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Diamond Mountains
Ari

I was almost reminded of the nightmare by this tunnel, It seemed to go on forever, and Chrissy hadn't screamed in awhile...I had been running for what felt like half an hour already, my hoof falls the only sound now. The walls all looked the same and without her voice I was losing my speed. Did that mean…nonono i'm not going there!

Dark walls pressed in on me, did they shrink?

I stopped; I was only just starting to get out of breath. Thank you my new equine body.

The remnants of my hoof falls echoed for a second before silence. A scratching sound, very faintly came from the darkness ahead.

A dim light flickered ahead; it wasn’t there a second ago and that meant I had company. Joy. Straining my ears I could barely make out the muffled grunts and growls that was the dog’s excuse for a language. After a tense second the voices faded again but the light remained ahead.

Walking with stealth now I made my way to the end of the tunnel. I could see no guards and although I could smell the dogs it wasn’t the in the moment smell, it was more of a smell that stuck around from living in one place long enough.

The light turned out to be a primitive torch propped in a crack in the wall, perhaps it was for their pack members that would have come this way. I wasn’t sorry for what I did to them…Okay, I feel I little bad killing. They didn’t even get a chance to explain to me why I was here. But if there grabby paws and lack of respect was any sign I can assume I was regulated to a piece of property like the equines of earth. Actually, it was Kind of ironic that dogs might have horses.

The tunnel opened into another cavern, slightly smaller than the last. In front of me there was three pony sized openings to choose from. I paused to listen again. Fading paw falls came from the right tunnel. Somehow I didn’t want to try my luck with the dogs again so that was out of the question. That left me with straight ahead or left but neither tunnel shed any advice of which was best.

Eenie Meenie Minnie Mo it was then.

For the first time in a while the eenie Meenie Minnie mo failed me. I went left and ended up in a room that while fascinating held no Chrissy. If I could name its use I would call it an office, or a strategy room. Amazingly, it had an actual door which blew me away for some reason. Perhaps because it was the first real door I had seen since coming to this planet, not counting my cell door. A sign of civilization, it was the medieval wooden plank door. Only after I opened the door I realized that it had a door knob. I couldn’t believe it, my hoof just stuck to it and the door opened like I had a hand.

Another level of weirdness to add to my life.

In the room there was little furniture: a large table in the center, a writing desk by the back wall, and a small bookshelf. I wished I could have stayed longer to look. There was a large map opened on the table, a couple of books to read, and the enigma that was the desk. It could hold all sorts of resources. But, it didn’t have the one thing I was looking for.

I kept my walk quiet as I made my way back to the small cavern, still no guards.

Time to try the middle tunnel.

It turned out to be another long tunnel, which my both hooves and nerves were starting to protest. It had been awhile since I heard Chrissy and I really didn’t want to lose the only pony that I have met. It helped that she agreed to help me and was easy to be around, not constantly chattering but also not apathetic enough to be awkward.

A small humming and buzzing was coming from up ahead and I slowed my pace down even further. I wasn’t alone anymore.

Now I could see a faint blue glow at the approaching exit. Then I heard the dogs. Practically crawling then, I made my way to the opening, and paused. Before me were two dogs, just as ugly as their brethren, and they appeared to have had just entered the cavern. The humming stopped but the buzzing got louder. They stopped in the middle of the cave and pointed at something on the left side of the room. I couldn’t see that side from my vantage point but now I was curious. All I needed was for them to turn their backs.

Luck decided to ignore me again. They sat down and started talking, but they sat just so that they could see me if I so much as moved and ear.

I won’t bore you with their conversation as I tuned it out after a minute of its nonsense. What did catch my eye, err ear, was a slight jingle. A chain?

Was someone else here?

My courage gathered, I crept forward and had bit my tongue to stop my gasp.

Along the wall was rows and rows of shackles, most were empty, but three were occupied. A turqiouse furred unicorn mare lay prone on her side, a yellow furred stallion was pressed as close to her as possible, and finally my Chrissy was chained.

My shock was fading quickly only to be replaced with anger that had me seeing red. The ponies looked to be half starved, with the beginnings of their ribs showing. But they looked better than Chrissy did. Her face was scrunched in pain, her remaining wing buzzed so fast it blurred, and a green fluid pooled around her prone form. The green liquid oozed from where a portion of her chitin was ripped off.

What the hell? She didn’t deserve this! Those ponies didn’t deserve this!

****

1 hour ago

Chrysalis

They hadn’t changed at all.

The mangy curs still smelt like Tartarus warmed over and looked none the better. I unsurprisingly woke in shackles and with a magic inhibitor on. Again, I am not surprised at the restraints but after the last infiltration we did twenty years ago I was actually expecting more advancement in their confinements. But, their puny dog brains are only capable of so much I guess. They still hadn’t learned from last time; these rock heads hadn’t even muzzled me.

My roommates were in bad shape, poor little ponies. Soon they would be sent to the mine to work till they died or be traded as food for dragons. I wonder where your princesses are now little ones.

If I didn’t know better I would say my fellow inmates were lovers with how the stallion was trying to be so close to the mare. Unfortunately they were too far for me to feed off their love. I could use the strength, not that I was not grateful to Ari, he has been feeding me willingly, a miracle in itself. But I was already quite weak when I met him. Hence why I foalishly thought that jumping him would work.

Where was he?

My ears twitched as the sound of my captors came down the tunnel set right across from me.

Showtime.

As dumb and dumber entered I smirked at them. “You really don’t learn do you?” They paused before walking up to me. They spoke in Grumbleshooke which although I could somewhat translate it still grated against my ears and annoyed me with their lack of courtesy, I know they knew how to speak Equus. Grumbleshooke was spoken at such a tone that my ears, twice as sensitive as a normal pony, were twitching with the effort of staying upright. I just needed them a little closer…

“Come over here and we can discuss some business…,” The business of escaping, “I happen to know of some mines. I personally never touched them but we had no trouble finding carts worth of gems.” Now I had their attention, Diamond dogs were a fairly simple bunch. Eat jewels, find jewels, and of course capture some free laborers. It’s a miracle those princesses haven’t cracked down on them yet, them enslaving their ponies and all. I take love and get blasted away…Okay so I did outright invade them but still I am not as bad as these dogs.

I started churning my plasma in my muzzle as they stepped closer, gems practically appearing in their eyes.

One more step and I spat my load in the closest dog's face. My plasma was extremely sticky, normally used for cocooning unwilling food sources. Please remember I haven’t always been so lucky has to have a willing pony to feed me. Ari was a first.

He looked surprised through the murky green plasma before grimacing. He couldn’t open his jaw.

Now for the other mutt.

I was too late though. He had turned his face away and swung his tail at my muzzle. It felt like a thousand suns were stabbing me, I couldn’t see straight for a second, but I was brought back to reality quickly. The remaining dog had his dirty paw clamped on my muzzle while his other paw hovered over my wing.

I could feel his hate before he spoke. “Quiet bug, you werth many gems. Hate to gurt you. I will if you try that agrain.” I would have laughed at his horrible equus if I wasn’t shocked at his statement. I was a wanted mare now? I didn’t think the princesses were the type to associate with these dogs though…

He released my muzzle and turned to help his packmate. But I just had to know more.

“Who could possibly want to see me?”

Not surprisingly I didn’t get a answer, they were still struggling to remove my plasma. Time for a classic tactic: lying. The good thing about these rock heads is that they spend so much time in the mines they don’t follow what goes on on the surface.

“Don’t ignore me you flea bitten mutt! My swarm will be here soon and when they are we will force it out of you in the most painful way possible. I suggest you save yourself the pain and just tell me what I want to know.” I added a grin for good measure, I had them-

“*snicker* Silly bug, we already know you have no hive. Pansy ponies beat you.”

Just cause he was right didn’t mean it didn’t anger me, I can say it but if someling else points it out…

I lunged at him, my canines lodging themselves in his arm. His whimpers were wonderful, but they didn’t last. His claws grappled at my chitin before digging in at a edge, I gasped at the sheer pain. They dug in further, creeping under my shell as I felt a ripping sensation start. But I held on, the mongrel would feel my pain.

Then the other one started in on me.

He grabbed my horn, sending pain through my face again, and I hardly had time to process that pain before a wave of pain came from my chest. His claws had tore off a section of my chitin. My scream of pain was involuntary. The open wound gushed and burned with a intensity that I lost all sense of my surroundings. All there was pain. I think the mutts said something but I could no longer pay attention.

I was grateful when the darkness came.

Coming to was unpleasant, I felt weaker than I had before I met Ari, my blood still trickled into a puddle under me. Usually that would disgust me, the dirtying of my chitin, but I only felt empty and in pain. I was alone.

I missed his wings. I missed the love and comfort, the acceptance. Another breakdown was sneaking up on me so I hummed a song from long ago. A lullaby meant to sooth foals but it helped me all the same, even my wing seemed to remember as it buzzed in time with the lyrics in my head.

Like all good things it had to end. They must have been feeling pretty cocky because they were even louder than last time. When our eyes met I glared at them, daring them to do there their worst. I was doomed after all.

Instead of doing anything they just sat down. My eye twitched. What were they up to? Apparently nothing, they spoke more Grumbleshooke that grated on my already frazzled nerves. I couldn’t help but shift my hooves, ignoring the scrapping as I watched them closely. What were they planning?

Then I heard him.

Ari was reared up in the tunnel opening roaring in a fury. I couldn’t help flattening my ears it was so loud, my fellow prisoners started awake at it. Those dogs weren’t so brave now, their tails now hidden between their legs. Ari’s eyes were flashing in the dim light as he charged into the cavern. His horn was glowing against its shackle, his wings straining as he towered above the dogs. As he reared and came down again one dog was unfortunate enough to not roll his leg out if the way in time, he screamed and I couldn’t but giggle. I may not have a swarm but I had an angry Alicorn.

They were doomed.

He was acting almost feral as he chased the second dog away; the first dog wasn’t fast enough and fell with a sickening crack as Ari ran him over to chase the other dog. Snorting he came over to me and I froze. He was acting like a feral, which was supposed to be a fable, and most definitely wasn’t good for me. If he didn’t recognize me I was going to be…Well, I don’t like to think about that.

My worry was unfounded as he spoke, “Hey, I found you.” He nuzzled my cheek and I sagged in relieve.

“Took you long enough.” I nuzzled him back; even now I could fell his love, my relief.