//------------------------------//
// Chapter 23 
// Story: Other Duties As Required 
// by Hiver 
//------------------------------//

I hit the ground hard, rolling twice before coming to a stop.

There was a crashing out, the sound of something heavy hitting a tree and I coughed, trying to get breath back into my lungs.

Ow.

There was a nuffling sound and something large moved in the dark forest, hot breath ruffled my mane before bumping against me. A big wet leaf of a tongue ran straight across my face and I laughed, pushing the muzzle away, "I'm fine, Fern! No need to bathe me!"

The large timber wolf made a wruffing sound and laid down next to me, giving me a poke with his nose.

I smiled and rolled onto my hooves, reaching out with a forehoof to rub firmly ontop of his head.

Ferm was gigantic now, even laying down, I had to rear up to reach his back with my forehooves. The last year he had stopped growing too, he was now a fully adult houseplant.

He shifted, leaning into the attention and I had to brace, putting some strength into it.

"Okay, riding you was not the best idea," I admitted and rubbed firmer, "But it sure was fun."

Fern made a huffing sound, eyes glowing a green in the darkness of the jungle and I settled down next to him.

He lived free in the jungle, outside the shield.

I trusted Fern, I had raised the nature spirit. But while I trusted him, I also knew he was not a domesticated animal, he may be tame and see me as a member of the pack, and while I don't think he would ever attack a pony... I didn't want to find out I was wrong either.

Besides, he was perfectly fine outside the shield.

Nothing here knew what to make of him. He was made of wood, he didn't register as food for any of them so the dangerous ones left him alone.

Reaching into my bag, I pulled a pair of shears out with my magic.

Fern made a whining sound.

"Don't give me that," I chided him, "It's been way too long already," I said as I also pulled out a block of sandpaper.

Wruff. Whine. Grumble.

"You're such a primadonna," I said as I clambered onto his back and started to look for green shoots to snip off. That was the real cause of timberwolf smell, I had discovered. The rotting wood smell was rarely from their actual body unless they were sick, but by stuff that got stuck in their shoots and rotted. What’s more, it seemed to kill off the shoots anyway when the timber wolf got big enough.

Which means that it was much better to trim them off before it got to that stage.

Fern made a sound of annoyance as I snipped off one at his neck and I rubbed the spot with my hoof, "Oh don't be such a big baby. I have literally seen you lose a branch from your tail without complaint."

Wruff.

"Besides, it's for your own good," I said and continued down the back and sides.

With the shoots removed, I jumped down and moved around to put the sheers away before picking up a file, "Alright, open up."

Whine.

I raised a hoof to tap at his jaw, "I know it sucks, but you know it'll be so much better after. Come on then."

Whine. Wruff. Growl.

He opened his muzzle and I peered inside.

"Actually, this isn't that bad," I said and ran a sheath of sandpaper along the wooden fangs to remove any residue, "I'll just give your fangs a sharpening and we're good I think," and then got to work with the file.

Only took something like ten seconds followed by a quick once over with the sandpaper, "There, all done."

Sneeze.

...And now I'm covered with sawdust. Luckily I saw it coming a mile away and took cover behind my wing as I laughed.

I shook the worst of it off myself and put the tools away, "There we go, all done. Wasn't that bad, was it?"

Wruff.

A big green leaf tongue ran from my nose and up between my eyes and I laughed, taking a step back, "I love you too, you weed," I chuckled before I sighed, "I'm sorry I can't come visit more often."

I tried for at least two or three visits a week. I could usually get away with at least that much.

Fern deserved better, but he didn't seem to mind either. He just seemed happy to see me whenever I arrived.

He put his head down and I moved to lay down next to him, leaning against the thick barch on his side.

"You know," I said, "I have thought about trying to find more timber wolves to move here. But that would likely be a bad idea, introducing brand new apex predators to an environment have never worked out well."

Snort.

"Yeah, I know. I just think you deserve more attention than I can give," I told him.

Wruff.

"I know you're happy as is. That's not the poi-"

There was a rustle in the undergrowth and a large predator appeared. A raptoroid, the pattern of its skin blending into the jungle in the bright moon light so well even I might not have seen it if it had not been moving.

It stopped, watching us, tail slowly shifting.

I looked straight at it, but didn't bother getting up.

Fern on the other hand moved. He growled, sounding like a pair of heavy logs rubbing together as he bared his fangs, facing the thing as he moved between me and it.

I shifted a bit so I could still see the predator facing us, "Mate, think this one through," I told it, "Make good life choices."

It looked between us for several long seconds before taking a step back, turning and disappearing into the dense forest.

Fern stopped growling, made a sneezing sound before returning and dropping down to lay next to me again.

"Good housepl-omph!"

His big head laid down to rest across my back, pinning me to the ground.

"H-hey," I protested as I started to wiggle free, "You're way too big for that! You're not a little sprout anymore!"

Fern made a huffing sound before lifting his head. I could have sworn he was laughing at me before he turned his head and nosed at my bag.

I smiled and pulled it over with my magic, pulling out a neon pink ball, "This what you want?" I asked.

Wruff!

He was back on his paws in an instance, big tail of branches wagging.

"Well, go get it then," I said and shot it off into the forest with my magic.

His claws ripped up the dirt on the forest floor as he tore after it.

I laughed. There was a slight sound of wings and I glanced up. A messenger had arrived from the town and landed on one of the thick branches above,

"Your majesty, message fro-" she said as she landed on one of the thick branches above with the rest of the guards and that was as far as he got before Moon Glow rounded on her in what sounded like harsh whispers I couldn't make out even with my ears.

I blinked in surprise as the messenger spoke up again after a couple of seconds, "N-never mind, sir, it's not urgent."

Then I was too busy to think about it as Fern came barreling back to me, pink ball held carefully between his fangs.

I grinned and gripped it with my magic, "Loose!"

Fern is a very good houseplant and after only a minute of tug of war, let go.

I threw it again.