Canine Complications

Looking Up

"What do you want us to do mistress? Should we prepare for an attack?"

"No Bark Back, as strong as the pack is, we can't and won't fight Celestia head on. For now, all we can do is-"

"Mistress..." a timid voice interrupted, "I know this is a bad time, but I'm still hungry~"

"Ok, first things first I guess. Bark Back, were there any left-overs from this morning's hunt?" she looked hopefully to the large wolf, who shook his head.

"-Oh! Nevermind, she can't eat meat anyway... Uh... We could quickly go out and find some flowers. Maybe in the Whitetail?"

"We do have a small reserve-" he began, but Twilight interrupted.

"But, like I said, she can't eat meat..."

"It is not meat." Bark Back responded.

"Oh! Perfect! Where is it?" Twilight asked, turning around and scanning the walls as if she had missed it before.

"In the darkest part of the back chamber, you should have seen it when you went there to think before."

"I don't..."

"I'll show you." Bark Back said as he stepped past them towards the darker back-end of the den.

Twilight and Screw Loose followed as Bark Back led them out of the main chamber and into the dim back-shaft of the den.

The back chamber wasn't particularly long, but it was dark enough that Twilight lit the path with magic so Screw Loose's day accustomed eyes could see.

After only a bit of walking Bark Back stopped and turned to his followers. Twilight at first assumed that he was going to speak, but then she noticed he was pointing to a pile of mush against the wall.

Twilight examined the mound to see that it was, in fact, a pile of greens.

...or it had been a long time ago. Now it was closer to a compost heap.

"A little... old don't you think?" Twilight noted before giving her head a shake, "Never mind, we don't have time for this! Bark Back, are there any good places for her to eat without leaving the forest? It doesn't have to be a feast, just enough for her to keep her strength up?"

He thought a moment, "If we must, the Striped One has a small patch of flowers by her den."

"Of course!" The others almost recoiled at Twilight's sudden outburst, "Zecora! We were going to go to her before you all arrived in Ponyville and this whole fiasco began! We can go speak to..." The energy disappeared from her voice as fast as it came, "...but she'll probably try to run us off too..."

"Do not fear mistress, despite our aversion to pony Speakers, the Striped One has always treated us with respect."

"Wait, what? You've interacted with Zecora? And she's friendly?"

"I would not say friendly, but she tolerates us and helps us when we get sick in exchange for protection while she gathers her plants from four-head territory."

It was too much for Twilight to process, she sat utterly dumbfounded until she could articulate her surprise, "That- That's great! We'll go to her right now! She might even know how to help me turn-" the words died in her throat, "Ahem, anyway, we will head there now."

The trip to Zecora's was not long distance-wise, but when traveling with an entire wolf-pack, cubs and all, under the looming sun of one who wanted to hunt you down, it felt like it.

"Mistress, why did we bring the cubs? We would make better time if we left them at the den in the care of the non-hunters."

"We can't leave anywolf behind. Without me there, if Celes- if the White Hunter found them, I feel she would have no reservations about incinerating the whole den. With everywolf so close to me, she won't be able to go all out."