//------------------------------//
// A Wilting Rose 
// Story: The Dark Of The Night 
// by Nobodyslament 
//------------------------------//

I awoke to a whispering voice. This was not my ideal awakening position, and I reacted in a way befitting my wide social graces and years of skilled cons. "WHO THE FUCK!?" The voice instantly ceased as I scrambled in my hammock, spilling myself from the fur pelts and dropping to the floor with a thump. I looked around with squinted eyes, trying to find the source of the voices. I found the clearing I had chosen to be clear of everything, with the exception of a patch of dead grass near my feet. I kicked at it for a moment before shrugging. "Damn nightmares, this forest is getting to me I guess." I stood easily, looking to the sky for a rough estimate of time. The sun had already begun to set, with the soft orange and pink of the sky warning me that night was fast approaching. I nodded my head and began untying the rope hanging my bag down. With the soft snap of tightening rope my bag descended, thumping onto the ground with a small cloud of dust rising to mark its impact.

I shuffled over to it and opened it with a flick of my wrist. I was flushed with food and drink, my waterskins at capacity and my food pouches overflowing with various safe to eat goodies. Really the only thing I could claim was work today was if I went out hunting, and I wasn't feeling like that. Which meant the only thing I had to do was check my snares and call it a night. I grumbled as I walked off. "Time like water, everywhere. Yet not a thing to do."

I moved my awakening body through some stretches. My clothes were now barely better than rags, with the exception of my leather jacket, which was still in remarkably good condition. My jeans, however, were another story. They had been torn and scratched so much over the last couple of months that I had been forced to cut them short. Thorny brambles were now public enemy number one. Booty shorts aside I was glad that my jacket had managed to survive in good shape, and I happily snuggled under it as sunset ended, and I managed to stay warm until darkness fell. I blinked my eyes a few times, before grinning. My eyes adjusted quickly, and within a few minutes, I could see clearly. I wasn't sure if my newfound night vision was an enhancement of my powers or simply my body slowly adjusting to my new lifestyle, but it was something I greatly enjoyed.

I took the time to enjoy my newly darkened abode for a moment until an unfamiliar sound echoed through the woods. A scream, shrill and terrified echoed from the trees. I paused at the sound. I was well-educated in the classical university of Friday the thirteenth, with an accompanying major from its sister institution of Nightmare on Elm Street. So I knew rule one was to carefully note the direction and then head the other way. Which I would have done, if not for one little thing. "DAMNIT, THAT"S ROSELUCK!" I tore off towards the sound, not bothering to grab a light source as I ran through the woods.


***


The scream was continuous and only stopped a few times, before resuming louder and more broken. Some small part of my mind thought it almost sounded like a creature mimicking a voice to try and get my attention, but I dismissed it. I had exactly one creature remotely close to a friend in this world, and if there was a hint she was in danger I wasn't going to stop because of simple fear. Plus the breaks and sobs that punctuated it sounded far to emotive for a simple beast. I jumped a low log as I approached the center of the din, and stared at what I saw.

A manticore, this time not trussed up by my ingenious snares, was pawing into a toppled tree. I could tell the tree was the source of the screams, but fighting a giant beast was not really in my skillset for a one-on-one deathmatch. I clicked my teeth together with a grimace as my mind raced. There was no con I could pull here, no clever words or silver tongue that could pull the wool over the beast's eyes. With that thought, I smiled. My powers had worked on a campfire, who says that wouldn't work on hell's own little pet over there. I looked to a nearby tree and scrambled up it quickly. The screams covered the sound nicely, allowing me the scant few seconds I needed to form a little ball of shadows. I didn't pause as I noticed it seemed slightly more translucent, instead choosing to stand tall on a branch. With the devil's own grin, I let out a whistle. "Hey ugly, would you like to dance with a more willing partner?"

As the manticore's head turned to me I shoved the orb towards it. As it made its graceful arc toward the monster I drew my knife, letting the shaded steel poke from my closed fist. My smile widened as the orb gently went over the beast's face, and held true. I was hardly an expert fighter, one could say besides a few barroom brawls and one unfortunate encounter with a cop I was inexperienced. But against a blinded and confused beast? I liked my odds. And then the stinger darted towards me.

I let my body do the thinking, jumping forward over the small clearing and over the creatures back. A wild, primal part of my mind took command, positioning the knife like a lance as I dove down. It went into the beasts back like a lance, sliding between smooth fur and skin as easily as it would through butter. The beast let out a scream of pain and rage as it began flailing, tail lashing out in every direction. I caught a flash of red as it's paw soared over my head, prompting me to lay supine. I heard a faint snap as it's bat-like wings unwound, and I gulped. With a powerful beat, I was suddenly higher than the branch I had rested on only moments ago. My monkey brain caught up to the current events, and the instincts of my Irish blood kicked in. With a snarl I wrenched the knife free, stabbing down again farther along the beast's body. The wind began whipping as the creature tried to reach me with paws ill-suited to the task. I felt a something sharp poke at me, but it was gone before it could exert any force. I pulled myself up the creature's mane and forced the knife free again.

There was a roar that dripped with rage and hunger, but my knife-arm was already snaking down. With a thrust, I shoved the blade as deep as I could. The beast may have been magical and may have been powerful, but there were some laws of nature that could not be ignored by even the most powerful of threats. Like the need to breathe. My knife skated through the neck of the beast, eliciting something that started as a roar and quickly faded into a sad whimper. As its lifeblood sank to the earth, so to did we. It put forth the energy to land softly, curling into a ball.

I looked down at it as it made pained mewls and softly pawed at the ground. The screams had faded as our fight began, and I knelt beside the proud creature, trying to pet its mane as it slowly died. "Calm creature, this too shall pass." It turned its head to me, eyes betraying emotions I had known in similar power only once. Pain, fear, and acceptance, mixing together in a cocktail stirred by death himself. I slowly stroked the mane, my hand tracing down through its fur. Gentle pets like you would give to an injured dog. "Rest your eyes, creature of my home. Let yourself sleep once more. Sleep my child, perchance to dream. Like all things, your time has finally ended, and my night shall watch as your spirit finds its home."

The beasts head fell limply to the ground as it closed its eyes, and I stood slowly. I sheathed my knife, before looking to my hands. They were stained red with blood, and it pooled and dripped with an alien speed. Almost like oil mixed with peanut butter. I watched for a moment before a pained groan sounded from behind me, prompting me to remember why I had been forced to put the beastie down in the first place. I scrambled to the hollow tree, peeking inside. Roseluck was there, a gash on her leg bleeding slightly as she peered from her hiding spot. I smiled at her. "Hello there friend, do you perhaps require assistance?"

She nodded once, and I reached out with my hand. Her hoof met it easily, and I pulled her out easily. I took note of her injuries, and though they were hardly debilitating until I could get her treated I doubted walking on it would be comfortable. I took the easier option, hoisting her over my shoulders. "Did you perchance bring medical supplies with you?"

There was an affirmative grunt, which I nodded at as I returned to my campsite. "Good, then I shall let you down at my camp and start a fire. Once we have proper light I shall treat your wounds to the best of my ability before guiding you to safety myself." I smiled as I began walking as smoothly as possible. "Who knows, I may feel generous and give you a large satchel of herbs for your trouble tonight."

Roseluck was silent as I walked back to camp, and let out only a pained grunt as I sat her down. I moved to my thankfully still full bag before trying to start a conversation. "Is the pain bad enough to silence you? If you require a safe place for the day I could host you during my resting hours?"

I heard a shuffle of movement from behind me before Roseluck spoke up, but was more focused as I produced my small flint and steel from my bag. Roseluck cleared her throat a few times. "No lady, just... your eyes."

I began assembling some light wood, making the start of my campfire like a teepee. "My eyes? What is so odd about them? I believe I would have noticed if I lost one in the dark."

There was a pained giggle from behind me as I began sending showers of hopeful sparks into the kindling. After a few tries, the wood caught and flashed me with blinding light as the fire roared beneath me. I reached into a pocket as I blinked away the light. A small sliver of my fire fruit between my fingers, I tossed it into the fire, letting it power the flames and allowing me to put some logs on immediately. Roseluck spoke as I turned. "It's... they... they glowed in the dark." I quirked my head as I approached, and her words became rushed. "When I saw you on the manticore, your eyes were glowing in soft blue, and when you talked to it the woods went quiet as if they were straining to listen."

I wanted to think over the statement, but now wasn't the time to sort out mysteries of the universe. I had a hurt friend in front of me who had an unopened medical kit on her person. I pulled her hoof slightly to examine the wound. "Indeed, I apologize for that. A side-effect of night-vision, and if the spirit of these woods deigns to listen as I speak to his dying ward I am in no position to argue. I am in his home after all, as much as he is in mine." I looked over the gash in her hoof. Soft flesh was split and bloodied but seemed to be in a mostly healthy state. There was a happy lack of obvious infection or dirt, and it could easily be cleaned. I gestured towards her pack. "Which pocket holds your medicinal supplies?"

She looked between me and the bag before nodding. "Uh, the small pocket on the front has a small healing potion. I'm not sure what it will do for something this big but..."

I sighed, lowering my head. I should have expected this really. If I wasn't here the poor girl would probably be dead. No need to carry a huge kit if anything bigger than a small wound was a death sentence. "That won't due, give me a moment." I moved to my pack, taking a moment as my hand rested over my own medkit. Nothing here was replaceable. Every item was a completely unique thing as far as I knew. I shook off the thoughts as I grasped the handle. I wasn't a good person, but I wasn't some evil, greedy bastard. I moved back to Roseluck and began opening the kit. "I fear none of this will be as instant as a magic potion, but it should keep your wound in good condition until we get you back to your own home." I pulled out a bottle of good old iodine. Technically whatever fancy mixture of it and alcohol that was used to disinfect wounds, as my passing knowledge of chemicals thought that raw iodine was bad. Either way, I took a small wet towelette and looked at Roseluck. "Sad to say this isn't painless, so brace yourself."


***


I hoisted a properly bandaged Roseluck onto my shoulders again, grunting under the weight but keeping her steady as I began walking. "So, I know I guided you to town last time, but I believe I'll need better directions to deliver you to your home."

Roselck began to stammer beside my ear. "M-my home? W-why would you go there?"

I climbed over a low root, unfortunately jostling the injured leg which caused Roseluck to let out a grunt of pain. I tapped her neck twice as I continued walking. "Sorry about that. And the reasoning is simple. You're messed up, and tossing you on the town outskirts would not be the proper way to treat a friend." I lowered myself under a low branch as a path revealed itself before me. I began following it with much more even steps. "Besides, you need a safe place to rest, and even the outskirts of these woods should be respected. If one assumed the night was safe because dawn was quickly rising I would be offended."

I smiled as I threw in another seemingly helpful tidbit that furthered my own lies. Roseluck was quiet for a moment before nodding her head. "Well, there's someplace a bit better for that if your willing to take me somewhere else."

I looked over the path, debating my options. It might be more trouble than it was worth to take her somewhere far and away from my little home in the forest, but if it really could help her than I should place that as a higher priority. "How far out is it? I admit to being mostly ignorant of the surrounding area, so you would have to guide me fairly often through the streets of your little town."

Roseluck seemed to perk up a bit at that. "Well, that's the best part! I know a mare who's great at treating injuries, and she lives near the forest, so it would even be closer than my house or the hospital."

I raised my eyebrows at that as I continued on the path, pausing at a tribal looking fetish strapped to a tree. It seemed to hold my attention for a moment, the strange etchings and marks of paint swirling in place and moving about in impossible waves. The most striking part was how... angular they were. Not the sheer number of points, but a subtle wrongness about them. Like some form of shift had occurred while drawing them, and somehow the semi-familiar geometry now reached some number of degrees much higher than the proven 360.

I only realized how zoned out I was when a hoof prodded my face, bringing me back to the land of the living. "Uhm, lady? Are you ok?"

I broke eye contact with the fetish, looking back to the path as I began to walk. "Yes, I'm sorry. It appears using so much power has somewhat disoriented me." Bald-faced lies, I was more than likely going to have a breakdown later about the stupidity of that fight later, but a wounded friend does wonders for putting off mental issues. "Keep me focused if I fade like that again." She made an affirmative grunt as our conversation faded, her having taken my lie as a reason to try and let me focus. But my mind kept going back to the fetish, and how it had so entranced me. I felt a chill on my spine as I thought of it. If it could do that to me, it might be time to start asking some pointed questions. Specifically about witches and if any live here.


***


I nearly reached a full stop as I caught sight of the little cottage. It looked like an antique from the time of fairy-tales, a hobbit-hole or fairy home given physical form. I watched it for a moment as several of the tamer nighttime animals moved around it, seemingly playing or wandering like house pets. I jostled my shoulder slightly, prodding Rosey in the chest. "Hey, this the place?"

A heard a muted yawn, which might have answered why the conversation actually died off. I smiled as tired lip smacks came from behind me before an embarrassed gasp sounded off. "I'm so sorry my lady, I just-"

I jabbed her chest again. "Calm you, you have been hurt, and rest is good for you. But I do need to know if this is the home of the mare you mentioned earlier."

She nodded enough to unbalance me, but I managed to stay on two feet by walking forward. We reached the door before she spoke again. "Put me down, she's a bit flighty about new ponies."

I smiled as I acquiesced, placing her gently on the porch. "Of course, and the fact the new pony isn't a pony might not help either."

Roseluck tossed her mane, looking over me. "You know what I mean lady." She rose her hoof to the wooden door and knocked a few times. I looked around, noting that each of the creatures was watching us with interest as I waited. I decided I didn't like that. I waved my hand, blocking us from their vision with a sheet of darkness. Roseluck opened her mouth at the privacy screen I had implemented before a solid thunk garnered our attention.  I turned to the door as saw a sliver of pink hair before the door shuttered, leaving it slightly ajar. I looked between it and Roseluck before she sighed. "I was going to say that you may scare her with that." She turned to the door, clearing her throat loudly before addressing it. "Fluttershy? Dear, I'm afraid I need some help."

I stared at the door as it murmured back, and a growl began bubbling in my throat. My friend was sitting here bleeding while the pony she trusted to heal her was hiding behind a door. There were many ways I could be patient. A con that needed weeks of setup was fine, waiting for a prime blackmail opportunity was great. Waiting while someone was actively bleeding in front of me, however, was stupid. I shoved my foot between the doorframe and the door, jimmying it open with a snarl. "We have no time for fear pony! She is injured and has stated you know medicine. Heal her!"

The cottage went silent, both ponies frozen as I stared into the well-lit room. A yellow pegasus sat in front of me, her pink hair covering a lone eye as she stared at me in fear. I didn't let her breath before moving back, moving Roseluck into the house. "She has been attacked by a manticore. While I treated her to the best of my ability she requires more aid then I can provide, you have the skill. Heal. Her." I wasn't exactly sure if this was the right way to handle this, but I wasn't going to let anything I liked suffer because someone was scared to do the right thing. If I made myself scarier in those efforts, then all the better. I had a reputation after all.

The pegasus looked to Roseluck and froze as her eyes fell to the bandages on her rear hoof. She moved forward, seeming to forget my presence as she inspected the red-stained wrapping. "Oh dear, that's not good. Was it the stinger Roseluck, or the paw?"

Roseluck shook her head, apparently trying to get over my outburst as well as being moved. "Just it's claws. Lady night managed to get me away before anything more serious happened."

Fluttershy nodded as her wings enveloped the wound, slowly unwrapping it. "That's good. The poison in their barb is very potent and could cause complications. I can get my room ready for a guest and let you stay the night. I'll alert the hospital in the morning and we'll get you ready to run your shop tomorrow."

I awkwardly stood there as Fluttershy finished unwrapping the bandage. "Oh my, that isn't a very pretty scratch." She looked around before her eyes fell to me. She shrank a little bit, but her voice stayed mostly strong. "Uhm, miss? Could you go to that door over there and get my big red medical kit?"

I nodded with an easy smile. "With all haste." I turned to the door she pointed at and nearly ran to it, pulling it open with as much speed as I could muster. A large red box sat on the wall which I grabbed and hauled back to Fluttershy. It was heavy and seemed to clink and clack as I walked through the house, delivering her the box. I tapped my fingers on my thigh as I watched Fluttershy work. "Er, I used some chemicals to disinfect the cut. They shouldn't cause any complications, but be careful." Fluttershy gave an affirmative grunt as she pulled out a roll of bandages. I tapped my palm. "And I couldn't give any field stitches since I didn't think I could do it right, so she might need that."

There was a hum of agreement before Roseluck clicked her teeth. "Lady Night, I thank you for being worried about me, but Fluttershy knows how to treat injuries well enough. Telling her every little thing is likely to slow her down."

I nodded a few times, resuming my idle taps against my thigh. "Right, right. Er, I've never had a friend get hurt or anything... Um, I'm just gonna..." I stomped my foot. "I know!" I slung my bag from my back, grabbing a few of the small bags Roseluck had gifted me. Both filled to the brim as I placed them on the table."Er, those are some of the herbs I normally see you gather, so they should be fairly safe. I know it's a bit more than normal, but you may want to stay out of the woods for a bit, so it seems best to get it all out of the way now."

Roseluck nodded. "That's sweet of you, really." A silence fell as Fluttershy began rebandaging the wounds, making much nicer and tighter bindings than my rudimentary skills could ever hope to match. I stared as Fluttershy nodded to Roseluck before smiling. "Okay, I'll get the bedroom ready and we'll get you straight to bed. I'll head to the hospital tomorrow morning and make sure they know you're coming. It should be healed enough to walk on tomorrow." I raised an eyebrow at that, but the magic medical pony would probably know more than I did. Then Fluttershy turned to me, and her confidence collapsed on itself. "A-and, thank you. U-uhm, getting h-hurt like this in Everfree is normally r-really bad."

I allowed my stress to slowly fade. I raised a hand to my chest and bowed, keeping my head low as I spoke. "I thank you for your help, Ms. Fluttershy. While I have no coin to offer recompense if you ever find yourself in need then seek me out. The night itself is indebted to you." 

Fluttershy nodded a few times as Roseluck looked to me. She gave a smile as the frightened pony ran off, leaving us alone in the first true building I had found since my arrival. We looked between each other for a moment before Roseluck opened her mouth. "Thank you, lady, truly. I doubt I would have gotten away without your help."

I paused, before nodding once. I had earned some friends on the other side, so netting them some fame would be good right? Besides, she deserved to call me something other than lady. "Call me Neberius, or maybe just Nebby. I care not, but 'tis the title a friend may call me."

Roseluck smiled. "Well then Nebby, thank you. I'll see you later?"

I smiled back. "But of course, until next we meet." I turned out of the cottage, and let out a breath that seemed to ease my tensed muscles. I turned to the woods and began walking, I felt the need to work tonight, and the first step was moving my camp. I think being closer to the edge might be safer.