//------------------------------//
// (prequel) Carol Belle 
// Story: Timber 
// by Amiss 
//------------------------------//

My mane brushed my face
As a smooth wind passed by
It lasted only moments
Before it began to die

My three best friends were with me
As we came to camp today
We were passing Sunset Look
As the sky turned a dreary gray

“Looks like we need to camp here”
Came Amber Rose from my right
“The rain looks like it’s coming”
So we set down for the night

“Can you get some firewood?”
To Cherry Blossom I said
We had set up camp
But it was too early to go to bed

Cherry Blossom nodded
Before setting out
Fifteen minutes passed
Before we heard her shout

We all jumped up
And started to
The direction of the scream
But not knowing what to do

When we found her
She was in a pool of blood
The damning liquid flowing out
Of gashes in a flood

She was still alive
As she shuddered there
I pulled her to some cover
As blood darkened her hair

We all did various things
Not really knowing what to do
But we all could tell
She wouldn’t be pulling through

We couldn’t move her
Having just an earth mare and two pegasi
It pained me with the knowledge
That my friend was soon to die

We sent Amber Rose for help
So she flew away
As the night overtook us
And killed the dying day

A growl snapped me from my sorrow
I still wouldn’t leave my friend
But Night Shade pulled me with him
So I’d not meet my end

We were running through the forest
Having lost my kin
Fueled only by my sadness
Which blocked out the demons din

I looked to Night Shade
And saw a deep gash on his wing
And blood upon his neck
In a toothy ring

We made it halfway out
Of where nopony goes
When I tripped over the body
Of what’s left of Amber Rose

I struggled not to gag
At her vicious demise
And worked not to disgrace
Her skull now void of eyes

I stumbled to the ground
As we returned to Sunset Look
The images I had seen
Had left me shook

I could move no further
Night Shade tried to fly but pain to sheer
I could only watch as wooden wolves tore at him
As he yelled in fear

The wooden demons turned towards me
My doom would now impend
And now I had been lost
For I did meet my end…

I awoke feeling cold
And could catch a foul smell
I was startled to look around me
No longer feeling like Carol Belle

I looked to my hooves
To find dark wooden claws
I tried to scream but growled
The sound coming from my jaws

For years I wandered
Just to find my friends
And lay them to rest
Where they met their ends

I buried each one
Then found my own
But some force was preventing me
From entering that general zone

Seven years of being this way
A creature straight from hell
A mind trapped alone
Inside this wooden shell

One day I saw her
A pony camping by Everfree
I saw her gathering wood
And a sorrow came over me

I realized the moon was full
(The time most wolves are out)
I wanted them not my same fate
So I moved about

They were all sleeping
When I entered their tent
Only to realize
I had no way to tell them what I meant

I just stood there contemplating
When a grey mare began to stir
She met me with my stare
And I froze transfixed by her

The sound of a yell startled me
So I left to silence the sound
But upon exiting the tent
I found many timber wolves around

I tried to divert them
But they came to the loud yell
I knew I had failed
And they’d die inside this hell

My head bent down
When a sound made me turn about
The grey mare I had seen
Had gotten out

She stumbled around in panic
Not expecting what she could see
Then some wolves tore after her
And fate claimed what she would be

But to my surprise
She ran forestwards
Only to be followed
By those demonic hordes

I ran after her
But with a different goal
Not to claim it
But to save that poor soul

I saw her slip and fall
In a hole that concealed the mare
And was glad the other wolves
Passed by unaware

I was hit by sorrow
When I saw her sight
It reminded me of my fate
On that dreadful night

I helped her
And told her what I knew
Knowing she had no choice
But accept that it is true

I was snapped out of my thoughts
When the wolves came bounding back
I knew I couldn’t fail again
So I readied for an attack

I felt claws splinter my sides
And rake across my head
I realized my foolishness
And that I’d soon be dead

Relieved and worried
I saw the suns bright light
And I knew the wolves
Now dared not to fight

They left me alone
So I staggered to where the mare lay
And we conversed about my story
As I slowly died from the day

After a few hours
If I said different then I lied
I knew it to be true
That once again I’d died…