"Keep running!" Nightwolf yelled at Applejack. "Lead them out of here! I'll catch up in 10 seconds!"
"You're coming with us!" Rainbow told him. "I'll carry you if I have to."
"You don't have the strength built back for tht and you know it," Nightwolf commented. "I'm only setting up some quick traps for those things that are following us."
"I'll help you."
"Fine," Nightwolf said. "Hand me that branch."
"This one?" Rainbow asked, picking up a fallen tree branch.
"Yeah," Nightwolf answered. He slammed it into the ground and made a small spring-trap. "Let's go!"
The forest was a dark place. Not much light came through during the day, let alone at night. Suddenly, there was a sharp sound behind them. "Don't let them get out of the forest!" Chrysalis screamed in her imitation of Rainbow Dash. "Don't let them get away!"
Green bursts of magicstarted flying all around them. Nightwolf turned and thrust his hoof forward. "Vidyudvadhisu!" he screamed. Lightning shot from his hoof and hit one of the changelings in the head. He did'nt have time to check to see if it was still alive, so he just turned and ran.
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Rainbow was scared. She would never admit it, but for once, she was afraid of what might happen. She heard her brother scream something and saw a flash, but didn't turn to look. Her legs were already beginning to tire. If this kept up, she would fall and be captured again.
No, Rainbow thought. I'm not going to let them take me again. Or my friends. Or my brother.
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Sleep, Nightwolf thought. I need sleep. He was beginning to really feel the extent of his magic. He was running on empty. They needed to get out of that forest.
There was a blast that hit Nightwolf in the leg. He went tumbling toward the ground thinking one thing. Ground, meet face. Face, ground.
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"Nightwolf!" Rainbow screamed. She ran up to where he had been shot down. "Please be alive."
"I'm fine," Nightwolf said on the edge of consciousness. "I just need some rest. Another shot like that and they're going to need that net."
"What net?"
"The one right above you." And the net came down.
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Nightwolf shoved as hard as he could to get his sister out of the way of the net. She got out just in time, but Nightwolf was trapped. He was pinned under the large, rope mesh.
"Go!" Nightwolf said. "Run! I'll be out in a few seconds!"
"I'm not going without you," Rainbow said.
"GO! I'll be free soon. Just get out of here!" Nightwolf yelled at his sister. He had to get her out of there.
"Once you're free, I'll leave," she said stubbornly.
"Slā'isa," Nightwolf muttered, cutting the net into tiny pieces. "Fine. I'm free. Now let's get moving!"
"You're not going anywhere!" thundered the Queen's voice from above. "I can't let you escape. So either come with me or die." She said that so casually it was scary. Nightwolf felt a mental shiver run through hm.
"You're not taking either of us anywhere!" Rainbow said. Nightwolf looked aroundto see all these changelings surrounding them. They couldn't escape unless Rainbow had enough strength to carry both of them through the conopy of trees overhead. And even if they did escape, it would only be short. They would catch them both in the air and kill them right then and there. And even if they were to fully escape them, who would believe them?
"Sis," Nightwolf said. "You have to know when to give up." Nightwolf sat down and put his hooves in the air.
And then he was hit in the head and slipped out of consciousness again.
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"No!" Rainow screamed. Her brother was hit in the head. Hard. It was obvious when he didn't try to get back up that he was out cold. "Why did you do that?!"
"He was planning on turning against us as soon as he could to try to buy your friends more time," the Queen said. "I couldn't let that happen."
She turned to face theother changelings. "Drop him off. They need to be delayed."
As soon as they were gone, Rainbow charged. She knew she wouldn't win this fight, but she had to do what she could to save her friends. Tackling her, Rainbow spun around and punched the Queen in the muzzle. "That's for my brother!" she screamed.
Chrysalis rolled, pinning Rainbow to the ground. "You have heart," she said. "But do you have passion?"
Rainbow widened out her wings and distracted the Queen long enough for Rainbow to get back out of the pin. She was beginning to feel the wear.
"You apparently do," Chrysalis said. "Let's see what that gets you." She charged up her horn, preparing a blast of magic.
Right before she fired, Rainbow jumped up and once again tackled the Queen to the ground. But her timing wasn't as good as she had thought and took a small blast to the head, knocking her off-balance. The last thing she saw was a hoof coming towards her face.
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Twilight didn't dare look behind her in fear of what could have happened to her friends. They were moving too fast for her to worry. But her mind didn't wat to agree. They could be in real danger, she thought. What if they were captured. It's been a while since you heard Nightwolf's voice.
"The exit is dead-ahead!" Applejack screamed over the sounds coming from their hooves and the natural ones from the forest. "We're almost free!"
Suddenly, somepony was dropped in front of them, pulling them all to a stop. A second pony followed, confirming Twilight's fears. "They held us off for a few seconds," the Queen said, landing next to the two unconscious ponies. "But they were a few seconds short. Now come with me or you can die. Or you could watch your friends die. Your choice."
"I don't want to see anypony die," Twiligt spoke up. "Just let us go."
"You know why I can't let you do that," Chrysalis replied.
"Then I guess you don't leave us a choice."
"I don't want to see anypony getting hurt," Fluttershy said softly.
"We can only do what can prevent such a dreadful thing to happen," Rarity said.
"Ah don't see what else can be done," Applejack said.
Pinkie Pie was stunned. She was staring at the two sleeping ponies and obviously thinking. "I can't let you be such a meanie," she finally said.
And with that, they were all chained and led deeper into the forest once again.