//------------------------------// // Part: 2 - Upon The Ears, A Crow Calls // Story: The Hanging Tree // by Chapter 13 //------------------------------// "A word to the wise: beasts of a cursed nature should always be met with fear, not confidence. Pride can be a flimsy shield. A curse upon a beast is an unholy promise of power, fed upon by rage and anguish. Compared to that, pride cannot be a blessing. It is, in fact, a curse…" – Heartstrong, the beast hunter, 341 PLR. ~ ~ ~ "... and that was when I had enough. I may be generous, but trying to fit every single minute detail this particularly…difficult customer had brought me to the end of my rope!" There was a pause, followed soon after by a nod of light pink hair. "I know there is beauty in complicated designs, but there has to be a limit! Less is more, but more or less the sheer scale of the thing cannot, and should not, cancel out the beauty of the attire as a whole!" Once again, another nod, followed by the further rant from an exhausted fashionista. This was a pattern, repeated almost religiously amongst a particular pair of friends. While one held the conversation, taking it where she wished, the other would merely nod and and politely react when appropriate. It was an unspoken truth amongst the two that mirrored their personalities perfectly. "So, Fluttershy?" Pink hair bounced up in attention. "I was wondering, and I don't mean to alarm you in any ways, but I must ask your thoughts on the recent, well…" An ivory white hoof danced in slow circles at the pony it was attached too searched for proper words. "The poor ponies they found in the Everfree.." Came the meek reply. "Ah, yes, what is left of the poor dears." There was a pause. "I mean, I've been wanting to bring it up, but I could never find a good time or way to do so. With you living so close by, me… well, all of us have been worried about you, especially with your, well, incident all those years ago." These words rang hard on the pony they were said to. It had been over four years since the incident. Enough time to heal, but not enough time to forget. In truth, she probably wouldn't have been able to heal at all if it wasn't for timing. While she had been confined to her house for many weeks after the fact, Fluttershy had only been coaxed out by the town's mayor conscripting her talents for the Summer Sun Celebration. After that, her world had been such a blur of new and terrifying, yet exciting, adventures to the five ponies she considered family above friends. Such the experience had built the frail, shy mare into a pony who could deal with what happened. And, now, it seemed to be happening again. "I'm doing fine, Rarity. It's scary and all, but the guards now patrol the area regularly, and Twilight told me that they would make sure that nothing happens to me… and Applejack told me she was only a... holler away." A tense, uneasy smile relaxed. "I'm glad to hear that, dear," the purple maned fashionista replied. "Twilight had told me such, but I wanted to make sure for myself." She snickered. "Look at me, treating you like a child. I should have not assumed so much." She sighed. "It feel like yesterday when you were afraid of your own shadow—I sometimes get lost and forget how much you have grown." A smile was shared between the two. A smile that held an understanding. "Well, on that dower note," a chair squeaked. "I must be heading back to the shop. Despite my complaints, the ensemble must be finished, and I am the unfortunate mare to do so." Another chair squeaked, and two friends wished their quiet goodbye with a hug. The venue the two had chosen for this week faded into the background as both made their way to their own destination. --- It was a quiet walk home, something the cream colored pony enjoyed. In truth, it might have been what she needed. Despite her reassurance to her friend, her mind was not as at ease as she led on. It was not feer that filled her, but something else -- something the mare could not put her hoof on. And that was why she needed the quiet. Sorting through the emotions she felt was tough, but for an unexpected reason. Something was wrong. The thought of poor ponies being found in such a state terrified her, but she also felt something else. Something foreign. It was as if she had somepony over her shoulder whispering words into her ear. Words that told her not to weep for the dead. Whispered words. Upon a wind. A hushed, calm voice. An... old voice. The Pegasus stopped by the enterence of her house. A wind did blow, but it didn't call to her. It was just wind. It couldn't speak. She shook her head, but her sight rested on the forest. A feeling came over her. The everfree was frightening. It was dangerous. Yet, her animal friends called it home. They thrived. They played. How can something so violent, holding so many secrets and dangers, be a home to a defenseless bunny? Or a skittish dear? Her even her, in a way. Her life came from the forest. Her friends, her wards, came from there. She shook her head again, this time ending at her house. It was time for her to go home. For her to feed said friends. For here to unwind. For her to rest. Her hooves did not move. So many reason to go home. So many reason to walk through her door. Yet, why did the safety of her home not call to her? Why did she feel like it was not her next step in her day? Why did the forest call to her? Something had changed indeed. And, for some reason, she felt like the forest held held answer? The Pegasus took a step. A step forward. Her door opened, and she walked in. She did her chores. She fed her friends. She fed herself. Her day done, she went to bed. Tomorrow would be tomorrow. As she closed her eyes that night, a crow called. In a voice she did not recognize. Upon that moon, the crow called, and everything changed.