//------------------------------// // Cliffhanger // Story: Friendship Still is Magic // by ultronquake //------------------------------// Six ponies stood at the edge of the forest. five ponies circled one pony. Four ponies were in disbelief, one pony was mad for not being told her best friend has a new significant other. "I think this bears repeating, YOU HAVE A COLT FRIEND!?" Exclaimed Lyra Heartstrings. Derpy Hooves was a bit confused by the inquisition, "Yeah, and what about it?" "Well for starters why is this the first time i'm hearing about this?" said Berry Punch, feeling wounded. "Well we've only been on a few dates so far and it was only on our latest outing he asked if i'd be his marefriend, i was gonna say something when i came by with Twilight but you seemed busy," Derpy said. "Oh." Was all Berry felt like saying, at least Derpy wasn't trying to keep secrets between friends. "Come on i'll tell you guys all about him as we walk," said Derpy. The six ponies moved at a decent trot, shooting off questions just as soon as the Pegasus could answer them. "So who is this lucky stallion? Is he anyone we know?" asked Lotus Blossom. "Well odds are you haven't met him yet, he's only been in Ponyville for a few weeks," said Derpy. "Wheres he from? Ooh is he from Prance?" asked Cloudchaser. "Nope, he's from Trottingham, he's even got a bit of an accent." Derpy replied with a giggle. "What does he do for a living?" asked Twilight. "He's works with clocks and watches, you know timey wimey stuff," said Derpy. "Kind of a superficial question, but whats he look like?" asked Lyra. "Oh, he's has a light brown coat, bright blue eyes and a wonderful messy mane and short tail. Just like yours Twilight," said the twitterpated Derpy. Unbenounced to the chatting friends, the black starry ether that comprised Nightmare Moon had been stalking them since they entered this forest. Seeing it's first opportunity to strike, the mist seeped into the base of the cliff Twilight and the others stood on. Cleaving the rock from the rest of the cliff, a good portion collapsed down towards the canyon below. The sudden loss of footing sent all but the pegasi sliding down the rough ground, gaining cuts and friction burns as they tried to slow their decent to certain death. Derpy and Cloudchaser were swift like hawks, diving in and grabbing two of their flight challenged comrades. Left sliding was Twilight Sparkle and Berry Punch, just down the slope was an errant root sticking out of the freshly exposed cliff face. The two ponies tried to grab for it but only Berry succeeded, Twilight went into a roll for her attempt. Twenty feet down from the root was a small grassy ledge, had she been in control of her decent she might have been able to come to a stop there. Instead she nearly barreled off the edge, saving herself just barely by grabbing on at the last second. From her vantage point Twilight could only see strait in the air, and no pony was in sight. She attempted to recover herself but almost lost her hoofhold entirely. "C-Cloudchaser! Derpy! Is anypony there?" Twilight desperately called out. "Hold on Twilight i'm coming," Berry's voice echoed through the canyon. Reaching into her bag she quickly produced a rope, secured it to the root and repelled down to the edge. "Alright i got you *OOPH* what have you been eating? Your massive," Grunted out Berry who now held her firmly by her hooves. "Why does everypony bring up my weight? I'm sorry OK i cant help it," said Twilight. "It's alright I've still got you, it just means your too heavy to lift up," said Berry. "What do you mean you can't lift me?! Dear Celestia i'm going to fall, I'm gonna fall and i'm going to die!" Twilight was quickly becoming hysterical, writhing under Berry's grasp. "Twilight stop! Focus on my voice, neither of us are going to fall, do you know why?" Said Berry trying to calm Twilight. In between shallow breaths Twilight gasped out, "Why?" "Because you have Spike back home who's waiting for you to come home and i have my baby. We promised we'd come home safe, so that's what were gonna do. I'm gonna hold on with everything I've got and your not gonna fall, you here me girl?" Berry was nearly shouting at this point. "*Sniff* I hear you. But i can't stay here like this forever, what are we gonna do?" asked Twilight. From her position Berry could see the two pegasi had finished dropping Lyra and Lotus off on solid ground and were now coming back for the others. "It'll only be a few more minuets, Derpy and Cloudchaser are coming for us, just hang tight," said Berry. The time passed silently. Twilight kept here eyes shut tightly, beads of sweat formed on Berry's brow. She would not admit it to Twilight but her weight was starting to strain her muscles. Thankfully before there was any chance of loosing her grasp winged salvation came. "Alright Twilight I've got you," said Cloudchaser. Derpy was going to pick up Berry when she stopped her. "You'd better help carry Twilight, she's allot more than one pony can handle alone." "Are you sure?" asked Derpy. "Yes, now get a move on," replied Berry. Twilight began her slow assisted decent to safety below, leaving Berry alone on the ledge. With the crises averted the flight response cooled down, allowing her rapid heart rate to slow back to normal. After five or so minuets of deep breathing and calming thoughts Berry was back in her normal state of mind. From the high vantage point a decrepit castle could be seen, wrapped in a blanked of fog it lay roughly an hours walk away. Soon came Berry's turn to be rescued, even sooner all six were reacquainted with solid ground. "Thank you, Berry. " said Twilight, a bit at a loss for words. 'What do you say to a pony who saved your hide like that?' she thought. "Think nothing of it, I was making sure you kept your promise," said Berry. With it's first attempt a failure the Nightmare looked for another way to cause harm to these opponents. In the bushes further up the trail could be heard the deep breathing of a sleeping predator. 'Yes this will do,' the formless nightmare thought. Drifting over to the creature's nest it was quickly discovered to be a manticore. With a swirl the mist took on the form of a thorn from a plunder vine, sharp and nasty. It pierced the rough pad on the creature's paw, jutting into the sensitive nerves below. "*WROOOOAAAAAARRRR!!!!" Came the cry of the beast, alerting the six to the upcoming danger in their path. Out from the darkness a hulking frame emerged, the manticore full of blood-lust charged at the ponies. "Watch out everypony!" Shouted Cloudchaser.