"We tried to stop her, we really did, but she didn't listen to us." Applebloom said.
Braveheart was trying to process all of this. Why would Scootaloo go into the Everfree Forest alone?
"Do you know why she even went in there in the first place?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"She didn't say anything. She just said that she had to go find you three." Sweetie Belle said.
Sweetie Belle looked around.
"Hey, where's Fluttershy?" she asked.
"We don't know. We were getting chased by a Timberwolf and we told her to not stop running. I'm thinking she made it out of the forest, but we haven't seen her." Rainbow Dash said.
Braveheart looked back into the forest, disregarding what the others were saying. Scootaloo was in there, alone. He couldn't just stand by and do nothing.
"Anyways, I have to get Braveheart back to the house, but we will go and get some help to find Scootaloo." Rainbow continued.
She grabbed Braveheart's hoof, but Braveheart yanked it away.
"Braveheart c'mon."
"No." he said.
He turned towards her to meet her eyes. She looked shocked. Neither she nor the fillies said anything.
"It's our fault that Scootaloo is in there right now. Since it's our fault, we're gonna get her out. No matter what." he said.
He started towards the forest again, but stopped when he realized that Rainbow wasn't next to him. He turned back and saw that she was still standing in front of the fillies. He came back to her.
"Rainbow, aren't you coming?" he asked when he got to her.
"Braveheart, you're really hurt, and we don't know what else is in there. It's best that we don't go back in there and go get some help." she responded.
"By then it'll probably be too late."
Rainbow looked to the ground, knowing Braveheart was right.
"Look, you don't have to come with me, but I'm going back in there to find her, with or without you."
He turned back and started sprinting for the forest again. He looked back and saw that Rainbow wasn't following him. He kept looking until the trees blocked his view. He looked down and sighed. Suddenly, he heard something. It sounded like... wings flapping. He looked back and saw her flying towards him. She landed next to him and started sprinting next to him.
"You came." Braveheart said.
"You're crazy, you know that?" Rainbow said.
"Absolutely, but I'm really glad you're here."
"You didn't think I was gonna let you go in here alone did you?"
"Well..." Braveheart started.
"Don't answer that. Now lets go find Scootaloo." she said.
Braveheart nodded as they broke into full speed into the forest. They ran into the darkness as raindrops started to fall through the trees.
It was now pouring down rain, and Braveheart and Rainbow Dash had seen no sign of Scootaloo or anything. Braveheart had a thought of turning back around, but he couldn't for two things. One, he couldn't leave Scootaloo out here alone. And two, he had no idea where they were. Water ran down his face. His mane was soaking wet from the rain, and from the looks of it, it seemed Rainbow Dash was the same way. Braveheart looked around. Nothing.
"Braveheart, it's getting late, and we're gonna get sick if we keep this up! We gotta get home!" Rainbow shouted over the pouring rain.
Braveheart didn't want to admit it, but she was right. They would get a cold if they stayed out here, but so would Scootaloo. Who knows what time it was, but Braveheart didn't care. He had to find Scootaloo. Rainbow took his hoof in hers.
"Braveheart, please." she said.
Braveheart sighed. His ears drooped down and he looked at the ground.
"You're right." he finally said. "I mean, what was I thinking. How could we possibly find a small pony in a huge forest?"
"We found Angel." Rainbow Dash said, trying to cheer him up, but it didn't seem to work.
"More like he found us. Besides, Angel is a tiny rabbit, he can hide from creatures easily. I'm worried that Scootaloo won't be able to do that."
Rainbow came up beside him and put her hoof around his back.
"Hey listen, we'll find her, but not today. I'm pretty sure that she can survive a night." Rainbow said.
"Rainbow, we could barely survive an afternoon because of that Timberwolf." Braveheart said.
"Well what are the chances that a Timberwolf could find Scootaloo?"
On cue, a roar was heard in the forest. Braveheart's and Rainbow's ears both perked up. After the roar died down, they heard a scream right after it. It sounded like a filly scream.
"That's her!" Braveheart shouted.
He took off behind them, Rainbow flying right behind him. Braveheart tried to see through the rain, but it was getting difficult. He tried to remember where the scream came from, but his instincts told him exactly where it was. In the distance, we could hear the trees shaking, and it wasn't because of the heavy wind. It was because of something much stronger. He heard stomping, and it soon turned into a run.
'Please. Please, no.' he thought to himself.
His hoof slipped out from under him, but he was stopped instantly. He turned and saw that Rainbow had grabbed onto his tail with her teeth. He looked forward and saw that he was looking straight at the ground. He gasped. Rainbow pulled him back up and said, "Braveheart slow down, we can do this together."
"C'mon!" he yelled.
Then, Braveheart jumped straight down the hill.
"Braveheart!" Rainbow yelled.
She spread her wings and soared straight down after him. It didn't take long to figure out why he suddenly jumped. Her eyes widened. Scootaloo was at the bottom of the hill, but that wasn't all. A big creature was walking up to her. It seemed to be made out of trees and branches. A Timberwolf.
"Scootaloo!" Braveheart called out.
He saw Scootaloo look up at them. Braveheart was relieved to see her face again. Braveheart pushed his back hooves off the hill and landed next to her. Rainbow Dash continued to fly straight towards the Timberwolf's head and slammed into it with her back hooves. The Timberwolf roared in rage. Scootaloo, on the other hand, ran up to Braveheart and into his hooves. A tear ran down her cheek.
"Are you ok?" Braveheart asked her.
"I am now." she responded.
Her voice sound terrified, but Braveheart was just glad that she was ok.
"Um...guys!" somepony shouted.
Braveheart snapped back into reality.
"Can we have our little reunion later? Run!" Rainbow yelled.
Braveheart picked up Scootaloo with his teeth and threw her on his back. He then started to run full speed, away from the monster. Rainbow Dash was behind them, flying as fast as she could. They heard the Timberwolf howl, and then it started after them.
"Where are we going?" Scootaloo shouted over the rain.
"Anywhere where that thing isn't!" Rainbow answered.
They ran by the side of the mountain. They didn't see any way for them to get up it. If only Braveheart could fly. Braveheart looked the other way and gasped. The hill was coming to an end, but they were headed for a dead end. The walls started to slowly close in as they continued to run. They couldn't turn or the Timberwolf would get them. They jumped in between two trees, and the Timberwolf followed, but it got stuck in between the trees. Braveheart thought that would buy them some time, but they came to the dead end. They looked around, but the was no way out.
"There's only one thing we can do. Fight!" Rainbow said.
Braveheart looked around. He looked at Rainbow, then at Scootaloo, and then at the Timberwolf.
"No." he said.
"What do you mean no? There's nothing we can do." Rainbow said.
"There's nothing I can do. You're gonna take Scootaloo and get out of here."
He took Scootaloo off his back and set her on Rainbow's.
"No way Braveheart, I'm not leaving you!" she said.
"Neither am I." Scootaloo said.
"Look, you two have to leave. That Timberwolf won't be able to climb up that hill. Rainbow, fly up there and take Scootaloo home."
"What about you? That Timberwolf will get you." Rainbow said.
Braveheart didn't say anything for a moment. Instead he just looked at the ground.
"I know." he finally said.
"No. That is not an option. I'm not leaving you here to die."
"I'm not asking you Rainbow." he said.
He looked at her, and saw that tears were forming in her eyes. He grabbed her and pulled her in close and hugged her.
"It'll be ok. You need to take Scootaloo and get away from here. Just promise me you will get her to safety." Braveheart said.
The Timberwolf struggled to get free. The trees didn't seem they would hold up much longer.
"Promise me Rainbow." Braveheart said.
Tears ran down Rainbow's cheek. She nodded. Braveheart did the same.
"Now go."
Braveheart took a step back. Rainbow spread her wings and took off. He watched them go. Both Rainbow and Scootaloo looked down at him until he was out of sight. Braveheart turned back towards the monster and waited for his doom.