The Timberwolf steps out of the trees and closer to us.
I look down at the girls.
"Stay behind me, ok?" I tell them.
Didn't have to tell them twice, they all dart behind me, placing me between them and the Timberwolf.
I reach down and grab a branch from off the ground. It's dead, but pretty sturdy. It'll have to do for now.
The girls tremble in their hooves as the monster approaches.
This thing is truly a sight. I've never seen anything like it. The sight of a collection of sticks in the form of a ferocious carnivore is enough to make any man second guess himself.
All I knew, up to this point, about Timberwolves came from pictures in books. They are a lot bigger than I expected. I don't know whether to call this a big dog, or a small bear. Well, not quite a small bear. But getting there.
One thing though that bothers me. Why is this Timberwolf alone? Timberwolves never travel alone. They usually travel in groups of-
"ROOOOAAAAARRR!!!" Comes the thundering sounds from both our left and right flanks.
-Threes..
...
"So that's how it's going to be?" I say
I look down at the girls. I have to buy them some time.
My heart rate begins to quicken, my body is kicking into fight mode. Flight mode isn't an option.
"Girls, I need you to listen to me very carefully. Do exactly as I say and don't ask questions. Got it?"
"Got it" the repeat back.
"On the count of three, I want you girls to run as fast as you can back to Ponyville. Get help. Rarity and Magnum are waiting at the Boutique."
"But what about you?" They ask.
"I said don't ask questions." I say, picking up a couple rocks off the ground.
I turn to face the wolves. Making sure they have their attention on me.
"One"
"Two"
"Three!" I shout.
The girls take off running down the path towards Ponyville. Two of the wolves turn to give chase. I launch a couple of rocks. Hit them both square in the back of the head. Not much damage though, I think I just pissed them off.
"Hey! Leave them alone! I'm not going anywhere! I'm the one you want!" I shout.
They all three turn to face me. Eyes looking at me hungrily.
I quickly size up my competition. Three large, hungry looking wolves. Versus a single human, with a big stick. I don't like those odds.
There's a bead of sweat dripping down my brow. I haven't done any form of fighting since about seventh grade. And that wasn't even real fighting. It was a taekwondo class. Not much in there about wolf combat.
The three wolves begin to circle around me. My heartbeat it loud enough I can hear it in my eardrum. The adrenaline is coursing through my veins.
I'm really starting to miss the weight room back home. The moment when I need my body to be its strongest, and I'm just sitting here procrastinating.
The only advantage I can think of that I have on them, is their tendency to fall apart. The Tethering spell holding all that brush together isn't that strong. It isn't much, but it's about all I've got.
"Well boys, shall we get this thing started?" I ask.
I hear a "ROOAR!" From behind me.
I whip around quickly just in time to side step and dodge a ballistic wolf hurtling at me at frightening speeds.
As the wolf passes I take a swing with my "club" and knock out one of its legs. The leg shatters apart like glass.
Maybe I can survive this.
Then, not a second later, the second wolf makes a jump for me. I raise up my stick to protect myself from the bone crushing jaws of this terrifying creature.
The stick does its job and catches the wolf by the mouth. After a bit of wrestling for my stick I am able to beat the creature back. Taking its tail in the process.
That's good, Shorts, but you're gonna need something better than a leg and tail.
The first wolf regains himself and charges at me now on three legs. I side step like a bullfighter. The first pass I wasn't ready, this time however wasn't the same.
I take a might swing as the wolf snaps at me.
*crack!* Beautiful hit!
The first Timberwolf's head goes soaring through the air, the rest of the creature crumbles to a pile of brush. First target down.
I hear the second charging once again and I thrust my leg backwards in hopes of mule kicking it.
Unfortunately, I misjudged where the wolf was, and only end up nipping his snout rather than kicking his face in. The result ends with me flying through the air.
I tuck and roll and get back onto my feet. On the ground is the last place I wanna be in a dog fight.
The second wolf prepares to charge again. I'm not going to give him the benefit of offense this time. I throw another rock and hit him square between the eyes. It doesn't do much, but it's enough to confuse him as charge and jump into the air.
"FOR NARNIA!" I shout like an idiot as I bear down on the creature.
With one mighty downward swing.
*crack*
The second beast falls to pieces. Unfortunately I hit the thing so hard it broke my club.
I look at the two small sticks in my hands. Useless. I drop them to the ground. I take a moment to catch my breath.
"That's weird..." I say to myself through panting, "What happened to the-"
BAM!
The third Timberwolf blindsided me! I find us rolling through the underbrush, and me using my bare hands to wrestle this creature!
Our tumbling stops and I find myself on the bottom of the dog pile!
"ROOOAAAR!" It screams in my face.
The wolf strikes at me with its razor blade teeth. I hold up my arm to protect my face and throat from being ripped out.
"AAAHHHH!" I cry out in pain, fire shooting up my arm. It's teeth sank into my flesh.
I drive my knee into its stomach as hard as I can and roll on top of the creature!
I glance at my arm. Blood now staining the coat the Rarity had made for me.
I'm tired, I'm fatigued, and I'm wounded. But I'm on top, and now I'm pissed off.
While using all my strength to hold the snarling creature down, I shout in blind rage, "The Tether holding you together isn't that strong! Care to test it?!"
I grab ahold of the wolfs jaw, using both hands. My right still searing in pain.
"Raaaah!" I shout as I use every ounce of strength to tear the jaw off of its hinges.
I'm starting to see red.
I continue to tear and hack away at the creature who is now powerless under me.
I rip off its claws, it's paws, it's ears. It sounds gruesome but it's just made of sticks so not really.
I finally stand up and grab it by the head and wedge my leg between its head and its neck and start pulling with every fiber of my being.
I pull until I hear a small *pop*
I look down and see the Timberwolves head, minus the jaw, sitting in my hands. The rest of the wolf is scattered or fallen apart from my onslaught.
My breathing is deep, my lungs are gasping for air, I try to stand up.
"Ah!" I say, wincing in pain. I look down at my ankle. I must've twisted it during the fight. I look down at my arm. The wolfs teeth tore a gash that ran all down my forearm. My coat was drenched in blood.
"That doesn't look good." I say to myself
I try putting weight on my ankle, it hurts. But I think I can make it.
I begin to hobble back into Ponyville. Bleeding badly, and on a limp.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(Present)-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I reveal the scar that ran up my forearm once again.
"Timberwolves, Doc. Timberwolves caused that. I was fortunate to have survived that scrap. Similarly to the other many, many scraps that I would get into. You know, as peaceful and fun as Equestria is contrasted to back on Earth... I fought so much more here than there. I was involved in dangers that could trump the everyday dangers of Earth." I tell the pony
It is then that I grab my cane and hobble over to the window. Outside, down below I see foals playing in the street and their parents watching from afar while they carried on their everyday business.
"How fast the streets of Canterlot changed that day... The Sun no longer shined... Lighting struck down from the–"
"Mr. Short."
"Right... getting ahead of myself again. The next part comes from Zecora's point of view. It was dark. I was wounded and badly bleeding."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------(Past)---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Zecora was in the marketplace, it was getting dark. She figured she'd better get back to the girls. All the shops were closing up anyway.
She stopped on the bridge out of Ponyville to watch the Sun set. She always did prefer the moonrise. It was beautiful.
As the moon came into place, and the stars painted across the sky, she heard a howl in the distance. She'd better get the girls home.
She walked back into the forest, like she always did. She knows these woods better than most creatures who live in it.
After a minute or two, she heard another howl, somewhat closer than the first. She hoped the wolves weren't anywhere near her hut.
Then, out of the path, came three scared looking fillies running as fast as their little legs could carry them.
"Dear Applebloom! Why are you running like you're facing doom?" She asked in that same rhyming voice of hers.
Barely able to speak she was so out of breath, "Ben!*gasp* Timberwolves! Told us ta-*gasp* Ponyville! Help him!" She cried, tears in her eyes.
The three continued down the path and out of the forest, Zecora dropped her basket of herbs and ran down the path, towards her hut.
---------
I stumbled through the undergrowth, in the cold dark forest. I was having trouble focusing and catching my breath.
"Is this it?" I thought to myself, "Am I going to die here?"
I look up the path, I think I see... A pony...
I blink, my vision is getting blurry. I can barely compose a thought.
"Zecora?" I ask, in barely a whisper.
The figure comes galloping into view. It was Zecora.
She shouts, "Have you gone mad? The fillies are running, full of fear! Now tell me what has happened here!"
I struggle to stand up, I take a step towards her and stumble.
"Ben, what has happened? Tell your tale! Your face is looking very pale!" She spits out
I can barely see, I have tunnel vision. My heart is pounding in my chest.
"T-t-timberwolves... I gotta- I gotta... Hospital..." I manage to spit out before collapsing on the ground next to Zecora
"Don't lie down! Stay with me, child. The extent of your wound is only..." She glances at my arm, "Mild?"
My memory goes fuzzy, and my vision fades to black.
I pass out.
---------
I hear the beeping of a heart rate monitor.
I hear a voice, "Do you think he'll be ok doctor?"
I feel like I know the voice, my thoughts are still a little fuzzy.
"I think so, his heartbeat is finally stable, and the bleeding has stopped." Comes another.
"Oh thank Celestia" replies the first voice.
"I patched him up as best I could, I'm not 100% on human anatomy. But he looks like he's doing much better."
"How long has he been out?" Asks the first.
"An hour at most, he's lucky Zecora found him when she did. Otherwise he would have-"
"That's enough doctor." Replies the first.
"Very well, if you'll excuse me, I have some other patients to attend to."
"Thank you doctor, for everything."
I hear a pony trot out of the room.
...
"Why did you go and do something stupid like that!" Asks the voice.
Who is that? Oh come on brain, do a thing.
"Momma was so worried!" Continues... Rarity?
"Nopony in their right mind fights a Timberwolf head on! Let alone three at a time?" Says Rarity.
Me?
I open my eyes, I'm in a hospital bed.
I struggle to open my mouth, "I- I- had to... Give them time." I squeeze out.
Rarity is at my bedside. Her mascara had ran down her face, staining her white fur. Had she been crying?
She looks at me, "Don't you ever do that again to me again, young man!"
She grabs me and hugs me as hard as she can. I return in kind.
"I thought you were dead!" She said.
I look down at her, "But it's ok... I'm ok..."
"It could've been worse!" She exclaims angrily.
"But it wasn't... I gave the girls enough time to escape." I say quietly.
"And what about you? What did you plan on doing?" She shouts.
"..." I said nothing, I didn't expect I'd make it.
"I see..." She said quietly, she buries her face in my chest.
I wrap Rarity in my arms and stroke her mane, "I'm sorry I scared you like that. I won't do it again, I promise."
"Pinkie Promise?" Asks Rarity.
"What's a Pinkie Promise?" I ask.
Then, out of freaking nowhere, Pinkie busts into the room, dressed like Sam Fisher or something.
"ARE YOU KIDDING? A Pinkie Promise is sacred!" She exclaims, "Here! Like this!"
She begins acting out the promise, "I cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!"
"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye... Sorry I can't really do the movements." I repeat back, glancing to my arm.
I stop and look at my arm to see the extent of the damage. The blood was cleaned up and stitches ran all down my arm. That wolf really did a number on my arm. I could still barely move it.
Just then, a nurse walks in holding a bottle of... Chocolate milk?
"Step aside please! He needs to drink this!" She said.
She hands me the bottle and I take a sip.
"GAK" I say in disgust.
"What's wrong?" Asks the nurse.
"This stuff is rancid! Is this a protein supplement?" I ask.
"Precisely!" She say.
That explains the taste...
"Oh man... I need to drink it don't I?" I say.
"Yup! It'll help you heal faster!" She says.
"I know... I know... I just hate this stuff." I say, choking down another swig.
"Ehhhh.. They try so hard to make this stuff taste better by mixing it with chocolate and stuff but it never masks the flavor completely." I continue.
"Thank you nurse, I think I've got it from here." I say to the nurse who is standing awkwardly.
She shuffles out the door.
I down the last of the supplement... Let me tell you. Protein powder is the worst.
Then, Twilight, Fluttershy, Rainbow, and Applejack enter the room.
"Ah! He's awake!" Notes Twilight.
"Oh... Are you alright Ben?" Asks Fluttershy.
"That was mighty dangerous of you, sugarcube." says Applejack.
"Are you kidding me? I thought what he was awesome!" Exclaims Rainbow Dash.
I speak up, "I'm alright now, Fluttershy. And it was dangerous, and I certainly don't feel awesome."
"But why not? The way you took down those Timberwolves! I flew over the spot! I saw the damage you did to the wolves! You were unstoppable!" Says Rainbow.
"I was very stoppable, I got extremely lucky. I'm pretty physically fit, but I'm not Superman. As much as I'd like to be." I say.
"Superman?" Asks Twilight.
"He's a fictional super hero back on Earth." I explain.
"What was it like?" Asks Rainbow, "Was it thrilling? Exciting?"
I shake my head, "It was terrifying."
"What?!" Says Rainbow in disbelief.
"I was scared, I wasn't sure I was going to make it. The odds were stacked against me. Three Timberwolves with huge claws and razor sharp teeth versus a fairly fit human with a stick. I wasn't expecting to make it out, I fought them to keep them away from the Crusaders."
"That was very brave of you to do, Sugarcube." Says Applejack.
"Didn't you go through something similar?" I ask Applejack.
"Well ah was running. But yes, ah did end up in a scrap with the Timberwolves." She says.
"I heard that you came out fairly unscathed." I say.
"Me and Spike got very lucky" she said.
"Then luck is on our side." I say.
"It would seem so" says Twilight.
"So who brought me out of those woods?" I ask, "I remember bumping into Zecora, then I blacked out."
Rarity pipes up, "Sweetie Belle came bolting into the Boutique shouting something about you and Timberwolves and the Everfree. At first it didn't make any sense. Sweetie was hysterical. But within a minute Applejack was at the door. Applebloom had told her the same thing. Whenever I understood what she was trying to say, Applejack and I galloped to the Everfree as fast as we could."
Rarity continues, "When we found you, Zecora was busy wrapping your arm as best she could. Using the herbs she had gathered she managed to stop the bleeding. Applejack carried you to the hospital on her own."
I look over to Applejack, she tips her hat to me.
"All on your own? Wasn't I heavy?" I ask.
"When y'all have bucked apples all yer life, you tend to build some strength." She explains
"True" I say.
"Besides, you're big, but you ain't THAT big." She teases.
"Hey. You watch your tongue." I joke back.
Then a pony in a lab coat trots into the room. The stallion is tan-yellow and has a heart monitor as a cutie-mark.
"Well there's our little human!" Says the stallion.
I look up, "The one and only. I assume you are the doctor?"
"That would be me! You got very, very lucky! If your friends hadn't found you when they did, you might not have made it." He said.
"So I've been told."
"That was a nasty bite you took there. I don't know much about human anatomy but it looks like he missed any major arteries. That's probably why you are still here." He says.
"So what did you do to me exactly?" I ask.
"When you got here we disinfected the wound and closed it up best we could." He says, "I think I connected the proper muscle tissue with the stitches, but if you have difficulty moving your arm later on you come back here and let us know. I don't know much about a humans biology. In the end it took thirteen stitches down your arm. It should be healed up in a week or so."
A week or so? On Earth a wound like this would probably be closer to a month to close up fully. Must be magic or something.
"Thanks for saving my skin, Doc." I say.
"It's my job!" He says cheerfully, "But it's high time you get some rest! Everypony out! Let our little patient have his rest!"
Now that he mentions it, I'm dead tired.
"What time is it?" I ask, my watch is nowhere to be found.
"Late" says the doctor.
"Before you all go, how long do you suppose I'll be in here, Doc?" I ask
"You lost a good bit of blood, I want you to stay overnight, just to be sure. But tomorrow if you feel well enough, you might be able to leave." He says.
"Ok great!" I say.
"Why? Do you have a hot date?" Asks the doctor.
"Actually..." I say glancing over at Twilight, "We're still on for tomorrow night?"
Twilight blushes and tries to shrink behind her friends.
"Hehehe yes..."
"Oh! I see! Well good luck with that!" Says the doctor.
"Thanks doc." I reply.
"Alright! Everypony out! He needs to rest!" Says the doctor.
After everypony files out of the room the doctor leans in and shuts off the lights.
"Hey doc!" I say.
"Yes?"
"Could you open the blinds on the window please?" I ask.
"Of course"
He trots over and opens up the blinds.
It's a beautiful night out, I can see the moon perfectly through the window.
The doctor trots out of the room, and closes the door.
Soon my eyelids get heavy, and I drift off to sleep.