//------------------------------// // Captured! // Story: My Little Pony and the Wolves of Imperiacus // by commander369 //------------------------------// After nearly four hours of walking, Rainbow Dash's stomach began to growl. "I wish there is something to eat around here." "But Rainbow Dash, we just ate at Makara's place like four hours ago." Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "You did. We didn't. There was just no way I was going to eat that!" Rainbow Dash burped. Rarity and Fluttershy's stomach was also growling, realizing that they are starting to go hungry as well. "I agreed. Not that I'm trying to be disrespectful and all. But, did she really call that… food. What I would really want is some freshly baked pancakes and some sweet apple cider." Rarity drooling. I really hope there's some food nearby." Fluttershy said nervously. "We haven't seen a single one since we left Ponyville." "We were all so busy runnin' away; we didn't have any time to eat." Applejack said. "I just feel bad for all the other ponies back at home. I fear that they're all starving to death right now." Rarity told them. "The Nightwalkers are vicious. They don't care about anyone except themselves. If some ponies starved to death, they'll just replace new workers to do their dirty work. We have to hurry otherwise everypony will die." Applejack groaned. Rainbow Dash looked around slightly. "But we really hope there's some food close by or we're the ones who are going to die." Fluttershy sighed. "She's right, it'll still take us the whole day to get to the ocean. If we walk without any food or water, we might not be able to make it. "Come on ya'll, we have dealt with worse things than this. But for the stake of the Princesses, for our friends and family back at home, for our future. We can't give up. No matter how hungry and tired we are." Applejack said. Everypony signed and followed Applejack's lead. At the back of the line, Twilight can't help by overheard her friends crying in hunger. She frowned in depression and needed a way to help her friends out. What she has to do was find some food. That could be a good start for her to earn back her friendship. All she needed to do was believe in herself, like Makara said to her earlier. While her friends are walking ahead, she turned and walked towards a different direction and went out on her own. While Twilight went off to search for something to eat. Strangely enough, she found something that she couldn't believe. Just up ahead, there was a huge healthy green tree on a top of a small hill. Suspiciously she looked up at the tree and just as she figured, it's a real apple tree. She stared at the juicy-looking apples hanging on the branches and rushed towards the tree. But then, she halted. She just realized something. Why was there a healthy tree growing here. This was the land of Mortarn after all and nothing good ever happened here. So, how could something so good as an apple tree grow harmlessly in a place like this. Still the rumbling in her tummy relieve her suspicions, so she decided to take a risk. She backed up partially into view and fetched the trunk a solid buck with her hind legs. When she did, many apples fall loose and hit the ground like rain. Twilight levitated one of the apples and took a small bite. She chewed and swallowed. Her eyes sparkled like stars, loving the sweet taste in her mouth. "Ohhhhhhh… this apple is so delicious…. I have never tasted an apple this sweet before. It's even better from Applejack's farm. I can't wait to give some of this to my friends. This could change everything." Twilight said as she took more bites out of the apple. Behind her, something was happening. The plain apple tree began moving forward, emerging the root from the ground and forming into legs, then a giant emerged. A monster tree. Twilight then turned around slowly, with a feeling of dread, as she heard the rumbling sound of the monster's body freeing itself from the muddy surface. "You've…. got… to be… kidding…. me." Twilight shocked. Twilight backed away slowly, around the corner, but the monster followed slowly forward and growled viciously. The tree monster was mad as it stared down on the piles of apples that are on the ground next to her. "MY BABIES!" The tree monster gasped. "Oh….. these are your babies?" Twilight chuckled nervously. "YOU ATE MY BABIES!" The tree monster shouted. Twilight screamed with fear, couldn't get her words straight. "NO, NO.… NO… NO! YOU GOT IT ALL WRONG. I WASN'T EATING THEM! I WAS JUST HARVESTING THEM! I WASN'T GOING TO EAT THEM YET!" That last remark really made the tree monster even madder. It made its killer stare at her and growled. Its face was now filled with anger, rage, and frustration, and it headed straight for her. "Oh no." Twilight just quickly ran away, but the monster followed, stomping and stomping every step. Twilight was in a full-out run being chased by the tree monster which stomped forward, demolishing everything in its path. Back to the rest of the ponies, they stopped for a moment to find out where they are. "Admit it, we're lost! Are we?!" Rainbow Dash said with annoyance. "No, we are not lost! Makara said go straight forward and that is exactly where were headin'." Applejack insisted looking at the path ahead. "Oh yeah, then where are we? Makara also said that we would be there before sundown, and as you can see the sun is about to set very soon. We should've been there by now." Rarity complained. Applejack looked up at the sun. "It's not that late. It should be somewhere around like five-o-clock in the evening. We should be there soon, but just not yet." Everypony look up at the sun as well. They couldn't tell what time it was, but they could tell that it not that late. "But, we're still lost!" Rainbow Dash added. Applejack grumbled as she looked around at her surroundings. "No, I know exactly where we are. Just trust Makara. She is the gatekeeper after all." Looking at the sun kept Fluttershy wondering. "You know, I've just thought of something. Why does the sun still going down. I thought the Princess was captured and imprisoned." Rarity just thought what Fluttershy just said and also came to wondering. "Now that you mentioned it….. yeah, why is that? I mean, I thought Princess Celestia is the only Alicorn who raises the sun at dawn and lowers it at sunset." Rainbow Dash didn't have any problems for filling in the blanks. She interrupted and answered. "That's because she has to. It is her duty after all. Even though she is weak and imprisoned. She's still brave enough to control the sun for all of Equestria. Because she cares for her subjects and all of Equestria." "Hmmm, I don't think Princess Celestia is controlling the sun this time." Pinkie Pie wondered. "Of course she is." Rainbow Dash gasped "I agreed with Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash… I can't believe I just said that….. But Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are in real trouble back in Canterlot. I don't think it was them who are responsible for the day and night." Applejack said. "It has to be. I mean who else could it be?" Rainbow Dash scratching her head in confusion. Applejack rubbed her chin. "Maybe, someone else is controllin' the sun and the moon." "Like who?" Fluttershy asked. Applejack thought to herself and finally picked up a theory. "Maybe, I believe… the one controllin' the sun is probably….." Just when they realized, a huge roaring came from the jungle. Everypony turned towards the sound and froze. "Um…. What was that?" Rarity gasped. Applejack doesn't answer, still listening to the reverberations. Then she heard the sound of Twilight screaming nearby. After hearing Twilight's scream, Applejack realized that she was not among them. "What just a darn minute! Where's Twilight!' Everypony just realized that she was nowhere in sight and looked around for her. But then, Twilight came running out of the jungle, headed towards to them. "Don't just stand there! Run!" "What is it this time, Twilight? Can't you see that...?" Rainbow Dash shouted as Twilight sprinted past everypony in interrupted by a second roaring, except this time it was closer and coming their way. Everypony slowly stepped back as a giant figure burst through the trees. The huge tree monster appeared in the front of them and began to make the same killer stare and growled like it did earlier to Twilight. Everypony screamed. "RUN YA"LL!" Applejack shouted. Applejack leaded the group and ran at the same direction that Twilight was going. They make a mad dash for the jungle. The tree monster fall over to everypony with brutal speed; the enormous monster tried to seize them in its massive wood hands and tried to catch them. But everypony managed to dodge every sweep. A tremendous roar caused everypony to look behind them. They can't help but take a glimpse of this terrifying and crazy creature chasing after them. With Twilight in the lead, and the others catching up to her, the group rushed through the jungle. The tree monster chased down on them, mowing down the small and thick trees which the monster toppled all around it. Twilight spotted a path of heavier trees and leaded the group into it. The tree monster cannot fit between the trunks. It roared at the fleeing ponies, searching desperately for a route after them. The group continued their relentless pace, putting as much distance as they can between themselves and the beast. Finally, they arrived into a swampy forest. Twilight looked like she about to have a heart attack and everypony are gasping for air. They stopped, thinking they've outrun it. Twilight directed the group through some underbrush and into the middle of the swampy place. Twilight was caught off-guard as a furious rainbow pegasus slammed her back against an old dead tree. "THAT'S IT!" "WHEN WILL IT END?! ARE YOU EVER GOING TO STOP CAUSING US ENOUGH TROUBLE ALREADY?!" Twilight's mouth began to wobble, and after a moment, she burst into tears. "I'm so sorry, really! I didn't meant for all this to happen…." Rainbow Dash faced to face with Twilight, furious. "NEVER MEANT FOR ALL THIS TO HAPPEN?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME, TWILIGHT!? FIRST, YOU RUINED OUR HOLIDAY WITH YOUR WHOLE NON-BELIEVING THEORY, THEN, YOU WOKE UP BLOODFANG, CAUSED DESTRUCTION AND DOOM TO ALL OF EQUESTRIA, MAKING US TRAVEL THROUGH THE DANGEROUS LAND OF MORTARN, GETTING US CHASED BY PONY-EATING MONSTERS, AND TOP OF ALL THAT….. WE'RE LOST!" "LOST! WE CAN'T BE LOST! I THOUGHT WE KNEW WHERE WERE GOING!" Rarity shocked. "I told you! We are not lost! Look were….." Applejack looked around and noticed they are somewhere was a dark creepy swampy area. Applejack gulped realizing that they are lost after all. "Maybe we are…." "WHAT! WE FAILED! WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!" Rarity cried. "THANKS A LOT, TWILIGHT! YOU'VE DONE IT AGAIN!" Rainbow Dash yelled. "Everypony be quiet. Look, everything is alright. We just need to find another way out." Applejack calming down her friends. "But where can we go? We don't know where we are, thanks to Twilight!" Rarity pointed at the heart-broken unicorn. "Look we just need to find another path. We'll get out of this. But we have to hurry." Applejack signed and left. "Look, please I am really….." Twilight spoke, but was interrupted by Rainbow Dash. "Just stay out of our way, Twilight. Either way we're probably not getting out of here alive. So, if you want to be helpful, just stay in the back and catch up!" With that Rainbow Dash left, a beat later, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie followed. They have sympathy for Twilight, but it's logical enough to know that Rainbow Dash was right. "Can't I do anything right anymore…." Twilight was clearly at a loss, she followed slowly behind, back to where she started. Fearing that she may never earn her friendship back again. The ponies entered through a field of wet cattail to look into the forest above, only there's nothing to see but a thick fog spraying around the entire area. There's a thick fog at this level of giant clouds blocking their view, but not far ahead they can see a large pond up close. "So now what? There's nowhere else to go." Rarity groaned. "There has to be a way out of here." Fluttershy said. Applejack looked harder, getting a clear glimpse through the mist. Then she spotted another area on the other side of the creek. "Look! Over there!" "Do you think it's safe over there?" Fluttershy said softly. "There's only one way to find out." Applejack called to Rainbow Dash. "Rainbow Dash, you think you could find out what's on the other side of the pond." "With pleasure." Rainbow Dash stretched out her wings and flew slowly through the other side of the pond. She carefully moved forward, disappearing into the thick fog. The others listened to the flapping wings of the pegasus until it stopped. Then, nothing but silence. "Rainbow Dash, are you okay?" Pinkie Pie worried. More silence. Then, out of the fog, Rainbow Dash's voice called out. "I've found a way out! Come on, come across!" Applejack sighed of relief and glance back at the others. "We'd better do this one at a time." "What! You want me to walk in this filthy water. I'll get my precious mane ruined." Rarity shocked. "Rarity, we have no time for this. You want to get out of here, don't you?" Applejack said as she made the first step on the water and walked across. Rarity signed in disgusted and followed. Rarity cried out and tried to get her whole body up, so her mane won't get smudged by the muddy water. Then one after the other they all follow each other, marching their muddy hooves on the mushy wet creek. Twilight was the last pony to go across. She looked on as she saw her friends disappeared into the vapor. Twilight slowly jumped in the pond and followed, walking her way forward. But then, she felt a strong gust of wind and more flapping wing sounds above her and then in front of her. She halted by the sound of moving water. Looking down one of the slightly flooded passageways, she saw the water started to move in waves, it was obvious that someone, or something was walking through it. Twilight glanced forward, but the fog was preventing her from seeing more than a few feet ahead. There was nothing but silence. "…Rainbow Dash? Fluttershy, is that you?" Across the water, Applejack finally leaded the others to the other side of the creek. Looking ahead, Applejack noticed Rainbow Dash was there, looking nervous and scared. "Rainbow Dash, what's wrong?" Applejack asked. "There's someone here." Rainbow Dash whispered. "What?" Applejack gasped. "What is it?" Rarity and everypony walked to them, worried. "Something is watching us. I think, we're walking into a trap." Rainbow Dash answered. "What? Who?" Fluttershy said very nervous and confused. Back to Twilight, she watched as a shadowy figure emerged from the fog, a nightmarish vision stalking purposefully forward… a Nightwalker Guard standing in front of her, slowly walking towards her. The Nightwalker Guard saw Twilight and hissed her with a demonic glare. "Found you, Twilight Sparkle." Twilight screamed and dashed back down the other direction. The Nightwalker Guard rushed to its feet, spread its dark wings and flew directly at her. Hearing Twilight's screamed, everypony charged onto the swamp, searching in the fog. "TWILIGHT!" Suddenly, Twilight emerged from the fog, racing toward them. And then Nightwalker Guard swooped out of the fog, opened its giant rear claws, and snatched Twilight from the ground. Everypony watched in stunned, gasped in horror as the Nightwalker Guard carried Twilight directly overhead. "Twilight!" Everypony shouted. The Nightwalker Guard struggled with Twilight's weight. They watched helplessly as Twilight was carried high across the swamp. Everypony ran after the Nightwalker, in a desperate attempt to keep Twilight on sight. "Applejack, where is she?! Can you see her?" Rarity shouting. Applejack looked around, but the fog was too shifted. "I'm tryin'! That Nightwalker took her up this way!" "Where?!" Rainbow Dash screamed. Fluttershy shrieked nervously as she searches for Twilight. "I can't see her anywhere!" "Quick, let's hurry up and split up!" Applejack said. "Um… I think we got problems of our own…." Rainbow Dash pointed to the sky and saw a large pack of Nightwalkers are sweeping towards them. "LOOK OUT!" Rarity screamed with horror. But it was too late. The Nightwalkers attacked with unbelievable ferocity and with an aggressive action. They slashed with their claws and batter with their wings. The Nightwalkers have shown no mercy to them. "QUICK, RUN!" Pinkie Pie panicked and tried to run. The Nightwalkers have made their move. Fluttershy was hurtled into some bushes; Pinkie Pie was knocked against a tree, and Applejack splashed down in a small mud. Everypony was occupied with the Nightwalkers. One of the Nightwalkers caught the attention of Rarity and soured straight at her. Rarity noticed the Nightwalker and tried to run, but the Nightwalker was too fast and grabbed her in a choke-hold, pinning her face flat on the muddy ground. "HANG ON, Rarity!" Rainbow Dash soured fast to help her, but another Nightwalker tackled her in midair. "Don't worry, Rainbow Dash. I'm coming to save you!" Pinkie Pie rushed in to help Rainbow Dash, but a group of Nightwalkers slammed themselves around her. "Pinkie Pie!" Applejack and Fluttershy both screamed. But they have no time to react, two other Nightwalkers jumped into view and pin them to the muddy ground as well. These are quickly knocked away, each pony tried to struggle themselves away from the Nightwalkers, but the tide soon turned against them and they find themselves on the receiving end of the beat down. "THEY'RE TOO MANY OF THEM!" Rainbow Dash struggling from the Nightwalker's grip. "WE'RE GONNA DIE!" Fluttershy cried in tears. "I'M TOO PRETTY TO DIE!" Rarity screamed with horror. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity are now at the Nightwalkers' mercy. They were pinned down to the ground and forced not to move. All of the Nightwalkers snarled at their preys, who are now lying helplessly before them. "Your adventure ends here, ponies." One of the Nightwalkers laughed. "You have caused Lord Bloodfang enough trouble already." The second Nightwalker said. "Like our master said, to all those who defy him will perish and no one, especially a bunch of stupid ponies defy Lord Bloodfang." The third Nightwalker chuckled madly as it placed its sharp claws on Rainbow Dash's neck. Applejack and the other knew it was all over, they closed their eyes and prepare for their doom. But before the bats can finally finish the job, a ground-shaking stomping came in behind them. Every Nightwalker looked around confused and wondered what that was, until something big came upon the trees…. it was the tree monster, back for his revenge on the ponies. "BACK OFF! THEY ARE MINE!" The tree monster growled. The Nightwalker Guard signed in frustration. "THIS IS NOT A GOOD TIME RIGHT NOW. LEAVE OR YOU WILL SHARE THE PUNISHMENT!" "I WILL LISTEN TO NO ONE! I WILL HAVE WHAT IS MINE!" The tree monster shouted with anger. "YOU HAVE TO FIGHT US FOR THEM! DESTROY HIM!" The Nightwalker Guard commanded. Few Nightwalkers charged and attacked while the other five bats remain with the ponies, keeping them pinned down while the others took care of the intruder. The tree monster charged and swatted at the Nightwalkers with his two massive hands. The Nightwalkers attacked to the side while the monster's fists smashing down around them. The tree monster stamped and lashed on the Nightwalkers, which they dived clear, just as the huge foot pummeled into the ground. The tree monster was now being covered and swarmed by the Nightwalkers. They are frenzy around it, with their sharp claws lashing at the tree monster, tearing off the skin and cutting off the branches. The monster screamed in pain and fell down in defeat. It cowered against the ground, covering itself with its arms for protection. As for everypony, they struggled and kicked in their grasp. The first Nightwalker snickered. "Now then, as General Darkclaw said…. time to feast." "Good. I'm starving." The second Nightwalker drooling in hunger. "NOOOOOO!" Everypony screamed for their lives. But right before the Nightwalkers began for the kill, a Nightwalker was thrown to the ground between them. They realized that the tree monster was still not giving up; it was still putting up a fight. The tree monster went back up on its feet and began to use both hands to strike at the deadly Nightwalkers. With every sweep of its arm, several bats are knocked to the ground, but others clawed at his head and body. It appeared that the tree monster was too much to handle, even for them. Things were getting out of control and the problem must be dealt with. All of the remaining Nightwalkers roared with anger and frustration. They abandoned Applejack and the other ponies and charged at the tree monster, joining in the battle. Now all the frenzied Nightwalkers attack the tree monster with gruesome force. They strike at the tree monster like a swarm of stinging bees. The monster roared and thrashed out at them in a frenzy. With all of the Nightwalkers occupied with the monster, Applejack and the others seized an opportunity to escape. They rushed along the edge of the cliff towards the forest and made a run for it. Several Nightwalkers are gripping and clawing the tree monster's back in an effort to weaken it, but the monster suddenly pounded his back against the wall of a rocky mountain, squashing them all. The rest of the Nightwalkers wheeled away from it, hissing angrily. Almost about ten Nightwalkers are lying on the muddy floor, stunned or dead. They fluttered towards at the monster, preparing to make their next and deadly attack. The Nightwalkers fired their red beams from their mouths and shoot rapidly at it, causing the monster to cry out in pain. Setting it skin on fire and smoking. They make their final approach; the tree monster threw its hands up to protect itself. "NO!… NO!" The tree monster screamed. The Nightwalkers have now swarmed, covering the monster from the waist down and the head. The monster started to lose its balance. "NOOOOOOOO!" The tree monster made a dying shout. The monster tumbled backward, sending up a cloud of black smoke when it hit the ground. Red beams were shot flashing through the air and torched off a sheet of flaming fire that consumed it and burning it alive. Now that the tree monster was down and this time, it will stay down. The Nightwalkers looked back and realized that all of the ponies are gone, escaped without them knowing. "WHAT! NO! AFTER THEM!" The Nightwalker Guard shouted. Everypony finally exited out of the foggy swamp and found themselves running through the dry forest. They ran across the path and suddenly, right ahead there are a herd of strange creatures. Rock creatures that look like elephants. Everypony stopped and stared transfixed at a herd of the grazing creatures. A herd of hundreds of rock-like elephants are slowly moving through a wide clearing ahead. "Wow!" Fluttershy amazed. "Yeah, wow!" Rarity repeated. Suddenly, the sound of Nightwalker's roaring was heard. Applejack and the other looked back and saw a swarm of Nightwalkers emerged from the jungles, coming their way. Applejack popped an idea and screamed out to her friends. "This way!" "What are you doing, Applejack?!" Fluttershy shouted confused. "Trust me, I got a plan!" Applejack leaded the others to the direction of where the herds of rock-like elephants are. The Nightwalkers moved into the hunting formation. One Nightwalker leaded the pack, chasing after them. Applejack looked back and saw the bats closing in. She put her plan into action. "Hurry, into the herb!" In an effort to escape the incoming Nightwalkers, Applejack's plan was to lead the group right into a herd of rock-like elephants to make it difficult for them to catch them. Everything was going according to her plan. All of the rock-like elephants began a stampeding, splitting up the group. Letting the others get ahead of each other, Applejack looked back and spotted the Nightwalkers are ignoring the rock-like elephants. The swarm weaved their way through the herd, chasing after the ponies. The Nightwalkers raced out from behind of the stampede and chased down on the ponies with incredible speed. In the chaos of the stampede, everypony lost sight of each other. They continued to avoid being seen by the creatures. Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash are running as fast as they can. Applejack glanced behind her and saw the continuing marching of rock-like elephant's legs are about to close in on them. Finally, the ponies are suddenly found themselves in a sea of huge legs, like wildly pounding tree trunks. The Nightwalkers are snapping and snarling at the legs, they saw the ponies. Their only hope of survival was to stay within the stampede, trying to get out of reach of the bloodthirsty bats. It was a dangerous plan, but it was working. Every time a Nightwalker closed in on their targets, they always got knocked down by the force of the rock-like elephant's heavy bodies or crushed under by their massive rock foot. As the stampede continued on, everypony finally reunited with each other and jumped out clear of the rock-like elephant, but they're not off the hook just yet, as only to be set on by the Nightwalkers still closing in. Everypony was running madly, dodging the rock-like elephant's foot. One Nightwalker focused on Applejack, it skillfully weaved in between and under the rock-like elephant and emerged right behind her, it's snapping wing claws inches away from her head. But suddenly, she made a fast side move and caused the Nightwalker to fly sideways - under a rock-like elephant's legs. The Nightwalker was instantly trampled underfoot. One of the Nightwalkers that was flying and watching from above knew that enough was enough. It managed to fly ahead and landed in front of the incoming stampede. It took a huge breath and aimed towards the stampede. "LOOK OUT!" Applejack warned to everypony. The Nightwalker fired its massive red beam and hit directly at the running herd of rock-like elephants. A huge explosion caused all the elephants to collapses at top speed, tripping and rolling at each other. Applejack and the others suddenly find themselves in the middle of an extreme massive pile-up. Many Nightwalkers are crushed as rock-like elephants come down on top of them and some were squashed when two rock-like elephants slammed together. Everypony rolled safely against the smooth rock-skins as the huge pile of rock-like elephants tumble all around them. "Are we dead?" Fluttershy whimpered while covering her eyes. "We're alive!" Rarity screamed happily. "No time to celebrate. We have to move, now!" Applejack interrupted. Applejack leaded the rest of her friends up a rocky hill where they climbed and slide on the slimy moss-covered rocks. Everypony ran through the path and safely entered through the wood. As for the Nightwalkers, they weren't so lucky; some of them are still trapped in the pile of the injured elephants. Many of them crawled or climbed through the heaving bellies and twitching legs. All of the Nightwalkers finally climbed out and desperately search for the ponies. But they noticed that they are long gone. "Where'd they go?" The Nightwalker Guarded growled in anger and faced the remaining six Nightwalkers. "Find those ponies. Kill them when you find them. They cannot escape from us this time!" Every Nightwalker flew off and continued on the search. The ponies have escaped from them.