The manticore reared on it's hind legs, viciously swiping at the air. Even on all fours the beast would be taller than Princess Celestia. With it's leathery wings outstretched, scorpion tail whipping wildly around and open maw of fangs the manticore was an intimidating creature. With it's posturing over the monstrous creature closed the gap between it and the ponies.
"Everypony clear out of the way, i need a clean shot!" Said Berry as she pulled out her grenade launcher, leveling the sights at the charging animal she emptied the chamber. The first grenade flew strait for it's intended target but was intercepted by a swipe of it's tail, sending the explosive crashing into the rock wall to it's side. The other flew harmlessly over it's head, the roller exploded behind the manticore distracting it for a few seconds.
"What gives Berry you were a crack-shot earlier tonight," said Cloudchaser.
"Sorry girls normally i'm a bit more intoxicated before i think picking this thing up is a good idea," Berry said apologetically.
"What, how does that even work? Your more skilled when drunk?" said the puzzled Twilight.
"I don't know, either way that was the last of my ammo. We'll have to take this thing on the old fashioned way, Lotus you and i will hit and run when the others have it distracted. Just make sure not to get stung by that tail, manticore venom is deadly." said Berry.
With the game plan set the ponies played their respective roles, Twilight and Lyra firing small rocks at it's face meanwhile Derpy and Cloudchaser were coming in for aerial strikes. Circling the beast were the physically strong earth ponies, anytime it left itself open one would rush in and deliver a strong kick to it's ribs, then dodge as it swung with it's claws.
The cycle continued for several minuets, and it was becoming clear the manticore was winning this war of attrition. All the running, dodging, diving, levitating and kicking was taking it's toll on the group. A new strategy was in order.
"Anypony have any ideas? I cant do this for much longer," said Lotus.
"I have an idea, there's obviously something wrong with this manticore, look how it's fighting. It hasn't taken flight once and it hasn't tried using it's stinger offensively," observed Lyra.
'Huh she's right, it's not using any of it's natural advantages against us' Twilight thought.
"My guess is something is causing it pain and enraging it. Twilight do you know any magic that could restrain it?" Lyra inquired as she dodged a swipe.
"Well i have done some research on a spell to hold an object in stasis, actually it's more like an altered form of levitation but utilizing-" Twilight was beginning to ramble.
Lyra cut her off, "Sounds great! When i say so hold him in place." While the manticore was busy clawing at the pegasi buzzing around it's head, Lyra got right front and center. "You call your self a top predator? You haven't even landed a single hit on us, are you sure you're not just a little pussycat who found it's way into the big bad forest?" Lyra finished her taunt with a provocative spank and stinking her tongue out before dashing away.
The words meant nothing to the giant cat but the body language had the desired affect, the beast now singled out the aquamarine horse ignoring completely the attacks by her comrades. Bending it's legs back the manticore leaped into the sky, teeth barred and claws out, ready to rip into the offender. "NOW!" shouted Lyra at the top of her lungs.
What happened next was something the manticore had never experienced before, it was still airborne but it was not using it's wings. It could look around but not move any of it's muscles. If the manticore were capable of speech it would describe the sensation, "Covered in butterflies, tingly all over." With it's freedom of movement gone the manticore new that the ponies were coming in for the kill, it was simply the order of things.
"Boy you sure put up quite a fight, let's see whats been making you act so wild," Lyra said as she began her examination.
"Are you sure that's safe? What if that thing get's loose, It'll tear us to sheds," said a worried Cloudchaser.
"As long as i maintain this spell it won't be able to move," said Twilight.
Lyra was crawling under the cat searching every surface looking for anything out of the ordinary, finally she came to the paw. "Here we go, probably got it chasing a rabbit into a thorn bush," said Lyra, using her own magic she gripped the black thorn, without a second thought she yanked it from the paw. The manticore tried letting out a cry of anguish but all it could manage was a weak sounding moan.
"Alright Twilight if we put it back near it's nest it should leave us be, i'd say this took most of it's fight away," said Lyra tossing the bloody thorn aside.
The group pushed the frozen beast along, roughly to the place where they first saw it. Turning it around they then hid behind a large boulder. "OK i'm releasing it.. now," Twilight said as the glow on her horn faded.
The manticore felt the tingling leave and found itself able to move again, if it could express the confusion it felt right now it would go something like this. "Pointy thing gone, pain gone. horsies not kill?"
Peering out from their hiding spot the group watched the manticore, it was no longer roaring and acting wildly. "Gotta say kid that was some smart thinking," complimented Berry.
"Yeah it was, how'd you know what was wrong?" asked Derpy.
"Simple observation, if it was hunting us it would have been taking us on from the sky trying to sting us. It was clear to me it was being driven mad by something. We take care of that and it goes back to it's peaceful slumber," said Lyra happy with how successful her idea had turned out.
The six waited till the composite creature returned to it's nest before leaving their hiding place, after all it still was a wild animal.
"Come on girls we've got allot of ground to cover still," said Twilight.
Tiphofing past the bushes the adventures continued on their way. "Hey Twilight where did you-!" Lyra was interrupted when the giant cat pounced out of the bushes pinning her to the ground. Horrified looks were shared as they saw it coming in for a bite.
"AHHHHH! *Blahph*pthph* Get this thing off me!" said Lyra trying hard in vain to ward off the unwanted licking from the grateful animal.
"Hehe looks like you weren't too far off when you called him a little pussycat Lyra," said Derpy.
Back at the scene of the fight the discarded thorn dropped it's disguise, "Perhaps they are more dangerous than i had thought at first. I shall require more power before i engage them again," thought the nightmare. Sending out a call the cloud silently hovered behind the ponies.
*****
In the shadowy remains of the castle Nightmare Moon sat on the tall throne that once belonged to Celestia. Long since abandoned the building was in horrendous condition, large sections of wall had crumbled away into nothing and the once bright tapestries that hung now were moldy and full of holes. Nightmare Moon was unsure why she had come here, it was if she was moved here outside of her own free will.
Still a Gothic old building would be a suitable base to work from once all of Equestria began to sucome to the night. She could imagine it now, starving peasants who's crops wont grow, whiny artists longing to paint the sunrise, petty resistance fighters all coming to her to restore the sunlight. And how she would laugh at how pathetic they all are, "Ooh this is going to be delightful." Said Nightmare Moon, her voice echoing through the empty throne room.
Then something unexpected happened, the portion of herself she detached to kill the ponies here in the forest contacted her. Through the telepathic link the mirrored minds talked. "The ponies still live, we have tried dropping them off a cliff and goring them with a wild animal but they have escaped both." said the severed portion of Nightmare Moon.
"Then we shall send more of our self to fight them, enough to make the trees our weapons," said Nightmare Moon proper.
"Yes even the wood of this forest will be our army," said the cloud, looking on as the ponies were about to enter a dense patch of trees.
Willing it to do so another portion of Nightmare Moon separated from the host body, flying off to join in the upcoming assault. Now the mare's mane and tail, while still flowing and ethereal were much shorter than before. From her seat Nightmare Moon watched what was happening from afar, but she was no longer alone in the castle.
A second being was looking with intense interest the proceedings from afar, careful not to let a stray thought alert the Nightmare to her presence. Princess Luna was awake once more.