//------------------------------// // LP20: Zecora [Adventure, Romance] // Story: Half Hour Horses: Legacy Prompts // by HoofAndQuill //------------------------------// The prompt: Somepony is falling for Zecora. I've been wanting to write a Mac/Zecora for a while actually, though this isn't really it. Still, convenient prompt! Big Macintosh's hooves thudded heavily against the ground despite the thick covering of fallen leaves and underbrush. Galloping through the Everfree Forest wasn't a good idea for any pony, even entering it at all was something Macintosh had only done once, and that was with two of his sister's friends that knew their way. Charging in alone, in a desperate panic, with no map and no true sense of direction was probably not the best of plans. But there was a time for planning and a time for action, and right now his sister was at home half out of her mind with fever from a timberwolf bite. There had been a path when he'd started, he was sure of it, and last time the path lead to Zecora's hut. But that had been with Fluttershy and Rarity in the lead, and now the path had somehow disappeared right from under his hooves. The forest here was still peppered with the howls of timberwolves, just like the forest near the Acres. Macintosh wasn't an unintelligent pony, but he was ready to admit he didn't know timberwolves from manticores from dragons. All that Everfree sort of mess just ought to stay in this forest, and ponies ought to just stay out. But since a wolf had gone and bitten Applejack, he knew that the only cure for whatever was ailing her had to be in the forest too. After what felt like an eternity of frantic galloping, but something his more reasonable mind told him was less than an hour, the almost familiar hut finally peeked out behind a pair of trees. Now that he looked, the path lead right to it again. Macintosh didn't have time to dwell on magic or lost roads, and just managed to check his pacing as he came up to the doorway. Blundering around the woods as he had been, there was no way she hadn't heard him. Still, after a moment's pause, he raised a hoof to knock at the door to the hut. He tried to keep his eyes off of the strange, misshapen tree that housed this place. It was too counter to the order that pervaded Equestria, something he'd always taken for granted until he saw what lay outside it. A slight movement of a curtain at a nearby window caught his eye, and then the door opened a moment later. Zecora stood before him, and the unfamiliarity between them gave him just a second's pause. He'd met her before, of course, but only the once. She was taller than an average pony mare. Only slightly, but it was still obvious. Her mane stood straight out in an exotic, alien fashion, and her stripes combined with her frankly gaudy gold bands combined to make for a strange appearance that was somehow off-putting and interesting at once. Though Mac had been raised better than to admit it, this mare also didn't look especially feminine, by pony standards. Her muzzle was sharper, more angled than most any mare's and there was something off about her eyes as well. After a moment of looking up at the stallion, Zecora broke the silence. "How strange to find a pony at my door, and Applejack's brother, what is more. What brings you here, colt? You look panicked and ready to bolt." Her voice was a touch deeper than normal for a mare's, too. Mac shook his head quickly, to clear the thoughts, and worked his way through her rhyming. He was a touch out of breath, and his worry set his accent a little heavier than he liked. "Applejack's been bit. By a timberwolf. S'all red an' hot, an' I'm thinkin' it's more'n just a bite." Zecora's eyes widened slightly, in a note of worry that only redoubled Macintosh's own concerns. The zebra mare turned quickly into her hut, and donned what appeared to be a sort of wicker saddlebag, before carefully placing a few ceramic jars into it, selecting them from her shelves despite the lack of labels. After a moment's hesitation, she flicked her tail upwards and knocked down another jar from one of the hanging vines, but kept this one on a small hook on the rings on her foreleg. "Every ten years the timberwolves spawn. To ponies and zebras they are drawn. To Applejack, with all haste, there is no time for us to waste!" "Yup." The smallest hint of a smile at his taciturn nature flitted across Zecora's lips, but neither took time to dwell on it. In a moment they were outside of the zebra's hut, and galloping at full speed into the forest. Big Macintosh had initially taken the lead, but soon found himself outpaced by Zecora. It was a rare mare that could outdo him physically. Still, Zecora seemed to know the way, and the path flowed quickly under their hooves as they galloped onward. The forest leaves and tangled roots flew by them, but a sudden loud growl stopped both equines short. Three timberwolves padded around a corner in the close path. They bore the strange blooms along their wooden bodies that Macintosh had noticed in the one that had wandered onto the Acres, and he couldn't help but notice Zecora take a step backward. He quickly sidestepped, in front of the mare, and lowered his head to stare down the approaching wolves. The wolves for their part seemed unimpressed, still approaching at the same speed, padding forward and watching the two prey animals for signs of flight. There was a note of reproach in her voice when Zecora spoke, but she didn't exactly seem angry. "Your heroic protection is brave, but silly. I am no defenseless filly." Macintosh glanced back at the zebra, only to see her quickly take the bottle from her foreleg, throwing it into the air with her muzzle before kicking it forward toward the timberwolves. The clay withstood her kick but not the impact on the leader's muzzle. There was only the briefest glimpse of some rainbow-sheened liquid before the contents caught aflame, burning with a bright blue fire and causing an immediate panic in the lead wolf. It howled in a frenzy, and scattered the flames in all directions. In a moment one of the other wolves had caught fire as well, and both ran in a yelping panic. The third roared and leaped toward Zecora, wooden claws extended and teeth bared. Big Mac was faster, and the buck from one hind leg was enough to splinter the forward half of the timberwolf into shards of broken wood and scattered leaves. The two shared a look, but that was all they could spare. The howling of the wolves in the forest broke any talk of their minor victory, and soon they were galloping ahead again. The trees soon ended abruptly, as the forest always seemed to, and the light and fresh air renewed Macintosh's gallop like nothing else could. --- The sight of his sister with bark and leaves growing on her flank wouldn't leave him any time soon. Still, as quick as she'd swallowed the brew that the zebra had cooked, the bark had begun flaking and the leaves had browned and withered, and Applejack had managed to open her eyes and even make a weak joke. The pony stallion now walked along the road that lead off of Sweet Apple Acres, and eventually back to the Everfree forest. Beside him, the zebra mare kept pace, speaking quietly. "Her leg, I fear, will be quite stiff. But I think you know what would have happened, if..." "Yup." He didn't want to talk about it. He didn't want to think about it. Applejack was fine. She was going to be fine, so there was no need to worry. She stopped, just past the edge of the Apples' land. Big Macintosh stopped inside the border. Now that he had a moment to look again, Zecora reminded him strongly of an earth pony mare. True, she had stripes. That coltish muzzle was still there, and her tail dock was strangely long and pronounced, but... still. He took a moment to try to clear his head. It must just be the relief that she'd saved his sister. Zecora, for her part, stood silently watching him a moment before speaking. "Do not speak of thanks, out loud. For your own part, you should be proud. Your quick run and your skill in strife, have likely saved your sister's life." The rhyming was annoying, but Mac appreciated the sentiment. Still... "Yup. But thank you." Zecora smiled, and turned to go. He could only watch her as she walked away, though she paused after a few steps. She spoke without turning. "After the spawning, when it is not so scary... perhaps you can visit, when there's time to tarry?" She didn't wait for an answer, but resumed her walking a moment later. Big Macintosh watched until the zebra's stripes blurred to a gray figure on the road. He wasn't sure what other ponies might think about what was going on in his head. He wasn't sure what he thought about it. But his Granny had always said a stallion knew when he'd found somepony interesting. Zecora was too far away to hear his reply, but he said it to the empty road anyway. "Yup."