//------------------------------//
// Chapter Sixty 
// Story: A Journey Unthought Of 
// by Hustlin Tom 
//------------------------------//

The pack of timber wolves began to fork out from their pack in order to surround Lyra and Bon Bon.  While their name was identical to those wolves of our world, the timber wolves got their name for a more literal reason.  Every single timber wolf is made of hundreds of twigs and tiny branches, and while they may get their sustenance from the ground in a similar manner to trees, they were still extremely protective of their territory just like their mammalian cousins.  Lyra and Bon Bon had unintentionally encroached on their territory, and regardless of whether intentional or not, the Pack had come to show what happened to interlopers.  

Lyra and Bon Bon stood with their faces in opposite directions, each covering each other’s flank and making sure they kept their eyes on a wolf at all times.  Each wolf was trying to maneuver into a blind spot, and with each step of the timber wolves came the distinctive twig snapping, branch bending sounds made by their footfalls.  Bon Bon was facing down two of the Pack’s four members, while Lyra was nearly six hoofsteps away from one additional timber wolf and the Pack’s alpha male.  Each of the Pack’s regular members was about their size, but the alpha male timber wolf was nearly a head above either of them.  The thorny branches that made up the alpha male’s jaw were poised and waiting for one false move from either of the ponies.  

Bon Bon spoke in a calm tone, so as not to agitate the predators of the underbrush, “How good is your magic Lyra?”  

Lyra did not break eye contact with the wolves before her, “I might be able to take on one of them, but four is pushing it,” her voice was cracking slightly since she was still recovering from crying.  

Bon Bon’s face paled a little at this information, “We can’t trick them into thinking we’re a danger; they’d probably attack us all the same.  We can’t run; they’d outrun us.  Can you do a teleportation spell?”  

Lyra’s heart sank and tears started to flow from her eyes again; a teleportation spell could only work for one pony at a time, and she was near exhausted already.  She could only manage one teleportation before the timber wolves pounced en mass on the remaining pony, “Yes.”  

“Well then quickly do it!”  Bon Bon could feel in her gut that the attack was imminent.  

“Right,”  Lyra’s voice cracked and she began quietly sobbing again, “Okay.”  Lyra’s horn glowed with emerald light.  

The alpha male’s eyes narrowed and his thorny grin became more pronounced.  

As soon as the teleportation spell became ready, Lyra glanced back at her best pony friend in the world.  “Good-bye Bon Bon.”  The words seemed to take more effort than the spell had.  Bon Bon half whirled around and said in alarm and surprise a quick “What,” before she was transported several hundred meters away.  

After the post-teleport disorientation, she realized what her friend had just done; Lyra had made the choice of ensuring her friend lived rather than risking the both of their lives to the timber wolves.  Bon Bon stamped her hooves to the ground and yelled, “You stupid foal!” as tears began to pour down her face.  Lyra, still weeping but at peace, looked up as the alpha timber wolf lunged at her.





Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.  John 15:13