//-------A Changeling's Past-------\

//-------Chapter 2: Found-------\

I froze where I was standing.
"How do you know my name?"

The pony shuffled its wings. There was that voice again.
"I can sense it. Your mind tells me your name, and your past. You are lost?"

I lowered my head as I fought back tears. It had been a while since she left me here. But the thought still stung.
"Yes, I was left here some time ago, I have been on my own for months."

The pony looked at me but said nothing else as we continued on our way to the glade. After about fifteen minutes of walking, we arrived at the archway. It was hard to get a read on the pony's emotions, but when we got to the end of the hall the pony's muzzle had what appeared to be a faint smile. He stumbled a few times on the way down the steps, but he never fell. Stopping under a tree once we reached the end of the steps I motioned for him to lie down. He obliged and leaned against the tree as he sat down.

"Wait here, I'm going to see if I can find anything to wrap your leg in."
He nodded and I went about my search.

I walked through looking for anything that I could use to wrap around his leg. I couldn't seem to find anything at first, then I found a banana tree. Gathering up some of the leaves that looked long enough and strong enough, I headed back to where I left the pony against the tree.

Upon arriving I noticed that he had his head resting on the ground with a smile on his face, his chest rising and falling peacefully as he slept. I decided it would be best to not wake him, so I set the leaves down on the grass and moved a small rock on top of them so they wouldn't blow away in the cool breeze.

I laid down next him, curled up, and soon drifted off to sleep.

When I awoke it was dark, and I felt the cool breeze against my face. Yet, my body felt warm. Looking over I saw that he had pushed up against my back and draped a hoof over my shoulder pulling me into a warm cuddle. I wasn't sure how to react. I wasn't used to contact with anything anymore, yet something in the back of my head was telling me that it was alright. That what he was doing was to protect me, not harm me. I moved further back into his chest as the wind picked up. I was surprised when he let out a relaxed sigh. I could feel his heart beating and his warm breath on my neck. Something about this brought on a feeling of mutualism. There was definitely something in the back of my mind telling me that he would sacrifice himself to keep me safe.

I smiled and closed my eyes, falling into the most peaceful sleep I've ever had.

The next time I woke up the morning sun was shining through the tree's leaves casting a shadow on the two of us. I had to crane my neck up and to the left to be able to see, however, as I had turned and put my face against his chest as I slept. We were in an embrace with his hooves wrapped around me, as I snuggled further into him for warmth. I didn't mind though, his hug was comforting. Loving almost. I wish I could have stayed there forever in his protecting shield of sorts, so I laid my head back down and moved further into his embrace. This woke him however as I could feel his breathing wasn't as deep, and I could feel his eyes looking at me.

I looked up from his chest to find that I was correct. His bright blue eyes were looking right at me. I was afraid he would be unhappy to find the embrace we were in. Yet, much to my surprise he simply smiled and pulled me tighter against him, further into a protective cocoon. He made a slight noise however as his movement pushed one of my hooves against his injured one, and he squirmed slightly.

Remembering the leaves I had gathered I, regretfully, got up.
"Here, let's see if we can get that patched up."

Grabbing the leaves I worked to tie them together making the best wrap I could manage around his leg. Several times he winced, but every time I looked up, his eyes would reassure me that I could continue. Something felt different though. I felt like I had slept for days. I felt strong and powerful. I was not sure what the feeling was, and after pondering it for a few minor seconds, I continued wrapping the leaves around his leg and tying them together.

After I finished the wrap he rose and took a few wobbly steps to see how his leg would work in the wrap. He seemed pleased that his leg didn't hurt too much after I had made the wrap.

"Thank you, Chrysalis. I don't think I could have fixed my leg up without your help."

I smiled at him and he sat back against the tree. I sat down next to him as the cool breeze carried the scent of the trees and the lake through the air. The last two days had been relieving as I was no longer alone out here. I remembered how I met him, how he fell from a tree and landed right in front of me. Why was he in the tree? Well, there was only one way to find out.

"What were you doing in the tree?" I played with the grass in front of me, feeling slightly shy at asking the simple question.

"I sensed your presence. Something was telling me that you were alone and lost. I had been looking for you a few days. I was asleep in the tree when I could feel that you were close by. I jumped awake and lost my balance and fell."
He always spoke with his wings, yet I could only hear him in my thoughts. The only sound was that of his wings ruffling together.

A thought occurred to me as I went over what he had told me.
"What do you mean you could sense my presence?"

"Something in the back of my mind pointed me in your direction, Chrysalis. So I came looking for you. I could feel that you were alone out here and were defenseless."

This was all very weird to me. But that feeling he said he got in the back of his head sounded like the one I got when he was wrapped around me when I woke up.
Of course I was still too young to know about the hivemind. But that wouldn't be apparent for a few months.

Another thought entered my mind as he spoke my name.
"I have a question, I just wanted to ask. You do not have to answer if you do not wish to."

"Ask anything you like."

"Well, I was going to ask what your name is."

Author's Note

Ideas of what will happen next or something you hope will happen next? Leave your ideas/wishes in the comments below.

Tell me what you think of the story, and whether you like the direction this story is going in. Thanks for reading.