Pain.
The feeling overwhelmed every cell in Braeburn's mind. His entire body ached down to the bone and causing him to wince as he shifted his weight. His limbs especially were making his mind pulse with pain receptors. His right hoof was a mix of throbbing shock and a dull numbness that was driving him insane. He was confused since he had always heard that when one dies, they go to a world where they will never suffer or hurt again, yet he was feeling everything at this moment.
'Is this Tartarus?' He thought to himself. He remembered everything that had happened; finding Applejack in the den, confronting the rogue, and sitting below the rock while holding his spear. It seemed like it had only been a few seconds after the croc lunged at him that silence had taken hold of everything. Whatever had happened, he was now sitting on the ground, his eyes still clenched shut and afraid to open them up to the horrible world he had been sent to.
Letting his head fall backward, Braeburn gasped out as the back of his head struck hard rock behind him. Leaning back forward, he raised his hoof and rubbed the back of his now sore spot on his head. Deciding to just get whatever fate he was set to endure, he slowly opened his eyes to see-
"Wh-what?"
Braeburn found himself staring down the throat of the rogue, its jaws spread open around himself. At his side, his wooden spear was lodged through the back of the skull of the beast, exiting through the top. He didn't understand how he could still be alive after the rogue had closed its jaws around him, but as he thought to himself, he realized he had never actually feel the jaws close down on him physically. He then remembered what had been behind him.
His head slowly turned around to see the thing that had in fact saved him; the stone column he had seated himself in front of was in the mouth of the crocodile. He saw how when the croc bit down, the stone was wide enough that its jaws had actually been kept wide enough to keep them from ever clamping down on himself. Braeburn couldn't even comprehend the miracle that had occurred for himself. was it fate? Had it been somepony watching over him? Couldn't tell, but now, it didn't matter to him.
He was alive.
Forcing his crippled body off the ground, Braeburn lifted himself up and over the still jaws of the monster before letting his body tumble onto the ground. He sat up and stared at the dead creature for some time before he could even move. Limping away, he made it back to the nearly destroyed tree where his cousin was still unconscious, completely unaware of what had occurred just moments before. Smiling to himself, Braeburn slipped her onto his back and hoisted her off the ground. It was hard for him to walk with his body like this since he could only use three hooves, but he forced past the pain and made his way up.
After several tiring minutes, he had crawled back up and out of the den to the outside. The warm rays of Celestia’s sun were beaming down onto the stallion, almost as if they were feeding his body energy. And at this moment, it felt like it was to him. Leaning his head to the side, he rested it against the wooden base of the tree and sat there, letting the sun warm up his pain filled body. Despite the torment he had dealt with for the last twenty four hours, he felt a small sense of success that crawled through his veins that gave him the drive to push past his own injuries for the one he loved.
Looking to his left, he saw Applejack’s hat that he had set there for his return. Picking it up off the dirt, he placed it on top of his head and began walking again through the water covered ground towards safety.
---
After what felt like another hour, Braeburn found himself coming to a large clearing on the edge of the forest. Grinning, he picked up his speed and came up over the hill that lay in front of him. Once he got to the top, his smile disappeared to a look of shock and amazement that took he of his face.
Over two dozens royal guards were stationed in the large clearing, walking around and helping the other survivors of the tour. Lyra and Caramel were sitting by a fire that had been made in the center of the group. Lillyflower and Diamond were huddled close under a set up tent to the side. His concern though was he did not see Rainbow Dash or Applebloom anywhere below, but his thoughts were cut off when one of the guards looked up and saw him.
"Hey, there they are! They're alive!"
In an instant, Braeburn was quickly surrounded by several guards as they came up and helped him stand up. "Easy there, we will take her now." One of them said as two others carefully lifted Applejack off of him and carried her back towards camp.
"What’s going on?" Braeburn tried to ask, but the guards ignored his question. While the others attempted to help him down the rest of the way, Braeburn shook them off and continued on down the hill after his cousin. Once at the camp, he saw they were already wrapping her in a tight blanket and placing her in the back of a chariot.
"Applejack..." Braeburn mumbled as she lay there perfectly still.
"Princess, they are right over there." A voice said from behind.
At the word princess, Braeburn felt his heart skip a beat. he turned around to see the incoming royalty, but was caught off guard when a purple mass smashed into him and pushed him into the ground. Before he could say anything, he was brought into a tight embrace by the purple alicorn. "Tw-Twilight, what-
"Oh my gosh Braeburn, I'm so glad you two are okay! Thank you!" Twilight happily cried out as she hugged the shocked stallion. "When we got here I thought it was too late!"
"You came fer us?" Braeburn asked.
Twilight lifted herself off of him and wiped away the few tears in her eyes. "Big Mac came to my house last night and said that you all had not returned from your tour yet and was really worried. I was afraid something bad had happened so I brought guards to come look for you all. After sometime we found the others walking through the woods."
Braeburn's eyes widened. "The others? Ya... Y'all have Applebloom!? Is she alright?"
"Yes, she is fine. Both her and Rainbow are coming and-" Twilight's words stopped in her throat when she saw his torn off hoof. "Oh my gosh, we have to have you treated right away and-
"Ah'm fine right now. Ah need y'all to take care of AJ now." Braeburn stated.
Twilight then quickly trotted over to the chariot and stared down at Applejacks form. A few more tears began to form in her eyes seeing her friend like this. "She is going to be okay, right?" She asked the doctor examining her.
"Well, she has multiple fractures throughout, not to mention she lost a massive amount of blood. I do say though she was brought here just in time." The stallion said with a smile. "It will be sometime, but she should make a full recovery."
Smiling, Twilight turned back to Braeburn and lifted him off the ground. At the same time, Rainbow and Applebloom were running their direction. Using her magic, she lifted a small wrap off the ground and quickly tied it around Braeburn's torn hoof. "I think it would be better if they did not see that right now."
Braeburn chuckled, "Ah think so too."
Sprinting to the scene, Rainbow Dash skidded to a stop in front of Braeburn. Her wing was now tightly wrapped in a thick cast that stuck out to the side as she stood there. "You... You saved Applejack." She quietly whispered.
Applebloom ran up and hopped into the back of the chariot next her sister, her eyes leaking tears at the condition AJ was in. "Applejack, please don't die on me! Hang in there!"
Twilight quickly came up and put her wing over the crying filly. "Don't worry Applebloom, she is going to be fine, Braeburn saved her."
"What happened after you crossed the river?" Rainbow asked, "how did you find Applejack?"
"It's... A long story." Braeburn muttered as he sat back onto the ground, wincing from his broken ribs.
Rainbow came up and pulled him into a warm hug. "Perhaps you can tell me it sometime." She pulled back and gave him a small kiss on the cheek. As he blushed from the small act, Rainbow had a single tear falling down her face. "Thank you for everything Brae."
"Princess, we have to get her moving now..." One of the doctors yelled out suddenly, "We have to get her to the hospital soon so we can repair her injuries properly."
Nodding, Twilight signaled them. "Alright, take her now." She turned back to Braeburn, "you go with them too, you need to be treated as well."
"Alright then." Braeburn and Rainbow quickly ran and jumped into the back of the chariot next to Applebloom. "Thank ya for everything Twilight."
"I would do anything to help my friends." Twilight said with a warm smile, "I'll be to the hospital as soon as I can."
The next moment, the two Pegasi in front of the cart began pulling it forward before taking off to the sky. The cool breeze blew through Braeburn's coat, sending small waves of chill down his skin. It was a relaxing, peaceful sensation that crawled over him that began to ease his tired form. He swayed back and forth before falling to the side, causing Rainbow to panic and catch him, "woah, Braeburn what's wrong!?" She yelled out in panic.
Braeburn however just smiled, "ah'm fine, just a... A little tired that's all." In fact, sleep was the only thing that he wanted at that moment, to just close his eyes and rest for Celestia knows how long. Before he did though, he pulled off the Stetson on his head and laid it across Applejacks chest. Smiling, he went to lay his head down on the wood, but Rainbow propped him up to lay against her side. "You need somepony to keep an eye on you." She said with a small grin.
Chuckling, Braeburn just leaned into her warm coat and closed his eyes, letting his mind find peace.