They call it the "Verdant Hush." It doesn't kill the host. Instead, it rides along, draining just enough magic to keep the forest alive during the winter droughts. The ponies wander back into town, smiling vaguely, flowers blooming from their manes. They seem happy. That’s the scariest part.
This piece was sketched in Procreate and finalized in Clip Studio Paint. I focused heavily on the lighting—using a bioluminescent glow to suggest that the parasite is actually an ancient forest spirit trying to preserve itself, blurring the line between villain and survivor. parasited pon