Moon Wolf

Bow

I cried endlessly when you died but I promise that my tears won't mar the smiles that you've given me when you were alive.

When Maya woke up again, Hershey was still asleep. Sprawled out over her mat with the blanket covering only her lower half, and clutching a pillow for dear life. Maya had no nightmares, she didn't even dream, leaving her feeling a little tired even after the sleep. 

Maya groggily sat up and studied Hershey's predicament. What a messy sleeper, she thought. Maya reached out and grabbed the blanket in her teeth, pulling the rim of the blanket up to cover the rest of Hershey, who responded with a nuzzle to the pillow she was suffocating. 

Last night slowly faded back into memory and Maya leaned down to sniff Hershey's hoof but reeled back halfway through. Get a grip Maya! she thought. Ponies don't sniff each other's injuries like dogs... Or do they? No...

A soft jingle along with hushed voices, two, and quiet steps reached Maya's ears. She looked over to Hershey, but she hadn't stirred at all. The conversation was in the next room but she thought she could make it out and pushed the covers back, heaving herself up. Although her ribs and legs protested, she silently padded over to the door and pressed her ear against it. 

"What kind of present?" A cheerful voice whisper shouted. 

"I don't know. She said it would be done by today," a bored and matter of fact voice retorted. More ponies I presume. I wonder who they could be? 

"What do you think she was doing there?" 

"Who?" 

"The stranger!" 

"I don't know Sparks she was beat up really bad." 

"How do you think that happened?" 

"That's what I intend to find out. Tonight." 

"But she's all bruised up!" 

"Sparks what kind of pony do you think I am? You know me we're just gonna talk is all jeez." 

"Let's wake up Hersh, it's cold outside and I want some hot chocolate!" 

Maya pushed away from the door when she heard their hoofsteps get closer and slid back under her blanket, her heart pounding in her chest. As the door opened quietly Maya shut her eyes, steadied her breathing and listened as one set of hooves padded forward and rustled Hershey awake. Maya held back a growl. Let the damn pony sleep, she's been working her tail off tending to me! 

Hershey let out a quiet groan and she heard the pony rustle her some more. "Summer? What-" She was suddenly cut off and the rest of her sentence was muffled. Then she heard Hershey sigh exasperatedly and shuffle out of the room, closing the door silently. Maya held still. 

What did she mean she'll find out tonight? What are they going to do with me? There was murmuring outside the door that was quickly becoming background noise as the silence in the room started ringing in her ears. She didn't try to rationalize her suddenly dark thoughts as they flowed through her mind, as if someone put them there. They're going to hurt you, burn you, break you, enslave you. They're evil, you should leave, 

GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT GET OU- 

"Maya!" 

Maya didn't realize Hershey was shaking her until she said her name in a desperate and scared voice. She snapped her eyes open as Hershey stared down at her with worrisome features. "Maya it was just a dream..." she said distressed. Maya was trembling. She had never heard that dark voice anywhere but from those evil wolves who killed her mother. It wasn't a dream, it was her past. She launched herself at Hershey and wrapped her hooves around her waist, trembling through her sobs as the memories of her mother's death spread through her mind like a poison.