//------------------------------// // Anything: // Story: A Dream Met... // by Jon bucker //------------------------------// We had just arrived at Fluttershy’s cottage; Applejack walked her to her door. Me and Applebloom waited at the bottom of the path just in front of the bridge. At this point Bloom wanted to get down off my shoulders. She said that she wanted to do some walking around for herself. Wasn’t very surprised though, she still had alot of sugar energy left in her, whatever energy we can get out of her before we get back the better. Applejack was just coming back down the path after saying goodnight. “Should we start heading back to sweet apple acres.” I asked her Applejack glanced up at the night sky. “Yeah... But do ya’ll wanna take the long way back?" she suggested. “The way ah see it, it being such a nice night out’n all, it might be nice to go for a good night stroll. What do ya say?” she asked Bloom jumped in excitement, it was clear she still under the influence of sugar. “That’s a great idea!” she cheered eyes buzzing like a bee. I questioned if Applejack wanted to do this not just because it’s a nice night out, but to try to get as much energy out of bloom as possible. But ether way it was a good idea. “I’m in.” I said cheerfully Applejack smiled and seemed glad that we wanted to go along. “Good, let’s get goin then.” she said happily We started walking down and away from the path out into the field, we walked side by side. Out of curiosity I asked Applejack what exactly was the long rout. She said it was just following the edge of the Everfree forest. She said that eventually we’d see a fence then that will lead back to the farm. It was pretty start forward. It was a beautiful night out, the moon and stars were shining bright and there wasn’t a single cloud in the sky to block the magnificent few. It wasn’t cold either, actually it was kind of warm, but there was a cool breeze that lingered through the night that made it just the right temperature. I thought nothing could destroy this night. And having Applejack and Applebloom made it nothing short from perfect. As we were walking along the forests edge we started hearing strange sounds, but we tried to ignore them for the most part. “Princess Luna really out did herself tonight eh?” I said looking to the night sky with a fast look of wonder. “Yeah sh...” Applejack stopped mid sentence when we heard some ruffling coming from the bushes behind us. We all looked back “What was that?” I asked suspiciously Applejack starred at the bush and shook her head. “It’s probably just some animals er something.” she guest We took her word for it and shrugged it off, but then the same happened from in front of us. “Are you sure about that sis...?” applebloom asked unsurely Something was definitely up. We slowed down and listened, the noise stopped. “Whatever it was ah think it’s gone now.” Applejack said. We continued to walk normally again, but their was something unsettling in the air. Then out of the forest, a large beast made of wood and tinder with bright green glowing eyes. “IT’S A TIMBERWOLF, RUN!!!” Applejack cried We instantly turned around and started running in the opposite direction, when two more jumped out in front of us again. “LEFT!!!” Applejack yelled again Me and applejack instantly made a sharp left turn and ran. We ran like there wasn’t no tomorrow, in which case there might not have been. We looked back to see of they were still chasing us but thankfully they weren’t. We slowed down and stopped to catch your breath. My heart was racing, that really scared that heck out of me. “That... was a close... one...” I said breathing heavily Applejack nodded lightly as she gasped for air. “Yeah...” she said As I was still catching my breath it felt like something was missing, then it clicked and felt an instant sharp pain in my heart. My eyes went wide and started to look around frantically. “Wait, where Applebloom!” I asked unsurely Applejacks eyes went wide as well and she started looking around but she was nowhere to be seen. “APPLEBLOOOOM!” she called out We stayed quiet to see if we could hear anything, there was no response. Me and applejack looked at each other with shocked and worried expressions, we thought our worst fear had been realized. Then we heard a cry for help that came from the direction that we just came from. “THE FOREST!” Me and applejack said in prefaced unison. Me and applejack started running back at full pace, when we got to the forests edge we didn’t slow down we dove start in plowing through any plants that got in are way. I was terrified and scared, not for my life but applebloom’s. If something happens to her or worse... I won’t be able to live with myself. As we were running blindly through the woods I just kept repeating; please be ok, please be ok, and please be ok, in my head... I saw a clearing not too far in front of us, we ran even faster towards it. We jumped out on the edge. The three Timberwolves were standing side by side. They had cornered applebloom in front of a steep mounting side and were closing in on her slowly, their was nowhere for her to go. Applejack froze in horror. I instantly shot forward and charged the first one. Seeing that much fear in blooms eyes... It was like I blacked out. Something just snapped, I wasn’t being held back by my fear anymore. I didn’t care about myself... I didn’t care about my own well being. All I knew is that I had to get to applebloom and that meant going through Timberwolves. I ran up beside a Timberwolf, caching it off grad. I grabbed a thick log from its front left leg and pulled it out, its leg clasped. With the momentum that I gained from pulling the stick out I followed through and hit the best in the head. Its head as well as the rest of its body turned into nothing more than just a pile of sticks. With the stick behind my back I followed through again and through it at the far one and it got logged in its neck. It whimpered and backed up, the other one went to go check on it. I got in front of bloom to put something between her and the wolves. “APPLEJACK GRAB BLOOM AND GET OUT OF HERE, RIGHT NOW!!!” I yelled at her The one that I through the stick at appeared to be crippled, the other one just seemed pissed. I didn’t here applejack come for bloom, I turned to her to see what she could have possibly been doing. She as looking at me with amazed and shocked expression, but there wasn’t time for this. “AND, NOW!!!” I yelled even louder, voice sounding angered and rough She shook her head and ran over; I heard her picked up bloom and slapped her on her flank and began running back. The one Timberwolf looked like it was ready to attack. I noticed applejack stop and turned to look at me; I tilted my head and looked to her. Time seemed to have slowed down at that point, it was like me and applejacks minds were connected. I knew as well as she did, that there was a slim chance of me making it out of this alive, but I promise you and bloom that I'll be back... I nodded once to her, she did the same to me; it was like she heard everything that I thought. She closed her eyes I noticed a single tear fall from her face, then she turned and ran into the forest. I heard applebloom scream my name. I looked back to the Timberwolf, I could have ran but the only way I could ensure her and applejacks safety is buying them as much time as I can, which means I have to take them out, or survive as long as I could. There was so much blood and adrenaline flowing through my vanes that it physically hurt, but that was miner to what might happen if it were to stop. All my senses felt enhanced and stronger then ever, it was incredible. The one Timberwolf started walking towards me and snarled wickedly, I kept stance and on grad, waiting for an opening to strike. With a load growl, it jumped in the air and lunched itself towards me. I jumped to my left and dogged. When it landed I saw an opening, I lunched myself as hard as I could into its side. It fell over and before it had a chance to get up, I jumped into the air and stomped on its head with all my wieght. Its head basically exploded. I started to lose focus, I was acutely doing this, I’m gonna win. I was just about to turn to finish off the last one... and then it happened. The one I thought was crippled wasn’t anymore; it came over and bit down and HARD on my left shoulder. The pain was excruciating, I screamed in agony. It felt like I had an open wound with a thousand wasps in it constantly stinging. But with ever sting there venom got more and more intoxicated. I ripped my shoulder forward and fell on the ground; I reached and put my hand in my wound. I felt things sticking out of it; some of its teeth came out and were stuck in it, the pain was unbearable. The Timberwolf didn’t seem to mind losing a couple teeth and was more focused on ending me. It started to approach me slowly; fear started taking over my mind, I started shuffling myself away on my back, grabbing a rather large stick as I did so with my good arm. It backed me up against the rock were it had cornered bloom, when my back hit the rock I pushed up against it and stood up, I could feel the blood rushing out of my wound, but I wasn’t about to give up, I made a promise and I planned on keeping it. The Timberwolf lunched at me, not knowing what else to do I held up the stick to block. It bit down on it and started shaking its head vigorously and pushing towards me. I didn’t have enough energy to hold it with just my right arm, so the left end fell and hit the rock beside my head. The Timberwolf continued biting down on the stick franticly. It was so close to my face. I didn’t know what to do, I couldn't keep this up for ever. I noticed it started sliding down the stick to the way it was angled, then I had an idea, but didn’t have any time to think it over whether it work or not, it was my only shot so I had no choice. I glanced down and kicked its front left leg throwing it off balance, at the same time with what energy I had left; I pushed as hard as I could with my right arm up and flipped it. I was sitting on top if it holding it down with the stick in its mouth and my knee was pushing down on the one that was in its neck, preventing it from flipping back. It continued hitting and struggling in attempts to throw me off. I grasped the stick with my left arm as well, it made my muscles burn but didn’t have enough strength to do it with just one. And with every last little bit of my strength I had, I twisted the stick sharply to the side, twisting its jaw straight off. Then I raised it over my head and sent It down into its skull. Its head turned into a pile of sticks, I fell to the ground as the rest of its body did the same. I grasped my wound again and got out of the pile of timber and fell to my knees. It was done... I won. I wanted to do nothing more then take a break, my body was exhausted and my wound was on fire and was bleeding constantly, but I wasn’t in the clear yet. As I was catching my breath, the wood from the first Timberwolf that I killed first started glowing a faint green. It was going to regenerate soon. I forced myself to my feet which wasn’t easy, and started running blindly through the woods, I didn’t remember which direction applejack ran off to, so I just started running. Several minutes later that run quickly turned into a trudge, I was so tired and was losing so much blood. My whole left side was drenched with my blood, I was starting to go into shock; I didn’t think I was going to make it. I started stumbling and my vision went blurry, I tripped over my own feet and fell to my knees, I let go of my wound and caught myself with my right arm, but I didn’t have any strength left to get myself back up, my left arm dangled motionless dripping blood off my elbow. “Help........” I tried calling for help but I had such little energy that it just sounded like I was talking normally. I heard a sound from in front of me; thought it was the Timberwolves coming to finish me off. I lifted my head weakly, there was a figure standing there, it was too small to be a Timberwolf but my vision was to blurry to make out who or what it was. “help......” I said one last time. My arm gave out and I fell on my side and passed out.