Twilight couldn't be sure what had happened, but whatever it was, it was big. After telling Zecora goodbye and failing to have her stay a moment longer she left to see Fluttershy about the strange behavior of the birds. But when she got to the normally quiet cottage, she was met with utter chaos.
The poor pegasus was on the brink of tears as she desperately tried to calm her pets. She was currently at the foot of the willow, with a hoof filled with frantic looking chicks and mice. "Oh darling, please stop- oh, oh dear, it's alright, please stop shaking... Oh, I'm here, why are you all so frightened?"
"Fluttershy?" Twilight trotted up, making sure not to step on Angel who seemed to be helping rounding up the chickens. "What in Equestria is happening to your animals? All the birds in the sky..."
Fluttershy looked at her friend, seemingly relieved to see her. "Oh Twilight, I am so happy to see you," she says softly dispite the situation. "They're just frightened... Animals tend to be so much more sensitive, especially since we live so closely to the Everfree..."
"What does that have to do anything?" Twilight asked, peering out to the forbidden forest. At the edges, she notes the faint darkening of the skies.
"Well... you see, since the weather changes on it's own, it sometimes has an awful storm. There must be something dreadful happening Twilight, all my birds ran away!" She looked as though she was going to cry again. "What if they don't find their way home, or food? What if..."
"I'm sure they can take care of themselves Fluttershy, they wouldn't of left if they couldn't!" Twilight said to ease her fears. In the back of her mind, she was feeling a bubbling sense of panic- what if something awful was going to happen? Or was happening?
No, no, she was just over reacting... Even with Zecora's strange warning, it couldn't be too catastrophic if the princess...
"TWI! TWI!"
Twilight turned her head to see Spike running up to her with holding up a scroll in his fist. Oh...Oh this couldn't possibly be good. "Spike, whats goi-"
"Canterlot is GONE!" The little dragon shrieked, causing the two ponies to forget about the very existence of the frightened animals around them. "The princess just sent me this letter, and, and-!"
"Spike, calm down!" Twilight snapped and quickly took the scroll and read it for herself.
Twilight Sparkle,
We do not have much time to write this. The Changelings has returned with a creature of unknown power and origin. Canterlot destroyed, and our sister has been injured. You must evacuate Ponyville to Fillydelphia.
"W-what?" No, surely this was all a mistake. Was this happening now? Why was she only now getting a letter, why not sooner? And injured? Was her beloved teacher in pain right now? Was her life still in danger? "No, no, this... This can't be right!"
Fluttershy shuffled to the unicorns side, trying to read the levitating letter. "Twilight? What does it say?" She asked quietly.
"It says we need to get everypony in town down to Fillydelphia. Something terrible happened!" She looks at Fluttershy with determination in her eyes. "Go round up the girls Fluttershy, tell them to get ready. I need to see the mayor about the evacuation, so I'll meet up with everyone as soon as I can." She starts to run off, but pauses and used her magic to float Spike onto her back. That letter was barely a quarter of a page, and she hardly had any information to go on. She hoped that there was another letter on it's way.
Please... let there be another letter on its way.