//------------------------------// // Overgrowth // Story: Assault on the Black Forest // by Farseer //------------------------------// Upon reaching the Wilding Camp, Junebug frantically told the Everfree Wraiths in charge- temporarily swallowing her fear of the ponies possessed by spirits of the forest- and, sending one of their number out, the other four rapidly marshalled the camp, preparing them for the numerous battle rituals. All that they needed now was the Mistress's approval and three months. And thus, the Everfree Wraith. This Wraith used to be a pony known as Starshine, but now, her name sounded something like Sha'Sol'Koa. It meant "Guardian of Forests." She had served as a Wilding pony for over five years, and her spectacular leadership and combat skills drew the attention of Mistress Fluttershy herself. She told her that the spirit of the forest was satisfied with her work, and asked if she would give up everything, even her special talent, to serve the true force of the world. To serve nature. She accepted, and, suddenly... she was aware. Aware of the flow of energy, aware of the spirits and the natural order of things. Everything was... alive. And Mistress Fluttershy was an avatar of nature herself. And so she accepted her transformation. An Everfree Wraith, you see, is a pony that has become one with nature. Their cutie marks quickly fade away, to be obscured by scales. Their flesh and coat become as tough as wood, and they gain the capacity to regenerate even the most dire wounds almost instantly. They have poison glands and sharp teeth as well, and some of them can even float- another attirbution to the spiritual link. Their link also changes their personality- all of them are wise, yet capricious, and most of them have a craving for warm flesh. In short, they are the elite- the elite of the forest, and the true guardians of the House. It took Sha'Sol'Koa about a week to find her way to the ruins of the castle. Upon entering, she was dimly aware of a slow, sleepy presence enter her mind before leaving. She smiled. The forest had honored her with its touch. Before long, she had reached the lair of the Mistress, where she was guarded by two shady figures. Her smiled faded. Hello, Masters Hunter of Beasts and Fire of the Pines, she said in the language of spirits, acknowledging the two Everfree tree-spirits who guarded Fluttershy. I desire to speak with the mistress in a matter most urgent. Welcome, Guardian of Forests, to the home of the mistress. replied the one on the left. What is this matter that you wish to speak of her with? I bring dire news from the southern camps. Excellent, said a new voice. I have not heard new from the south for over six months. At this, all three of them turned and bowed towards the door as it squeaked open, revealing a yellow pony with a pink mane. She smiled. "I am sorry to disturb you, Sha'Sol, by my request, but might we talk in the Equestrian tongue? The language of spirits is hard indeed to speak after a few hours straight for someone not a a native speaker." She walked over. "Now, tell me of this news that you bring." "Yesss, misssstrisss..." Her serpentine tongue, while providing her a greater sense of smell, gave her Equestrian a snake-like lisp that annoyed her slightly, but she ignored it. "The House of the Earthborn has been seen with an active war camp within a mile of the forest. It ssseemsss unlikely that they are attacking Baltimare, asss they have holdings closer to them, and Stormwing ssseparatesss them by the mountainsss and the desertsss. They would muster around the remainsss of Ponyville if they had that intention, and with the speed of Stormwing, the Earthborn would be cut off." "So the only reasonable way to go would be this way." "Yesss, Missstrisss..." "Hmm..." she paused. "Was there anything that could be nearby that they want?" "Our scoutsss report gem collections, although one or two war machines were indeed visssable." She remained deep in thought for a few minutes. "Alright. I have an idea. Attack in enough force to drive them away from the camp, but do not destroy it, nor continue on towards Fillydelphia. This will put off any ideas of attack and give us time to prepare our defenses more thoroughly." Sha'Sol grinned, revealing her pointed teeth. "Asss alwaysss, your council isss much appreciated, missstresss." And so, six months later, the assault sprang out of the Everfree, driving away or killing the entire regiment of Earthborn. An Everfree Wraith was seen approaching Apploosia a few weeks, bearing a white flag. After a rather heated conversation- and resulting attempt at a duel- with Applejack, which ended with the wraith's brains scattered against the floor, two conclusions were drawn. One, whoever sent the emissary shouldn't have sent a wraith that couldn't control her bloodlust. Two, that the forest had grown way out of control-. And, so, a cheer went up from the assembled soldiers of the 7th Regiment that they would be accompanied by heroes into battle to conquer the Everfree. Although General Applejack would not be accompanying them, three others would. Braeburn, founder of the Equestrian Rangers. Apple Bloom, Master Blacksmith And, to the most excitement of all, The Guardian himself: Big Macintosh, as well as half of his company of Juggernauts. Applejack and Big Macintosh looked out over the canyons of Apploosia, sighing as she watched the sunset from the balcony of Town Hall. "Ain't it a beauty, Big Mac?" "Eeyup." She paused for a moment before sighing. "I know you aren't looking forward to this." "Eenope." "I assume it's not because your scared or anything like that." "Eenope." "Don't trust your troops?" "Eenope." Applejack paused. "Fluttershy?" "Partly. Eeyup." "Listen, Big Mac. I would readily ally with Fluttershy if she wanted to be allied with. I trust her, but all these years in the forest probably weren't the best for her." She grimanced as she remembered the scouts reporting of the violence, over fifteen years ago. "Seeing all those ponies killed or enslaved... Well, I guess it kinda drove her out of her mind." "Eeyup." Applejack paused, her one-eyed gaze staring back out over the sunset. "You said partly." "Eeyup." "Care to explain?" He sighed. "The others face danger by merely looking at the forest, let alone what's inside." "Worried about morale?" "Eeyup. If even half of those stories have any grain of truth, these ponies are going to turn tail and run." "That's why I'm sending you and Braeburn. With two heroes of the House holding firm in front of them, it will inspire them to greatness. Imagine their reactions with you charging down a hydra, all by yourself! They will stand strong." Big Macintosh sighed. "Are you sure this is necessary, sis? I mean... It is the Everfree Forest." "Yes, Big Mac. I'm sure. They've already gotten the northern parts of Equestria. There is a difference between using empty space and conquering. We have to draw the line somewhere." "Eeyup..." They stared in silence, watching the final rays of sun go down beneath the horizon. "Let's just hope that this ain't folly. This overgrown bush needs to be trimmed, whether Fluttershy accepts it or not."