The footsteps were drawing closer, Courage’s heart was pounding faster and terror once again kept him in place shaking nervously. He was afraid to look anywhere in case he laid eyes on his worst fears. Regardless, they always seemed to find him one way or another.
Courage felt a presence looking into his hiding place. A quick glance upward revealed a pale orange face and the largest lime-green eyes the small dog had ever seen. The imposing hat on its head only made it look bigger. Its muscular form meant it was all business and never lost a fight. The dirt on its face probably meant it had been places Courage could not even imagine.
Acting on his most animal instinct, Courage let out a scream that managed to startle the orange behemoth. “Woah, nelly!” it reacted, taken aback by his outburst. He ran for the exit, unsure if he was being pursued, but at this point, he was powerless against his instincts. The barn door was still wide open, but this did not stop Courage from leaving a fleeing dog-sized hole in the wall next to it.
Running as fast as his little legs could take him, he passed by several wooden fence enclosures. Each had a wide variety of animals Courage had never seen before. Each one was at least twice his size and made sounds from another world. His acute sense of smell would have been overwhelmed if panic wasn’t dictating where his efforts were focused.
“Applebloom!” a voice called out in the distant right, “One of the pigs got out!” He couldn’t tell where the voice was, but it sounded aged, ragged and angrier than the first he met.
“I’m on it granny!” replied yet another voice. This time, it was worryingly close to where he was. Through the planks of the fence, he caught a glimpse of something truly worrying. It was just like the one in the barn, only about half its size, but twice as threatening with the lasso of rope twirling above its head. Courage could only think of running in the exact opposite direction from the yellow beast with blood-red hair.
A tightness around his waist brought Courage to a lurching stop. He had been lassoed by the little yellow one, her orange-pink eyes looking at him menacingly. “I got ‘im!” it exclaimed through the rope in its mouth. Perhaps she wanted to make a meal out of him, Courage feared. He tried to run, but the rope was stronger than he was. He was being dragged back to an unknown fate. Fortunately, courage, when properly summoned, always quelled panic and granted strength to overcome adversity.
Once he was back on his feet, Courage started a game of tug-of-war, playing for his freedom. He was pretty evenly matched until he noticed more of his opponent’s friends were quickly approaching. The initial orange one was galloping at full speed, more determined than ever to catch Courage. “Hang on Applebloom!” she called out, “We’re a’comin’!”
In addition, a red one, taller and even more muscle bound than the first, was not far behind. Courage could almost feel the ground shake with each stomp of his mighty hooves. The ferocity in both their eyes pierced Courage like a javelin. If they caught up to him…
With newfound motivation to pull harder than ever, Courage wrenched his would-be captor from her stance and loosed the rope from her mouth. Courage also lost his footing, but only for an instant. Adrenalin still coursing through his veins, he made his way toward a grove of trees, hoping to lose his pursuers. He dared not look back, only his will to survive remained from the encounter.
***
The beating in his ears was still his racing heart, but it was beating from exertion, not fear. The former had worn off almost twenty minutes ago. Courage was running so hard for so long that he was nearly ready to collapse. His sprint had gradually slowed to a lazy jog and he was sweating like crazy. His tongue was dragging behind him like the length of rope still tied around his waist. He still panted heavily as he fell flat on his stomach, too exhausted to move.
His stomach growled, reminding him that he had not eaten since dinner last night. His latest trek had expended what little energy he had left. He knew that he had to find food soon. Fortunately, he would not have to wait very long.
His moment of rest was interrupted by a soft thud just a few feet from where he stood. This small stimulus reignited his panic mode as he emitted a shriek and he felt compelled to climb the wide tree trunk for safety. Only a few feet up, however, he observed his surroundings and noted that he was alone. It was just him and a lone apple on the ground.
Courage recognized an apple anywhere and he knew they were not dangerous. With this in mind, he cautiously approached to inspect the slightly bruised fruit. It looked like an apple, smelled like one too. A quick lick made Courage believe more and more that this was just a simple apple. Feeling confident enough to bite into it, he instantly tasted the sweet juices held within.
He had been calmed from his hysteria and was able to enjoy a small meal from the apple. Still hungry for more, he looked around for more, but could find none. He found the answer once he looked skyward: they had not yet fallen from the tree. Hopeful for more, he jumped as high as his legs could launch him, but he was nowhere near close enough. This did not erode his determination as he turned to the trunk for a solution.
It was too large to scale or climb and pushing and beating it turned out to be fruitless. Out of frustration, Courage gave the tree a head butt, trying to think of anything to get more food from the tree. The soft thud happened again. This time, Courage only flinched when it landed. That’s when a bright idea came to Courage.
With a running start, he charged the trunk of the tree headfirst. He was screaming in anticipation of the impact, willing to take the hit for the promise of more of those sweet apples. A bone-jarring hit against the tree made stars dance in front of his eyes, but they cleared with a quick shake of the head. Looking around, about a dozen fresh apples lay about waiting to be claimed. Courage let out a cheerful yip, then collected the rewards of his effort.
After gorging himself, Courage had almost completely forgotten about the danger from which he was running just minutes earlier. He was reminded by distant sounds. His acute hearing picked up several footsteps and voices to accompany them. They sounded hauntingly familiar. “Come on now y’all,” one spoke, “We’ll get this varmint before sundown.” The pack was closing in on him.
Within moments, Courage began to feel like a cornered animal. “What do I do now?” Courage fretted as he struggled to come up with a plan of action. Running was simply not enough. They would just catch up to him again. Courage noticed that he still had the rope tied around his waist. A new plan was brewing…
***
Not long after Courage was finished setting up, his four-legged pursuers were very near. Courage’s hiding spot prevented him from getting a good view of all of them, but he gleamed enough by the glimpses he did get. The leader of the group was a pale green with platinum-white hair, probably from decades of aging. Her wrinkled skin emphasized her frowning expression and narrowed eyes. She was sniffing the ground where Courage had trodden, a behavior that Courage himself exercised when tracking a scent.
The large red one gave him the impression of an angry muscular bull. He was carrying what looked like a folded-up net on his back. He too was keeping a sharp eye out for Courage, waiting to sound the alarm and catch his prey. Each step he took made an audible thump in the ground making him more intimidating the closer he got. His eerie silence made Courage fear this particular one even more.
The orange one was not quite as large, but still frustrated at having been given the slip once before. Was her large hat a status symbol among the gang? Was she the actual leader? She stood at the center of the formation, perfect for orchestrating movements and issuing commands to a small group of hunters.
Completing the spectrum was a relatively small hunter with what looked like a butterfly net. Small as it was, Courage’s body could still conceivably fit inside the netted part. He preferred not to test his discouraging theory.
Finally, they were positioned perfectly to spring his plan. Courage leapt from his hiding spot into the open between two tall trees. He barked loudly, waving his arms in a bid to get their attention. It worked.
“There he is!” shouted the orange one, pointing a fingerless arm in his direction. The red one unfurled his net and handed the other end to his orange partner. They were coordinated and intended to use the net to capture Courage. Normally, Courage would be hoofing it in the opposite direction, but his mind was clear now. He was focused and able to strafe the group darting behind trees to keep out of sight.
A few moments later, he was now behind the group. They had just caught up to his last location. He let out a howl loud enough to be heard a mile away. Once again, they turned and face him and close the distance. They charged, kicking up a cloud of dust as they ran. Courage made use of this makeshift concealment, but he was spotted behind a cloud that dissipated rather quickly.
Another emergence from cover split the group’s attention. The group was sufficiently fragmented and disorganized that Courage could spring the final phase of his plan.
A quick burst of barks to get their attention and all four sets of eyes were upon him. Courage squared off against the hunters, making his scrawny body look as big as he could manage. He barred his teeth and growled as aggressively as he could. He wanted them to charge this time.
“Come on Big Mac!” called the orange one, “We got him now!” The pair of net bearers reorganized and moved to envelop Courage in their trap. They were truly convinced that they had the upper hand and that they were going to emerge the victors. Courage had to time his next move perfectly, lest his careful planning go to waste.
“Wait!” called the elderly green one as loudly as she could manage, “Stop!” Only the smallest one had the sense to listen to elderly wisdom.
“Why stop, Granny?” the little one asked, “AJ and Big Mac got ‘im cornered!” Her answer would come in a surprising form.
With lightling-quick movements, Courage grabbed a piece of rope that was lying by his feet and gave it a tremendous yank. The hind legs of the charging hunters shot upward, taking them both by complete surprise. Courage had ensnared them in a rope trap that was well-hidden until now. The length of rope used to catch Courage had been repurposed as a countermeasure against his adversaries.
It was so unexpected that they dropped their net just short of Courage who was using what little body weight he had to keep them suspended. Tying his end of the rope to an exposed root, Courage darted off to safety once again. He had bought himself some time to make another escape. The hunters could only hang by their hind legs forlornly as their prey made its escape.
“That was why I said stop,” Courage heard the elder say with his superior hearing. He knew they were talking about him and no doubt were recovering to give chase once more. This time, Courage spied a way out of the endless expanse of trees. In the distance appeared to be a small town of sorts. Perhaps he could lose his pursuers for good. Whatever dangers lay ahead, Courage was willing to brave them.
***
Being in big cities compared to the farm house was like night and day for the timid Courage. So many people moving about, so many smells and sounds overwhelming hi s senses. At first, Courage was terrified to approach the crowd of horses. His previous encounter with them was less than comforting to put it lightly.
“I know I’m not going to like this,” courage said to himself as he summoned enough courage to venture into the more populated areas.
Not knowing where to go, Courage decided to follow his nose, as any dog would do. The wide variety of smells all mingling and mixing in over each other told Courage that he had found a food market. Stopping near the first stand he found, Courage curiously sniffed the orange spheres on display. They smelled strongly of citrus.
“Hey!” barked the stall keeper, “Go on, you. Shoo!” Courage turned just in time to be swatted in the nose by a rolled up newspaper. “Get away from me fruits,” he continued, getting more aggressive with his newspaper attacks. Courage had no choice but to flee and cower behind a lamp post. Once out of range, the elderly stall keeper ceased his pursuit. He simply grumbled obscenities under his breath and returned to selling his wares.
Before Courage could set out and begin his adventure again, he was blindsided by yet another attacker. From behind, Courage was grabbed by a pair of arms and squeezed tightly. His captor appeared no older than the young hunter he had evaded not too long ago. Try as he might, the child’s grasp was stronger than he was.
“Doggie!” exclaimed an excited young voice. Courage realized that he was being treated more like a stuffed animal than a pet.
“No,” Courage protested, “Let me go!” He tried to squirm and wriggle out of the vice-like grip, but it was no use.
“Good doggie!” the child cooed. She gave Courage a very rough and strong stroke from his forehead to the back of his neck. The skin that moved with the stroking arm snapped back in place like a rubber band, but it was not to last.
“I love you doggie!” Once again, she gave another stroke seemingly unaware of her own strength. She couldn’t even tell that Courage was so uncomfortable.
“Sunshine!” a stern voice called out from behind the child. The child whirled around to face the sound of the voice, still constricting Courage with her deceptively strong arms. In his new field of view, a new figure approached. Her figure was tall and lithe, but imposing. She had sharp creases in her clean dress and an elaborately done hair style. There was not a single wrinkle or mark of imperfection on her scowling face. Her deep hazel eyes were fixed unblinkingly on Courage. It was like a sinister angel come to torment Courage. He could not help but let out a nervous groan.
“I found a doggie, mommy!” the child proudly claimed as she presented Courage to her. The mother simply pushed Courage aside and turned her menacing gaze to the child. Courage felt slightly relieved, but still being held immobile was counteracting that small relief.
“You will not be bringing that thing home,” she asserted with a hint of disgust. Her tone was harsh and uncompromising. Not quite monotone like a machine, but lacking any real emotion of a living creature. Courage was starting to wonder what exactly was before him and whether he would survive.
“But mommy,” the child protested, her tone beginning to quaver, “I-”
“I said no, Sunshine.” She leaned in to drive the point home in the stubborn toddler. Her eyes narrowed further. Her body seemed to swell in size, making the child and Courage cower in a similar manner.
“But… but…” the child continued, tears welling in her eyes, “doggie!” The child’s high pitched piercing cry caused the mother to wince in pain. Courage’s dog hearing also heard the cry, but couldn’t reach his ears to cover them. He did, however, notice the mother’s reaction as she tried to massage the ringing out of her ears.
Thinking fast, Courage did the only thing he could think to do to escape: scream! With the deepest lung full of air he could get, he let loose a screeching cry matching the tone the child started to emit just moments ago. With the greatest volume he could manage, everyone in the immediate area winced and covered their ears. The child finally relented and released Courage.
Fleeing from danger once more, Courage glanced back to see the child being dragged by the ear wherever the mother pleased to take her. Thoughts of what wrath the mother would unleash left Courage’s mind as he passed several perplexed passersby, wary of any more dangerous children or demons in beautiful disguises. Perhaps he should have been looking forward.
Courage was suddenly brought to a stop by an unseen force. He felt as if he were being constricted from all possible directions. It did not help that he was not upside down and hoisted several feet off the ground. He realized he had been ensnared in a fine mesh net. He gasped in fear after he met the gaze of his newest captors.
Their eyes were hidden behind impenetrable dark shades, yet they penetrated Courage to his very core. The only differences between them were the color of their fur and how well-groomed their manes were presented. Aside from that, their uniformed look told Courage that they were working together.
“Another stray dog,” the taller one coldly remarked as he slung Courage over his shoulder. Courage stopped squirming and started shaking in fear as the shorter one lowered his shades to observe Courage directly. His eye had a trio of scars as if claws had found one of his more sensitive body parts. He scanned Courage like a jeweler appraising a fine diamond, his keen eyesight missing no detail.
“Are animals like this really worth that much?” asked the shorter one as he replaced his shades.
“They’re worth whatever they pay me to catch ’em,” replied his associate in a gruff voice. Courage began to nervously wonder who ‘they’ was. Probably a greater and more sinister evil than Courage could fathom. “Besides,” he continued, “they don’t need to be running around in the streets.” His tone was completely indifferent to Courage’s fear.
Like a rag doll, Courage was thrown into a small cage. He was ejected from the netting and landed roughly on the flat metal base forming the floor. His face rested against the cold steel bars as he struggled to regain his bearings. As he did, another figure came into focus.
“Hello there, friend,” spoke a weary-sounding voice. The face from which the voice came was clearly very old, evidenced by his one eye turned milky white. His brown fur was yielding to gray and white patches. The way he smiled at Courage showed he didn’t have a tooth in his head. Startled by this unfamiliar figure, Courage could not help but yelp and retreat to the far corner of the cage. To his dismay, the opening had already been closed.
“Do not be alarmed, little one,” the frail old creature said as he beckoned Courage to approach, “we walk the same path, you and I.”
Something about his demeanor, his choice of words, something calmed Courage’s panic. Perhaps it was his old but smooth voice that told Courage that this slender being was benign. Courage himself was shaking out of fear, but his cellmate was shaking from his body’s sheer age. Courage picked up the strong scent of a dog from his neighbor, but not much else.
“My name is Barnabas,” the old dog said, hoping to ease Courage’s tension, “What is yours?”
Courage debated whether he should respond. After all, strangers who knew Courage’s name were rarely friendly. “C- Courage,” he nervously replied, unsure of what would happen next.
“Ah, Courage,” Barnabas said, treating the name with grace, “such a poetic name. For one must have courage in abundance here in Equestria.”
“Equestria?” asked Courage. He had been to many strange places beyond the small farm house in the middle of Nowhere, but Equestria was not one of them.
“Yes, Equestria,” Barnabas explained, “within this land resides a place for animals like us. Have you heard the stories?” Courage shook his head. He had been in Equestria for less than two hours. He would have had no time to get situated in this land foreign to him, let alone time to learn about it.
“Well-” Barnabas began before the cage lurched forward. Both were taken aback by the sudden movement, but the ride soon became gentle rocking punctuated by small bumps. It was just like riding in Eustace’s old truck.
“We are on our way to paradise,” Barnabas explained as he regained his footing, “in Her gardens, She will care for us.”
“Her?” Courage asked, confused by the use of pronouns instead of names, “She??” Without a clear name, Courage started to fret again. It was that which Courage could not even name which brought him the most fear.
“Do not worry, friend,” the old dog reassured, “Fluttershy is not one to be feared.”
“No?” Courage asked, still skeptical of his friend’s claim. Still, there was something about that name that almost instantly calmed Courage down. He had certainly never heard the name ‘Fluttershy’ before, but after hearing it, calming thoughts inundated his mind, quelling his fear of the unknown.
“She is an angel,” Barnabas said, his passion never wavering, “She descended from the heavens, discovered all the animals on this humble earth and brought paradise to us.” Courage found himself riveted by this tale, smiling for the first time in true happiness since he arrived. “Animals of all kinds gather in Her gardens, for all are welcome. To meet Her is to meet the embodiment of kindness. Her words are our words, for She speaks the tongues of all creatures.”
Courage was oddly fixated on these stories, hoping that they were true and that he and his new friend could share this dream together. As Barnabas went on and on about the stories about the angel Fluttershy, all of Courage’s worries seemed to melt away. The pair even lost track of just how long the cage ride had been.
Suddenly, the cage stopped. Both dogs were knocked to the floor and the cage door opened. The same pair of shades from earlier greeted them with stone cold stares. As if by magic, the small cage containing Courage and Barnabas rose and levitated down a bleak hallway.
An array of cages lined the walls, like that of a prison, only more dimly lit. Each cage contained varying numbers of different animals. Ducks, rabbits, raccoons, large birds, snakes, and everything between and beyond. Some snarled and snapped at anything that moved while others cowered away from the cage door.
With one fluid motion, Courage and Barnabas were tossed from the small cage into the larger pen. Before Courage could stand, the cage door slammed shut and the familiar sound of a door lock engaging reached his ears, dashing any hopes he had for an escape.
A pained groan grabbed Courage’s attention. It was coming from Barnabas, who lay prone, seemingly unable to move. Fearing for his friend’s safety, Courage rushed to Barnabas’ aid.
“Are you OK?” Courage asked, fearing the worst and unsure of what exactly to do.
“I am fine, Courage,” Barnabas replied as he rose under his own strength. Courage breathed a sigh of relief. “You mustn’t worry yourself so much, my friend,” he continued after noticing Courage’s frantic pacing in place, “I have faced worse trials than this before. Whatever happens, I shall guide you through to safety.” Courage was moved by this act of selflessness he felt compelled to reciprocate.
“And I will help you,” Courage declared with pride, “I’ll help you find Fluttershy’s paradise, or my name is Matilda. And it’s not.” In response, Courage received a weak embracing hug from his newfound friend, but it was stronger than any gesture made to him before today. Wherever they were headed next, Courage had both a guardian and a good friend.
***
With no clock and only one window, time was hard to track for Courage. The best he could do was count how many meals were served to him at regular intervals. It was dry and tasteless, but it satisfied his hunger. At times, he daydreamed that he was back home in a more familiar setting. He longed for the farm house he knew so well, having lived no other life.
“Courage,” whispered Barnabas, waking Courage from a sound sleep, “Courage,” he repeated, this time more urgently. Courage groggily opened his eyes to find out why his rest was disturbed. Barnabas had the widest toothless grin he had ever worn. He struggled to hold up one of his ears. Some sound had caught his attention.
“Do you hear that?” he asked as eagerly as his feeble voice could express. Courage held up his ears to gather the sounds of his environment. At first, only the cacophony of various animals could be heard. There was nothing new as far as Courage was concerned.
As he focused his efforts into filtering them out, one sound stood out above the others. Something with harmony cut through the chaos. It was soft, but it stirred curiosity in Courage, compelling him to venture forth and investigate. With great strain, Courage peered around the corner of his cage and spied the source of the sound.
In the distance stood a radiant yellow creature, her long flowing pink hair and tail trailed behind her. Voluminous as it was, she still looked like a meek and innocent being. What stood out most were her wings. They were folded so neatly at her side, giving her the likeness of a four-legged swan. After her conversation with the orderly, she turned and started walking down the hallway. Her soft sky-blue eyes caught a glimpse of Courage sticking his face through the cage bars.
“Courage?” asked Barnabas from the cushion in the back of the cage, “Is anyone out there?” He was very eager to hear Courage’s observation. After pulling his head back through the bars, Courage went to Barnabas to tell him the news directly.
“The Angel!” Courage exclaimed, excited by the very sight of her, “She’s coming!” he cheered, pointing to the exit. Barnabas had no words. He simply widened his grin further and quivered on the edge of crying out of sheer happiness. Courage was so excited to get another glimpse that he hurried back to the cage door of her before she walked past them. He would soon get so much more than that.
Before he could reach the cage door, he was met by a pair of eyes that invoked feelings Courage could not quite describe. He stopped in his tracks, but he was not frightened, not even one bit. In fact, he felt more at peace than ever before. Her gentle smile beckoned him closer. Before Courage could finish processing his new emotions, she spoke.
“Hello there,” she said, her words simultaneously overwhelming and so soft-spoken to be nearly inaudible. “I don’t think I’ve seen you before,” she continued. Courage shook his head, confirming that, no, the two have never met.
Courage picked up the scent of many different animals from this one before him, but no fear of her came over him. Courage liked the way she smelled, the way all different animals mixed together in harmony. Courage gave an affectionate lick through the bars as his seal of approval to this stranger.
“Well, how would you like to go to a good home with me?” The offer sounded almost too good to be true, but something told Courage that she was genuine.
“Yes, yes! YES!” the excited pooch cheered as he danced merrily at the prospect of finding a good place to live.
“OK then, wait right here,” she said, “I’ll make a few arrangements and come back to take you home.”
Courage could not help but let out a joyous cheer, even as she walked away. He had a very good feeling about her. There would be good things to come, Courage could just feel it in his gut. Unfortunately, he was interrupted by a sobering sight.
Barnabas collapsed to the floor, groaning almost as if in pain. Courage gasped, shocked that something terrible may have happened to his friend and rushed to his side.
“Barnabas,” Courage called out, “are you OK?”
“I saw Her,” he replied weakly, “and She was beautiful…” He turned to face Courage, opening his good eye just a sliver. “You will go on to see what I will not… I am happy for you dear friend…” The gentle smile on his face was genuine. He had closed his eyes as if to take his final rest. Courage could only stand dumbfounded, unsure how to process what was happening.
“OK little one,” Fluttershy called as she opened the cage door, “it’s time to go now.” She was eager to take Courage home with her. Even though Courage still wanted what she promised, something held him back, something to do with Barnabas.
“Are you OK in there?” Fluttershy asked, confused by Courage’s sudden change in behavior, “Don’t you want to go home?” Courage did not verbally respond. Instead, with gentle arms and a steady pace, he carried the frail Barnabas and presented him to Fluttershy.
“Oh my goodness!” Fluttershy softly exclaimed, her eyes widening in shock and surprise, “I didn’t even see him in there.”
Barnabas looked up, both eyes widening to see Fluttershy just a foot from his face. He was struck silent in awe, unable to believe that what his senses were telling him was true. The halo effect from an overhead light behind her head gave Barnabas the impression that he was face to face with an angel. The scents of a thousand different creatures of Equestria overwhelmed his sense of smell. From far and wide had these smells been gathered and she bore them all. Even in shock, her voice was soft and soothing, as if she was aware of his sensitive ears. Her eyes conveyed sympathy, seeing a weary old dog barely able to sit up under his own strength.
“Well, he certainly looks like he’s been through a lot,” Fluttershy said, formulating her own course of action. “OK, he can come as well.” It was like Courage had struck gold. He cheered, overjoyed that the best possible course of action was going to happen.
“You get one,” the orderly interjected.
“What?” Fluttershy asked, confused by what he meant. Courage stopped cheering, worried that his hopes would soon be dashed.
“You signed for one,” he explained, “you can take one home. The other stays here.”
Fluttershy meekly tried to push back, even begging to have an exception made, but the orderly was adamant. She had filled out paperwork and paid for a single animal to be adopted. The rest would stay until the next owner came to claim him.
Courage’s change to live a good life was in jeopardy. He would have to leave Barnabas behind if he chose to go. He couldn’t imagine parting ways with Barnabas; his friendship with him was just too precious. Courage looked around the small cage. Fluttershy was at an impasse with the orderly, Barnabas was too weak to continue on his own and Courage’s mind was racing, wondering what he should do given all that was unfolding around him. Weighing his options, Courage knew what he had to do.
Barking and baying to get Fluttershy’s attention, he babbled and gestured a message to Fluttershy as best he could.
Old dog
Long journey
Good friend
Take Barnabas
Happy old dog
Courage knelt and made a begging whine, hoping she could understand at least some of what he just conveyed. Courage had only rare success communicating with other creatures, but his hopes were still riding high.
“Are you sure I should take him?” Fluttershy asked. Courage nodded, reasserting his confidence in his answer. He had no intention of changing his mind.
“What about you?” Fluttershy asked, clearly worried about Courage’s safety. Courage simply shook his head. He was not concerned with himself when another being was clearly in need of what Fluttershy was offering.
“Courage,” Barnabas said weakly, “You would give up your place in paradise… for me?” His voice quavered on the edge of extreme emotion and utter disbelief.
“Go on, pal,” Courage said to Barnabas, “you deserve it.” Courage was sincere. After all, it was Barnabas who had traveled all the way from Griffonstone motivated by nothing more than a legend that so many others had dismissed as mere fantasy. For years, he had spread the word, urging all he met to seek out the enigmatic Angel of Animals. It was only right that he got to see for himself that what he had been preaching was real. Besides, to come so far and be denied that last step of his pilgrimage would be as cruel as one could be toward a stray dog.
With Courage’s help, Barnabas shakily walked toward the open door, now bathed in the light reflecting off Fluttershy’s radiant fur. Fluttershy cradled Barnabas in her arms as a mother would hold a newborn child. It was the first time in years he had rested his weary head on anything so soft. Using her front legs to carry Barnabas, Fluttershy kept herself aloft with her wings. They hardly made a sound as she kept both her majestic form and the aged dog off the ground.
“Let’s get you home. I’ll have you feeling better in no time,” Fluttershy cooed as she made for the exit. Barnabas could just barely be heard weeping with joy.
“Farewell, Courage!” Barnabas decreed with a volume uncharacteristic of a dog his age. “May all who come to pass know your name! Courage, the kindly dog! May the light of your actions shine across the land!”
Barnabas continued spouting praise long after he was out of earshot and the sounds of the other animals had drowned him out. Courage waved light heartedly feeling a great sense of pride and accomplishment, but also a sense of humbleness as he watched such a reward be granted to one who truly deserved it. He had nothing but good wishes for his friend, whatever his future would be.
The orderly slammed the cage door shut, knocking Courage back into the dark cage and onto the unforgiving floor. The feeling of isolation had never been heavier on Courage’s shoulders. Looking around, he weighed the good he had done against the price he paid for it and started to wonder if he really made the right choice. He breathed a sigh of weary resignation and took his place on the cushion at the back of the cage. He had made his choice and now he would have to live with it.
***
So many days had passed that Courage had lost interest in keeping track of time. The noises of the kennel had become background noise to him. Eventually, it was the only way he could fall asleep. Courage only awoke out of hunger any more, too empathetic to look anywhere but the confines of his cage. Only one noise could properly rouse him from his slumber and he finally heard it once more.
In an instant, he was up and alert. The harmonious voice of Fluttershy had reached his ears just as he had forgotten how it sounded. He looked around, but all he could see was the same dull gray cage walls as always. As the sound grew, he grew more excited and anxious to see her face again.
“Fluttershy?” he called out “Where are you?” He knew she was speaking; he could make out her individual words and knew it was her voice speaking them. What worried him was a voice that accompanied her. It was similar, but unfamiliar.
“The staff is very friendly here,” the unfamiliar voice said, “If Courage is still here, I’m sure he is doing well.” Courage immediately began to worry. Whatever this unseen entity was, it knew him by name. In Courage’s experiences, that was almost always bad for him.
“I sure hope so,” Fluttershy said in response. She was audibly worried.
“Fluttershy!” Courage called out before letting out a distressed howl to get her attention.
“Hang on Courage!” Fluttershy called out, “We’re coming!”
Two sets of hooves picked up their pace and galloped towards Courage’s cage. He knew Fluttershy was coming, but was she accompanied by a friend or a threat? For better or worse, Courage would soon find out...