She wasn’t home. We knocked on all the doors, looked in all the windows, and Pinkie Pie even tried yelling down the chimney. No answer, no Fluttershy.
“Hmm,” Rarity looked at the empty cottage, then around at the yard surrounding it. Besides the chicken coop, from which muted clucking could be heard, there were critters relaxing in the bright morning sun. Squirrels, bunnies, birds and mice scampered about the large grassy yard, oblivious to us as we sat outside the cottage door. “I don’t think she’d have gone very far. She has too many animals to take care of right now. Perhaps she’s over in the flower fields, probably under the willow,” -she pointed out to the east- “She sometimes goes there to relax.”
“What about those woods over there?” I pointed towards the dense line of trees to the south. “I mean, she loves animals... there’s got to be plenty in there, right? Maybe she went to do some, uh, caretaking there?”
“No, I don’t think so, Chaser,” Rarity said as she looked towards the treeline. “That’s the Everfree forest.”
“Ok...” I waited for an explanation. Several seconds of silence passed as they looked at me. I finally had to ask, “Um, what does that mean?”
Pinkie’s eyes went wide. “You mean you don’t know?” she asked in a startled tone.
“Oh, that’s right,” Rarity said, “You’re from out of town. Of course you wouldn’t know.”
“Know what?” I’d never been a fan of beating around bushes. “What’s so special about the Everfree forest?”
Pinkie Pie leapt in front of me, a wild look in her eyes. “It’s unnatural! Spooky, even! The plants and animals and weather all operate without any pony to help!”
That didn’t sound so bad. “Uh-huh. But is it actually dangerous?”
She nodded so vigorously I swore I could hear rattling inside, then explained, “The Everfree Forest is one of the most dangerous places a pony can go! It’s full of timberwolves and parasprites and manticores and ursas and dragons and all sorts of stuff!”
Okay, that did sound bad.
I leaned against the cottage fence, trying to think. “Alright, so she’s probably not in the forest. But that leaves a lot of places she could be, right?”
“I suppose it does.” Rarity looked deep in thought.
I tried to fight off the wave of depression that had been creeping in for the last few minutes. I couldn’t let this happen. I was already an outcast in my hometown. I was not going to be a villain in this one. Stupid cloak. I had to think of something. My wings were starting to ruffle from the stress...
“Chaser,” Rarity leaned in, “Do you suppose she might have taken to flying somewhere? She is a pegasus, after all.”
Flying! Of course! I slapped my forehead with my hoof, startling her. “I am an idiot!”
“I thought you were a pegasus,” grinned Pinkie.
“No! I mean, yes, I AM a pegasus,” I exclaimed, “I have wings! I can get up higher and scan for her!” I unfolded my wings and flapped a few times to stretch them out, feeling a twitch of excitement rippling through me.
“But what if she’s inside somewhere?” Rarity asked.
“I... Oh,” my wings wilted a little. “I hadn’t thought of that.” The depression came back immediately. I slumped against the fence.
“Oh, Chaser,” I felt Rarity’s mane brush up against my foreleg as she came up to my side. “I didn’t mean for... Oh, don’t give up. She probably is outside, after all. And if she isn’t, we’ll just keep searching.”
I looked up into her eyes. Rarity was right. I had to at least try. Even though it had been an accident, I was the one who had made this happen. I was going to fix it, no matter what it took.
I stood up, looked at the two of them, and nodded. “Ok. We won’t know if I don’t try, right?” They nodded reassuringly. I took a few steps forward to make sure I had room for take off. “I’ll be right back.”
I closed my eyes, and spread my wings, feeling the tiny currents of wind passing through my feathers as they stretched wide. I took a deep breath, and opened my gaze to the sky. I beat down once, twice, and felt the ground vanish under my hooves as I lifted off.
It only took a few moments to get up to the right altitude. I spun in a slow circle, taking in the view. I was overcome, for the second time that day, by the colors and shapes, the beautiful landscape of the valley spread out beneath me, and the picturesque view of the town below. I could even see Canterlot, the capital of Equestria, off in the distance. I hovered for several seconds admiring the view, before reminding myself that this wasn’t a pleasure flight.
I began scanning slowly, starting with the cottage below and flying in a sweeping arc, looking for the combination of pink-on-yellow amongst the ponies below. After several minutes, I had found no trace of her in town, around the nearby lake, or in the flower fields Rarity had mentioned. I looped around and flew back to the cottage.
I touched down again, landing between Pinkie and Rarity. “Well, what’d you see? Did you find her?” Pinkie was bouncing like a rubber ball on springs.
I exhaled loudly. “No. I didn’t.” Pinkie stopped bouncing. I turned to Rarity, trying not to sound as defeated as I felt. “Looks like you’re right. I think she’s inside somewhere.”
“Well, that raises another question, then. Where would she have gone?” Rarity lifted a hoof to her cheek as she thought.
“If I was her, I’d go to Sugarcube Corner and eat cupcakes until I felt better!”
Rarity looked annoyed as she replied, “Pinkie Pie, she ran out of Sugarcube Corner.”
“Oh, yeah! I guess that wouldn’t make much sense, then, huh? Unless maybe she forgot something, and so she went back in, and when she got back in she smelled the delicious-” She stopped, noting the sour expression on Rarity’s face, and even her hair seemed to lose a little of its bounciness as she cowed. “Or not.”
We all stood there awkwardly for a few seconds, as Rarity and I thought, and Pinkie... did whatever it was Pinkie does inside her head.
“Well,” I finally offered, “She has to come home some time, right?”
“Yes, she must.” Rarity answered with maybe a bit too much enthusiasm.
“Unless she can’t come home, because on her way here after she ran out of Sugarcube Corner, she hit her head on a tree, and now she’s in the hospital with amnesia and she can’t remember who she is or where she lives or who any of her friends are! Then she wouldn’t even know which ponies to talk to to find out who she was!” Pinkie Pie sputtered.
I really should have expected a response like that by now. “Uh... Yeah. Well... Pinkie Pie... why don’t you go check the hospital and see if she’s there?”
“Good Idea!” She turned and started running off, yelling, “I’m coming, Fluttershy! You may not remember me, but I’ll never forget you!” she stopped, “unless I hit a tree on my way to the hospital, and get amnesia, too, so we end up in beds right next to each other and don’t know it.” She looked horrified for a few seconds, then smiled even brighter. “Then we could become friends all over again! WHEEE!” She took off again, half running, half bouncing, and disappeared over a hill in a few moments, leaving the two of us to watch her go.
“That is one very random pony,” was all I could think to say after she’d left. I turned to Rarity. “So, I guess we’ll wait here? Hope she comes home soon?”
“Yes. I suppose that’s the easiest thing.”
“So... Um...” Oh, gosh, did I have to be so painfully awkward?
“Chaser?” Rarity looked as though something had just occurred to her.
“Yes?”
“I know this might not be the ideal time to bring it up, but I can’t help but notice how well that cloak wears on you.” She circled around me, examining the cloak with a precise eye. “It really is a beautiful fabric. Dyed wool, probably from Germaneigh- that’s where weather-resistant fabrics were most commonly produced until a few decades ago, if memory serves. May I?” She pointed to the cloak.
“Uh, sure.” I had no idea where she was going with this.
She came up to me and ran a hoof across the cloak’s surface, smiling. “A finer weave than most weather cloaks, but still a little scratchy, and the feeling of it...” She squinted at the fabric. “It isn’t a wool interior. I’m guessing hemp? That would help keep the heat down a little, and it’s sturdier than silk or linen. Not the best choice for making a statement, but in your case,” she winked at me, “I’d say an exception has been made.”
“Thanks?” That had been a compliment, right?
“Oh, you’re very welcome.”
“How did you know all that? I’ve played with this cloak for years, and I didn’t know any of that.”
“Oh, didn’t I mention?” Rarity spun around gracefully, letting her mane bounce lightly as she dropped the cloak. “I’m a clothier by trade.”
“A clothier? I’m afraid I don’t-”
She laughed, light and airy. “A tailor, darling, a seamstress. I make clothes by trade.”
“Oh, right.” Clothier. Cloth. How could I not have figured that one out? “Uh, what kind of clothes?”
“Oh, all kinds. Dresses, hats, scarves... but you know, I’d love to have a model like you to try my hand at making a proper suit.”
I started blushing at the thought. “A m-model like me?” I was apparently developing a stutter.
“Yes! A strong, handsome stallion like yourself would be perfect for modeling my latest ideas for men’s fashion!”
A handsome stallion? Me? Was she seeing the same pony? “Oh, I-I don’t think-”
“You wouldn’t happen to be free tomorrow, would you?” She fluttered her eyelashes at me. I spluttered, trying to find an answer.
Before I could, our conversation was interrupted by a distant scream coming from the woods. Both of us looked out towards the trees, then back at each other. “FLUTTERSHY!” We started for the woods.
“We’ve got to help her!” Rarity yelled at me as we raced towards the entrance to the forest.
“That scream sounded pretty far away.”
“I don’t understand what she’d be doing in there!”
“Probably trying to warn the animals about me.” And now she was in danger. I made a note to be furious at myself for all this once she was safely out. “I’ll head in over the trees, and see if I can’t find her.”
“Then what do I do?”
I had to think fast. “Go back to town. Get help. We don’t know what’s going on, yet. I’ll do my best to get her somewhere safe until you get back.”
“But you’ll be all on your own in there!”
“No I won’t. I’ll be in there with Fluttershy.” I really hoped that sounded as confidant as it was supposed to.
We were coming up to the fork in the road, the path that split between town, and the bridge into the forest. “You don’t have time to waste!” A second scream punctuated my point. “Go, Rarity!”
I saw the fear in her eyes for a brief moment, and then it vanished, replaced by steely determination. “Don’t you dare let anything happen to her!” She turned and headed towards town, her hooves pounding across the path faster than I had expected from a dainty unicorn like her. I was impressed. But this was no time to admire a pony; Fluttershy was in danger.
The cobbled stones of the bridge barely felt my passing, registering only a single clip of hoof on stone as I practically flew across it. I was at the woods a moment later, the wind howling past my ears as I ran. Right as I hit the entrance, I unfurled my wings again, and used the speed of my gallop to launch me up above the trees in a sweeping arc.
The forest had looked dense from the cottage, and it was no less so from above. If anything, my view as I flew atop the trees only served to verify the wild nature of the woods. Plants growing on their own might not have scared me, but it made it very frustrating to look for a pony through the haphazard overgrowth. I flew frantically, looking for even a flash of pink or yellow through the tightly-packed trees. Ten seconds passed, then twenty, every one a second she could be injured, or worse. I had to find her!
I was getting ready to double back when I saw her. I was flying over a tiny clear patch in the trees, when I saw her running below me. Thank Celestia! I zoomed down to the hole in the tightly knit canopy, shoving aside branches to make the hole wide enough to push myself through. I’m not an especially large pony, but it was still a tight fit. I’d gotten about halfway through when I caught a glimpse of the creatures pursuing Fluttershy, and felt my stomach turn into a rock inside me.
Timberwolves. Five of them. And they were gaining on her.
I finished squeezing through the hole, leaping down from branch to branch until I hit the forest floor, rolling as I contacted the soft mossy undergrowth. The dense canopy made it feel dim and claustrophobic, and I’d been spun around on the way down, so it took me a moment to get my bearings. Turning towards the creatures, I rocketed off as fast as my hooves and wings would carry me.
Fluttershy was running out of steam, and the timberwolves would be on her in moments if I didn’t do something fast. As I ran, I tried to remember everything my father had taught me about timberwolves, from his experiences long ago. I knew they were true magical creatures - animated life essence, not actually animals. This made them very hard to kill; fortunately, killing them wasn’t necessary. My eyes scanned the forest floor as I ran, until I spotted what I was after - a small rock. I grabbed it without slowing down, using my wings to pick up the slack from my now occupied forelimb. I was only going to get one shot at surprise. I aimed as best I could while in motion, and launched the rock at the nearest one, trying to hit the small block of wood that connected the timberwolves’ head to its neck. This was its weak point, and I knew a direct hit would send the creature collapsing into a heap of sticks and debris, powerless until its essence recollected to put the pieces together again.
The rock missed, and I cursed silently as it hit the creature in the shoulder, instead. It slid to a stop, making a yowling noise as it turned to see what had hit it. It saw me, and snarled, then spun around and ran for me. I overestimated the distance between us, and before I realized it, it was on top of me. It slammed me into the ground with its paws, knocking the wind out of me and sending stars across my vision. It roared, and I felt its rancid breath roll over me. I was actually glad to be unable to breathe. Wheezing heavily, I tried to roll, and managed to get enough leverage to shove the creature away with my back legs. It jumped back, landing neatly and circling me. I stood, and spun to face it, making sure not to let it get behind me. It leapt again, but this time I was ready.
I connected solidly, flying up under its chin before it could react, slamming into the neck piece at full speed. It felt like trying to body slam a tree, and I couldn’t keep from grunting in pain, but I was far better off than the bits of timberwolf that now littered the ground around me. Shaking off my disorientation, I took off again. They were on her heels, and I had lost too much time already.
I wanted to yell for Fluttershy, but I knew getting her attention would slow her down, and I couldn’t afford that. Unless it slowed down the timberwolves, too. It was a long shot, but it was the only shot I really had. “Hey! Uglies!” I shouted towards the wolves, hoping they’d look back to see what would dare try chasing them.
It worked. All four of the wolves turned to look at me, and tried to stop and turn, which caused one of the creatures to slam itself into a large tree, exploding in a shower of nature and bad breath. Fluttershy turned as well, and I locked eyes with her. I tried to look reassuring. I watched a host of conflicting emotions pass across her face. She had a rescuer, but of all the ponies in town, it had to be me. Boy, would things be better once I could explain everything to her.
The remaining timberwolves were having trouble deciding which target looked better now, so I tried to help them decide by running for the nearest one, yelling as loud as I could, wings spread wide to produce a bigger target.
Two of the timberwolves went for me, running and snarling in response to my screams. The third, however, turned back to Fluttershy, and made to closed the gap between them before she had time to react. “NO!” I screamed, and leapt into the air, flapping as hard as I could, barely clearing the approaching timberwolves before they had time to stop. They went under me and kept going, and I hit the ground rolling, spinning end over end a few times before I could match my hooves with the ground again. I had to get to her before the wolves got turned back around.
I ran at the wolf in front of Fluttershy, but I knew I wasn’t going to make it. “FLUTTERSHY!” I screamed. There was just no time...
The timberwolf raised a wooden paw, and brought it down in a slashing motion across her side, and she cried out in pain. I saw the crimson sheen of blood, and she went careening across the ground from the force of the blow, tumbling like a leaf in a strong wind as she went. She finally stopped when she ran into a large rock, sprawled halfway over it, her bloody wing bent at an odd angle. “NO!” The scream ripped its way out of my throat, and I veered towards her, rushing to beat the wolf to her.
I got to her first, but the wolf wasn’t far behind. In the distance, the other two were hard to see, but I could tell that they’d circled around and were coming this way. I didn’t care. Right now, all that mattered was protecting the pony behind me. It was my fault she’d run into these woods. I was no hero, but I’d be a dead stallion before I let these things do anymore damage to her. I planted myself in front of her, starring the timberwolf in the eyes as it came nearer. It leapt off an outcropping of stones, intending on crushing us when it landed.
It never got the chance. As it came down on top of us, I turned and kicked for all I was worth, and I felt my hooves connect with its jaw. I yelled, partially from the pain, as the wolf’s head popped right off its body, and the creature fell to dust and twigs around us, pelting me with junk.
I could finally see the other two wolves. They had stopped when they saw me ‘kill’ what was probably the alpha wolf, and finally seemed to be considering their situation. Not that I actually had any way of killing them for good, but as long as they didn’t think of that, I had the upper hand. My breath heaved out of me in ragged sobs, and my entire body was on fire, but I stood my ground. “Well?” I coughed, “WELL?”
They decided not to test fate, and turned tail, disappearing rapidly into the overgrowth of the forest. We were alone, for now. Thankfully, it’d be several hours before the pieces of timber around us reassembled into working wolves again, so we had time to get out of the woods.
I turned to Fluttershy, gasping, and practically fell over right then and there from the exhaustion. I tried to smirk. “I... It... It’s gonna be okay, now... I know you-” I stopped mid-sentence, as the realization began to sink in. “Fluttershy?” I started walking closer. “Fluttershy?”
Oh, no. No, no, no.
She wasn’t moving.