Daniel awoke with a dull headache, although thankfully it wasn’t one of the migraines that he got from time to time. The second thing he noticed was the strange taste in his mouth, unidentifiable but not unpleasant. Placing it down to an aftereffect of the berries he had eaten, he shifted and his spot and noticed the third new addition.

Only one bug-horse was still near him, the creature snoozing lightly with its head on its forelegs while it lay by his side. A helmet was placed next to it, and from the blue Ethernet cable he identified the creature as Boris. Looking around, Daniel wondered where all the others had gone, remembering how he’d been mobbed earlier.

“Could really use one of those shoulder massages now,” he muttered, pulling his back away from the hard stone wall and cricking his neck. Taking care to not wake the bug-horse sleeping next to him, Daniel stumbled to his feet. Glancing down to the tool case, he figured that Boris would be a capable guard. “Watch the stuff,” he whispered. “I’ve got to go and water the wasteland.”

Leaving his friend behind to rest, Daniel quietly exited the small side cave with a yawn.

The main cavern was lively, bug-horses chattering amongst themselves in groups with more vigour than before. He of course drew attention, but this time there was a higher amount of smiles and greetings. A few of them even approached, looking up while chattering at him in their alien tongue. Not knowing what else to do, he tried to smile back and nod at each one.

‘What suddenly made me so popular? Was it Boris? Maybe these guys all want me to give them an Ethernet collar as well?’

One of the more friendly creatures suddenly went for his legs, Daniel looking down while preparing to either step back or boot it if needed.

“Hey, personal space.” However, upon closer inspection the creature wasn’t trying to tear a chunk off of his leg with its fangs, but instead it was rubbing its head and muzzle against his pants leg. At his words it stopped and looked up with a curious chatter, Daniel guessing that no harm had been done. “It’s all good,” he reassured it, patting the bald head before continuing to move past.

It didn’t follow, Daniel managing to avoid any more interruptions on his way towards the tunnel leading to the entrance. Unfortunately for him, the path contained another obstacle far more terrifying than a group of bug-horses out to nuzzle his legs.

It was the female.

She was sitting down and staring out of the cave, mouth movements leading Daniel to guess that she was muttering to herself.

‘Of course it’s her on watch, and not that other soldier one,’ he winced, hoping that she wouldn’t pester him during his bathroom trip. Still, he didn’t exactly have all of the time in the world, so he’d have to man up and deal with it.

Walking straight towards her, he paused when she turned her head towards him. Her frown turned into a smile, and she grinned wickedly at him while her tongue gave her fangs a once-over. The giggling chatter afterwards reassured him that she wasn’t intending to try and intimidate him, but that still left a few alternative meanings that he wasn’t too fond of. With nothing else to do, he pointed out of the cave and nodded.

“Ah… great. Well, I’ve got to go and take a piss, so… I’ll be right back.”

Hurrying past her, the cold outside was a welcome choice compared to the irritated glare that he could feel on his back and the rapid chatter that sounded none too pleased.

“Hey, get back here! You didn’t pay me my toll!” Aphid huffed as Mr Growls just outright bypassed her, the creature muttering what she hoped was some kind of explanation. No explanation would make up for his lack of proper observance to the Aphid Tax, however. “You’ve got two warm hands and I’ve got one cold and sore rump, you won’t get away that easily!”

Her words did nothing, Aphid cursing the language barrier as she watched him leave the cave. Wondering just what had prompted the biped to leave the relative warmth for the cold outside, she got up to follow him into the light snow fall.

Flakes of the cold snow caused her to shiver when they hit her back, but still she pressed on and followed the tracks leading around the side. Her ears picked up when she heard the sound of running liquid, and upon poking her head out around the side she stared on in confusion.

Mr Growls was facing the mountain wall with his back to her, an arc of liquid coming from the front of his body to splash against the snowy ground. It took Aphid a few moments to realise that he was actually urinating.

“Wow,” she muttered, unable to look away. “How can he do that standing up?”

Changelings were actually a very efficient species when it came to survival. Apart from their major weakness of needing the positive emotions of other creatures to live, they were able to survive in some of the harshest environments. Being able to conserve water and as a result needing less of it than other creatures, urination was a rare need for a changeling not living in opulence.

Aphid had the standard knowledge of the bodily function, and she’d heard from an infiltrator that ponies needed to do it daily. Still, while females she could work out, she had no idea how males of the species achieved the feat without difficulty.

But, apparently, Mr Growls’ species just did it by standing up and letting fly.

‘It’s just so weird,’ she thought, continuing to stare at the spectacle. ‘It really shouldn’t be freaking me out so much, but it just does.’

With a satisfied sigh and a few shakes, Mr Growls stowed his equipment and walked a few steps away from the wall. Then, after dipping his hands into a patch of fresh snow and shaking them off with a shiver, he turned to walk back.

Guessing that he’d react poorly to finding out that she had been watching him, Aphid beat a hasty retreat to her guard spot. Sitting back down on the cold ground, she made sure to glare at him to cover her tracks. Mr Growls entered while rubbing his hands together and shivering, briefly pausing to dust off the layer of snow on his clothes and hair before he glanced at her.

“Gragh, graw ragah.” The fact that he rolled his eyes and sighed didn’t earn him any mercy, Aphid moving to block his path when he tried to head back inside. Staring up at him defiantly, she used a hoof to point at him and then her.

“Don’t you give me any of that,” she lectured. “You don’t just walk out when a female orders you to do something. You’re lucky that the Queen isn’t here, she’d have you thrown to the nymphs as a tied-up toy until you promised to behave.” His eyes, filled with a complete lack of understanding, caused her to sigh. “Why do I even bother?”

Returning to her seat to sulk, she waved a hoof at him to leave. “Go on, return to your boyfriend Burrow. I bet you give him all of the rump massages he wants.” Crossing her forelegs, she glared at him to further translate the point. “Stupid creature, just leave me alone then.”

Turning around, she huffed and tried to ignore him. A muttered set of growls followed, before a groan of what sounded like defeat. Then, footsteps approached, Aphid not even facing him when he sat down beside her.

“Grawb?”

“Go away, I’ll have nothing to do with…” softly, a hand patted her on the back before it ran up and down her spine. The motion caused her wings to buzz every time it went between them, her hind leg twitching when the rub turned into a scratch. “Ah… on second thought I suppose that an apology is in order after all.”

Standing up from the cold ground, she turned to find him perched on a short, flat rock. He tilted his head at her, but his question was cut off and his eyes widened when she climbed up onto his lap. Spreading herself over the warm legs and relishing the heat, Aphid sighed in contentment. “Well, Mr Growls,” she said while giving him a thankful smile. “It’s a good start, but my rump cheeks aren’t getting any warmer with you just sitting there.”

He still continued to stare at her, before hesitantly reaching a hand out for her helmet.

“No,” Aphid smacked the hand away with a forehoof. “That is my head. I said my ‘rump’. Rump.” Pointing her hoof towards her rear, she gave him a no nonsense gaze. “Rump, not head. Bad biped.”

Mr Growls glanced from her face to her rear, not looking very pleased at all. When he looked back, she narrowed her eyes. In a surprising move from the biped, Mr Growls defiantly shook his head.

“Oh, what a shame,” she over-exaggerated, a foreleg slipping down past his thigh. She rested it on a very warm spot, and despite his adequate body temperature the creature froze. “Imagine if something lewd were to happen? A modest one like you just wouldn’t want that, hmm?” Her hoof had barely begun to rub before the two hands were waved in the air, Aphid grinning a victory grin. Flicking her short tail, she ensured that he could see that it was securely covering anything that he might find unsavoury.

For whatever strange reason.

Her extortion efforts were rewarded with two large, warm, and surprisingly soft hands reluctantly cupping her buttocks, the thin chitin covering it still hardened from the cold. With a soft rub, warmth started to seep back into them and she could feel the chitin relaxing, returning to the normal smoothness of everyday use. Only in battle or danger did chitin really start to harden, and when it did so during normal situations the loss of feeling could prove quite irritating.

“Not a concern right now,” she murmured into a leg, shuddering with bliss. “By the Queen, if you’d do this every day then I’d claim you as a mate. Granted I’d probably have to fight Burrow for you, but it would be so worth it. That’s even with you being such a prude as well.” Aphid was so caught up in imagining what a paradise it would be to have Mr Growls on her beck and call, that she didn’t notice the ceasing of the rub.

Or, more accurately, she didn’t notice why Mr Growls had stopped.

“What’s this about claiming the creature as a mate?”

Aphid whipped her head around at Pillar’s voice, raising her foreleg in a quick salute. It didn’t seem to have much effect, her Sergeant smirking at her as she lay caught on the lap.

“I… uh, it was just a joke, sir.” She chuckled nervously, glancing towards the cave mouth. “Mr Growls here was just helping me to stay alert, you know, sharing body heat to properly ward off the cold.”

“Uh huh, sure.”

“It’s true, see?” Aphid shivered, a hard task given the warm spot she was in. “So c-c-cold.”

With a glance first towards the hands on Aphid’s rump, then to Mr Growls, Pillar raised an eye. “And you, what’s your excuse?”

Raising his hands off of Aphid’s rear, Mr Growls first pointed to himself and then to the cave mouth while growling an explanation. Pillar looked back to her once Mr Growls was done, the Sergeant continuing to stare.

“He went out to… urinate.”

“Ah,” Pillar nodded his understanding. “A difficult task to do properly in a civil manner, but one that must be done I suppose.”

“Wasn’t difficult for him,” Aphid explained. “All he did was walk around the side of the mountain and stand there facing the wall.”

“Really?” Pillar continued on, intrigued. “He didn’t even have to dig a trench or hole so it didn’t get on his hoov- well, whatever those things are called?” Then, his eyes narrowed again. “Wait… how do you know?”

‘Curses,’ Aphid winced, caught out.

“Uh… I followed him?”

Pillar was silent for moment. “You followed him and watched him urinate?”

“Hey,” she tried to defend. “I was just seeing where he was going, I didn’t know it was for that.”

“But he wouldn’t have let you follow, going off his past reactions when it comes to modesty,” Pillar reasoned. “So, that means you left your guard post and stalked him away from the main cave, leaving it unguarded. Then, even when you’re back in the cave, I find you spread out on his lap with your rear in his hands and your foreleg suspiciously absent.” It was then that Pillar’s eye narrowed. “Hang on… are you threatening him somehow so he’ll use his hands on you?”

Aphid remained silent, but it was all that Pillar needed.

“Chrysalis’ leg-holes,” he cursed under his breath. “Really, Private Aphid? Should I just demote you, assign you as a drone, and just have you placed in his harem-turned-changeling-massage-parlour to save myself some trouble? At least Private Burrow is still capable of preforming basic guard duty when Mr Growls is around.” Pillar made a show of sitting down near the entrance, no mind paid to the cold. “The scholars have requested a meeting with Mr Growls. Burrow is still asleep, so you can be his escort. Get going.”

Aphid scrambled up from Mr Growls’ lap without complaint, knowing that she was incredibly lucky to be escaping with such a light punishment. She bit down on the end of Mr Growls’ shirt, tugging it to get him to his feet. The biped looked very confused, glancing from her to Pillar and back. “Come on,” Aphid growled out through a mouthful of cloth. “Quickly!”

He began to walk, Aphid letting go and leading him down into the cave.

‘Well,’ she thought to herself with a scowl. ‘At least it’s Pillar’s rump that will be sore now.’

With one hand held at his groin, ready at a moment’s notice to defend against any further sexual threats, Daniel followed the female soldier down the corridor. Evidently she’d been caught red-handed by the cranky soldier, and had been tasked with taking him somewhere. Daniel hoped that it was back to Boris, so far only he had been effective at halting the unwanted advances.

After all, while he himself could likely halt any attempts physically, there was a nagging feeling at the back of his mind that he probably wouldn’t do so well with actual resistance once it started. Unfortunately, along with the obvious teasing and actions from the female, had come certain… theories as to what would actually happen if she got her way.

And to think that his roommate had complained about how hard it was finally deciding that he was gay, Daniel would have liked to have seen him try to decide what to do in this situation.

“I need to try and meet more people,” he muttered. “Or bug-horses. Whatever.”

Unfortunately his wish came true, in the form of the female leading him towards the other side cave, the one which contained the crazy bug-horses. Following his suddenly hesitant guard, he ducked under a low rock ceiling and found himself in an unfavourable situation.

Five bug-horses were looking out at him from their circle, and at his entrance they began to chatter away with excitement. That is, save for the one with chitin tinged dull grey. Daniel tried to step back but the bug-horse was too quick, the creature chattering away with an insane grin as it approached him. It was gesturing widely with its hooves, yellowing fangs clacking together as it tried to guide him to a free spot.

“Of course,” Daniel smiled, hiding his actual opinion. “Bugsy. How… utterly unpleasant to see you.” The creature smiled and nodded, turning to the others and chattering away like he had just heard a proclamation from God.

With nothing else to do, Daniel took a seat on the floor, thankfully one that was as far away from Bugsy as possible. The solider sat next to him after an annoyed burst of speech, Daniel glancing around to see what else was of interest and possible danger.

On his opposite side sat two of the bug-horses side-by-side, the only other female in the room and one of the males. Judging from the way had their forehooves intertwined, he doubted that he needed to worry about any seduction attempts from this one at least. She waved at him meekly, Daniel hesitantly returning it after figuring out that she must have been the one who had been given his voltameter.

A quick glance around the room confirmed his suspicion, his poor voltameter lying gutted on a flat rock. ‘At least they had fun with it,’ he supposed. ‘Although I hope they don’t try to pull me apart.’ Shifting on his spot, he tried to push the thought out of his mind. ‘Relax, you can take them if they try anything.’

He jolted when something touched his knee, Daniel looking towards it and finding the female soldier’s right hind hoof resting against it while she sat. She gave him a smile, but he quickly turned his head away in fear of accidently making a gesture of acceptance.

He didn’t even notice her scowl when Bugsy began to speak, chattering away with a vivid excitement.

“So good to see you in good health, and spirit.”

Switcher sat back down after his excessive greeting of Mr Growls, Aphid muttering to herself while crossing her forelegs. “Stupid creature can’t even hear you, stupid old crazy scholar.”

“Soldier?” Scholar Transmutation asked from his spot opposite. “Is something the matter?”

“N-no,” Aphid answered, receiving a nod in response.

“Good, then please keep quiet and pay attention. We need to ask his Divineness his opinion on an important matter.”

Frowning, Aphid sat quietly. If it wasn’t for the fact that the scholars could easily cast her out of the cave to freeze to death, she would have told them all that they were some of the stupidest changelings in the cave for listening to the most insane scholar in the hive and believing that the creature that couldn’t even stand to glimpse her vag without freaking out was some kind of all-knowing, long-lost changeling god.

Glancing to Mister Growls, she could at least take some comfort in the fact that he seemed far more confused and worried. Plus, the way he was deceiving them all with an obvious fake smile was both a little funny and only proved the obliviousness of the scholars when it came to actual things that mattered.

“Moving on,” Transmutation continued. “As you all know, fellow changelings of learning, a few hours ago one of our drone teams fetching more water reported that they picked up a very faint link with the Queen.”

Old Switcher nodded excitedly towards Mr Growls.

“Indeed, without the guidance of our Divine Lord which led to the discovery of the magical lake, we wouldn’t have had any drones pick up the link!” Aphid actually began to worry when the rest of the scholars nodded in agreement, not having expected them to have bought the crazy idea so fully.

“The only question now, is one of great importance!” He stood up, Mr Growls tapping his fingers together nervously when Switcher approached and bowed. “My Lord, oh Mighty Benjamin! Shall we follow this link back to the Queen and attempt to convince her of your divinity? Or shall we instead stay here and build a wonderful holy kingdom under your rule?”

Mr Growls closed his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers, and breathed deeply. A tapping on her shoulder caused Aphid to glare at him, but it softened when he held out the book of paper and the writing tool.

“Huh? You want me to…?” The fact that he thrust the paper out again with an almost frantic glance to the muttering Switcher confirmed that yes, he did want her to explain what was happening. Aphid hesitatingly took the offered instruments, much to Transfusion’s confusion.
“He wants the soldier to do what?”

All of the scholars leaned in to look, even Switcher interrupting his praising to see what was happening.

“He wants me to draw the question,” Aphid explained, taking the writing tool in her mouth and trying to concentrate. While Mr Growls had been a good source of energy, she didn’t want to use her magic on a potentially wasteful task.

“Impossible.” Switcher trotted over, Aphid moving the pad of paper away when he made to grab it. “I am his prophet, so I will be the one to inform him via drawing.”

“Well, your so-called God wants me to do it,” she fired back, flashing her fangs in irritation. “I don’t know why either, but it’s probably because he thinks your insane.”

Switcher glared, trying to snatch the paper again only for her to knock his foreleg away. “Blasphemy! Stay your tongue, unbeliever!” Another grab was made, except this time the foreleg was intercepted by Mr Growls himself. Switcher stared at the hand around his foreleg with awe, Mr Growls letting go when he sat back down. “He… he touched me. He blessed me with his touch!”

“Moron,” Aphid muttered under her breath, once again trying to concentrate on her drawing with the threat of Switcher dealt with for now. “If he was a changeling god, then why do I have to draw him what you’re asking?”

Daniel waited for the female to finish drawing, eyes carefully watching the greyed bug-horse. He’d chosen the soldier as, despite her unwelcome advances, she was the second bug-horse whom he had met. While what he knew of her was seemingly only her wish to seduce him, he knew her far better than these seemingly-crazy ones. Unfortunately, this bug-horses seemed to be the leadership.

‘Must be like European royalty,’ Daniel thought while the others muttered among themselves. ‘Inbreeding to secure power and all of that.’

“Chzzert!”

With the noise of success, the notepad and pen were passed back to him. Surprisingly, there was no apparent request for physical contact of any sort, although he did have to wipe the pen free of bug-horse saliva.

‘Urgh,’ he rubbed it off on his shirt. ‘Wouldn’t want that on my hands.’

Checking the soldier’s handiwork on the paper, he examined the pictures in an attempt to puzzle it out.

There were two panels at initial inspection. The first showed what he assumed was him, sitting in a cave with a small amount of bug-horses lounging around him.

‘No thank you.’

Looking at the second panel, he saw a scene where at first him and the bug horses were making a journey through the snow. Then, they came upon a bunch of other bug-horses led by a large version of one with crudely drawn hair. However, it was the drawing of the sun that made it easy for him.

“That one’s better, I guess,” he said while pointing towards the second picture. The bug-horses all nodded and chattered excitedly, well, all except the soldier and the grey one. The older-looking bug-horse sighed sadly, while the female had a more disturbing reaction. Her grin was back, and she pointed to the notebook while making a turning motion with the hoof.

Hesitatingly, he withdrew the notepad from the view of the others and flipped the page.

What greeted him was a shocking image, one that seemed to have attracted the most effort from the female. It was a bug-horse giving him bedroom eyes, while exposing herself with her tail in the air.

Quickly snapping the notebook shut, Daniel fixed her with a glare and shook a finger. “Well, that settles it. No more drawing for you.”

In return she laughed wickedly and flicked her tail, giving him a come-hither look.

“I’d take a trek through the snow than this any day,” he grumbled, watching while the room filled with animated discussion.

“So, when should we leave?”

“It’s snowing at the moment, but going off past observations it picks up then dies down. The best time to leave would be after this storm has passed.”

“But, even though he chose the second option, wouldn’t that mean we’d risk being caught in the snow without shelter?”

“It’s either that or stay here. Sooner or later there will be no more food or water, then when he… goes, then we’ll be without food as well. If Chrysalis is alive, then she’ll have found somewhere easier to live in then here. It’s the best option.”

Aphid paid only a small amount of attention to the debating scholars, far more interested in teasing Mr Growls. He still glanced at her with unease from time to time, looking back away whenever she flicked her tail. He may have been an overly-modest prude, but he was certainly fun to mess with.

“Soldier.”

Ceasing licking her fangs seductively, Aphid turned her head to look at Transmutation.

“What?”

He ignored the venom in her voice, pointing a hoof towards Mr Growls. “Take him back to his area and ensure that he falls asleep. We’ll all need a good dose of energy if we’re to make the journey with minimal losses. Especially those still injured, we need all changelings up and walking for the trip.”

Aphid stared at him, tilting her head. “So, ensure that he falls asleep? What, you want me to smack him in the head and knock him out?”
“No, of course not,” Transfusion sighed. “Try some… other methods.”

Of course she knew what he was getting at, and she did realise that he was a superior in addition to being kind of right that such a course of action would tire out a recipient, but Mr Growl’s receptiveness to the method was easy to guess.

“I don’t think he’d like that, he doesn’t even want to see my-“

“Soldier, for the sake of the Queen!” Transfusion drew the focus of the other scholars, waving his hooves at her. “I’m not ordering you to fornicate with him, I’m telling you to relax him and help him fall asleep. Organise the harem to give him a relaxing massage, ensure that he’s warm, fetch him water or food.” He fixed her with a disappointed gaze. “Don’t think I haven’t heard about your actions towards him. Us re-joining the others and the Queen is far more important than your personal attraction to him. Save it for later.”

‘Why that…’ Aphid held back a scathing reply, getting to her hooves while glaring at the scholars. Nudging Mr Growls with her head, she gestured towards the cave exit.

“Come on, we’ve got to get you back to sleep.” Then, she muttered under her breath. “You stupid creature.”

Apparently he didn’t need any further prompting, Mr Growls getting up and following her without question.

Unseen by anyone, Aphid smirked at the thought that even after her stunt, he’d still rather risk going off with her than staying with the scholars. Leading him back to his assigned area, she rolled her eyes when she saw that Burrow was still asleep. While Mr Growls sat down and patted the snoozing changeling on the head, she took the more direct route.

“Hey, get up,” she kicked Burrow in the side.

“Huh?” Burrow spluttered, Mr Growls looking at her with a frown. “What’s happening?”

“Some drones picked up the Queen,” she explained curtly. “The scholars want us to make sure Mr Modest goes back to sleep so we can all get a good feed. Then, we’re leaving thanks to those scholars thinking he’s a god and that the choice he made is the right one.”

“Wait, we can’t just do that. We only fed off him recently, and we don’t know how much it will hurt him if we do it again so soon.”

“Too bad,” Aphid gestured to the other cave. “The scholars decided on it, and to be honest we need all the energy we can get if we’re going out into the snow.” Her voice softened, Burrow looking at Mr Growls with worry. “Look, I’m going to get those drones in his supposed harem to relax him, we’ll make sure he’s comfortable and when he falls asleep we’ll keep an eye on him. Okay?”

Burrow took a moment to reply, but he eventually caved in. “Fine, I guess it’s going to happen anyway, isn’t it?”

Turning away without answering, Aphid left to go and find the four assigned drones.

She was sure that Mr Growls would be fine.

Burrow watched his friend rub his own temples, Mr Growls wincing slightly before turning back to him. Despite whatever discomfort he was in, he still smiled and reached out a hand. Allowing him to pat him on the head, Burrow tried to get some conversation going. “So, what’s wrong?”

Apparently the head wasn’t an issue, Mr Growls checking to make sure Aphid was still gone before growling in a lowered voice while moving his hand. The note book was produced and shown, Burrow looking at the two pictures.

“You chose the second one, didn’t you?” He pointed a hoof towards the picture, Mr Growls nodding and pointing specifically at the sun in the top corner. With a small smile, he couldn’t help but agree with the reasoning behind the choice. “Yeah, sun is certainly better than freezing cold, but you do realise that if we do make it back to the Queen then we’ll likely be living underground anyway?” Another happy-sounding set of Growls showed that, no, he didn’t really understand that, but evidently just the thought of sun was enough to lift his spirits.

Then, Mr Growls shifted uncomfortably, once again checking that they were alone.

“Something else?”

The notebook page was turned over, what was on it making Burrow rub his forehead with a hoof.

“Really? I mean, I’m surprised that you actually trusted her enough to let her draw, but really?” He sighed, shaking his head. “I’m actually starting to think that it’s more than just teasing, you know?” Mr Growls made a hesitant rubbing motion with his hands, Burrow making a guess as to what he was miming. “Well, it’s sort of your own fault in that regard. You’re more than twice as big as her, if she tries to bully you then just tell her no.”

Burrow had to admit that he could see Mr Growl’s problem. After all, if he was in a cave full of whatever Mr Growls was, then he’d be hesitant in making enemies as well.

‘Still, the least Aphid could do is not intentionally make him uncomfortable,’ he though, before the object of their frustrations entered the cave.

“I’m back, and with one harem,” the soldier announced. Burrow looked over towards her, Aphid trotting in with the four drones in tow. “Now, everyone get to work, we need one relaxed and sleeping biped as soon as possible.”

As a group, the four drones approached Mr Growls. He didn’t really seem to enthused with their presence, but his face morphed into one of confusion when they began to rub his shoulders and press up against him to share warmth. Burrow watched with apprehension and admittedly a small amount of jealousy, only looking away when Aphid sat down beside him.

“Soon he’ll be back to sleep, then we can all eat again,” she told him. Taking off her helmet, she placed it in her lap before flashing him a smile. “So, had a good sleep?”

Burrow fixed her with a no-nonsense gaze. “He showed me what you drew, Aphid.”

“Oh come on,” she snorted. “Don’t tell me you’re freaking out over that as well.” She leaned in with a smirk. “You should have seen the look on his face when he saw it, priceless.”

Shaking his head, he sighed. “I swear, if you spent as much effort in your job as you do teasing him, you’d already be Commander of the entire military.”

“Wouldn’t suit me, if I was then I wouldn’t have the time to irritate him and you.” She leaned back against the wall, drumming a forehoof on the ground. “Besides, this is much more fun.” Turning to the drones, Aphid rolled her eyes. “Come on you slackers, I don’t see him asleep yet.”

All four glared at her, before switching tactics. Burrow winced as Mr Growls was pulled away from his spot against the wall, one of the drones lying down against it instead. Then, the two on the sides pushed him down, a very confused biped soon finding his head resting on the one lying down. The same two then embraced him from the sides, wrapping him up in a warm embrace. The last drone then finished it all off by lying across his legs, sighing while she settled down for her task to be complete.

“Grawbra?”

“Oh hush, you big nymph.”

Burrow tore his eyes away from the strange ‘changeling-lounge’ to raise an eye at Aphid. “Oh come on, you’d be a little freaked out as well.”
“Nope,” she replied with certainty. “Just replace three of those drones with big males and I’d be in absolute bliss.”

“Only three?”

“Hey,” Aphid raised a hoof to her chest. “I like to keep my options open, even if it means I have to share.”

“Unbelievable,” he muttered, shaking his head again. “If you had your way, it’d be nothing but a giant orgy until the end of time.”

“Pfft, we’re changelings. Don’t tell me he’s starting to rub off on you.”

“No,” Burrow glanced at Mr Growls, who’d surprisingly started to relax. “I just think that sometimes there’s more important things to focus on.”

“Not fun things.”

His reply to Aphid’s mutter was cut off, the drone serving as Mr Growl’s pillow beginning to sing softly while patting his head with a hoof.

“Go to sleep, so we can eat. Drift off you fat biped.

Start to snooze, we can’t loose, and soon there will be food.

Go to bed, rest your head, and soon we can be fed.

Leak that love, god’s above, this song is ann-oy-ing-“

“Drone,” Burrow winced. “I don’t think that’s helping.”

“Oh, really?” the female fired back, pointing a hoof down towards the now-snoozing biped. “I think it worked rather well.”

“I… fine,” Burrow sighed in defeat, the drone smirking victoriously. “I guess if he’s asleep, then it did work.” Leaning over, he touched a foreleg to Mr Growl’s limp hand. “No love just yet, guess it takes some time.”

“We don’t have time to wait for him, so we’ll have to speed things along.” Burrow watched on, apprehension rising while Aphid stood up and trotted over towards his sleeping friend. He was prepared to stop her if things got too out of hoof, Aphid stepping over a leg. He watched as she settled down atop Mr Growl’s stomach, her head resting on her forelegs while her own stomach rested atop the sleeping creature’s groin. “Huh, this is actually really comfortable.”

“I know, right?” one of the drones on the side agreed. “It’s like hugging a warm, breathing pillow.” She nuzzled an arm. “Sure beats freezing your chitin off.”

Burrow looked back down at his hoof, a trickle of energy beginning to flow. Glancing back to Aphid, he rolled his eyes when he saw her rolling around onto her back.

“What?” she asked with a raised eye. “If I’m going to be lying here for a while, I might as well get comfortable.”

“No, no, stay back!”

Daniel thrashed helplessly on the ground, a horde of the insidious bug-horses advancing upon him. Holding him down at his arms and legs, he was surrounded by the mass of chattering creatures as their leader approached him.

A bug-horse, wearing a blue helmet and back armour, stood over him and smirked with a wicked gleam in her solid blue eyes. He shuddered when she licked her fangs, a drop of saliva falling upon his chest with a smack. Slowly she began to descend, hooves from the others beginning to tug at his pants while she laughed.

“All… mine,” she hissed, Daniel trying to kick free but his entire body was limp.

“No, bad touch!”

Just as the female soldier was about to dive her face into his crotch, a shadowy shape flashed overhead and the scene turned to black.

“Ah… wait.”

Daniel sat up and blinked his eyes, finding himself in a cosy room with a fire burning within a stone fireplace. He let out a relieved breath when he realised that there was no bug-horses about to have their way with him, but given the tendency of his dreams to go from bad to worse he still kept on guard.

“What manner of creature are you?”

Slowly, one hand guarding his groin, he turned his head towards the female voice. It was not the monstrous visage of the female soldier that he was expecting, instead he was met with the unexpected sight of a dark-blue coated horse. It had both a set of wings, a black necklace with a moon icon, and a long horn, the creature’s wide eyes giving him a curious once over.

“Confused,” he managed out, earning a small smile from the horse.

“I apologise, I often forget that doing this with creatures not under my rule leads to confusion. I am Princess Luna, and you are currently dreaming.”

“I don’t know what clued me in, the fact that you’re a talking horse or for the first time since I got here I can understand something. So, are you a representation of my strained relationship with my mother or something?”

The Princess laughed lightly, waving a silver-shoed hoof at him. “Oh, no, nothing like that. I just watch over the dreams of my subjects, and occasionally any others I can find.” The laughter died out, Luna pausing momentarily. “I must say, it is not often that I come across such a…”

“Disturbing one?” Daniel provided, receiving a nod. “Yeah, well let’s just say that it’s been a rather interesting stay so far.”

“Are they hurting you, the changelings?”

‘Changelings?’

“Is that what the bug-horses are called?”

Luna smiled again. “Yes, they are not seen as very pleasant creatures.”

That didn’t match up to his experiences with them. After all, so far the most worrying thing about their treatment of him had been their over-familiarity.

“No, the ‘changelings’ are mostly okay,” he answered, beginning to relax as he leaned back against the stone wall. “Except for one of them that acts all crazy, and another one who seems to have the hots for me.” He shuddered, remembering the dream he was just pulled out of. “You can probably guess who that was, and to what extent she goes to.”

Luna tilted her head, leaving her seat to sit on the rug next to him. It was then that he realised her height, she was at least up to his chin.
“How did you find yourself with such creatures, I know not of anything like you, Mister…?”

“Oh, sorry,” he apologised. “Daniel Green. Well, I’m an Australian, and to put it simply I was just going to work before I was suddenly dumped into snow. I found a cave, there were bu- changelings in it, and I made friends with one. The others let me stay and that’s it so far.”
He tapped his fingers together. “Also, I couldn’t speak to them. So, since I can understand you-“

“I may not be able to speak what you speak,” she told him. “Dreams allow many things not possible in the waking world.” It was her turn to look curious. “Speaking of which, I am surprised that you are so accepting of this.”

“Yeah, well given what’s already happened, this is hardly a leap into insanity.” His voice lowered to a mutter. “Besides, those damn berries might be the cause of this.” She didn’t act if she had heard his doubts about her existence, but he decided to just roll with it. Looking around the room, he decided to find out some more information. “So, where are we then?”

She perked up at the question, chest puffing out with pride. “This is my study, or rather a dream version of it. It is inside the castle I share with my sister, in Canterlot city. We both watch over Equestria, and I am glad ot be back after a… long break.” Her ears drooped, Daniel trying to think of something to say to cheer up the dream-horse.

He decided to skip the comment over how this couldn’t be a dream, as he’d have far more imagination when it came to horse puns, and instead tried to lighten the mood. “So… do you often bring strange creatures up to your dream-study or am I just one of the pretty ones?”
He got the intended response, the Princess covering her mouth with a hoof while she laughed.

“My, such boldness. If my guards were here then they’d throw you in the dungeon for such insinuation!” Her chuckles dying down, she flexed her wings. “No, I usually try to take those in trouble to their dream safe-place, but I was unable to look at your mind save for your current dream.”

“Good,” he joked. “That’s probably the best for your own sanity.” She laughed again, but his smile hid his real thoughts about the matter. Some horse claiming to be a dream-travelling princess looking into his mind? That was something he didn’t want at all.

Luna settled back down, coughing daintily into a wing before smiling back at him. “I haven’t had so much fun in a dream for a long time. Usually it’s either ponies panicking that I’m there, calling me ‘Princess’ repeatedly like we are addressing them in court and they are eager to leave, or the occasional stallion requesting that I take the form of my sister instead.” She snorted, spreading her wings out and flicking her starry mane. “Am I not regal enough for them?”

Daniel didn’t know who this much requested sister was, but he could bet ten bucks that the mentioned males weren’t too concerned with who looked more regal when it came to their dream females.

“Nah, you’re plenty regal,” he reassured, receiving another smile. “However, I do have to ask where we go from here.” Luna seemed to sadden at that, so he quickly followed up. “You know, because of time and all that.”

“Oh, we have plenty of time. Time moves much slower in dreams and we’ve only been talking for… two real-world minutes.” Looking towards the fire, Luna tapped her hooves together. “You are welcome to stay here and talk to me, or I can let you go back so you can dream normally again.”

That helped him make a decision, the brief memory of a tongue flicking across fangs swaying his mind. “No, staying here sounds good. You can… tell me more about yourself I suppose.”

At that, the horse princess brightened. “Really? Thou would- I mean you, would like to spend your dream time talking to me?” Daniel shrugged, it wasn’t like he could currently talk to anyone else, and to be honest she wasn’t the worst person he had talked to.

“Sure, might as well.”

“Wonderful. Well, as Princess of the Moon, it is my duty to watch the night for…”

Daniel settled back and enjoyed the feeling of being in a cosy study, letting Luna talk on while he relaxed.

Hey, at least he wasn’t being exploited in his own dreams anymore.

“Yes, right there.”

Burrow couldn’t look away, he and the four drones watching while Aphid nuzzled Mr Growl’s stomach in her sleep. Her hind legs would kick occasionally, and her tail would twitch erratically. Unlike the drones, he wasn’t holding back laughter. Instead, he was concerned as to what Aphid could possibly be dreaming about.

“That’s right, own that rump you five-fingered freak.” Aphid’s own sleep-muttering covered up the giggling from the drone on Mr Growls’ legs, Burrow shaking his head. “Ah, those fingers are amazing, don’t stop the massage or I’ll touch you so inappropriately that your prude mind will explode.”

‘Chrysalis’ sake,’ Burrow thought as the drones all broke out into giggles. ‘Aphid has some serious problems if she acts like this from a simple massage.’

Mr Growls himself was out like a light, seemingly not ill-affected by the second round of feeding that had finished some time ago. Burrow had guiltily also joined in on the energy-siphoning, but he had reasoned that without it he might not be strong enough to make the trip back to the Queen. After all, he was needed by Mr Growls to protect him from Aphid.

On the topic of Aphid, his comrade was currently beginning to jerk her hips, the other females just a moment away from full-out laughter. Rolling his eyes, he got to his hooves and trotted over to safe her any further embarrassment. Nudging her in the side, Aphid’s eyes slowly opened to look up at him.

Burrow couldn’t resist.

“Sorry to spoil your fun,” he smirked. “But if Mr Growls wakes up to find you sleep-mating him, I doubt he’d be very pleased.”

Aphid glanced down to find herself resting awkwardly upon the biped, a damp patch upon the black pants. “I… uh…”

“Take a few minutes to get your composure back,” he recommended. Returning to his seat, he sat down and watched her. Aphid’s blush soon died down and she got to her hooves, glancing around at all of the drones with a glare.

“If you tell anyone about this, even him, I’ll hunt you down and slowly remove your chitin.”

Any remaining giggles died out immediately, the threat delivered with a full dose of seriousness. Aphid then stepped over Mr Growl’s leg, turned for tunnel leading to the main cave, then gave them a final glance.

“You know, it’s his fault for giving out those amazing rump massages.” With that, she trotted out with her tail firmly tucked between her legs.

“True,” the drone lying on the legs agreed softly, Burrow not even wanting to think about it. So, it was just him and the four drones, waiting from Mr Growls to wake up.

“So, do you think we’ll be able to make it back?” One asked the others. “The one time I was sent out, it was freezing beyond belief.”

“It won’t be so bad,” the makeshift-pillow answered. “We’ll have Mister all-you-can eat here, and we’ll all be in one big group. Who knows, maybe there’s only a few hours of trotting until we leave the snow.”

“Why can’t we just fly?”

Burrow decided to join in. “We can’t fly because he can’t and besides, there’s still a bunch of you drones with broken wings. It takes a week to grow them back, and we don’t have that long.”

“Should we really be taking him back?” the one hugging Mr Growl’s left side asked. “Think of how the Queen would react.”

“To a semi-willing source of energy?” Burrow questioned with a raised eye.

“No, to the fact that the scholars think he’s a god. Even a few of the drones believe it. We all know the Queen, remember how she sulked when those soldiers joked that Celestia was the prettiest ruler in the world? What happens when we return with a biped who can feed changelings while he sleeps, with the scholars gushing over how he’s some long-lost god?”

Burrow paled at the reminder of the soldiers involved in the ‘Pit of One-Thousand Poisons’ incident. “Oh no, please tell me she won’t try that again. Those soldiers were lucky that the Commander was able to calm her down before the ropes broke.”

“Who can tell with her?” The pillow once again replied. “Especially after the invasion, I bet she’s really ticked off.”

‘Great,’ Burrow worried, glancing back to the sleeping Mr Growls.

For all of their sakes, he hoped that the next day would go smoothly.

‘You know, the cave wasn’t such a bad place.’

With his arms wrapped around him against the cold, Daniel continued to trudge on through the snow. He scowled, his headache having gotten worse despite his strange yet relaxing sleep. All in all, it was pretty bad timing considering that the entire group of bug-horses, or changelings if he believed his dream, had decided to make their huge snow trek. He was in the approximate middle, the number of the creatures showing when they were all out in the open. Boris was trotting along by his side, the creature in his armour and helmet with the toolset carried on his back.

The fact that the creatures seemed set on being as close as possible while travelling only made things worse. While Daniel could see why herd-like creatures would act that way for warmth and protection, having bug-horses press up against his legs while he walked had nearly caused him to trip more than once.

Looking up into the sky, he cursed under his breath when he saw just clouds and no sun.

‘It may not be snowing at the moment, but one ray of sun is all I ask.’

With no quick end in sight to their quest of finding more bug-horses and the sun, he used one hand to fumble in his shirt pocket. Withdrawing two of the glimmering berries, he popped them into his mouth and chewed with a sour face despite their sweetness.

‘Damn berries, bet they’re some kind of natural meth that’s been causing all of those funky dreams.’ Shaking his head, he snorted to himself. ‘Talking pony princesses, what a bloody joke.’

Celestia looked up from her tea, toast, and the Equestrian Editorial at the sound trotting approaching from the side door. She raised an eye as Luna entered through the doorway with a wide smile, quite unusual given her sister’s normally dour mood after ‘boring’ night courts.

“Good morning, Luna. You certainly seem animated.” Sitting down and pouring herself her own cup of tea, Luna nodded back.

“Indeed sister, it was a most wonderful night!”

Smiling at the loud reply, although thankful that it wasn’t in the royal voice, Celestia could hazard a guess at what had happened. “You fell asleep on your throne for the entire night court session again, didn’t you?”

Halfway through a gulp of tea, Luna raised a hoof to her chest. “Why, sister, you imply that I did not properly fulfil my duties?” Celestia continued to stare, Luna rolling her eyes before huffing. “Fine, I may have slumbered during my empty court session, but I accomplished a great feat!”

“Go on.” Celestia expected a tale about saving a foal from a vicious nightmare, or of Luna helping a subject dream only good dreams again.

“It was a productive night, for I have made a new friend!”

“That’s very good news,” Celestia gave Luna a smile of encouragement. “You are certainly making new friends at a fast rate.”

“Ah, but this one is different. We spent many a hour in my study, talking about so many things!”

That got Celestia’s attention, her teacup lowering. Usually, Luna would spend a few minutes helping a subject out with their dreams, easing them back into peaceful sleep after any scares or shocks. This way, she could reach many ponies in a single night. Luna never mentioned it, but Celestia suspected that more than a few of their subjects were still unused to the returned Princess popping up in their dreams from time to time.

For Luna to spend hours with one individual was unheard off, Celestia taking a guess to the reason based on Luna’s mood and description.
“Ah, a stallion’s caught your eye,” she voiced with a grin. In return, Luna gave her an unamused look.

“Nay, sister. He did not ‘catch my eye’, but merely was content to converse with me without constantly bowing or requesting that I assume your form for some reason.”

Celestia paused. “Wait… you said you get stallions asking you to turn into me?”

“Yes,” Luna huffed, before waving it off. “But the matter of who looks more regal matters not now.” Debating with herself on whether or not to inform Luna that it wasn’t likely a matter of ‘regal’, Celestia decided to just let her sister continue on. “Granted, he did not seem very convinced that I wasn’t just another dream, but he seemed to be a very nice Australian.”

“An Australi-what?”

“Australian,” Luna repeated with a smug grin. “He comes from ‘down under’, more specifically the ‘Northern Territory’. Apparently their land is ruled by King ‘Abbot’, and is one of relative prosperity.”

“Down-under…” Muttering to herself and trying to puzzle it out, Celestia came to a conclusion. Taking a bite of toast before looking back to Luna, she finished her mouthful and smiled again. “Well, I’m glad that you’ve found something interesting. Let me know how it turns out.”

“I will endeavour to do just that.” Merrily, Luna left her seat and trotted back the way she had come, Celestia shaking her head with a smile before returning to her newspaper and breakfast.

“Nearly there, so close…”

Licking his fangs to clear them of icicles, Burrow continued on with new-found vigour. The Queen’s link was traceable but still weak, although that wasn’t the cause for the excitement.

No, it was the snowless horizon of a grassy meadow that drove him on.

Following the leaders of the group with more changelings behind him, Burrow ignored the fact that he couldn’t feel his own hooves and persisted on. A quick glance up towards Mr Growls showed that his friend had also noticed the goal, the biped moving quicker despite the drone that he held in his arms. Burrow winced at the opened crack in the drone’s right hind leg, but thankfully they still had all of their group members alive despite the trek and Mr Growls to carry the injured ones that needed a rest.

“Burrow, we almost there?”

He looked to his left, Aphid moving up to press against his side. She was shivering with her teeth clacking together, Burrow nodding his head while continuing his slow trot. “Almost, just a few more minutes and it’s bye-bye snow.”

“G-great, I’m freezing my horn off.”

Glancing at her mentioned horn, Burrow winced at the long icicle hanging off the tip. Come to think of it, they all were covered with the remains of the journey, even Mr Growls having to pause occasionally to give himself a rub down or to brush snow from himself. The light-peach skin tone had quickly gone pale again, Burrow hoping that none of them had suffered any permanent cold-related damage.

“Just a little further,” he told his friend over the sound of excited talking, the others having spotted the grass as well.

Mr Growls didn’t seem to notice, his eyes filled with determination as they stared ahead at the visible vegetation.

Growing up in the Australian Outback, Daniel had always wished for it to snow. It had come close a few times, but usually the closest it had ever gotten in his lifetime was when it once hailed ice the size of cricket balls. Still, the dream had remained all the way past his childhood and into his adult years.

He could now safely say that he would be overjoyed to never see another snowflake in his lifetime.

While he made the last few steps towards the beacon of hope that was the grass, the bug-horse he held in his arms chattered excitedly. Holding the mid-sized male under the chest and hind legs for the past hour had been easy compared to the chill he felt. It was like his body had been submerged in ice water for hours on end.

“Least I’ve still got feeling in my fingers and toes,” he muttered to himself, mainly to help keep himself focused. “Now I’m actually glad that the explorers were the only socks I had clean.”

Right after finishing the sentence, thickly-socked foot and shoe touched the blades of grass, Daniel for the first time since leaving the cave finally standing on a surface not covered with frozen sludge. He could even see a few trees and boulders in the distance, and although the trees were dead it was a sign of hopeful things to come.

The bug-horse he was holding struggled, the creature looking up at him and speaking a sentence in its buzzing tongue. Getting the hint, Daniel carefully lowered it down amongst its fellows, the bug-horse taking care to leave pressure off of its hind leg. Looking up with a shiver, the creature smiled and chattered again, Daniel waving a colorless hand. “It’s all good, I think you helped stopped my hands from getting frostbite anyway.”

Evidently understanding words weren’t needed, the bug-horse nodding again before limping off to join the rear group. Sitting down on the grass, Daniel gave himself a quick rub in an attempt to get some warmth back. They may have left the snow behind, but the sky was still grey and the air still chill.

He looked back up when something sat next to him, Boris planting his rump down and scooting in close with a relieved-sounding chatter. Daniel put an arm over his friend’s shoulders, Boris attempting to return the gesture but having to settle to patting him on the back due to the height difference.

“We’ll, I hope you all know where you’re going,” he tried, Boris listening with the utmost concentration. “You’ve promised me sun, so I expect sun. I’m freezing my tits off here.”

“Cezert, chez.” Boris pointed a hoof out towards the main group, Daniel looking over. A number of the bug-horses had raced ahead to a clump of dead trees, a few even flying using their thin wings. To be honest, he hadn’t expected the wings to work given what he remembered from science class in high school. They seemed too thin and small compared to the body, but given the fact that he was currently living with intelligent bug-horses he figured that some leeway could be given.

“You want to follow?” he asked in reply, starting to get off the ground. He was halted when Boris shook his head, the creature not moving from his seat. “Okay then,” Daniel sat back down. “Waiting it is.”

“Come on, come on, light you stupid wood.”

Aphid gritted her teeth and shot another spark of magic into the kindling covering the heap of logs. The drones standing around watched with awe as this one finally sparked a flame, the standard workers not knowing any combat-orientated casting. Huffing slightly and stepping back, Aphid smiled as the pile of wood started to finally burn. Her fellows crowded in around her, jostling for a spot by the toasty fire.

“Some good work, Private,” Pillar complement, squeezing through the drones to reach her. “I didn’t expect you to actually get it done.”

“Well,” she began, gritting her teeth. “If I had had some help, sir, then it would have been done sooner.”

Pillar either didn’t notice the accusation or chose to ignore it. “We couldn’t spare anyone else. The Drones aren’t trained to create a focused bolt, I need all of my energy for when I take the watch in case our fire attracts unfriendly creatures, and Burrow is still behind on Mr Growls watch.” Both turned their heads to look, able to spot the tall biped slowly moving towards them.

“Pfft, you mean Burrow’s on mate-watch.”

Pillar fixed her with a stare. “Private, Burrow has formed a bond of friendship with Mr Growls, and as such is an integral part to securing a steady supply of food as well as whatever else Mr Growls can provide. Already, he has proven to be at least as intelligent as a drone, and is large and intimidating. I would much rather him be with us than against us, especially if we happen across more of his species.” He turned to leave, but not before lowering his voice. “In addition, I have yet to catch Burrow acting overly-affectionate towards him, unlike a certain female soldier.”

With that, Pillar left her to fume, a smirk on his face while he departed back into the crowd.

Burrow turned so that his left side was facing the raging fire, quickly warming it up much like his right.

“Oh yes, finally I can feel my chitin again!”

He stretched out his back and limbs, making sure to buzz his wings so the heat would get rid of any excess moisture. Finally finished, he trotted a few body lengths away to allow a drone to take his place. Spotting Mr Growls sitting up against a dead tree trunk with his shirt off, Burrow made his way over and laid down upon the grass next to him.

“Enjoyed the fire?” he inquired with a grin, Mr Growls giving him a thumbs up with a smile.

“Graw, grug grawga!”

Burrow nodded happily, still able to feel some of the heat even from here. The sky had darkened, but they had more than enough wood to last them the night. “That’s good, hopefully we’ll all still be warm by the time we leave tomorrow. It’ll still be a long way to go until we reach the Queen, maybe even weeks, but then we won’t have to worry about any more snow.” That thought brought a twinge of doubt to his mind, Burrow tapping his forehooves together. “You know, I hope that she does let you stay, Chrysalis was always… unforgiving to other species.”

Mr Growls tilted his head, Burrow continuing. “But I’m sure that you’ll be fine, after all, how could she not like someone who’s friendly towards changelings?”

He swallowed the lump in his throat, knowing that the Queen tended to think with her emotions rather than logic. And, as mentioned before by a drone, bringing back someone seen as a god by the leaders of their group wouldn’t exactly bring out the best emotions.

‘I hope she doesn’t do anything drastic,’ he pleaded silently while a hand scratched his ears. ‘Surely she’ll be able to see that he’s just a normal creature mistaken for someone else?’ Glancing back to the fire, Burrow could make out two of the scholars joining the drones in enjoying the warmth. ‘At least Switcher hasn’t been annoying him, but is that a relief or a concern?’

Sighing, Burrow gave up and just rested his head on his forelegs. He was worrying far too much over events he couldn’t change, about the only thing he could do was to try and keep Mr growls relaxed and at ease.

“Easier said than done,” he muttered, before trying to just relax and enjoy the scratching fingers.

Unfortunately, life had different plans.

“I’ve got the lap!”

“Right hand!”

“Rig-I mean left hand!”

“Uh… lap as well!”

He had barely opened his eyes before the four drones raced passed him, calling out their spots widely.

“Graw?”

Burrow watched as a tired but unsurprised Mr Growls was piled on, the drones relentless with their assault. True to their words, one went to sit up against his left side and another his right, while the remaining two flopped down onto his lap and jostled for the most room.

“Hey, I was here first Mirror!”

“So what Meddle? You’ve got the warmer spot!”

“Will you two stop it?”

Burrow looked from the pair arguing over ownership of Mr Growls’ lap towards the newcomer, Aphid approaching to glare at them.

“What?” Mirror replied, surprisingly bold for a drone addressing a soldier. “You’ve come here to ‘claim’ his lap?”

That earned giggles from the other three, Aphid snorting before sitting down next to Burrow. “I could, and have you all put on firewood duty,” she threatened. “But I just don’t feel like it right now.”

“She sure felt like it before,” Burrow heard the one named Meddle whisper, Aphid glaring once more before lying down.

“Just ignore them,” he advised with a shrug. “After all, they can’t claim total innocence either.” Both glanced back, the two in the lap
attempting to win more favour than each other through nuzzling Mr Growls’ stomach while the unamused biped was busy scratching the ears of the drone on his left and rubbing the spine of the one on his right.

“I guess,” Aphid groaned with a flick of her tail. “But they weren’t exactly caught rubbing themselves against him in their sleep.”

Burrow honestly found it hard to counter that point.

“Well… I’ve got nothing.”

“Thanks, you’re such a help.”

He raised an eye. “Hey, don’t blame me. Look, I get if you like-like him, okay? After all, those ear scratches alone are pretty amazing so I can’t imagine what else those finger coul-“

“Only a rump massage!” Aphid growled, narrowing her eyes at him. “And no, not anything dirty. Sometimes my chitin hardens up when I sit down for a long time, and he’s able to make it soft again. I feels good, I admit it, but everything else I do is just tease him for laughs. With that one incident, I was cold, he was warm, I may have been having a ‘good’ dream-“

“It’s okay,” Burrow reassured, raising a hoof to try and calm her down. Looking towards Mr Growls, he smiled. “Besides, I think we can safely say that you aren’t the only one that enjoys it a little too much.” She followed her gaze, Burrow figuring that she’d feel the same way.

Meddle was rolling from side-to-side, tongue out while her hind legs kicked erratically. The cause was obvious, Mr Growl’s hand on her stomach. He had obviously ceased rubbing and had looked away when Meddle began to flip out, her position and lack of care to her decency not exactly concealing. “Why’d you stop? Come on, it’s only a belly rub!”

“Wow,” Aphid tutted, before lowering her voice to a mere whisper. “I’ve got to try that sometime…”

Burrow raised his ear. “What was that?”

“Nothing,” Aphid recovered, laying back down. “I was just saying that she should stop.”

“Uh huh,” Burrow smirked. “Sure.”

“Oh shut up and go to sleep, you’ve got to take the watch in a few hours.”

Laying back down, Burrow smiled to himself.

‘Maybe things won’t go as bad as I thought.’

Lime eyes narrowed as they tracked the smoke plume, the buzzing of many wings filling the air around her.

Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings, was tired, hungry, and pissed off.

Having been expelled from Canterlot, she had been robbed of both weeks of energy and her victory over Equestria. The landing had left bruises, but nothing hurt more than her wounded pride. She had been made a fool of in front of her subjects, beaten back by ponies who couldn’t even defend a shielded city without magical tricks!

The last few days had seen her subjects returned to either the Hive or to her, depending on which they could find. Her mind-link was still weak however, something about the love-wave had drained her powers and left her feeling angry at everything. Thankfully, even though she was still weeks away from the Hive in the Badlands and the small stores of love that were held within, her group of five-hundred and twelve assorted changelings had come across a blessing.

A small, lightly defended farming town of roughly one-hundred ponies.

However, she wasn’t about to make the same mistake twice. There would be no sneaking, no disguising herself as a princess in order to fool the simple ponies. No, had a different plan in mind.

A straight up night attack, overwhelming the town while the townsponies slept and taking it over.

While her numbers were great, she had picked up the faint trace of changelings from the north of the settlement. Reasoning that it couldn’t hurt to have more loyal subjects ready to fight for food, she had set out with her attack group to regroup with them and bolster their numbers in case of any more unwelcome surprises.

Or, rather, that’s what she had told her subjects. In truth, it had been Commander Scuttle who had suggested the regroup. She had wanted to just attack then and there to work off some steam.

‘Scuttle better be right about this,’ she thought with a scowl, flying closer to the source of the smoke. ‘I somehow think that changelings who light a big signal telling everything where they are will prove to be more of a burden than help.’

Flicking her ears against the cold air, she kept on scowling while she led her swarm towards the remains of a large bonfire in the grassy fields below.

“No, it’s can’t be her… already?”

Burrow nodded alongside Aphid, looking up in awe while Queen Chrysalis herself descended upon the field. “Guess we didn’t have to find her after all, she found us.”

“Strange,” Aphid frowned. “She’s never really been too caring. I would have thought that she would have returned to the Hive to sulk.”

“Stow your tongue,” Burrow advised, the Queen and three members of her personal guard approaching the bowing group of scholars while the remaining changelings greeted the others. “If she hears you say that, you’ll be in big trouble.”

“Too late for that.”

Looking back to the Queen at Aphid’s comment, Burrow’s eyes widened when he saw Transmutation pointing towards them with a hoof. The Queen’s face was locked in a frown, her fangs showing while she glared.

It was then that Burrow realised that the anger wasn’t directed towards them.

Glancing back, he managed to catch a glimpse of Mr Growls still snoozing with his back against the log. The four drone harem was also still asleep despite the noise, all curled up around Mr Growls with their forelegs draped over him.

“You all think he’s what!?”

And then, with the furious buzzing of her wings, Queen Chrysalis arrived to pay him a wake-up visit.

“…so you are okay with them using you for their own pleasure?”

Daniel took a sip of imaginary dream-tea, setting the dainty cup back down on the saucer while pondering Luna’s question. “Well, I mean it’s not anything sexual.” That was a tough word to say to a princess, suspected imaginational construct or not. Luna raised an eye, so he continued on. “All it is is ear scratches, head rubs, back rubs, belly rubs, and there’s this one that really likes me to rub the bottoms of her hooves.”

“Really?” Luna removed her left shoe, staring at the bottom of her hoof with curiosity. “One would think that an odd place for a ‘massage’. I have heard that a new ‘trend’ is for one’s hoof to be filed smooth for appearance rather than utility, but I have not heard of these ‘hoof massages’.”

“I dunno,” he shrugged. “Maybe it’s some kind of fetish?”

“Fet-ish?”

“Never mind,” he brushed off. “It’s not the most polite thing to talk about anyway. Still, as I was saying, it doesn’t exactly cost me anything and it keeps them happy with me, so what’s the harm in… Luna?”

The moon princess was shaking her head, eyes closed. “I’m sorry, but you’re about to…”

He waited, but she didn’t finish. “I’m about to what? Luna?”

“Chezertez! Cherzez Czzch!”

Daniel awoke with a gasp, sitting up to find an angry pair of lime eyes staring right into his. The angry bug-horse speak was followed by the eyes narrowing and beginning to glow a sickly green, Daniel doing the natural thing when one is woken up by a threatening monster.
He lashed out.

“Just who do you think you are, Ape!? Telling my subjects that you are a Changeling God!?”

Burrow slowly trotted forwards towards Chrysalis as she stood over Mr Growls, one hoof raised in the air.

“Please, Your Highness, he didn’t tell us anything at all about that, he can’t even speak our-“

“Silence, Soldier!” Chrysalis whipped her head around to snarl at him. “He will answer to me!”

He could only watch while Chrysalis turned back to her prey, her face lowering towards the still-sleeping Mr Growls. The rest of the changelings, hundreds of them, watched on with baited breaths.

“Answer me, you fool!”

All of a sudden, Mr Growls sat up. He was breathing heavily, Chrysalis recovering quickly from the jolt back and leaning back in to glare at him with untold malice.

“Very well,” she growled as Mr Growls focused on her. “The hard way it is!”

“Wait, don’t do-!”

It was too late.

Chrysalis, visibly frustrated with the lack of progress with her attempts to communicate with a creature who couldn’t speak her language, resorted to a desperate measure.

Her eyes glowed and snarl widened, staring fully into Mr Growls’ eyes with an evil goal in mind.

Then, it happened. Time seemed to slow, Burrow’s eyes growing wider and wider as the disaster played.

Mr Growls, obviously not an early morning biped and not a fan of being mind-controlled, punched Queen Chrysalis square in the chops with a mean right hook. The Queen was knocked flat on her back, eyes rolling shut as her head hit the grass.

No one moved.

Mister Growls slowly glanced around at them all, before looking at Chrysalis’ unconscious body. Then, he put a hand into the shirt at his side. Looking into the notebook, he seemed to compare Chrysalis to something inside before dropping the notebook and putting his head into his hands.

Burrow slowly approached, wincing before tapping Mr Growls on the shoulder. “You… you okay buddy?” Glancing down at Chrysalis, he sucked in air through his teeth. “And you, Your Majesty?”

Of course, there was no reply from the queen, her cheek starting to swell.

There was no action from the other changelings, what could they do? They were all still trying to work out what had happened, and most were too scared of what Chrysalis would do once she awoke to even go near her.

Burrow could do nothing but pat Mr Growls on the shoulder, still trying to work out what to do. If Chrysalis was mad at Mr Growls before… then he didn’t even want to think about it. He was so caught up in trying to figure it out, that he didn’t even notice the approaching hoof steps.

“I know this is totally the wrong thing to say, and the wrong time to say it…” Aphid began, breathing deeply while she looked down at the Queen’s prone form.

Burrow braced himself, hoping that she wouldn’t-

“But seeing him punch out the Queen is such a turn on.”

Author's Notes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLrxT8Vu978

That is all.