I cough, spitting out metallic tasting blood and slick mud as I weakly grip the sword I won today at the fair. I was trying to stand, but my legs buckle again as I plant my sword into the ground, going over and over again how I am where I ended up.
"Red come on, keep up! I want to get to the sword skill booth the guards set up! I heard this year they are going to give away a sword to the best demonstration, and I know you’re gonna win it!"
I chuckled at Rainbow’s enthusiasm, taking note of her usual outfit of a tank top and shorts as I raced after her to the booth to sign up for the contest of skill. I was suprised to only see a few names already down and I chuckle, signing Rainbow’s name next to mine before tapping her arm.
"Hey, Dash, do you still have your dress uniform on handy? The one Rairty made you? I signed you up with me. I mean, you’re getting better with your sword skill and what better way than a demonstration fight to show it," I chuckle, remembering her reaction before coughing again as I remembered how I got hurt.
"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh! I can't believe we won! Where have you been hiding that spinning slash? I never saw it till today!"
I smiled at her glad that she agreed to take part in the demonstration fight and even more so for the fact she had changed into her wonderbolt dress uniform for it just to make it a official demonstration of different fighting styles a smirked at her before answering her in a cocky tone.
"Oh Dashie, a good master never shows his student all of his moves right away. You almost beat me back there, showing you are ready for the more serious moves."
I remember laughing at her reaction. The next thing I know, I’m in a small ditch bleeding as I watch a large timberwolf round a corner. I take note of the burn marks on its claws and muzzle.
I grunt in pain, my vision blurred I shake my head holding my wings to my side to try and stem the flow of blood. I try to focus as a voice calmly speaks to me, and shadowy silhouette walks toward me felling I know the voice but how.
"Poor, poor little boy, trying to be the hero and failing once again."
I try to ignore the creature and move on, using my sword as a makeshift crutch. I crawl toward a nearby building. It's a mock, but no more, I think to myself
"First, your best friend lost his life because you both thought you could take on a timber wolf alone instead of getting help, and now your sister is going to die because you both tried to fight the same wolf instead of telling her to run."
I grunt and start to get angry, the words starting to get to me but I keep on slowly dragging myself forwards reaching the wall and trailing blood behind me I ignore him.
"Will you ever learn," The strange shadowy creature says in a sneering, mocking tone.
Walking around the young colt barely eighteen years old as his blue and green mane plasterd with sweat and specks of blood cling to his scared left eye his wings folded against him trying to slow the bleeding with his feathers.
I cough weakly trying to breathe, my blood pooling around my knees from the claw marks in my right side as I give a glare at the bloody apperiation of my best friend. His blood pooling from his torn out throat his left hand broken thats haunted me since i was a young colt since that day in the forest where i should have died the day I ran.
I push myself upwards leaning on a the wall looking around me i speak weakly to my long dead friend.
" What do you want Umbra? Why do you always bring up the past i was there i rember like it was yesterday i see it everytime i sleep and i always carry a reminder on my face and body the scares i have so i never forget! So i ask again why are you hear?."
Umbra smirks as he speaks again walking around me and jabbing his bloody broken hand into my side and out my chest witout drawing a speck of blood as I struggle to breath.
"Why Redsopine i am here to ask you a simple question what would you give to save the one you love? Would you give your life your for her? Or are you going to run away bleeding as that demon timberwolf takes her life like mine and flee like a coward?."
what do you want me to say that im sorry for getting you killed that im sorry for running off after we had a stupid fight and you came after me into the forest after you heard my scream to say im sorry for leaving you behind to die as i ran!.
Before umbra can answer a scream of pain is heard nearby along with a chilling even louder howl of delight.
I shake my head to clear my vision as I look about before seeing Rainbow slam through a wooden stall and into a wall of the opposite building across the street from me a large cut across her left arm and leg her wings bent at unnatural angle's.
Cradling her wounded arm she starts to gather wood and tears a couple strips off her dress shirt and ties them tightly on her wounds trying to slow the bleeding from her leg and arm before using the wood as a crutch to stand up again before stumbling and leaning on the wall.
My my my this seems so familiar doesn't it all we need is that wolf to show up and and drag her off as you run away again and it will be complete
I hear Umbra say his tone going from mocking and goading to anger as he looks me dead in the eyes his dark blue irises drawing me into them like a deep lake as my surroundings change.
I blink before I start shaking in fear as I am taken back to that day the stench of the timberwolf breath in my nose mixing with blood and the pain I felt as he clawed my eye and chest sending me flying into a tree then I hear the yelling again the same words.
"Hey ugly over hear leave him alone!"
There standing with a broken arm bleeding from his leg holding a burning touch from our campfire outside the woods was a young colt no older then nine years old his pitch black coat and grey mane matted with sweat and blood heavily leaning on a tree he moves forward waving the branch threating the wolf who swipes at him nocking and the branch next to me.
I look his dark blue eyes as they dart to the branch and back at the wolf its focus on him and I know his plan burn the wolf and we both escape I stand and lean on the tree looking at the branch i try to steel my nerves to grab it shaking i let go of the tree ready to grab the branch just as the wolf pounces the smell of blood and a short scream follwed by a gurgle and the sound of tearing flesh is heard from umbra just thee words the last words he said to me repeat in my head as I turn and run crying to myself as i did so.
"Red help me!"
"I couldan't do it im so sorry Umbra."
"awww are you gonna cry again coward I know what you was thinking I know you went back to that day and lookie here it seems it's playing out again will you run again or will you man up and fight"
i grip the sword harder looking at Rainbow the same mare that befriended me when i was found by a passing schoolgroup 8 years ago to this day the first to run upto me to see if i was ok as i stumbled out bleeding and exsausted.
"Whats this you finaly growing a backbone huh never thought you would well you better act fast becuase the wolfs back and he looks hungry"
Umbra says as he fades from view smiling to himself as a loud THUMP THUMP THUMP is heard as the large timberwolf twice the size of a normal wolf walks around the corner towards a still limping barley awake rainbow dash i steel my nearves ready to act.
"You asked me what i would give to save her well i finally know the answer old friend. I wont lose another friend to this beast no one will"
"I dont belive you. You will have to prove it."
Comes umbras small replay as i spread my wings my blood running down my side faster and heavily as i charge at the wolf flapping my wings for speed yelling out to grab its attention going airborn.
"HEY UGLY REMEBER ME!"
I twist in midair as i swing the sword at its head.