//------------------------------//
// Chapter Nine 
// Story: The Princess of the Rings - The Herd of the Ring 
// by ScarlettPeace 
//------------------------------//

CHAPTER NINE

Apple Bloom is walking beneath the trees lost in thought. Her hooves hit the rough edge of an ancient stone slab and her eyes follow an overgrown path towards stone stairs leading to the summit of Amon Hen, the seeing seat. There’s a crackling sound and Apple Bloom freezes.
“None of us should wander alone.” Says Rarity quietly. “You least of all. So much depends on you...Apple Bloom?”
Apple Bloom turns slowly. She stares at Rarity, tense, cautious. She is carrying wood with her magic.
“I know why you seek solitude.” Rarity continues. “You suffer, I see it day by day. Are you sure you do not suffer needlessly?”
Apple Bloom stands silent for a moment. The murmur of the wind in the trees and the distant roar of the waterfall can be heard.
“Let me help you.” Rarity says. “There are other ways, Apple Bloom. Other paths that we might take.”
“I know what you would say,” says Apple Bloom. “And it would seem like wisdom but for the warning of my heart.”
“Warning? Against what?”	
Rarity has started forward towards Apple Bloom who pulls herself up. 
“We are all afraid, Apple Bloom. But to let that fear drive us to destroy what hope we have...don't you see that is madness?”
“There is no other way.” Says the filly.
“I ask only for the strength to defend my ponies.”
Rarity angrily drops the wood she has collected.
“If you would but lend me the ring...”
“No.” says Apple Bloom as she steps hurriedly away from Rarity.
“Why do you recoil? I am no thief.”
“You are not yourself.” Apple Bloom says warily.
“What chance do you think you have? They will find you, they will take the ring and you will beg for death before the end.”
Apple Bloom turns to leave.
“You fool! It is not yours save by unhappy chance...it might have been mine. It should be mine. Give it to me! Give me the ring!” She screams.
Rarity leaps on top of Apple Bloom, grasping for the ring. Apple Bloom has only moments to act and rips the ring from around her neck and rams it on her hoof. Apple Bloom disappears.
Rarity spins wildly around, yelling into thin air!
“I see your mind...” she screams. “you will take the ring to Princess Celestia. You will betray us! You go to your death and the death of us all!”
Her voice rings through the woods. “Curse you! Curse you and your friends!” 
Rarity stumbles and falls. Her body shakes as if in a fit...slowly she comes to.
“Apple Bloom!” she says disoriented. “Apple Bloom! What have I done. Please, Apple Bloom...” 

Apple Bloom races through the misty dark world of the ring, past the foggy shapes of twisted trees. Somewhere behind him, Rarity's distraught voice carries from another dimension:
“I'm sorry, Apple Bloom...Apple Bloom...”
Apple Bloom suddenly finds herself on the stone steps and she clambers up the stairs, onto a high seat, perched on four stone pillars. She cowers on the seat, like a lost child upon the throne of mountain kings. The world of mist swirls around her. She peers out from the seat and the world seems to shrink. In all directions, views of far off lands telescope towards her through the mist. She sees images of dogs spilling out of holes in the maney mountains, flames rising from the wood, grim faced warriors march to battle, black ships sailing into the south. All the power of the Dark Lord is in motion. Apple Bloom moves her gaze towards the east, fire explodes against the smoke, as a huge mass of black battlements fills
Apple Bloom's vision. A mountain of iron, immeasurably strong, Bartrott-dur, and then the fortress of Princess Celestia. Suddenly, Princess Celestia’s eye leaps toward Apple Bloom like a finger of light.
“They will fall!” 
Apple Bloom leaps off the seat, and tumbles down the stairs! The eye sweeps like a searchlight,
seeking its ring! With a huge effort, Apple Bloom wrenches the ring off her hoof. 
Apple Bloom lies gasping on the summit below the ancient ruins of the seeing seat. 
She looks up as Applejack towers over her.
“Apple Bloom?”
“It has taken Rarity.” Apple Bloom says numbly. 
Applejack moves towards her.
“Where is the ring?” she says urgently.
Apple Bloom backs away from Applejack who is shocked by the movement.
“Stay away!” the filly yells.
“Apple Bloom...” says the orange mare. “I swore to protect you.”
“Can you protect me from yourself?”
Apple Bloom lifts up her hoof holding the ring. It glints, gold and beautiful in the afternoon sun. Applejack's eyes are drawn to it.
“Would you destroy it?” asks Apple Bloom.
Applejack kneels down her. “I would have gone with you to the end...into the very fires of Canterlot.”
“I know...” says Apple Bloom. “Look after the others, especially Sweetie Belle. She won’t understand.”
Applejack freezes and draws her sword.
“Go, Apple Bloom!” she says urgently.
Apple Bloom hesitates.
“Run!” Applejack yells.
Apple Bloom backs away into the trees as two hundred Pony-kai swarm onto the woods behind Applejack. Applejack attacks the leading pony-kai like a madmare. She brings two down with her sword, leaping into the ruins as others close in on her. Apple Bloom scrambles down the hillside, away from the fight. Applejack battles the pony-kai, amongst the pillars and blocks. Despite her bravery, she is quickly surrounded. Suddenly, Pegeselven arrows smash into the attackers. Fluttershy races out of the woods, firing her bow and Rainbow Dash leaps into the battle, wielding her mighty axe.

Apple Bloom is darting down the steep hillside as heavy hooves thunder down behind her.
“Apple Bloom!” Sweetie Belle shouts.
Sweetie Belle looks around for her. 

Lurtz is ordering his Pony-kai. “Find the Halfponies!” he yells.

Apple Bloom stumbles and falls but quickly she crawls behind a tree. Above her the sound of Pony-kai crashing through the forest rings out.
“Apple Bloom!” Scootaloo says in an urgent whisper.
Apple Bloom turns to see Scootaloo and Pinkie Pie hidden in a hollow, a few feet away.
“Hide here, quick!”
“Come on!” says Pinkie Pie.
Apple Bloom looks at her friends and slowly shakes her head, a great sadness in her eyes.
“What's she doing?” asks Pinkie. 
Scootaloo's eyes meet Apple Bloom's, understanding.
“She's leaving.” She says softly.
“No!” says Pinkie.
Pinkie Pie stands and makes a move toward Apple Bloom but Scootaloo grabs at her hoof.
“Pinkie Pie!” she says.

The echo of Rarity’s musical horn reaches Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash who are battling their way down the Slopes towards the lake.
“The horn of Bondor!” says Fluttershy.
“Rarity!” Applejack calls.
Applejack desperately slashes her way towards Rarity, felling Pony-kai in her path while Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash fight a rear guard action. Many Pony-Kai fall to Rarity's sword as she tries to protect Scootaloo and Pinkie Pie.
“Run! Run!” Rarity yells.
Lurtz takes aim. A black arrow suddenly thuds into Rarity's chest and a trickle of blood stains her white coat. Amazingly, Rarity continues fighting, but another arrow to her back, and another to her side, brings her to her knees. Scootaloo and Pinkie Pie are scooped off their hooves by the Pony-kai.
“Rarity! Rarity!” Pinkie Pie calls.
Lurtz aims his bow at Rarity's heart when suddenly Applejack charges at him, smashing the Bow with her sword. They lock into a deadly battle. Applejack kicks the pony in the chest and slashes her sword across his neck. His body slumps over and his head rolls away. Applejack races towards Rarity, who lies slumped against a tree, arrows sticking out of her chest and the blood stains shining brightly, contrasting with her color. At least twenty dead Pony-kai lie heaped around her.
“They took the little ones...” she says in a painful gasp.
Applejack quickly tries to staunch the flow of Blood from Rarity's shoulder.
“Apple Bloom...” says Rarity, panicking. “where is Apple Bloom?”
“I let Apple Bloom go.” Says Applejack.
Rarity holds Applejack's gaze.
“Then you did what I could not.” She says. “I tried to take the ring from her.”
“The ring is beyond our reach now.”
“Forgive me,” asks Rarity. “I did not see...I have failed you all.”
“No, Rarity. You fought bravely. You have kept your honor.” 
Applejack tries to bind Rarity's wound.
“Leave it!” says the unicorn. “It is over...the world of ponies will fall and all will come to darkness and my city to ruin…Applejack...”
“I do not know what strength is in my blood,” says the orange mare. “But I swear to you... I will not let the White City fall, nor your ponies fail...”
“Our ponies...” says Rarity. “Our ponies...”
Applejack places Rarity's sword in her hoof and it tightens around the hilt.
“I would have followed you, my dear...my captain, my Queen.” 
The unicorn’s eyes fade and slowly, Applejack lays Rarity down. She is dead.
“Be at peace, daughter of Bondor.” Applejack bends down and kisses Rarity's forehead.
Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash appear behind her. Applejack stands.
“They will look for her coming from the white tower...but she will not return.”
-
On the lakeshore Apple Bloom stands in front of one of the Pegeselvish Boats, the ring around her neck. Distraught, Sweetie Belle runs as hard as she can through the forest.
“Apple Bloom!” she calls.
Apple Bloom looks to the far side of the river.
“I wish the ring had never come to me…” memories of an old conversation with Twilight ring in her head. “I wish none of this had happened...”
Tears fall down Apple Bloom's face.
“So do all who live to see such times...” she remembers Twilight saying. “But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
With renewed determination, she pushes the Pegeselvish boat into the water and Sweetie Belle bursts through the trees and runs toward the lake. Apple Bloom is already paddling away.
“Not alone, Apple Bloom.” Says Sweetie Belle in anguish. “Apple Bloom!” 
Apple Bloom is in the boat, paddling steadfastly away from the shore, tears in her eyes. The voice of Sweetie Belle carried on the wind. Apple Bloom whispers to herself
“No, Sweetie Belle.”
Sweetie Belle looks at the water then at the boat.
Splash! Apple Bloom turns to see Sweetie Belle launching herself into the water.
“Go back, Sweetie Belle.” Calls Apple Bloom. “I'm going to Canterlot alone.”
Sweetie Belle splashes hopelessly toward the boat.
“Of course you are!” she says. “and I'm coming with you!”
“You can't swim.”
Sweetie Belle starts to go under, spluttering and coughing. Apple Bloom drops her paddle and scrambles backwards in the boat.
“Sweetie Belle!” she says frightened.
Sweetie Belle is underwater, hoofs flailing helplessly as she sinks.
Suddenly Apple Bloom's hoof reaches down grasping Sweetie Belle's and she pulls a bedraggled and half drowned filly into the boat. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle look at each other, out of breath, tears and water streaming down both their faces.
“I made a promise, Apple Bloom...a promise.” Sweetie Belle says with fierce passion. “Don't you leave her, Sweetie Belle.” She begins to sob. “And I don't mean to...I don't mean to.”
Apple Bloom begins to cry. “Oh, Sweetie Belle!”
She starts to laugh through her tears and the two friends hug.
“Come on then…” says Apple Bloom.
And the two Shetlands row through the water.
-
On the falls, on the swiftly flowing water, Rarity's body lies in one of the boats, her arms across her
chest. Suddenly... the boat drops away as it plunges over the massive falls, disappearing into the vapor below.
“If we are quick,” says Fluttershy. “We will catch Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle before nightfall.”
Applejack looks towards the far shore; Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle's small Boat can be seen lying on the distant Riverbank they make off into the forest beyond. She doesn't react.
Fluttershy turns and looks at Applejack.
“You mean not to follow them...” she says.
“Apple Bloom's fate is no longer in our hoofs.” Says Applejack.
“Then it has all been in vain...” the two look at Rainbow Dash. “the Herd has failed.”
“Not if we hold true to each other.” Says Applejack. “We will not abandon Scootaloo and Pinkie Pie to torment and death, not while we have strength left.”
Applejack pulls a hunting knife out of her pack and straps it on.
“Leave all that can be spared behind...” she says. She looks at the two with a steely light in her eye.
“We travel light.” She says grimly. “Let's hunt some Dog.”
“Yes!” yells Rainbow Dash. “Ha!”
Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash disappear into the Woods, following the Pony-Kai trail.
-
At a tall hilltop Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle scramble onto a high ridge.
They see a distant line of Saw toothed mountains below a dark, oppressive sky. Black volcanic smoke rises behind the mountains....Canterlot.
“Canterlot.” Says Apple Bloom. “I hope the others find a safer road.”
"Applejack will look after them.” Sweetie Belle says simply.
Apple Bloom has a sad look in her eye. “I don't suppose we'll ever see them again.”
“We may yet, Apple Bloom. We may.” Says Sweetie Belle.
“Sweetie Belle?”Apple Bloom looks at her friend with great affection, despite the grim
outlook, Sweetie Belle is undeterred.
“I'm glad you're with me.”