She watched. The world was in chaos, bloodshed aplenty, and corpses littering the grounds, filling up mass graves or rotting in pools of their own blood. It was the kind of thing She had hoped to never see, but even with Her vision and Her powers, She couldn't return things to the way they were. Or rather, She wouldn't. For while She could, it would be interfering when She had no right to. She turned Her gaze, a fraction of Her mind shifting its attention to the bright, coloured lights shimmering on Equestria. [i]Take heed, my Children. You are their guardians. You must defend them from themselves.[/i] ----- Theá perked up from where she was sitting in the forest, eyes darting around as her eyes swivelled this way and that way, trying to catch any sound or spot any glimmer of metal or shift in the leaves. Nothing. She could feel the presence of birds and rabbits, flies and beetles, but aside from that there was nothing. But... she could've sworn that she felt [i]something[/i]. Something had looked at her, but what? Who? She shook her head and stood up, shuffling her wings into a better position before she started for the edge of the forest. [i]While Amaretto is on his way to Woodswatch to find this Silver Scalpel, I should look around before he gets there. See if I can find something.[/i] She turned due south, opposite of where she was walking before, and took a moment to take on the form of a sleek doe, large enough to be fast, but small enough to not stand out or get in the way of too many branches. [i]Woodswatch lies at the foot of a mountain south of here,[/i] she thought to herself as she took off, jumping and running at the same time. [i]At the edge of trees. An owl, perhaps, would be a decent disguise. Perhaps a stray dog. They're carnivores after all, and a forest should be filled with food for one such, but it would crave companionship... Stray dog it is.[/i] ----- It took her several hours of running, even for her, to reach the edge of the forest. She was still another two hundred metres from where the tree line was when she stopped. Flexing her mind and forcing her body to change, she shrunk in stature, her fur grew out and cloven hooves became little paws. Barely a few moments passed before the graceful doe had been replaced by a shaggy dog, dirty and with muddy paws and all. She looked like any other stray dog who had just travelled through a forest for days would. Nopony saw her as she snuck into the town, and nopony seemed to pay any attention to her either when she stopped sneaking and simply wound her way through pony legs and alleys, listening for anything that might prove useful. She lamented her lack of ability to enter a tavern or other such inn, as such places were usually ripe with rumours of every kind. [i]I can't go in myself. But maybe...[/i] She started looking for the nearest inn, and quickly found it. Though she knew she would be kicked out immediately if she went in herself, there was a small chance that a kind pony might take her in to give her something to eat and drink. It wasn't many minutes of waiting before luck was with her, as an elderly stallion was about to open the doors when his eyes fell one her shaggy dog-form. She looked, for all intents and purposes, like a lost pup, malnourished and lost. He said nothing as he picked her up by the scruff of her neck and place her on his back between his wings. [i]Calm yourself, Theá. Get over the humiliation of being carried like a foal. It's necessary.[/i] The stallion pushed through the doors, giving her a quick glance and a warm smile over his shoulder as he made for the counter. The elderly stallion carrying her and the stallion behind the counter exchanged a few words, the former ordering something to drink for himself and something "For the pup." The innkeeper nodded and went out back, bringing with him a plate of some scrap meat, presumably from some of the few gryphon patrons they had, or whatever ponies with weird tastes got through. There was also a small bone for her to chew on, should she so desire. The stallion got his drink and went for a table, carrying the plate in his mouth and the mug of... whatever it was on an outstretched wing. The plate was set on the floor beside him, and he took his place by a secluded table. Hunger gnawed at her gut, so she went about eating the offered meat as quickly as she could. Meanwhile, the stallion just watched her as she ate, as well as listening for any rumours about a newly arrived doctor with a foal. That night she heard nothing, but she met up with the stallion each and every night until finally Amaretto made it to town, and she approached him in secret.