The kelpie who kicked the changeling hive

[multaekappae]

 The stunned changeling fell unremarked. The one holding the firearm scratched its chitinous head, turning the metallic object over and over. "Kt-chss l'vorre?" It chittered.

Another changeling with a green streak running through its frills gestured for the object, "Hesh-chtt, krr-g'kt" it commented matter-of-factly, grinning as it slipped the gun over its hoof.

The largest of the four remaining 'lings barked an order, causing the smallest of the shape-shifters to scurry off in another direction. The remaining three turned to face the gathered ponies below, as twelve more of their flying brethren joined them and began to glow with an uncanny green light.

"Oh shi–"



 

Questions be pressing, yo

[zervziel]

"Fantastic." Riptide snarked. She was ready to just do something, anything and standing around talking was not helping. "So what do we do about those idiots?"

The "idiots" in question was a small detachment of changelings who were apparently flying patrol, possibly looking for stray ponies, guards, or (as riptide hoped to some small degree) whatever killed the local changelings.

Acting without thinking, the kelpie threw the first thing at hoof/tentacle. This unfortunately consisted of Captain Harness's weapon. The thrown firearm successfully knocked out the changeling it hit, but was promptly caught by one of his wingmates.

pressing questions

[multaekappae]

 "What are we going to do?" Captain Harness echoed the question back, "We're going to find out why a mobster and a changeling want you dead." The blue pony frowned, "This was your case, and in any regard Torchwhoof tries not to get involved in mundane criminal cases... so we'll back you up - but what we need to know is how deep the changeling infiltration goes, and how the hay they even thought you might be here."