//------------------------------// // Journey through the Everfree forest. // Story: A New Tale In Equestria. // by Sylif Daring Doo //------------------------------// _____*Everfree forest one hour later*_____ The group of seven walked through the dense forest and eventually came across a large clearing, Fang and Skitter looked around the area for any signs of traps, Roxanne and Rarity sat down to take a quick breather, Twilight looked up and saw that it was now nighttime somehow, she checked her watch and saw that it was now ten fifteen, she sighed and sat down in the clearing. Gwen and Derpy noticed the time as well and began to unpack their tent. Rarity started to unpack her tent and Roxanne helped. Fang sighed and looked up at the moon, he smiled softly and let out a soft howl, Skitter closed her eyes. Gwen looked over at Fang who was howling quietly, she smiled and began to put the tent up with Derpy. Twilight stood up and walked over to Skitter. "What are you doing?" She asked. Skitter opened her eyes. "I'm trying to communicate with the rest of the old gang, or I was until YOU broke my concentration." She replied blankly. Twilight did her best to contain her rage. "I'm sorry about calling you an 'it', but when the Changelings attacked Canterlot I couldn't see your species in a calm manner, its taking everything in me to restrain myself from attacking you." She admitted sadly. Skitter chuckled. "Don't be, the hive that attacked Canterlot was a terrorist hive." She explained. Twilight sighed. "So how many of the 'old gang' are Changelings?" She asked. Skitter bit her lip. "Let me think, there was me and Gwen, then you have Vulture, Gilda was in it as well, then you got Dust who argued with Gwen all the time, there was also the twins, Tracker and Trapper, and Firefly, and that's the gang." She said pausing between names. Twilight's eyes widened. "Wow, so let me ask you something, who were the Changelings of the group?" She asked. Skitter looked at the moon and closed her eyes. "Me, Vulture and the twins, that's all I'm going to say." She replied. Twilight nodded in understanding and walked back to the group to help put the tents up. Fang took a deep breath and howled again, but this time much louder then before. Roxanne finished putting her and Fang's tent up, she went to stand but felt a familiar sensation and froze, she bit her lip as the same blinding pain returned in greater effect, she tried to hold in the pain but it was winning. Twilight and Rarity noticed their friend was just standing still biting her lip, they walked over to her. "Roxanne is there something wrong?" Twilight asked with concern. "Darling if there is anything wrong you can tell us." Rarity asked worriedly. Roxanne let a tear out before she started screaming, she collapsed to the ground and screamed in agony. Fang and Skitter rushed over as did Gwen and Derpy. "IT HURTS!, HELP ME PLEASE!, PLEASE IT HURTS SO MUCH!." Roxanne shouted between the screams. Fang shoved anyone who was between him and Roxanne out of his way and kneeled down to Roxanne and looked her over for signs of injury. Roxanne winced and screamed more. "WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME!" She cried out. Fang clutched Roxanne's left hand and closed his eyes. "You'll be alright, you'll be alright." He said repeatedly. Roxanne screamed one last time before passing out. Fang looked Roxanne over again but found no sign of injury, he wiped a tear from his eye and carried her into the tent. The rest of the night was spent with two members of the group awake at all times, one keeping watch over the camp and one keeping an eye on Roxanne. Fang was the first one on watch duty along with Rarity who was keeping an eye on Roxanne. Before the first watch Twilight had decided that the two to be awake should be one with special powers and one with one to work with the other, Fang had decided that Rarity would be the best combo with him because of her sensory ability. (1) The next group for the watch would be Derpy and Twilight and then Skitter and Gwen. Fang and Rarity's turn at watch proved uneventful thankfully. Twilight and Derpy exited their tents to switch with Fang and Rarity. "Anything happen?" Twilight asked. Fang shook his head. "Nothing, good luck." He replied. Twilight nodded as Rarity returned to her tent, she decided to get to work. Derpy looked around, with her new eye she had night vision, thankfully. "Twilight, you look after Roxanne, I'll keep watch." Twilight was surprised by this. "Why don't I take watch?" She asked. Derpy looked at Twilight. "Do you have night vision?" She asked. Twilight shook her head. "No I don't." She replied. Derpy gave Twilight a smirk and turned around. "That's why." She said. Twilight got the message and walked over to Roxanne's tent, she entered the tent and began her shift. Derpy looked around the camp but saw nothing suspicious. "Golden you still there?" She asked. "You ask that as if I could leave, what do you need?" He asked. Derpy smirked and looked at the surroundings. "Something I don't understand, why do you let me have control when you could take over my body permanently?" She asked. Golden Freddy sighed. "Yea like I could make it even less awkward to anyone who talks to you, besides I'm not a social butterfly, I like peace and quiet." He replied. Derpy nodded and continued her watch. "There is one thing that bothers me however, you know that I could take over at any time but you are calm as ever." Golden Freddy wondered. "No point in panicking is there?" Derpy replied with a smirk. "Hey Derpy, I just thought of something, what happens if your friends decide to blast us with those elements?" Golden Freddy asked. Derpy stopped. "From what I can tell it takes time to use them, so if I keep moving I should be fine." She replied. "I'll think of a better way to avoid them, in the meantime I think we should keep a low profile." Golden Freddy suggested. Derpy nodded and continued walking around the camp, as she walked Derpy couldn't help but feel like she was being watched. As she passed Roxanne's tent Derpy saw something in the bushes near the camp, she went inside the tent. "Derpy?, what is it?" Twilight asked as she stood up. Derpy gave Twilight a serious glare. "I need some help, I thought I saw something in the bushes." She replied. Twilight nodded and followed Derpy out of the tent. Derpy led Twilight to where she saw the bushes. "Over there." Derpy said pointing at the bushes. Twilight lit her horn and cautiously approached the bushes. Derpy followed Twilight to the bushes when she heard a twig snap in it. Twilight and Derpy leaped into bushes and found themselves fighting something, Twilight attempted to use her magic but couldn't keep any focus, Derpy managed to grab a leg and pulled it out of the bushes. Derpy looked at what she grabbed and found that she had pulled out a Pegasus mare, the mare pulled her leg out from Derpy's grasp and lunged at her. The mare rammed Derpy and went to strike with her hoof but found she couldn't move it. "What the?" She asked herself. Twilight emerged from the bush with her horn lit, she used her magic and levitated the mare off Derpy. Derpy stood back up and got a better look at the mare, she had an olive green coat and an amber mane and tail with a light orange mixed in there, the mare also had a thunderbolt and three star cutie mark, and the mare's eyes were amber. Twilight levitated the mare over to her. "Why were you spying on us?" She asked calmly. The mare gave Twilight an annoyed look. "I was sleeping, until you attacked me." She snapped. Derpy looked the mare in the eye. "Who are you?" She asked plainly. The mare chuckled. "What makes you think I'll tell you?" She replied. Derpy smirked. "You don't exactly have a choice now do you?" She countered. The mare sighed and closed her eyes in thought. "Lightning Dust." She finally said after a few moments. Twilight raised an eyebrow. "You wouldn't happen to know a Changeling by the name of Skitter would you?" She asked. Lightning looked at Twilight. "And what If I did?" She replied. Twilight looked behind Derpy and grinned. "Because she is right behind you." She said. Lightning gulped as Twilight turned her around to see Skitter and Gwen. "Oh no, hey guys, what up?" She said nervously. Skitter gave Lightning an annoyed glare. "Why are you here Dust?" She asked blankly. Lightning chuckled innocently. "Um, I was going to visit Vulture, he wrote me a letter saying that he found something and wanted me to come, I guess he called the entire gang." She replied. Gwen stifled a laugh at Lightning's face, it was covered in mud. "Lightning, you, got something, on your, face." She said in between laughs. Skitter nodded at Twilight to let Lightning go, Twilight reluctantly released Lightning who wiped the mud off her face. Derpy hid her eye again getting a suspicious look from Skitter and Lightning. "So I take it your all visiting Vulture?" Lightning asked. Gwen nodded and walked up to Lightning, they both grinned and headbutted each other. Twilight was unsure about this as Lightning and Skitter headbutted each other after Skitter transformed. "Why do you do that?" Twilight asked. Gwen smirked. "Its our gangs traditional greeting, we thought it was best to make a greeting just in case of imposters." She replied. Lightning gave Gwen a playful look. "Although my speed cant be copied, unlike yours." She said teasingly. Gwen grinned and flared her wings. "Was that a challenge?" She asked. Lightning smirked. "How'd you guess?" She replied as she flared her wings. Skitter stood between the two. "Sorry you two but there wont be any racing tonight, we have an injured companion in our camp who needs our help." She said with a serious tone. Gwen and Lightning both calmed down. "Sorry, I guess we can put this on hold." Lightning suggested. "Yea, come on, we need to get back to the camp." Gwen stated. The group then walked back to the camp but Twilight had her doubts so she walked up to Gwen. "Gwen, are you sure we can trust her?" Twilight asked quietly. Gwen nodded. "Remember when I said I would trust the gang with my life?, I meant it, you should give her a chance Twilight." She requested. Twilight sighed and continued to the camp. "By the way Twilight, me and Skitter got watch." Gwen called. Skitter bit her lip and stood at one of the tents while Gwen went inside Roxanne's tent. Lightning looked at the sky and found a cloud, she flew up and laid down. Twilight and Derpy walked into their respective tents and went inside. Gwen kept an eye on Roxanne throughout the night while Skitter watched the camp from outside. Skitter sat in the middle of the camp with her eyes closed, one of the many advantages of being a Changeling was being able to sense emotions, but that was not Skitter's only ability, she had a unique ability, it allowed her to sense any movement in a large area around her, not even the invisible could get passed her. Skitter chuckled as she felt movement to the north of the camp. "This trip is going to be a good one." She said quietly as the night slowly passed.