Chapter 4
I tried to warn him of the trap that lied in front of him. He was too lost in seeing the outdoors for the first time. Those diamond dogs really had it out for us this time. Especially him. They stole his memories from him and now they left traps all over the field to make sure we never got home. I rushed to his side as fast as I could. I looked frantically for a way to get it off. His screaming was heard by only me due to the storm's howling winds. Blood flowed from his right foreleg with nothing to stop the bleeding. Tears filled my eyes. I didn't know what to do!
“THE LATCH!” He screamed at me through the pain and tears. I tried not to look at the massive gashes in his leg, instead i looked only at the trap. Latch, latch, where's the LATCH! I mentally screamed at myself. Never in my life have I ever seen a bear trap before. “Behind...” He breathed hard, blood appearing in his eyes. “The locking... thing.” His head hit the ground. He groaned in pain as he paled. Blood now fully covered the trap. I got down to the same level. A little steel plate jutted from the side. This must be it. I thought. I slammed my hoof on the plate. The maws unlatched from his leg, locking back in place once again.
Large gashes surrounded his leg and I'm pretty sure his bones were broken. He sighed in relief. The rain washed away the blood on his leg before it even got a chance to linger. I looked around for a safe spot. The only place that was moderately dry was under a large tree to our left. I turned toward him. He was out cold. Or maybe it was worse. Let's get somewhere safe first Rarity. My magic enveloped him. He floated only inches off the ground. my magic was never meant for carrying a stallion. His weight was starting to take effect, my horn strained carrying him for a few feet. If only I had the magical strength of Twilight, then I could make it through. My eyes filled up with tears again. Eventually I couldn't stop the flow because I was putting all my effort into the spell to hold the stallion up. My horn popped and fizzled. The magic was weakening. It was no use. He was going to die and so was I. We were lost somewhere in the forest in the middle of a hurricane. My magic gave out and I released the breath I was holding. He dropped to the ground. I thought I heard something snap in his leg, but I don't really know. The magic exhaustion loomed over me. Slowly filling my vision with black. I failed. Now we're both going to die. Goodbye Sweetie Belle. Goodbye Twilight, Pinkie, Rainbow, Applejack and Fluttershy. With a last effort, I sent a magic flare into the storm. It was barely bright enough to see, but it was our last hope of survival. My magic burnt out completely. I was physically and mentally burnt out. The stallion next to me was probably in a coma. I grabbed my bag off my back and put it under my chin. If I was going to die, I was going to die with something Sweetie Belle made. The rain softened its assault on us. Before I went to sleep I swear I saw a brown figure come out from the woods.
<........>
I wasn't expecting to open my eyes again, with the blood loss and everything, I thought I was as good as dead. Darkness covered my vision. Had the diamond dogs come back for us after setting that cruel trap? Will my torture ever end? Horrible images flooded my mind of being back in the cave. I didn't realize how screwed up I was inside there. I was trapped behind my vision of escape I only remember what was top priority. Now lying, back in the darkness, all of the terrors that my subconscious was holding back rushed out like a broken dam. They played out like movies in my head. The constant beatings, the discrimination, my insanity, Rarity. All with no cushioning of past memories to ease the pain. I felt tremendously tired. I could sleep for days in this state. It'll probably be soon before they woke me up and dragged me off to work again. With the little time I most likely had left, I went back into my hazy sleep.
Again I woke up to see only darkness. But it was this time I started to question where I was. The cell that was my life for weeks, never had anything soft in it. Or heat... Or blankets... I raised my head with the little strength that had returned to me. A fire popped and cackled in the stone fireplace only a few steps away. A fireplace? Now I was confused. I rolled to my left with the speed of a tortoise. A sharp pain jolted from my right foreleg. It did not appreciate crushed under my body. With pain in mind, I began to observe my new surroundings.
We were in a small log cabin lit with gas lamps which were turned off at the moment. The only light in the whole house was the fire that waved in the fireplace. Across from me laid Rarity on a green loveseat with wooden legs. Beyond Rarity were two doorways, too dark to see what was inside. A shelf on top of the fireplace held a few picture frames which were again, too dark to see. A wooden coffee table, rich in floral designs carved into it, sat between the two couches completing a small little area to sit around the fire. On the table were two glasses of water with bendy straws in them. I was parched. I hadn't had a drink of pure water in... Hay I don't even know. I smacked my lips and leaned over to the table, without having to get off the couch. I nabbed the straw with my mouth. Cool, pure water flowed down my throat with a clean aftertaste. I sucked up all the water the glass held. I sighed in content.
“So you're not dead, huh?” A voice spoke from the darkness. I was too exhausted to panic. I cleared my renewed throat.
“Not yet.” I whispered hoarsely. The shadow voice chuckled and stepped into the light of the fire from one of the doorways. A dark brown stallion, much larger than I was any day, with a jet black mane and beard stood in front of me.
“Your lucky your little marefriend there...” He gestured toward Rarity. “Sent out her weak magic flare when she did. I was out to find out what that quake was from across the field when I saw a blue light soar into the darkness of the storm. Found you two passed out in the middle of the field, so I brought you back to my cabin.” The brown stallion finished. I would be dead again if it weren't for Rarity. The moment she released the latch on the trap I felt myself slipping from this world. Wait a minute. What did he say?
“Marefriend? No, no. Just uh... Acquaintances.” I said with little effect. He stared at me with a dull look in his eyes.
“Sure.” He stated alone. “Anyway, I fixed your wound up for ya. Any longer and ye wouldn't have made it back to the cabin.” He added. I looked at my right hoof. It was clad in a pressure bandage and a lot of other bandages. It was a miracle I survived all this. “What were you doin out there anyway? In the middle of a hurricane and all.” He asked. I laid back down on his couch, mulling over what to say. I decided to be as straight as possible. I was getting tired and probably just survived the impossible for other ponies. I took a big long sigh.
“We we got captured by Diamond Dogs. We were beaten, overworked, underfed and many other horrible things. The rumbling that you heard was probably the cave their cave that collapsed providing us freedom. Caught in the moment of my freedom I stepped in a bear trap the dogs put down as a last effort.” I was tired. I didn't care. He was quiet for a long while. I bet he wasn't expecting that.
“Do ya always talk so smart like that?” He asked with a smirk on his face. I gave a slight smile. I guess I was being a little technical. Maybe I was a scientist or something in my past life. “Anyway, name's Iron Oak.” Ugh. I've been dreading this moment ever since I saw this stallion. He tells me his name and I would say mine, but there's my problem. I don't know my name. I started to laugh a little. He gave me an angry look. “You think my name's funny?” I ceased laughing immediately.
“NO! Your name is not stupid. I was laughing at the fact that I can't tell you my name.” I laughed nervously.
“What do you mean, can't tell me your name?” He threw back at me.
“Well, I would if I could, but I lost my memory after I drank some potion a diamond dog gave me. Took away my memory and my cutie mark too.” Iron Oak grew silent again.
“That would explain your lack of a cutie mark then.” He said flatly. Did he always avoid the main point? “Well, after being enslaved by those diamond dogs, you must be hungry.” My stomach growled like a manitcore at the thought of food. He busted out laughing. “That's enough of an answer for me.” He said between laughs. I didn't find it all that funny, considering I was the one starving. After all I've been through I thought he would at least be a little sympathetic. It seems like he doesn't even care after I told him what happened to me.
“I would love something to eat.” I said to him. He turned around and headed into what I think is the kitchen. The sound of gas being released filled the room for only a second before a whooshing sound and then light. I sat up slowly and glanced around the room. A few minutes later he came out with a steaming bowl of some stew. He placed it carefully on the coffee table as to not spill any of the bowls contents. A smell of herbs filled the air. My mouth was watering in an instant. “My wife made this for you two in case you woke up and were hungry. She makes the best stew a pony could ever have.” He said. He must have saw the ravenous look in my eyes before saying, “Don't eat too fast now. This stew is rich in all sorts of stuff. Don't wanna overload yer system there.” He added while walking over to the fire for a seat. He had a point. It took a lot of self control to not plunge my face into the scalding hot stew. I picked up the spoon from the bowl and skimmed some broth off the top. As soon as I put in it my mouth a burst of flavors bounced all around. Just tasting actual food brought back more strength. “Holy Celestia.” I said to nopony in particular. Iron Oak let out a small laugh.
“So you got quite a mouth huh?” He said. I laughed too. The next spoonfuls were full of carrots, celery and a few flower petals.
“Tell your wife when she wakes up that this is the best thing I've ever tasted.” I said between spoonfuls.” It really was the first thing I've eaten something that wasn't a tiny pile of hay.
“Sure, but she ain't sleeping.” I lifted my head to look at him. “She flew out in the storm to Ponyville hospital for a medical chariot.” He said. I was so mesmerized by the soup, I didn't think of what's to come next. “She left about an hour ago, should be back soon. As soon as I dragged you two back she insisted to go to Ponyville.” I sighed. I'm was getting tired of Oak's passive nature. I plopped the spoon in the empty bowl.
“We've been through... More than any other pony should and your acting like nothings wrong?” I said angrily. He gave me a deathly stare.
“You looking for my pity?” He glared even harder. “Pity's not gonna get you nowhere. You gotta be tough. Bein babied ain't gonna help you. Now, the least I can do is get a sense of normalcy back into yeh.” He said while he looked into the twisting flames.
“And I have to thank you for that. I haven't laughed for real in... Hay I don't even know.” I saw his cheek bones rise.
“It's what I do.” He said alone. Only the sound of the crackling fire filled the room.
“When I'm at Ponyville hospital...” My head sunk into the feathery pillow. “You better come for a visit.”
“Gladly. Get some rest now. You deserve it. Dealing with Iron Oak for half an hour is a trial in itself.” He said while standing up. I brought the blanket closer to my face and snuggled into the couch. “Don't get too comfortable now.” He walked into the kitchen and turned off the gas lamp.
“Thank you Iron Oak and your wife too. I would be dead if not for you.” I said. He grunted in return. Not much for "your welcome" I guess. With fresh food in my stomach I drifted off to a dreamless sleep.
<........>
This time when I woke up I was moving. Not like sleep walking, but the thing I was in was moving. I raised my head. A yellow mare with a hat with a red cross looked at me. “Where are we?” I asked. I was on a stretcher this time. I leaned my left foreleg on the bars around the edge to a better view.
“We're on our way to the Ponyville hospital. Don't worry your safe now.” The yellow unicorn said. Safety. A thing I have yet to feel. I never felt “safe” since my memory was stripped from me. So I guess I never felt safe, considering I have to start my life over. My head hit the stretcher. I was still very weak. To my left Rarity was still asleep. Geez. How long could that mare sleep? We were both exhausted I concluded and dragged my thoughts to this town called Ponyville. I had nothing to imagine of this Ponyville place. I didn't know if I even lived there or not. Hopefully somepony would recognize me at some point. All I really have now is my knowledge, which I learned I had a lot of, and Rarity. Hopefully she won't just abandon and forget about me. No. She wouldn't do that. I saved her life. If it wasn't for me she probably would be dead. I stared at the fluid tube pumping water into my veins. Angry thoughts flew inside my head. Then Rarity stirred. The angry thoughts halted. I looked out the chariot's window. She raised her head and looked around. She found the same yellow mare and asked her the same question.
“Where are we?” Rarity asked. The yellow mare chuckled.
“Don't worry. We're on our way to the Ponyville hospital.” She said. Rarity froze. A smile appeared on her face that grew larger and larger each second. She was shaking with excitement. “Woah, calm down now. We don't want you to break anything else.” The hospital mare warned. Rarity was so wound up in the thought of going home she didn't hear the rest of the medical mare's sentence. Me? I just stared out the chariot's window. I had nothing to look forward to at this Ponyville, well except proper medical help. “Hey, uh, orange one.” I turned to look at her. “Your friend Iron Oak said he'll get there as soon as he could.” The thought of someone I now know being there for me calmed me.
“Thank you. Can't necessarily call that a good thing though.” I said laughing. She gave a slight smile before putting on a stony face.
“Who's Iron Oak?” Rarity asked. She was asleep the whole time, no wonder she didn't know who he was.
“He's the one who found us.” I said looking at the ceiling of the chariot. “He said he saw a small flare go off and that's how he found us.” I added. The excitement of home was shoved aside momentarily as she recollected what happened.
“It was the last thing I could think of before my magic burnt out. I surely thought you were dead.” She said probably looking at me. I sighed again.
“Not yet.” I stated. I bit the corner of my lip.
“Sounds like you managed to skirt around death a few times then.” The yellow mare said. I nodded in response.
“More than a few. Those dogs really had it in for me.” A small tear began to bubble up in my eye.
“I'm sorry for all that happened.” She said looking down.
“Thanks, but I'm here now. Even if I have no memory, I'm still alive.” I forced the tears back. The chariot was quiet except for the flapping of wings and the pattering of rain on the chariot.
“You two should get back to sleep. We'll be back in no time.” The medical mare told us. The stretcher wasn't as soft as Iron Oak's couch, but it was softer than the ground. I snuggled into the blankets and turned to look out my window. The sky flashed with a bolt of lightning, shifting the chariot to the right, throwing the nurse off balance. “Not to worry.” She said readjusting her hat little nurse hat. “These pegasi have flown through worse.” Watching the rain fall outside was very relaxing. I shut my eyes and blocked all memories of the cave behind a mental barricade. Things will be different now. No more pain or torture, that's all behind me. It's time for a new life, but not before trying to recover my old one.