//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2 - Wilderness Part 1 
// Story: Death by Ear 
// by ExoticEon 
//------------------------------//

I quickly lifted my head to the bushes in the distance. A little too quickly as I felt lightheaded, the active migraine wasn't helping.

Lily got up, trying to look above the surrounding leaves.

We heard a low growl, followed by a pair of glowing green eyes. Leaves rustled, and twigs snapped as it walked out in the open.

It slowly crept its way to us. I watched in fear and awe at the creature.

It looked like a wolf made of leaves, sticks, and logs. It was way bigger, too, towering over our bodies. The wooden figure narrowed its eyes with a predatory glare. Its mouth dripping with saliva and a regurgitating breath blew in our direction.

"Lilly..." My voice was squeaky. "What's that?"

She just stared wide-eyed at it before galloping away. "RUN!"

I stood up to run, turning where Lily went off, only to trip over my own hooves. I was about to get up again, but Lily seemed to stop, her eyes narrowed to small pinpricks.

I heard large footsteps behind me. I slowly turned my head. The creature was staring down right in front of me. My breathing fastened when it lowered its head. It roared right in my face.

My ears were in pure agony. 

I couldn't move. I just stayed there, hoping it'd go away.

Chills went up my spine as I caught a glance of its sharp claws in front of me. It didn't help when one of them was raised.

Instinctively, I lifted a foreleg, trying to block the attack.

The next thing I felt was my flesh being cut. Its jagged claws tore into my fur. Blood seeped out as I screamed, causing the wooden wolf to pull back with high pitched whines.

It pawed at its ears, before having enough, running away to the forest.

I curled to the ground and clutching my throbbing arm to my chest.

My eyes blurred, and I sniffed rapidly, trying not to cry.

I felt a hoof. I turned my head to see Lily holding my head up.

She looked around frantically before grabbing a few big leaves nearby with her teeth. She began to wrap the gash. When it was covered, she moved my other hoof on top and putting pressure. It felt like pure fire.

Lily gritted her teeth and her eyes furrowed. 

"What were you doing, Chase! I told you to run?! What were you thinking?!"

My voice was caught in my throat as she waited.

She seemed to realize what she said before looking down at my injury.

Silence filled the air as she continued to press on the scratch.

I felt my tears slide down from my eyes. I tried to hide them, but Lily's hooves blocked mine from moving.

"I'm sorry." I whimpered. "I-I didn't mean too... I tried to move; I really did."

She returned my gaze when I took a shaky breath.

"What? No, Chase, I didn't-"

"If I wasn't so scared, I could've gone away." I clenched my eyes shut. "I'm so sorry... P-please, don't go away..." 

It always ends up like this. No matter what I do. It's always the same.

My eyes flew open as I suddenly felt my body being squeezed. 

A hug.

"Chase, why would I do that?"

I didn't say anything. I didn't return the gesture. I just stared at the ground. My ears perked up as I heard sound.

Rain. I didn't notice it until now.

Lily got up, leaving the embrace. She looked at the forming rain clouds above. 

"We... we should move."

"I don't really think I can move very fast."

She turned to me with a slight smile on a face. "I know."

"What?"

She lowered herself, tail facing me. "Here, I'll give you a piggyback. We don't want you walking on that."

She pointed a hoof at my left foreleg before putting it back down, almost falling on her face as she lost balance. 

I looked at the covered cut, which seemed to stop bleeding. I was about to go on until I realized something.

"How?"

"Just lay on my back. I think I'm getting used to walking like this." She said, slowly walking a full circle before going back down in front of me.

I sniffed, "Okay."

I slowly got up on 3 hooves and attempted to jump on, only to plop down on her rump.

"Umm..."

She hoisted me further. "This better?"

"Yeah, thanks," I replied. Because of our size, my head was on top of hers.

"Mhm." She hummed in response. She got up and slowly trotted further in the forest.





"Lily?" I asked

"Hmm?"

"What's that?" I pointed to another plant I didn't know.

"I don't know." She yawned; I did the same.

"I'm sleepy."

"Me too."

I don't know how long we've been walking for. It felt like hours to me. We haven't slept once since we got here. The rain pouring on our backs was preventing that. 

The sound of it hitting every surface would've annoyed me by now, but pinning my ears to my head seems to work very similar to earmuffs.

I looked up, and the moon was still high in the sky.

Both of us were shivering from the cold. The only thing that was keeping me warm was Lily underneath me. I wonder if she's comfortable. I'll feel bad if she didn't like carrying me this long. She's beginning to limp, and I'm afraid she'll fall over any second now.

Lily decided staying at the cave wasn't the best idea if there were creatures like that around. So, she said we're looking for a safe place to rest or survive. All we've seen is trees, trees everywhere.

She's been glancing at my left foreleg a lot; I don't know why, though. I had much worse than that. It stopped bleeding, so I should be fine. That's what they say anyway.

Lily suddenly jerked forward, making me yelp.

Her ears twitched in different every so often. "Do you hear that?"

I paused, listening for anything. "Rain?"

"Nope."

"That's all I hear."

"It's water, Chase. Water!"

I looked at her. "Yeah, water. Rain."

Lily sighed. "Just wait."

We continued at our fast pace; I was surprised she hadn't tripped yet.

Slowly, I started to hear something in the distance.

As she galloped out the dense forest, in front of us was a fast-flowing river, cutting between the landscape. Both sides stretched a few yards before disappearing into the darkness.

Despite being exhausted, Lily grinned at the sight. "I knew it!"

"Ow." I winced at her voice, rubbing my ears.

She chuckled sheepishly. "Sorry."

"It's okay."

She looked around before heading towards safety under a nearby tree.

"I think this is a good place to rest."

"What about shelter?"

"We can worry about that later. Right now, we have a source of water."

I looked toward the river. "Is that safe to drink?"

"I'm... not sure." She yawned again, laying on the grass below. "We can test that later." 

Lily watched me squirmed off her, leaving the warmth underneath me.

"What are you doing?"

"You were carrying me all night."

"What about it?"

"Aren't you tired?"

She stopped to think before answering. "I mean... yeah, but-"

"Then, don't carry me."

"You sure you're okay with that?"

"We can just sleep like this." I scooted right next to her, I was tired, but I needed comfort. I laid on the grass, careful not to press on my left foreleg. I already felt myself dozing off.

"Well, alright. We should go to sl..."





Sensation was brought back to my body as I awoke. But one stood out the most.

Hunger.

I opened my eyes, only to shut it tight when sunlight stung my eyes. I slowly opened it this time, my eyes adjusting to the light.

The sky was blue with only a few clouds, the sun brightening the sky. The air was warm, but the chill breeze was still there. Movement beside me caught my attention.

I look over to see Lily, still asleep. She moved a little bit before murmuring something I couldn't hear. 

My stomach rumbled, reminding me of my hunger. I wish I had waffles.

I looked between Lily and my stomach. Let her sleep, or do I starve. I chose the latter as I lifted a hoof and poked her.

Nothing. I poked her again. She stirred a little bit.

Poke.

Her eyes moved. I was about to poke her again before they opened.

"Chase?" Her voice was raspy, she looked up at the sun. "What time is it."

I just shrugged. How was I supposed to know? But I did know one thing. "I'm hungry."

Lily groaned. "Just five more minutes."

Poke

I guess that did it as she got up and sighed. "Let’s wash up first."





I've been in a river before, but it was never to wash myself. They would always be mad if I ever went in one without permission.

But I guess this one was clean. The water was pretty clear, and I could see the bottom. We were sitting low enough where only half of our body was submerged and not too far enough to be caught in the stream. Lily still told me to keep my injured forehoof above the water, just in case. I put it on a rock.

"I don't need help washing myself, you know."

"And how would you do that?"

I opened my mouth to answer, only to close it. How would I wash myself? I don't have hands or anything. I'm not really used to this body yet. Especially walking. I don't even know how to move my wings, if they move at all.

I looked at my equine reflection. I noticed my eyes were a different color. Unlike Lily's blue eyes, mine was some kind of magenta color.

I yelled as I felt a sharp pull on my head.

"Lily!"

"Sorry," She apologized. "It's just your hair is so tangled."

"How much longer?" I groaned. "You're taking sooo long..."

"I'm doing your hair now. Or mane?" She hummed in thought. "What do you think, Chase?"

I shrugged.

"Well... since we're ponies. Mane it is!"

After a few moments, a thought came to mind.

"Lily?"

"Hmm?"

"Are we the only ones here?"

She paused for a second before answering. "Maybe, maybe not. Who knows?"

That wasn't what I was looking for, but I guess that's the best I could get.

A few seconds passed before I jumped a little. She started to wash places I would consider off-limits. Despite my discomfort, I kept quiet.

Lily seemed to notice as she finished rather quickly.

"Sorry." She apologized.

"It's okay."

The sound of the river filled the air as she continued to scrub off the grime and dirt off my fur and mane.





I rested on the grass to dry. Surprisingly, my mane returned to its original style.

Lily told me to wait here as she gets something to eat. 

What do ponies eat anyway? Grass? If that's the case, then we'll packed. It's everywhere in the forest.

Grass.

It wouldn't hurt to try, right? I lowered my head to the ground and took a bite. I chewed for a second before spitting it back out. It tasted like dirt. It was disgusting, and I'll rather starve than eat that.

I guess I'm not exactly pony then.

"Choise!" A muffled voice called.

I turn my head to see Lily. I was about to answer but noticed something was in her mouth.

A rat.