The two ponies steadily made their way through the undergrowth, trying to make as little noise as possibly as they followed the tiny spec above them, fluttering and flapping this way and that in the cold night air.
Twilight, the pony bringing up the rear, was wondering how on Earth she got herself into these situations. Presumably it was linked with the amount of time she spent with Rainbow Dash and consequently the amount of time she spent listening to Dash’s ideas.
Although she had to admit, this one had intruiged her every now and again. She had always secretly wondered where her owl, Owlicious had flown off to every morning, staying the day away from the library somewhere within Whitetail woods. She’d just never thought to question it further until Dash had brought up the idea the previous day.
It was certainly turning out to be a long trek in any case, they’d been following him for the best part of half an hour since he left the library, not that Twilight could complain, he flew at a steady speed, about that of a quick trot as the pegasus flies.
They never lost sight of him, at least not for long, and Dash had done her part, flying up every now and again to make sure that they were still following the bird.
Eventually, after another five minutes or so of walking, they finally saw Owlicious fold his wings upwards and drop down towards a large cedar tree, the only one in a clearing. Twilight and Rainbow continued to approach stealthily, avoiding the dry leaves which littered the forest floor and dodging the twigs that dotted in other places.
Eventually, there was just one more tree between the two of them and Twilight’s owl, Rainbow pressed herself up to it and leant around the tree as Twilight watched with a barely repressed smile.
Then Rainbow froze, still looking around the tree and obstructing Twilight’s view. Immediately, she walked over to Rainbow and leaned still further around her before freezing, just as Rainbow had done.
There, sat on a low branch, was Owlicious, staring at them with what could only be called bemusement. That wasn’t what caused Twilight to freeze though, it was the two owls behind his own that were peeking around his body that did that.
Twilight felt something feathery embrace her back as she looked at the owls, glancing at the pony beside her with a smile.
Owlicious had his family.
Twilight had her own.