Chapter 7
One Long Night
After getting the news from Granny Smith all Rainbow could think about is how she let Applejack go off on her own. Rainbow pounded her hoof against her forehead as she grit her teeth trying to get rid of the thought that something might have happen to Applejack.
“No, not as long as I’m around, I’ll make sure she’s safe.”
Rainbow flew through the night sky faster than a shooting star towards the park where she last saw her friend at. The whole time she was praying that AJ was still at the park, still walking by the lake side, perfectly fine and out of danger.
After flying in a frantic state she arrived at the park. It was quiet and nothing was moving. Rainbow shifted her head from one direction to another hoping to spot Applejack but was unsuccessful. A pained look covered her face as she started to run around the park looking, hoping, and praying to find any sign of Applejack’s whereabouts. She ran along the path that covered the whole park until it lead her to the lake.
Rainbow stopped and looked around again with high hopes that AJ was still there. She shifted her gaze to the other side of the lake, thinking she could be over there, but it was as empty as the rest of the park.
“Maybe I’m over reacting. Applejack could be back at her home by now.”
She sighed to herself, turned around and started to leave but as she was walking away something caught her eye. A look on Rainbow Dash’s face some could only describe as that of her ‘Seeing a ghost’. Rainbow ran along the path that lead to the other side of the lake. She stopped and place almost perfectly on top of a bush was the one thing she didn’t want to see.
It was Applejack’s trade mark cowpony hat sitting there alone and then Rainbow knew her fears were true. Feeling guilt build up inside her she lowered her head and tried to hold off the urge to kick herself. Rainbow gave the tree next to her a hard kick.
“I’m an idiot! No, this is no damn time to be feeling sorry for myself. Screw this I’m not gonna give up! She’s fine I know it!”
Rainbow grabbed Applejack’s hat and tossed it on her head. Rainbow flew along the path for a few minutes. When she reached the end of it she was staring down an entrance to the Everfree Forest.
“She has to be in there. This is the only place where the path ends at.”
Rainbow took a step forward but quickly stopped and stepped back.
“No Rainbow! This isn’t the time to get cold feet. Applejack needs your help and you’ve come too far, in more ways than one too.”
Rainbow put her determined look on her face and ran steadfast into the forest. Not knowing what might happen or what may be waiting but she didn’t care. The one pony she cares for could be in trouble and that’s all that was on her mind.
* * *
Rainbow was walking through the Everfree Forest. Constantly looking in every direction hoping for a sign of Applejack’s location.
“Timberwolves…why did it have to be Timberwolves? And why do they have to live in the Everfree Forest?” Rainbow thought to herself
She kept walking deeper and deeper into the forest. An eerie wind had started to blow through the woods. It was dark even with the moonlight she still had a hard time seeing in front of her. After the wind had started a chilling fog had rolled in that surrounded everything. The Everfree Forest had a reputation for unpredictable and scary weather. Pegasi had no control over the weather in this area of Equestria so they tended to stay away from it.
Against everything Rainbow knew of the area she continued on. Rainbow knew something had happen to Applejack, she could feel it inside her. The fog was thick and impairing her sight even more.
“Wait if I fly up over the tree tops I will be able to see better.”
Rainbow feeling confident about her plan opened her wings getting ready to take flight but stopped as she looked up and saw how compact the tree tops were. The trees had been growing here for possibly centuries unchecked which meant the tree tops created a ceiling of foliage. If she flew over the forest she wouldn’t be able to see the ground.
“Damn I wouldn’t be any better off doing that than staying down here.”
Rainbow closed her wings by her side and continued walking along the invisible path through the forest. Rainbow wasn’t sure if Applejack was still here in the forest or if she was even here to begin with. After all she could have made it home.
“She could be back at home, safe and sound, asleep in her bed. But why did she leave her hat at the park? Maybe she was chased off by some Timberwolves but made it home? But what if they chased after her?”
Rainbow looked at AJ’s hat on her head and shook her head vigorously at that thought.
“No I can’t think like that. I’ll look around just a little more and if I don’t find anything then I’ll go back to farm and check to see if she made it back.”
Rainbow went along the path through the forest and through the fog. She had her doubts but she wanted to be sure nonetheless. So she walked on, searching the ground for any kind of sign, looking for any clue that would validate Applejack being here.
Suddenly she heard a noise no pony wants to hear. Her ears pricked up and a look of terror fell on her face. She frantically searched around her, staring off into the darkness, but the fog was thick and it was hard to see but that sound was unmistakable.
“That…that was the howl of Timberwolves and they’re…close by.”
Rainbow panicked and began to run through the trees and fog. The last thing a pony wants is to encounter a pack of Timberwolves in the Everfree Forest especially at night.
So Rainbow instinctively ran from the noise. She had no idea where she was going or what might be ahead of her but she kept running.
* * *
Rainbow ran for as long as she could. Shards of moonlight shone through the canopy of tree tops as she ran from the sound of Timberwolves behind her. The fog was thick and it made visibility low but she didn’t care about was in front of her just what was behind her.
Rainbow heard the howls again and picked up her pace. She turned her head to look behind her, she saw nothing, it was dark and foggy but that didn’t mean she wasn’t being chased. Rainbow looked forward again and was hit in the face by the glare of moonlight.
“An opening? Is it an exit to the forest?”
Rainbow wasn’t going to take any chances. She ran for the opening in the trees. Turning her head to look behind her one last time to make sure she was safe.
“Haha there is no way some dumb old Timberwolves can catch me!”
Rainbow kept running to the exit and began to breathe a sigh of relief.
“At lasaaAHHH!” Rainbow yelled
The opening she ran so desperately for, hoping it would offer salvation, ended with a cliff. The thick fog on the ground had concealed the drop-off from her so as she ran she couldn’t have noticed it. Rainbow stopped and looked around her. The view would be beautiful, the Everfree Forest lay in front of her basked in moonlight, if she wasn’t in these current circumstances.
“Aww man that was close. Another few inches and I would have been six feet under.” Rainbow turned and heard the growls of the wolves.
“Might be too early to pat myself on the back.” She searched the tree line looking for her pursers but didn’t see anything.
Just then Rainbow heard more howls of the Timberwolves but this time from behind her. Rainbow turned to look and at the bottom of the cliff was something she had hoped not to see.
At the bottom of the cliff was a small, open area, field and as she looked on Rainbow saw Applejack running across it. At first
Rainbow felt relieved to see AJ safe. That was until she noticed that a pack of six Timberwolves were chasing Applejack.
“APPLEJACK!!” Rainbow yelled
Applejack stopped when she heard her name being yelled by Rainbow. There is no way Applejack could mistake that voice.
“Rainbow! Am Ah glad to see y’all!”
Applejack turned when she heard the sound of the wolves growling behind her. One of them lunged at her but she gave it a swift kick making it fall to pieces to the ground.
“Rainbow we ain’t got time to talk now. Look Ah’m headin’ to the river that runs through the forest. If we follow it downstream it will lead us to the farm. Meet me there!” Applejack started to run off back into the forest with the wolves close behind her.
“Hell no am I going to just let you go off on your own again AJ!”
Rainbow opened up her wings getting ready to take flight when she heard growls behind her as well. Rainbow turned to see three Timberwolves slowly walking towards her.
“Damn it! I don’t have time for this.”
The lead wolf of the pack; a large, old, grey-ish wolf with a long scar across its face stared Rainbow down. It began to charge towards Rainbow. She backed up against the edge of the cliff and looked over her shoulder.
“Your mistake”
The wolf jumped towards Rainbow and Rainbow jumped backwards off the cliff then opened her wings and took flight towards the field where she saw Applejack. The Timber wolf tried to grab onto the ledge but it lost its grip and fell into the
darkness below.
Rainbow flew off towards the open field with only one thought in her mind. That was to help Applejack and stomp anything that gets in her way.
Rainbow landed in the field and saw the tracks that lead in the direction of Applejack. Rainbow took off in the direction that would hopefully lead to Applejack. She flew just inches off the ground always keeping her eyes in front of her, also watching the tracks below her too, waiting and hoping that the next turn she would see AJ.
Rainbow stared at the ground following the tracks with her eyes until the clouds blocked the moonlight making it hard for Rainbow to see anything.
(Smack!)
A loud thud could be heard through the forest. Without the little light the moon was giving off the forest turn black and Rainbow couldn’t see the trees in front of her. The clouds shifted and Rainbow lay there in the dirt. She sat up and tried to open up her wings but a sharp pain flew through body. Her wing that had finally healed after her last accident was messed up again.
“Ugh! I’m such an idiot! I knew flying through the trees was stupid.”
Rainbow stood up and started walking in the direction of the tracks. No matter how bad she was hurt she was not going to let her friend down. Not now, not ever.
* * *
Rainbow followed the tracks till they reached the edge of the river that Applejack had told her earlier. She looked around, searching for her friend, but AJ wasn’t there and there were no more tracks to follow. Rainbow looked along the river’s bank but there was none to be found.
“What the hell? How do tracks just disappear?”
Rainbow crossed the river to the other side hoping to have better luck but still nothing that she could see. She began to panic but calmed herself down and took another look around then noticed that a few branches were broken. Some of the Applejack’s blonde hair was on the branches as well. The only reason why there were no tracks was because AJ had ran into thick grass and bushes.
“Man these wolves just don’t quit.”
Rainbow ran into the thick grass and followed the broken branches with high hopes. She knew she was getting close to her friend and that meant they were close to this nightmare being over. They could go home, sleep comfortably, dream about things and relax finally.
Rainbow continued to follow the broken branches while she let her thoughts about her and AJ keep her spirits up. That was until she reached the end of the trail of branches and came across something that made her heart sink.
Applejack had been cornered against some rocks and was lying on the ground while Timberwolves circled her. She wasn’t moving as the wolves were closing in on her slowly.
“No this can’t be right, AJ can’t be beaten that easily.”
One of the wolves moved in for the kill but before he could get any closer Rainbow dashed in giving the wolf a huge head-butt causing him to fly against the rock wall behind him, smashing him into tiny pieces. Rainbow then stood over Applejack staring down the other four wolves daring them to come closer.
“I swear if you take on step closer I will use the sticks you’re made of as a camp fire.”
One of the wolves challenged Rainbow’s threat by stepping forward and another did the same. Rainbow looked around her and knew she was outmatched plus surrounded on all four sides. She wasn’t going to back down though. That would mean certain death for her and Applejack and she was not about to let that happen.
The wolves began to attack. The first one jumped towards Rainbow but she managed to spin around and give it a hard kick to the side of its head causing it to shatter. Another ran towards Applejack but Rainbow cut it off by giving it a low kick causing its legs to fall out from under it.
“That’s two”
Rainbow stood her ground as the other two wolves began to circle her. She didn’t take her eyes off either one of them for a second. Rainbow patiently waited for one of them to make their move. The two wolves stopped and stared at each other as if confirming something. Rainbow kept her ground wondering what they were doing.
Unexpectedly both wolves attacked from opposite sides of Rainbow.
“Ahh hell I didn’t see this coming!”
Rainbow thinking fast came up with an idea. She stood steadfast till the wolves got close enough then she reached down and grabbed AJ by her tail and dodged the attack causing the wolves to hit head on.
“Don’t you even think for a second that you can beat me like that!”
But before Rainbow could breathe another sigh of relief she heard a growl from behind her. Rainbow turned to see a large Timber wolf with a long scar on its face.
“Damn your back!”
The wolf sat there, staring down Rainbow, as if waiting for something to happen. Sure enough the wolves that Rainbow had just beaten began to come back together with their magic. The five wolves had come back to life and began to circle Rainbow and Applejack again. This time it was different though, they seemed more coordinated, Rainbow might not be able to fight them off again.
“One hell of a time to take a nap AJ.”
The wolves walked around the light-blue pony looking for a weak point to attack. Rainbow knew that that’s what they were doing so she tried to fight off the pain she felt in her wing she injured earlier. She tried to fight it off but it became too much, she was exhausted and hurting, and the wolves picked up on that fact.
Even so she still stood her ground, still protecting Applejack, and staring down the lead wolf. The wolves stopped and finally figured out which side to attack from. They began to coordinate their attack, positioning themselves in the pounce stance, and Rainbow could see what was about to happen.
Three wolves went in for the attack. Two from Rainbow’s weak side and another from the opposite side.
“Damn it I can’t react quickly enough.”
Rainbow knew she couldn't fight off three at once, she was tired and injured, Rainbow shut her eyes and quietly accepted her fate but before the wolves could land the final blow she heard a loud, thunderous, bark. The lead wolf, the one she outsmarted on the cliff, had called off the attack. Rainbow opened her eyes and looked at the old wolf who was staring back at her. The reason why the lead wolf called off the attack was unknown but Rainbow didn’t care. The old wolf walked off into the forest with his pack following behind him.
Rainbow sat down next to Applejack, who was still unconscious, then felt relieved that it was over and she nudged Applejack’s head with her nose. Rainbow pulled Applejack’s hat off her head and sat it on top of Applejack’s head. Rainbow picked up Applejack and carried her on her back. She walked back through the woods to the river and followed it downstream.
Rainbow walked along the river bank thinking to herself the whole time how this night could have turned out with a sad ending. She tried to wrap her head the events that happened tonight but was brought back to reality by the grunts of Applejack coming back to consciousness.
“Well about time you woke up. I was starting to think I was going to have to talk to myself the whole time.”
“Rainbow? Where are we?”
“Still in the Everfree Forest but not for long. We’ll be back at the farm soon.”
“Where did them wolves go?”
“I chased them off. Once they saw how awesome I was they just ran away.”
“Right…whatever you say.” Applejack fell back to sleep
“Lucky. Wish I could sleep right now.”
Rainbow followed the river all the way until it ended at the Apple family farm. Rainbow was exhausted and a little beaten up but she still managed to carry Applejack to the front door of her home. Rainbow knocked on the door and was greeted by Big Mac and Granny Smith.
“Told you I’d find her.”
Then Rainbow collapsed on the porch.
* * *
Rainbow woke up the next day inside the Apple family home. She had bandages across her body and her wing was in a splint. Even though she was beaten up the first thing she thought of was how Applejack was doing.
Rainbow was relieved to see AJ up walking around the house. Applejack was a little better off than Rainbow was but she still had bandages on her as well. Rainbow got up off the couch and walked into next room where she saw AJ.
“Mornin’ there Rainbow.”
“Morning AJ”
“How y’all feelin’?”
“Kinda like I was just dragged through Ghastly Gorge.”
“Well y’all look the part anyway.”
“Gee, thanks. You know you don’t look that much better.”
“Yea Ah kinda figured.”
The two friends stood there in the house in silence. They weren’t sure what to say to each other. Not about what had happen in the Everfree Forest but earlier that night at the park. It was still on both of their minds but they didn’t know how to approach the other.
“Well I guess I should get going. I’m sure Tank is missing me.”
“Rainbow, wait, Ah wanna talk to you. Ah wanna apologize about how Ah acted.”
“Acted? I’m not following?”
“About how Ah treated you before. Ah thought you were unreliable after you didn’t return to the farm.”
“Oh come on AJ. That was like a week ago.”
“Ah know that but Ah just felt bad about it. Ah wanted to talk to y’all about it but Ah was afraid y’all would push me away.”
“What? I wouldn’t push you away you’re my best…I mean I care for you a lot.”
“Well after last night Ah can see how much y’all care.”
Rainbow lowered her head trying to hide the fact that her face was red from blushing.
“Applejack I just want you to know that…”
“Applejack are y’all up yet?” Applebloom yelled from upstairs cutting off Rainbow.
“Yea Applebloom Ah’m downstairs with Rainbow.”
“There y’all are. Ah thought y’all were gonna sleep all day.”
“Nah your big sis can’t stay in bed all day. Ah gotta get up and do somethin’.”
“Y’all should be in bed though. Y’all gotta finish healin’ after all.”
“Ah’m fine Ah’ll just do small stuff around the house.”
“Ah guess that’s alright. How about you Rainbow? You fine too?”
“Yea I’m alright kid. Nothing to major to worry about.”
“That’s good to hear. Thanks for helpin’ my sis by the way.”
“It’s fine besides I wasn't about to lose AJ after all."
“What y’all mean?”
“Umm…I mean if I didn’t help AJ then I might have lost a friend. Hehe”
“Oh Ah see”
“Well I’m gonna head out. I’ll see ya around AJ.”
“Now hold on Rainbow. How y’all gonna go home?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well y’all live in Cloudsdale and that’s in the sky.”
“Yea and your point is?”
“How are y’all gonna get up to Cloudsdale with that busted up wing?”
“Oh yea, right”
“Oh! Ah know! Rainbow can stay here with us.”
“Wait, now hold Applebloom.”
“Why? What’s wrong Rainbow?”
“Well you guys don’t have enough room for another pony.”
“Of course we do. We have a guest room upstairs. It’s next to Applejack’s room.”
“Oh well I don’t want to impose or anything.”
“It’s no problem. After all it the least we can do since you helped my sis.”
“Yea it’s fine Rainbow.”
“Are you sure AJ?”
“Yup no problem at all, unless y’all don’t wanna?”
“No it’s fine by me. I guess I’ll have to get Fluttershy to bring Tank here since I’m not sure how long I’ll be staying.”
“Yeah! Rainbow is stayin’ here! This is going to be fun.”
“Yea it sure will be interesting.” Rainbow thought
-End of Chapter 7-