Fluttershy lay in a flower filled clearing on a warm spring day, the wind blowing gently through the trees.
Its was the height of spring and Fluttershy was doing what she loved doing most of all, tending to the animals of the forest. She smiled as she watched two young rabbits hoping about cheerfully in play. "Oh how beautiful the day is today..." Fluttershy sighed gently and closed her eyes, a pair of bird twittering past her.
It had been 6 years since Discord's defeat and all was well, the woods bore the fruit of life with their shelter and food, the animals of the forest evidence of that. Here in this setting of peace and life, Fluttershy was at her happiest.
She opened her eyes and surveyed her surroundings again, taking note as she did so of the quarreling pair of squirrels nearby a tree to her right, if they didn't break it up soon, she'd have to intervene. It wasn't often she needed to intervene on a fight, she generally tried to avoid them when at all possible. Fortunately she didn't need to do so here as the two squirrels stopped fighting and moved on to other things.
After awhile the animals in the immediate area began to wind down their activities, their movement weighed down with the weight of weariness. Fluttershy smiled as she moved toward them, nuzzling them and offering them a chance to nap with her, many of them accepted. She was well known in the forest as a great lover and protector of its inhabitants and few of the creatures of the wood refused her comforts and company. After all were situated, Fluttershy unfurled her wings and draped them over the small creatures and closing her eyes.
She had matured greatly since Discord, her wings were regal and beautiful, her body was strong and well developed, enhancing her feminine figure and petite appearance greatly. Despite looks that would make other ponies more confident in the field of love, she however was still too shy to say more than three words to any of the stallions in the town. Many of her friends tried to encourage her to open up more and try to find a boyfriend, Rainbow Dash gong so far as saying that her figure would make it easy to get anyone she wanted. This had only served to make her more embarrassed than she already was in just discussing the matter.
Fluttershy sighed as she pushed those memories away and allowed her mind to fill with thoughts of peace, alone with her animal friends. After a few more seconds, her mind slowly disengaged and she slipped off to sleep.
A few Hours Later
Fluttershy's mind slowly awakened as the cooling air made her shiver slightly. She opened her eyes and glanced upward, the twilight sky telling her just how long she'd been sleeping here. She breathed deep the smells of the forest and turned her head to nuzzle the small hedgehog that had been using her left fore leg as a pillow. She was surprised to see that it wasn't there any more, had she really been asleep that long?
Fluttershy lifted both her wings and looked around her, none of the animals who had rested with her were anywhere to be seen. She looked around carefully and soon became aware of another sensation, silence. The woods around her were as silent as a tomb, not one bird or cricket sounded its tune in the surroundings.
Fluttershy was beginning to feel uneasy, never once had she heard such silence, especially not at this time of day.
After a few more minutes, she heard a sound break the silence, like silk sliding across grass and she turned in the direction of the noise. The woods were a solid barrier of green and brown that obscured whatever it was that was making the sound. She opened her wings, intending to take flight from this wooded clearing when a brief flash of crimson caused her to freeze.
From between the branches of the tree slid a great serpent, easily eighteen feet in length and four feet in width, its eyes were shut, its tongue flicking out, tasting the air. Its scaled skin seamed to be clear as crystal, that is before changing color to perfectly mimic the ground, what ever this creature was it wasn't natural. Fluttershy felt herself trembling as the snake reared it head back, its head swaying as it searched for her.
She took a step back and felt her hoof snap a twig upon landing. As the noise reverberated unnaturally on the wood the snake hissed and it eyes snapped open. The creatures eyes flashed briefly with an evil light before settling into a roiling red sheen that locked with Fluttershy's terrified eyes. Upon contact with the serpents eyes her mind was immediately flooded with fear in its purest form, fear that was the stuff of nightmares, an ice cold paralyzing grip that chilled her to the marrow. However, it didn't have the intended effect. The gaze was intended to paralyze the serpents victims with fear, for ease of capture, far from being paralyzed, Fluttershy turned and ran screaming into the woods.
The serpent hissed and slid after her, branches snapping like twigs as it passed through the trees. She sprinted madly, ignoring the branches and vines whipping across her face, the only thing that mattered was escape. She heard her pursuer hot on her heels but she dared not look back. The woods grew thicker and thicker as she ran, her lungs burning with the effort to keep air flowing, her eyes streaming with unwilling tears at the fear and stinging pain she was feeling. Finally, after what felt like an eon, Fluttershy saw a break in the trees, perhaps over open ground she could escape her pursuer.
As Fluttershy about flew from the tree's she barely had time to register the simple wood cottage before her legs collided with a low wooden bench that sent her tumbling across the ground.
Her face slammed hard against the ground causing little white lights to appear, as her momentum carried her through rows of tilled soil and into a stone well. Dazed and confused Fluttershy pulled herself up by the stone wells edge and turned to look behind her, the serpent was feet from her, his twining tail tearing up the garden she had ploughed through. She pulled herself along the well wall, desperately trying to keep something between herself and the monster that pursued her. She screamed and ducked as the serpent lunged at her, tearing the well in half with a powerful blow from its neck, broken rock and wood flying in every direction.
Turning away from the ruined well she sprinted towards the house, using her wings to blast air towards the door hoping to force the door open. Before she could even reach it though, a large tail slammed into the ground in front of her, which she tripped over again landing flat onto the ground, and this time, her fight left her as exhaustion took its toll. She feebly tried to rise on her hooves as the snake coiled a large circle around her, managing just enough strength to tilt her tear filled eyes into the impassive and unfeeling face of the viper that had caught her.
It was over she knew it, and even as the creature opened it maw, she couldn't tear her eyes away from impending doom. She let out as sob as it reared back its head ready to strike. As its head lunged forward, she screwed her eyes shut...
A sudden bellow rang out followed by a solid thud and a grunt of pain, but one thing was for certain, Fluttershy still lived. She opened her eyes slowly and looked to see what had happened. A large and imposing stallion stood in front of her on his hind legs, his black coat flecked with white. He stood there with the serpents fangs sunk deep into his right shoulder his eyes fixed on the head of the monstrous serpent.
With one hoof he pushed the serpents head away from him, his eyes following the evil red glow of its eyes with superb indifference, the stallions eyes registering nothing short of rage at this creature. When the snakes fangs came free of his shoulder he put his nose against the beast's snout and glared into its eyes, Fluttershy saw the monsters eyes wane in intensity as the stallion pulled back one hoof and swung it in an upward arc with all his might. There was a horrid sound from the snake's jaw as it was physically lifted off the ground from the single blow and sent spinning through the air were it landed in heap at the edge of the clearing and moved no more.
The stallion let out a derisive snort and dropped to all fours again. He turned back to Fluttershy, his face softening greatly as he walked over to her. She was trembling slightly as he bent over and nudged her face, speaking in a deep, calming voice, "Peace young one, you are safe now."
Fluttershy let out a whimper and her failing self control broke and she began bawling, throwing her forelegs around her savior and weeping into his shoulder as her fear faded from her with each tear she spilled. He comforted her, holding her gently, softly whispering to her words of assurance and safety. Finally after a full thirty minutes her sobs faded into heavy gasps for air and from there slow peaceful breathing. The strong stallion shifted around and lifted her sleeping body onto his back, taking note of the fact that his shoulder was burning painfully.
As he walked slowly over to the door to his home, he surveyed the destruction that had been wrought by the chase and sighed heavily, it'd take some effort to fix it all but he'd do it while he tended to this pony who had found her way here. He sighed and turned into the house, closing the door behind him. After navigating through the comfortable house and into his bedroom, the feather down stuffed mattress and warm quilted blanket looking inviting after his most recent exertion, but it was not intended for him.
He gently pulled the quilt back and laid the pony onto the mattress, pulling the blanket up to her neck and tucked her in. After ensuring that she was comfortable he went into the next room, returning a short while later with a bowl of some herbal paste clamped between his teeth with a rag over his shoulder. He set the bowl on the night stand and began to rub the herbal paste into her scratches and cuts. When he finished this, he left again and returned with a cool compress which he placed on her forehead. She was so delicate, he felt a pang of sadness that she had to endure such a harrowing experience.
As he turned to leave for a final time he paused at the door to say, "Sleep well young one, let your dreams be filled with peace." Fluttershy smiled in her sleep as he closed the door gently behind him, safe and secure in a sweet sleep.