Hoofsteps seemed to sound out where the forest went dark, nothing visible from beyond the tree line other than the endless amount of nonexistent space. Chicken Scratch’s ears swiveled forward in curiosity, his eagerness clear from the smile that tugged upon his lips. He had found something! Something actually worth writing about. Well, if it was actually a different species that he hadn’t come across before.
Without much care, the unicorn stepped forward, calling out a soft, “Hello?”, into the abyss. To his surprise the hoofsteps did not halt, slow, or speed up. Whatever was there already knew of his presence and was coming on its own, at its own pace. That meant it wasn’t scared, which could be either good or bad. A part of him wondered if some of this confidence came from the being knowing it could catch up to him without much of a chase. The creature seemed to be in no hurry to meet up with him.
What concerned him the most was the weight behind each hoofstep. They sounded heavy and oddly enough he could only make out the sound of two. Was this creature only on two hooves? He doubted any pony could walk comfortably like that unless they were biped. Chicken cursed himself for leaving his notebook behind in camp. He had so much to write down.
However his thoughts came to an end as in the distance he could see two small reflections bobbing up and down. His eyes squinted at the sight before realizing with a start that they were eyes reflecting, peering back at him. He could feel his fur bristle as the reflections got closer. As he realized how high off the ground they were. The hoofsteps grew thicker and louder but never faster. He could see the creature blinking as it got closer and closer.
Should he run? Probably not a good idea with the creature watching him. It surely was coming right for him, even before he called out. But now he was unsure if it had the best intentions. It was quiet other than the hoofsteps, and the silence is what scared him. He wanted any indication of how the being was feeling. A growl even! But instead all he got was silence.
Had the forest always been this abandoned? He swore he had heard owls and scurrying critters earlier. Maybe even a distant coyote? But now that all seemed gone. Had they all fled at the sight of the creature?
“Are you sentient? Can you talk?” Chicken tried to get a response, the reflected gaze of the creature getting bigger and taller. The stallion glanced around fearfully, debating on what to do. Was this hostility? It was kind enough not to give chase as soon as he made his presence known. But was it preparing to strike when it was the closest to him? Either way he got no response.
Soon the reflective eyes gave way as they got closer and he could see the basic shape of the creature. It was tall and muscular, a face that reminded him of a lion but also of a pony. Silent, thick paws padded onward for forelegs and strong hooves worked as hindlegs. A long mane began at the shaggy forelock down to the tuft of the thick tail. Large ears were supported on the side of its head, perked forward towards Chicken, always listening.
But the eyes shone bright and amber, nearly glowing in the darkness. They were much like a pony’s but more feral if anything. Fangs protruded from the large muzzle but the beast did not bare its teeth. It continued closer until it loomed over Chicken Scratch, staring him down with a firm expression.
His eyes gazed up at its horn, much like a unicorn’s. Could it use such magic? How powerful was it? And most importantly, what was this creature? He had never seen anything like it in his many years of research.
Now that he was faced to face with the creature, he had a final question that lingered in the back of his mind. What did it want now that it had him?
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We love the good old big gorl and lil man. Believe it or not, Chicken Scratch isn’t the one ‘lost and found’. Night Thunder is an escaped lab experiment who was born and raised in the lab. That’s why he doesn’t recognize her species.
Chicken on the other hoof is a researcher who dedicates his life to learning about different species. Dragons, griffons, kirin, you name it! Night Thunder is actually the first mlp oc I ever made and was a sona for quite some time. And I made Chicken Scratch a little while after her so she could have a companion. They have both been redesigned recently! Funny how much their designs and backstories have changed over the years.
