Scootaloo looked at the line of trees with trepidation. “Are we sure our talent is taming timberwolves?”
“No,” Sweetie Belle said, “but we won’t know until we try.”
“I don’t know,” Scootaloo said, “If it isn’t one of our talents, things could get messy.”
Apple Bloom grinned. “Ya aren’t scared, are ya Scootaloo?”
“N-No, of course not!” Scootaloo insisted, “I’m just saying that maybe we should be careful.”
“Alright then, we’ll be careful,” Sweetie Belle said, “Now let’s go!” She led the way into the Everfree Forest, with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo following her. Scootaloo tried to remember how many of Sweetie Belle’s ideas had turned out alright. She hoped the fact that she was drawing a blank was due to poor memory.
It soon became dark in the forest. It was exactly the wrong kind of dark, too. There was enough light to see everything, but the shadows loomed large and seemed to pop out at Scootaloo. She shivered. She’d never really gotten over her fear of the dark. For comfort, she looked at her friends. Apple Bloom was walking with her head high. No way she’d be afraid after all the times she’d come here to visit Zecora. Sweetie Belle was focused on her task of finding timberwolves, so Scootaloo guessed she didn’t have time for fear.
A wind picked up, and Scootaloo could swear she heard muttering. She shivered again. The breeze died, and the muttering stopped. Scootaloo frowned; normally her imagination would have made it louder. The breeze picked up again, and now she could faintly hear words.
“Stab. Stab. Stab.”
The voice was, undoubtedly, Knife Point’s. Scootaloo wasn’t exactly sure how to respond to it. Even after a week of sitting in front of him, she still didn’t know what to make of the strange colt. By now, they were close enough that his voice could be heard without the breeze, and the other two noticed it as well.
“What is that?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“It sounds like that Knife Point character,” Apple Bloom said nervously.
“R-Really,” Sweetie Belle said, “Maybe we should go some other way.” Scootloo couldn’t believe her ears. They were making fun of her for being afraid of timberwolves, but now they wanted to run away from Knife Point? That settled it. Scootaloo pushed past her friends, heading toward the sound.
“Scootaloo!” Apple Bloom cried, “What are you doing?!”
Scootaloo turned to grin at Apple Bloom. “You aren’t scared, are you Apple Bloom?”
Apple Bloom grimaced, and Scootaloo continued toward the noise. After a moment’s hesitation, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom followed her. They came to a small clearing in the forest. Sitting on the ground in the clearing was Knife Point. Scootaloo felt a sense of déjà vu; he was sitting with his back to them and he was stabbing something on the ground in front of him.
Scootaloo stepped into the clearing. “Hello.”
“Ah!” Knife Point yelled. He leaped up, spinning to face her. His forehooves were stained red, and the knife he held ready in them was dripping with blood. Upon seeing Scootaloo, he relaxed, lowering the knife. “Scootaloo. You scared me.”
“I scared you?!” Scootaloo squeaked. Clearing her throat, she said in her normal voice, “You’re the one waving a knife around!”
Knife Point grinned. “Fair enough.”
“I feel like I’m going to regret asking this, but what are you doing?”
“Just having some mindless fun.”
“Fun?” Scootaloo asked. In answer, Knife Point stepped to the side. Scootaloo’s eyes widened. “Knife Point,” she said, with more calm than she felt, “what is that?”
“A bird.”
“Doesn’t look like any bird I’ve ever seen.”
“Specifically, it was a bird. Now it’s a mess.”
Scootaloo took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. “Okay then.”
“What brings you to the Everfree?” Knife Point asked.
“Me and my friends are looking for our talents,” Scootaloo explained, “We were thinking timberwolf tamer might be it.”
Knife Point raised an eyebrow. “Timberwolf tamer? Alright, but I only see you.”
Scootaloo looked around, realizing her friends weren’t there. “Sweetie Belle! Apple Bloom!” she called.”
“We’re here,” Sweetie Belle’s voice came from the trees.
“We jus’ don’t wanna be where he can see us.” Apple Bloom said.
Scootaloo looked to see what effect the words had on Knife Point. His smile was gone. He sighed and pulled out a rag. Quickly, he wiped the blood from his knife and hooves. Finished, he put the knife and rag away. “I’m not armed,” he called, “You can show yourselves.”
Hesitantly, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom came into the clearing. Sweetie Belle whimpered at the small pile of bloody flesh that had once been a bird. “I-I didn’t think it’d be that bad.”
Forgetting her fear, Apple Bloom glared at Knife Point. “What is wrong with you? Ya killed an innocent bird-“
“Killed?” Knife Point interrupted, “I didn’t kill the bird.”
“Then what did?” Apple Bloom demanded.
“I don’t know,” Knife Point said, “When I find a dead bird, the first thing that comes into my mind isn’t ‘why is this dead?’”
“Three guesses as to what is the first thing that comes to his mind,” Sweetie Belle said in an undertone.
This was met by a tense silence. After a moment, Scootaloo cleared her throat. “Well, it was nice seeing you, Knife Point, but we’d better go. Timberwolves aren’t gonna find themselves.
“Why go looking when they can come to you?” Knife Point said, a faint smile back on his face.
“What?” Scootaloo asked.
“Timberwolves are meat eaters,” Knife Point said, “Sooner or later, this bird will attract them.”
“That sounds easier than wandering through the forest,” Scootaloo said. The other Crusaders hesitated. Scootaloo looked at them. “Well, doesn’t that sound easier?”
“I don’t know,” Sweetie Belle said, “I’m kinda weighing my options.”
Scootaloo finally snapped. “What is your problem?! Why are you two being-“
“It’s alright, Scootaloo,” Knife Point said. He smiled bitterly. “I know when I’m not wanted.” He walked to the edge of the clearing. “Good luck with the timberwolf taming.” He vanished into the shadows.
Scootaloo rounded on her friends. “I can’t believe you guys!”
“What?” Sweetie Belle said, “He’s really creepy, Scootaloo.”
“Yeah,” Apple Bloom said, “Ah honestly can’t see why you’re defending him.”
“Because no matter how scary he is, he hasn’t done anything wrong!” Scootaloo said.
“Hasn’t done anything wrong?” Apple Bloom laughed, “I’d bet the farm he’s killed at least once!”
“Really? All he’s been is friendly!” Scootaloo said.
“All he’s been is terrifying!” Sweetie Belle argued.
Scootaloo opened her mouth to reply, and Knife Points words came back to her. It’s alright, Scootaloo. She blew air out of her nose. “Let’s just agree to disagree.” The other two looked surprised at her sudden calm. They muttered agreement, and the three of them settled in to watch for timberwolves.
They didn’t have long to wait. After maybe five minutes, Scootaloo heard growling from the tree line. She scrambled onto all fours, motioning to the others to do the same. Across the clearing, they could see a pair of glowing eyes peering from the darkness. “Guess I’ll go first,” Scootaloo said. She slowly made her way into the clearing.
She stopped a good distance from the wolf. “Hey, Sweetie Belle,” she called softly, “how do you tame a timberwolf?”
“Um,” Scootaloo’s heart sank, “that’s a really good question.” The timberwolf began advancing. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom came forward to help Scootaloo, and it all fell apart.
Two more timberwolves appeared from the trees, encircling the Crusaders. “Okay,” Scootaloo said, fighting for calm, “What’s the plan?”
“I got nothing,” Apple Bloom said.
“Same here,” Sweetie Belle said.
Scootaloo looked around desperately. She saw a place where it looked like the timberwolves had left a small opening. “I think we can break through there.”
“And then?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“RUN!” Scootaloo screamed. She dashed for the opening, with the other two close on her tail. Scootaloo made it through. Running to the trees, she turned to see her friends’ progress. The timberwolves were caught off guard, so Apple Bloom made it through fine. Sweetie Belle was getting close. Closer. Almost there.
A timberwolf leaped into Sweetie’s path. She yelped and scrambled backwards. By now, the other two wolves had closed the gap. Sweetie Belle was trapped. Scootaloo dashed back toward the wolves, not entirely sure of what she was going to do.
Suddenly, one of the timberwolves jerked back. Scootaloo stared; she couldn’t believe her eyes. Knife Point had gotten onto the wolf’s back and was repeatedly ramming his dagger into its eye. Scootaloo could see the savage grin on his face, and hear what he was saying. “Stabstabstabstabstabstabstabstab”
Soon the timberwolf collapsed into a pile of wood chips, and Knife Point faced the other two. He was still baring his teeth in that grin, and his knife was stained green. The timberwolves hesitated, completely caught off guard by this new development. Knife Point began advancing slowly. Timberwolves were fierce fighters, but they were also very practical. They’d seen this grinning demon kill one of them like it was nothing, and they decided it wasn’t worth facing him for the sake of prey. They slunk back into the shadows, with their fellow wolf reforming to join them. No way was he going back for a second round with Knife Point.
“Aw, come on!” Knife Point exclaimed after seeing his fallen opponent get back up, “I was really looking forward to stabbing that guy some more.”
Scootaloo chuckled slowly. “All of us almost died there, and you’re disappointed that the timberwolf didn’t leave a body?”
“Yes!” Knife Point said, “It would have given me hours more of fun than a bird.”
Scootaloo sighed. “You know, the more you talk, the more tempted I am to run away screaming.” The effect was ruined by the smile that was breaking out across her face.
Sweetie Belle stared at Knife Point. “You…you saved me.”
“Yes.” Knife Point said.
“Why?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“Because you were about to be mauled by timberwolves,” Knife Point said, “I thought that was obvious.”
“No, I mean,” Sweetie Belle sighed, “I treated you like a monster. Why did you help me?”
“Sweetie Belle,” Knife Point said, grinning, “If I thought that somepony treating me like a monster was reason enough for that pony to die, I’d have become a serial killer a long time ago.”
Silence fell, before Apple Bloom said, “Ah don’t know whether to be comforted or terrified by that.”
“Why not both?” Knife Point laughed.
The CMC chuckled along with him, slowly growing into full laughter as they realized they were alive and well after their encounter. And it was all thanks to the knife-crazed lunatic that had every reason to hate them. In hindsight, the whole situation was pretty funny. Or maybe it was the hysteria. One of the two.
After a while, they all subsided. Scootaloo made eye contact with her friends, asking a silent question. They agreed, and Scootaloo said, “You know, we’re all part of a club.”
“Club?” Knife Point asked.
“Yeah,” Scootaloo said, “It’s called the Cutie Mark Crusaders.”
“It’s for ponies who are looking for their cutie marks,” Sweetie Belle said.
“Would ya like to join?” Apple Bloom asked.
Knife Point considered the request. Eventually, he shrugged. “Why not.”
“Great,” Scootaloo said, “We’ll show you our clubhouse and…” A thought occurred to her. “Wait. You need to promise not to stab dead things in the clubhouse.”
Knife Point raised a hoof. “May I dissect dead things in the clubhouse?”
“No,” all three of them said.
“Darn it,” Knife Point muttered. A gleam suddenly came into his eyes. “Dissection…that’s it!” He jumped up. “Really hate to run on all of you, but I’ve got a lot to do and not much time to do it in.” He made for the forest.
“What is it you need to do?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“Oh,” Knife Point said with a sly smile, “You’ll find out tomorrow.” He disappeared into the wood.
The CMC were left staring after him. Apple Bloom said, “Is it okay to not understand him, even if he is our friend?”
“Sure,” Scootaloo said. They retraced their steps to the beginning of the forest. The shadows had deepened by this time, but for some reason they didn’t scare Scootaloo anymore. Maybe now that she’d known real fear the dark had lost its power to frighten her. She hoped so, she was tired of being the only one bothered by it.