Within the parked Vardo, Fia paced the floor of the bedroom worriedly.
The three fillies had hidden themselves away in the room like Ancient Scroll had asked, but none of them were happy about it. They all wanted to be out there with their caretaker to help with whatever threat might be lurking in the forest -- even if some of them were more scared than others.
"Twilight would you--"
"Fia," the black coated filly corrected without breaking her nervous stride.
Blue Moon rolled her eyes and huffed in exasperation.
"Fia, would you please stop pacing around?" the light blue filly asked irritably, "Blue Moon is worried too, and you don't see her wearing a hole in the floor."
Fia sighed and slowed to a stop -- facing Blue Moon with an apologetic frown.
"I can't help it, Blue Moon," Fia replied, "I know Uncle Scroll said he could take care of himself -- and I do believe he can -- but we don't know what's out in that forest," she shook her head and resumed her worried pacing, "what if it's some deadly new animal we've never seen before? Or... or a corrupt Dark Mage?"
She stopped and fell to her haunches with a horrified expression.
"Or what if it's the Razor Twins?" she cried "what if they came back for me and Trixie?!"
"Blue Moon," Corona corrected as she trotted over to the distressed filly, "and while, all those things are possible, they're highly unlikely, Fia."
"How?" Fia shot back as she rounded on Corona, "how are they highly uniikely? We already know there's dangerous ponies after me, and it's completely possible they might've sent the Razor Twins to finish what they started!"
"I guess that could be true, but--"
"And if what Uncle Scroll said was true, and they are trying to take down the Princess," Fia continued, "who's to say they haven't employed some kind of... of... evil Dark Mage?"
"Well... maybe... but I don't think--"
"Nononono, this isn't good. There's too much we don't know, and there could be any number of--"
"Fia!"
"WHAT?!"
Corona flinched back from the shout, but quickly recovered.
"You know as well as I do that even if it was the Razor Twins or a corrupt Dark Mage, Uncle Scroll would be able to handle it," Corona moved closer and rested a comforting hoof on Fia's withers, "you saw the spells that were cast from the window, right?"
Fia nodded, not looking in Corona's direction.
"From what I could see, it looked like some kind of Barrier," Fia replied, "and judging by the color, it was a Light Magic based spell."
"Right, and I couldn't see what the second spell did," the maroon filly responded, "but I'm sure it was something that would help Uncle Scroll to protect both us and himself from whatever might be out there."
"But what if that second spell wasn't Uncle Scroll's?" Blue Moon challenged, "what if it was some other pony attacking the Vardo?"
"Blue Moon, you're not helping," Corona hissed as Fia began to panic again.
"I'm just saying," Blue Moon, replied with a shrug before giving Corona a level look, "you keep saying 'Uncle Scroll will do this' and 'Uncle Scroll will do that' and 'Uncle Scroll will take care of it'," she shook her head, "Blue Moon trusts Uncle Scroll with her life, but Uncle Scroll can't do everything, Corona."
"I know that," the maroon filly retorted, "I'm not saying he can, I'm just saying he's reliable! He's taken care of all of us as best he can and--"
Corona's response was interrupted by the sound of the bedroom door being thrown open. She and Blue Moon turned to see an open doorway and a missing black filly. The two glanced at each other before rushing out of the room after Fia.
"Twi -- Fia, wait!" Corona cried, "we're suppose to... oh..."
She slowed to a stop as she and Blue Moon reached the outer platform of the caravan. They trotted up next to an abashed -- if somewhat relieved -- looking Fia and a stern faced Ancient Scroll.
"Hey, Uncle Scroll," Corona said with a weak laugh, "it's good to see everything is... okay?"
Ancient Scroll sighed and shook his head.
"I told you fillies to stay in the room," he admonished before focusing his gaze on Corona, "and I told you to watch these two."
"I know," Corona replied as she hung her head, "sorry, Uncle Scroll, we were just... having a conversation and... Fia got worried about you."
The old stallion's features softened slightly and he turned to Fia.
"I told you I'd be okay, little filly," he said resting a hoof on her head, "I'm more worried about the three of you staying safe."
"I know," Fia replied quietly, "but there was that spell outside, and then the second spell... and I didn't know if it was yours or somepony else's and..." she trailed off and stared at her hooves, "...I'm sorry, Uncle Scroll."
"No, don't be, little filly," Ancient Scroll responded with a sigh, "I supposed a bit of that was my fault. I didn't think to tell you girls I was casting spells out here, and with the nature of our... situation, I should've done so."
"So... that second spell was yours then?" Blue Moon inquired.
"Indeed it was, Blue Moon," Ancient Scroll answered with a nod, "both spells were mine."
Corona gave Blue Moon an 'I-told-you-so' look and Blue Moon snorted and looked away.
"Blue Moon isn't taking back what she said, Corona," Blue Moon huffed, "her point still stands even if the spell was Uncle Scroll's."
"And what point was that, exactly," the old stallion asked curiously.
Before either filly could answer, Ancient Scroll's ears perked up and he snapped his head towards the forest. Seeing this, the girls moved closer to Ancient Scroll and turned each of their nervous gazes to the treeline as well.
Ancient Scroll was about the warn the fillies to head back inside, but the words died in his throat as he saw a grim faced Yojimbo making his way out of the forest and towards the caravan.
The fillies gasped in horror and dismay.
As he approached the Vardo, they could all see that he was carrying Rouge in his arms -- much to her apparent annoyance. What caught their attention was one of the arms folded across her chest. It was wrapped in a cloth that -- from what the fillies and Ancient Scroll could tell -- did little to staunch the flow of blood.
Ancient Scroll in particular took note of how tired and dazed she looked.
Ancient Scroll's horn flashed white briefly and the Pure Barrier became visible for a split second before vanishing with a soft hiss. His horn sparked again and the giant glowing magic circle on the ground reappeared for another second and faded away.
With that done, he leapt off the platform and rushed over to the approaching husky.
"Head back inside, girls!" he called out, "I'll be back up there in a minute!"
"But what about Rouge?" Fia called back.
"I'll take care of her, don't you worry!"
The old stallion turned his attention back to Yojimbo and Rouge, unaware that the fillies hadn't moved in the slightest. They were far too worried about what was going on at this point to retreat back to their room. Instead, they just stood on the platform and observed the situation with growing concern.
They watched as Ancient Scroll looked the wounded Abyssinian over briefly. They saw Yojimbo remove the blood-soaked cloth and Ancient Scroll immediately light up his horn. It became enveloped in a soft white glow that wrapped itself around Rouge's open wound.
They couldn't quite see what was happening from where they were standing, but Rouge's face seemed to regain a bit of life despite still being somewhat pale.
"What is he doing?" Blue Moon muttered to the others.
"It looks like used some kind of Light Magic based Healing spell," Corona muttered back, "I'm not too familiar with Healing spells so I couldn't tell you what he used, but it looks like it worked."
"What happened to her?" Fia whispered in horror before turning to the others, "something obviously attacked them in the forest!"
"But what?" Corona replied worriedly, "what attacked Yoji and Rouge?"
"Blue Moon can't hear what they're saying," the light blue filly grumbled in frustration, "they're probably talking about it right now, but Blue Moon can't hear a thing."
Sure enough, Yojimbo had set Rouge back down and they were both conversing with Ancient Scroll with grave looks.
"Girls," Corona said nervously, "we should probably head back inside before they finish talking."
"Too late," Blue Moon muttered.
Just as Blue Moon spoke, Ancient Scroll and the other two adults turned and spotted the three fillies still standing around on the platform. Ancient Scroll frowned as he, Rouge, and Yojimbo made their way back to the Vardo.
"I'm sorry, Uncle Scroll," Corona started, "but we couldn't just go back inside after seeing what happened to--"
"Nevermind that, little filly," the old stallion interrupted, "we've got bigger problems now."
"What kind of problems?" Fia asked, her panic beginning to rise once again, "is it the Razor Twins? Are they here to try and capture me again?" her terrified look turned to one of anger as she saw Rouge clutching her closed yet still blood covered wound, "did they do that to Rouge?"
"I'm afraid not, little one," Rouge replied with a solemn shake of her head, "this was caused by something that was arguably much worse."
"Worse?!" Blue Moon cried, "what could be even worse than the Razor Twins?!"
As Rouge and Yojimbo continued on to the back of the Vardo where the door was, Ancient Scroll stopped and turned to the three fillies with a grim scowl.
"It looks like there might be a corrupt Dark Mage roaming about nearby."