Fern sighed and relaxed under the shade of a tree on the outskirts of Ponyville, there was a small cottage on top of a small hill however Fern paid no attention to it. Once every few minutes Fern threw an apple into her mouth. Every now and then a brief rustling noise drew Fern's attention away from relaxing.
"Sssssss? Anyone there?" Fern called out after a particularly loud rustling noise."Ssssssssshow yourself!" Fern shouted. Another loud rustling noise caused Fern to stumble to her feet and examine the nearby area. "Sssssssssss!" Fern hissed loudly.
"..." A small sound was briefly heard, the sound enough to cause Fern to draw her swords and take a defensive stance.
"Sssssss! Ssssssstop hiding!" Fern ordered loudly. The rustling ceased. "Come out sssssso Floran can ssssssee you..." A pegasus emerged from the treeline, one of Twilight's friends. Fern immediately sheathed her swords and sat back down.
"Um..." The pegasus quietly said before attempting hide herself behind her wings.
"Sss. Hello ssssmall pony." Fern slowly said, quickly picking up pegasus's shyness. "What isssssss sssssssssmall pony doing in the forest?"
"Oh..." The pony started, her voice slowly getting quieter as she spoke. "I wasn't in the forest."
Luckily for Fern, years of living in an Avian town had gifted her with a remarkable ear for picking up sounds. "Hm... Floran isssssss confused... What was making that noise..."
"Oh well..." The pony shuffled awkwardly. "I met someone in the forest and well..." The pony sighed. "I said I would show them around town today..."
"Sssss? Floran hassssss to know, what livesssssss in forest... Floran hasssssss only ssssssseen ssssssstrange wood-wolfssss." Fern asked cautiously.
"Well... Its... Hes not really from the forest. He has a small house that he made... I said I would meet him here, not that I don't mind waiting for him." The pony chuckled nervously and glanced around.
"Ssssss. Doesssssssss ssssssmall pony mind if Floran ssssssstayssssssssss here?" Fern asked as she took a large apple out of the basket.
"Well, its alright. I'm sure they will show up..." The pony sighed.
"Sssssssssmall pony want an apple?" Fern offered the apple she had picked out of her basket. "Floran hassssss lotsssssss of applessssssss."
"Oh its quite alright, I had a big breakfast." The pony happily replied.
"Psst!" A voice quietly whispered from the treeline. Fluttershy perked up and quickly scanned the forest's edge. "Psst! Miss Fluttershy!"
"Oh! Rayn, is that you?" Fluttershy happily replied. "Why are you hiding?" Fluttershy examined the treeline.
"Well I am... I mean, you're with company." The voice responded. "I would rather not intrude."
"Floran doessssss not mind if ssssssssmall pony'ssssssssss friend comessssss. Floran issssss waiting to be found by other pony... Either Twi-light... Or Ly-ra. Sssssss Floran isssssssss unsure how to ssssssay their namessssssssss." Fern chuckled and threw the apple she had taken out into her mouth. "Floran will not bite... Much."
"Its... Its quite alright I'm quite alright... Back here." The voice replied.
"But... We can't go into town if you won't come out of the forest... What happened?" Fluttershy asked with a pinch of worry in her voice.
"Its just... Nothing really. I just don't... No... Its alright..." The voice slowly said. A brief silence fell over clearing. A loud rustling noise came from the treeline. Fern followed the noise through the treeline until it stopped. "You will have to forgive me for my cautiousness... I haven't had the best of encounters with Floran before..." A loud cracking then snapping noise was heard from tree, a surprised looking Vulpine fell onto the floor. "Ohhh... That tree was not as strong as I thought..."
"Ssssss..." Fern examined the Vulpine, the creature was wearing a long sleeved jacket with sleek black trousers collapsed on her lap, he had bright orange fur with the tip of his ears and tail being a rocky gray color. A thick white hat with goggles had fallen off his head and landed near Fluttershy.
"Reyn! Its great to see you again." Fluttershy happily remarked. "Although... You have landed on...."
"Sssss... Floran hasssssss not ssssssseen ssssssstrange fox-person before..." Fern chuckled. "Or ssssssseen one sssssssso close..." Reyn quickly scrambled onto his feet and dusted himself off.
"Yes well, don't get too used to it." Reyn huffed as he walked over the Fluttershy. "Last time I was that close to a Floran it did not end well."
"You two... Have met before?" Fluttershy inquired.
"Not exactly Miss... I have encountered the Floran before." Reyn sighed. "The Floran are a very particular species to say the least."
"Ssssssssssss Floran isssssss ssssstill here." Fern remarked. "And besides... Floran hassssss never sssssssssseen ssssssstrange fox-person." Fern crossed her arms and huffed.
"Well Miss..." Reyn looked around expectantly.
"Sssssss." Fern blankly hissed, unaware of Reyn struggling to figure out Fern's name.
"Fern." Fluttershy quietly said. "Her name is Fern."
"Oh! Have you two met before?" Reyn asked sounding surprised.
"Well no... Twilight has met her... And so has Lyra... Lyra has seen her more... Except until recently." Fluttershy slowly replied trying to hid a slight giggle. "You said... Exactly what I said..."
"Floran fight other ssssssmall pony." Fern stated. "Floran not want to be around other ssssssssmall poniesssssssssss because... Sssssssssmall poniesssssss make funny facesssssssss that Floran not like."
"Wait... There was a fight!? Did you kill anyone?" Reyn shouted loudly.
"Ssssssss, no. Floran not kill any sssssssssmall poniessssssssssss. Sssssssssssmall poniessssssssss are helping Floran fix ssssssship." Fern replied calmly. "Floran know better to kill sssssssmall pony." Fern chuckled. "Sssssso, what bringsssss fox-person to ssssssssssmall pony planet?"
"Well..." Reyn shuffled awkwardly. "I was following you. After you and that Avian ship blasted away from that planet... I noticed you were being followed. I made it my mission to warn you about the small fleet that was hightailing you."
"Ssssss, Floran know about Sssssstargazersssssss. Floran know Ssssssssssstargazerssssssssssssssss not follow Floran, but they follow bird-lady..." Fern sighed. "Floran try to get bird-lady to come with Floran..." Fern shook her head. "Ssssso fox-person wassssss following Floran?"
"Yes Miss, I was hoping to lend you a helping paw, but when I caught up with you... Your ship had sustained damage, I didn't know if you were friendly or not." Reyn replied. "I meant no harm by it, I was merely trying to help someone in distress. And please, just call me Reyn."