//------------------------------//
// The Nightmare 
// Story: The Search For The Everglade 
// by Colt_Flick 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 6: The Nightmare

Through the forest the two ponies walked,  and the dark trees seemed to reach out and try to grab at them, but the ponies ran... ran to the Everglade, a lush green forest, apples on every tree and a large lake in the center.

Bladewing ran ahead, looking around with a bright smile, "It's Beautiful, North Star." she cheered, her eyes sparkling with delight.

"It's amazing... I can't believe we made it so easily." North Star replied as he took a few steps forward to stand by her, watching her as she spread her wings, unable to stay on the ground as she felt such delight from completing her mission.

"I know... it was all thanks to-" Suddenly Bladewing stopped, her happy expression disappearing instantly as he coat seemed to pale, "...Wait, something's not right." she lowered herself back to the ground and landed, taking a few steps back."

"Bladewing?" North Star asked, concerned for his friend as he took a few steps towards her, "What's wrong?"

"It's the frost..." Bladewing whispered, snow starting to flick past the two of them. As North Star turned, he saw the forest behind them beginning to shift and change, a wall of snow appeared in the distance but rapidly grew closer, moving over the forest and turning everything it touched into ice. It was heading straight for the Everglade, "RUN! The frost is coming!"

"Why is it following us?!" North Star screamed as he fled with Bladewing, though the ground began to turn to mush beneath his feet, he walked as if he were moving through thick snow while the frost continued to speed along, freezing everything it touched, "This is supposed to be a paradise, free from that horrible winter!"

"I was wrong, we were all wrong! The winter..." She skidded to a halt as she reached the lake, before them the frost moved in, no matter which way they turned the frost came towards them, "It's everywhere..." Bladewing whispered as she stepped back, her back hoof pressing against North Star.

At first North Star felt comforted, feeling Bladewing's hoof so close to his, only to fall as Bladewing slammed her back hoof against his back leg, crippling him. As she took to the skies, flying straight upwards.

"Bladewing... No! Don't leave me!" he screamed out in fear, holding his leg as he tried to drag it along with him, struggling to get back on all four hooves as the frost continued on it's path, the apples falling from the trees and shattering like glass as they hit the ground.

But Bladewing was already gone, she had disappeared into the clouds. Though the Pegasus didn't stay gone for long, she came hurtling back through the clouds and towards the ground, landing with a splash in the lake frozen solid. A look of lifeless fear stuck on her face as the lake began to freeze over, sealing her under it.

North Star watched helplessly as his friend disappeared under the thick ice, starting to slam his hooves against it to break it, but as he did so ice began to form around his hooves until eventually it sealed him to the lake. The ice began to move up his legs, causing him to panic and struggle as it neared his face, he kept his head high, his horn glowing brightly as a powerful flare shot from it and into the sky.... the world went back and he struggled to breathe-

. . .

North Star jumped up from his bed, glancing around the small tent. It had been the worst nightmare he had had in a while. He poked his head out of the tent and saw that the fire had gone out, but as he looked up he saw Bladewing standing on the cloud looking down at him.

"Is something wrong?" She asked, flying down to stand before him, fluttering her wings as she landed before tucking them back.

"No... just, just a crazy nightmare." North Star replied, heading back into the tent, though as he did Bladewing followed after him. He laid down on his side and looked over at her as she laid down by him, closing her eyes. She began to sing softly:

"When you sit upon a cloud, watching over me.
Let the rain come crashing down, until it's all I see.
When lightning strikes and thunder roars, I won't run away,
But if I do, know I'll return to be with you some day."

She hummed the verse softly, and North Star's fears began to disappear... the haunting melody of the tune lulling him back to sleep. He was in the Everglade with Bladewing once more, but this time it was covered in snow... she was free of the ice, and with a soft 'oh well' shrug, they continued to seek their new home as the melody echoed through the trees.