're welcome in our home any time," She expressed.
Nymph blinked, nestling into Tincture's embrace. The changeling felt the intensity in Tincture's words, despite the quiet tone. "Y-you're welcome… Can I see Murky?" Nymph asked softly.
Tincture smiled gently, "She's sleeping right now. You can stay here until she wakes up," She said softly.
"O-okay…" Nymph replied gently.

The door was closed, and Nymph watched as the mares walked to assorted chairs and couches.
Bottle gently patted the seat next to her, "Come have a seat by the fire, dear. I know you were chilly outside," She says warmly.
Nymph plodded over and jumped up on the couch, sitting a bit close to Bottle. The warmth of the fire was nice, and the familial love that radiated throughout the group put the changeling at ease.

Nymph blinked, "Wh-why are you all so nice to me?" She asked, voice slightly distressed.
Bottle smiled gently, rubbing the changeling's back, "Well… You did bring two fillies home out of the kindness of your own heart," Bottle reasoned, "Besides, it wouldn't do us well to treat a filly poorly."
"B-but you know I'm a changeling; you all saw me transform," Nymph retorted.
"So?" Angel replied, "Why does it matter if you're a changeling?" She asked.
Nymph hesitated. "B-because I'm a monster…" She whined gently.
All four adults shook their heads. "Just being a changeling doesn't make you a monster," Bottle said gently.
Nymph nodded a little, conceding defeat. She didn't feel like arguing with a room full of adults.

There was a knock at the door. Angel flew up and opened it.
Nymph recognized Tinned Syrup's voice, "Is Nymph here?" The mare asked.
Angel smiled, "Yup! Cozy on the couch; come on in," She said, opening the door.
Tinned and Honey Syrup would walk in.
Honey trotted over and hugged Nymph closely. Nymph nuzzled against her.
"See? We told you you wouldn't be alone after you helped us get home," Honey said gently.
Nymph nodded, "You were right," She replied quietly.

Tinned Syrup walked over, hugging Nymph, though a bit more hesitantly than her daughter had. She had seen what the faux-alicorn could become. …Even if it did contribute directly to her daughter's rescue.
"Thank you," Tinned said gently, "If there's anything I can do for you, please tell me," She expressed.
Nymph nodded a little, feeling a bit flustered from the attention.

Tincture's ears perked up as she heard her door open. "Good morning…" Murky murmured gently, rubbing her eyes as she paced into the living room.
Tincture smiled warmly at her, "Did you have a good nap, little one?" She asked gently.
Murky nodded. "I did, mom," She replied softly, walking over to the couch where Bottle, Nymph, and Murky were sitting.
Murky hugged Nymph tightly.
"Honey already said 'I told you so'," Nymph remarked quietly.
The room lit up with soft laughter and giggles.
Murky blinked, "Did you decide if you wanted to stay?" She asked, "You said you'd think about it."
Nymph bit her lip and looked up at Bottle.
Bottle smiled, "Of course she can, Murky. As long as she wants," She promises gently.

Tincture and Bottled Lightning looked at the schoolyard.
"C'mon, Nymph!" Honey called with a giggle, "We can show you some of the stuff Murky's drawn!"
Murky smiled at Nymph, the two fillies following the excitable pegasus.
Tincture sighed softly and looked at Tinned Syrup, "Please do keep a careful eye on them, won't you?" She requested.
Tinned Syrup, smiling and hugging both of the other mares, "I'll be sure to watch them closely. You two go about your jobs now, okay? As one of the teachers here, they're my problem now," She chuckles.
Bottled Lightning smiled warmly at Tinned, "Thank you. We'll be sure to come by at the end of the school day," She expressed warmly.

Tincture nodded and stood up, "Thank you, Tinned… Please give Ms. Writ my apologies for my outburst the other day," She requested.
Tinned Syrup chuckled. "I will, don't worry," She said gently, leaning forward and lightly pecking Tincture's cheek.
Tincture blushed faintly, and Bottle laughed a bit as she turned to leave.
Tincture followed after Bottle, huffing flusteredly.

"Two in two days, huh? Someone's popular," Bottle quipped.
Tincture's face lit up with a blush, "H-how do you know about…?" She trailed off.
Tincture smiled smugly, "Angel told me how she found you and Hazy last night," She teased with a wink.
Tincture just grumbled, "Nothing is sacred in that house."
Bottle chuckled, "Have a good day at work, okay?" She said, slyly kissing Tincture's cheek before running off.
Tincture froze, before just laughing to herself. This had been one hell of a morning. "...Is that just a cultural tick in this town I am only now learning about?" She murmurs softly as she walks to her cart.