Far east, under a nonstop rain of tree and leaves, several chunks of wood had collapsed across a simple clearing. From within a dense cluster of emerald foliage, a lavender head poked its head out. Eagle Eye panted, glancing every which way, wincing as another shell landed not far from him.
"Captain!" He shouted, disentangling himself from several branches before hobbling out on all fours. "Crimson! Zenith! Where are you guys?"
There was a muffled noise from behind him.
Eagle gasped, spun about, and telekinetically parted a sea of leaves. From within, a mustached stallion spat several twigs out and crawled forth, wincing from bruises.
"Phoenix!" Eagle stammered. "Have you seen the others?"
"Love ya too, princess..."
"Now's hardly the time for—"
"Gang way!" A voice cracked from overhead.
Phoenix and Eagle Eye looked up. They jumped in opposite directions just in time to avoid the crash landing of a blue pegasus.
"Ooof!" Rainbow Dash grunted, collapsing with the bodies of Pilate, Bellesmith, and Zenith clinging to her.
"Holy crap-a-doodles!" Zenith wheezed, struggling with his polearm to regain balance. A shell went off, bathing his flinching body in shell and mulch. "That was too close!"
"Nnngh... Yeah, well..." Rainbow Dash got up and managed a nervous smirk. "I've had closer." Another shell went off, and a sharp chunk of wood embedded into the ground between her legs. She blinked, then blurted, "We should probably get out of here."
"I don't get it!" Belle exclaimed. "What do they think to accomplish?"
"They're doing a good job with the 'intimidation' part of their plan," Pilate exclaimed. He supported Belle as he turned his head towards the other ponies. "We might be fine so long as we get out of this immediate area!"
"Jee, thanks!" Zenith barked, helping Phoenix up to his hooves. "Did you earn those stripes by being a friggin' genius?!"
"Our camp's screwed!" Phoenix shouted above the noise. "What should we do?"
"I'd say head east to Site Beta!"
"What?!" Phoenix's eyes bugged. "The ruins?! You remember what was there last time—!"
"Do either I or the shelling look like we care?!" Zenith hissed back.
"If you know of a safe place, let's just go there!" Rainbow Dash swooped down and placed a hoof on both Belle and Pilate. "I wanna get my friends out of here before we end up everywhere!"
"Wait!" Eagle Eye shrieked. "The Captain! Just where is Crimson?"
"Right here!" A voice shuddered from above.
Everypony swiveled to look.
"Captain?" Phoenix made a face. "You're upside down..."
"Site B is the best idea right now," Crimson calmly said, dangling from where his rear legs were caught in the crook of a half-collapsed tree. "You all go ahead!"
"Captain! No!" Eagle Eye squeaked. "Not without you!"
Another shell landed nearby, splashing twigs and pebbles hotly across the scene.
Crimson spat, "Just go!" His horn glowed as he struggled with the branch he was stuck on. "I'll be right behind you—"
"Yeah, screw that." Rainbow Dash flew up to him and started pulling hard on the cracking branch. "You've risked your neck for us all. Nnnngh!" She pulled and she tugged. "We're all getting out of here together!"
"Will you just go already?!" Crimson shouted. "There's no telling when one of those shells is gonna split this whole camp in two!"
"Uhhh..." Pilate gulped, his ears drooping. "I believe we have something more imminent to deal with..."
"What are you going on about now, dude—" Phoenix froze as soon as he felt his knees rattling.
The entire earth was shaking. A deep rumble permeated the noise and chaos, hailing from the west. Rainbow Dash craned her neck, watching forlornly as the forest behind them parted ways with a multitude of stampeding bodies. Boars, rabbits, birds, and several large mammals burst out of the foliage. Soon, the air filled with a musky green mist, and the rumbling intensified. Several trees snapped apart, followed by a line of glowing eyes.
"Timberwolves!" Phoenix shouted, already breaking into an eastward gallop.
Zenith gnashed his teeth, yanked on Belle and Pilate, and forced the three of them into a brisk run. "Move! Move! Move! To Site Beta!"
Eagle Eye stood, frozen in place, his violet eyes reflecting the wave of living brambles that was charging the group's way.
"Uhmmm..." Crimson glanced at Rainbow Dash. "You may wish to hurry."
"Grrrr!" Rainbow Dash's muscles twitched as she yanked hard at the branch. The thing snapped suddenly, and both ponies fell—flailing—into the jaws of the beasts that had been forced out of their den.