//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Stallion of the Everfree // by Wolfoftheforest //------------------------------// Fear, the collection of nerves when tingled the right way creates a spark. A spark that sends a shiver down the spine, making the blood run cold and causes most to freeze in place. This fear is what I’m facing as I am riding on the back of a creature that I have never seen before. It looked like a horse, but it was completely different in a way. Instead of having a brown mane like ours, its mane was blue. Instead of a brown, black, grey, or white coat like ours, its body color was red. The biggest difference was the fact that it had feathery wings sticking out of its side. I’m currently lying curled upon its’ back atop a pair of straps. The straps were connected to a pair of beige pockets on its side. As it bolted through the warm forest I call home, a loud hungry growl was heard, sending another spike of fear from a beast I have yet to see. Telling by the deepness of the growl, it was a humongous beast. The horse-like creature picked up its’ speed as the trees went whizzing by. Craning my head to look behind me I saw the beast I hope I would never have seen. It was a behemoth. Standing at least twice the size of the horse-like I was riding on. It had beady red eyes which gleamed like a fire stone. It had patches of brown mud caked fur all over its body. The parts that were bare was jet black. Its’ mouth was giant. Two fangs protruded from its bottom jaw. ‘Of all creatures in this forest it has to be this one. It had to be the King of Beasts.’ I thought as I cowered closer to the horse-like creature. The horse-like creature said something, I could only assume was something reassuring, as I couldn’t understand her. The sound of her voice definitely told me that she was female. She had jumped through a small hole in a great oak tree. The beast had tried to follow her only to become momentarily stuck, due to its large frame. The horse took its opportunity to ditch me as she reached a bramble with a small opening in the bottom. She lifted me with her hoofs, and planted a kiss on my head. I saw a few tears escaping her magenta eyes and streaking down her fur. She pushed me into the gap as far as she could before taking off. ‘Don’t leave me here to be killed by the king. Come back and save me!’ The sound of splintering wood told me that the king had escaped from its wooden prison. I held my breath and pushed myself backwards as the sounds of breaking twigs told me the beast was running towards me. The sounds of paws passed the bush and kept going as I began to breathe again. All was silent as a loud ladylike scream of terror sounded. An Earth shake had started up around me as I slipped into an eerie blackness. I opened my eyes as I was being shaken. A dim brightness illuminated my otherwise darkened room. “Oh good you’re awake,” said a rough voice coming from the direction of light. Looking towards the nearly blinding light emanating from the water crystal hanging around his neck was neck. I saw my brother standing there through squinted eyes. “Xanther, why, why did you wake me up so early?” I asked irritated of being shaken awake, and the bright light now nearly blinding me. “Early? It’s the time of the rising sun already. What were you going to sleep all day? Besides Squirt, mother says I have to get you ready for your celebration and training.” With a smile adorning his face, he turned, and trotted back through the crystal crafted doorway. He Closed the door behind him, and left me in a daze of confusion. It took a moment for his parting words to make sense of his words. ‘Celebration… Training? What does he mean,’ I pondered, rubbing the sleepiness from my eyes with my hoof. ‘What training.’ Looking at the calendar, I notice that it was the 13th. ‘Yes, I can’t believe I’m finally old enough to start my water defensive training.’ I quickly rolled out of my grass bed, and cantered after my brother. I left the darkness of my room, and blinking stepped into the light of the great circle. My nose was assaulted with the sweet scent of warmed Apple Porridge. Following my mud caked muzzle into the kitchen, I see my brother, scooping two big helpings of porridge into the bowls on the stony table. “Where’s mom? Isn’t she usually the one cooking breakfast?” I asked moving towards the bowls. Xanther glanced over at me, “She went to the clearing where the bright circle shines brightest to get your crystal for the ceremony little bro.” He hoofed me a bowl. “Here’s your bowl, eat it fast, because we don’t have a lot of time to get you ready for your ceremony.” I quickly devoured the rainbow concoction. After eating, we immediately left for the traditional clearing. The great circle was shining through a small hole in the treetop canopy, illuminating the small field in the otherwise darkened forest. The field was fairly close to home, which is the main reason why it was the traditional field used to teach basic defense in. I heard the sounds of various animals scampering around, and the fast water nearby. I returned my attention back to my black dirt covered body as a few fish splashed the surface. As I stared, a whip of water hit my cheek. "Oww, what was that for?" I ask, rubbing my now stinging cheek, and turning back to face my brother. "That's for not paying attention," he said. "Hey, I was paying attention." "Ohh? then what was I talking about?" he asked, even though his eyes told me he already knew that I wasn't paying attention. "Uhh..." I started trying to come up with an answer. I can't believe how boring this is. "You said water is the symbol of new life and tranquility but, can be swift like the river or as fierce as the wet season. For me to control it I need to be calm, their breathing and body stance reflect that. You must also visualize it. Hoping I got it right and wasn't daydreaming too long. I watched as his face went from stoic to surprised. "That was five minutes ago." He huffed, binging a hoof to the small, shiny water crystal around his neck. Having come from the Selene temple, it was shaped like the moon. "If you were paying attention, you would've heard me say the necklaces are connected to the crystal in the temple of Selene, and how they help us control large amounts of water." "If they help to control the water, then why can't I have mine yet?" "For one, you need to show you can do this," he said gesturing towards the water. "Before you can use this," pointing to the necklace. "For two, you're going to get yours tonight during the ceremony." “Can’t I use yours please?” I tried to convincing him using foal eyes and trembling lip method. “No, that isn’t going to work. If you remember, these are connected to our very being,” he said tapping the necklace, “Moving on, lets see how you do.” Looking away from him, I stare back into the fast water. The suns reflection caused me to go blind. Clenching them shut, I waited for the pain to subside. When I reopened my eyes my black dirt-covered reflection greeted me. I started to focus harder on the fast water in front of me and started moving through the various steps that I have learned. step 1: breath slowly and focus on the water. step 2: raise front hooves towards the great circle. step 3: lunge one hind leg downward. step 4: drop hooves back towards ground and push hooves towards water. step 5: raise hooves towards the great circle once more. I opened my eyes a few seconds later to see my progress. The stupid water hasn’t even began to ripple. “What in the name of Gaia, how could the stupid water not even ripple! Why the heck can everyone else do this and I can’t!?" I was cut off by a brown hoof holding my mouth shut. Barely being able to see over my brothers' massive hoof, I see that most of the animals have run into the nearest bush or tree. “Seriously?” Xanther said disbelievingly. “Haven’t you learned that you need to be quiet when we’re not at home? You could attract a Wooden Wolf or a Lion Scorpion, and then we’d be in some really deep trouble. Now I'm going to let go of your mouth, and you’re going to be quiet, alright?” I nodded and he let go. He started to swivel his ears . “Umm, what are you doing?” I said as I cocked my head slightly. “Making sure you didn’t just screw us over, now be quiet.” The seriousness of the situation, caused me to shut my mouth immediately as my brother listened for signs of the aforementioned beasts. “I think we’re safe. Now as to your questions, from what I've seen, you did everything right, except you’re still breathing far too hard. Don’t worry about it, you’ll get it eventually. All it takes is practice. You did well for your first try. A tip is to think of a happy thought, it's what I do every now and then," he said as he hit me in the face with another smack of water. "Will you quit doing that, it's starting to get really old." I used my hoof to get the water from my face. "Now, what kind of thoughts do you think about?" “I usually only focus on the first time I saw you. You were so small and helpless. I still remember holding you in my hooves. You were no bigger than a water rock, and as annoying as a ground prickly. ” I thought he was going soft for a moment, before he grabbed me and put me in a headlock and my dirty mane. I tried to fight back by hitting his sides and pushing away from it. “It seems that Gaia and Selene are on my side little bro. You’ve got to try harder than that if you want to escape.” He goaded me as he continued his assault. I finally broke away with a hoof to his side. I quickly rebalanced from the fall to the ground and tried to tackle him. Of course with him being much bigger than me, it looked more like a rabbit trying to tackle a Lion Scorpion. As I collided with him, we both fell to the ground. All hail the mighty rabbits. We rolled around trying to prove who’s stronger by pinning the other. He had me pinned under his massive hoof in under a minute. “Ha, I win. Now say it,” He demanded. “No.” He began to press downward with his hoof. “Say it.” “No.” The pressure started to become too much, and it started to hurt. “Ahh, alright. You’re better than me in every way under the great circle in the sky. You’ll always be better than me. Now let me up please. It’s starting to hurt” And like that, he moved his big hoof off of me. “Heh, sorry, forgot that you have a bad back.” Xanther looked up to see that the Great Circle starting to descend. "We need to get going for you ceremony little bro." He started to walk back towards the kingdom. We were walking for a good five minutes when Xanther stopped by a worn dirt path. "What's wrong?" I asked, catching up to my brother. Once I stopped I heard it, the sounds of rustling leaves and twigs breaking. We immediately took cover ducking under a fir tree. The sounds came closer and closer. The creature showed itself. It was like a horse but was much smaller by about half of the height. It was as if this creature came directly from my Sleep story. The only difference was it was stripped black and white. On its flank was a symbol that looked like the great circle. It had rings around its neck and hanging from its ears. Its hair seemed to stand up as if scared by a crack of thunder or brightness of lightning. What the heck? These things exist. I looked over to my brother, only to notice the fear in his eyes. Whatever this thing is, it's scary enough to scare Xanther.