The desolate camp border lining the Everfree forest could have easily been mistaken as abandoned, if not for the slowly dimming coals of a fire. The large stallion in the camp, most likely the group's leader, told the other members of the camp to sit by the fire. Two fillies and a colt stepped into the ring of light provided by the ever dying coals, allowing shadows to dance across their bodies.
"It is story time,” curtly said the stallion. As if on que, an ominous wind rustled the leaves of the trees. “It is time I tell you the story of, Mawadea," the stallion quivered while saying my name. While I was unsure of what version they would tell, I did know it would it be a surprising show for the entire group.
"The story begins, " the stallion said, speaking with a roaring voice, “with a creature the likes of which have never been seen on Equis. It stood upon its hind legs and was as tall as three stallions and as wide as two.
The young colt interrupted, "Where did a monster like that come from?"
"I was just getting to that part," the stallion replied. “There are many stories to the Mawadea, the most popular of which is that she was a creature born of the Everfree. The Everfree's dark magic created its body and gave it magical powers, as legend’s tell it was strong enough to kill a Manticore and had the ability to turn invisible instantly."
"What happened to the creature daddy?," inquired the smallest filly.
"Let me answer your question with another question," replied the stallion. "What makes a story truly great?,".
"What?" said the filly quizzically.
"When the speaker is able to finish it." the stallion replied while the other two ponies tried to stifle their giggles. "Anyway where was I" the stallion said trying to remember where he left the story, “Ah yes; the brave stallion. One day there was a young colt who went to the Everfree looking for herbs to sell at the market, as his mother was too sick to work. After some time of searching he came to a clearing ripe with medicinal herbs, but it is also where he met the beast. They made eye contact for only a moment, and the beast attacked. The colt, armed with his spear, fought bravely, knowing he was no match for the beast. As his last resort, the colt threw the spear injuring the beast one last time before fleeing. He looked back, at the edge of the clearing, to see if the creature would follow him. The creature, looking the colt in the eyes pulled the spear from its abdomen. In the time it took the colt to blink in disbelief the monster was gone."
"Did the colt get away safely?" The youngest filly asked.
"If I am interrupted again I will stop telling the story!" The stallion said with an almost mock anger. "He was able to make it to the village, but at the edge of the Everfree the creature ambushed him striking him with his own spear. He was able to stumble back to town but his wounds were to great and he died. So we performed the natural response, we formed a posse and went to look for the creature, the colt's mother leading the charge with vigor from malice at the death of her son."
"Wow," interjected the older filly," that must have been awesome. Were you part of the posse?" she asked.
"Yes I was, and it was not awesome, we were tracking a savage animal though the Everfree at night not to mention it had the home field advantage. It was a long scary experience to say the least.," the stallion said." I'm sorry sweetie please don't cry," he said apologizing to the filly who seemed on the verge of tears, " How could I expect you to know what that was like. Anyways I wasn't part of the team that found the creature. Those that did brought it to the colt's mother and she killed it on the spot since it was greatly wounded, a, merciful death, and took its body to the town."
“But then where did the name Mawadea come from?," the children asked in almost perfect unison.
“The name," the stallion started, “comes from the last word spoken by the creature, its name, legacy, and curse."
"C-c-curse" the colt stuttered.
“Yes the curse, as the legend goes the body never made it to Ponyville, and its spirit haunts the Everfree especially those who say its name.," the stallion elaborated.
Their version of the story was more correct than most, but that is not saying much. I remember that day as if it were yesterday, the day I lost my mother.
I was sick with a fever, so mother brought me to a clearing to make a medicine to cure it. While there a small creature, which I later found out was a pony, came into our clearing. When he saw mother he quivered with fear, and when she approached him he attacked. After a few pitiful strikes, that mother deflected, the colt fled, but before doing so he surprised mother and threw his spear. It impaled her through the gut. I tried to help her push the spear out, which did succeed, and then pulled her to the edge of the clearing. I bandaged her wounds the best I could and told her I would be right back. Grabbing the spear I tracked the boy from the trees. When I found him near the forest edge, I threw the spear meaning to scare him away, but it struck him around where I think his stomach was. After that I never saw him again. Later that night, while tending to mother's wounds, a large group of ponies neared the clearing. Mother told me to run, and I did at least until I heard her cry my name. I flew through the trees trying to find her, but at the break of dawn I knew she was gone along with the ponies.
I am alone.
It was time for my presence to be known by this group. I dawned my hunting gear, a spear with the tip of a manticore tail, a paste spread across my body that stayed bright at night without the use of fire, and a manticore pelt. For some reason it scared manticores and with luck it would scare ponies also.
As everyone went to bed I crept into position. At the edge of the forest I waited, hiding in the trees, and when they fell asleep I started my work. I glided form branch to branch shouting my name. "You have brought upon yourself 's the wrath of the spirit of the Mawadea," I exclaimed, " leave now or suffer the pain of a thousand Hell's.
The stallion burst out laughing and I thought to myself that the saw through me; that they saw me as who I was and not as a spirit of legend. The stallion was able to get out a few words in between laughs." Good one... Big Mac, you... almost had me... there for a second.," finally gaining control of his laughter.
I did not know who this "Big Mac" was but it was apparent that my cover as a spirit was salvageable." I have warned you, now suffer!," I screamed, throwing my spear at him. It buried itself in the ground at his feet. He gazed in to the spear head as if it where the void itself realizing that this was not a joke.
Understanding the peril of his situation the stallion screamed" Kids, RUN!," as he fled toward the camp and then the village.
Their camp did not have anything in the way of meat, which was very bad as the number of manticores has been low, but it did have plenty of fruits. Tonight I would feast like it was my last meal and tomorrow I would hunt.