//------------------------------//
// Loop 82 
// Story: The Time Thief 
// by Reading4HalfMyLife 
//------------------------------//

Everything happened so quickly, it was hard to fully process. 

But Fluttershy knew something was up.

For the past few days, some of her animals had been missing. This, in itself, wasn't actually too weird. Her animals were noticeably skittish and so would hide from ponies if they got too close. The fact that they were all prey supported this.

So, at sundown, she sat on one of the highest hills and sung one of her songs. As usual, her animals gathered around her, ready as ever to listen to her-

Wait.

She paused, frowned, staring around at the small gathering around her hooves. Small was right. She did a quick headcount and realized there were only ten animals surrounding her.

There was twenty missing.

She scanned her surroundings, but didn't see any other animals.

Cautiously, she rose to her hooves and started down the path to the main field, as she craned her neck to see any of her small friends. Nothing. Nobody.

Then she saw it; a small brown tail sticking just barely out of the bush.

Smiling, she walked towards him, only to start to slow down halfway. Something was wrong. Her feathers began to fluff up in agitation and worry.

Maybe I can get Brae back in here? She shook the thought away. Braeburn was out in town with his friends, and she knew how little free time he got between the sanctuary and the farm. 

Pulling him away because of a feeling was just mean.

At least, that's what she thought until she stepped through the bushes, and stopped dead in her tracks.

There is a little known fact about Pegasi; when threatened or scared, their wings will shoot straight up and they will fluff up. It is, not just an effort to make themselves appear bigger, but also to try and stop themselves from going cold with shock. Fluttershy had never been the fluffiest Pegasus, but now she looked like a ball of fluff with wings.

Laying there, in a mound, were her friends.

Twenty small creatures, squirrels, rabbits, birds,hedgehogs-

All with their necks brutally snapped and dumped on the ground behind a bush

She felt tears well up as she stumbled back, into her predator friends. She turned to them, nausea rising "did you do this?" She whispered, and they gave her an affronted look.

No, they were right. This- this was done by a pony. Animals can't snap necks.

Oh Gods, Butterscotch would be coming home from school in two hours, what was she going to do? Should she report this? If so, to whom? The royal guard would not be interested in a couple of dead prey.

Twilight.

Twilight would help her.

She turned, and started running- only to crash into someone else.

Fluttershy hit the ground, and, after instinctively apologizing, glanced up. She relaxed upon seeing who was staring down at her and stood up.

"Oh, Astral Plane" she said, before frowning "shouldn't you be in school?"

Then her feathers started to bristle.

Astral's face was blank. Completely blank, save for her eyes- completely restricted, her pupils like pinpricks. She said nothing, just tilted her head slightly as a look of contemplation crossed her face.

Fluttershy took a step back, at the exact same time as one of the bears stared growling. Astral blinked up at him, before . . twitching. 

At least, that's what it looked like, until his head dropped to the ground at Fluttershy's hooves. She bit back a scream as she stumbled back, falling on her side in her haste to get away.

Astral blinked down at her, before her horn glowed and she summoned-

A blade.

Fluttershy curled up into a ball as she saw it swung down.