//------------------------------// // Chapter 89 // Story: Welcome to the jungle // by Hiver //------------------------------// I had been awake for an hour already when we started to come in for a landing after a full day of flying. It had been decided that because none of the injured were in critical condition that we would take it a bit easier on the way back and don’t push it. No need killing the poor pegasi pulling the sky carriages unless it’s actually necessary. They had been completely zonked out basically from when they arrived until we left. So we’d land somewhere at nightfall, give everypony time to set up camp and watch them as they slept to keep things safe. Besides, I personally didn’t much like being in a carriage pulled by an exhausted pegasus anyway. Sounded like a good recipe to crash to me. We circled once more above the clearing before we started to circle down to land. As we touched down and came to a half, I jumped down onto the ground and stretched. “You sleep okay?” Sunset asked and jumped down next to me. “Was okay enough,” I said and smiled at her, “You?” “...Was okay.” I had canceled three nightmares for her. I had hoped that with some luck, she wouldn’t remember any of them. Seems like I wasn’t that lucky. I nodded and gave her a small hug with my wing, “It’ll get better,” I told her quietly. Sunset nodded and leaned against me for a second, “I know,” she answered before giving me a small smile, “I’m going to go talk with Moon Glow, help her organize this chaos. We need to get a tree platform set up for the wounded before it gets too dark for us unicorns to work easily.” I nodded and stole a small kiss, “I just saw a pony I want to talk to as well,” I said and when Sunset trotted off towards the guard pegasus, I walked over towards Rarity where she was drinking from a waterbottle towards the edge of the group. “Rarity, do you have a moment?” I asked her as I got closer. She startled slightly and then looked over towards me, “O-of course, Prince Page! Sorry… Page.” I motioned for her to follow me towards the edge of the forest before I waved for Pinkie Pie to get her to follow as well before I led them over there for a tiny bit of privacy. Not too much, if I got out of line of sight Moon Glow or Amber would sound the alarm. But enough that nopony would easily overhear us. Rarity had not slept easily. Her nightmares had been multiple. She had dreamed about the injured in the train. But the ponies she had found had been ponies she knew. And their injuries had been even worse. I had done my best, but her sleep had been fitful to say the least. Pinkie seemed to have done okay. I didn’t like entering her dreams, they were strange. They had not quite turned into nightmares either so I had stayed out. “What did you want to speak of?” Rarity asked as I turned to face them. I smiled at her, “I simply wanted to tell you that I was impressed by you and Pinkie Pie after the crash,” I told them seriously, meeting each of their eyes, “Rainbow Dash, Sunset, Twilight and myself have training in these kinds of things. You two don't and you handled yourself really well. Most ponies would have panicked, but you did what needed to be done.” “Actually,” Pinkie said with a slightly sheepish smile, “I have first responder training.” Rarity blinked at her, “Seriously, Pinkie Pie? You have advanced medical and disaster training?” Pinkie nodded, “Fluttershy wanted to take the course… not just for her animals but in case somepony got hurt during one of our adventures,” she explained and shrugged, “But she didn’t want to be the only one to go, so I went with her. Thought might be useful.” “Well, it certainly was,” I told her with a smile before I looked at Rarity, “but I’m still impressed. Well done, you two.” Rarity actually blushed slightly, “It wasn’t our first emergency, We-” There was a rustle of leaves behind me and my ear flicked back. My head snapped around just in time to see a Raptoroid rush out towards us, jaw filled with sharp, shark-like teeth, it’s two legs and claws digging into the forest floor as it charged. I spun around towards it, baring my fangs as I half spread my wings. Somepony behind me let out a cry of surprise. Lighting my horn, I grabbed the tip of it’s snout and pulled hard down and around towards the left with a twist. The predator yelped in surprise and went down face first into the dirt, rolling to a halt and then started to twist to roll back onto its feet. I didn’t let it. Keeping my horn lit, I smashed down on it hard, pressing it down firmly against the ground as I walked over towards it. It snorted and bared its teeth, growling. I growled right back and put my hoof on its neck, pressing down, “How many times do I have to kick your tail up between your eyes before your kind get it through your prehistoric brain that Ponies! Are! Not! Food!” The reptilian predator struggled against my magic field and I put a tiny bit more weight on my hoof against its neck as I hissed at it with a small growl. It stopped struggling, just breathing hard as it looked up at me. I leaned in closer, baring my fangs as I looked into its eye for a second and I released it with my magic, “Not. Food.” The Raptoroid didn’t move, just looking up at me with it’s closest eye. Standing up straight again, I kept my magic ready to smash it back down in a split second if it tried anything before I pulled my hoof back and slowly backed away. The reptile didn’t move for several moments before it rolled onto its feet. It looked in our direction for a second before quickly scampering off into the forest. Folding my wings again, I turned away only for a pair of thestral guards to walk past me and take positions closer to the forest. Sunset was stalking over towards me and I raised my hoof before she said anything, “One, if they are ever going to learn not to try to eat us, some must actually make it out and teach their young. Two, those aren’t immune to magic. I can handle one of those easily enough.” Sunset nodded, “Are you done?” “...Yes love.” “Then get your tail back into the clearing and away from the jungle filled with pony eating predators and let the guards do their jobs.” I smiled and moved a bit closer to her, “You know, you have gotten way bossier since you started to hang out with the Nocturnis guard,” I told her quietly. Sunset sighed softly, “I know. I just don’t like seeing you in danger,” she said before she smirked and continued quieter, “Even if that was pretty hot, wingboy.” “Oh really?” I asked with a smile, just as quiet before I looked towards Rarity and Pinkie Pie, “She’s right, I told them, “We should move back inside the perimeter.” Rarity swallowed and nodded, “Y-yes, of course.”