*sorry for taking so long between updates. Life has been chaos. Here is another bit on the story. Hoping to get some more done after I get some sleep*
The dreams came and went racing past my minds eye in an intricate waltz. My mother chastising me blending into fillies at school mocking. A swirl of motion and I'm standing at my entrance exam for Celestia's school of magic refusing to perform even the simplest of tasks then I'm staring at my own reflection as it's eyes narrow the grin twisted as it mocked me. When I woke the sound of morning birds filled the air. Something hard but warm and moving rested under my head. It was oddly comforting and I rolled my face against it keeping my sore eyes closed tightly.
“You w wake.”
Its voice reverberated from the warmth I was caressing with my face causing me to jump with a start. My eyes flung open and I immediately regretted it. The brightness of the day burned them causing such pain that a shriek left me breathless.
“Idiot”
Great, that the little beast didn't stutter on. I pivoted my head towards where it last was and stood myself as tall as possible. It was time for some answers and blinded or not I was going to get them.
“Alright you time to talk”, I put on my sternest face being careful to keep my eyes pressed tightly closed.
“W woof”, a laugh under toned its response.
“Don't you dare mock me! I have questions and you better answer them honestly. To start with why are you helping me? It's not like our races are exactly friends. Second what do you call yourself? It would be good to have a name for you other than it.” Tilting my head in its direction I listened carefully allowing my mane to fall over my face shadowing my shadowing my eyelids further.
It huffed at me and the leaves crunched under its feet as it moved up to me. After a moment I could smell the raw egg scent of it's breath on my muzzle.
“We are b both b b broken”, it drew out the words slowly emphasizing each one threw the stutters. “Neither of us b belong a anywhere.”
Something about those words hit me to the core. My demeanor softened and I lowered my head.
“Y you need name? C call me Max. Old n name means n nothing n now”, there was sorrow in its or I should say his voice.
At this moment I knew he was as much of a loner as I was. No ties to family and no one to care for him. We were the odd ones.
“A blind unicorn and a flightless stuttering changeling. What a pair we are.” My head hung low enough to feel the edges of the grass.
“No b broken other ways. P pony who doesn't love a and Max who doesn't like to hurt”. There was a shame in his voice.
“When we first met you were good and hostile,” my voice had more bite in it than I intended. It made Max take a step away from me. I was no threat to him but he had no way of knowing that. At that moment in time I was useless and hopeless.
“You a appear out of air s s startling me a and are s surprised I d defend myself?” if nothing else the harsh in my voice seamed to have knocked him out of his sorrow. An air of astonishment taking its place in his words.
“If you didn't plan on making a meal out of me then why the comments about my cold heart?” he was starting to move around me now to my left. I tried again to open my eyes only to feel the pain of light that was becoming all to familiar. He sat there by my neck the heat of his body warming my fur.
“Thought I w was in danger. T trying to find s something t to scare you. Sorry,” the last word a bare whisper from his lips. “W we can't s stay here. You n need help.”
“I can't go back home,” a shudder passed threw me at the memory of my cries “I lost my temper and did something horrible. I don't want to go back.”
“Walk f follow,” with that he grasped my horn and started to lead me.
Any other day someone daring to put their mouth around my horn and drag me around the woods I would have put up a protest to rival that of Cerberus on flea dip day. This day I was to worn and drawn. I had no fight left in me so I simply followed like a tame puppy allowing Max to lead me around trees and over rocks. Suddenly the ground under me changed from the hard stones and crunching grass to something that shifted and creaked with my weight. Underneath me I could hear wind whipping violently. I tried to stop but Max growled and his gentle hold became more firm biting down on my horn pinching it painfully. Every step felt as if I would tumble into oblivion and my head whirled from the roar of the wind now encircling us. I know it didn't last more than a few moments but it felt like an eternity then solid ground again under my hoofs. Max let go of me and I laid on the ground pressing my cheek to a large cold stone shaking and dazed.