Rainbow Dash awoke slowly to a warm sun beam shining through the small hole to her cave. She rolled over and stretched out her legs and wings.
"Morning Nathaniel," she yawned, "Nathaniel?" He wasn't there. Where could he be? She poked her head outside of the cave and looked around. She covered her eyes from the bright light. "Nathaniel?" No response. She squirmed out of the cave and walked down the rough stone path to the woods. The woods were dark and seemed to go on forever. There were crows cawing in the trees, but none of them were Nathaniel. A little seed of fear began to plant in her chest when she noticed multiple yellow eyes following her every move.
"CAW" Rainbow Dash jumped when a giant bird swooped in front of her and picked up a small animal. The bird took the animal to its nest where it was killed almost instantly.
"I hope I don't end up like that... It would be a terrible death..." Rainbow Dash continued her search for Nathaniel, progressing deeper into the woods. Minutes passed, then an hour, then two. Still no sign of Nathaniel anywhere. "Nathaniel where are-"
"HEHEHEHE" She was cut off by a deep rumbling giggle coming from behind her. Rainbow Dash stood frozen in place.
"Oh... Aren't you cute..." a voice came. It was charming-like, but it sent a deep chill down her back. "I see you... A little speck on this earth... your death won't amount to much... right? HEHE... hehe..."
Rainbow Dash started to turn around to look at the creature. Her heart was thumping at a thousand miles per hour.
"Don't look at me!" The creature screeched, "If you look at me I will have to kill you even slower..."
Rainbow Dash refrained from looking. She was too scared to move anymore. This creature wanted her death, and she very well might have it if she couldn't run. Rainbow Dash tried running, but her legs didn't work. She wished she had never left the cave. She wished she just stayed back and waited for Nathaniel to return.
"You are too cute when you are sacred...hehe...I can hear your heart going... Th-thump... Th-thump... you are easy prey for me..."
Rainbow Dash heard the creature advancing. She then felt the hot breath of the creature and a rusty knife was placed firm against her neck. She felt a small pinch from the knife put up to her throat. Rainbow Dash choked on tears, she wasn't ready to die, not now. She was supposed to save Equestria.
"I could slice you down right now... But what would be the fun of that?... I would much rather watch you die slowly... one drop of blood to the next... then after you are dead I shall bathe in your blood... it will be easy... like squashing a fly... just another useless life...gone."
"Please. Don't," Rainbow Dash begged. She felt the hot blood running down her chest from the rusty knife pressing into her skin.
"Dashie... you must die... I.. am... sorry," The creature began to dig the knife into Rainbow Dash's neck, "This is my duty, this is... my destiny."
Rainbow Dash quickly jumped back, wincing from the pain. She turned around and got a good glimpse of the creature.
"PINKIE!?" although it wasn't like pinkie it was... darker... crazier... deadlier... She stood in shadow her eyes filled white with no pupils.
"I have come to kill you Rainbow Dash... Make it easier and accept death...don't worry... I will make as painful as possible" She lunged at Rainbow Dash swinging the knife madly.
Rainbow Dash tried desperately to dodge the swinging blade, "Pinkie I thought we were friends? Why would you hurt me?"
Pinkie stopped swinging the blade, "Dashie," She said deeply, "My name isn't Pinkie... My name is Dolores, and I am the element of sorrow! Giggle at the ghosties now Dashie, because I am coming for you!" She lunged again at Rainbow Dash, this time landing a strike on her left thigh.
"Ouch!..." Rainbow Dash fell over. The blade had cut deep enough for her to see bone. She tensed up as blood flowed down her leg turning it crimson red. She couldn't move her leg, it felt heavy.
"Oh Dashie... you were always so stubborn... you should have ran when you could... but that is too late... now... I get the pleasure of watching you slowly die..." Dolores walked up to the blood puddle and began to smear her hoof around in it. "funny thing isn't it?... The way we ponies are so vulnerable... that just a petty knife could destroy us..."
Dashie averted her eyes from the creature, "no... I am not vulnerable... I am strong... I... am... strong..." She looked straight at the creature and gave her a hard stare. "I will live, and when I can walk again... I will... kill you..."
"Oh no... I'm scared... the powerful Dashie is going to kill me. Well think again, who is facing the point of a knife?" she held the knife up to Rainbow Dash's neck. "I could kill you right now... I just don't want to spoil the fun" She dipped her hoof in the blood and smeared hearts on Rainbow Dash's pelt. "You are very pretty by the way... It may just be a shame to have you die... because your beauty is strong."
"Then why kill me? I can make you as beautiful as me... I can try." Rainbow Dash began to drag herself away.
The creature grabbed her sliced leg and pulled her back, "There is no escaping Dolores," She raised the knife and stabbed it deep into Rainbow Dash's throat.
Rainbow Dash felt the pain... then all around her the world began to turn to shreds, the creature turned to sand and blew away along with the trees and grass, then there was nothingness...
Rainbow Dash awoke suddenly, "NO!"
"Oh dammit Dashie, you scared me half to death. Are you ok?"
Rainbow Dash felt her neck, her thigh, no cuts. It was a nightmare. All a nightmare...
"What happened?" asked Nathaniel.
Rainbow Dash explained her dream.
"Oh I see what you saw in your dream was a Demen. Except that one used to be Pinkie... It is possible that the real thing is close if she was able to enter your dreams. You should just feel lucky that didn't happen to you in real life." Nathaniel explained what a Demen was to Rainbow Dash.
"Oh... So you are saying that that thing in my dreams is real and may be looking for me right now?" Rainbow Dash grew worried and began to pack her bag, ready to leave the cave. "We best be going then."
"Rainbow Dash... next time, in case it is real... do not travel alone. I am supposed to protect you from these kind of things."
They left the cave and headed out, making their way to the first nearby town.