Chapter 5 Ravaging beasts:
Spike passed rows upon rows of tree, nearing the source of the screaming. He was getting closer, he could almost feel it. It was like Spike’s senses sharpened. He could clearly hear the twigs and leaves crushing beneath is feet. He could see tree branches right in front of him, and smack them out of the way before they could hit him in the face.
Spike also could smell the air so clearly, that he could almost taste it. And because of that, that Spike wished that he didn’t have these sharp senses. The air was filled with an unpleasant smell, too say the least. It could be described as a piece of rotting flesh mixed with decaying wood.
“Damn, not them again” Spike muttered, while his eyes started to water from the smell, and at the same time quickening his pace. Wiping your eyes is not a good idea when your claws are extended.
Spike now knew what caused the screaming from the probably unsuspecting ponies, for he had smelled this odour many times during his stay in the Everfree Forest. And that smell could only mean one thing:
“Timberwolves”
Timberwolves were always weird creatures in Spike’s eyes. Not organically alive, but they could not be described as inanimate objects that just happened to move. No, they were almost animals, wild and ferocious. Not mindless beasts either, but hunters with minds and brains to form a strategy and thoughts , but mostly acting by following instinct.
“To put it simply, they are predators” Spike thought. Spike had encountered the Timberwolves many times now. From the very beginning it looked like the Timberwolves targeted Spike for no apparent reason, most of his current scars originated from an encounter with a Timberwolf. Spike reasoned that they were just eliminating the competition while they are still young. Even a full pack of Timberwolves is no match for a fully-grown dragon.
While having trouble with the wolves in the beginning, Spike learned to avoid them. He did this by not trespassing in their hunting territory.
“the only problem was that my new home is located in their hunting territory” Spike thought, while an irony fuelled frown creped onto his face. He had to learn to fight the Timberwolves for that reason. And is spike’s honest opinion he was now quite good at at…….
“!”
Spike philosophical thoughts about Timberwolves and his own pat on the back were cut short by the bright light coming from between the trees, among other things. He was now so close to his destination that he could almost see and hear the clearing between those trees. And he didn’t like what he heard.
There were faint sounds of snarling and growling in the air, as well as silent but unmistaken sound of whimpering. Probably coming from the Timberwolves and their unfortunate would-be prey.
“How many are there?” Spike asked himself when he came to a screeching halt from his little sprint through the forest right before the clearing. He decided to approach this with caution, because he knew throwing yourself into a battle leads to mistakes and injury while one of his fingers unconsciously ran over the big scar from his eyebrow to his chin.
Spike moved, without making a sound, closer to the clearing, until he found a large tree to hide behind. From his new found hiding place he glanced over the forest clearing to finally understand the current situation.
The clearing was not big, only around 100 to 150 meters in length. The sight was very clear as the sun was shining and no clouds were currently visibly in the sky. The ground was covered in grass and sand.
But that was where the beauty ended, because Spike saw something at the other end of the clearing that made his jump back a bit.
There were five Timberwolves there, all standing in a circle around one tree. It was like a pack of dogs barking at one cat hiding in a tree, or that time Winona chased Opalescence in the tree nearby the carousel boutique. Stupid cat.
But there was one big difference, there were no cats hiding in the tree. Unfortunately for many animals in the forest, Timberwolves don’t chase or hunt cats. Their eyes were always searching for a bigger price.
Instead of cats hiding in the tree, there were three ponies leaning on one side of the tree. Spike could see that they were trying to defend themselves, even though he could not see much of it. The three ponies were standing in the shade caused by the tree. But Spike could see kicking hooves just outside of the shade, sometimes with branches, trying to defend themselves by kicking the Timberwolves back.
The ponies were silent, probably exhausted or just too busy concentrating on surviving the attack.
Finally knowing about the situation, Spike decided to take action. He followed the ponies example by picking up a large branch lying a few inches from his feet. He knew he was in for something that could be described as the ‘fight of his life’. Even spike hadn’t fought five Timberwolves at the same time during his time staying in the Everfree Forest.
Spike looked one final time at the Timberwolves who still didn’t seem to notice him, and at the sun to determine its exact position in the sky above. Lesson one in the art of hunting. Now knowing exactly where to go and the way to turn so the sun would be shining on his back and not his eyes, Spike clenched his branch turned weapon in his claws, and was ready to jump up from behind his tree with the full intention of helping the innocent ponies. That was the right thing to, right?
But in a fraction of a second, Spike’s mind began to be filled with doubts and objections. It was like his brain functions suddenly took over his instincts to attack and defend, just at the moment spike’s feet were about to detach from the ground. now his feet were standing still, were feeling stiff and refused to move forward.
“Why should I help these ponies?” Spike’s mind, speaking in a darker version of Spike’s own voice, seemed to ask a question to Spike physical body. Now spike’s mind began to work at full steam, with thoughts flooding his mind. This seemingly effected his whole body, until Spike managed to finally get his mind back on track.
“Why should I risk my own body and life for ponies I didn’t even know?” was the first question that came to mind when Spike’s feet apparently decided to listen to him again.
Didn’t I learned anything during the past three years?
Am I really still so naïve as before?
It was like a whole other side of Spike just woke up from the depths of his mind, and an inner monologue filled with experiances from the past began began.
“Do you really think everything is going to be alright when you save these ponies. You don’t even know them, you are at a serious disadvantage against five opponents, so why would you want to?”
“Do you really think they will be grateful when you come in to save them? They will probably run away immediately flee from the terror of five Timberwolves and a newly arrived dragon fighting over their next meal. For them you are nothing more than an oversized lizard with teeth. They will not help you, they will only be scared by you.”
“that is the only thing ponies are around you, scared. And what will happen if they flee? They are probably from Ponyville, of course they would run back to those traitors. They will tell that you are here, and they will immediately know it is you. Who else could a teenage purple and green dragon be? This will probably get the attention of our favourite Princess Of Magic, and she will come again to banish you”
“She can try” was the first thing Spike said on his own.
“you can lose everything you have now, even if it is not much you have. Do not risk that.”
“Ponies are all the same, and no good can come from all this”
Spike’s internal struggle continued as he took a few steps toward the ponies, leaving his hiding place. Still having the branch in his claws, he looked over at the Timberwolves, who were slowly closing in on the ponies.
It looked like it would go on forever, and Spike indecisiveness just continued.
It was at that moment that Fate apparently decided to step in, and forced Spike to make a decision. One of the hooves sticking from the shadow of the tree was cut when a Timberwolf jump forward the ponies to make a kill. The attack failed when the wolf was kicked back, but the damage was already done. A few screams filled with pain and desperation were heard from the shadow, and de kicked back Timberwolf quickly got back on his feet and one again joined his few hunters.
The Timberwolves that seemed to synchronize, and all at once they took a stance. They were ready to attack once more, but this time as a group. It was unlikely that the ponies would survive it.
Spike rapidly took a decision, just when the Timberwolves were about to jump toward the ponies, and leaped in the direction of the clearing.
To be continued…