The Severed Exile

Location: Ponyville Hospital
Time: Early Noon, 2 days later

"Ugh..." Kaffir groaned as he opened his eye, sighing as he looked around himself. He seemed to be propped into a bed of sorts, white sheeting, everything around him surprisingly clean, a smell of disinfectant lingering in the air, par usual in a hospital if he had ever been to one. He examined the architecture, something he isn't accustomed to, a little astounded by it as he tried to rise up, pain suddenly shooting up his spine, causing him to wince and lay back down, a grim reminder of his near-death experience.

"Easy there. It'll be another week or so before you're able to move. You've been asleep for the past couple of days, so I bought you some food." came a feminine voice as Kaffir turned his head, a solid white mare with a light pink mane standing next to him. He had to do a double take, the appearance non-zebra equine was astonishing enough. Then a realization suddenly dawned on him. If he had have not fought back...

"Here, I bought you some food. It's not the best, but from the blood work we've taken of you, you're quite malnourished." the nurse nodded as she grabs the tray from her cart and places it in front of Kaffir, pulling the plastic lid from over it, steam wafting up from the otherwise nutrient-rich piles of mush that was on the plate, an apple and a glass of juice. "Now, you're going to have to eat every bit of that. Some patients don't exactly like to eat the food here, and we understand, I wouldn't eat it either to be honest, b-" she was interrupted as she heard a munching noise, turning as she noticed Kaffir's snout plunged right into the plate as he devoured the food without a single care in the world, slurping down everything on the plate in less than a minute. Once he was finished though, he shoot back upright, groaning due to the strain that produced on his still healing wound. "My, you're not one to be picky, are you. Well, finish your drink and I'll bring you another plate if you like.." the nurse said, biting back a little snicker as Kaffir wraps a hoof around the small glass and downs the drink almost without even gulping.

Once he was finished, the nurse put the lid back on the tray and retrieved it, placing it on her cart. "We'll give that a little time to digest and I'll be back with a little more next time." she offered a smile and nudged the cart from the room, the door closing gently behind her. Kaffir licked the remnants of mush from his bandaged snout as he laid back, sighing deeply.

There was a knock at the door suddenly, he quirking a brow as it opened slowly, another nurse, at least he would presume by the small little hat with a cross etched on it, peeking inside, this time being a pale yellow coated one with a blue-and-white mane. "Ah, you're awake. You have some visitors that would like to see you." she said as she pushed the door open wide.

4 mares trotted inside, the leading one had a purple coat and a blue-and-purple mane that banged down in the front. She also appeared to have a boney pertrusion erecting from her skull. The next one had an orange-coat, a long, blonde mane, freckles and a large brimmed hat. The next one behind her had a cyan coat and an oddly prismatic mane, almost like a rainbow. And the last one had a yellow coat and a bright pink, flowing mane. He also noticed the last 2 mares had wings folded against their back, another oddity that caused him to quirk his brow.

Mares. Mares everywhere.

"Eesh, you girls were right. He was in pretty bad shape. Good thing we have some of the best medical staff in Equestria." the purple mare nodded her head as she looked over the various bandages and braces that covered the bed-ridden zebra. "Did he get hit by the early noon express to Canterlot?" The comment caused Kaffir to quirk a brow. The hay was that?

"Ah don' reckon he's foolish 'nuff ta get hit by a train, Twi..." the orange one shook her head. "Whatever happened to 'im, from th' looks ah it, he probably woulda preferred that. Just sayin'..."

"Uhm, actually..." the yellow one began to speak up meekly. "...I found him in forest. See, the chickens were making such a fuss and I think it was something spooking them coming from the forest. So I went and checked it out, and, uhm, there he was..." she covered her face with her hooves, shaking her head from remembering the scene.

"Yeah, and if I wasn't there to help get him to the hospital, he might not have made it!" said the cyan pony proudly. "Good thing I happened to be flying about doing my late night weather pony rounds and saw Flutters. Who knows, probably would've have lost both of them if you ask me..."

"Rainbow!" the purple mare quipped. "This is no time to be acting heroic. While I'm sure your contribution to all of this might have been the most dire, that still doesn't make Fluttershy's impact any less. I mean would you have gone into the forest had she not have been seen going?"

"Well....no actually, b-" the cyan pony shook her head but raised a hoof.

"Then that's that, but we are grateful that you did help nonetheless, isn't that right?" she said as she turned her head toward Kaffir, all the mares suddenly looking at the zebra now. He quirked his pierced brow as he looked around at each of them but he didn't say anything.

"Stallion o' few words, ah reckon." the orange mare nodded. "Might be better if we cut th' chatter and atleast introduce ourselves. Be perty awkward ta be talkin' to a bunch of ponies ya got know clue 'bout."

"You're absolutely right!" the purple mare said before she cleared her throat. "Well, my name is Twilight Sparkle. Over there is Applejack." she pointed toward the orange mare, she giving a bow. "There is Rainbow Dash." she pointed toward the cyan pony who smiled and preened proudly. "And next to her is Fluttershy." she pointed at the last one, who seemed to be busying herself trying to hide behind Rainbow, blushing in embarrassment.

"And who are you, exactly?" Rainbow Dash suddenly interjects as she stepped up to the foot of the bed, Twilight shooting her a dirty look, she giving back a look that said 'what?'.

"Kaffir..." the zebra finally spoke, the mares blinking as they looked at him curiously, noting his accent. "...my name is Kaffir."

"Kahfur?" Applejack tilted her head. "Oddly strange name ya got there, bil-"

"Kuh-FEAR." he suddenly annuciated, almost as if anticipating that his name would be difficult to pronounce.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Kaffir." Twilight smiled and nodded. "I hope you find your stay in Ponyville to be nice and peaceful."

"Ponyville...?" Kaffir asked as he looked up toward Twilight.

"Yes, Ponyville." she said, quirking a brow at the odd questioning statement.

"...how many...of you live here...in 'Ponyville'?" Kaffir asked suddenly.

"Well, I don't know remember the exact census number. I can probably find it easily in one of my books, but it's roughly 3 to 4 thousand if I remember correctly, give or take. Why do you ask?" Twilight tilted her head curiously.

Kaffir's head bowed, his eyes widening at the astounding number before shaking his head. "...nothing. No reason." he muttered and sighed. "Merely a curiosity."

"Well, if there's anything else you want to know about Ponyville, feel free to drop by the library here in town. I have plenty of books about the history, landmarks, everything you could ever wish to know." Twilight offered a big smile. "Also, I'm quite curious as t-"

"So, why'd ya get so banged up, huh?" Rainbow Dash suddenly floated over the bed, peering at him closely. "Was it some vicious dragon? A manticore? Hydra? Maybe you did get hit by a train. Oohh, getting hit by a train and living! That'd be so cool! Whoa, how'd you get that?" Rainbow Dash pointed toward Kaffir's pierced eyebrow. "Did that hurt? Looks pretty neat if you ask me. I wouldn't mind one myself but that looks like that'd hurt. Oh man, I bet you have some pretty rad stories to tell. Almost might be as good as Daring Do, only grittier!"

"Rainbow! Ah reckon th' poor stallion don't wanna remininse on his near-death s'perience. That sorta thing tends ta be a lil traumatizin' on the mind." Applejack shook her head, causing Rainbow Dash to cross her fore-hooves in a huff. "'sides, he still needsta recover. All this talkin' probably givin' him a headache. C'mon girls, lets let the colt rest." Applejack nodded as she headed toward the door.

"Good thinking Applejack. We'll see you another time, Kaffir. Remember to drop by the library if you need anything." Twilight smiled and winked before walking out of the room, Fluttershy skipping out immediately as well. Rainbow Dash continued to flaps her wings and float in the air above Kaffir before looking down at him, smiling deviously.

"Now that they're gon-"

"C'mon Rainbow!!" came Twilight's voice from beyond the door.

"Oh come on! Ugh...cya around..." Rainbow said a little dejectedly as she landed and promptly exited the room behind the others.

Alone once again, Kaffir laid back and sighed. 3 to 4 thousand ponies. 3 to 4 thousand innocent lives he had put in danger. He closed his eyes and tried to marinate that statistic in his mind, though the more he thought about it, the more painful it all seemed and the more remorseful he felt for his presence.

"You fool!" Leonir roared as he stamped his paw, pacing around. "First he dispatches Rend and Ponce, then he incapacitates you, and then he turns around and pounds my father's skull into a bloodied pulp, and you let him go free!?"

"We've been over this." Kragath shook his head. "He was not worth the kill. He was too strong. He would've taken care of you like the rest of us and we would have no heir to the pride."

"Oh, now we're scared of food now? Is that it? Is that what we've become!?" Leonir growled. "Pathetic! How in Equestria did we get bested by a zebra! We eat those morsels for breakfast yet one kicked our asses like it was nothing!"

"We did route him and he did suffer serious injury. I doubt he survived the ordeal, but it would be better if we let him pass away before hunting him down again. Give it a weeks time and we will search him out."

"We should have killed him when we had the chance, and that's that. Now he's free to escape. He could recover, or find allies, who knows. Despite his...state, he was still weak!"

"You would have underestimated his power! You saw what he did to your fath-"

"Fuck what he did to my father, he needed to die! And you let him escape!" Leonir roared.

"You are not thinking rationally, whelp. You would have charged into him and gotten yourself killed."

"Don't you call me whelp, you old coot." Leonir spat. "As of my father's death, I am now the pride-master. And what I say goes. And I said we should have killed that zebra."

"I may not be the pride-master, but your father trusted my opinion. And my opinion was that is was not worth it!" Kragath roared back.

"Your father might have honored your opinion, but I find it to be rubbish. As a matter of fact, I find you to be rubbish. Bested by a zebra. Pathetic." Leonir shook his head and turned away. "I will not have the likes of you in my pride. You are dead to me."

"Is that your word, then? You are banishing me? Fine." Kragath rose to his paws and sighed. "I will not see our pride run into the ground by thoughtless petty vengeance by some foolish whelp. Good riddance." Kragath turned and began to pad away, his metal-cladded paws clinking as he disappears into the distance.

"I don't need you, old coot. This is all I need..." Leonir said as he held up a large strip of zebra flesh. "This is all I need to have vengeance against my father. All I need to find a new civilization to feed upon. All I need to lead my pride to greatness once again. You hear me, Kaffir!? We will come for you and when the time comes, I will take utmost pleasure in gutting you! You mark my words!

The blood moon is nigh..."

The End...

...or is it?