By the time you return to Ponyville, the sun has already gone to sleep, leaving a dim orange glow in the wake of the navy night sky. You begin make your way through the quiet town back to your accommodations, clutching a small bag of crystals. Hoping for something to do, you had asked Shining Armour about them, and he was kind enough to show you to a store that sold magic infused gems.
“I just hope I can get a decent nights sle... Oh shoot! I forgot to ask about-”
“AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
A piercing cry shatters the peaceful town. You turn your head to the scream’s origin. On the other side of the road, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon stand frozen, ice cream melting beneath their hooves. Their mouths hang open, eyes wide in horror as they stare at -
“A Timberwolf? Here?” you mutter in confusion as the creature slowly approaches the fillies, releasing a soft growl.
The girls start to back away as the Timberwolf crouches, preparing to pounce. Before you can think things through, your legs burst into action, carrying you across the road. The Timberwolf opens its jaw and leaps at the fillies. The girls raise their forelegs to shield themselves from the incoming teeth.
*CRASH!*
You slam into the beast shoulder first, crushing its wooden frame against the building. Its body falls to pieces, wooden body parts littering the ground beneath the impact. You push yourself away from the wall, taking in a sharp breath as your shoulder stings in response.
You grab your shoulder, trying to ease the stinging sensation before turning to the fillies. “You girls alright?”
They look up at you in fear, eyes still wide. Before they can say anything to reassure them, a growl grabs your attention. You spin round and come face to face with four more Timberwolves. You stare them down, releasing your shoulder and giving your arm a little shake. Three of the Timberwolves carefully approach you while one hangs back. Slowly bending down, you keep your eyes on the creatures before you. Grabbing one of the wooden remains of the fallen wolf and raise yourself to your full height.
“Diamond Tiara. Silver Spoon… Run.”
The fillies don’t need to be told twice. They turn tail and dash away as fast as their little legs can carry them. You position yourself between the wolves and the direction the fillies fled, but fortunately they keep their focus on you.
“This will be fun.” You chuckle, gripping the piece of wood.
The first wolf charges forward, leaping at your head. You swing violently with your stick, knocking the wolf to the side. It recovers quickly from the blow, twisting round and lunging at you again. Its agility catches you off guard, but you manage to intercept its jaws with your improvised weapon. The wolf balances on its hind legs, biting and gnashing at your stick, overpowering you. As it starts pushing you back, its lashes out with its claws. A wayward strike hits the top of your face causing you to falter, but with a shift flourish, you twist your body and manage to connect your elbow with its jaw. Loosening its grip on your weapon, you fling the wooden creature to the side, smashing it against the building and causing it to yelp in pain.
Blood starts trickling into your eye. You stagger back, giving it a quick wipe but while doing so, a sharp pain rips through your left leg. You let loose a cry and drop you to your knee, your leg getting ripped and torn. With a powerful motion, you swing over with the stick. The wolf tearing at your leg jumps out the way just in time to avoid getting bludgeoned, causing you to miss and slam the ground instead. The pain through your leg is agonising, but you don’t have time to recover. Out of the corner of your eye, you see the injured wolf leap for you once more, trying to take advantage of your position. With all the might you can muster, you swing your arm back round, connecting hard with its body and causing it to shatter into a pile of wood before you.
Taking a few moments to catch your breath, you push yourself off the floor. The pain in your injured leg screams in protest and causes you to lean on your good leg. You raise your stick and hold it between you and the wolves. The blood leaking from your head wound begins to dry over your eye, sealing it shut. The Timberwolves begin to slowly pace back and forth, their glowing eyes staring back at you. You ready yourself for their attack, leaning into your good leg. Before they make their move, you hear another growl behind you.
Before you can react, you howl in pain as your shoulder gets torn into. The stick drops to the ground as you struggle with the creature on your back, glimpsing its wooden muzzle tearing into you. Reaching over, you desperately try to grab it, its claws ripping into the flesh on your back. In a surge of desperation, you leap up and smash into the ground, crushing the wolf beneath you. The pain surging through your body is excruciating as splinters of wood penetrate your back.
Three… Down… Your thoughts are weak as your body cries in pain. Almost…
The attacks are relentless. Before you can get your bearing, another wolf leaps onto you. Its all you can do to grab your piece of wood and shield yourself from the jaws. It gnashes at the stick, slobbering over you. Its claws striking blindly as you try to hold it off. With a surge of adrenaline, you kick upwards, throwing the beast over your head.
Summoning all your remaining strength, you roll over and start to get up, your body crying in agony. The wolf echoes your movements, twisting over and landing on its legs. Pushing yourself onto your right leg, pain surging through your shoulder. You will your injured arm to move, but it doesn’t respond. You can feel blood pouring out of your shoulder and flowing down your disabled arm, but you dare not take your eyes off your enemy as it prepares for another attack. Your vision starts to blur as dizziness sets in. It takes everything you have not to collapse as the wolf charges you.
It growls, pouncing at your head. With the last of your strength, you thrust your stick with your good arm straight at the wolf. It connects! You feel the recoil as your stick sinks into its throat, snapping in half and taking the top of the wolf’s head with it.
With sharp, shallow breaths, you twist round to face your last foe. Your limbs dangle uselessly by your side, blood spilling on the floor, the last of your strength fades away. You collapse to your knees, before slipping back onto your legs. Your focus is lost as blood drips down your face. Your arms and legs no longer functioning.
The last wolf approaches you confidently.
“Well…” You gasp. “Four out of five ain’t bad.” You try to laugh, but your body doesn’t allow it, shaking in pain and fear. With laboured breaths, you stare at the blurry shape of the Timberwolf as it begins its approach.
Closer and closer.
It takes off, leaping through the air.
As the world slows down, you grin, accepting your fate.
…
“GET AWAY FROM HIM YOU BASTARD!”
A blur of crimson light rushes past you, fracturing the Timberwolf. Small pieces of wood fly out in all directions. Your body slumps and you collapse onto the ground.
“No! No! No! No! No!”
The distant sound of screaming barely reaching your ears. Your sight turning fuzzy, an assortment of tiny spots dancing across your vision.
“Somepony get the doctor!”
Your breath slowly leaves your body as your world fades away.
“Hold on! You have to hold on! Please! Don’t go!”