//------------------------------//
// First Victim 
// Story: The Lightless Night 
// by Matthias Ramsey 
//------------------------------//

The three fillies ceased their arguing when Sweetie Belle's magic began turning black. After a round of heartfelt apologies, they continued on their way.
After a long time, Applebloom stopped them. "Ah think something's watchin' us."
"Watching us? What could it be? Could it be what..." Scootaloo left her sentence unfinished. They knew what she meant.
"No, I don't think so..." Uneasily, they kept walking.
Half an hour passed. Suddenly, Sweetie Belle's general misgiving blossomed into alarm, and she shouted for Applebloom and Scootaloo to run.
They broke into a full gallop. Four timberwolves broke from the trees and sprinted after them.
"Timberwolves! They must've gotten Zecora!"
The wolves were rapidly gaining on them. "It's no use, foals!" One growled. "You can never hope to outrun us!!"
"Scoots, come on! We can get away!"
Scootaloo was slowly lagging behind. The manic glint in the eyes of the lead timberwolf betrayed their intentions.
"Scoots, come on!! Y-You'll get eaten!!"
"I can't...no more...I can't run..." Scootaloo ran as hard as she could, but her mind betrayed her body. Her knees gave out, and she tripped and tumbled along the ground.
Fearing for nothing but their own lives, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom kept running.

Ash stood over the helpless foal, grinning and slavering. "There's not much to you...you'll barely be more than a mouthful."
"N-no, please...e-eat me, but leave my friends alone!"
"Oh...how cute...look how she pretends to care for her friends when her life is in danger." Ash raised a paw tipped with twisted, knotted claws reminiscent of thorns.
"Good night, orange one."