The Lord of the Ponies: The Search for Harmony

It was dark, and as such, primal fear of darkness surged through Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle as they were thrown to the harsh soil on that cloudy, moonless Equestrian night. Focusing directly in front of them, they found the Everfree forest staring right back at them. They then squirmed across the grass, crawling away from their kidnappers, terror making their breath come in quick, shallow bursts. From what they could hear, the rest of the Dovakniik were tromping around, but not upon them. They continued on their path towards the forest, a joyous smile growing on their faces as they approached within five feet of the forest. Suddenly, a huge, clawed foot stepped before them. Even straining their necks to look up at the Dovaknikk, they could only see his knees; it was Rkane. However, he did not stare back down at them. Instead, he focused on the arriving Changelings, their steps choppy and their breaths shallow. One by one, upon reaching under the boughs of the trees on the edge of the Everfree forest, they collapsed from exhaustion, only a few remaining standing.

"We're not going no further," wheezed one Changeling. "till we've had a breather."

Rkane approached the winded Changelings, looking upon them with a gaze that sat on the edge of disgust and disdain. He turned back to Porag. "Get a fire going!"

Several of the Dovakniik trudged to the edge of the forest. The sounds of branches snapping as the powerful creatures broke off the trees' limbs soon rent the night air.

Sweetie Belle scanned the area. The moonlight revealed a scaly, toothy wall of Dovakniik surrounding her.  So she turned to Scootaloo, conscious and recovered from earlier. "Scootaloo! Scootaloo!"

Scootaloo turned to her. It took a long time for her gaze to meet Sweetie's, but when they did, her hard eyes gleamed dully in the moonlight. "I think this is probably the worst idea on how to get our Cutie Marks yet," she said with a bitter laugh.

Sweetie Belle chuckled and just as quickly placed a hoof over her mouth. Her wide, fear-stricken eyes quickly darted amongst the enemy’s garrison. She found none looking her way. She rested her hoof, sighed, and turned back to Scootaloo.

Even as cracks of breaking trees split the night air, another voice fought for dominance. It started low and grew louder, groans from the Everfree forest so powerful, the earth began to lightly shake in its wake.

It was the trees.

Sweetie Belle turned to the noise, glancing quickly between Scootaloo and the shadowy forest. Scootaloo followed suit, her eyes slowly widening. "What's making that noise?" asked Scootaloo, her voice wavering.

Sweetie Belle turned back to her companion. "How should I know?!"

"I'm starving," complained a nearby Dovakniik, a claw raking over his armored stomach, "We ain't have had nothing but maggoty bread for three stinking days." He held said bread in his hand, sniffing it, before throwing it to the ground as his nose jerked back.

"Yeah! Why is it there's never enough frightened ponies to go around," quipped Snaga, an emaciated Changeling with an oddly gray carapace, his voice like claws raking on steel. He peered around the camp, his eyes hungry like his stomach. Eventually his gaze landed on Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle just as they turned to him. Their eyes went wide, and Snaga shivered with twisted delight as the scent of fear filtered through his nostrils. He looked upon them once more, his gaze starving, ravenous.

Snaga pointed at the kidnapped fillies. "What about them? They're afraid."

Rkane stepped forward, a claw pointed at Snaga. The band of Dovakniik gathered behind him, forming a barrier between the Changelings and the fillies. "They are not for eating." Porag grabbed the captives by the scruff of their necks and dragged them further behind his comrades.

Stealing a few glances at ponies through the small gaps in the barrier, Grishnákh couldn't help but lick his lips. "If we can't have their fear, then what about their legs? They don't need those." Like Snaga, he caught the scent of fear, and it drew him like a moth to flame. "Oh, they look tasty." He stepped between Rkane and the Dovakniik beside him.

"Get back, scum!" yelled Rkane, shoving the Changeling to the ground. Both groups tightened up around their respective commanders, screaming in animal tones at the other party.

"They go to Nightmare Moon. Alive and unspoiled!"

"Alive?" questioned Grishnákh. Once again, he feinted between any possible break in the Dovakniik barrier to peer at the fillies. Finding them, he smiled, baring two rows of sharp, yellow and brown stained teeth. "Why alive? Do they give good sport?" A low rolling growl reverberated from his chest and carried through the Changeling ranks. They began to jitter violently.

Rkane continued to stare at Grishnákh, his focus unwavering, expression unmoved. "They carry something. A weapon of great power. The master wants it for the war."

Sweetie Belle leaned over to Scootaloo. "They think we have the Ring." she whispered as sweat dripped down her face.

Scootaloo quickly hushed her. "As soon as they find out we don't, we're dead."

Snaga whined, "Just a mouthful." Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo turned with Porag. He slammed into Porag, knocking down the Dovakniik and the fillies. He then reared, his hooves ready to fall on the fillies. "A bit off the flank."

A roar broke out, followed by a gust of wind and a splash of blood. Snaga's head fell between the fillies, his body soon toppling over. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked up. Standing over them was Rkane. One hand was soaked in black blood, which dripped onto the fillies' faces.

"Looks like meat's back on the menu, boys!" The Dovakniik and Changelings cheered as they rushed to Snaga's corpse. Rkane pulled out the fillies, throwing them towards the Everfree forest as he too joined in the morbid feast. All that could be heard was the roars of monsters and sharp cracks as they tore off the chitin plating; all that could be seen was a massive shoving match, like dogs fighting for their mother's teat, as they ravaged Snaga's corpse, throwing wasted organs and bone into the air.

"Let's go," whispered Scootaloo. She and Sweetie Belle began to crawl off into the Everfree forest. Just a few more feet...

Then a hoof fell heavily on Sweetie Belle's bound legs, pinning her in place. She turned and stared into the face of a smiling Grishnákh. "Go on. Call for help." He grabbed Sweetie Belle by the mane, pulling sharply as he raised her to his maw. Grishnákh leeched all her emotion; she couldn’t scream, no matter how much she wanted to. The Changeling commander shivered, licking his fangs as the pungent scent of fear rushed into his nostrils. "Try to scream," he challenged, turning to his occupied comrades and back to Sweetie Belle. "No one is going to save you now." He opened his mouth, inching Sweetie Belle's closer towards the awaiting maw.

He screamed and threw Sweetie Belle from him, ripping out a hoof-full of blood-stained hair. She cried on the ground, squirming as her hooves pressured her bleeding scalp. "Run, Sweetie Belle!" Sweetie Belle forgot her pain for an instant, gazing over at Grishnákh. The Changeling swung his hoof through the air and rammed it into Scootaloo’s stomach, hurtling her towards Sweetie Belle. The Pegasus filly landed heavily beside Sweetie Belle, gasping for breath.

Grishnákh turned to the pair, their hooves still bound, with an expression reflecting the most primal hatred. He limped towards them. "I'm going to—" A lone Buffalo smashed into him, knocking the Changeling down as it charged over.

The Dovakniik and Changelings ceased their feast and looked into the darkness beyond the Everfree forest. Hundreds of Buffalo then burst onto the camp, charging over anything unlucky enough to be in their path, quickly decimating Nightmare Moon's forces.

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle began crawling again, heading for the Everfree forest.

Some of the remaining Changelings and Dovakniik attempted a charge against the Buffalo, but the Buffalo mercilessly trampled them. The remaining enemies ran for their lives, trampling over each other to escape.

Scootaloo, following Sweetie Belle, paused to look around quickly in the ensuing pandemonium. She heard a grunt above her and felt a wet splash on her coat. She rolled onto her back and looked up. There was a Buffalo above her, rearing, before its hooves crashed down.