Child of the Sun

There is a forest, a forest that was considered horrific and terrible with beast and creature that would cause no small amounts of harm. A forest that rejected the influence of any magical creature that can by multiple manner eliminate and devour anything. With any attempt to cull its territories being responded to by violent refute by the almost alive woods. And within this forest considered so dangerous was a small colt.

His fur was white like fine paper with a mane of blond hair that simply helped him stay in direct odds with the colors of the eerie forest around him. Both his fur and mane had a special quality that would shine in direct sunlight like a lighthouse that was trying to tell everything around it that it was there. Even now with small beams shining through small parts of the thicket above he appeared looking like a polar bear in a desert. Incredibly obvious which helped showcase his current activity.

Daniel was confused. He was very confused as he sat on his rear and stared at what was supposed to be his hands. He looked at the Hoofs a small part of his mind remembering his first horse Iren before it was revealed to be a joke since Iren was incredibly frail yet pretty. A show horse for him to care for since he would obviously ride with others.

Shaking his head Daniel focused back onto his would-be-hands. He inspected them carefully, not seeing anything odd about them before he noticed something odd from within. Something was there yet not doing anything like a muscle that wasn't being flexed.

So he tried multiple things and multiple methods to try and use whatever was inside. After a half hour being unable to do anything he tried to scour his memories for something that could with his endeavor.

He almost face-palmed or face-hooved as he suddenly remembered the swift, deadly, and powerful stinger tipped tails of his friend. With new realization in mind he coursed mana through his body(pathways intact?) and when feeling an odd pull marveled at how the hoof planted on the ground was adhering to the ground feeling like he was ‘flexing’ the nail which in turn was like using his grip.

The dirt when ripped out clung to his hoof but when moved in a position where it wasn't sitting on his hoof it fell away with only a small portion of the dirt clump staying on his nail. Then with a stop of energy, the dirt fell onto the ground.

Daniel with a smile and uproarious laugh celebrated his new discovery! “I figured it out! I have a semi-spiritual organ!” He cheered using the dumb classification Ferik created, laughing and stumbling about in a small manner like a dance. The discovery was good for the boy's mood as he figured out the mystery behind his hooves.

Then the boy was back to his initial task: what was going on?

“Hmm” the boy hummed for a moment “I am a horse.” He stated simply. The answer was incredibly obvious.
The boy then took notice of his fur, a shining shimmering white. Then tilting his head forward he let his mane enter his peripheral vision showing its golden hues.

“Ugh! I need to fix this.” the boy said as he then started to walk to begin his work. Then he fell forward not realizing he needed to learn to move around in his new body

The boy growled in frustration and then after a hour went to work. Walking around the forest the boy grabbed small sticks piled them up into a stack right next to a large pool of mud. He selected the puddle carefully making sure its color matched the healthy soil of his memories.

The boy looked happy at the pile of sticks that matched him in height. Then with quick work and a breath it was set aflame. Now he just had to wait for it to burn away.

Daniel then with a long head start threw himself into the pool. “Hahahaha!” the boy laughed as he rolled around the large pool letting it slather and cover his mane and fur in healthy browns.

He was reminded of his time with his friends as they all marched through mud with varying levels of difficulty with him having ease in the slick dirt, albeit thanks to his lack of heavy plated armor or just being below 100 pounds.

Now he was wriggling around letting himself be soaked into the cold mud shivering slightly. The sun child giggled as he let himself be stained and sloshed with deep browns.

Looking at his forelegs he smiled at the color “Fertile dirrrrtt” he said stretching his saying of ‘dirt’ as is tradition. As always it got him laughing like crazy ”HaHaHAHAhaAHahah” he went before he said it again “Dirrrrtt”.

The boy stopped his splashing play as he started playing instead with his imagination. He lunged forward through the mud whisper-screaming “oh no! Sqwusaqwsskskwuqusss” he went making explosion sounds with his mouth as he ‘flew’ his hoove above the mud before his other hoove dove out of the mud to grab and crash it.

Without fingers the boy was limited in his play as he couldn't really use more than make two ‘figures’ at a time who he sent to fight and destroy each other. After a time, he got bored of this and began a sappy love story with a princess and serf.

He then had the serf kill the king and take the princess. Daniel was laughing madly as he imagined the panicked look of the girl.

At a time, he repeated the same act again and again simply enjoying how violent the escalation went. Sleeping beauty on their couch while the prince tries to kiss her just for things to turn into an epic fight, where the prince while dodging attacks still tries to kiss her.

Finally, after a time the boy looked over to the fire he built and noticed with a big smile that the fire was finished burning with all that remained being a pile of burning ashes.

“Yes!” the boy cheered as he threw himself up onto his legs and galloped over to the smoldering pile of red-hot black soot.

Then with a smile he walked onto the pile of burning black wood and laid atop it. The boy with his high fire affinity sighed out in comfort as he started to wiggle his body gently.

The smoldering heated wood crumpled and turned to dust underneath his small amount of weight. The comforting high amounts of heat was great but it wasn't the main priority.

As the soot cooled down the boy raised himself back into a standing position. Now thoroughly stained in deep browns and blacks the boy smiled as he was back into second favorite pair of colors his first being white and yellow.

Now while he may have liked to keep himself into his white and blond colors it felt insulting to his squads primary colors. The exact science pervades him but the reasoning behind the outfit color of the Black Mud Knights was endearing.

It was the color of dirt that was fed ash and death from a serious fire that destroyed the area yet fed it with precious and numerous nutrients from burning wood and dead animals. A sight that he saw many a time by his own power and from invading forces before it quickly was gone with flourishing woodlands.

The child smiled as he was now in a appropriate color and began wandering the forest.

The brown and black dyed colt trotted along through the forest not caring for the sounds of various normally unseen creatures by virtue of the dark woodland. After all he could see them with his amber-bronze eyes that apparently caught and amplified any light it came across. Again, the exact mechanisms were lost on him but it still didn't mean he couldn't understand a little.

As he trotted along going into a prancing skip, he smiled at the various hidden touches of color such as flowers and birds that were in the trees. This place was lively despite its eerie look.

Then he stopped his instincts telling him something was looking at him with a hungry and predatory way. He rotated both his head and body, almost tripping in his inexperience with his body. This just made him appear more vulnerable.

“Who's there?” Daniel demanded his voice traced in small amounts of fear. He didnt know what was looking for him.

And they answered that exiting from the bush were wolves counting 4. Or least that is what he thought initially before he realized they were made up of twigs, logs, and leaves. They were interesting to look at as he noted the pieces of wood that were seemingly not carved(didnt look it) but grown in ways to appear as claws and teeth.

He was no expert but he knew most animals were not made up of wood so he had to wonder. Were these things puppets?

The timberwolves mistook the boy's curiosity for being frozen in fear and took advantage of it, with the head of the group lunging forward to take him.

In response the boy seeing the action brought his forearm backwards to his flank. He was confused after not being able to grab anything before he realized his mistake. He didn't have his Whip!

Realizing this the boy rolled to the right of the lunge dodging the attack but another wolf in the wait bolted at the action.

At the sight of another lunging wooden automaton the world seemed to slow under the eyes of Daniel. Then with a barley a blink the mid air creature burst into deep golden fire.

The wood thing screamed in what appeared to be pain as its body combusted the familiar sound of wet wood popping filled the air. Inner-mechanisms going into overdrive as a wood ‘organ’ attempted to start combat against the fire.

It was somehow ironic. It was a special creation grown and made personally by the timberwolf who held it. It suffered near death by a horned pony and created the organ to not suffer again.

Stored water was circulated and mixed with flower mixes that the timberwolf created by ingesting flowers for the creation of a secretion of an inner brewed potion to combat the fire. It was useless however as spirit enhanced magic fire tore through the timber-wolf plowing through defenses and had already broken through a fragile piece of its ‘cauldron’ organ cancelling the distribution of the antifire. And after a moment was now licking its destructive force over the heavier parts of the older organs nearing the core that held its ‘mind’.

The timber-wolf panicked in fear of death as it threw itself against the ground hopping to stomp the fire away. It didn't work and then it threw itself into a nearby creek attempting to soak it self to combat it's nearing death. The water worked somewhat but beyond creating steam and delaying death it still dug into it. Perhaps if it had a deeper source of water it could live.

The other timberwolves stopped their movement as they saw the impossible sight. This colt was targeted for the main reason of not just being young but because it was missing the main markers to signify the young as more dangerous. Through observation and knowledge passed by older progenitors they knew this colt may hold increased strength than the other types but with pack tactics they could overwhelm easily. He didn't hold any wings to evade and strike with gusts of wind but also no horn to exact various magics.

But now one of them was aflame in gold.

The leader of the pack, larger and more intelligent than its other members scanned the area using both its natural and enhanced senses and its connection to the woods even if not its territory. It scoured for any reason for this occurrence. Perhaps a horned one using magic or an odd object lobbying device.

Nothing came but the same result. It was only itself, its packmates, and the child pony who was watching in joy as its unfortunate packmate tried in vain to extinguish the source of its inevitable death.

The leader stood confused, scared, and in horror at what was happening to his packmate. But its battle hardened mind was able to catch up and it barked to its other members. The two snapped out of their pause and followed the order of their leader. They retreated as the child watched in joy the death of their fellow timberwolf. They considered it a sign of odd and horrid luck as the colt did not look at them.

Daniel smiled as he watched the odd puppet mimic screaming as its body was destroyed. With an easy smile he fueled the fire and burned it brighter with his mana. The wolf stilled as its wooden body then collapsed into a pile of ashen wood into the water which floated up and was then moved along the water of the creek.

Daniel sighed as his entertainment ended, smiling a little as he noted the timberwolves retreat. While he may have acted a little rash with staying his mind on the burning puppet, he was observant enough to still keep himself keen on his potential opponents.

He was after all not a naive and nonbattle-touched 8 year old after all. He was 9, saw and participated through enough combat to keep him noted even without powers, and was a god(selfclaimed) albeit a young one. So who cared if he turned into a horse? He could handle himself.

Meanwhile the pack of timberwolves had finally stopped their run certain they were away from the colt.

Now missing a member the hunting pack agreed to return to their territory which they followed by river.

As they walked along to their home the leader took pause suddenly. The other members halted and looked around fearfully before they saw it as well.

The torso of their other member was in the river burned to a horrid black and bleached white. It must have flowed in from the creek and into the larger body of water.

The packmates looked before they started their march back to homebase but the leader didnt. Instead it entered the waters and with its teeth grabbed the body and dragged it to dry land.

The packmates looked at this oddly approaching their leader confused as the body was clearly too burnt to consume properly. They growled slightly irritated as the timberwolf leader shook its body dry.

Then the leader continued its odd actions using its forearms to keep the body in place as it used its sharp teeth to rip into and tear open the torso. The wolf growled through ash as it tore out a curiously intact wood organ.

The pack members recognized it immediately. It was the fire suppressant or potion creating organ which was dripping a yellow liquid.

The leader could tell the thing did its job as it was still intact despite the condition of the rest of the body. It could only surmise the failure of its job was the missing tubes that let it course the liquid throughout the body.

It growled as it realized the mistake while the organ was fireproof the rest of it wasn't because its ally didn't circulate it even once. If it did so its body would be considerably more defended from fire even if non magical. It was a glorious thing that could have saved the timberwolf.

The leader wouldn’t make the same mistake. It gulped the organ down its throat letting it settle within itself already diverting more resources to incorporate it properly.

Its lesser packmates argued against the action as it would mean now that the leader would need more resources to not just use the thing but also not let up his own growth of claws, teeth, jaw power, wood strength, intelligence, and more that let it become leader.

It growled in response that the new thing inhabiting the forest was enough of a danger to disregard its goal to gain more territory for now. And luckily enough his fellow pack member told him the story of the organ's inspiration more than once to help him know how to properly use it.

It saw a pony brewing potions in a field mixing flowers found in the everfree to create a liquid that helped wood resist the effect of fire. Its irrational fear of fire was what helped it want to make an organ to help make the same substance. And the leader more benevolent than other and not wanting to simply kill the lesser yet still powerful member decided to help give materials so that it wouldn't be held down by fear.

Because of its paws-on experience it knew what flowers were needed to make the protective fluid.

A fluid that would help it in keeping itself and its other packmates alive against a thing of fire.

It knew why the fear was so pervasive now in his past packmate. The eating heat of fire couldn't be underestimated anymore.