Sweet Apple Acres, home to the Apple Family. Applejack was proud of it. She had faced many threats to her home and even made five wonderful friends. Today was another day of apple bucking and she never grew tired of it. She was soon joined by her big brother, Big Macintosh.
"Nice morning huh, Big Mac?" She asked.
"Eeyup!" He said, nodding.
"I don't think I'll get tired of seeing this." Apple Bloom said, standing next to them.
"I know what ya younglings mean, and I live here a long time!" Granny Smith said, smiling over her family farm.
"Well, them apples won't buck themselves!" Applejack said.
"Eenope!" Big Mac smirks.
"Oh, Applejack, wait a minute!" Apple Bloom said, stopping her.
"What is it, Apple Bloom?" Applejack asked.
"I remembered that I'm heading over to Zercoa's for an alchemy lesson, later today. I will be back before sundown, though." Apple Bloom told her.
Applejack looked a bit worried about her sister heading into the Everfree Forest by her lonesome, but she then remember that Apple Bloom was just as stubborn as her. Plus, she knew Zecora wouldn't let anything hurt her.
"Alright, but you better keep your promise, ya hear me?" Applejack said.
"I will! Thanks, sis!" Apple Bloom said, hugging her.
Applejack sighs before smiling. Things were tough since their parents were gone. Applejack had to raise Apple Bloom on top of taking care of the farm. She knows Apple Bloom is still young, but she can't keep treating her like a filly. She returned the hug before everyone headed out to buck some trees.
It was a few hours and a dozen of buck apple trees later that Apple Bloom had to meet with Zecora. Applejack watches her sister run off before sighing.
"Are ya okay, Applejack?" Big Mac asked.
"Yeah. I'm still not at ease with Apple Bloom heading into the Everfree Forest by herself, even if she just meeting with Zecora." She said.
"Me too, but she's growin' up. We can't keep treating her like a young filly." Big Mac said.
"I know, I know." Applejack sighs.
"Hey, Applejack!"
Applejack turns and saw Rainbow Dash flying down.
"Heya, Big Mac." She said, making the big stallion nod.
"Howdy, Rainbow Dash. What's going on?" Applejack asked.
"Twilight is calling us together about a meeting. I don't know really. She was saying a lot of things I couldn't make out." Rainbow said.
"Meaning you were half listening to her, right?" Applejack said, knowing her well.
"Yeah, whatever. Let's go. You know how Twilight gets when we all don't show up on time." Rainbow said, rolling her eyes.
Applejack laughs to herself before following Rainbow Dash. Big Mac told her he'll let Granny Smith know and keep an eye out for Apple Bloom's return.
"Okay, we're all here, you can relax Twilight," Rainbow said as she and Applejack enter the Ponyville Oak Library.
"That was one time, Rainbow!" Twilight groans, remembering how she freak out about her friends not showing up on time without remembering something could catch their attention and couldn't ignore it.
"So, what's up, Twilight?" Applejack asks.
"Is it something scary?" Fluttershy asked, hoping not to deal with that.
"Silly, filly! If it was scary, then Twilight would look more worried!" Pinkie Pie said, smiling.
"True, but let's hear her out, girls." Rarity said.
"Okay, Princess Celestia just send me a letter about celebrating Luna's return in a few days. I know this Pinkie's thing, but she wants all six of us to make it." Twilight said.
"Has it really been 3 years since we freed Princess Luna from Nightmare Moon?" Rarity asked, surprised.
"Tell me about it. It felt like yesterday when we first travel through the Everfree Forest." Pinkie Pie said.
"That's an adventure none of us will forget." Applejack nods.
The rest agreed, remembering their first adventure in finding the Elements of Harmony and freeing Princess Luna.
"Okay, here's what the princess wants us to do..." Twilight said before going over the ideas she was told.
Applejack returns to the farm a few hours later, thinking over her choice of Princess Luna's return party. Pinkie could handle the sweets and Rarity got the invites. Fluttershy was to get her animal friends to sing and Rainbow was to help with the detections. That left Applejack to make the rest of the food since Luna liked apples. When she reached her home, she notices Big Mac and Granny Smith were looking worried.
"Is everything okay?" She asked, noticing that Apple Bloom hasn't returned yet.
"We hope so. It's almost sundown and Apple Bloom is taking a little too long." Big Mac said.
"I may not know that Zecora like the rest of you, but I do know she'll never harm a hair on Apple Bloom's head." Granny Smith said.
Applejack understood their worry. She knew Apple Bloom has traveled through the Everfree Forest by herself lots of times, but there were dangers there.
"I'll go look for her." She said, hoping Apple Bloom wasn't in any trouble.
"Are you sure, Applejack?" Big Mac asked.
"I travel through the Everfree Forest more than any pony. I know what to look out for." Applejack said.
Though both members were unsure, they nodded. Knowing they knew what Applejack was doing.
"I'll be back before Princess Luna raises the moon," Applejack said before rushing over to the Everfree Forest.
"I do hope she hurries back. Timberwolves become a bit more active at night." Granny Smith said, hearing a howl.
Applejack made it to the Everfree Forest and started to head for Zecora's. Since she knew the path as well as Apple Bloom, finding her shouldn't be too hard. Applejack walked down the path, keeping an ear out for her little sister.
"I do hope Apple Bloom is okay. Maybe I should start having Zecora bring her back from now on." Applejack said to herself.
She kept walking, listening, and looking for anything that could tell her where Apple Bloom was. She then froze when she heard a familiar howl.
"Timberwolves," She gulps, hoping Apple Bloom wasn't by them.
"HEEEEEEEEEEEELP!"
"APPLE BLOOM?!"
Applejack didn't wait, she quickly ran toward the sound of her sister's voice. She jump over fallen trees, ducked in branches, and even zig-zag around some trees.
It didn't take her long to stop near a small cliff and looked around. She then looked down to see Apple Bloom trapped by a few Timberwolves, growling at her.
"HEY!" Applejack shouted, making everyone look up.
"Git away from my sister!" She said, jumping down.
"Applejack!" Apple Bloom shouted, happy to see her.
"Get ready to run, Apple Bloom!" Applejack said, knowing she couldn't fight off a whole pack by herself.
One of the Timberwolves jumps towards Applejack, only to receive a buck to its face. Applejack stood ready, trying to find a hole. She sees it and backs up.
"Grab on." She said, lowering herself.
Nodding, Apple Bloom quickly got on her sister's back. Counting down in her head, Applejack took off, slipping under two timberwolves before they could react.
Applejack ran through the forest, knowing the Timberwolves were causing after them. Much like the time she saved Spike, Applejack uses the trees to knock some of them away and even kicked a few rocks at them, knocking some of their legs off.
Applejack smiles, glad to see that the timberwolves weren't much smarter than last time. However, she was shocked when one Timberwolf suddenly jumped out of the trees and opened its jaws. Applejack flinch as she threw up a hoof to protect herself. The Timberwolf bit down on it causing her to scream.
Apple Bloom notices and quickly reacts. She headbutts the timberwolf, actually getting it back off. Applejack hissed as she held her hoof. Apple Bloom rubbed her head, feeling a headache coming. However, the Timberwolf pack soon caught up and surrounds the Apple siblings. Applejack tried to stand, but her hoof still hurt. However, before the Timberwolves could try anything, something was thrown in front of them, causing a huge smoke to appear. Both anypony could do anything, Applejack and Apple Bloom were both swept away before the smoke faded.
Once the smoke faded, the Timberwolves saw that their prey was gone. Some looked around and others started to sniff the ground. Little did they know, Applejack and Apple Bloom were sitting up in the trees, with a very strange-looking pony.
It looks at them and notices Applejack bitten hoof. It looks closer at her before speaking.
"Sister..."
It soon retreated to the trees, leaving the two ponies confused.
"Who was that?" Apple Bloom asked.
"No idea," Applejack said, still holding her hoof.
However, they saw a vine lower itself to the ground. Confused, they slid down it. Applejack had to bit more careful as she had to watch her hoof. She was also surprised to see some medicine close by for her hoof. Confused even more, Both siblings put the medicine on Applejack's hoof, not knowing they were being watched by some very strange ponies in the trees.
"Bit by a wolf. Will become a wolf. Protect your pack. And raise, dear sister."
Applejack and Apple Bloom returned to the farm, with Granny Smith noticing her eldest granddaughter's hoof. However, when they told her about the strange pony, Granny Smith was surprised.
"Tree Ponies." She said.
"Tree Ponies?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Very odd ponies. My father told me stories about those kind of ponies. He said they live in the trees watching many ponies travel through their forest. Only stepping in should they harm them. I've never seen them myself, but hearing one help you after being attacked by Timberwolves is surprising." She said.
"Strange enough, one of them called me "sister"," Applejack said.
Granny Smith looked surprised, but Apple Bloom suddenly yawned.
"I guess we can talk about this later. Let's hut the hay everypony." Applejack said, carefully holding her hoof.
The rest of the family nods, still surprised by the Trees Ponies living in the Everfree Forest. Applejack was thinking of telling Twilight what happen in the morning. As of right now, she has to take it easy and let her hoof heal.
She had no idea that there was more to the bite than she knew.