Metamorphosis

by PonyThunder

Chapter 2 - The Cave

Recommended Ambience

---

By the time they had finally reached the mountains, the skies had turned completely dark.

As storm clouds still rolled above, Chrysalis led her troop into what seemed to be a fairly large cave situated just above the base of the mountain range. Thunder clapped and lightning struck behind them, briefly illuminating the rocky textures of the cave as they entered, and gradually diminished until the sounds of distant thunder were merely echoes behind them. Further inside, the air was still dank and wet with water condensing onto the cave walls, but the space opened up considerably into a large cavernous area, with stalagmites and stalactites dotting the edges along the walls.

Chrysalis stopped to assess. The permeating, musty smell of the cave felt almost like home to her. For far too long she'd been living as a nomad, yearning to hold her power in a land to call her own. But like her troop, she was exhausted, and needed rest. She eyed them briefly, taking notice of how eager they seemed to want to stop. Some looked as if they could not take another step. She surveyed the ground for a place to lay down against the wall, and the rest followed by getting situated on the opposite side.

This would be their home for the night.

Curled up between the cave wall and a stalagmite, Chrysalis allowed her eyes to rest for a few minutes before opening them again to survey her troop as they situated themselves. Most were idling silently, laying down from complete exhaustion on the cave floor. Some appeared to be having difficulty sleeping, but thankfully they were at least able to get away from the wet and the cold. One changeling had remained awake, however, to stand guard at the mouth of the cave.

Chrysalis was surprised. She hadn't told them to institute a guard rotation throughout the night. Apparently, even being absolutely exhausted hadn't cause them to waver in their loyalty. For a brief moment she felt better about their current situation and her worries about their wavering trust. As she watched the changeling stand guard, the desire to help she'd experienced earlier resurfaced once more. She summoned the strength to return to her hooves, feeling her muscles ache once more, and made her way to the changeling standing guard by the mouth of the cave.

"Rest," she said softly as she approached from behind, almost motherly-like. The changeling looked at her with a confused and tired look on his face, but one that quickly turned toward gratitude and relief. Chrysalis nodded, making eye contact for a brief moment, and he returned to the others without saying a word.

Chrysalis listened to the rain dripping onto the cave entrance for a few moments. As the changeling returned to the group, she watched as they lay silently among each other, staying close to keep warm in the cold evening air. The sight of their camaraderie calmed her, and made her feel more like the leader she was trying to be. For so long now, it'd seemed like they were just barely surviving.

But of course, she realized, that was still very much the case. Her thoughts quickly dwindled, however, as the soft roars of thunder and pitter-patter of rainfall began to lull her to sleep. After several minutes, she returned to her spot further in the cave and rested her eyes for good. For now, at least, all seemed to be okay.

---

Later, in the dead of night, a changeling was awoken by a sharp pang on his side.

"Wake up," someone whispered from beside him.

The changeling opened his eyes lazily, blinking them to bring his view into focus. "Tarsus, is that you?" He asked groggily.

"Yeah it's me, you idiot. Get up off the floor, Poison Fang. Preferably before someone sees us."

"What's going on?" Poison Fang yawned, getting up onto his hooves. His muscles somehow felt even worse than the evening before.

"Just follow me, I'll tell you in a minute."

"Fine," he replied as Tarsus began leading him toward the mouth of the cave. "You didn't have to stab me in my side though."

"It's not my fault I've got a mean horn," Tarsus replied, a hint of pride in his voice. After getting out of potential earshot from the others, he continued. "Look, I'm just going to lay it all out in the open. I'm thinking of ditchin'. You in?"

Poison Fang stood in thought for several moments before responding. "What?"

Tarsus immediately shushed him. "Keep your voice down. They'll hear us."

"What do you mean by ditching, exactly?" He whispered.

"I'm saying I'm going solo. I'm leaving the troop."

"Why? Wait...are you thinking of--"

"No, I'm not joining that loser."

"If you're not joining Thorax, then what exactly are you going to do?"

"I'm going to forge my own path; make my own way. It's obvious the queen is blindly leading us nowhere. Can't you see what's happening? She's failed us."

Poison Fang sighed. "But you won't survive alone. And the queen has always provided for us, what are you talking about? What you're saying is...treason," he said the word reluctantly, as if merely uttering it was an immoral act.

"The queen provides only when it ultimately benefits her," Tarsus whispered softly, an undeniable tinge of anger present regardless.

"But...she provided for me, just last night," said Poison Fang. "She took my position as guard. And she gave some of her energy to one of us just yesterday."

"I don't care," Tarsus dismissed him. "The queen always has a reason, and it's never anything but to ultimately benefit herself."

Poison Fang stood speechless, unsure of how to respond.

"I've made up my mind," Tarsus continued. "You're free to join me if you wish."

"Tarsus," he replied with a sigh, "even if we both ventured out on our own, we wouldn't survive. There isn't any life around these barren wastes. And more importantly, no essence to drain."

"I know," Tarsus replied, eyes looking downward. "I've thought this through. There's a way we can get out."

Poison Fang shook his head. "We can't survive the journey back, Tarsus. It doesn't add up."

Tarsus returned his gaze toward Poison Fang. "It adds up if we drain the queen."

"What?"

"Shh!"

"You can't be serious. That's...that's...mutiny. That's crazy talk."

"You're right. But it's necessary."

"No. It can't be," he replied, feeling his heart beginning to race. "It won't be," he continued, poising himself for defense.

"If you think you can take me, you've got a whole lot of hurt coming. And I'm not going to let you stand in my way," Tarsus replied, looking away for a few moments. "I'm only telling you this because you're my friend," he added hesitantly.

Poison Fang loosened his stance. "Your...friend?"

Tarsus rolled his eyes and sighed. "My point is -- if you want to survive, your best bet is with me, and not that self-absorbed, power-crazed maniac. Do you really think she has your best interests at heart?"

Poison Fang looked back into the cave. Chrysalis and a small handful of changelings were all that remained of their once great army. They were cold, wet, tired, and there was no telling of how much longer it would last. He looked back to Tarsus, taking a few moments to collect his thoughts.

"Even if I did agree to go with you, how do you think you'll be able to drain the queen?"

"She may be trying to conceal it, but the queen is weak," Tarsus replied. "With our magic combined, we should be able to overpower her. And if worse comes to worst, we've got these..."

Tarsus bared his fangs, slivers of moonlight lining them in the darkness.

Poison Fang's eyes widened at how brazen he was being. "H-how do you know that's even possible?"

"I don't know for sure. But what I do know is that if she finds a way to recoup her energy, there's no chance it will be. We need to act now, or we'll be stuck stringing along behind her feeding off scraps for the rest of our lives." Tarsus calmed his voice. "Look I know it's crazy, but I've thought this through. It's the only way to escape. If we don't do something soon, we might never have an opportunity again. It's now or it's never. You can choose to act now with me, or join the rest of that poor lot."

Poison Fang looked back to the troop and their queen. What had once been an army hundreds strong was now just a loyal few who didn't defect or scatter off on their own. At least those who scattered were free to forge their own path, instead of blindly hoping their queen would eventually save them, and he was tired of hoping.

"I'm in."

---

"The streets of Alveare are barren and dangerous, my love. I simply cannot allow you to brave them on your own. Not with those leeches lurking in the shadows at every turn."

"I don't know what we expected. Our citizens have been succumbing even more since the order to evacuate those who became infected. Your iron hoof merely forced them to squeeze into every nook and cranny to escape an uncertain fate."

"Everything will be alright, my queen. We have enough love to last an eternity."

"Love only sustains the spirit. And spirit alone cannot nourish the hungry belly of our daughter."

"We would have plenty of nourishment if we didn't open up our reserves for our citizens to pillage and plunder."

"And if we did not do such a thing, we would have no citizens left to feed."

"Perhaps so."

"Some king you are."

"I know you're angry at me, and I'm sorry. This has been difficult for all of us, and I've been trying to make the right decisions all along the way. You have to trust that I am trying."

"I do trust you, but I need you to trust me now. The kingdom is in turmoil and we need to leave to find food for our daughter."

"You know we can't do that. If the King of Alveare succumbs to this terrible plague, all will be lost."

"I know. That's why I will go, and you will stay."

"Please, you can't. We just need to wait until the leeches have nothing more to drain. Only then we will be able to recover and recoup. Every one of us that becomes drained only lengthens how long we must wait."

"Don't call them that."

"Even now, when they have overrun our streets? The time for politics has been long foregone."

"I'm going to leave and find food for our daughter. Please, just take care of her while I'm gone. I promise I'll be back as soon as possible."

"I'm sorry, please don't leave. I don't want to lose you."

"Take care of her. I'll be back. I promise."