//------------------------------// // Friendship is Puppies, episode 2, part 2 // Story: Twilight gets a Puppy // by TDR //------------------------------// Twilight Gets a Puppy By TDR Friendship is Puppies, episode 2 Part 2 [The Everfree Forest. ] “So what exactly should we be watching out for in here?” Twilight asked, her ears flat to her head as she looked around the dark, damp, forest they were walking through. “Well there's the usual, Hydras, Ursa, and Dragons occasionally live in here too. But I'd rather deal with them.” Rainbow Dash muttered. Sure they might be massive, but that means nothings willing to live around them and Ponies are usually too small of a meal for them to bother with.” “The real threats in tha Everfree are tha smaller nasties. Maticore, ROUS, cragodiles, and worse of all Timber Wolves, even if nothing else in this forest ain't natural, them things is super not natural.” Applejack stated. “Not natural?”Twilight asked. “What do you mean?” “Weird plants, more monsters than any other place outsidea Hollow Shades.” Applejack explained. “And the weather takes care of it self. No Pegasus controls it at all!” Rainbow Dash stated making a ooooh noise like she was telling a ghost story. “Rainbow that is is the very definition of natural. Existing in or caused by nature; not made or caused by ponies!” Twilight explained unimpressed. “Still weird.” Rainbow Dash snorted. “In addition to that, there is also the very real threat of the Diamond Dogs.” Rarity added. “The two packs living north and south of Ponyville caused quite a problem about eight years ago. They raided Ponyville constantly in order to supply their fight with one another and they didn't care who they hurt to get what they wanted.” Rahs noted Applejack flinch at that, though he didn't bring it up. “The Royal Guard intervened after a time and the conflict ended with several of the pack alpha's getting killed on both sides. While the two packs were evenly matched and had no issues doing what they wished to the towns ponies, a division of the Royal Guard armed for war rolled over them like they had been doing to us for nearly a year.” Rarity explained. “ While the packs are not quite as big as before, they still cause problems for anyone who comes anywhere near their territory, and given they change said territory on a whim. Well you get the idea, travel anywhere but on certain roads around Ponyville is not recommended. They stay away from the town proper recalling what happened last time, but for those of use who need gems for our jobs or other things from the fields and forest around town we simply have to deal with them.” “So how do we avoid them?” Twilight asked recalling what happened eight years ago with herself and the other students of Celestia's school. Looking back perhaps that was why the Princess seemed so distracted. A war on her door step would definitely make her students issues a secondary thing. “Their homes are underground, but it's not too hard to spot the entrances if you have an eye for detail.”Rarity explained. “ Trotting without rhythm also tends to avoid attracting them, as it makes them think it's simply random noises and not hoof steps.” “Yah also got tah keep an eye out fer tha environmental disasters too.” Applejack stated.” Place is full of sinkholes, quick sand swamps, and cliffs.” “Yeah and it rained a couple days ago so there might be a chance of a ...” Pinkie Pie chimed up as she pronked along with the group, freezing in place as a loud crack sounded in the air, the sound of pouring sand and dirt echoing off the trees. “Landslide?” Fluttershy whimpered as the ground gave out from under them as every pony screamed “ Ohmygosh Fluttershy! Quick!!” Rainbow called out darting downward to grab Pinkie Pie as she slid down the slope towards the edge of the cliff. Fluttershy zipped along after her, showing unexpected speed as she scooped up the screaming Rarity. Rahs tumbled and rolled, thrown off balance from the drop, his claws were out, grabbing at the dirt and rock futility before he finally managed to get a hold of a half buried log to stop his fall. Applejack snagged a hold of a root to stop her fall, though Twilight slid all the way down and was scrambling at the edge trying to keep herself from falling. Rahs winced, looking for something else he could grab onto to go after her, though Applejack acted first letting go of her root and sliding down to where Twilight was. The unicorn grabbed onto her forelegs like a life line flailing her back legs as she tried to climb back up. “Gah what do I do!?!” Twilight shrieked. The farm pony blinked down at her, her ears perking up. “Let go.” Applejack said simply. “WHAT!?” Twilight yelped.” Are you crazy?” “No ah ain't ah promise you'll be fine.”Applejack stated. “Ah ain't one tah fib. Trust me you'll be safe, but yah gotta let go.” Twilight winced a little though with a last gulp she did so, falling with a scream. Rahs' eyes widened as he lept for the edge of the cliff, sliding over it himself to make a grab for Twilight. The Moon Dog only managed to slip half way over the edge of the cliff before there was a loud thud and a whimper, his back legs still sticking up over the edge of the cliff kicking slightly. Applejack stood up and dusted herself off before she hopped off the edge of the cliff as well, dropping about two and a half feet to the ground below. “You okay?” Applejack asked Twilight who was sitting there on her duff panting heavily. Rahs simply groaned from where he had face planted in the dirt next to her.” Told yah I wasn't lying.” “You think perhaps telling me that the ground WAS JUST UNDER MY TAIL might have been better than telling me you don't fib!?!” Twilight hissed. “Yeah, ah suppose so. But ah couldn't resist. Figure we needed a bit of levity with all that somber talk we was on about tha Dogs.....”Applejack offered a hoof to help Twilight up pointing her other hoof towards Rahs. “And yah gotta admit, that's kinda funny.” Twilight looked over at her brother who was trying to growl with a face full of dirt and couldn't help smirk.”Okay maybe a little.” “That was awesome!!” Rainbow Dash cackled as Pinkie Pie chuckled, even Fluttershy tittered a bit. Rarity was too busy cleaning the dirt from her coat to pay attention however. Rahs grumbled and pushed himself up to a sitting position rubbing his nose and wiping the dirt off it as he glared at Applejack. “No hard feelings ehh?” Applejack smirked up at the Moon Dog as he stood up. “Bork.” Rahs grumbled and pushed Applejack's hat down over her face. “The look on your face... it was the best thing ever..” Rainbow Dash snorted as she fluttered around Rahs. Given the mare had been poking fun at the Moon Dog for the last twenty minutes as they made their way out of the ravine, Rahs and pretty much everypony else, was a little tired of it. Rahs in particular was on the verge of grabbing the Pegasus and shaking her until she shut up when he caught the scent of something, his ears perked up a second before he slapped a paw over Rainbow Dash's mouth to silence her. “Woof....” Rahs stated flatly , his ears swiveling on his head as he listened. Twilight Pinkie and Fluttershy stopped at his words though the others took a few more steps before stopping. Except Dash who was trying to get the Moon Dog's paw pried free of her mouth. “What's wrong?” Applejack asked. “Rahs said he heard something.” Pinkie Pie chimed up. “Ya mean aside from Rainbow's mouth? Ah'm impressed.” Applejack snorted. Rahs' ears flattened to his head as he shoved Rainbow Dash behind him in the air, a low growl escaping his throat as he shifted to all fours, his claws digging into the dirt, amber eyes locked on a large bush on the other side of the old game trail they were on. Despite the warning the small group was still surprised at the sight of the large manticore leaping out of the brush towards them. The lion like creatures wings flared wide, while not enough for it to fly it could use them to glide and aid with lift for it's jumps. The beast roared while it was in the air fangs bared as it descended on Rarity. The white mare shrieked, diving out of the way as the beast slammed onto the ground turning on the spot to go after the white unicorn, only for a log gathered in light blue magic to belt it across the side of the head as Rarity grabbed wha ever she could to use as a weapon. The half rotted chunk of wood shattered in a spray of splinters, bugs, and confused newts at the impact, though the manticore barely seemed phased. “Stay clear of it's tail, that stingers got more than enough venom to kill.” Twilight shouted.” We've got to get past him.” “Wait.” Fluttershy called. “Ah got it.” Applejack shouted shoving a hoof into Pinkie Pie's mane and yanking out a rope as the pink mare giggled. The beast roared at Rarity, the bellow blowing her hair all out of shape and making the unicorn panic and dart off . Rahs lept at the creature landing on it's head, claws digging into it as the beast roared and worked to shake free the Moon Dog. An attempt to stab at Rahs with his tail found that the length was bound with a rope being held fast by an orange Earth Pony. “Wait.” Fluttershy called again as Rahs was flung free of the back of the manticore and sent sailing into a tree with a thud. “Rahs!” Twilight called in panic forming a shield between Applejack and the manticore as it whirled on her. “BORK!” Rahs cursed standing back up with a shake of his head ready to charge into the fray again. “I dunno what he said, but it sounded rude!” Rainbow Dash grinned darting at the manticore spinning around it, the whirling dust and bits of log spinning along with her striking at the manticore and making it stumble back. The others readied for the next assault at the brief respite, though it wasn't going to last. The beast growled whipping it's tail, yanking Applejack up into Dash's flight path. The pair of them collided and were sent sprawling towards the others. Pinkie Pie helped Dash and AJ back to their hooves as Rarity, Twilight, and Rahs rushed forward again ready to drive off the manticore, though Rahs also had the question of how one would taste on his mind. They barely made it a few steps when Fluttershy burst up between the charging combatants screaming.”WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIT!!!!” Rarity pulled up short only for Rahs to trip over her and land atop of Twilight with a thud and more cursing. At Fluttershy's cry however even the manticore stopped, looking at the butter yellow Pegasus in confusion. The yellow mare turned away from the others trotting slowly over to the manticore who roared at her drawing back a paw to claw at the mare. Rahs scrambled back to his paws about to leap at the beast again to save her when he saw the manticore had stopped as the yellow mare nuzzled against his paw. “It's okay.” Fluttershy said softly one hoof lifted to rub the creatures paw. The manticore lowered it's other claw opening the paw it had been favoring the fight showing a wicked looking dark purple thorn jabbed into it's paw in the sensitive flesh between the pads. “Oh you poor poor little baby...” Fluttershy mothered. “Little?” Rainbow Dash questioned. “Now this might hurt for just a second.” Fluttershy stated gripping the thorn between her hooves and yanking . The manticore roared, paws grabbing at the Pegasus mare as the rest of the group panicked and made ready to rush forward to save her again only for the sound of Fluttershy giggling and the massive manticore purring as it licked her face and mane to be heard. “Awww you're justa lil old baby kitty arn't you Manny?” Fluttershy cooed. “Seriously.” Twilight questioned. “Yeah, I should have known this was gonna happen.” Rainbow Dash sighed. “She does this..... She had a pet turtle for a while that could fly by shooting fire out of his shell. Said he was a friend of children...” The group of them quickly made their way past the distracted manticore glancing back as Fluttershy bid the creature good bye and trotted after them. “How did you know about the thorn?” Twilight asked. “I didn't, but he was roaring about being in pain before the fighting started. He was asleep and he must have brushed a bush while dreaming and got stuck, but since we were close he thought we had something to do with it.” Fluttershy explained. “So I tried to help him, sometimes you just need a little kindness to get past something rather than violence.” Rahs frowned, stopping a moment, sniffing the air and catching the faint scent of something else in the area. It was the same scent that had been around the cliff. A scent of magic that had filled the town hall earlier. “You smell something Rahs?” Pinkie Pie asked, bouncing into the air in front of him to meet his eye level at the apex of each hop. “Woof.” Rahs shook his head. “Nothing? You're acting all kinda distracted about nothing.” Pinkie Pie pointed out. Rahs smirked a moment.” Bark.” Pinkie Pie considered as they caught up with the rest of the group. “ No, I can't say I know how manticore tastes.” Behind them, the removed thorn turned back into dark star filled mist and raced ahead once more. Next time it wouldn't fail.