Everfree

by Windy The Warrior

Life in the Forest

The hooded mare was at the end of her rope. Her assailants had been chasing her for what felt like hours, and despite her efforts they wouldn’t give up. She’d even tried to catch them in a magic grip, but she’d had to leave.

It didn’t bother her, though. Maybe she could ask them why she was being hunted.

She’d managed to lead them home, a spiraling stump of a tree that she’d dug her way into. Of course, she had it well disguised, so they wouldn’t be able to trace it back to her.

She leaped over a net, but her almost-captors didn’t see it until it was far too late. They were yanked into the air, dangling helplessly. She pulled back her hood, grinning.

The mare had a ruby-and-obsidian colored mane, one side of which had been swept over to hopefully cover her missing eye. In its place was a dark starburst. Her fangs glinted evilly in the dim light of the Everfree Forest.

She paced her steps deliberately, sneering at the prisoners. When they were thoroughly terrified, she discreetly kicked apart the knot that held her trap together. The two stallions dropped to the floor and ran away screaming.

Beat smiled, admiring her work. “Guess I’ve still got it,” the mare snickered. Then she glanced over at the hideout, hoping her companions had made their way home. She almost didn’t want to check for fear that they’d been captured.

Suddenly, two smiling faces popped up from a hollow. The foals ran to her. One of them, a little mint green colt with a black and cerulean mane, had let his hood fall. The other, who had a pink tint to her coat, kept her face well-hidden. Shadow, or whatever the filly’s name really was, had always been just a little bit paranoid.

Beat hugged her apprentices, ruffling their manes slightly. The hooded teen grimaced. Eventually she let go, much to Shadow’s delight.

The colt, Clover, beamed. “Miss, did you see that? They just -"

Beat shut his mouth with her magic. “I know. I was there.”

Shadow smiled at them. She had known Beat for years, and she knew the batpony might never tell her son about his lineage, but they acted the same as a normal family. Well, as normal as a family could be when they were on the run and one member had already been caught. In fact, the magenta filly imagined herself as a daughter to Beat.

The mare yawned. “Everypony inside! We’re having ivy.” She caught Clover’s betrayed face, returning it with a grin. “You’re not getting out of this, you need some protein. But if you’re good, I’ll go and find some mintgrass, okay?”

Shadow knew that ivy didn’t actually contain protein, at least not on its own. However, as the chef she imbued plants with special nutrients and the like, which helped them stay on the top of the Everfree’s natural police system.

They all went inside the hideout. The filly glanced around cautiously before closing the hatch. She reluctantly removed her hood.

Shadow had a navy mane, shot through with white and gold flecks. Her sharp eyes betrayed no real emotion, much less memory from before the forest had Chosen her. Long bangs hid her face, just allowing her to see underneath. Unlike her companions, she was full pony and had no oversized ears or missing parts.

Even though the others deemed their scars as mementos from failure, Shadow saw them as a way in. The VIP pass of all similarities. A family tradition. Even Cottonmouth, Clover’s father, had a few marks. Heck, after the last battle, he probably gained a half dozen.

And here she was. The freak, the Perfect Chosen. Without a scar, she’d just be a guest. There was no place for a rich girl in a family of True Chosen.

She was broken out of her reverie by an energetic voice. “Hey, kid! What’s wrong, you're in wonderland?” Beat chuckled lightheartedly. “Welcome to the Land of the Living!” She wrapped her hoof around the girl’s shoulders. “It’s not so bad here, once you get used to the smell.”

Shadow laughed despite herself. Beat could've been a great mother back home.

“Alright, then. So how about that dinner, huh? I’ll go see if I can find Clover. He ran off to the Roots somewhere. Kid’s absolutely nuts.” Beat’s grin widened. “You have no idea how proud that makes me.”

An icy wedge dug into Shadow’s heart. Of course the batpony didn’t realize. Still, as the mare trotted away, Shadow found herself crying.

Most ponies would be afraid of going to the hideout Roots. They would stop in their tracks the moment the chill set in, and some would turn tail and run when they saw the ominous carvings that lined the walls. Clover was not most ponies.

Instead, the Roots were his haven. Beat and Shadow didn't come down often, which made it perfect for late-night soul searching. Even if he didn't understand the carvings, he knew they were what ensured him this space.

The minty foal carefully sidled down into his special hollow. He was greeted by a wave of bitter aroma and the clattering of broken tile under his hooves. He could barely make out a pile of knickknacks along the opposite wall. The cold air of the Roots stilled here, making it seem warm in comparison.

Clover smiled and lit his horn. A black box in the corner lit up, too, pulsing in time with the foal's blue halo. He pulled it out to the center of the cavern, then pushed a button on the front.

He quickly raised the tiny microphone to his mouth. "Clover's log of awesomeness, entry thirty-six, on Thursday, March eighteenth." He suddenly clapped his hooves together and cleared his throat. "May all who hear this be awesome."

Then he hit another button, which played a short tune. Then he started recording the log. "Today Shadow went on patrol. Miss Beat said that when I got older, I could go too. She thinks I'm too young now, though. She also taught me how to find good vines from the Willow. If it's splotchy, it's probably sick. If it's thicker than my hoof, it's too much to bring home. Things like that.

"After that, we met up at the spring. We had to run because a bunch of hunters were there, but we got split up. Shadow set a trap for them and were able to get away. Miss Beat was gone for a while, but we were fine. She scared them away with one look! I wish I could do that, but I also want to keep my eye.

"That's about it. I saw Miss Beat come down a while ago. She's probably looking for me. I think something's wrong with Shadow, though. She's been quiet lately. I'm going to find out why. Entry complete."