-Return to Tartarus-

        “Wake up, Sweetie Belle! Ya gotta see this!” Appebloom’s voice called through the darkness of her sleep. Sweetie Belle closed her eyes tighter, willing herself to be left alone. A hoof shook her tiny form, shaking her forcefully from her blissful rest. “Come on, Sweetie Belle. This is amazin!” Applebloom’s accented voice finally drew Sweetie Belle’s eyes open to the room.

        They had slept in the tower’s lowest chamber, but the darkness of the snow and night had hidden the details of the walls. Sweetie Belle would have gasped at the sight revealed by the morning sun, but she settled for silent awe. Scootaloo sat near one of the walls staring at it in a similar way.

        Surrounding them, marked into the walls with charcoal, was an uncountable amount of murals. They were all drawn in extreme detail, and they were of an incredible amount of subjects. She could see the patterns in the fur of the animals, ponies, and other creatures that decorated the walls. Even the eyes held the detail of life captured perfectly in their charcoal images.

        One pony seemed to dominate the walls, as broad a spectrum as the pictures held, Rainbow Dash. And the pictures of her were the most beautiful of them all. Every image of her seemed to create a feeling of grace, strength, and beauty that none of the other images held at all.

        “Wow...” Scootaloo said, putting her hoof next to an image of Rainbow Dash in flight, but not daring to touch it. Rainbow Dash was looking over her shoulder, laughter in her eyes, the wind tousling her grayscaled mane.

        Another image of her was nearby, she was laying down. A grey cloud held her up, drifting around her on unseen currents. Her eyes looked forward with gentle kindness, a small smile decorating her face.

        Surrounding those images were many others. A pack of wolves ran through thick snow, the powder flying around them. A herd of bison, thousands strong, ran across snowy, grey fields. A great bird looked into the distance. A rabbit sat frozen near a blurry bush. A mountain range was hidden in misty clouds.

        But the final image sat alone, all the other drawings around it smudged away. It was another image of Rainbow Dash, but unlike the others, she was crying. Her eyes were bloodshot, even noticeable in the grey of the charcoal. Rivulets of tears marred her grayed out face. And blood flowed from a gash in her chest, black as the charcoal dictated.

        Scrawled around the image, were words. They were written in languages innumerable, so many scribbles that for a moment Sweetie Belle wondered if they were just gibberish. But a single word stood out; Sorry.

        The fillies looked on in wonder at the incredible artwork around them, trying but failing to see everything in full. Their eyes traced the lines and blurs that dictated shapes, translated feelings, and told stories that words could not.

        “Many forget that boredom is a killer in the wild.” Coalback’s baritone echoed in the tall tower, making the fillies jump and turn to him. He wasn’t a wolf anymore, he had turned back into a pony. “I taught myself to draw when I was young, just a little boy trying to impress his father.” He walked over to one side of the tower, his hoofsteps echoing.

        He pulled out a piece of canvas, a green tarp or blanket, and wrapped it around his neck and shoulders. “It was many a night when I found myself drawing with the charcoal of my fire, during my exile.” He smiled at them gently. “And I have discovered many things from my thoughtless scrawlings, feelings I didn’t know I had.” He looked toward the running wolves. “Like how much I truly miss my family.”

        “You drew all these pictures of Rainbow Dash?” Scootaloo asked, childlike excitement spinning in her words. An expectant smile brightened her orange face.

        “Yes, I have missed her these last few days.” He looked sadly at the various images of her strewn about the room. “Gather yourselves, we are leaving for the town in a moment.” He said, walking over to the fire and stomping out the last of the embers still glowing in it.

        The fillies continued to wander about the tower’s base, staring intently at the various images. A metal bird here, fire following it’s wake. Some sort of two legged creature here. One of them was holding a long stick, and a cloud was coming out the end of it, how strange. There was a metal box with wheels. A stone with a sword stuck into it.

        Coalback let them look, they were just pups after all, or fillies as it were. He looked up to the open window above them, examining the cloud layers above them. He had already gone for his flight, and he was very unhappy with what he had seen. The storm was coming much closer than he had first estimated, and there would be no time to move an entire town before it was upon them in full force.

        He sighed quietly, looking back to the fillies and clearing his throat loudly. They turned to him as he stood, moving toward the door. They followed him closely, letting him walk them to the hole in the wall. He shifted through first, clearing any piled snow in front of it.

        The fillies followed him, the light of morning revealing why they hadn’t walked out the front door. Snow piled high to the door, sealing it tightly shut and blocking the way to the bridge.

        Coalback lowered himself to the snow, spreading his wings to create a ramp to his back. “Climb on, we will fly some of the way.” His words were soft, and encouraged them to move. They walked carefully up his wings and onto his back, clutching the blanket for support.

        When all three of the fillies had settled onto his back Coalback stood up, doing a few static stretches with his wings. He took a deep breath, crouching down to prepare for a jump into the air.

        He launched himself gently into the air, the movement much more controlled than he would have been able to do weeks ago. He flapped his wings slowly, pushing the air around him down and back. He kept them just above the trees, not too high and not too fast. The wind was with them, letting them fly with little buffeting against them.

        “Why were you young ones out in the forest, especially during a winter storm?” He called over the gentle wind, he turned his head slightly to look at them out of the corner of his eye.

        “Well...” Sweetie started. Scootaloo whistled innocently, looking around at the passing trees.

        “We were lookin fer ya.” Applebloom said guiltily, her head lowering in expectancy of berating.

        “How noble of you, but why?” Coalback said, genuine curiosity in his words.

        Applebloom looked up in surprise, any other pony would have instantly scolded them for putting themselves in danger. “‘cuz...uhm...well, th-tha peacekeepers! That’s why.” She said, the reason for their expedition returning to her.

        “Yeah,” Scootaloo spoke up. “we wanted to get you to stop them, like you did those ponies that were threatening the town before!” She reared up, striking the air with her tiny hooves.

        “I cannot do that.” Coalback said, turning back to the air in front of him.

Scootaloo sat back down, her mouth open wide in surprise. But before she could say anything, Sweetie Belle tried to convince him.

“But last night, you said that you could!” She said, distress in her voice.

“And my words were in truth!” He said quickly, cutting off an accusation before it could form. “Their regime has gone on long enough. But I cannot simply kill all of them.” His voice voice changed from frustrated anger, to a sad sort of tone. “Those ponies may not be doing good things, but they believe that they are protected their home. Even if they have blamed me for imagined crimes; I cannot, will not harm them for it.”

He turned his head back to them. “Applebloom, has your sister ever done something, that you knew was unfair, but that she believed was to protect you?” He asked sadly, he turned quickly back to the trees before him as he began to descend into a small opening in the snow covered canopy.

“Yeah...” Applebloom said, remembering the first time Zecora had come to Ponyville. “But it weren’t right do that to Zecora anyway!”

Coalback landed gently on the snow covered path leading to Ponyville, their approach hidden by the turn. “But if she had been right?” He asked, continuing before she could interject. “The ponies that have condemned me are not at complete fault. I am a very dangerous being, even if my actions prove otherwise.”

He began walking, slowly coming near the town again. The fillies remained quiet, unable to find a flaw in his argument. His hooves made crunching noises in the snow, sinking much further than his paws would have. He paused at the turn, not quite revealing the town to view.

“You,” He said turning to Scootaloo. “the little ice diver.” She shrunk against her friends, a guilty smile decorating her face under his gaze. “Do you have somewhere to go when you are back?” His eyes softened, concern deeply rooted in his voice.

“My dad.” She said quietly, her gaze lowering slightly. “We take care of each other.” She looked away, hopefully keeping probing questions away.

Coalback nodded solemnly, but he didn’t press her. “Good. I need you to find him, make sure you both are safe. And leave Ponyville, take him to Canterlot.” He waited for the fillies to complete their objections, waiting for a moment to interject. “Ponyville will not be safe. The coming events will make it the epicenter of near catastrophe.” His voice had grown darker, his eyes prying into them to drive the point home.

When they had nodded in consent, he let his gaze soften. He looked at them for a moment more, old memories of his childhood dancing in his eyes.

He stopped himself though. ‘No time for such romantics.’

He turned back to the encroaching clouds above, just peaking out from the bony branches of the winter forest.

---

Applejack paced in the kitchen of her home, she had been pacing for the entire night. With the disappearance of the fillies she had become distraught. And she would have gone to find them, if not for the peacekeepers.

When they had seen the fillies leave, they had put their families on house arrest. All of them; Rarity and her parents; even Scootaloo’s father, who rarely even was seen in town. They had all been confined to their homes, and it had been driving her mad with worry.

And then she heard the howl, her head shooting up and her ears swiveling toward it’s origin.

It was long and low, it rose a note higher, and then went low again. It sounded twice, and then a third time.

Applejack wished she knew what it meant. She knew, from the ramblings of a particular unicorn, that wolf howls where communication methods for separated packs. If Coalback was howling, did it mean that something had happened?

A darker thought entered her mind, making her prance in place. What if something had happened to the fillies? It wasn’t moments later when a board creaked above her.

“Rainbow’s here, maybe she knows what’s goin on.” She mumbled, more to herself than to anypony else.

Applejack glanced out a curtained window, spotting the two stallions that had been placed there. She walked up toward the stairs, keeping her hoofsteps quiet. She checked out another window, looking out over her snow covered farm. No fresh tracks in the snow, the clouds looked undisturbed above.

She leaned up on her back hooves, grasping a small rope in her mouth and pulling on it gently. A hidden staircase unfolded from the roof, moving on silent hinges. The staircase rested silently on the wooden floor below her.

She stepped carefully onto it, not wanting to alert the guards at the door below. She climbed up silently, emerging in the dusty attic of the barnhouse. When she had fully entered, she turned and folded the staircase behind her.

“You heard it too?” Rainbow’s hushed voice came, a slightly open window behind her turning her into a dark silhouette.

“Yeah. What’sit mean?” Applejack said, her stance low and her eyes shifty.

“I think...that it means we need to go to him. It was some sort of mix between ‘calling young’ and ‘calling pack’. I think he found the missing fillies, but we should hurry. I don’t want Dumb-Bell finding them first” She walked close to her, the words becoming even quieter. “You go get Rarity, I’ll get Scootaloo’s dad. Coalback is by the road to the Everfree.” She turned back to the window, all of her muscles stiff.

“Rainbow?” Applejack said, her tone betraying her worry. “You been actin’...well ya ain’t been yerself ever since Coalback ran off. What’s eatin’ ya?” She knew that the situation was urgent, even more so for the fact that Coalback was here. Rainbow stopped, not taking the final step to the window.

“Coalback made me a promise.” She whispered, her voice heavy with poorly concealed sadness. “And I know for fact, that he never breaks his promises.” Her voice grew stronger as she spoke, her confidence quickly returning.

“Coalback’s kept a whole heckofa lot of secrets. Maybe ya shouldn’t put so much faith in him, Rainbow.” Applejack said, almost balking as her friend turned to her with a look that could have melted dragon’s scales. “Now don’t think fer a second that I’m insulting you, or him. I jist don’ wanna see ya get hurt, not like last time.” She said, trying to bring sense to those murderous eyes. But she regretted her words instantly.

There were few things that could work tears into those rose eyes, many of them were touchy subjects. And Rainbow had had her share of bad experiences with stallions. Contrary to how she talked, she had had few good relationships. Many ending in arguments and insults directed toward her.

She turned quickly to the window, talking quietly and urgently so that she wouldn’t have to stay any longer. “I’m going to get Torusel.” She swung the window open quickly, darting out of it silently.

“Tarnation, Applejack. When are ya gunna lern ta shut yer flap?” Applejack mumbled to herself, closing the window. She turned back to the stairs, shame and a purpose driving her forward.

She was getting her sister back, even if she had to go into the forest herself.

---

        “Where’s Rainbow Dash? She should have arrived by now, even with Torusel.” Rarity worried under breath, snuggling deeper into her decorative scarf.

        “She could still be mad at me. I said some things I shouldn’of.” Applejack said dejectedly, shaking her head and looking down the path to the Everfree in the distance.

        “I’m sure she isn’t, Applejack. She may be a bit brash at times, but she always comes around.” Rarity reassured, even if the words felt slightly empty. “She said Coalback was here didn’t she, so where is he?” She asked, pulling the topic away and letting a bit of worry seep into her voice.

        “She said that he was here, but we should wait ta go lookin’ fer ‘im until-”

        “APPLEJACK!” A high pitched voice called, drawing their attention back to the forest path.

        “Applebloom!” Applejack called back, her eyes brightening with relief as she spotted the small yellow filly running down the path. She ran forward taking the filly in her arms and embracing her warmly. The next filly ran out as well, just after Applebloom.

        “Oh, Sweetie Belle!” Rarity exclaimed, dropping her manners to embrace her sister as well.

        “We were so worried about ya’ll!” Applejack said, holding her sister closer. “Don’t ya’ll ever run off like that again!” Her voice was slightly chastising, but her own joy at seeing the filly safe made it softer.

        “Sweetie Belle, where’s Scootaloo? She was with you wasn’t she?” Rarity said, her voice rising in worry for a moment.

        “She is with us!” Sweetie Belle said quickly, nodding her head as she tried to disentangle herself from her sister’s suffocating grasp. “Coalback said he wanted to walk her to her dad though. But I don’t know why.” She said, trying to explain.

        “How strange...I wonder what could have possibly prompted him to do that.” Rarity said thoughtfully, loosening her hold long enough that the tiny filly could wriggle free. She stood a few steps away, catching her balance and looking around. She looked back toward the town, smiling and jumping up.

        “Look! Here they come!” She said, pointing back at the town. They turned to follow her hoof, catching sight of the duo moving toward them.

        Torusel wasn’t a large pegasus, not by most standards anyway. His greying mane betrayed his true age, but his dark orange coat rippled with his strong old muscles. He walked with a painful limp, his knees creaking with every movement.

        Torusel had been a hero of his time, as much as the old stallion denied it. Years ago there had been a fire, a big one. Every house had gone up in flames, but Torusel had been there to see it start. To this day nopony knows how the fire started, there have even been rumors that Torusel started it himself.

        But all the same, Torusel had not rested until the entire population of Ponyville was safe. However, his body was too exhausted, he had pushed too far. In the end, arthritis had nearly lamed him fully, almost making the old stallion completely disabled. His wings were the worst, completely frozen by the pain of the arthritis, grounding him for the rest of his life.

        The smoke had done similar damage, soiling his lungs and clouding his eyes. Torusel never complained however, the only time he did was when ponies started to become concerned about him. He had never liked being seen as needing help, even to a point where it irritated him.

        He leaned carefully against Rainbow Dash, using her as support so that they could move faster. His eyes were trained carefully on the ground, his breathing heavy as he concentrated on not tripping. But when he did look up, his cloudy eyes widened, a relieved smile springing to his face.

        “Dad!” Scootaloo exclaimed, running free from the trees. A sullen looking Coalback following.

        “Scootaloo!” Torusel said, relief and happiness bubbling in his croaking voice. He pulled free of Rainbow’s support, galloping to the meet the orange filly. They met near the forest edge, the path turning away shortly behind them after the trees began.

        Scootaloo jumped up, wrapping her arms around her father’s neck and holding onto him. Torusel dropped to the ground, returning the embrace warmly.

        Coalback was not far behind, his eyes darted back and forth between the ground and Rainbow Dash. He stopped when he had gotten just in front of the reunited father and daughter, his shuffling hooves a generous distance from Rainbow’s.

He looked...scared. Which brought Rainbow to pause, a worried expression mixing with all the other feelings she had at seeing him again.

“Coalback? I-”

“NOW!” A stallion’s angry command echoed, cutting off Rainbow’s stutters.

Stallions erupted from the snow, the spray taking them all by surprise. And the next few seconds went by in a blur.

Stallions grabbed onto the mares, pulling them away. They struggled, but were bound quickly. Completely immobilizing them, stallions yelling something about arrest. A spear flew. Coalback jumped up, and blood flew.

Torusel cried out, and Scootaloo screamed.

When the snow settled down again, a grim scene greeted Rainbow Dash’s eyes. Coalback wore a snarl befitting the wolf he hid. His wings were spread, a defensive posture, his left covered in feathery gore. Below him Scootaloo continued her wails, her hooves desperately shaking her prone father.

A spear protruded from his chest, a pool of blood spreading from it into the snow, staining it crimson. Scootaloo wailed, tears pouring freely from her eyes and down onto the prone form of her father.

Coalback snarled, baring the pointed teeth he still had. A line of saliva traced it’s way down from his lips, unbridled rage roaring like a fire in his eyes. His whole body shook with every growl that escaped his chest, a sound like a rock slide in the mountains.

His snarls died down, and his head turned to Scootaloo for a moment. His eyes softened, old memories and their pains resurfacing at the sight of the filly and her father. His mouth shut in a determined line.

The crystal hanging from his neck glowed, the light shining through the fabric. The golden light turned the stained snow orange, it’s intensity increasing.

“Don’t let it’s mind tricks fool you!” Dumb-Bell yelled, he the only stallion without a spear.

The connection was instant, as Rainbow Dash looked on, unable to scream or even move. She could feel the effects of claustrophobia coming on, but she fought through. She had to see what happened, or she would die wondering.

The light intensified, Coalback reared up. A single word echoed from him. The word came out loudly, echoing in that strange other language.

“Iachawdwriaeth!” It echoed proudly, power filling the words in a way that simply speaking couldn’t, he had cast a spell. “Yah-kow-dew-writh … -kow-dew-writh … dew-writh … writh ...” The sounds echoed back, no longer holding the power he had put in them.

The crystal pulsed, something cracked, like breaking glass. Scootaloo and her father glowed in intense light, their golden silhouettes breaking apart and flying into the sky. Their light arced over the town, coming back down behind the buildings.

‘Was that a teleport? It didn’t look anything like what Twilight does.’ Rainbow’s mind raced, trying to find an explanation for Coalback’s actions. Her thoughts interrupted suddenly, her ears catching another snarl from Coalback.

Coalback had turned back to the stallions, his stance a defensive one. His injured wing hung strangely, a string of bloody flesh falling from it, a severed muscle. He growled again, his eyes glowing.

The wing twitched, the string of muscle pulling itself back into his wing. But the wound remained open.

Another crack echoed, and Rainbow’s eyes fell to his ringed arm. If she had not been bound and gagged by a huge stallion, she would have cried out. The first ring, the lowest to his hoof, had cracked. Blood red light pouring out like water and flowing around it. She was sure that she could feel that static feeling again, and she didn’t even want to find out what happened when it broke.

“You killed him ...” Coalback said, his voice surprisingly calm as he spoke, despite his outward appearance. “... you orphaned that child ... you murdered an elder ... I hope you’re damned happy.” His last words spat out, rage spilling over his calm voice.

“Doesn’t matter!” Dumb-Bell replied sharply. “He deserves that for coming to you! And you can be sure that your bitches will receive a similar fate.” Dumb-Bell grinned, thunder boomed from the forest, the storm hidden by the cloud cover. “So, are we gonna do this the easy way, or the hard way.” He lifted his wing, displaying the holster that held the silver knife.

Coalback growled deeply, pulling his head up to display the thick muscles on his chest. He turned quickly, jumping toward the forest and away from Dumb-Bell. He lept over the stallions, kicking one in the head with his rear hooves. He disappeared among the trees instantly, his grey coat blending perfectly with the grey winter plants and the white of the snow.

“What are you waiting for?! Go get him!” Dumb-Bell yelled, darting after him into the trees. The stallions ran forward, jumping into the trees as well.

Rainbow squirmed in her bonds, grinding her teeth against the gag. Warm breath streamed down her neck, and she stiffened suddenly. Her eyes flicked back, locking onto the purple stallion’s nose. He sniffed again, stirring the rainbow mane on the back of her neck.

A low hum started in his throat, he chuckled a bit. Rainbow redoubled her efforts, trying to struggle free.

“Ooh, a fighter!” He said, his voice low. “You and I are going to have some fun, my little pony.” He taunted, and he would have continued if not for the battle cry that suddenly sounded behind him.

“AYAYAYAYAYAYEEE!” The shrill voice sounded, and a pink hoof impacted the side of the stallion’s head. The oppressive shadow over her suddenly gone with a sound like a paper bag crumpling.

The other stallions fled, their bravery gone at the sudden downing of their peer. Rainbow turned her head, trying to get a look at her saviour.

A pink hoof held her however, teeth pulled at the knot tying her gag to her. She spat it out quickly, small strings of wool still stuck to her tongue. Hooves pulled away the ropes around her legs.

Rainbow instantly shot up, turning to the new pony. And pausing with a confused look on her face.

“Pinkie?” She said, eyeing the pink earth pony.

“Hi, Dashie!” She said waving a hoof, the purple cloths tied around them weaving through the air. She was dressed in what looked like her old Mare-Do-Well costume, however it had been cleverly torn up to give her a more rogue look.

“Is that what I think it is?” Rainbow asked, indicating the strange garb. Pinkie nodded spastically.

“Do ya like it?” She asked, twirling a bit. She stopped suddenly, some realization making her eyes widen. “Oh! Wait! I’m supposed to be saving you guys!” She hopped happily. “Come help me untie the others!” She ran off, moving over to the prone forms of the Apples.

Rainbow moved similarly untying Rarity and Sweetie Belle. “Oh, how dreadful!” Rarity exclaimed, holding back from shaking herself. “Let’s get back to Fluttershy’s before those fiends return!” She said gathering Sweetie Belle with her magic.

A howl echoed in the forest, long and rising in pitch quickly.

“No objections here, Rainbow?” Applejack said, tossing the quivering yellow filly on her back.

“There’s something I need to check first.” Rainbow replied, turning her head toward the town. “But I’ll meet you guys there.” She looked back at them, then turned to dart off into the town.

---

The storm was in full force outside of Fluttershy’s cottage, wind and rain pounded against the side of the little house. The ponies and small animals huddled inside, riding out the storm in the dim light of firefly lanterns.

“Ah’ve never seen a storm this bad before.” Applejack mumbled, sitting on the floor in the middle of the cottage, Applebloom held close nearby. “Maybe Coalback was right, this is a hurricane. It aint even snowin’ any more, it’s rain!” She said, pulling Applebloom into a tighter hug.

“Are Coalback and Scootaloo gonna be alright?” Sweetie belle asked timidly, looking up at Rarity from where she sat on the floor. Rarity bit her lip, thinking her words through before she spoke.

She sighed in defeat. “I don’t know, Sweetie Belle. Anything could have happened.” She looked at the floor from the couch sadly, Sweetie Belle mirroring the action.

“I’m sure they’re all fine. Rainbow has been through a few storms before, she’ll know what to do.” Pinkie said softly, placing a firefly lantern in between them.

Fluttershy sat nearby a shivering beaver, stroking it and murmuring comforting words to it.

The door rattled, a faint voice calling through the rain from outside. “Oh my!” Fluttershy exclaimed quietly, rushing to the door and opening it.

Water and wind rushed in, followed closely by a soaked Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy closed the door behind her, some difficulty in fighting the wind slowing her. Rainbow let out a sigh of relief, revealing the orange filly clutched to her.

“I’ll get some towels!” Fluttershy said quickly, running into another room.

“Scootaloo!” Applebloom said, breaking from her sisters grasp to rush to her friend. Scootaloo dropped from Rainbow’s arms, embracing her friend sadly, despite the cold water all over her. Sweetie Belle rushing over an moment later, hugging her orange friend warmly.

Rainbow Dash shivered, but resisted the urge to shake herself dry inside the house. “This is like nothing I’ve dealt with before! It’s a full on summer hurricane!” She looked around at her friends. “This is gonna be a bad storm, especially if nopony can get up there and at least beat off some of it.”

“Please stay, Rainbow Dash!” Scootaloo said desperately, turning to look at her with puffy eyes. Her face clearly showed tears even though it was already covered in rain from the storm outside.

“Here.” Fluttershy said, piling some warm towels around the three now wet fillies and giving several to Rainbow Dash as well.

“Don’t worry, Scoots. I’m staying right here with you.” Rainbow said encouragingly as she dried herself off. Scootaloo visibly relaxed.

“What happened, Rainbow? Did you find Coalback?” Pinkie asked, stepping up from her seat.

“No, I went to the hospital and found Scootaloo there.” She said, dragging the fluffy blanket over her matted mane.

“Is that where she disappeared to?” Rarity exclaimed, her eyes growing wide.

“Yeah, the nurses told me that they ‘rode in on sunlight’, I’m pretty sure that Coalback was the one who did it.” Rainbow confirmed, carefully patting down her wings.

“That’s incredible! A teleportation spell on two ponies, and so accurately aimed, takes an incredible amount of talent! I can barely manage to teleport myself, let alone two others.” Rarity exclaimed, her eyes glazing over as she thought.

“But that’s not the most incredible part!” Rainbow said, abandoning the towel on the floor as she finished drying herself. “Twelve more stallions were teleported in, the same way. And all of them had claw marks on their flanks.” She said, walking forward from the door.

“He got all o’ those stallions?” Applejack said, some mix of horror and awe in her eyes.

“They were alive.” Rainbow reassured, raising a hoof so that she could continue. “But they will have scars, and I don’t think that’s by accident.” She looked around at her friends, glancing down at the fillies. She looked toward Fluttershy meeting her eyes and gesturing at the fillies.

“Girls,” Fluttershy said gently, walking up to them and leaning down to their eye level. “can you help me with these bunnies.” She looked toward a large pile of bunnies, all shaking in fear of the storm. “They’re so scared, and they need somepony to cuddle. Can you do that for them?” She asked, her eyes showing her concern to the fillies.

The fillies nodded wordlessly, following Fluttershy over to the huddled bunnies.

Rainbow gestured to her friends, gathering them closely around her so that the fillies wouldn’t hear.

“Coalback was either trying to teach them a lesson, or he was marking them for … well, being in league with Dumb-Bell, I guess.” Rainbow said, watching as Rarity and Applejack nodded solemnly. Fluttershy joined their group a moment later, keeping herself positioned so that she could watch the fillies.

“And that wasn’t the scariest part.” Rainbow whispered, actual fear leaking into her voice. She shivered before continuing. “Scootaloo didn’t see it, but it was horrible.” She looked at Applejack in the eyes, speaking with dread. “Dumb-Bell arrived a few minutes later, most of him anyway.”

The mares gasped, mixes of shock and horror freezing them in place at the image that Rainbow had produced. “H-he was missing most of his l-legs. And he was babbling like a madpony! But there was something different, he had claw marks like the others, but he also had these-these … crushed parts.” She shivered with the rest of the ponies, Fluttershy actually curled into shaking a ball on the floor, peaking out between her hooves. “Coalback’s arm looked like that, do you remember?”

Realization dawned on the mares instantly.

“I think Coalback and Dumb-Bell ran into more of those … Split-heads.” She said slowly, trying to find a name for the monsters. “Which means that Coalback saved Dumb-Bell’s life.” She teared up for a second, a choking sound coming out from her mouth when she tried to talk again. She shook her head, unable to continue.

They looked down at the floor, all of them realizing what Rainbow couldn’t say; Coalback may have sacrificed himself, to let even Dumb-Bell live.

Their thoughts were interrupted suddenly, the sound of wood scraping calling over even the storm outside. They froze, waiting for the sound again.

It came again, and just barely over the rain, they could hear a dog’s whine. Every animal in the house froze suddenly, looking at the door. But their eyes were calm, even calculating. The sound came again, slightly louder, the scratching slightly more desperate.

Rainbow Dash rushed to the door, flinging it open with a hoof. As the door opened, a familiar rush of wind and water entered the small cottage. Rainbow’s eyes widened, and her breath caught in her throat.

Standing in the doorway, was a very wet, very large, very injured … wolf.