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// A Monster Lurks 
// Story: My Little Pony: Prime 
// by Brony Tom 
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	A slight rustling sound reached Fluttershy's ears, causing her to shift slightly in her sleep. She opened her eyes slowly, feeling rather drowsy still, but instantly snapped to full alertness when she saw the source of the disturbance; Twilight was moving. Not much, but her body was showing signs of life that had been absent until now. Brimming with excitement, Fluttershy threw caution to the wind and shouted out for joy, even though it was still dim out, the warmth of the sun just barely breaking over the horizon.
“Yay!”
Rarity hardly responded to the slight sound, still in a deep sleep. She woke up suddenly as a yellow hoof began to barely push on her shoulder.
“Huhwhatwho'sthere? Oh, Fluttershy, dear, I'm sorry, it's you,” the white unicorn began. “Why, whatever is the matter-”
“Rarity, Rarity, Twilight's going to be okay, she's getting better!” enthused the pegasus, her tiny voice squeaky with excitement. The fashionista's mouth opened in shock, then shut as she saw Twilight twitch in her coma.
“Fluttershy, this is fantastic! We need to go tell everypony! Pinkie is going to want to throw a party, I should probably get started on some festive attire... Darling, would you be a dear and go tell Rainbow Dash and Applejack? I'll get Pinkie Pie, and then be right back here with the doctor. I'll be back soon!” trilled the white unicorn as she raced out of the room.
Fluttershy stayed back for a few moments, dancing modestly in happiness.
“Thank you, Twilight, thank you for getting better,” she whispered.
Then she was off, moving through the deserted and dark, albeit lightening, streets of Ponyville towards Rainbow's house. Such a feeling of peaceful relief came over her that she practically flew through the route, leaving the town outskirts in mere minutes. The yellow pegasus saw the familiar cloud dwelling floating in the sky and was about to fly up towards it when something odd caught her attention. In a patch of taller grass nearby, she thought she saw a lump sticking out over the silvery green blades.
Fluttershy moved towards it curiously. Upon closer inspection, it looked like... Angel? Except, it was a statue of Angel, a stone replica that perfectly matched her memory of the rabbit. On the side of his back, though, were four small indentations, almost like puncture marks.
The yellow pegasus' lip began trembling.
“A-Angel? W-what happened? Did the c-cockatrice do this to you?” she asked the statue.
As if in answer, the mare heard a nearly imperceptible rush of air as something stirred behind her. She whirled around with a squeak of fright, expecting to see a terrible monster, maybe a manticore or even a dragon.
There was nothing, which was perhaps worse than both of the other two combined. Fluttershy began to breathe rapidly, fear and adrenaline overtaking her slight body.
The whoosh of air once again sounded, this time off to her left. The pegasus eeped in terror and blasted off towards Rainbow Dash's house like a thing possessed.