I've said this many times before, but really. It's like there's some supernatural organization that makes sure I don't go a week without having to fight some undead army or something.
And I love it.
**********
The darkness eventually subsided. My brain was just too flustered to make sense of the sight of what was in front of me. I lay on what I assumed was ground for several minutes before I actually recognized what my eyes were yelling at me.
Color.
Sure, I couldn't see anything past a few blurred shades of green and yellow, but it was much better than the darkness.
**********
The sun was beginning it's descent when I found the courage and the mental capacity to move my arm to my head. As much as I tried, nothing seemed to quell the kind of headache that Rose once described as 'Being trampled on by three angry golems before being thrown onto freight train tracks with a ten kilometre train coming.'
Rose.
Well, at least I have a name. Even if it wasn't mine.
Now, left arm. Right arm. Push. My field of view tilted until I reached a sitting position. The sudden change in blood flow made my vision blur and spark. But after a few minutes of drifting between consciousness it faded out into a dull headache. I gave myself a look and saw massive red legs, but that part of my brain hasn't woken up yet.
**********
It was far past sunset when I regained use of my legs. It was a slow and embarrassing process of tipping over until I reached a position on my hands and knees. I tried to stand on all four, as my instincts were telling me to, however my hind legs were much too large to do so comfortably. Instead I settled for a crawl towards the nearest tree. The thought occurred to me that I was vulnerable to predators in this state and that I needed to get to safety.
Now how I was going to get up the tree I had no idea.
I placed my hands on the tree, before slowly climbing my way up to a standing position. The world wavered and swayed but I remained standing. A few clicks resonated from my throat, signalling my annoyance at being as tall as the tree. I guessed a sapling wasn't the best idea. But I was standing. And at this impressive height, I could see farther and my innards felt more peaceful. As I climbed up into an elder tree, I combed my brain for information. Where was I? How did I get here? Unfortunately, my brain decided it would tell me tommorow.
**********
I woke up with my tongue as big and dry as a cardboard crate. And an appetite to match. I set out with one thing in mind. First water, then the main course.
Meat.
**********
After drinking my fill at a nearby lake I snuck around looking for suitable prey. Whether the fact that I still had an odd thirsting sensation or the fact that the sun was unbearably bright was unsettling me I could not know. But enough of that. I have food in front of me. I saw a deer standing twenty yards from me, unaware of my presence. I hesitated on the method of attack. I felt one instinct tell me to use my claws to make it bleed out. I had another telling me to keep as much blood intact as possible. Eventually I settled for the latter strategy. In a blur of speed I was upon the animal instantly. I reached around with both arms and began strangling the poor thing with a strength I didn't know I had. The doe struggled for a few minutes before passing out from lack of oxygen. I lay by it's body, feeling oddly unappetized. This was odd for me, for deer was always a favorite of mine. I felt disgust well up within me. Not only did I kill a doe, but I wasn't even going to eat it. I raised my nose up to the wind, sniffing the new scents it was presenting to me.
The city.
**********
I reached the edge of the city, still camouflaged by foliage. I saw what seemed like a military camp of some sort. I judged that going out to the ponies would be a good idea, since they would recognize me. I took a step forwards, when suddenly-
Keep news of our revival hidden for now. Use the rooftops as camouflage.
I was helpless to obey the voice. No matter how unreasonable it's request was, I just could not refuse. Therefore no one saw me as I faded back into the shadows.
**********
"Help!" A voice rang clear out in the empty city.
"Help!" It cried out again. Orange blurred past a crumbled building. Followed by several darker blurs. Carrot Top was running for dear life. She was being tailed and there was no guard to save her. She looked back to see that the five Orcs were still following her. She could not see th deadend she was heading into. At least not until she hit the wall head first.
"HELP!"
**********
I stood on the roof, watching the scene unfold. Carrot Top, as I remembered her, was trapped in the cul-de-sac with five armed orcs, looking to tear her apart. Why were orcs in Equestria? I pondered to no one in particular. There would be time for questions later. Right now I had a friend to save.
**********
Carrot Top closed her eyes as she saw an axe swing towards her.
...
...
What? She braved a peek to see why her death hadn't come. Her eyes flew open at the spectacle.
At first she thought it was a Royal Guard. But quickly dismissed the idea due to the massive stature and the reptilian build. And it had also completely stopped the axe from reaching her with a mere hand. How it hadn't cut off his hand she would never know. She saw her saviour tighten his arm muscles, and the axe shattered like glass.
"Stay behind me."
Forced to consent, Carrot Top remained at her current location. The creature lunged forwards, grabbing the arm of the still-stunned Orc. Carrot Top blinked as he tore off the arm as if it was a simple blade of grass. He then started pushing the severed arm into the owner's mouth, fitting a surprising amount before it burst through the back of the neck due to the gauntlets refusing to go down. That was when Carrot Top decided to close her eyes. She wished she couldn't hear the guttural screams of terror and the sounds of dismantlement from the orcs.
After what seemed like seconds, the sound stopped abruptly, save for whimpering from a single Orc. She was about to open her eyes when her ears heard a slow shuffle, the whimpering grew to sobbing, which was quickly choked out in a gurgle. Still she did not dare open her eyes.
**********
The aerial patrol was making it's last run over the city of Manehattan when one of the flyers noticed some commotion.
"Hey Rainbow! We got a civvy down there! Surrounded by mutilated orcs." She radioed to her squad leader.
"I see it too, Lightning. Let's go see what it's about." Rainbow replied as the two mares separated from the group of four. "Thunderlane, Cloudchaser, keep an eye out for Kull. There's usually a few out around infantry."
"Affirmative, Seargeant."
**********
Carrot Top hadn't budged an inch for what felt like hours. So when she felt wind brush over her she jumped in place.
"W-who's there?"
"Relax. It's me, Rainbow."
"Oh thank goodness you're here!" Carrot Top exclaimed as she rushed to Rainbow Dash. "I've just been scared to death these past few hours! There were these orcs chasing me and they cornered me here and then this giant lizard thingy came out of nowhere and did this!" Rainbow Dash accepted the stream of information as Carrot Top cried into her shoulder. If she stains this armor I'm going to be ticked.
"Hey Dash!" Lightning Dust exclaimed.
"What?"
"You have to see this!"
Putting Carrot Top aside, Rainbow Dash navigated herself through the dismembered corpses, and joined Lightning Dust by one. The only visible injury was a broken arm. It's bone protruding from his elbow.
"That doesn't look like it would kill."
"Exactly. But look at this." The wing pony replied, pointing towards the orc's neck.
Two small puncture wounds were visible as plain as day.
"Uh-oh."
**********
I sat on the roof of what I assumed was an apartment. Several hundred feet off the ground, many would be terrified, yet I felt peaceful up here. I wiped a hand on my mouth, and it came coated with blood. The past events of the day came back to mind. I knew what I had done, yet it felt like it was someone else's doing. I had been running on autopilot during those few minutes.
"Uh-oh."
