Epilogue
The darkness of the Everfree forest was usually too much for most of the inhabitants of Equestria. Zecora was not one of them. The Zebra mare trotted though the Everfree forest, her home for years since departing the Zebra homeland of Zhosa and its apartheid government. Despite being the homeland of zebra kind, ponies from the Kingdom of Welera had come and colonised the nation, integrating the zebra people into their empire, and establishing a pony controlled minority government. Zecora cared little for the state of affairs in her old home. She had no ties to Zhosa anymore, not since the passing of the grandmother some five years prior.
Now the zebra mare lived alone in the Everfree forest, of which, she was perfectly fine with. She’d been used to a life of seclusion even before departing the Afrikneigher controlled Zhosa.
Zecora heard a twig snap, setting her on edge. While she had been living in the Everfree forest for many years, it did not mean that she didn’t have to stay alert. It was a dangerous place, even for her. She listened closely, and heard the sound of someone, or something, whimpering. Whatever it was, they were hurt. Zecora drew a machete from its sheath at her flank, holding it in her teeth; she swung her head hard, cutting away at the thick foliage between her and the hurt creature. She was a healer, above all else, and she intended to help whatever she would find.
Zecora cleared the way and discovered what she was looking for. To her surprise, it was not an animal as she had originally thought, it was a pony. A white coated Pegasus with a straw yellow mane curled up in a ball, shivering intensely in pain.
Zecora approached the Pegasus mare gingerly, stepping on a twig and alerting the Pegasus to her visitor. The Pegasus looked up at the zebra, her blood red eyes shining in the darkness.
Zecora gave the Pegasus a smile. “My little pony, do not fear.” Zecora said, leaning down to the Pegasus’ level. “For a friend in Zecora has appeared.”