My hooves were like ticking timebombs, every step I take is a second off the clock. Part of me wants to go in there and find myself, but the other part of me is telling me to return to life in ponyville. No, I must be in control of myself, I must go in the forest.
Slowly, Im stepping deeper and deeper into the ever-free forest. Celestia It would be useful If I was a pegasus or a unicorn right now, If I was a pegasus I could easily just fly in there and not worry about a thing on the ground, but as a unicorn I could use magic to help me carry the supplies, though I do appreciate being an earth pony, the extra strength does come in handy most of the time.
Now im feeling better... I made the right choice. I kept trotting in the forest for about half an hour when I came upon a clearing, good place to settle down, just needed some tender love and care. It would make a perfect campsite for my "base of operations."
Tent? No, I never brought one, oh no... No reason to fret, heh... I can always just make a little tent out of branches and leaves, right? Of course! I need to push myself no matter how hard it may seem, laziness will not overrule me this time. Using a knife I picked up from home I started sawing the branches down with my knife and plucked the leaves. Any further advances in construction would mean I need to look at the survival book.
I hate reading... Sifting through the pages of tool-making tips and berry classifications I finally find what I was looking for, "Building makeshift huts." Perfect. Oh dang, "strip the bark off the branches, and use the strands to weave them together, after doing so tuck leaves through the cracks to help prevent a leaky roof." This was going to take a while.
That was... fine I guess. My so called hut looked like a hobo's cardboard box only covered in mud and debris. Ill get better the more I do this I'm sure. Pulling out a sandwhich I started eating, viewing the evil-looking trees around me. No wonder no pony comes in here, its creepy as hell! The longer I stare at them the more I feel like I'm going to get attacked from behind by some strange monster.
All the building had me tired, I got under my hut and stuffed the remains of my lunch into one of my saddlebags, laying on the itchy pillow I formed out of leaves I start to close my eyes, sleep overcame me within a few seconds.
So cold, so dark, where am I? My senses are numb, I can barely stay on my hooves. Then I heard a wicked laugh, by the sounds of it it wasn't from another pony, zebra maybe? No, this sound was from no ordinary being. Then a flash of light hit my eyes, blinding me as a gust of wind blew me back and knocked me into a tree. A figure with multiple different body parts was walking towards me, ever so slowly as if not to disturb me, but I was already disturbed all right. I tried my best to move or get out of the way but the fierce wind held me against a wall. I opened my eyes wide as what I saw, the figure was just a shadow, a shape in the mist. Before I could react it lunged.
"GAHHHHH!" I awoke panting, sweat coated my face and body, my heartbeat was extremely rapid. Oh look, my leaf pillow is all over the place, I must have twisted and turned constantly if it was really that bad. Dawn light pierced through my shabby roof and over the forest floor. For the ever-free forest, it did kind of look welcoming. I got up on my hooves, remembering the dream.
That nightmare wasn't like any other nightmare I have had, this kind of scare was new. There was something unique about it, like it was telling me something. Watch out? This is your fate? Who knows, maybe the nightmare was linked to my cutie-mark! Though having a mysterious shadow as a cutie-mark was not going to look friendly at all.
"Ultimate guidelines to survival, there you are!" Second thing to read, "how to avoid hazards in your camp." Well, thats useful, having a fire can cook food, but according to the book, cooking food over an open fire can attract bears, manticores, wolves and other dangerous creatures.
"Once done cooking, extinguish fire immediately and use something to block out the smell of food." I had just finished reading that chapter over a second time so I'm pretty much set for camp safety.
"AHHHHH" My ears perked up at the sound of a faint but noticable scream, looking towards the direction it came from I grabbed a few of my supplies and began trotting towards it. I probably know this is a stupid idea, but it definitely a fellow pony who had screamed and I had to help.
The screaming got so loud that I knew I was very very close to the source,
"HELP!" fighting my way through a bush, I couldn't believe what I am seeing. A pony in his mid-years, one of his front hooves stuck in a bear-trap.
"Woah! How in the hay do you disarm a beartrap?" I was by his side prodding at the silver set of teeth.
"Just... pry it open..." He was panting and grunting from the pain at the same time, I can't bear to watch him in this agony.
Without remorse I start using my earth pony strength and pull it apart easily with my hooves, carefully putting the trap aside.
"Hey, are you ok, I have some bandages you can use." I could spare them, its not like im bleeding out right now like he is, he needs them much more than I do.
"Oh, saving my life then giving me medicial supplies? Your too kind." Rage filled his eyes and his tone made me flinch back, why is he so mad? I saved him!
"Well, you need it far more than I do, and I could use some company while I'm out here." His stare was shooting cold daggers into my eyes, maybe that was the wrong thing to say, he seems like the loner type. judging from his attitude.
He sighed, "Fine, whats a kid like you doing out here in the woods anyway, and your awfully knowledgeably for a colt."
I winced at his remark, every pony thinks I'm a kid, thats exactly why I wanted to leave Ponyville in the first place.
"Im actually older than you think, I just don't have my cutie-mark. Now come on, we are going back to my camp."
I lifted him up and helped him walk all the way back to the campsite, every time he takes a step he either grunts or flinches which keeps throwing me off balance. his constant sighing doesn't liven up the mood either. We finally made it back to camp, I set him down farthest inside the hut, lucky for us it was big enough to shelter two ponies.
"You need to rest, try to sleep while I put these bandages on you." He obeyed and he closed his eyes. After a few minutes I had the bandages on, the wound still looked gruesome but at least it wouldn't get any infections.
I should probably rest too, grabbing a pile of leaves I flop down, stripping off my saddlebags and went into an uncomfortable, but deep blissful slumber.