“Twilight, are you sure that you’re alright? I mean, it’s a nasty cut that you have made there. Last thing we need is an infection spreading itself through it. It could kill you stone dead!” Fluttershy exclaimed in a dead serious tone. A tone that most of them hadn’t heard coming out of the mare before. Though they didn’t have their first serious medical incident yet. There was a first for everything and Twilight just happened to be that.
“I suggest that you stay calm here for a bit of time. She isn’t coming back!” It didn’t matter if she was talking to an actual wall or Twilight herself though. For the unicorn didn’t gave it any sound. She shrugged the words spoken to her off. Instead she just stood there with a stare of infinity.
She stood by a broken down window and gazed upon the world outside. The bandages that went around her body were treating the wound nicely. But the blood was still coming out of it. Something that caused the whole place to just become red. Though it didn’t bleed as heavily as before.
“I give up. It’s like talking to a deaf anthrony,” muttered Fluttershy to herself. Then her arms went cross over each other and turned her attention away from Twilight. Fluttershy wasn’t in the mood anymore to even talk one of the others. The soothsayer was weak, covered in patches that were filled with ice in order to prevent the burned areas from becoming even worse.
Normal fire was already a hell to treat by the doctors. But fire that was produced by the arts of the arcane was something that was a different degree. It even stood above the third degree mark of burns. The yellow skinned pegasus made her leave with a deep sigh in her tone. Yet she was soon enough followed by Applejack.
Both Rarity and Rainbow didn’t gave the scene much attention. For the both of them still feared the dreaded fact that the demoness herself might actually return. A fact that was just as much true for Twilight.
Over the darkness of the night she gazed into the forest. All of its horrors had awoken and were ready to strike out whenever it was desired. Comfortable wasn’t exactly a feeling that went through each of them. The dangers were out there but that same danger could have gone just as easily inside of the castle walls.
The violet rimmed eyes never took off from the area as the purple, arcane light orb of the staff was the only light in the whole castle. Whether they liked it or not, they were basically inviting any harmful spirit to just come their way. Though on the other end, that was perhaps the thing that they would be needing. It was just a crazy thought that rushed through the mind of the unicorn. As well as a couple others. Though there was one in particular.
She scratched her chin a little bit with both the thumb and the index finger before the words finally left her throat. “When the wrong deed is done, for the right cause. Who is to blame?” she spoke up aloud to not only herself, but also the other two mares that were still present. Which resulted in both Rarity and Rainbow gazing upon one another with a literal baffled expression.
Certain points in their own lives they could have placed that very question. Something they never, ever would have expected to be able to. Rarity’s moment was of course when she deserted the navy as Rainbow had so her own little secrets.
"Why, why do you say those words, darling?” Rarity dared to question. With a calm pace had she walked over to Twilight. Even though her trot was calm, there was still that very hint of uncertainty going through her. There was something troubled her as if something had managed to pierce itself through her soul and mess her up good.
The soothsayer then turned herself around to face Rarity in the light of the staff. Yet the words that came afterwards were everything but nice. “Those were the words she spoke to me, before everything just went downhill. Before she became the monster you four have seen today. No, it’s nothing personal. It’s a matter that’s as old as time and space themselves. Perhaps, I shouldn’t be bothering you with my own past. Some things are best left untold until it is time for them to be rev-”
Then were her words cut off as a shot of pain which was sent through the body of the mare. She winched a little bit as she reached for her shoulder. On top of it laid one of the ice packs that was supposed to keep everything as cool as possible. Which it apparently did not for just a couple of seconds. “Hate that fire when it’s used against me.”
“She appreciates the work ya did for her, doc,” said Applejack to Fluttershy. The both of them stood in the hallway. The two of them had separated themselves in order to have a bit of a talk together. A thing that was actually much needed. Though the conversation had been going on for a long time and Applejack happened to be already repeating things.
“I know she does, but she needs to follow my advices,” countered Fluttershy for the almost countless time. It was feeding her up that Twilight didn’t do what she was told when it came down to the medical grounds. “Who’s the doctor here? Me or her?”
“Ah know, Flutters, Ah know. But please calm yarself down. She can handle herself,” the admiral replied. Something that didn’t felt right for the doctor though. Yet a reply was never be able to be given. There was a roar that did its turn through the whole of the castle.
All of the anthronies readied themselves. They took their arms and prepared themselves for the possible battle that would be fought. That was until the words of Twilight actually managed to call in. The words that left the throat of the unicorn were some of the most unexpected of the entire journey so far. “Run, away. Run away!” she shouted while she gestured for them all too leave.
As quick as she could she made her way over to her staff and used it as a third leg for the time being. They needed to get out of there as quickly as they could. They needed to get out of the forest of Everfree as quickly as they could. The sooner, the better.
The lights of the orb on top of the staff faded when the rest of the anthronies left the room. They pulled in both Applejack and Fluttershy without a question asked. Though the admiral was of course a bit slower which resulted in her and Twilight both forming the rear guard for the time being.
Each of them knew they had to go to the Frozen North and they knew exactly where the north laid so anypony could have taken the lead for the moment. Which was a massive, massive relief for the soothsayer. But Applejack couldn’t resist to ask the question of questions. “What’s going on?” she hissed up through her teeth, almost in silence.
The ears of Twilight actually had to perk her ears on the words. At first instance she didn’t even understood them too well, before the lights finally were switched on. “The guards of Everfree, the timberwolves of Tartarus have been released. Their hunting season has begun and on the menu, everything in sight,” the soothsayer replied in the same hissing tone. “To the north we need to head! Use the stars if you… have… to, oh no. No, no, no, no!”
Without a single warning came the whole company to a standstill as they tried to gaze up into the skies above them. But that what they caught in their eyes was everything but the stars. For the entire night sky had just vanished into thin air. Instead had the vegetation of Everfree taken over. No stars to guide them, no road to lead them, they were trapped in the woods with the wolves making their way through.
“Oh this is bad, this is actually, really, really bad,” exclaimed Rainbow Dash while she couldn’t stop flapping her wings. She wanted to just take off into the air and find a route out. Yet doing so meant that she had to leave the company behind. Who knew just what horrors would have happened when she would have gotten back, and which were still waiting on her?
“Oh quiet, you big foal!” snarled Rarity towards the major. She tried her utmost best as well to keep calm in the matter. Though that was also something perhaps a lot easier said than done. They had no direction to go yet, maybe they never would have gotten it in the first place. All they could hope for was that Twilight would be having an ingenious plan of some sorts.
Once it again it was up to the soothsayer to get them out of the mess. Then again, when thought about it clearly did it happen to be Twilight who had gotten them there in the first place. Rarity was one of the first to have figured the little fact out, though she wouldn’t be openly blaming the mare for anything.
“Maybe there’s a spell that I can use,” mumbled Twilight to herself. She tried to channel the magic through her hand and into the staff. Though much time wasn’t granted to her when Applejack yanked her with her. “H-Hey, w-what are you doing?!” she exclaimed. Twilight was taken right out of her much needed concentration.
A worded reply she wouldn’t have gotten out of the admiral. Instead there only was a finger pointing behind her as they ran away as fast as they could. The mare tried to follow the finger to the best of her abilities and gazed in the darkened distance. Only to see just where they were running away from.
Within the darkness of the night it walked, it’s eyes flaming red and haunting like there wouldn’t be a tomorrow. A growl as low as anything came while as the trees moaned when it came by. Twilight had thought the things for impossible, yet the opposing was given right to her.
The very thing that had set its eyes upon the group was nothing else but an alpha timberwolf. Bloodthirsty and ferocious. The creates of the forest knew no mercy and trying to stay ahead of the pack was the only thing that probably could have been saving their very lives.
They ran and they ran through the darkness of the Everfree. The sounds of the chasing timberwolves behind them only became more threatening. Applejack’s leg began to play up again of course. The temporal fix wasn’t designed for such sudden extremes. “Buck it, Ah rather live with a new casing then being eaten alive!” she shouted to herself before she gave off that extra bit of push.
Time was the thing they needed but also the thing they didn’t have anymore. At least not with the speed that the wolves of wood were heading their very way. It was in a literal split second that Twilight had more than enough of the chase and wanted to call it off, her way.
The horn coated itself within the raspberry colored aura as it was channeled through Twilight’s hands and into the staff. The orb began to shine once again a vibrant raspberry color before the unicorn just stopped. “You go ahead, I’ll be back soon!” shouted Twilight to the others.
Luckily for her had they listened and kept on running. Though Rarity was in fact smart enough to ignite her own horn a little bit. The soothsayer herself made from contact with the ground as the wolves came closer. They were only five seconds away from Twilight as the staff was aimed forward and the orb towards them.
What then happened was a massive burst of magic that send the creatures just back to their very basics, twigs and sticks. Their hearts, the beating hearts of moss, leaves and other forest material and magic was left alone by the unicorn. She was on a mission to buy time, not to exterminate them.
One last glance was given over the scene as the lights faded away into the orb would Twilight turn herself around and hoped to see the light of the mare. A light that was literally her shining light at the end of the tunnel.
Though it wouldn’t have been the case. The light which she had so desperately hoped to witness wasn’t there. Though what she did caught was a scent. A scent she hadn’t smelled before actually. A scent that was so strange yet so familiar at the same time. Out of the possible conclusions there was only one that seemed to have been actually likely.
“Oh you clever mare.” Twilight replied to herself as she began her trek again. She would keep going until the source of the scent had been found. That sweet scent of the arcane was one she recognized out of thousands.
Step by step she followed her nose through the darkness of the woods. Following it under branches and over roots, quick as she could. The trail would be cold soon enough and she wanted to have found the other members of the company preferably before that very time.
Time was kind to her, for in the time that she had taken to defeat the beasts of Everfree had the company thankfully managed to stay safe at a certain place. The task that was given to the unicorn was to make it there before anything bad would have happened to her, or them.
Though little did she knew was that another set of eyes were preying upon her. A moderate cyan colored set of eyes were watching from the shadows when she went by. Everything it had gone by was there that vague burst of flames.
~~~~
Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow and Fluttershy had been running as fast they could have ever done in their lives. They didn’t wanted to be caught and much to their surprise they managed to get on a clearing. A clearing that even had a little source of water streaming down a small creek. It was literally a blessing from the heavens themselves.
If it wasn’t for both Rarity and Applejack becoming just that little bit suspicious about it. “Ya thinking what Ah’m thinking?” the admiral asked over to the pirate captain.
“Haunted forest, wolves chasing our tails after a demon attacked us, all of the sudden there’s a pond of water and open sky? Too good to be true. Don’t drink from it. Understand?” replied Rarity. She added everything together with the help of her fingers. The warning on the other end was given off in a dead serious tone.
Applejack nodded to the words. The streams of sweat could be seen traveling down her forehead. They were tired, exhausted, hungry and thirsty. The whole package was wrapped nice and times four. But the time to think about it just wasn’t there. They still had to get Twilight.
Speaking of Twilight, that was the thought that ran through Fluttershy’s mind. “She knows, which way she needs to be going, right? I mean, we can’t leave her like that, wounded.”
“Of course we can. Really easy actually,” the pirate chuckled up. Though the chuckles ceased almost instantly as she got the cutting glares of every other anthrony. “Okay, okay, excuse me for trying to lightening the mood. Instead I just blew up a powder keg. But to answer your concerns Fluttershy, I have left us a trail for our little soothsayer to follow. She couldn’t have been that far behind.”
In the moment that she spoke those very words, the rustles of the leaves could be heard. They all prepared themselves for another battle to come. They had been through a lot in one night already, why would it have stopped for them right there?
Agonizing seconds ticked away, all of them anticipated just what would have come out of the darkness. The fear of the unknown was the thing that rushed through all of them. They didn’t knew whether or not it would have been Twilight, a pack of timberwolves or perhaps the demon they only had seen for less than a minute.
With the flintlocks ready to fire and the blades eager to stab, the anticipation could be felt clear. Tensions were high when the small wire was almost cut by the blade. Applejack wanted to give the command of opening fire just so badly. Yet she knew in the back of her head that she just had to wait. That was the part that was killing her. Not her steaming leg, as Rainbow Dash actually thought.
Fluttershy had hidden herself behind the army of fighters while her eyes constantly patrolled over the backs of them. The last thing they needed was a surprise attack in the back. Time ticked away at the rate of an hour per second in their minds.
Yet out of the leaves she appeared. Out of the leaves had she finally come to rejoin them. Twilight Sparkle herself had returned to the group to continue to trek. Relief went through each of the anthronies as they just couldn’t describe how happy they actually were. They had their expedition leader back in the group and that was all that counted.
Rarity finally dared to discharge her horn while all of the weapons were sheathed again. They all wanted to know exactly what Twilight had done to the creatures. But none had the guts to ask the question. Something else seemed to have spooked the unicorn already. Another matter on an already long and dreaded night.
The mare walked calm yet hesitant over towards the waters that could be found within the pond. Her eyes were never torn off of it as the words rolled off her tongue. “Has any of you, drunk a single drop of this water?” she asked to them in a dead serious tone.
“Didn’t dare to take the risk. After everything tonight already, Applejack and I decided it was best left untouched,” replied Rarity, who also took another step closer. Her eyes peeked into the flat waters. Not even the wind could have managed to make little waves beneath it.
“Good,” the soothsayer replied. She closed her eyes for just a second and released a deep exhale of relief. “Because you don’t want to drink this stuff. It’s not natural.” That caused the levels of curiosity to actually raise within the other anthronies. “No, stay there. Rarity, you move back as well. I don’t want any more nasty surprises tonight.”
The pirate captain gave a nod before she had one last glance into the waters and saw something that wasn’t her own. Yet at the same time it also was again. It confused the anthrony a whole lot. Within the waters she caught herself wearing a black, formal gown while her reflection also held something in her left hand.
“Go, now,” demanded Twilight to the other unicorn. Taken out of trance, Rarity would shake her head a couple of times before she finally walked back. The other three of them had no idea what was meant with the words or what had been seen within the waters. Either way, they knew it was trouble and that they didn’t absolutely need anymore.
The reflection for Twilight was something a lot more sinister. The longer she stared into her own reflection, the more she noticed how she was changed into a demon of her own. A demon that looked much like the one in which Sunset Shimmer had transformed into. “No,” she whispered to herself just by making the motions with her lips, “that’s not how it shall end. That’s not how my life, shall end. It’s not how it has been either. Yet somehow, a connection between past and future…”
“Twi? Ya coming? Rainbow has found a way out with the help of Fluttershy,” said Applejack in a raised tone to get the attention of the unicorn. Who in return was violently taken out of her concentration, which had distorted the image. One last look was given before she just walked away.
“Yes, yes, sorry about that. It’s just, it’s a long night already and, well, we don’t have everything down on the right path, do we?” the mare pleaded for herself. Both of the pegasi landed back on the ground. Her attention shifted over to the pair of them as the staff was used to lean against. “Please, have some good news,” the soothsayer almost begged them.
Both of the pegasi gave a nod towards her. Which made her look back up in an instant. “Do continue,” added Twilight to her words while the other two remained silent. Rarity just crossed her arms over each other while Applejack placed hers in her side. One in her side and one on top of the hilt of her sword. They were interested in the words that had to be spoken.
“Oh yeah we do. We figured out which way to go. Seems like little Fluttershy here, is also a little stargazer,” said Rainbow with a smile. A pat on the back of the other pegasus was given by her. The pat in return had the effect that Fluttershy almost yelped a little bit too loud for her own liking. “We have to go into that way, if we want to head to the Frozen North.” Rainbow quickly added as she pointed into the direction.
Twilight’s face was almost beaming with happiness from that moment. “Well? What are we waiting for? We have to go that way!” she said to the group as she was almost ready to make her leave. Thankfully it was Fluttershy who held her on her ground as the second part of the words were spoken.
“However, if we take a slight detour, we can be out of this cursed forest by going that way. Set up camp a long way away from here and finally get some sleep,” the major said before she released a great and long yawn.
The soothsayer had little choice but to agree on the plan. If it would have taken them out of the forest, she would just have been happy. There was only one slight little problem with the route that Rainbow had been plotting out for them. Making the trek was calculated in the speed that a pegasus could fly. Not the speed in which an earth anthrony could be walking with.
That was the little something that came biting her back sooner or later.
“Alright then, let’s go. March it, ladies,” spoke Twilight to the company. Only single nods were given to both of the pegasi as silent thanks.
Fluttershy and Rainbow formed the rear guard for a change as the yellow skinned one had one question bobbling up her mind. “Why did you gave me that pat? It hurts!” she whispered through her teeth in the hope that none of the others would be hearing it.
“Hmpf, you’re a pegasus. Supposed to be strong to fly head on in the most strongest of winds,” replied Rainbow almost in a cold voice of her own. “There are so many things I can say to you right now. But I make it my decision to not make my mouth dirty on them.”
~~~~
Finally they couldn’t take another step. They had been reached at their limits and all they wanted to do was just to sleep. Rainbow was called in by Twilight with the question of why they hadn’t reached the outskirts yet. A near pointless and long discussion followed from the two of them until the truth of the matter finally came to light.
The soothsayer could literally just bury the major six hooves below the dirt in that moment of time. Though she managed to maintain her calm, oddly enough. After the help of a couple deep in and exhales she finally was able to stay actually calm in front of the pegasus and signaled all of them to set up their camp there. Though they wouldn’t be building up the tent.
Instead they would be sleeping on the forest floor with nothing but their sleeping bags and their clothing. It was a costly mistake that had been made by the major. One that the whole company all had to pay for. Their hopes were shattered into pretty much nothing.
A watch system was required as Twilight began making a little fire. They all sat or leaned against trunks from trees as the flame of arcane fire actually caused her shoulder to burn again. Another winch of pain was given off by the mare as she levitated the fire to the middle and ignited it.
Though when she ignited it was the pain at its worst. Fluttershy watched every single thing from Twilight’s body happening as it did. Monitoring every last aspect in the hope that it wouldn’t become worse. “Twilight, I suggest that you shouldn’t create fire anymore from your powers. It seems to be standing in direct contact with the burned areas of your body.”
"It’s called ‘arcane fire’ for a reason, Fluttershy. But since you are the one who first opened your mouth, I take it that you want to do the first watch?” the soothsayer said in an annoyed tone that came forth from her lack of sleep.
The yellow pegasus hadn’t even the faintest of ideas on what to do. Though going into an argument with Twilight Sparkle was just one of those things she really didn’t wanted to do. So the only thing that she could be doing was to silently accept the fact that would be having the first watch.
All of the other anthronies went into their bags as they also were just gone like that. The snoring of the four other mares and the crisping of the fires did have an oddly harmonious sound within the ears of the pegasus. Almost as if they played out in the rhythm of the forest. A forest that didn’t wanted them dead for a change of pace.
Even the always so vividly thinking Twilight Sparkle was just gone in an instant. The hurricane of thoughts that used to be racing through her, had just ceased to exist for a moment. Everything was blank inside of her head. All of the systems had just shut themselves down. Rest and peace had finally fallen over the mare, for as long as it would last.
Though while Fluttershy just sat there, watching the forest and getting used to its sounds, she could only pray on the very fact that nothing terrible would actually happen. If the stories were true, they could still be in for a truly nasty surprise. A surprise that was hers to signal through to the others. Which was actually a thing that was a lot easier said than done.
In order to kill just a little bit of the time that she would be sitting there, Fluttershy came up with the idea to hum some songs to herself. The tunes were both quiet and peaceful, yet they managed to reach a far end into the wilderness. The sheer amount of volume that the pegasus had inside of herself was something that wasn’t matched by a lot of things in the world.
The events that followed could have been described as unbelievable. For out of almost every corner of the woods they came. All kinds of critters and smaller animals to see just who was speaking to them within their own languages.
Rabbits, owls, rats, porcupines and hedgehogs were among some of the massive numbers of creatures that all made the journey towards the pegasus. Of course they were scared of her at first. It wasn’t every day that a being from her size was talking to them in their own languages and tongues.
Though the longer the pegasus continued to hum her songs, the more the creatures actually felt themselves to be comfortable around her. They snuggled and tickled her left and right which caused the tunes to be disrupted by a couple of giggles that came forth.
It was just about the most perfect alarm system there was in the whole wide world. If even one of the critters, or all of the creatures would just flat out flee, danger would be lurking right around the corner. Perhaps it happened to be something that the pegasus knew and that was why she used it. Or she genuinely needed the company of the animals to sit through her watch.
Either way did the green rimmed eyes of Applejack looked over the scene from her bag with a smile going across her face. At least one anthrony was having the time of her life in that dreaded forest. The humming of the doctor had woken her up but she didn’t minded it. The tunes that entered her ears were pleasant ones to listen too. Not to mention the little fact that she would be having the next watch anyway.
So all the sleep that she could be getting was welcome. As the humming continued and the creatures managed to gather themselves around the group was everything going to be just fine in the eyes of the admiral. Eyes that began to once again have their troubles to remain open.
The weights that were resting on her eyelids forced themselves down and down until they were closed all of the way. There wasn’t much else that could be done then to just sleep. Sleep for the time being and wait for the call. The call that she had to watch over their little camp site.
The call perhaps came a little bit too early for her liking. The pegasus was softly shaking her inside of the bag. With a groan of annoyance had she opened her eyes again and stared right into those of Fluttershy. Whose rims were actually reflecting off from the arcane fires. The admiral knew exactly what time it was yet she didn’t wanted to.
Only after a full minute of actually hard thinking she managed to get herself out of her bag. With the cold air of the night covering her body all of the sudden, it served as a good wake up call. Though the call quickly faded again as she took her refuge against the tree. She had to stay awake one way or the other.
She had just about the near perfect manner to be doing that. Her own metalized and steam powered leg needed to have some maintenance. She wouldn’t be doing that much during her guard duty, or so she hoped. For all of the creatures were gone after the humming stopped. Which meant that she had to trust upon her eyes and ears if she wanted to survive the night.
Silence took over once more while the quiet snores of Fluttershy were added to the anthronies that were already and still vastly asleep. It was a long night, of an even longer trip. Who could be saying what laid before them the following day?